Fables and Secrets
This review may contain spoilers
A very different BL experience
You know how we keep complaining about Thai BL’s featuring the same old tropes and clichés? Well Not me, decided to break almost all of them.The story of the good twin taking the place of his sibling with the intent to avenge him, is not a first in the movie/drama world, but what makes it unique is that the twins here are Black and White. I absolutely fell in love with the two polar opposite brothers who came from similar lifestyles but took on completely different perspectives on life, and who by the end of this drama choose the same goal, but different paths. They are the same, as brothers and due to their bond, that is almost unshakable despite their differences and the same time they couldn’t be more different with their personalities and how they choose to attain their goals.
Another thing I love about this show are the grey characters, namely Sean, Black and Gumpa. They seem come right off the bat as potential murderers, as if they don’t care who lives or dies for their goals, but they show immense ability to help and protect. They are all so easy to hate as well as love, especially Black and Sean.
When it comes to relationships, the contrast between White and Sean and Dan and Yok kept things lively. I didn’t feel particularly good about Gram’s connection with Eugene. It just seemed a little too disconnected.
The plot had a solid foundation but was not as cohesive as I hoped. There were a lot of moments I just wished were better explained or never mentioned at all.
The villains in this drama are mostly symbolic, as the show brings them in often but didn’t give them a chance to shine as many dramas do these days. They were meant to showcase a corrupt and privileged cycle of exploitation and crime. While that is understandable, the formulation for the villain portrayals and the actors who took on the roles had a lot of potential to make their roles stellar. The drama fell just short of good there, as it just brought on the feeling that there could be more.
Overall a good drama, and I recommend watching it to widen your BL and Drama horizons. I’ve got to say, I always thought of Gun as a cute but not particularly attention grabbing actor until now, but his performance as Black and White was exceptional.
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Pure fun. No pretences.
That’s basically how I’d describe this drama.
Let’s get this out of the way. The villain was so obvious it hit me pretty much the second time he appeared on screen. Not because of his role, but the awkward placement of his role. I could help but think, “What is with this dude? He doesn’t seem like an important character, but he is already appearing too frequently. Is he the villain?”
Full marks to me for getting that one right.
Apart from this I think this drama is more about the interaction between characters and the joy their relationships bring.
I didn’t feel overly sad or upset, angry or bored. But it was enjoyable, I didn’t feel like dropping it.
You’d think the story of the lead and some of the situations faced are sad, but they didn’t turn any of it into a sob tale for viewers to cry over. It is appreciable. Tae Joon was an amazing leader, he didn’t jeopardise his team and was always good to them, unlike a lot of characters who tend to forget their friends and family when they are put on cases that affect them personally.
Most of the characters acted well, their roles were well portrayed. There is no false justification to their actions and the thin line between a do-holder and criminal that they like to skirt around. They are what they are and so is this drama.
No false promises, no pretences. They are fully aware of their own identity as criminals and cons and are able to use it to their advantage to help others, again without justifying their actions. I also like who none of them give up their core, they are out to help people, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t thieves, cons, mercenaries, or even a law abiding citizen (or one that tries to be). They will help those who are in trouble and don’t mind making some extra profit out of the situation, because that is still something very important to them.
Check it out for some quirky characters and not-so-bad storyline.
Even if it isn’t top notch I wouldn’t mind a second season.
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This review may contain spoilers
A drama that sparkles brighter than the stars in the sky
What do I say about this drama?It is magical, heartwarming and just beautiful, not just in terms of the story, but the set, the cast, the costumes.
A graceful and lovely set up where you can find love, sorrow, chaos, resentment and companionship.
I love the characters, their personalities, their growth and how they are all linked so beautifully to one another. The leads sold their romance in such a way that I doubt I can ever recover from how magical it was. Everything about them, their individual and combined journeys were a feast to the eyes.
Shin Hae Sun killed it. Her portrayal of Lee Yeon Seo was tragic and beautiful, a flawed character with so much loss that she stays alive out of sheer grit. Kim Myung Soo’s Kim Dan was the perfect complement to her character. Lee Dong Gun and Kim Bo Mi were also amazing, actually the entire cast did a stellar job.
I’ve got to say, this one has a lot of crying potential. Most of the characters have something at stake, be it ambition, pride, dignity or even their lives. But I laughed, smiled, got angry and cried with them. Isn’t that what a good drama is all about?
I recommend this drama to all romance lovers.
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