Magic of Zero (2022)

A very cute way to advertise.

If we could get rid of many commercials and have adorable video ads like this more often, then I wouldn't be skipping ads all the time. lol

Episode 1: Zero Photography
This was really cute and it was nice to see Milk and Love play Ink and Pa from Bad Buddy again. The story makes you think that taking photos and preserving history should be important in our lives. It was really sweet.

Episode 2: Zero in the Moonlight
I always thought Tu had more chemistry with Dew than with Bright in F4 Thailand, and this episode shows that. It was cute, a bit odd, but cute. They acted well together though.

Episode 3: Zero Supporter
This is another opportunity to see Earth & Mix play as Korn & Win from Cupid's Last Wish. It was sweet and considering the plot of Cupid's Last Wish it had some ironic humor. They are just good actors, so they can pull off most roles.

All in all it's worth watching. Don't expect anything groundbreaking or stories that are too deep, because they only have roughly 50 minutes to tell each story and ultimately they are still advertisements for Oishi honey lemon green tea.

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3 separate stories: f/f, m/f, m/m

Overall: you don't have to guess who funded this mini-series but I'm okay with it because finally we have a 2nd season/follow up with a cute story line (episode 1). There are 3 episodes and each episode has a different couple: f/f, m/f and m/m. Watched on YouTube.

Content Warnings: 1 non con picture taken, several self-disparaging comments about weight, body policing/shaming, shoves

Episode 1: 9/10
What I Liked
- plot was creative and sweet (a plot continuation without a love triangle or cheating is almost unheard of, I wish writers would come up with some more ideas like this one)
- good crying, it made me tear up which rarely happens

Room For Improvement
- I get they are a sponsor but I did not like the comments about weight/appearance
- non realistic things done because they needed to happen (i.e. that would have probably bruised not bled, that ladder just happened to be there)
- that was pretty PG skinship-wise with an established couple, just a couple of cheek or lip pecks would have been nice
- I know it was related to the product but 'zero' does not have a positive connotation and 'zero photography' does not sound pleasant for a title

Episode 2: 8/10
I apparently didn't take any notes on this one. I thought it was fine. Yes, it had unbelievable elements (and no not the obvious one) but I enjoyed it.

Episode 3: 7/10
It's really disappointing that an established couple has shown no character growth, they were exactly where we left them even though it's 2 years later. Also, who doesn't spend an hour cleaning, I would have turned around and left. I did like the few cute moments and I want to see Earth and Mix in more series, either together or separately.

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Was it good? Sort of...

It was fun to see Ink/Pa (from Bad Buddy) and Korn/Win (from Cupid's Last Wish) again. Here are my pros and cons:

PROS

GL. So refreshing to see Girls Love getting some air time. And they are cute together.

EARTH/MIX. They turned me into a fan after 1000 Stars (which is now one of my favorite BLs ever). They work so well together and I would marry either one of them... or maybe both, I would be up for a poly relationship. Guys, call me.

CUTE EPISODES. Each episode had an oh-so-sweet quality that, at least for me, was just a little bit more cute than cringe. (But just on the border of crossing over.) Let's just call it light and fluffy.

CONS

EPISODE 1. I didn't really get the time travel thing. Nor the "no pictures" thing.

EPISODE 2. I'll admit to not knowing these actors before this. They were okay, I didn't really feel much chemistry. But I wasn't buying the whole "triggered by anything round" spiel. I mean, if Maki freaked out just looking at someone's glasses, why didn't she freak out when eating out of a round bowl or off of a round plate? And then she turned into crazy alien Catwoman after looking at the moon. Huh?

EPISODE 3. What was with all the fat inferences toward Mix (Win)? I haven't noticed a weight gain. And it really didn't need the body swapping (yet again). To make matters worse, it was confusing to know who was who half the time. Oh, this is Korn as Win now... or wait, it's Korn as Korn. No wait, it's Win as Korn. I didn't always get it... and I didn't even want to get it. My brain is tired. Two Tylenol, please. Oh screw it, just give me a bottle of whiskey.

The actors did their best with what they were given. I doubt I will rewatch, but it was a no-stress way to pass the time. It's a 6.5 from me.

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I actually enjoyed it!

Listen, I know it's an ad but goddammit it was such an enjoyable one. To be fair I've only seen Zero: Photography so I can't speak to the quality of the entire thing, but what I did see, I liked.
I'm a huge Ink and Pa fan (and I can't seem to shake my eternal crush on both of them either, sigh) and I loved seeing more of them here.
The story line is absolutely insane in the best way, I mean come on, how can you say no to time traveling lesbians?
But, much in the way Bad Buddy did, this little special manages to actually tell a meaningful story through the medium of Patently Ridiculous Plot Points. There's an underlying theme of treasuring the people you love the most and the clear message that you should never take people for granted.
Zero Photography is about time travel, yes, but it's also a character study as well as a tale about the importance of cherishing the ones you love, not least by choosing them over and over again.
If you Like Pa and Ink give this a shot, you might just love it as much as I did.

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An elaborate ad for Oishi Honey Lemon but did I watch it still? YES

Thailand will never stop finding the most creative ways to sell stuff and Magic Of Zero is proof.

Will tacky product placements and extended shots of celebs drinking refreshing 0% sugar bottled drinks stop me from lapping up content anyway? It’s LoveMilk, Dew and EarthMix, so don’t be silly. I’m watching it anyway.

This anthology is a reboot of some of the most popular GMMTV couples and basically gives you another chance to watch them be sickeningly cute together. What's not to love right?

But enough about the gay couples for now. I want to talk about Dew and Tu's storyline. I don't want to spoil anything for anybody but seriously, go watch it. I didn't even like them THAT much in F4 but this story was really cute.

Their episode featured a highly unusual plot that turned out to be a refreshing break from the usual GMMTV stuff. I would totally watch an entire series based on this story.

Also, in this episode, you get to see Dew’s character acting silly and cracking jokes. Totally different from his cool, moody self as Ren, so if you want to see Dew being a total CHILD, this episode should do the trick.

My full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2022/09/28/magic-of-zero-2022-review-an-ad-i-would-gladly-sit-through-any-day/

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Magic and Oishi Green Tea

The three episodes are standalones, the only thing they have in common is magic and the Oishi Green Tea. It does feel like a commercial for the said product – I understand they are the sponsor, but it can still be overdone.

Maybe a general complaint would be that all three parts seemed rushed which is because they tried to squeeze a story into one episode. Also the whole fat agenda in the first and third episode really annoyed me. Neither of the two is fat (or ugly), so the whole thing was absurd.

The chemistry between all three couples was amazing and I didn’t expect anything else. I always love seeing them paired together.

Zero Photography: It’s a cute episode. Ink and Pa have always been a fav ship of mine, so I was really looking forward to this episode. I also liked the idea that the photos are a way for us to remember the past.

Zero in the Moonlight: I feel like Maki’s phobia is a bit overdone. Also the fact that her and Fong literally knew each other for 3 days and are already super in love with each other is a bit farfetched.

Zero Supporter: Another body swap situation. I am sad that they went for the typical love triangle and jealousy trope with this one. We already had that in their original series. I did enjoy watching Korn and Win acting like the other one, I found Earth acting as Win hilarious! The sass was on point.
 

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Cute fantasy ad

I do not understand why the majority of viewers are so disappointed with this short anthology series. Too much advertising? Have you lot seen Vice Versa? That is too many ads! Here, the drink is the main sponsor and it has been integrated perfectly into the story: it was mostly not disturbing or annoyingly invading the plot!

The main theme of this series is how to be more supportive and understanding of your partner. Through three different stories (well done equality & diversity!) a gl, a bl and a straight couples learn more about each other and what makes them tick.

In the first episode, Zero of Photography we get to see a longtime couple Ink & Pa (from Bad buddy). After an accident, Pa goes back in time to when she met Ink for the first time and realizes why taking photos of her is so important to Ink. Communication, guys!!!! And there is a cute cat!
The second story Zero in the Moonlight, is not based on existing characters or a series and its premise is original (fantasy involving moon: think about it!). Maki is a graphic designer who gets all tense and scary when she sees a perfect circle. When she meets her new supervisor Fong she realizes she has found someone who understands her in all her weirdness. In the beginning of the story, when they introduced the perfect circles phobia, it was really hard to believe. How come certain circles triggered her panic reaction and the others didn't. It was not very consistent. It was not compatible with her job either or, for that matter, with life. Once you suspend belief and find out the reason for it, it is quite cute and the actors have good chemistry. I would not mind a full series with this fantasy theme. And there were cats!
The third episode bring us Win & Korn from Cupid's Last Wish, back with another body swap story in Zero Support. Win has moved to Bangkok to support Korn's business but he feels that Korn does not really understand the sacrifice he made and their relationship suffers. So Win eats a lot while Korn criticises him for excessive eating. One evening when they fight, the lightning strikes and they swap bodies. This is a very funny episode. And even though, with every new drama, I am more and more convinced Mix & Earth should stop being a couple, they were OK her. But just OK. There were no cats i this episode, just a cow!

The drink this series is advertising, was used judiciously throughout this series. In the first episode it was used as a photography prop to take some really sweet and original photos. In the second, it was an item that needed advertising and a new graphic design. And in the third, the bottle was used as kitchen utensil. Frankly, full marks for creativity.

It was really a cute short drama stressing the importance of communication between the partners in a couple.

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For the funsies...

Episode 1: Zero Photography
It's a cute story but it was a bit annoying... Idk why? They didn't exactly look InkPa?

Episode 2: Zero in the Moonlight
My fucking god what was that shit LOL, it's so bad. So fucking bad. Oh my god. What a waste of time.

Episode 3: Zero Supporter
My favorite, because it was so fun. I really like CLW too, so I'm a bit biased, but this special episode was really really fun, they are so silly. Love them.

At all, it was a very cute special with ad, but since this tea ad is always at the bls, it was not really different. But it was cute and funny (except episode 2 the girl was dumb and the boy very annoying). But makes me wonder HOW MUCH money these brands put on GMM works, damn...

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10/10!!!

Yes there is only 1 episode out but I still wanted to write a review. I'm not sure why this has 8.3 rating because 1st episode was truly amazing.

You want to see an amazing chemistry?
You want to watch something cute/fluffy?
You want to feel happiness?
Then this is series for you.

Milk&Love did an amazing job. And they showed to everyone that we need GL series. Even though their story was short it was interesting and I loved every single second of it. I even re-watched the next day because both are so adorable in this episode. The only thing I didn't really liked was Pa complaining about her looks... because... look at her she's literally the most adorable human being.

So many adorable moments!!! I really want MilkLove to have a series that is 1 hour long with 12 episodes. I believe that these two can make GL extremely popular.

Some people who are rating this don't even talk about Milk&Love and it's really annoying. Some say they don't like body swap, some say they have enough of Earth&Mix... and I guess there is 8.3 rating because some people are not even rating 1st episode, but they are rating series based on this short description.

WATCH MILK&LOVE IF YOU WANT TO HAVE AN AMAZING DAY!!
Because they will truly make your day 1000 times better.

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Annoying

The fact that this series was meant to be a commercial doesn't justify the frustration that I felt while watching. Starting from the tea that was being promoted: since it didn't blend well with ANY of the storylines, it just felt like a very insistent product placement. I wish this was the sole problem.
While I want to believe that the actors and the production team had to work with the little time they had for three different stories, I feel like they could have come up with much better stories than these.
The first story was just straight-out uninteresting. I appreciate the fact that GMMTV left more space for a GL couple, but I felt like the plot was being dragged by the hair- it felt unbearably slow.
The second story was slightly better than the others, but still annoying because of the plot holes. I believe that this one could work much better as a longer series after a couple of fixes, but the lack of time here made it feel very rushed.
Finally, the last episode was the most annoying, as they brought back the same tropes that were used in the main series. I felt like I was watching Cupid's Last Wish all over again and I don't mean it in a good way.

In conclusion, I believe these special episodes can only be truly enjoyed if you're a big fan of the actors, who are the main reason why I was actually able to watch until the very end. I get that the sponsor probably only cared about grabbing the viewers' attention with the cast, but it seriously felt like I was made fun of.

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Just finished the 2nd episode... I have to make some points

PSA: This is all subjective and my personal opinion.


I've tried to like the second episode, I really did but infantilizing an adult woman to the point that she can't even function properly because of her phobia... No. Go to therapy. How the hell did she even get hired in the first place? You can't tell me hasn't done any prior designs with circles. And she has zero coping skills?! To catch herself and her anxiety and push her through adding it to a design?! Unrealistic as hell, especially with such a specific but every day occurring phobia like hers.

And no, it's not 'cute' that she can't look him in the eyes. She's supposed to be over 18 and can't even explain her phobia to him? Or try and tell him she has mental issues and feels physically uncomfortable when she sees circles? Like come on.
And yes I know she did say "the moon triggers me" but... What does that... Mean? Because by Dew bringing an umbrella it looked like he thought the whiteness of the moon triggered her. Which is very far from the actual phobia she has.



And this useless c-plot with her being a werecat... Why? What was the point of that?
It added nothing to the general story, and any tension of him 'finding out' went away after ten minutes because he literally found out on the night where it was risky for her to be out anyway. It would have been way more tension filled if the other dude was the only one seeing her and Dew just saw him running away, wondering why. And then she immediately grabbed the umbrella and was back in human form to help him stand up.
It's disappointing because the idea could be used to create a lot of "he almost finds out then doesn't" scenes.

It also showed her just feeling cursed by the transformation. But what if she... Was very sensitive to smells so she can smell his nervousness when he's with her, or what if she had enhanced hearing and heard her boss and the failed client talk which helped her create the general new logo and then Dew just added the final details with his silly dance.


It would have been interesting if one of Dews hobbies was the study of some uccult beasts. And we was a child these creative and fantastic myths and creatures inspired him to go out create logos for businesses and that's how he got into his job. And then hearing her being triggered by the moon immediately caught his interest. LIKE ANYTHING THAT FITS THE STORY JUST A LITTLE BIT.
But this has zero connection to anything that's going on. Just weird and useless. And it's so sad.


I do like their chemistry, they're very cute. I wish she would have been a bit more... Feisty since she IS a cat after all, but somehow has none of the typical characteristics a typical cat would have. It would have helped us to connect how her cat self and normal self are simply two part of her personality just stronger.



Also also, the way the costumer talked down to Tu and the boss just let him? It's probably because I'm from a different work culture but... That shocked me. I can not imagine anyone allowing him to speak to her like that here. You can of course get your point across clear but in such a whiny, condescending way? No, you're a business owner not a preteen with hormon deficiency.


That was my short review of the second episode, thank you for reading.

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