Cutie Pie (2022)

A series to listen to, not simply watch

I watched the official trailer of this series, and wanted to watch it immediately, simply because the plot was so outdated, yet so freshly taken by adding it into the BL world.

And then... Originally, it was a disappointment. The story was too unrealistic and simple to the extreme, told in the first episode with nowhere to go, the turns easy to predict, the characters one-dimensional and difficult to understand. Overall, the whole show seemed to be just... empty, so I kept on watching merely for the beautiful pictures and the good-looking actors, as their chemistry is undeniable.

Then there came one episode, one scene, where I submerged into emotions so hard that I forgot to breathe for a minute, with my mouth open, not able to move, slipping down, literally almost falling off of my chair. I didn't understand what happened. I kept watching that scene over and over again, watching the actors faces, moves, body language with awe, taking in the beautiful music, feeling like a peeping Tom, looking at two people who just had their first moment truly connecting with each other. This was when I realized: hey, these guys really want to tell me something. Maybe it's me who did not understand something...?

So, I watched the whole series again. From the very beginning, questioning all of my previously formed opinions, and imagining myself into the place of each and every single character in the situations portrayed, listening to what the actors wanted to express with their plays (I basically paused watching like 50 times per episode). By every, I mean every. The kids, the parents, the friends, etc. What I found was pure beauty.

First, the story.
Original impression: undeniably outdated concept, and undeniably unrealistic and simple, no surprises, not progressing.
After re-watch: even if the concept is outdated, it is merely a frame to highlight what truly matters: the people who live through these stories. Grandparents and parents, who want their offspring to be in an emotionally safe relationship with someone they care for, is the single most basic wish of any responsible caretaker in a family. Same as respecting their intentions. I love how in the story everything seems to be settled for the main characters, but if you watch carefully, the elderly keep asking the young ones about their feelings and wants, implying that the story is actually not narrow at all, but is based on the characters' decisions - which is how real life writes a story. There are kids becoming adults, who want to meet their parents' wishes, whilst expressing themselves, living life in their own ways. Friends who change. Realistic people.
I understood that my feeling of unrealistic comes from the fact that two boys are engaged in a world where gay marriage is yet to be a fully accepted concept. So came my understanding: the source of this feeling is that we are yet to accept it as natural. Accept it as nothing extraordinary, and the whole story becomes cute and a bit naïve, but absolutely imaginable.
Overall, the plot is simply frame, which, on one hand challenges the viewer to rethink their own view on same-sex relationships with its unrealistic way (we need to give credit for the two grandpas here). On the other hand its simplicity does not draw attention away from the important thing this series wants you to focus on: people, emotions, connections.
The story is not progressing - because it doesn't have to. Unlike any other BL series I have ever seen, this one kicks the usual series dynamics in the teeth, and settles you in a fairly static plot, to make you actually watch, feel, live in the skin of the characters, instead of settling you in rather static characters for a longer-shorter series of events. You can literally feel yourself growing together with them in the slow story.
This series is not exciting because of the happenings. This series is exciting because of how the characters live through them. Note: This part I may need to edit later as the series end. :)

Second, the characters.
Original impression: one-dimensional emotions and drives.
After re-watch: Once I understood that I will not see their characters portrayed by their actions as the story progresses, I knew I needed to put myself into the characters' shoes. And it was so easy! I mean, who wasn't a young university student, who had no idea what they want with their lives, but knew exactly who they want? Who wasn't a child, who wants to please their parents, but find their own ways? Who didn't struggle with their own emotions they felt towards a friend? Who were not doing extreme things out of guilt, desire, desperation, wish for care?
I realized not only these characters are complex, but they are so beautifully everyday people! Which is ingenious, considering the anything-but-everyday plot. This controversial feeling, amplified by the characters captivates the viewer. Their emotional roller coaster is expressed in the most subtle things, visible if you really, but really listen to them. A pair of widening eyes, a narrow back walking away, tears, obviously, wide moves, anxious stepping from one foot to another, a furrowed brow, sitting calmly in front of the other... It struck me really hard when I understood that these actors, unlike in some other series including better and worse I watched, are actually ACTING. With capitals. They show me fully realized characters who they were able to connect with, even the ones who I originally thought are bad acting. They simply don't go over the top, but rather behave as a normal human being. I love how the expressions are not loud at all in this series, because when they are... Fireworks.

Third and last, the show overall.
Original impression: empty.
After re-watch: If anyone got to this point in reading, by this time you most likely realized my source of emptiness was my own shallow take. This series will not shout in your face what is happening and is felt, instead invites you to imagine yourself in the places of the main roles, and offers you a journey with a partner we sometimes forget to bring along: ourselves. A multi-dimensional journey and see, how different people, bonded by intention, love, sympathy or duty, in different situations, for different reasons can overcome difficulties by listening to, understanding and respecting each other. And this, in my opinion, is a story worth to learn from and remember to, by watching and re-watching a thousand times.

Read More

CREEPS ME OUT!

I dont think I've HATED a drama this much in a long long time. I usually avoid dramas I suspect I would hate but this.... sweet gracious! I looked forward to this drama so much and was so HYPED at Episode 1. It went from 100 to 0 so fast!

The plot is very very weird. I don't mind age gap relationships because duh what do i care? As long as they're happy and in a healthy relationships! BUT BOTH MAIN RELATIONSHIPS ON HERE ARE TOXIC AS HECK!

OMG! Where do I even start from? They keep reffering to Kuea as a "naughty kid". Boi is 20 or 21 years old. And make the relationship between him and his FIANCÉ weird by potraying Lian as this "ALPHA MALE".
Now it looks like a romantic relationship between a father and son.

Lian mistreats his finace and makes him beg for his love? Send people to spy on his every move, treats him like a 5 year old, have no regards for him, flirts with others on their date and doesn't correct people when they refer to Kuea as his "little brother". Forces Kuea to move in with him and even has a spy cam in their house. Completely disregard Kueas opinion, doesn't care that Kuea wants to break off their engagement while still not wanting to work on the relationship. Kisses him without his consent!

With the way things are going so far I wouldn't be surprised if this takes a HISTORY: CTY (second couple story) route and they include a RP! So far they're glorifying an abusive relationship and seem to be happy because of the remarkable views they're getting and ofc the money they're making from it.

As much as this is just a Drama its still makes me sick watching something like this. Wouldn't wish this kinda relationship on anyone in the world. Dropped it!

And Lastly; for some reasons all the Actors suddenly look like they cant act on here. Its surprising because I've watched them act well in their previous projects.

Read More

Enjoyable BL Rom-Com

Cutie Pie is a classic rom com drama in Bl Version.
And I personally like this series so much <3
With stressful irl problem right now, I need this kind of light hearted fluffy series with high quality production value.
Cutie Pie cinematography exceed my expectation (K-Drama level of cinematography) and the story is actually quite like het k drama trope but with two male leads.
The OST is all great and there are so many original OST for this drama which all sounds great. Especially with Nunew vocal ability <3
The Plot is pretty simple about engagement and miscommunication/ compromise in relationship. They also consistently advocating for marriage equality throughout the series even until the end.
The actors visual are all top tier and the acting is pretty good

There are some flaw for the plot/pacing on ep 10 & 11 but they wraps up nicely in eps 12. So Overall experience is still enjoyable. Especially if you binge watched it since you don't need to wait for one week on cliffhangers.

The aspect I love about Cutie Pie is it's sincerity in production we can feel all parties involved in the production (Crew, writerr and casts) put all their heart producing this. Especially when the production house is pretty small... Ofc there are many challenges especially on budget and all covid restriction when filming. And I would like to thank them for the dedication, for it resulting in my favorite BL series of all time.

Whatever people say, watching cutie pie brings me so much joy and it is the most important thing when enjoying entertainment content.

Read More

High Production Value!

First of all, let me write this review as someone who already read and finished the novel. The plotline so far has been very good and is very consistent with the novel. Some might say, the actor looks too young, well they're supposed to represent a college student, of course, they have to be young. Need I remind you that the character here is of a college student and a young businessman?

In terms of acting, I was pleasantly surprised at one actor, in particular, Nunew's acting was very good and believable for a rookie actor, and no I don't mean the struggle acting that you usually find, he's actually decent (mind you I stan Nadao actors so yes I know what good acting looks like).
For other supporting actors I can't say the same, some are still stiff but I'm willing to see if they will improve.
The main actors have really good chemistry and I mean good chemistry because, in the novel, Lian's character IS SUPPOSED to act aloof in front of Nu Kuea at least for a while, that's the whole point of the story, why you ask? that will be revealed in the latter part.

Now moving on to the next part, the cinematography. So far I've only seen good shots. The color grading, camera angle and lighting are all well done. The interior design used in every place shown in the series is also so far so good.

I try to write this review as objectively as I can because i have no experience with these actors in the past. All in all, this is a feel-good series, one with a cliche plot, but is very excellently done. If you're looking for a light series to enjoy with good production value, this one is a good candidate!

p.s. The arranged marriage was never forced upon the main leads, they have actually been in a lot of situation where the family tell them that those aren't serious and they should do what they wanna do. Whether or not it is problematic is all up to individual interpretation.

Read More

Honest Opinions

Honestly I don't understand why everyone is being so harsh with the reviews.

I mean its not a perfect series but I feel like it fulfilled its purpose perfectly fine, I'll admit i did need to wait for episode 12 to come out before watchung episode 11 but thats just because I was scared it was gonna stop on a cliff hanger and wanted to avoid myself from thinking abouf it the whole time...
Zee's acting when I tell you that man conveyed every emotion perfectly and just made you feel everything as if you where his character, the depth of his acting skills go deeper than the ocean, Mans amazing, I was pleasantly surprised and just overall very impressed with Zee's acting skills. I give him a 10/10!

I feel like yous should give it a shot for yourselves and decide whether or not its a good show or not because if im being honest there are slow parts but they are worth the watch aswell they really help with getting you hyped for the next episode or scene.

Hope this helped a bit idk if it's a good review I don't do them often 😅 Lmk if theres anything yous would like me to add or remove 😉

Read More

Liked it but....

Both the main lead couple and second lead couple have a very immature relationship. Yi and lian both don't know how to respect their partner's boundaries. Both the couples are always hiding things from each other, it was quite frustrating to watch. Kuea and Diao's docile behaviour was also very irritating and unnatural. And was thinking of giving it a 4 rating.
Chemistry between the couple was good and that's why I am giving it a 8.5 rating and that's also one of the reason I could finish the series. Another reason is it's glamorous cinematography.
Storyline was good so it could have been better directed.
The series talk about gay marriage not being accepted by thai laws, and sends a strong message through the couple that all love has the equal right to dignity and freedom. This was my 1st bl drama where I came to know, like many societies, homosexuality is also not accepted in Thailand. As there are so many thai bl series, previously I used to think they have a very progressive society but later on I came to know that in award ceremonies, the gay couples are nominated under imaginary couple award, which is very disturbing as they are very much real couples.

Read More

Surprisingly complex

This show surprised me. It's wonderfully heavy and complex, with many underlying themes and important messages. It's definitely a favorite, and I'd rate the main story 10/10. It's rare to find a bl series that explores the kinds of problems long-established and cohabitating couples face. It's even more rare to find a bl (or any show) that explores age-gaps seriously, and doesn't try to minimize the struggles couples face when they're at different stages of life. This show reflects the chaos of life in such a refreshing way, and does so with realistically unreliable narrators. I highly recommend watching it all the way through with an open mind, before coming to a conclusion (and remember it uses unreliable narrators, that's important!).

Essentially, this series starts with two established couples who are having serious issues. The series follows them as they try to figure out life, grow as people, and repair their relationships. It's heavy stuff. Both couples have a significant age-gap, so that's an overarching theme. But a lot of other issues are explored, too. The nature of marriage, love languages, maturity, coming-of-age, social hierarchies, economic hierarchies, discrimination, equal rights, respect, miscommunication, secrets, guilt...

I adore this show. I find the many layers fascinating. Essential parts of the story are told through expressions and body language, and it's hard to pick up on it all while reading subtitles, so I get more out of it every time I watch it.

After watching it so many times, there are a few things I thought it might be helpful for people to know going in, so they can make the most of this show.

Firstly, it's important to know that a lot of the story is told through expressions and body language, so it's hard to understand what's really going on unless you can read micro-expressions and subtitles at the same time. I can't, so I have to pause A LOT. But it's worth it. I love that it's done this way. The acting is phenomenal and adds so much richness to the story.

Second, even though the show seems simple, the heavy issues the couples face are not being minimized or romanticized. There are layers. Some layers are told slowly, some are only told through facial expressions... it takes time to piece the story together, and while I absolutely love that method of story telling, it can be risky (particularly in bl, where it's not done often so can surprise people). But I promise you, when the whole story is pieced together, it's a really beautiful and inspiring story, and it's beautifully told.

Lastly, it's important to know both couples have a significant age-gap, and that plays a central role in the story. The MCs are in very different stages of life, and that makes things very complicated. And society is super judgey. But I promise, all romantic relationships are between consenting adults. And the exploration of the complicated nature of age-gaps is actually really sensitively and wonderfully done.

Honestly, though, in hindsight I think the beginning actually does a pretty good job of warning the audience that this story isn't a simple fairytale. The couples have to fight really hard to stay together. The characters are flawed. They make mistakes. Their relationships are messy. But the important thing is that they know what they want, and they put in the work to achieve it, and that's super admirable. The character growth in this show is impressive. The ending is beautiful. And I do really think the show conveys an important message.

Anyway, I know I've focused on the heavy stuff, but I really find this show very heartwarming and lovely. The characters are wonderful and adorable. The music is great. The ending is happy. And seriously, the acting is phenomenal (particularly Zee. But everyone else too).

One last thing: while the main story can be watched over and over and over, and never gets old or boring, I readily admit the side-stories don't have the same level of rewatch value, and I have started to skip those on rewatch.

Read More

Worth the watch.

I hesitated to start this one due to many negative comments.But iam a brave girl(lol) so said to give it a try after has ended.And i did very well i must say.I really dont get all the hate comments and the bad reviews.Ive read about toxicity and silly script and even bad acting.I guess ive watched another series then.I respect all opinions obviously but i have my own too.I didnt see any toxicity,any bad acting either.Of course the story is not flawless but i found it rather unique.I was a bit confused about the story of the secondary couple but oh well,wasnt a bummer after all.
I agree about the non communication between the main couple but cmon!whos relationship in RL is perfect?Many said Lian was a manipulator and kinda abusive!Really???i saw a man inlove,caring and over protecting.Yes in his own way but still!
And a funny comment to end this review.I found Lian more h*rny than Fiat(Don't Say No) :-)

Read More

One of the best BL's I've watched!

I've watched many BL shows and I've got to say that this one is by far the best! True, the plot occasionally dragged on but apart from that it was amazing! The characters fit the roles and the music and scenery was always on point. I think what was so good about this shows was that it had a range of emotions and types of scenes involved. These ranged from love to distress, from happiness and excitement to sadness. I didn't get bored once while watching this show!

I wouldn't recommend watching this show if you're under 17-18 years of age because it does have some 'adult' type scenes and quite a lot of kissing.

I wasn't disappointed once while watching Cutie Pie and will definitely rewatch it :)

Read More

esta serie va de menos a más :)

No se me da bien escribir en inglés, por lo tanto, esta review será escrito en mi lengua materna que es el español.

Tengo que confesar que los primeros capítulos me costaron verlos, no pasaba nada interesante y los problemas de la pareja protagonista no se solucionaban, seguían siendo lo mismo, y a mi me llegó a aburrir un poco.

Pero la cosa mejoro a partir del capítulo 8 y el capítulo final, me hizo llorar. Se van solucionando las cosas, porque hay que hablar las cosas, afrontarlas y no tener miedo, porque tu pareja está (y estará) en los buenos y en los malos momentos.

al final, la moraleja de esta serie es que hay que aprender a teneramor propio y luego el amor por los demás 💜

Read More