First Note of Love (2024)

Ten short sermons on how (not) to write (a BL)

1. If you're going to write a show where music is an important theme, the characters' fingers must at least touch the instruments convincingly. A few piano lessons (or guitar lessons) will go a long way.

2. A show about musicians must be, well, musical. No amount of autotuning, or a liberal sprinkling of English words, can conceal a fundamental want of talent.

3. A rock star -- even a grieving washed-up rock star -- is allowed to age without unkempt unshampooed undeloused hair. It is unforgiveable to make Charles Tu look that ugly. Even more unforgivable to use a wig that looks like it was the sole survivor of a tornado that had ripped through a FujoCon.

4. Bowl cuts are not markers of youth. Anymore than manbuns are markers of midlife crises.

5. Still on the subject of hair, are blonde mullets a thing now? Does anyone find them attractive? Orca, if you want to know why Reese is resisting, just look in the mirror.

6. Reese, my love, are you alright? You know you *can* shag that man, the one who thought it fit to add blonde extensions to his otherwise perfect hair, a stray strand of which, for the billionth time in BL, you felt the need to tenderly push away while he was asleep. (Sea, you did this too! In the same episode!) I know that blindness caused by a lock of hair is endemic to BL, and often fatal. But Reese, if you can tolerate that mullet, you must truly be in love. You do you.

7. If you're going to have more than a few supporting characters in a story, give them more individuality than a side-couple with no dramatic interest, a straight pair who are just supportive friends, and a dead brother whose main purpose is to be dead.

8. People don't need loud background music to tell them how they should feel. People know how to feel -- assuming that the actors and the script are any good. In a show where music is the main theme, it's just self-defeating.

9. Sassy secretaries are awesome. Use them more.

10. Don't worry about age-gaps or height-gaps. They are beloved for a reason. However, be subversive. Make the short twink the top, and the tall washed-up rock star the bottom. Then get a bowl of popcorn and enjoy the pandaemonium that follows. (But please don't save that bowl for another haircut.)

Reader's Digest:
DO SAY: If music be the food of love...
DON'T SAY: Play on.

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solid start, meandering middle (watch suggestions)

Overall: somehow our leads don't feel like the focus of this story and even the side couple is going around in circles.12 episodes about 25 minutes each. Airing on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4605/first-note-of-love-2024-e01 ; Viki https://www.viki.com/videos/1252718v-first-note-of-love-episode-1 and GTV Drama English (1st episode is free, rest require membership) https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLop44oNqUSC9xnGXttLCAEuk10CedGz3w&si=qNRALRx_1z8CBNeo Note: there are sometimes extra scenes after the initial end credits.

Content Warnings: (one I'll put under a spoiler comment), mental health struggles, harassment, fight, kind of stalking

Watch Suggestions
- watch episodes 1-4
- episode 5 watch 7-17:20
- episode 6 watch 2:40-4:15 (flashback), 10:45-12:55, 22:45-end
- episode 7 start at 4 minutes because there were too many recaps/flashbacks at the beginning
- watch episode 8
- watch episode 9 beginning to 4:45

What I Liked
- clear premise
- a character isn't a pushover
- excellent makeover
- Mos and Bank cameo
- side m/m couple tension
- multilingual aspect felt realistic
- good that Sea did something in episode 7

Room For Improvement
- unclear about the timeline/time jump length, I think the characters are now 19/29
- the age gap doesn't bother me but the connection when 1 was a child and then having that character in a child-like bowl haircut and making him act like a deer in headlights is odd
- too much of the plot is not focused on the leads together, in episode 6 they only had 3 minutes out of 24 minutes and it wasn't until 18:30 that they had a scene together
- some scenes needed a bit more light on the actors' faces
- the wig and the bowl haircut (thankfully the wig didn't last too long)
- the asinine plan in episode 9

Question answered: in the beginning of episode 1 it said the band mates were brothers, someone commented that they were biological brothers (I wasn't sure because sometimes subtitles translate friends into brothers)

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Directed by Lien Chien Hung ('Sally') and starring Charles Tu o Tu Shancun ('HIStory 4: Close to You', 'Plus & Minus') and Michael Chang ('My Tooth Your Love'), 'First Note of Love' explores in a profound, moving and thoughtful way the intricate relationship between music, fame, love and the human condition. Although it addresses universal themes such as loss, overcoming, and resilience in the face of life's adversities, its greatest strength lies in its focus on the transformative power of music.
The plot follows Neil, a singer with an extraordinary voice who, after losing his brother Matt (Chin Tai Yu), the keyboardist of the band "Magnet", in a tragic car accident, is devastated and announces his retirement from the stage. leaving his fans, including a young boy called Sea, with shattered dreams.
Six years later, Sea, who is now a virtuoso musician and a second-year college student majoring in Marketing and Digital Management, receives an invitation to work with none other than his idol Neil.
However, the time that has passed has not healed the wounds in the soul of the proud, extroverted and loud Neil, who now deals with problems of anxiety and stage fright, but neither has it managed to heal the spirit of the introverted and reserved Sea, who has not been able forget the young man who one day in the middle of the street, with the guitar in his hand, knew how to calm his heart in a moment of discouragement thanks to his emotional singing and melodious voice.
Will love be the force that helps them heal their wounds? Will music be the only vehicle that unites them? Can they make the world hear their new shared voice?
Screenwriters Ke Ying An, Huang Szu Mi and Zou Wan Zhen raise these questions as the guiding axis of the Taiwanese series, co-produced with Thailand, while giving some answers through the actions of their characters. And although Sea initially rejects being part of the band to relaunch Neil's career, he will discover that if he does not go on stage the record company will not renew his contract and "Magnet", the duo he has admired since adolescence, will be history.
When Neil and Sea meet again, they still don't know that an unforeseen romance is about to burn under the bright Taipei sun.
Although it is not free of clichés and conventions, the Taiwanese version of 'Begin Again' manages to keep the viewer's attention due to its authentic emotional outline supported by its credible characters and situations.
'First Note of Love' is an effective romance series, as it is accompanied by an interesting topic such as fame and music. In addition, the soundtrack is unmissable due to the powerful lyrics of each of the songs.
Solid television drama, it achieves what many series barely dream of: palpitate, live. Of course, a large part of his success was forged before he started filming: he couldn't have chosen better co-stars.
That is to say, one of its greatest successes is the efficient choice of actors and the work in the musical section. The protagonist, Tu Shancun, who plays Neil, not only gives a memorable performance, but also performs some of the songs from the captivating soundtrack produced by Warner Music, which enriches the narrative in an energetic and dynamic way, like the songs "Broken Sun", "Shatter of the Sun" and "Ain't Gonna Stop", alongside TAIYO, and Kaia Lee will delight us with "Sleepless Night", among others.
This is not the first time that his powerful and deep voice has been heard performing a song in a BL. He already did it in 'History4: Closet o You', a series in which he sings "Be with me", a song he wrote.
Tu Shancun puts on the suit that suits him best and gives a very credible performance, and manages to convey the passion and internal struggle of his character with conviction and charisma. His interpretation in both the musical and dramatic scenes contributes to the authenticity of the story.
However, the musical skills of the protagonist will not be the only thing that stands out, because Tu Shancun is an actor who says everything with his eyes, with his gestures, with his entire body.
For his part, Michael Chang, the actor who plays Sea, also succeeds in facing his insecurities, fears and past traumas, and constantly testing himself. This, while strengthening the ties that will unite him inextricably with the street singer that one day by chance he meets as a teenager.
Michael Chang's Sea is something worth seeing: his face, his expressiveness, his ability to unforcefully reveal a wide spectrum of feelings, from his initial insecurity to the most infinite joy on stage and in his interactions with Neil. They are the consequence of a fine interpretive work that more than one established actor would envy.
The exceptional chemistry of Michael Chang and Tu Shancun on screen is the winning formula of a story that privileges both music and a love story - a deep and true love - above everything else.
Both will unite their destinies, since Neil needs to find himself in his own strength, and Sea needs to trust in her strengths to shape and achieve her dreams. For both of them, music is that magnetic compass that finds them, unites them and challenges them to give their best.
And in this sense, Neil will play with the initial letter of their names: «I am North, and you are South. We are a natural couple…” Just as the North cannot exist without the South and the South without the North, one cannot exist without the other.
'First Note of Love' stands out for its acoustic constructions and its modern musical approach, as well as for its suggestive lyrics that accompany the experiences and emotions of the characters. These songs not only function as a powerful tool of communication, effectively expressing what dialogue may not be able to convey, but they also enhance dramatic moments with emotion and highlight the richness of the characters' experiences. Don't lose sight of the original songs that make up the series.
Having praised the protagonists and, of course, the script that makes them such close and adorable characters, it must be said that 'First Note of Love' is a very beautiful series, which can make us remember some other audiovisual due to the importance of music for the main characters as a means to get out of a difficult situation.
The result is a kind, moving and addictive series that speaks to the viewer's heart without hesitation, skillfully mixing love and music, a combination that always works.
From their first scene, the viewer wants them to end up together. Something that, of course, we will have to discover in the next 10 episodes of about 30 minutes long.
The excellent supporting actors (all fair, harmonious and harmonious) stand out in their performances. Among these are Liu Min Ting ('Guardian') as Reese, the manager of the record company to which Neil belongs and to which Sea will join, and Thai actor Jame Kasama Kranjanawattana ('Big Dragon', 'Gen Y', 'Gen Y 2') as global superstar Orca. The two make up the second pair of lovers, both in the series and in real life.
Also starring are Kaia Lee as Ting Fei, and Lee Ying Hung as A Liang, who will also sigh in love, as well as Amanda Liu as Hsiao Mei.
From producers Jay Lin, Derjk Wu and Samantha Jian, the most valuable thing about 'First Note of Love' is its power to capture the essence of longings and the battles to achieve them, while providing us with an unforgettable soundtrack that becomes a fundamental pillar of the narrative.
The first episodes are truly amazing. There the strongest ties are formed between the characters - the birth of the relationship of friendship and love between the protagonists but also their relationship with Reese, the band's manager -, between the series and its audience, between the narration and his tone.
There is a scene in the fourth episode where Neil and Sea share the scene to play and sing an old "Magnet" song. And although at one point Neil's nerves betray him, Sea knows how to get him out of the mishap. Back, the camera never leaves the stage as the duo perform. He follows the performers, surrounds them, accompanies them. At times, the camera is positioned from the audience and, at other times, it chooses the point of view from the stage, which allows us to reflect both Neil's generosity towards the novice composer and musical arranger who plays the keyboard at his side, and his admiration for his new partner, as well as Sea's shyness when facing a huge audience and the emotion that overcomes him when he knows he is appreciated by a music veteran who returns to perform before the spectators after so many years of silence.
Filmed at a precise tempo, this scene – which has the most beautiful song of all those performed in the series, "I Believe" – exudes with absolute naturalness Sea's transition from caterpillar to butterfly, the artist's return to the stage after the trauma suffered, and records the birth of the couple's artistic and loving bond.
Simultaneously, the camera steps behind the scenes of a show, the adrenaline generated by a live performance, and, metamorphosed in the eyes of film viewers, invites us to the unique experience of feeling part of the show. With this scene alone – which is worth the entire series – Lien Chien Hung reminds us that he is a great director.
YA

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A Musical Journey that Transcends Fears & Insecurities

Fear has a way of imprisoning people. Sometimes, we overcome those fears by leaning on something or someone. But what happens when the person you find comfort in is gone? What happens when the person who gave you the courage to face the world no longer stands beside you?

It’s fear that the new Taiwanese BL First Note of Love faces. Starring Charles Tu as Neil and Michael Chang as Sea, it tells the story of two men partnered up by chance. Neil is an idol who stepped back from the industry when his brother (and bandmate) was tragically killed in an accident. Sea is a songwriter and musician who idolizes Magnet, the band he looks up to. Together, they set out on a musical journey that promises to touch the heart.

Music is a powerful and influential art. It expresses a lifetime of emotion in a matter of minutes. It lifts people up, and it brings them down. It’s relatable, raw, and seeking. It’s singing into a sea of people while hoping you don’t drown inside those same people.

And that’s the fear Neil faces.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/08/23/first-note-of-love-first-impressions-ep-1-to-3/

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Lebih menekankan background story dibandingkan musik.

Series bL ini menurutku punya cerita yang unik, dengan latar belakang konflik yang bagus. Walaupun begitu menurutku pribadi ceritanya disajikan terlalu sederhana, beberapa resolusi konflik mungkin terasa biasa saja. Dari segi looks aktor, menurutku ini dapet banget ya tapi ini soal selera. Vibrasi dan romansa di series ini kurang begitu terasa, slow-burn dari series ini menjadi ciri khas. Dari segi warna cukup baik, ini memang drama tentang musik, namun tidak menunjukan suasana musik yang kuat ( jika dibandingkan dengan my school president series ) series first note of love lebih menekankan kepada latar belakang cerita utama dibandingkan dengan musik yang ditampilkan. rekomended? yes.

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