Fluffy and cute with some of the same problems as other Japanese BL

I was intrigued by the plot initially, and really enjoyed the series at first. It’s a light-hearted drama that employs a magical plot device to create conflict, much like Cherry Magic, another fluffy, enjoyable Japanese BL.

Unfortunately, I found that it was plagued by a couple of the same issues I’ve had with other Japanese BLs in the past. First, the fact that the last couple of episodes seemed to drag on, going in will-they-or-won’t-they circles without progressing the relationship in any meaningful way. Kota agonizes over the same questions of what he actually wants from Naoya for several episodes, and in the end it still feels as though they’re more or less where they started.

Second, I can never understand the inclination to write one of the leads as this blushing virgin archetype who’s so angst-ridden over the idea of kissing the person they’ve fallen for. This drama showed a kiss between the leads in the first episode, so I was really hoping it would be different in that sense, but nope. The same annoying mess of, “oh my gosh, we’re dating! Does that mean *gasp!* kissing??!” Why is this so common in Japanese BL? Why can they never just kiss without it being a traumatic 3-episode arc? Lol

Anyway, I liked it. It was cute. It was fine. I’m glad it didn’t drag on as long as Kieta Hatsukoi at any rate. But it took me awhile to get to watching the last couple episodes, because I could feel that it was going in that familiar direction, and honestly I’m kind of over this style of writing in dramas.

Read More

Great concept, unfortunate execution.

I’ll be honest, I wanted to like this movie a lot more than I did.

I felt like by and large the emotions that the filmmakers wanted to get across didn’t come through for me. There was too much about the story that simply seemed improbable and I wasn’t able to immerse myself in the story because of this.

Ultimately I also think the story would have had more impact of it were simpler. Did the murder plot even need to exist? What was the point of the gangster characters? I would have enjoyed it much more if it stuck to the main plot: men involved in baby trafficking and a desperate mother trying to find a good home for her child. Between the emotional weight of a woman trying to get by in a world that has always cut her down, the legal ramifications of the baby selling scheme, and the moral dilemma of the two male leads, there’s enough conflict to carry the movie without the extra melodrama. That would have allowed the audience to connect more with the characters rather than being pulled in several directions by unnecessary fluff.

With any film or drama that tackles a major social issue and a stigmatized group of people, I also hope that the issue will really feel fleshed out - like time is devoted to sharing many perspectives of the different characters, their backstories, and how their lives have influenced their feelings and beliefs. We got a little bit of that in this movie, but it felt somewhat superficial to me. I got tired of characters saying things to the effect of, “what kind of woman would throw her baby away?” In reality, there are MANY reasons why struggling mothers will abandon their babies, but we barely even brushed the surface of the issue in this narrative. More time could have and should have been devoted to exploring the central issue at the heart of the film instead of just judgmentally asking “why” a million times while providing few answers or explanations.

I was also troubled by some of the simplistic caricatures of people in the film. Like the cold female cop who becomes warmer at the very end because she’s suddenly tasked with taking care of a baby. That felt very strange and forced to me (not to mention regressive in terms of the view it seems to present on childless women). Overall, the ending was just too “clean” and unlikely.

Now, overall I thought the acting was great. The cast did a great job with some unfortunately weak material. But in the end I was just left wanting more emotional depth and fewer superfluous plot points.

Read More

I completely adored everything about this series except for the final episode

You have to know, first and foremost, that this drama is unique in that it is a truly emotionally complex Thai BL drama about something other than coming out. I love a good coming out story, but they’re done so frequently in this genre that it’s refreshing to see a series like this where that isn’t the point.

The story revolves around a relationship built on a somewhat shaky foundation coming apart as the cracks in that foundation are exposed. As Teh and Oh-aew grow up and discover themselves, they struggle to adapt their relationship to their changing personal identities. For most of the series, this is a story that is masterfully crafted.

Just like in ITSAY, the acting is superb, the cinematography is breathtaking, and the dialogue feels authentic. Nothing super cheesy, melodramatic, or reliant on harmful tropes or stereotypes about gay relationships. In terms of artistic quality and authenticity, it’s probably the best Asian drama series I’ve ever seen. For most of the series, I liked it even more than ITSAY.

The problem for me came at the end of the series. Quite simply, it felt rushed. Like the writers just knew that Teh and Oh-aew needed to be together in the end at all costs, so they cut corners to make it happen. And I’m doing so, they made me really dislike Teh because they created a situation where he basically repeated all of his bad behavior from ITSAY and was rewarded for it.

[SPOILERS]
He basically did everything wrong again: 1) leading a woman on while he was clearly in love with Oh-Aew. 2) Destroying his relationship with Oh-Aew and then trying (and failing) to use some grand gesture to repair the damage when all Oh-aew ever really wanted from him was communication and respect. 3) Ultimately convincing Oh-aew that he was committed to their relationship despite never truly taking accountability for the hurt he caused.

The series ended and I was left feeling like I still couldn’t trust Teh. And I think that could have been different if they hadn’t sped through basically two years of their lives just to force them to get back together in the end. In fact, I would have absolutely loved to see a third series that was completely devoted to them really mending their relationship and Teh taking the time to address the toxic behavior he continues to exhibit.

The last episode didn’t match the tone of the rest of the series for me, which was frustrating, because it was so brilliant otherwise!

Read More

I never expected a drama like this to come out of Korea

What can I even say? This was just superb. it’s not really a BL in the conventional sense - and I don’t say that to disparage BL because I do love a good BL - this is just a bit different.

This drama delves into all the beauty and messiness of a young gay man’s life and relationships in a way I haven’t seen in a BL before. It doesn’t feel like anything is done for the purposes of “fan service” or like the intention is to make sure a couple is together at the end of the series at all costs. To me, those are hallmarks of even really excellent BL - the main couple supersede the story itself. Their romantic relationship is the most important thing. This drama isn’t like that. It’s definitely more of a character study than a romance.

I was impressed by the previews for this series so I’ve been looking forward to it for weeks, but it exceeded my expectations. I could probably nitpick some bits of the story or characters that could have been more fleshed out…but ultimately I was incredibly satisfied with it in every way.

Excellent acting, writing, cinematography, directing, characterization - just everything.

Read More