Wasted Potential

This series had almost every ingredient that it needed to become a hit: a unique, intriguing premise, handsome actors, sweet romance, great OSTs, and beautiful cinematography. I am still in disbelief that the production team messed up the recipe so badly that what should have been one of the best BLs of 2022 turned into a dull, plotless product placement fest. It is beyond my comprehension how other reviewers are so generous. I started this series with no expectations, aware of all the criticism that it was getting, and it still managed to disappoint me. Let me tell you why.

1. Plot, or rather the lack of such.

As you will know from the summary, the story revolves around newbie colorist Talay and famous actor Puen, who are transported to a parallel universe and into the bodies of Tess, the heir of an entertainment corporation, and Tun, or Pakorn, a wannabe scriptwriter, who meanwhile are sent to Talay and Puen's universe. Overcoming their differences in personality, the two boys team up to help each other navigate their new lives and find their way back to their world.

Sounds great. Except that this is what the story should have been about, not what it is actually about. After episode two, it strays far away from the plotline and does not come near it until episode ten. For eight episodes, the viewers are treated to a mundane, cliché college story about a group of guys trying to make it as scriptwriters in the movie industry. I felt like I was watching a badly written remake of Theory of Love – which is probably precisely what it is – and in each next episode, I skipped more scenes than in the previous one because I was bored by the predictability of it all.

Furthermore, the unimaginative scriptwriters of this series have decided to rely on annoying, overused tropes, such as love triangles and female characters' coming between the main couple, to spice things up, while the main characters are, illogically, left to live ordinary lives. This makes no sense. To lose your whole life and be forced to live someone else's is stressful, even scary, but after the initial confusion, Talay and Puen seem to have forgotten that they have family, friends, and careers back home. In episode one, Talay was shown with a tight-knit group of friends to whom he was clearly attached. Not once throughout the episodes does he mention that he misses them or his family. Puen is similarly indifferent. It is true that the reason for his being so is explained, but this revelation comes much later than it should have – as does any other substantial information abut him as a character – and this makes him difficult to sympathize with through the bulk of the series.

Worst of all, there was a timeskip of one year that was introduced out of nowhere. What did the characters do for a whole year? We do not know. The story just continues, as if five, not 365, days have passed since the characters' last interaction.

2. Flawed pacing and endless product placements.

The more useless a scene is to the story, the more it drags. Too many scenes are included only for comedy. In the initial episodes, I, surprisingly, laughed many times – I usually do not buy the humor in BL series – but then the fun fizzled out, and the humor became forced.
Product placements – do not even get me started on them. At first, they were not as glaring as I feared they would be, but by episode seven they had become intolerable and were spoiling the mood of almost every scene that had the potential of being meaningful. Shame on the production team for prioritizing commercials over everything else.

3. Romance, or rather bromance.

On one hand, I am impressed by how healthy the dynamic between the two leads is. I forgot the specific instances, but I was surprised by their dialogue several times because instead of the cliché replies that I was expecting came kind, mature replies. Talay and Puen are both willing to express their thoughts and feelings and work on finding the best solution, which is essential in a healthy relationship. They also have moments of tenderness that made my heart flutter.

On the other hand, most of the time, they act more like friends who care for each other than as young men who are in love with each other. Their interactions are sweet and intimate until they have to kiss or initiate any other physical contact that is not a hug. Then they become forced and awkward. They did not manage to convince me that they are actually crushing on each other.
They also do not act like they have already known each other for a whole year. Their friendship, while genuine, seems like it has not moved past its initial stages – which is understandable, considering Puen's illogical decision to not reveal his indentity to Talay. I understand why he might have not wanted Talay to know in the beginning. However, by episode five, it had already become clear that they had grown really close and were not afraid of opening up to each other. Puen was ready to tell Talay who he is a long time ago. The production team wanted to have an illogical twist in episode ten, though, and this twist could happen only if Puen did not tell Talay, so they did not let the character do what would be natural for him to do.

4. Acting.

Jimmy is not as bad as some viewers complain that he is. Compared to Bad Buddy, in which he did not deliver a good performance, he has improved. There is even something charismatic about him, and his gentle, slightly hoarse voice is pleasant to listen to. However, neither he nor Sea handle negative emotions and intense scenes well. Their acting becomes lackluster. They should both work on their facial expressions.
Edit: Episodes eleven and twelve were a notable exception. Although they had inconsistencies and unnecessary drama, they were breath-takingly romantic. The emotional scenes had depth because Jimmy and Sea's acting suddenly improved a lot. I do not know what caused this improvement, but kudos to them. If they had been on that level throughout the other episodes, this series might have been a success. They, and the ending, which awakened the hopeless romantic in me, made me raise my rating.

Overall, the production team of this series bit off more than they could chew. Vice Versa would have been much better received by the viewers if it was just a sweet college romance with a body-swap trope, without the alternate-universe plot. It would have also been great if all the time that was wasted on unfunny comedy, unnecessary conversations, and product placements was used to show how Tess and Tun are doing in Talay and Puen's bodies.

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So Much Potential, All of It Wasted

Project Wolf Hunting had the cast that it needed to become a hit, but the scriptwriters squandered its potential.

A group of despicable Korean criminals – rapists, mass murderers etc. – are being expatriated to South Korea from the Philippines by cargo ship. When one of these notorious convicts, Park Jong Du, sets his plan to escape into motion, all hell breaks loose on board.

This premise, while not unique to the genre, is solid. Had it been well executed, this movie would have been enjoyable, especially if action is your cup of tea. The scriptwriters made a mess of the story, though. The script is all over the place. It can be used as a guide to how not to write action:

1. Do not complicate the story too much.

In action movies, the bulk of the screen time is devoted to action scenes. This means that if your movie is two hours long, you have an hour or less for plot, so your approach has to be realistic and economical. You should not attempt to cram the story with a zombie-like monster, sci-fi tropes, and dystopian world-building. This is enough material to base a whole series on. You should not try to fit it into a movie about notorious convicts escaping captivity because the result will be absurd, disjointed, confusing, and boring.

2. Do not kill the most interesting character in the first half of the movie.

Nothing adds as much flavor and thrill to an action movie as a charismatic main character. What would Pirates of the Caribbean be without Jack Sparrow? It would be what this movie becomes without Park Jong Du. Evil, creepy, and completely crazy, he catches your attention immediately and does not let go of it. You are torn between hating him and being entertained by his murderous flamboyance. Most importantly, you become invested in his fate. Whether he will manage to escape is the question that keeps you watching. When he clashes with another convict, Lee Do Il, sparks fly, and you are promised a great dynamic: chaotic vs. lawful evil. Then, Park Jong Du is suddenly killed.
Scriptwriters, why did you make such a poor choice? If you wanted him dead, you should have killed him in the end. Instead, you made us viewers lose interest by answering the question way too early. Furthermore, you tricked us into thinking that a character is important only to kill him off like an extra, not even halfway through the movie. The only difference between his death and those of the extras is that sad music plays when he dies. Underwhelming.

3. Do not introduce two-dimensional characters only to utilize them as one-dimensional extras.

It is nothing new, of course, that in action movies many people are shown just to be killed. However, there is no reason to waste screen time on lines and scenes for these characters if they will not contribute anything to the plot. You do not make the viewers sympathize with them. You make them wonder why these characters were introduced if they die quickly.

Overall, this movie is not worth watching unless you are into plotless, extremely graphic gore – Squid Game level gore, if not worse. It does not deserve the rating that I am giving it. I would have rated it lower, but the actors all delivered brilliant performances. Seo In Guk is phenomenal as Park Jong Du. The unhinged look in his eyes alone deserves praise. Such great acting should not have been wasted on this mess.

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If your favorite character is Ayan, do not watch this

The scriptwriters of The Eclipse are consistent in their efforts to bend characters until they fit into clichéd tropes. They did it in the last four or five episodes of the series, and they are doing it here again.

In just two episodes, they managed to completely destroy Ayan's character, presenting him as extremely self-centered. What? Ayan, who spent all of The Eclipse trying to protect people from the curse, who understood Akk and did everything he could to help him, who supported Thua like a great friend, is self-centered? Give me a break.

Furthermore, Akk is now a person who cares too much about others. Really, scriptwriters? Akk, who almost killed his schoolmates to prove that he is a good student prefect and get a scholarship, cares too much about others? I think you are a little confused. Did you forget which one of your characters is Ayan and which one is Akk?

The destruction of the main characters aside, these two episodes were not bad. The great acting and FirstKhao's amazing chemistry made them an enjoyable watch. Khan, Thua, their friends, and Teacher Sani are all here to make fans of The Eclipse happy.

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Good Idea, Bad Delivery

Since this series was neither touching nor memorable for me, all I have to say is that it suffers greatly from the stiff, draggy, sometimes unnecessary, dialogues between the characters, mostly between the main ones. Dear scriptwriters, when we people speak, we do not make long pauses in every sentence. No one would have patience to listen to others if we did.

I do not know where the chemistry between Kawin and Pluem, which viewers on YouTube are talking about, is. All I saw is a lot of awkwardness. Sad, angry, or happy, they express each emotion so half-heartedly that I did not care about their feelings. I skipped through scenes, hoping that the main plot twist of the story would be that Kawin and Pluem are ghosts too. Then, their lifelessness would have been understandable at least.

I would have dropped Ghost Host, Ghost House if not for the ghost family, who were likeable, funny, and interesting, and Kawin's look. Tod's stylist for this series deserves a raise. Not only is the actor himself an eye candy, but also his outfits are beautiful. Kudos to the styling team.

In general, this story could have been way better than it is. It had the premise that it needed to be entertaining. However, the production team chose to turn it into another boring, forgettable series with high-quality cinematography.

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Strong Representation, Weak Plot

Watching this series felt to me like looking at abstract art. I wondered, "Am I not sophisticated enough to understand what a masterpiece this is, or is this not as much of a masterpiece as others say?" Now that I have seen eight episodes, I think that Last Twilight is not that good. Let me tell you why.

1. It is weak on plot.
Remember how JimmySea's previous project, Vice Versa, had an interesting pilot episode, but then forgot about the story and gave us ten episodes of plotless fluff with product placements and unnecessary drama? Last Twilight does almost the same. The first episode introduced some interesting conflicts only to show us two guys just hanging out from episode two to episode six. There is a lot of walking around, a lot of cooking, and a lot of fluff, but a whole lotta nothin' in terms of plot. Then, episode six had a plot, but after the more or less cliched love triangle was resolved, the story went back to fluff. Many viewers will probably disagree with me, but I was bored. From episode four on, I watched at 1.75x speed, and some scenes still felt slow.

2. The character development happened too fast.
Last Twilight seems to be one of these stories that flesh out their characters well, but then forget that their personalities determine their behavior and the development of the plot.
In episode one, Mhok is introduced as an impulsive, blunt, street-smart person, freshly out of jail. Day is a spoiled and stubborn rich kid who hides his pain behind a bratty attitude. Their first meeting was so entertaining to watch -- great banter and sparks of playful chemistry. Then, in episode two, impulsive Mhok quickly turned into a perfect caretaker with endless patience, and Day's brattiness disappeared almost completely. Their character development would be way more impactful if Mhok had slowly learned to be gentle and patient and to take care of another person, and it had taken Day longer to open up to him.

3. The chemistry is one-sided.
Jimmy carries every romantic scene on his back. Sea is stiff. I don't feel any passion from his side. I didn't believe that Day had feelings for his crush, and I don't believe that he has feelings for Mhok now. In Vice Versa, both Jimmy and Sea were stiff in the romantic scenes, so it looked like bromance. Now, only Sea is stiff, so it looks like Mhok has a one-sided love for Day.

Last Twilight deserves praise for representation. It is great to see a good depiction of disabled people. Day is not defined by his disability.
Jimmy and Sea have both improved their acting. Sea's portrayal of a blind person struggling to adapt to a life without eyesight is convincing and sympathetic, and Jimmy seems to enjoy playing a more rugged character a lot -- he becomes Mhok.
The story is free from endless product placements, jealous exes, girls throwing themselves on a guy who is clearly not into them, and stupid misunderstandings. However, none of this is ground-breaking anymore. Other BL series have also moved past the negative portrayal of women and the other toxic tropes that were part of older BLs. The challenge now is to have a plot that can hold the viewers' attention until the end.

Last Twilight shows that the actors and producers have learned something from the criticism that JimmySea's last project got. I am happy that it is received well by viewers. As someone who was expecting more plot than I saw in Vice Versa, though, I lost interest quickly.

Edit: I watched the rest of the series. It had plot development and some good emotional moments, but the last two episodes were as bad as other viewers have written.

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Red Flags and Clichés ft. Sexiness

Love in the Air had me at attractive street racers, but it took me only two episodes to figure out everything that I needed to know about this series: it is a plotless, sometimes nonsensical string of overused clichés with some spicy non-consensual stuff on the side. What makes it more watchable than its counterparts is that its shallow essence is concealed by a shiny wrapper of high-quality cinematography, smoking hot guys, and sexy bed scenes.

PayuRain's story proves that, unlike Hollywood and the K-drama industry, the Thai BL industry has a long way to go before it gets out of its Twilight phase. A rich, cold, handsome, dangerous, smart, and well-spoken older guy falls for an awkward, naive, clumsy, unremarkable younger guy, who is – for reasons unknown – "different" from all the other people who would like to be with the hot, rich guy. Sounds familiar? I am sure that it does to everyone who has read romance bestsellers.
My thirteen-year-old self would have probably gone crazy over this story just as it went crazy over Edward Cullen and Bella Swan's, but I am not thirteen anymore, and romances like this one have become a dime a dozen since Twilight achieved its success in the 2010s. This dynamic has got old. It is high time scriptwriters realized that.

If you, like me, have noted that Edward's behavior is kind of creepy and stalkish, let me tell you: the vampire has nothing on Payu, whose actions and logic in episode one bordered on that of a rapist. Yes, I understand that the relationship between Rain and him involves dom/sub undertones, but forcing yourself on someone and excusing your actions with classical rapist phrases, such as "you approached me first" and "what you did is throw yourself on me," is a different matter. Imagine how this would have looked if Rain was a girl. I was so disturbed that from that scene on I could not see Payu as a positive character despite the fact that he got nice and romantic afterwards. If someone oversteps your boundaries once, he might do it again. Payu is a walking red flag.
I dropped his and Rain's story at episode four because, the rapeish scene aside, I also found their interactions really cringy. I felt like the only objective was to show what a hot alpha Payu is. Instead of being attracted to him, I was uncomfortable. Furthermore, I knew precisely where the story is going. It is too predictable.

I decided to give the second couple a chance because Sky is not as much of a Gary Stu as Rain. His character is actually the only likeable one. He is a kind person, a supportive friend, and he stands up for himself. This is why I believe that his story will be more interesting. However, his love interest, Prapai, is even worse than his friend Payu – at least Payu did not extort sexual favors from Rain. Episode eight, the first one dedicated to PrapaiSky, introduced a sex scene of dubious consent. You might disagree, but I do not think that there can be anything romantic about a relationship that starts with something that borders on sexual assault.
I will give the next episodes a chance, but romanticized rape is an idea that should not be made popular. If you have heard of the Overton Window, you will know why.

Edit: To call PrapaiSky's story a fanfic is to insult the well-written fanfics that I have read, so I will have to call it an unsuccessful attempt to use fanfic tropes in a "romance" full of red flags. There is no scenario in which obtaining a spare key to your crush's room without telling him and entering when you want is acceptable and romantic. Mame, if you thought that I would buy controlling stalker Prapai as a sweet, caring guy, you thought wrong.

Overall, I would say that this series is something like the college version of KinnPorsche. The actors are attractive and deliver either good or mediocre performances. The OSTs are great, but they do not always fit the mood. The bed scenes are hot. The plot is nonexistent. You might like this series a lot. You might dislike it like I did.


On a side note, I have to say that Boss deserves all the praise that he is getting and some more. It is his charisma that saves his character’s clichéd lines on many occasions. I hope that he will get to work with better scripts in the future.

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This is how you promote your series

After I watched the pilot trailer of Hidden Agenda months ago, I became pretty hyped for this series. My excitement -- and that of many other viewers it seems -- waned after the release of the official trailer, which is in all aspects inferior to the pilot one, and I began to worry that JoongDunk will again get the short end of the stick with this project.

However, now that I have seen the special episode, I am happy to say that it eased my worries. Listening to the cast and the director talk about the series with so much love and excitement was a joy. The atmosphere on set feels amazing -- from the actors to the staff, everyone seems really happy to be there. Joong and Dunk's chemistry is even more charming, romantic, and natural, and Aou and Boom are a great pairing too. It was interesting to hear what the actors have to say about their characters and each other. There is also a funny behind the scenes story with Boom and his unplanned method acting.

Overall, whether you remain excited about Hidden Agenda or have lost enthusiasm after the underwhelming official trailer, you will most likely enjoy this special episode. There are snippets of the OSTs too.

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A Promising Mystery Turned Into a Clichéd Melodrama

The Eclipse set high expectations in the initial episodes only not to deliver on them afterwards. It lost me somewhere along the way, probably after episode six.

The biggest flaw of this series is its inconsistency. It begins by making it clear that it will break the clichés of BL series, but it eventually gets mired in them. It fleshes out the characters so well, but then makes them do things that are completely out of character. It promises a slow-burn romance, but rushes all character development in two episodes. It has an intriguing mystery at its core, but it drags this mystery so much that it is easy to lose interest in it. There also was only one plot twist that I did not see coming.

The curse subplot – do not even get me started on it. Although the initial incidents could be taken seriously if one suspends a little disbelief, the ones afterwards were not threatening in the slightest, so the characters' panicked reactions seemed stupid to me. Furthermore, there were so many people involved with the curse that the whodunnit turned into a mess of plot holes in the end. When the final revelation happened, and I realized that I am happy that an allegedly good character just did something bad because at least he put an end to the dramatics, I knew that the script was sloppily written.

As if this was not enough, the romance between Akk and Ayan was handled poorly. I liked their dynamic so much because they were not a stereotypical BL couple. They intrigued me, and I thought that I had finally found an enemies to lovers queer love story done right. This turned out not to be the case, though. Instead of letting their romance develop naturally, the scriptwriters started forcing it into overused tropes for no reason, which resulted in unnecessary drama and a lot of predictability. At some point, the main couple lost me completely. I could not understand what drew Ayan to Akk. Although the chemistry between the two actors was hot, I stopped rooting for their characters' relationship.
Notably, the opposite happened with the second couple. Although I did not care about them initially, they eventually won me over. I think that the development of their relationship was smoother and more interesting than that of the main couple.

Overall, aside from the brilliant acting, which kept the sinking plot afloat, this series is not much different from other high-school BL romances. The mystery seems to have been introduced just to disguise the fact that this story is a cliché.

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JoongDunk Deserve Better

I am late to the Star and Sky party, but I am just on time for Hidden Agenda, so I might as well throw in my two cents about Star in My Mind, which I finished watching today.


1. Plot, or rather a checklist of clichés.

This series shows that even a sweet, uncomplicated story about a college student reuniting with his high school crush and realizing that his feelings haven't been one-sided can turn out badly in the wrong production team's hands.

The first problem is that everything in the world of this series revolves around our main character, Daonuea. His brother, friends, acquaintances, and the people who are romantically interested in him -- everyone's only purpose is to drive his story forward, to give him advice or to profess their love for him. Outside of Dao's orbit, these guys and girls apparently have no background and no life.
He has a cute friend called Ting Ting, for instance, who is part of a number of scenes, including his first appearance on screen, and seems to be close to him. Who is she? When did she and Dao become friends? After the last episode, we still have no idea, which I find weird because a big part of Dao's conflict with his love interest, Kluen, happened because of Kluen's close friendship with a girl. If Dao demands from Kluen to clarify his relationship with his friend, why did Kluen, who often gets jealous, not ask the same about Ting Ting, a girl that is apparently close enough to Dao to barge into his dorm in the morning, while he is still in bed?
Ting Ting is a minor character. What about Typhoon, Kluen's main rival for Dao's heart, though? He has a lot of screen time, but we know nothing about him except that he studies Medicine, his parents own a mountain resort, and he is obsessed with Dao. When he is not needed for the development of the story, he is forgotten about -- just like every other character except Dao and Kluen.

The second problem is that to spice up the simple plot, the scriptwriters of this series turned to the checklist of clichés and chose some of the worst ones.
A crowd of people falling deeply in love with you at first sight? Check.
Dating someone you don't like for a trial period of one day? Check.
Arriving at the precise second needed to overhear something that can be misinterpreted? Check.
Eavesdropping on a conversation only to walk away mid-sentence for no reason, completely misunderstanding what was said? Check.
Introducing a heavy topic like domestic violence just to use it as a cheap plot device? Check.
Romanticizing kissing someone while they are asleep and unaware of your actions? Check.
I think that there are more, but you get my point.

The third problem is the situation with Gia, Kluen's ex-girlfriend and close friend. It seems that the production team of this series intended it to be a great revelation that Kluen and Gia are not together anymore, but it was obvious from the moment she appeared on screen. In itself, this does not bother me much. What surprised me is that not only Dao, but no one else who went to high school with Kluen and Gia knows. Come on, these characters live in the age of social media. How do they not know that these two broke up ages ago? Things like that spread like wildfire without social media too -- at least one of Kluen and Dao's friends should have caught on.

2. Characters, or more precisely, two [not always likeable] main characters and a group of one-dimensional sidekicks.

Let's begin with Dao again. He is most definitely a character. The thing is that he is not a particularly well-written character. Although the scriptwriters have attempted to present him as a person who charms everyone with his kindness and attentiveness, his actions do not match this depiction. For instance, he knows how painful and humiliating rejection is, but he insensitively rejects a girl in front of his friends, embarrassing her. I do not mind a main character who makes mistakes, but he should be written as flawed on purpose and undergo character development. The scriptwriters of these series, though, obviously did not realize that Dao's behavior is wrong -- the other characters take his side.
Dao can also be really selfish, and he lets others force their decisions on him. A main character who has no backbone and allows himself to be carried by the current is not interesting to watch. It also does not help that Dunk, who plays him, has a lot of work to do on his acting.

More effort should have been put into writing Kluen. He had the potential to be a great love interest and a sympathetic character, but he did not get there. He was supposed to convey the struggles of people who are bad at expressing their feelings. However, the scriptwriters did not care to add any inner monologue, and this made him difficult to sympathize with as instead of struggling with communication, he seems indifferent to Dao's feelings. Kluen should have been written like Tinn form My School President -- a character who looks cold, but is actually overwhelmed by love and gay panic.
There is also a scene in which Kluen forces himself on Dao, which I think is completely out of character for him. The only thing that saves Kluen from being completely unlikeable is that Joong is a good actor, especially when it comes to facial expressions, and he conveys a lot with his eyes.

The rest of the characters are not fleshed out at all, and this makes it difficult to connect with them.


It is not all bad, though. Joong and Dunk's chemistry is amazing, especially in the last two episodes, when Joong stops behaving like Kluen and begins to behave like himself. The two of them look like they genuinely enjoy being around each other, and their kisses do not look awkward. There are also moments that made me laugh, which is great because I usually do not like the humor in BL series.

Overall, though, I hope that JoongDunk's new series will show what they are capable of as a pairing because this one did not. Their entertaining chemistry was almost wasted here, and at the same time, it was the only thing that kept me watching.

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Thrilling, Touching, Thought-provoking

Fans of Crows Zero and High&Low The Worst, assemble! South Korea is entering our favorite genre, "high school delinquents fighting and bromancing," to challenge Japan's supremacy in it, and let me tell you: the Koreans are starting with an absolute banger. Weak Hero Class 1 is action-packed, entertaining, thought-provoking, and will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions. It gives the bromance, friendship, and fights that are the genre's hallmark and at the same time presents a unique twist on the familiar story of high school rivalry.

What distinguishes this series from its Japanese counterparts is that its setting is more realistic. We leave behind the Japanese high schools from hell and enter an average school, in which teachers, ordinary students, and, sadly, bullying exist. Notably, the guys throw punches not like anime fighters, but like real high school students, and this is why the main character, Yeon Shi Eun, is so memorable and likeable.
Unlike his equivalents from Japan, he is physically weak, but he compensates for his weakness with his strength of spirit, bravery, and intelligence. He is a person whom I grew to admire over the course of the series because he reminds the viewers that courage does not mean lack of fear – courage means doing the right thing despite your fear – and this is precisely what Shi Eun does from the first episode to the last. Even when he and those dear to him suffer from the cruelty and injustice of others, he does not lose the kindness of his heart. In general, if I had to point out just one thing that the production team of this series did right, I would say that they gave us a main character who knows right from wrong and acts on his principles.

It is worth mentioning that the plot is heavier than those of the Japanese movies. While the delinquents of Japan fight to establish dominance, uphold the honor of their school, punish criminals, have fun etc., the focus of this series is definitely the exceptionally severe bullying. There are bad gangsters to be defeated too, of course, but they are present only in the first half of the story – keep this in mind.

Surprisingly for Korea, another hallmark of the genre, "bromance with no heterosexual explanation," is as recognizable here as it is in Crows Zero and High&Low The Worst. From finger hearts to calling your bro "cutie" and putting on your helmet on his head, to jealousy, to staring that makes the viewers exclaim "I want someone to look at me the way Shi Eun looks at Ahn Soo Ho," to sacrificing yourself to protect or take revenge for your bro, the familiar signs are all here. Who is open-minded enough to see it will see it.

This review will be incomplete if I do not praise the actors. They were all brilliant. It was Park Ji Hoon who stole the show with his great performance, though. I have been following his career since his days as a member of Wanna One, and I like him as an idol, but I had not thought highly of his acting until I saw him as Shi Eun. I believe that here he finally showed what he is actually capable of.

Overall, if you are looking for something that both is action-packed and has an interesting, well-developed plot without melodramatic romance, annoying characters, and unfunny humor, which seem to spoil many Korean series, this series is definitely worth the watch. I have not been so invested in a story in a while. Kudos to the production team.

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A Star of Hope

In a world in which movies and series have come to revolve around sex and toxic relationships, there still are precious gems glistening in the dirt for you to pick up. One such gem is 6 from High&Low The Worst – a beautiful, thought-provoking story of friendship and love, and their power to heal and uplift even the most desolate of us.

If I could give this series eleven stars, I would have done so because it deserves way more recognition than it has got. Most importantly, it deserves to be watched not only by fans of the action-packed High&Low franchize. Taking a step away from the fighting that the franchize is famous for, it explores the human nature and the transformative effect that the kindness of others has on it.


If you are a newcomer to the world of High&Low, you can enjoy this story as a stand-alone, although my advice is to skim through the movie High&Low The Worst first to learn helpful background information about the characters, especially about Arata. This will give you insight into their personalities and make you like and understand them more. You might also stop reading my review because it contains spoilers from the previous instalments.

For established fans of the franchize, this series will be a joy to watch.
High&Low The Worst left me craving for more information about the six childhood friends. Their tight-knit group endeared itself to me immediately, and their readiness to go through hell and back for each other made me admire them even more by the end of the movie. This series traces their lives in the aftermath of the Hope Hill massacre that brought Arata back home and fleshes them out as characters while again testing their love and loyalty for each other. Individually and together, they are good-hearted people with relatable dreams and struggles, and it is almost impossible not to root for them.

A tasty omelette leads Arata, who works as a welder and is slowly but steadily getting his life back on track, to a surprising discovery about his family that inspires him to pursue his childhood dream and maybe even help another youngster gone astray find a purpose in life.

Seiji, "a star of hope for a desperate community," still excels at his studies and is on his way toward a bright future – or at least he was on his way. Amidst the joy of reuniting with his closest friends, tragedy strikes, threatening to take away the life that he has known until now from him.

Strong girl Madoka is preparing for a clarinet competition that means more to her than her friends know, while cheerful Masaya and quiet Shinya deal with the challenges that love throws their way.

Finally, good-natured but hot-headed Fujio, the narrator of this story and the heart of the group, who brings everyone together, fights against the waves of life with both fists and heart, learning and maturing in the process.

If the principled delinquents of Oya High are the ones who have charmed you, do not worry: cool Tsukasa, jittery Jamuo, and their friends Shibaman and Tsuji are also here, and although they do not have much screen time, their story is memorable. As an old friend suffering from loneliness and poverty returns to town, it is up to them to open their hearts to forgiveness and save him.


There are so many things that 6 from High&Low The Worst deserves praise for that it will be difficult for me to mention all of them, so I will underscore those that left the biggest impression on me.

The representation of women in this series is laudable. Madoka with her fearlessness and kindness is not the only one who shines. Maho, Zumi, and Fujio's mother, while being physically weaker than the guys, are more than a match for them in spirit. As a girl who grew up with boys for friends and lost her father, I relate to their struggles and feel inspired by their inner strength way more than by the "strong, independent woman" archetype that Hollywood has been promoting in its movies.

The two budding romances are cute and healthy. Tough guys Masaya and Shinya's becoming shy and mumbling in front of their crushes is funny and delivers an important message: a real man is not someone who abuses the weak or refuses to show vulnerability, but someone who is reliable, gentle, and strong when the situation requires it.

As is typical for this franchize, the bromance is both subtle and obvious.
Tsukasa and Fujio are going strong despite their limited screen time together. The more cool-headed Tsukasa steps in as a voice of reason when quick-tempered Fujio is about to do something stupid without thinking it through. They are a great duo, whose respect for and devotion to each other is admirable.
The sweet bromance between Seiji and Arata, which was hinted at in High&Low The Worst, was suggested in this series too. I hope that it will be developed more in the subsequent installments because they have great chemistry.


Overall, I think that this series is more than worth the watch. Heart-breaking, healing, and uplifting, it teaches that friendship, love, and forgiveness are the greatest force for good in life.

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Deserves a Chance

I do not get why Hidden Agenda is being dragged so much on this site. Yes, Dunk's acting is subpar, but the rest of the cast are all great, and the story, while not unique by any means, balances non-cringy humor, drama, romantic tension, and surprising revelations really well. JoongDunk's chemistry is insanely good. Watching the two of them bicker as sparks fly between them is high-quality entertainment. The characters are likeable and easy to sympathize with, especially Zo. Yes, he is a chaotic fool, but he is trying! He just needs a little help to overcome his awkwardness and self-consciousness, and he will hopefully get this help [and more] from Joke, who, in case you are worried, is not an a**hole. Going by what I have seen of him as of now, I can even say that he is surprisingly mature, kind, and good at communication for a "cold, handsome, popular" BL lead.

Overall, I enjoyed the pilot episode of this series a lot. It is up to you, but if you are interested in watching it, do not let the criticism influence your decision much. Hidden Agenda is not nearly as bad as the other viewers are making it seem. I think that it even has potential to become really good.

Edit: The second episode is a little underwhelming. Except for the debate club scene, its plot is a whole lotta nothin' with clichés on top, especially in the first two parts. This series has the potential to improve, though. JoongDunk are really cute together and have great chemistry, Joke is charming, and some interesting things about the different characters' connections to each other are suggested.

Edit 2: Oh, the sweet, sweet tension between them... *heart eyes* I loved episode three. There is something about JokeZo's dynamic that makes them stand out from other BL couples that I have watched. The way in which their relationship progresses keeps surprising me, and Joke is coming increasingly closer to being my favorite love interest ever in a BL series. If you want something feel-good, funny, and romantic, watch this series.

Edit 3: The more I watch this series, the more I like it. JokeZo's interactions are so natural, so human. Although the plot is light-hearted, the progression of their relationship adds depth to it. JoongDunk's chemistry -- what can I even say? They are on fire in episode four.

Edit 4: Okay, I was defending this series, but now that I have watched episode five and six, I see where the other viewers are coming from. Every character in Hidden Agenda is supposed to have a hidden agenda, but the story does not do a good job at indicating this at all. It should have been building up toward the big reveal, not hiding everything behind a bland plot.
I also agree with everybody who says that something is off about this series. I am feeling the sinister vibes, and I am pretty sure that this is not what the production team was aiming for.

Edit 5: In episodes seven and eight, the plot went through an identity crisis, but JoongDunk's romantic scenes made them worth the watch. I lost count of how many times I have rewatched the bed scene -- it stands out from all other bed scenes that I have seen. Both Joong and Dunk were incredibly convincing, and the scene itself had a gentleness to it that I usually do not see in other BL series.

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Addictively Homoerotic

The Devil Judge shoved a middle finger right into the face of heteronormativity – a middle finger with a diamond ring on it, mind you – and it did so with a devilish smirk and a wink. Sexy, twisty, and unapologetically gay, it told one hell of a story, with one hell of a passionate, epic queer romance at its center.

Aside from the inspirations that scriptwriter Moon Yoo Seok mentioned, such as Beauty and the Beast, Jane Eyre, and a Swedish queercoded movie, this series has also drawn on, or evoked, Batman, Lucifer, Goethe's Faust, which is known for its homosexual subtext, the dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451, Sherlock Holmes, and even Romeo and Juliet. This seemingly outrageous blend of different influences worked spectacularly well, delivering a mind-blowing tale that will keep you on the edge of your sit from start to finish. Love triangles, seduction, obsession, jealousy, sexual tension – they all join forces to serve a romance so deliciously addictive.

But how is this a queer love story if Yo Han and Ga On neither kiss not profess their love for each other? The answer to this question depends on your definition of love. If you prefer to be told, not shown, that two people are in love, then kisses, dates, and confessions are what you need, and you will not find them here. However, if you, like me, want to see and feel with your whole being that two characters have fallen deeply for each other, if love to you means to protect, to sacrifice, and to desire, if you believe that it heals and transforms, then Yo Han and Ga On's story will captivate you, shake you, break you, and then uplift you. It is to South Korea what The Untamed and Word of Honor are to China. It is extraordinary, bold, and beautiful.

The Devil Judge, Kang Yo Han, is the heart of this series. Ji Sung has done a magnificent job portraying his complex character, who will keep you craving for more. What impressed me even more than Yo Han, though, is the fact that the rest of the characters were a match for him. Not one of them was flat or boring. Although they did things that were evil, annoyingly stupid, or reckless, I understood their motivations and objectives. From Ga On, to Sun Ah, to Elijah, to everyone else, the characters are masterfully drawn and brilliantly played by the actors. Ji Sung and Park Jinyoung's chemistry is through the roof. Kudos to the production team and the cast.

My only complaint is that the script introduced a heteronormative romance into the story out of nowhere. You cannot make Yo Han and Ga On so obviously gay and their relationship so obviously more than just a bromance – I have seen enough bromances to know the difference – and expect the viewers to buy your heterosexual romance. If the production team did it to disguise the clear homosexual subtext, they should know that it did not work: by forcing Ga On and Soo Hyun out of their friendship and into a romantic relationship that had no chemistry, they only underscored the fact that this story is queer.

Overall, do not be discouraged by the heavy topics that this series deals with. It is more than worthy of your attention. The last two episodes are brilliant and more than compensate for the underwhelming episodes thirteen and fourteen. Please, Mr. Moon Yoo Seok, give us a second season. I would watch Yo Han and Ga On be gay and solve/do crime for as many seasons as possible.

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Underwhelming

Love and Leashes is not for everyone. It is not for me at least.

The premise is intriguing, but the execution is frustratingly underwhelming. This is one of those stories that spends a lot of time building momentum and then ends without having realized that momentum. While watching, I felt like something significant should happen any moment, but it never did.
Furthermore, the humor did not appeal to me – and you have to like the humor in a comedy to enjoy it.

The characters are likeable and easy to sympathize with. However, Lee Jun Young's acting is subpar, so I did not have fun watching him.

Overall, I consider this movie neither really bad, nor good. It is simply forgettable. If I were you, I would not waste my time on it, but who knows? You might enjoy it as the other reviewers did. To each his own.

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Thai BL Series Are Stepping Up Their Game

This series is a giant leap forward from the plotless, misogynistic BL series that are a dime a dozen in the Thai BL industry. This is why, as a BL fan, I believe that it deserves a 10/10 rating for its unique storyline that stands out from almost any other BL.
The story distinguished itself with its social commentary and positive representation of women. The girls, Namo and Eugene, were independent, emotionally mature individuals and worthy representatives of the protest movement. Kudos to the scriptwriters for that.
Furthermore, Gun and First's acting was brilliant. Off also demonstrated a lot of improvement. The rest of the cast kept up. Sing deserves special praise for delivering a memorable performance despite his limited screentime. I want to see him in a main role in the future.

As an objective viewer, though, I have to acknowledge that Not Me could have been better both in terms of plot and characters.
1. Plot holes, plot holes, and more plot holes.
The plot broke this series as much as it made it because, despite being unique, interesting, and well-paced, it was riddled with plot holes both big and small.
Let's start with the less significant ones.
- White and Black live in the age of social media, but they somehow did not manage to get in touch with each other for years despite obviously being eager to reunite. How come? This should have been explained. If you want the viewers to take your script seriously, you should not rely on Wattpad logic.
- In the initial episodes, White's father plays an important role, but after White and he have an argument and White leaves home, he is not heard of again. His son disappeares with a trace, and he does not even call to ask where he is? They did not have a bad enough argument for this to be believable.
- When White tells Sean that Black and he share a special twin connection that makes one of them feel the pain that the other is experiencing, Sean just accepts it. His reaction makes no sense. The setting of the series is modern Thailand, and there are not any supernatural elements. It is not like Sean hears things that venture into the realm of the supernatural every day. He should have at least been surprised.
- What happened to White and Black's mom? White met with her, and then what? Nothing? It is also not revealed why Black and she fell out. Yes, it is probably because he joined the resistance, but this raises another question: what inspired Black, who could have led a life of privilege, to switch sides?
- We learn that there was no love lost between Sean and Black, but the reason remains unrevealed. Yes, Black abandoned Sean during a mission gone wrong. However, this does not seem to have been the root of their dislike for each other, which goes further back in time.
- Who is Gumpa? He owns a garage that serves as the gang's hideout and is in charge of the protesters' physical training. He knows how to shoot a gun and owns a pair of handcuffs. The most logical conclusion is that he is a former policeman. But who knows? Not me. Even one minute of this series is not dedicated to explaining this character’s backstory, although he is an important member of the gang, whom everyone treats with respect and thanks to whom White managed to fit in with the others.
Now let's move to the plot holes that are bigger than black holes.
- The extremely predictable twist revealed that Todd is the one who harmed Black. It became known that once upon a time the two of them were close, and that even now, when they stand on different sides of the social struggle, they cannot kill each other. This is all the information that the viewer gets. Why did Todd hurt Black so severely? What was their relationship prior to the split? Were they friends or lovers? Todd must have meant a lot to Black if Black cannot kill him even after Todd sent him to the hospital in a coma and deceived his twin brother. But who knows? Not me, which is pretty disappointing, considering that who hurt Black and why is the main mystery of the series.
- The gang spent the bulk of the episodes devising and executing missions to subvert Tawi's corrupt empire only for the series to get an open ending regarding this matter. We neither saw Tawi get overthrown nor stay in power. Unless the production team is aiming for a second season, this is a really underwhelming way to end the series.
2. Unnecessary relationships, onesided relationships, and confusing relationships.
- I believe that the GramEugene sub-plot was unnecessary. Not only did they have no chemistry, but also this turn of events did not do Eugene justice. She was an interesting character in her own right. I liked her quiet strength and her commitment to fighting social injustice through dance. The melodramatic love triangle only overshadowed her story.
- GramBlack was a hot mess. The initial episodes made it obvious that Gram cared for Black, and several of his interactions with White at the time hinted at a possible romantic attraction. Then, their relationship took an abrupt turn. I am not criticizing the production team's decision to make a change. However, they should have edited the script instead of patching things up along the way.
On a side note, I am actually glad that the GramBlack couple was dropped because I liked the enemies with benefits thing that Todd and Black have going on. I hope that it will be expanded on in a second season.
- Yok carried DanYok on his back from start to finish. I lost interest in this couple pretty quickly because they had almost no chemistry – I say almost because First managed to bring some passion to the romantic scenes – and I felt like Yok is the only one in love. Fluke did a great job in every scene but the romantic ones, though, so the problem is not his acting. The problem is the way in which the romantic scenes are written. Now that I am watching First's sizzling hot chemistry with Khaotung in The Eclipse, I realize that the script of Not Me did not do Fluke and him justice.

Nevertheless, I would like to recommend Not Me to every BL series fan out there. The criticism aside, it is a story that will keep you on the edge of your seat and make you root for White, Sean, their love story, and the gang's mission.

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