Gorgeous, just ignore the last episode.

MY ADVICE

To those who want to watch this but don't want to deal with heartbreak (and frankly, poor story-telling), I would recommend just watching the first 9 episodes (if you're watching the 10 ep version). In my opinion, their stories wrap up quite nicely (and happily) by the end of that episode, and you will be satisfied if you end it there. Think of episode 10 as like, an alternate timeline or something. It was hard to rate this series with a single number because it is such a sweet, meaningful little story, if only it hadn't ended the way it did.

MY THOUGHTS (on episodes 1-9)

This is such a beautiful coming-of-age, romance which takes some of the tired old tropes of BL and handles them with grace. The reason for this? The characters actually communicate with each other rather than brood, so there's very little of that drawn-out melodrama. However, it is still a teenage romance at heart, so be prepared for the cheese. But let's be real, that's what a lot of us are here for anyways. It's nothing revolutionary, but it subverts expectations enough to be refreshing.

The acting was superb! I love the development between the two main leads. They share such a profound on-screen chemistry, that it's easy to fall in love with them and their relationship. When things get steamy (which, they certainly do), it feels private, intimate and /real/. It is beautifully done. Let me say, I wasn't expecting to cry quite so much during some of these scenes, but I relate wholeheartedly to some of the pressures they both face. Specifically that feeling that the world is crumbling around you and you need to hold it together all on your own. However, every time Xi Gu smiles, his entire face lights up and he simply radiates. Honestly, his character deserved the world. I didn't love the secondary couple at first, mostly because I just didn't understand how they fell in love, or what even attracted them to one another. They grew on me slightly as the series progressed, but honestly I still don't really /feel/ much for them.

All in all, episodes 1-9 tell a fairly well-rounded story which would've ranked quite highly on my list of BL faves. However, I can't give it a higher score because that last episode is, unfortunately, there for all to see.

Read More