Just Another Average BL (But that doesn't mean you shouldn't watch it!)

Love Area honestly isn't as bad as the other reviews make it out to be.
It has a very generic plot and at times can be a bit slow, but there is something about it that makes you want to just keep watching.
That being said, Love Area's saving grace is that while all the actors are rookies, they can actually act!

STORY:

Kaitoon is a hardworking orphan struggling to get by and works multiple jobs to make end's meet. One day as he's walking home from work he gets robbed by man with a knife. The robbery gets botched by actual thugs that arrive leaving Kaitoon to call an ambulance for his would-be robber. The next day at work he meets the owner's brother, Valen, who also happens to be the robber from the night before. Kaitoon is surprised, but nevertheless has to work with and train Valen. At first they are awkward and can't stand each other, but as Kaitoon is forced to train Valen, they get to know each other more.

Meanwhile, Peat returns to try make amends with King. However, the 2 years they spent apart is taking a toll on King. He doesn't know if he should reconcile with Peat or move on with his life.

So yes, the plot is very generic. Poor, hard working orphan meets rich bad boy with money issues because he chooses not to work. It sounds like so many other manga story lines that it's so cliche. However, there is something about Love Area that does keep you wanting to see what happens next. For me, it's honestly the second couple, King and Peat. (I personally thing that they should have been the lead couple instead of Valen and Kaitoon, but I'll talk about them a bit later.)

Getting away from the fact that it has a generic plot, and looking at the story line itself, Love Area starts off great, but from around the second episode it starts to lose momentum. The first episode was well thought out and got the audience invested, by giving us glimpse of Kaitoon's backstory then dropping us into the middle of his life, however, this style of storytelling is how the series starts to lose it's audience. The film makers did amazing with Kaitoon's background, but Valen, King, Peat, Non, and every other character doesn't get the same treatment. We know nothing about any of them and are suddenly expected to care for them. For example, in the first scene we meet King we are introduced to him as Valen's friend. He's seen smiling and looking happy, but as soon as Peat walks in we see he has issues with him. We then are given a scene where they talk about Peat returning after 2 years and King explains that he's angry, which is great, but we don't know their relationship or how King was dealing with this separation, so it was awkward. We were just thrown into the middle of their drama with no backstory. While we do get some of our questions answered by Peat later in the story, there are many instances like this with many of the characters which leads to many plot holes. Most of the plot holes are irrelevant and can be ignored, like how did the Nisa know that Kaitoon needed money and she should give him his paycheck weekly. However, there are some bigger plot holes, like how did Valen become in debt when he's rich and could have asked his sister, why did he revert to robbing Kaitoon in the beginning of the series, and what happened to the thugs that were after him? Hopefully these questions will be answered in Part 2, but I don't think they will be. It's still a nice BL to watch though.

Kaitoon & Valen

Kaitoon is very hardworking and nice, while Valen is headstrong and naive in love. Their whole relationship is Valen pulling Kaitoon into doing something and Kaitoon is too nice to say no or put his foot down. That being said, Valen is whipped for Kaitoon and thinks about him 24/7. They have an interesting dynamic which compliments each other. While they aren't the most interesting BL couple out there, they somehow make the audience interested in their story and make us wonder what happens next.

Kaitoon & Non

Non's character is... How should I say this... While Non is set up as the perfect foil to Valen, aside from the first episode, his character is useless. In the first episode Non's character is made to be Kaitoon's perfect man. However, as soon as Valen is introduced it's like the film makers forgot about him. He only shows up to make dates with Kaitoon, only to get ditched on their date. It happens 3 times and we don't really get any reaction from Non. He's supposed to be in love with Kaitoon, but we don't see any of it. Kaitoon also seems not to care about his friendship with Non, so what's the point in keeping his character around? Unless Non really steps his game up and wreaks havoc on Valen and Kaitoon's relationship, I don't see a point in his character. I wouldn't even consider him as part of a love triangle.

King & Peat

We are literally dropped into the middle of King and Peat's relationship, so we don't really know the dynamics of their relationship until later in the series. Even then, we're still not sure how their relationship works. However, the reason I say that they should have been the leads of this series is that they were the first to get us invested in the series. We were curious about what happened between them from the beginning. (Even more than we were curious about why Valen robbed Kaitoon.) They also brought the drama to this Thai drama. Granted it's not that big of a drama as it could have been, it still is drama compared to the "will they, won't they" between Kaitoon and Valen because as I said earlier, the love triangle between Kaitoon, Valen, and Non is non-existent.

Also, on a personal note, the reason Peat left King is very unique in any drama, BL or not. If the story was about King and Peat, then Love Area would probably be the next Tale of a 1000 Stars or Until We Meet Again (If they could get even better actors to play the characters.) Hopefully part 2 won't sleep on King and Peat, but I don't have high hopes since King and Peat's drama seems to be wrapping up, although I don't know what the boy who volunteered to help King with his portrait will do to their relationship.


ACTING:

While the actors are all newbies, their acting is very decent. It's not the best, but at least they can act. I've seen way too many BLs with new actors that are just good faces. Here, all of the actors have the whole package. They just need to hone their skills and hopefully with a few more acting credits to their name, they'll get better roles.


OVERALL:

Love Area is a decent watch. There are some issues here and there, but it doesn't really effect the plot too much. The audience is also kept entertained enough to be curious about what happens next. Yes, there might be some times when we skip ahead, but it's usually because we want to know what happens next.

If you're looking for a masterpiece, then this isn't for you. But if you are looking for something to watch to fill your BL needs, Love Area has got it covered.

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Must Watch BL of the Year

This is the perfect BL. It encompasses everything that is BL. Season 1 has the whole student/university innocent love story while Season 2 has the adult angsty drama. It's the whole package.

(Some notes about the Special Edition Ver. for Season 2 at the bottom.)
Anyways, I'll focus on Season 2 now.

STORY:

You're going to either love it or hate it.

This is a continuation of Gao Shi De and Zhou Shu Yi's story set five years later. While Season 1 was all about the innocent student love story, this season is all angsty. Gone is the innocence and here is the pain. Season 2 does a 180 and is no longer the We Best Love that we know.

This season deals with betrayal and miscommunication. Because it is completely different from the first season I can see why some people may not like this season. Some people just don't like drama, plain and simple. Some people will also that the story is weaker than the first season therefore that this is the weaker of the two seasons, but I disagree. Yes there was a plot hole, who the blonde was, but it didn't take away from the story. (She is his step-sister, it was explained in a deleted scene that isn't even in the Special Edition. Why???? Anyways, you can find the clip on youtube.) The story wasn't focus on who she was or if Gao Shi De cheated. The focus was on the fact that Gao Shi De didn't tell Zhou Shu Yi about his father's interference and flat out left him in the dark. Even with this plot hole the the drama was amazing. This is the season where Gao Shi De and Zhou Shu Yi shine!

If there is an issue with this drama it would be with the secondary couple. They brought back Bing Wei and Zhe Yu from the first season, but our secondary couple was Pei Shou Yi and Yu Zhen Xuan. This second couple got a lot of screen time, but no one was interested. Yes Pei Shou Yi was in the first season, but who is Yu Zhen Xuan? The issue with having them as the secondary couple was that the first season had built up Bing Wei and Zhe Yu was a couple and they were given a decent amount of screen time in the first season, but they barely get any in this one. Pei Shou Yi had his share of screen time in the first season, but there was no mention of Yu Zhen Xuan. It's unfortunate because they had an interesting storyline, but because there was no build up to couple, and because Yu Zhen Xuan's character is either a like him or hate him type of character, this storyline fell flat. Even so I think Gao Shi De and Zhou Shu Yi carried the entire drama on their shoulders without this couple.

Gao Shi De & Zhou Shu Yi

Set fives years after Gao Shi De left for America, Zhou Shu Yi is now helping his father run the company business. He hasn't heard from Gao Shi De in years, and on top of that when he secretly went to America to surprise Gao Shi De, he saw his boyfriend picnicking with a blonde woman and has a baby in his lap. While it's safe to say they are no longer together, Zhou Shu Yi is still bitter about everything. When his company acquires Hua Cing Technology he is shocked to find that Gao Shi De is the CEO of the company. Zhou Shu Yi greets him with a fist to the cheek, but it's not over. They still have to work together.

Meanwhile, Gao Shi De isn't over Zhou Shu Yi. He hasn't been able to contact Zhou Shu Yi in years and is more than happy to see him. He wants to pick up where they left off, but Zhou Shu Yi doesn't want to. He won't give Gao Shi De the time of day and it hurts. It doesn't help that Zhou Shu Yi's father is meddling in their affairs and his family has issues of their own.

As I said earlier, Gao Shi De and Zhou Shu Yi carried the entire drama on their shoulders. Their chemistry from the first season improved in the second. Every time they were on screen you could feel their emotions. While the miscommunication storyline isn't new, how the actors portrayed the angst and longing just overpowered it. Just the way the actors looked at each other and their expressions was so powerful. You could watch it without sound or subtitles and still understand what was happening, it was that powerful. Just looking at Zhou Shu Yi screaming he hates Gao Shi De, but his eyes saying I love you is heart wrenching.

The best part about this couple is that after they get over the miscommunication, you can already see that they are going to be a couple that stands the test of time. If Gao Shi De loves longer, Zhou Shu Yi loves harder.

Pei Shou Yi & Yu Zhen Xuan

Pei Shou Yi is a school doctor that has affective disorder which makes it difficult for him to understand emotions, even his own. Yu Zhen Xuan is the CTO at Hua Chin Technologies with paranoia and aspergers, When Yu Zhen Xuan was in high school, Pei Shou Yi helped in out of a sticky situation after which he fell in love with Pei Shou Yi. Seeing Yu Zhen Xuan's growing attachment towards him, Pei Shou Yi quits his job as a school doctor leaving Yu Zhen Xuan heart broken. Still in love, Yu Zhen Xuan continued to search for Pei Shou Yi for 12 years. Now Pei Shou Yi is stuck because he often thinks about Yu Zhen Xuan, but he doesn't know his own feelings.

With both characters having mental disorders, this is definitely an original and interesting plot. However, it falls flat because Yu Zhen Xuan wasn't introduced in the first season, nor did they outwardly refer to him in the first season. They gave small hints here and there, but the hints were so small it's only barely noticeable when you rewatch it and look for it. For example, in season 1 Pei Shou Yi keeps a ramen pack in his office and gets mad at Gao Shi De for eating it. How would we know it's a remembrance to Yu Zhen Xuan? For all we know it was his emergency food.

Also, let's address the elephant in the room. Having characters with mental disorders is a big risk, especially when they are a couple. Most people are accept that there are people with mental disorders around them, but at the same time they don't want to associate with them. This is the reality. Unfortunate as it is, very few people can accept and understand people that have mental or physical disabilities. Most people turn the other way. One of the main reasons this couple flopped isn't so much that their storyline is terrible, it's more that they don't understand, nor want to see a couple with mental disorders. I can guarantee you that if Yu Zhen Xuan didn't have a mental disorder, then there would be more people talking about this couple instead of skipping it.

Bing Wei & Zhe Yu

I want to write a synopsis for this couple, but I really can't. They are just very minor characters here. They don't have much of a storyline. After college they began to work for Zhou Shu Yi's company. They helped Zhou Shu Yi through thick and thin when Gao Shi De wasn't there and are his best friends. They are still dating and Bing Wei is considering marriage.

Honestly, they should have been the secondary couple. There was so much build up to this couple in the first season it sucks that they are still in the limelight. I think the worst part is that when they finally get their time to shine, it's literally the last 3 minutes of the last episode. Just hand the ring to Gao Shi De and let him propose instead.

Overall:

I prefer the second season to the first. Both seasons are great, but I prefer more adult and angsty storylines. That being said, the actors really shined with their performances in this season. I can't help but rewatch this season over and over again because I can't get Gao Shi De and Zhou Shu Yi's versatile acting out of my head. It's a must watch!


~~~~~~~~~~ We Best Love: Fighting Mr. 2nd Special Edition ~~~~~~~~~~

What's the difference?

Everything! Unlike the Special Edition for Season 1, Season 2's Special Edition is worth the money!
I'm not going to list all the differences, but I will say there are a lot of scenes that are extended that add more depth to the story and characters.

If I have to name one, the biggest difference is episode 4. We get 3 extended scenes.
1. Gao Shi De teasing Zhou Shu Yi immediately after they make up. It's a lot longer than the original cut and shows the extent of their relationship.
2. The whole argument between Zhou Shu Yi and his father.
3. In the office where they are talking about Gao Shi De's lost emails we get to hear about Zhou Shu Yi's feelings toward Gao Shi De in Japanese.
(I'm a bit disappointed we didn't get to hear about Gao Shi De's step-sister being the blonde in question since in the deleted scene we get that part during all of this, but at the same time I do understand why they cut it. Gao Shi De and the audience need to know more about Zhou Shu Yi's feelings towards Gao Shi De more than we need to know about the blonde woman. Gao Shi De explains his feelings about Zhou Shu Yi numerous times throughout the season, but we never got to hear Zhou Shu Yi's feels about him at all until the Special Edition.)


Should you watch the Special Edition first or watch it on the re-watch?

Just skip the normal version of Season 2 and watch the Special Edition. It's like knowingly buying a kid's meal when you know you're going to be hungry for more. Just skip the questions and watch the Special Edition.

But if you want to watch the normal version and Special Editions then... How do I put this... Watch both normal versions of Season 1 and Season 2 then watch the Special Editions on the rewatch.

YES - Special Edition S1 → Special Edition S2 (Skipping the Normal version is okay)
YES - Normal Ver. S1 → Normal Ver. S2 → Special Edition S1 → Special Edition S2

NO - Normal Ver. S1 → Special Edition S1 → Normal Ver. S2 → Special Edition S2
(You won't understand why they extended some scenes)
NO - Special Edition S1 → Special Edition S2 → Normal Ver. S1 → Normal Ver. S2
(The rewatch will be boring. Especially Season 2's rewatch. You'll probably claim that you wasted your time watching the normal version since you watched it the Special Editions first.)

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Typical Japanese BL of it's Time

Asymmetry is definitely a Japanese BL of the 2000s; as in it doesn't have a happy ending.

While it does a great job of portraying a realistic gay love story from it's time, I found it quite boring. If you like slice of life dramas and enjoy the realism then it might be a nice movie to watch, but for me it was boring. While realistic, there was no real hook to keep watching the movie. The love story was very unoriginal and even the characters were quite boring. It was quite obvious that the movie was going to end the way that it did from the beginning.

I guess if you're looking for an actual love story in a BL, then this is not the movie for you. If you are looking for a very realistic, slice of life, unrequited love story then maybe this might be for you.

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A Rare Gem in the World of BL

At a glance Light On Me, might seem like just another high school romance, but if you look under the surface you'll see that there is so much more to this drama than meets the eye.

We need more K-drama BLs like this.

STORY:

While Light On Me might look like your typical high school BL, there is so much more to this drama.  There is no over dramatic fights.  No crazy ex-girlfriend or disapproving parents.  No instant chemistry.  Nothing!  The characters and situation is very realistic.  It does follow the typical troupes, but nothing is too overdone.  

The best part of the drama is that while it does follow the usual romance troupes, it doesn't really follow the stereotypical plot.  For example, a normal romance plot would have the loner fall in love with the popular kid and the feelings are reciprocated, but in Light On Me it's different.  While Taekyung does fall for Da-on and Da-on seems to also feel the same way, some unforeseen circumstances force them apart leading to Shinwoo, who has been leading us on with a game of cat and mouse, to suddenly step up to the plate.  It's very interesting to watch since the drama is so unpredictable.

Also, despite being a K-drama, Light On Me gives us the ideal love triangle.  Like the Taekyung, we're stuck between whether we are on team Shinwoo or team Da-on.  Both men are the ideal man for Taekyung.  They both care for Taekyung and have done everything in their power to help him.  Both Shinwoo and Da-on have their flaw and struggles, but it's all things that can be worked out together with Taekyung as a couple.  There is nothing overly dramatic about this love triangle.  It's very stable and Taekyung will not have to suffer dramatically in any way, shape, or form regardless of who he chooses to love.  The best part about this love triangle is that while Shinwoo and Da-on have a crush on Taekyung, they openly talk about their feelings for him together and they cheer each other on even though they are love rivals.  Yes, they are rivals, but above all they are friends.  They really are the embodiment of "bros before hoes" with their friendship.

Shinwoo & Taekyung

Shinwoo and Taekyung's relationship started out bitterly since Shinwoo seemingly hated Taekyung from the beginning, but after a while we learn that's not the case. He always thought Taekyung was cute from the beginning, but he's too introverted to say his true feelings.  Taekyung, on the other hand, hated Shinwoo because Shinwoo always seemed to be against him.  He was unintentionally thinking about Shinwoo constantly since he was so concerned about being hated by him.

Shinwoo and Taekyung are the perfect couple.  Taekyung is very forward with his thoughts, while Shinwoo doesn't really say his true feelings.  They really balance each other out.  I think that they really are perfect for each other.  Towards the end, Shinwoo does start to say more of his own thoughts without holding back, which I thought was amazing because so many misunderstandings occurred because he didn't speak his mind.  Also, Taekyung finding it amusing to tease Shinwoo is great character development because up until that point we didn't really get to see much of Taekyung's personality aside from his truthfulness.  I like how they bring out the best in each other.

Da-on & Taekyung

Da-on and Taekyung's ship was sailing from the get-go. From the moment they met Da-on was kind to Taekyung and provided him with the moral support he needed to maneuver through life and making friends so late in the game. Taekyung mentions numerous times how he saw through Da-on's perfect facade, but he still saw Da-on for the man he could be and loved him for it.

While Da-on still has lots of issues to work on, I think Da-on is also perfect for Taekyung because they bring the best out of each other. Even after everything that they go through they are still good friends and take care of each other. Although late, Da-on tries to get his life back on track so that he can one day be the right man for Taekyung.

Da-on & Sohee

Sohee... I just pity her. She seems like a smart girl that will go far in life, but she's too obsessive. She also can't take a hint. She's been chasing after Da-on for 3 years, yet he hasn't given her the time of day. Shouldn't she figure it out already? She also follows him around constantly, yet she doesn't know anything about him. She goes around saying he's nice to everyone, so don't misunderstand, yet she's misunderstanding him completely. She's just annoying. I wish Da-on would have completely cut her off after all the crap she put him and Taekyung through, but instead he forgives her. Da-on is too nice and too good for Sohee.


OVERALL:

Whether or not you are on team Shinwoo or team Da-on, there are so many great moments that Light On Me gives us. This isn't just a BL. This is a story about friendship and first love.

I hope there are more dramas like this in the future because it's refreshing to watch a romance series (BL or not) that is realist yet dreamy, and isn't so dramatic and intense.

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Sweet and Hilarious

We're Both Grooms keeps the story short, simple, and hilarious.


STORY:

On their wedding day, Seto Ryosuke and Aikawa Mizuki encounter a huge problem... Ryosuke hasn't told any of his family and friends that Mizuki is a man!

We're Both Grooms keeps the story simple by starting literally on the wedding day. We learn that Ryosuke hasn't told his family that Mizuki is a guy. Mizuki tries to help Ryosuke, but it's too late and the ceremony must start. As the doors to the ceremony open, so does the hilarity of Ryosuke's homophobic father vs Mizuki's supportive father.

The comedy isn't too over the top, but there are some moments that are too funny it's cringy moments. However, we are treated to some wholesome scenes sprinkled in here and there. The best thing I can s ay is watch it, you'll enjoy it.


Ryosuke x Mizuki

Because it starts on their wedding day and finishes on their wedding day, there isn't much to analyze about the couple. We do get flashbacks and insights into their relationship, but it's not too deep. Also, we get more insight into Ryosuke's background simply because the story focuses on his family's reaction to his coming out.

Ryosuke is an elementary school teacher who always wants to please everyone, while Mizuki is a lemon farmer with a past of failed relationships. Mizuki just wants to fall in love and be happy, while Ryosuke wants to be the perfect man for Mizuki.... Which brings us to the problem. Ryosuke wanted to please Mizuki by marrying him, but he also doesn't want to disappoint his father.

Ryosuke and Mizuki really do suit each other since Ryosuke only thinks about Mizuki. Mizuki also is great for Ryosuke since he's more than willing to take things slow and go at Ryosuke's pace. I do think Ryosuke needs to be more open with Mizuki and they both need to have more communication, but it does seem like all things work out after the wedding, so they seem great of each other.


OVERALL:

We're Both Grooms is hilarious! I do wonder why neither families met before the ceremony because this would have saved everyone the drama, but if they met the two probably would have broken up and never gotten married.

Either way, I recommend watch this. It's hilarious!

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This Film RUINED the Manga... Watch the Anime!!

The anime was so much better!!!!

This film doesn't even do the manga justice.
It's a plot hole festival!
It makes the manga look bad. Go watch the anime!

~~~ STORY ~~~

This is what happens when you try to fit a full manga series into 90 minute film. You get a crappy film that is rushed, full of so many plot holes, and isn't true to the original story. In fact, this film makes you so confused and irritated!

I just finished watching the anime, and watched this film the day after finishing the anime. I have never read the manga, but the anime was very suspenseful and kept be on my toes. It wasn't the best suspense, horror, mystery anime out there, but it was enough to get me invested. The anime was interesting enough to make me curious about the film. This film did a terrible job at telling the story of The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window, that I regret watching it... Which sucks because Shison Jun and Okada Masaki are some of my favorite actors.

~~~ WHAT THE STORY SHOULD HAVE BEEN ~~~

Kosuke Mikado has always been terrified of ghosts. Why? Because he has the ability to see them. When he was 4 years old his father went missing, only leaving behind a jewelry box.. Strangely, no one, even his mother, remembers his fathers name or face. One day an exorcist named Rihito Hiyakawa arrives at his workplace. Hiyakawa saves Mikado from a ghost before turning to him and saying "You're my Destiny."

After that incident, Mikado is forced to work for Hiyakawa solving bizarre cases related to the supernatural. However, they keep running into the name Erika Hiura. As the duo investigate, the secrets behind Hiyakawa keep piling up, and it all might have something to do with Erika Hiura and Mikado's missing father's jewelry box.

~~~ WHAT WE GOT ~~~

Mikado is terrified of ghosts and can see them. One day Hiyakawa comes in and forcefully makes Mikado work for him. They repeatedly come across the name Erika Hiura during their investigations, but Hiyakawa doesn't care. Even when her body guard kidnaps them to help save her, he doesn't care. Mikado chooses to ignore Hiyakawa's wishes and investigate Erika Hiura and the bizarre cases himself. He learns that Erika Hiura is just a pawn. She is being manipulated by "Sensei," who is a leader of a cult. Mikado somehow ends up working with Hiura only to discover that Hiyakawa mass murdered the cult in the past after they mistreated him. The End!

Are you confused? I am.

~~~ WHAT's MISSING ~~~

Aside from an actual storyline? Everything!

Plot - The film tried to condense the plot so much that everything great about the plot of the manga/anime was missing. (Remember, I am going off the anime since I haven't read the manga.) The plot revolves heavily around Hikawa and Mikado. Hikawa's motivation is to make Mikado never leave his side. Meanwhile Mikado just wants to help and stop people from dying. As they solve cases Hiyakawa's strange and mysterious backstory unravels. Everything is linked to Erika Hiura, the cult, and "Sensei." Even Hiyakawa and Mikado aren't safe from "Sensei's" grasp. Hell, even Mikado's mom isn't safe from "Sensei." Everyone is a pawn in "Sensei's" master plan.

That being said, the film tried to cram all of the cases related to Erika Hiura and "Sensei" into two very short cases. They even tried to cram Hiyakawa's elaborate and tragic backstory into a minute. They didn't even touch upon Mikado's special abilities and why he can see ghosts. They talked a but about the power of words, but they didn't do into detail about it, or why Erika Hiura used her name in the curse. The worst yet, was that they just had Mikado sign a contract to Hiyakawa, and showed that Hiyakawa was manipulating him without even explaining why Hiyakawa did that and even use the power of being connected to each other.

The whole point of The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window is the bond between Hiyakawa and Mikado, yet the film did nothing to show it. They are supposed to be spiritually bonded together which is why Hiyakawa is jealous of everyone that can "touch Mikado's spirit." Mikado also can't seem to leave Hiyakawa alone, despite finding him strange. They have a strong bond together which is why they exorcize ghosts together. Even when the Hiyakawa misunderstand Mikado's intensions and acts out on his own, Mikado get upset at Hiyakawa, but he still wants to save him. However, the film made Hiyakawa out to be the pseudo villian, and all Mikado had to do was talk to Hiyakawa for a bit and great film over. They didn't even attempt to solve who "Sensei" was, why Erika Hiura was working for him, and what in the world the cult was. They just introduced everything and "Hey, Hiyakawa mass murdered the cult in the past because they were abusing him, so the end. You don't need to know who 'Sensei' is and why he did it."

Characters - All of the characters are watered down and just plain messy versions of themselves in the film. Other important character are straight up missing.

Mikado Kousuke - The key to everyone's heart. He somehow has the power to help everyone heal and fix their issues. He is also deeply tethered to "Sensei" even if he doesn't know it yet.

Hiyakawa Rihito - A man who was abused and manipulated since birth. He has the power to forcefully punch away ghosts. He was born and raised by the cult as a god, to get rid of their impurities. He was never given or shown any type of kindness or love. He believes Mikado is his destiny. He will do anything to keep Mikado next to him, even if that means bonding and tying Mikado to him forcefully.

Hiura Erika - A teenage necromancer, who was sold to "Sensei" and the cult by her father. She is forced by "Sensei" to curse people to fuel his master plan. She hates "Sensei" and wants to run away and be free from his grasps and her own power.

Hiroki Hanzawa - A cop who helped Hiyakawa after he mass murdered the cult. Despite his rough demenor, Hanzawa has a soft spot for Hiyakawa. He doesn't believe in the supernatural, but constantly asks Hiyakawa for help solving unsolvable cases.

Kazuomi Sakaki - Erika's yakuza bodyguard, who was only in the film for 1 minute. He looks cold and scary, but he's actually a really caring guy... at least for Erika. He hates everyone that tries to hurt Erika, even her father and "Sensei." He would save Erika from her hellish fate if it weren't for the fact that he would be killed if he tried to help her escape. He becomes an important character in the later half of the manga/anime. He tells Erika, "If you're going to escape. Take me with you."

Keita Mukae - An exorcist who was cut from the film!!! Like Hiyakawa, he can exorcize ghostss, however his tactic is to talk to them to ease their minds before exorcizing them. He's very good with establishing bonds with people and ghosts.

"Sensei" - A selfish man who manipulates people and ghosts for his own selfish gain. He has Hiura Erika do the dirty work, so nothing can be traced back to him. He has a fear that if people find out his name and face they will destroy him. He has pure hatred for Mikado.

~~~ IS THIS BL? ~~~

The film is not, but it's supposed to be. The film version of Hiyakawa is too stoic and doesn't get jealous of Mikado at all. In fact, he doesn't even bother to force his way into Mikado's spirit. Even Mikado doesn't care enough about Hiyakawa to prioritize his safety. They don't even touch on the fact that Hiyakawa called Mikado his "destiny" in the first scene. Also the exorcism isn't as sexual at it is in the anime/manga.

The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window is published by a BL magazine and is classified as such, but the anime was more Shounen Ai than BL. However, I'm not sure if the manga explicitly makes that distinction. In the anime, it's clear that Hiyakawa is in love with Mikado to the point of obsession. Mikado clearly has feelings for Hiyakawa, but it's unclear if it's romantic or not. Either way, they do have a spiritual bond that is stronger than everyone else. Also, they both occasionally do and say things that make other people question whether the two are dating or not.

Also, the exorcizing that Mikado and Hiyakawa do together is very intimate. Then exorcizing ghosts, Hiyakawa explains that isn't supposed to feel good because it's cleansing the air. The more of their spiritual power they use the better it's supposed to feel. When Mikado compares it to sex, Hiyakawa agrees that it's similar. In the anime, when they do exorcizing together, they are both exhausted and disheveled after... Like they had gone a few rounds together. Usually Mikado is slumped over Hiyakawa. Also Hiyakawa bites Mikado occasionally because he "get's too into it." That being said, when Mukae and Mikado exorcised together, Mukae was respectful and held Mikado's hand. He didn't force his way into Mikado's soul.

~~~ OVERALL ~~~

I really liked the anime, but the film was terrible. While I wasn't really expecting the film to incorporate the BL aspects of it, I was expecting a decent horror/suspense film. I got none of that.

This film was full of plot holes and didn't even manage to tell a decent story. There was no plot at all! This film was created by a big name company with big name actors, yet how did the film not manage to have a decent plot? They really tried to rush through the whole plot in 90 minutes and failed spectacularly. They didn't even solve the mystery that they were setting up to be the big climax.

Do I want a sequel? No.
Do I want a TV series? Maybe... Actually no. While I think the plot of the manga is more suited for a TV series, rather than movie. I think that since the exorcism and spiritual bond aspects of this story are very abstract and sexual in nature, it would be very difficult to show it in live action. The anime was great since we could see the different planes and the abstract nature of the bonds, everything was unrealistic. It would be hard to show different realms and bonds to each other's hearts without lots of CGI.

I personally think The Night Beyond the Tricornered Window should have been left as a manga/anime and never turned into a Live Action Film.

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Natsume might be the main character, but Touma is the heart of the drama.

Cosmetic Playlover is a very wholesome drama. Despite the plot sounding like it will be an enemies to lovers type of drama. Touma instantly throws that troupe out the window.

•❅✧❅✦ Story •❅✧❅✦

Natsume Mamiya and Touma Sahashi work as department store beauty consultants for the cosmetics brand Romy Feerique, where they are known as the "two princes". However, Natsume is constantly annoyed with Touma for not taking his job seriously despite his potential. One day, Touma discovers that Natsume is gay and decides to use his secret to get closer to him.

Soooo...... Like I said, Touma throws that enemies to lovers troupe out the window. He doesn't even give Natsume a chance to even hate him because as soon as Touma finds out Natsume genuinely believes in his potential, Touma starts falling in love with Natsume, acting like his boyfriend.

At a glance, Touma’s love for Natsume can seem disingenuous, clinging to the first person who believed in him, but we later learn that Touma is just a tragic character. His family life is a mess, and everyone always pulled him down. He just desperately wanted someone who believed in him and not let him down. Once he found Natsume, he was just trying his best not to be thrown away because Natsume was the only one who had ever given him a chance.

Touma is such a lover, not even a playboy like the title suggests. He's so in love with Natsume, everyone's just praying for Natsume to reciprocate Touma's feelings.

•❅✧❅✦ Overall •❅✧❅✦

I really have nothing bad to say about this drama. I really loved it.
I hope I can find a lover like Touma because he really set the bar high for what your lover should be.

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Just a Commercial for Line

You could literally go without watching this one.

If you're fans of any of the actors it's a short and fun watch, but nothing too special.
You could go without watching it.

All it is is two friends messaging each other about what happened at the reunion that one of them couldn't attend. They reminisce about their high school life and talk briefly about their current lives.

It's literally text on the screen with the background as memories that we get to see.

Maybe if we knew who the characters were it would be a fun watch, but because we don't there is nothing to love or hate about it.

It's literally just a commercial for LINE.

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Already My Favorite

Be My Favorite is definitely one of my favorites.

•❅✧❅✦ Story •❅✧❅✦

Always an introvert and outcast, Botkawi has been in love with Pearmai for over 10 years. At the age of 30, his life isn't going that great, but everyone else's lives are amazing. While weeping over his sorry life, Kawi receives an invitation to Pearmai and Pisaeng's wedding. Kawi has always had a hatred for Pisaeng for not only being hot and popular, but also stealing away Pearmai when they were in college. While on a hunt for a wedding gift, Kawi receives a special crystal ball from a strange old man which sends him 10 years back in time. Kawi takes the opportunity to fix his mistakes and get with Pearmai, but he also unknowingly forms a friendship with Pisaeng, who wants more than a friendship with Kawi.

While the time traveling is not too unique, I really love how Be My Favorite pulled it off. Time travel wasn't too much of the focus, but rather the series was character centric. It wasn't about fixing situations and scenarios to better suit Kawi, it was all about Kawi learning to be more assertive and voice his opinions and thoughts that really drove the story forward. It was really nice to see from the first episode that all Kawi had to do was be more assertive to befriend Pisaeng and to learn that he really had no bad intentions when he "ruined" Kawi's chance to give his gift to Pearmai. Kawi could literally have had a better life he wanted and would be happy if he just had confronted Pisaeng and Pearmai.

That being said, the series could have gone with 10 episodes rather than 12. The last few episodes did feel a little bit draggy.
The storylines about Pisaeng going back in time, or even the minor storylines about Max, Pisaeng's mom, and even Pearmai's family backstory could have been cut. Pearmai's storyline wasn't really necessary as she wasn't really a main character. Instead of her, I would have loved to see Pisaeng's backstory, which we got a little bit of, but not enough. Pisaeng's mom's political story was a little confusing to follow and really didn't push the story forward as there wasn't really any big drama or issues with her politics and Pisaeng and Kawi's relationship. I was kind of expecting her to be against the relationship despite advocating for LGBT rights, but that never happened. As for Max, his story kind of felt incomplete since he was advocating for LGBT rights throughout the whole series but never once was seen with boyfriend. Still a great series though.


•❅✧❅✦ Characters •❅✧❅✦

Pisaeng x Kawi

Pisaeng and Kawi are that couple that's perfect for each other, but seems to have never had a "honeymoon" period. Every time I see Pisaeng and Kawi, they remind me of an old couple that are soulmates, but constantly bickering with each other. They are definitely a new take on a romantic couple.

Pisaeng is so adorable. He's literally the perfect man. He falls for Kawi after talking to him for a few days and becomes loyal and dedicated to him soon after. Pisaeng's love is so loyal and strong despite Kawi pushing him to the side for Pearmai so many times.

Fluke, who portrays Pisaeng really stepped up his acting game and was amazing. I couldn't stop watching him. I want to see more of him.

Kawi is annoyingly adorable. When he starts being true to himself and starts being more assertive, people are naturally drawn to him. The only thing that was stopping him from being happy and successful was himself, which he soon realizes after traveling to the past.

It was nice to see Krist back in a BL, but I wasn't quite sure what to think of his acting. It wasn't terrible, but it wasn't eye catching. I haven't seen any other Krist series or movies aside from SOTUS and SOTUS S, so I can't comment too much on his acting, but it didn't feel as great as he did in SOTUS. I honestly found Kawi to be annoying during the first few episodes, and as the series continued on, scenes where Kawi should have been nervous around Pisaeng came off more as Kawi being "repulsed" and "turned-off" at the thought of sleeping with Pisaeng. Maybe Krist is better at playing the more "stoic" and "masculine" characters, but Kawi was definitely not his best character. He still did a great job though.

•❅✧❅✦ Overall •❅✧❅✦

I really enjoyed Be My Favorite. It was a different take on the time travel concept and I loved what they did with the character growth. Pisaeng will definitely be on my mind for a little while now. Where can I get a person like Pisaeng?

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Prince really is the Prince of this series

While this series can draw comparisons between Tale of a Thousand Stars, honestly, leave your opinions behind because this series isn't as dramatic as TTS, but is just as romantic.

Also if you've watched Star and Sky: Star in My Mind, then definitely watch this because this series is just as romantic.
Daonuea and Khabkluen also make occasional appearances in this series.


•❅✧❅✦ Story •❅✧❅✦

A spin off from Star and Sky: Star in My Mind, Daonuea's older brother Kuafah arrives at a remote village in the mountains with his two friends after the three of them get into a drunken car accident on the way home from Kuafah's ex's wedding, as portrayed in the original series. The three are sent to the village to do community service as Kuafah is a doctor and the village is in need of a doctor. At the village they meet Prince, who is working there as a volunteer teacher. At first, Kuafah and Prince don't get along as their personalities clash. Kuafah is more impulsive and a disorganized with his life, while Prince is rational and orderly. While they hate each other at first, as they live in the same small village, they end up getting to know one another.

Honestly Prince and Kuafah have a very romantic storyline. It's very beautiful and straightforward. Their storyline isn't overly dramatic, but rather two people who spend lots of time together falling in love. I honestly found all of the shenanigans Kuafah and his friends bring to the series to be hilarious and poor Prince is always the one to walk into it.


Kuafah x Prince

Kuafah and Prince have a very healthy relationship. They fall in love naturally rather than through some very dramatic methods. They always though of each other as good looking, but annoying. However, after spending time together and seeing different sides of each other they fall in love. The way they fell in love felt very mature and realistic, unlike lots of other series out there.

The best part of the series has to be Prince. He actually is the one who seems to be carrying the series. I'm not saying that the other's are not good, but Kuafah's character is a little to stereotypical and less memorable compared to Prince. Throughout the series, I kept wondering about Prince and why he acts a certain way, or why he does certain things. Even though Kuafah is the primary protagonist, Prince had more of my interest than Kuafah. I don't want to be the one to point fingers, but I have noticed that Mek, the actor who portrays Kuafah, always tends to get outshined by his acting partners when he is the male lead. That doesn't mean he is a bad actor, as he does have lead actor qualities, However, unfortunately Mark, who plays prince, definitely carried the series. I hope to see Mark in more series, however, with a new partner who can push his acting abilities further.


•❅✧❅✦ Tale of a Thousand Stars vs Star and Sky: Sky in Your Heart •❅✧❅✦

I know there is going to be comparisons, so let's get it out of the way.

At a glance the scenarios are similar, two guys are stuck in the mountains. One guys is more adapted to the mountains, while another is a city boy. One is a volunteer teacher. They have different personalities that clash. They fall in love.

Yes, at a glance the storyline is similar. However, if you take a step back and watch this series without comparing it, you'll find that it's a very different story. Think of it as high school/college based romances. How many high school/ college based romance series involve the popular kid and the nerd? Do you compare all of them together? Probably not.

TTS is more dramatic and very unrealistic. It's everyone's soulmate fantasy. On the other hand, Sky in Your Heart is a little more realistic, and is very light-hearted. Both series are amazing in their own right and shouldn't be compared with each other. Of course TTS is going to have more of an impact as it came first and is more dramatic. But Sky in Your Heart is just as romantic, just with a little less drama... and less episodes.

Please watch both series as they both are great!


•❅✧❅✦ Overall •❅✧❅✦

This series is beautiful and romantic. It's something to watch then you don't want to watch series that are dramatic and complicated. The straight forward and lighthearted romance is beautiful. And Prince is also a feast for your eyes.

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A Romantic Story with Couple Goals!!

If you're looking for a series that has lots of romance with less dramatic moments, this is the series for you.
It's really a feel good drama that leaves you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside after finishing the series.
I think we all need a lover like Khabkluen or Daonuea after watching this series.


•❅✧❅✦ Story •❅✧❅✦

Daonuea has been crushing on Khabkluen since freshman year in highschool. However, it's a one-sided love on his end as Khabkluen has a girlfriend he is very committed to. After leaving to study abroad for his senior year of highscool, he returns to Thailand to start college. On the first day of the Star and Moon Competition Practice, Doanuea is reunited with Khabkluen. Daonuea hasn't really gotten over his crush, but has to room with Khabkluen during the duration of the competition. As they room together, Daonuea and Khabkluen start to getting closer together. Khabkluen is and has always been the epitome of kindness, that Daonuea can't stop his feelings even though he knows Khabkluen has a girlfriend... Or does he?

One of the best things about this series is the "Will they? Won't they?" tug of war that Daonuea and Khabkluen have throughout the series. It's not so dramatic and unrealistic that sometimes you end up shouting "Just kiss already!" at the screen. It's a light-hearted and romantic series, so there isn't any frustration while watching. Just pure romance.


•❅✧❅✦ Characters •❅✧❅✦

Daonuea x Khabkluen

Daonuea is you typical normal guy. He's adorable and funny. There isn't anything really special about him aside from his undying loyalty to Khabkluen, so there isn't much to comment on him aside from gushing over his cuteness.

However, Khabkluen, on the otherhand, is a little more stereotypical with the hot and kind popular kid troupe going for him. He also falls into the anti-social, can't really saying my feelings well, troupe that the male leads tend to have. However, something that makes Khabkluen different from the others is his his undying loyalty to Daonuea before and after their love confession. Also, his personality isn't as masculine as you would expect those types of leads to be. You can really see Khabkluen's real self after he starts dating Daonuea and I love the 180 shift in how he acts around Daonuea and other people.

On a side note, the actors who protray Daonuea and Khabkluen have so much chemistry. If someone told me they were a real couple, I wouldn't be surprised. Nothing looked fake or awkward. These two need to have more acting work, be it together or separate, because they are really great actors. I honestly would like to see them do something more dramatic just because I really think they are amazing and really need the opportunity to prove themselves as great actors.


•❅✧❅✦ Overall •❅✧❅✦

The series was amazing. I feel in love with Daonuea and Khabkluen from episode one and I never got bored as the series progressed. If you are looking for a drama-filled series, this probably isn't for you. But if you are looking for a feel-good romantic series then this is a must watch!

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It's a Filler Drama, so Don't Watch with Any Expectations

All I can say about this drama is to watch it without any expectations. It's not too bad if you watch it without any.
However, if you are going to watch this after watching other Japanese dramas like Utsukushii Kare or Cherry Magic, you're going to be very disappointed. It's a decent watch, but it's not anything spectacular.

Similarly, if you are coming to watch this because you've already read the manga, then you will also be disappointed. I think you need to watch this as a standalone drama without comparing it to the manga. Don't worry, I'll explain below.

That being said it's not a terrible drama. However, it is mediocre and definitely a filler drama. Don't bother to watch this if you want a good quality drama. Do watch this if you need a filler drama with good looking men falling in love.

•❅✧❅✦ STORY •❅✧❅✦

Onoe gets transferred to the stake-out team of the weekly gossip magazine he works for. His new partner is Kaburagi, who is the magazine's best cameraman. While Onoe is very serious and well mannered, Kaburagi is notorious for being a lady's man and Onoe finds him to be very rude. At first they don't get along, but the more cases they take on together, the more closer they become. Onoe learns there's more to Kaburagi then meets the eye.

Honestly the story is not too bad. It is based on an older manga so it is a little bit cliché, but it's not terrible. I personally found myself interested in the antics that the two were getting into. The only part of the drama that was strange was the bed scene that the screenwriter's crammed in at the end. Honestly, we could have gone without that.

While not the best drama, the biggest issue with this drama isn't really the story, but rather the acting. Honestly the acting wasn't great, but at the same time I preferred how they portrayed Onoe and Kaburagi in this drama rather than the manga.

ONOE X KABURAGI

Onoe is a very serious writer for the weekly magazine. He is more of a bookworm that's not really good at lying. He also doesn't seem to have much luck with the ladies. In contrast, Kaburagi seems to have a double personality. Usually he's stoic and doesn't seem to care about others, but other times he suddenly becomes a lady's man. He also is very good at lying and manipulating people. At first, Onoe hated Kaburagi because of his seemingly twisted personality and his lack of care when lying and manipulating people. However, once Onoe learns that Kaburagi actually hates lying and is actually more sensitive than he lets on, his whole perspective of Kaburagi changes. He also ends up falling in love with the sensitive side of Kaburagi.

•❅✧❅✦ ACTING •❅✧❅✦

Even though it's not that bad, the worst part of this drama is the acting. Every actor, from the main to the side characters, is on a different wave length and it's just a mess.

Kimura Keito, who plays Onoe, unfortunately is very stiff when acting. While not terrible, it is obvious that he's acting and it doesn't look natural when compared to Yamanaka. It looks like his acting is forced and that he's putting on a show. Again, it's not bad, but it is obvious that he needs more practice. (On a small note, Kimura is part of Exile's FANTASTICS with Yagi Yusei, who plays Kiyoi in Utsukushii Kare. It makes me wonder if Kimura's management is trying to ride the BL wave that boosted Yagi's popularity. Also, I can't help but compare the two. I haven't seen Kimura's other works, but I wonder if Kimura actually wanted to do this BL or if it was the management's choice.)

Yamanaka Jyutaro plays Kaburagi. Now, some people might not like his acting and say he's non-expressive, but I beg to differ. There are times where his acting is a little stiff, but for the most part I thought it was okay. As a character, Kaburagi is stoic and non-expressive, so I liked how Yamanaka played him. His acting felt more natural as I have met guys like Kaburagi in Tokyo and they do act like how Yamanaka plays Kaburagi, so I had no problem with his acting. Again it's not perfect, but it is hard to play a stoic and non-expressive character so I will give him some credit.

Lastly, the side characters. All of the side characters were on different wave lengths as well. I found that the older cast were better at acting than the younger ones. All of them are not on screen for very long so it's not too noticeable, but they are stiff. The actor who plays Masayan was probably the worst offender out of all of the actors. While his acting wasn't terrible, it was very exaggerated. His acting might be more suited for comedies, but I just couldn't watch any scene he was in because it was overly exaggerated.

•❅✧❅✦ DRAMA vs MANGA •❅✧❅✦

Something to note is that I had read Ameiro Paradox as a manga a few years before this drama came out. I didn't fully remember what the story was about, but I had a basic knowledge about the plot before watching. After watching the drama I went back and I reread the manga. This is how I am analyzing the drama, so I might be a little less biased toward the manga than others who read the manga first and went into the drama with the manga in mind.

As a drama, Ameiro Paradox is completely different from the manga. While the drama adapted most of the storylines and changed some aspects of the plot to fit the drama, the biggest change made was the relationship and personalities of the Onoe and Kaburagi. This change made the drama completely different from the manga as the manga fans might not like the new version of Onoe and Kaburagi, and their relationship.

The manga has more of a cat-dog relationship between the Onoe and Kaburagi, while the drama is more romantic. In the manga, Onoe is more feisty and stubborn, while in the drama he seems to be more innocent and just putting on a strong front.
As a character, Kaburagi also is different. In the manga he is stoic and non-expressive throughout their whole relationship. Even after they begin dating, Kaburagi doesn't really show many facial expressions aside from getting angry. On the other hand, in the drama Kaburagi is stoic and non-expressive only until they begin dating. Once he is in a relationship with Onoe, Kaburagi begins to show more emotions. Even then Kaburagi gives off a more softer, sensitive, and sympathetic vibe compared to the manga where he is never sensitive, always horny, and acts like an old man trapped in a 21 year old's body.

All of these changes made to the characters' personalities change the dynamics of Onoe and Kaburagi's relationship, which in turn might throw off fans of the manga. The manga is all about the fighting and weird antics that the cat and dog relationship brings to this couple. The drama however, is all about Onoe learning about Kaburagi's sensitive nature and how love with make a stoic man more loving and emotional.

Now, I personally like the drama version of Ameiro Paradox more than the manga as I do like my men to be a little more sensitive and mature. To me, Kaburagi in the manga is just an old man in a young man's body and he doesn't really express his love to Onoe. I don't understand how Onoe can love someone that doesn't really act like he loves him back, but again the manga is all about the antics that they get into. I prefer storylines where the characters grow to love each other based on what they learn about each other and their personalities rather than storylines where it's all situational, which the manga is situational.

•❅✧❅✦ OVERALL •❅✧❅✦

I didn't really hate Ameiro Paradox. It's not bad, but there are better drama's out there. It's definitely a filler drama and a one time watch.

Also, if you liked his drama don't bother reading manga since the characters' personalities are different and the relationship between Kaburagi and Onoe are completely different as well.

Similarly, don't bother watching this drama if you are a fan of the manga and want to see the weird antics that Onoe and Kaburagi get into in the manga. This drama is all about their relationship, so if can't watch this drama with an open mind, then you should probably skip this manga.

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Wasted Potential! Would Have Been a Great BL if it Wasn't a UWMA Spin Off!!

Between Us would have a higher score if it wasn't a UWMA spinoff. As an individual drama, Between Us is better than most of the BLs out there, however, since it's a spinoff, we can't help but make comparisons to UWMA. When compared to UWMA, Between Us fails to meet our expectations.

•❅──────✧❅✦ Between Us as a Standalone Drama ✦❅✧──────❅•

As a standalone drama, Between Us is superior to most of the BLs being made today.

The storyline is not cliché and the main characters, as well as most of the supporting characters, are not your stereotypical BL characters. Between Us has a dark storyline about mental health and childhood trauma and chooses to explore it in a very realistic and mature way. If this were a typical BL, the childhood trauma arch would be finished in an episode or two, in a love conquers all kind of way, and would focus more on how Team and Win fall in love, rather than focusing on how Win helps Team through his trauma. That is by no means saying that Between Us is the next Until We Meet Again, but the way that the drama is presented and the characters deal with their issues is what makes Between Us stand alongside some of the better underrated BL dramas like Not Me.

If you take away any relation to UWMA, Between Us is a must watch drama. How Win and Team deal with their issues, especially Team's mental health, is phenomenal. Their love isn't connected by a red thread like most BL couples out there. There wasn't instant attraction and sweet love from the beginning. Win and Team started off with a toxic relationship and they built their relationship into one that can be accepted by others. Regarding mental health, Win doesn't just magically erase Team's trauma. He tries, but Win doesn’t erase it. So again, love doesn't conquer all in this drama, so it’s interesting to watch.


•❅──────✧❅✦ Between Us as a Spinoff to Until We Meet Again ✦❅✧──────❅•

As great as I think this drama is, Between Us is a spinoff of UWMA, and it fails to meet our expectations as a spinoff. UWMA is a phenomenal drama, and any follow up would obviously be compared to it. The expectations were high, and Between Us failed to deliver. Why? Because there was a genre switch, and the side couples did not meet our expectation.

First, let’s talk about the genre switch. UWMA is every romantic's dream come true. Dean and Pharm are reincarnated lovers, bound by fate. They are soulmates. Dean and Pharm's love is very unrealistic, but we all want that kind of love. Between Us, on the other hand, is very dark and realistic. No one wants to deal with a love that isn't fated, let alone complicated. Win and Team's love is so dark, realistic, and depressing it doesn't bring us to the happy place that UWMA did. Win and Team are not soulmates connected by a red thread. There isn't any proof of it, so when we see them we don't cry or sympathize with them. We don’t want their love like we wanted Dean and Pharm’s.

Lastly and probably most frustratingly, the side couples were not up to par with UWMA. In UWMA, Dean and Pharm were the main couple, but we got Korn and Intouch as a beautiful side couple with an interesting storyline. Even Win and Team, and Mannow and Pruek were appealing side couples. Win and Team’s storyline about the swim team's resident bad boy falling for the innocent and naïve freshman was the stuff of dreams. Mannow also had a storyline about always being a supporting character and finding love. When the spinoff was announced, we looked forward to the relationship Win and Team. Maybe even get to see Mannow and Pruek's love blossom! However, in Between Us everything changed. The swim team's bad boy and naïve freshman storyline was thrown out to accommodate a darker story about mental illness. Which is okay, it has potential to be another amazing story, which it was. However, the side couples in Between Us, did not meet our expectations. Mannow's storyline, which many fans were looking forward to, wasn't in the spotlight. Dean and Pharm? They were barely in the series. All of the UWMA characters that we grew to love were replaced by a brand-new set of side characters and couples. Which would have been okay, if they felt like they were part of the UWMA universe. Bee and Prince's story felt like it was coming from Love By Chance. Even Waan and Tul's story felt like it came from another drama despite Waan being Win's older brother and Tul being a very, very minor character in UWMA.

It's a shame that Between Us has wasted its potential this way. Even if Between Us switched genres from fantasy to realistic, maybe if Between Us kept the original cast from Until We Meet Again and just expanded on their storylines instead of giving us a brand new set of side characters and couples, the spinoff would have been just as great if not better than the original.


•❅──────✧❅✦ CHARACTERS ✦❅✧──────❅•

~~~ Win x Team ~~~

Win is the boyfriend we all wish we had! Sure, he has commitment issues and is afraid of love, but he takes care of Team without any expectations of a return. Due to his issues, he doesn't really communicate his feelings well verbally to Team, but his facial expression usually gives away his thoughts and Team is able to pick up on it, even if it does confuse him sometimes.

Team, on the other hand, is a ball of confusion. He is too naïve for the world and the life he was given. His childhood trauma makes him unable to mature into the person he has the potential to become. It seems like while he's grown up and can handle himself, he also can't handle conflict because he couldn't forgive himself after his childhood accident. He could never get past that accident, and it affects him to this day.

As a couple, Win and Team are not soulmates. While the drama tries to make us believe that they are soulmates, they are not. Win is clearly in love with Team and has been from episode 1, however, it seems like Team is clinging to whoever was the first to help him through his trauma. Yes, Team loves Win, but there is no proof to show that it's not because Win was there to help him sleep through his nightmares. Team depends on Win a lot, but in the drama, Team is never given a chance to be there for Win. Win's commitment issues are swept under the rug for Team's childhood trauma, that unless someone tells you it's because he's the middle child and had to sacrifice so much in his life, you would never know just from watching the drama. However, they are cute together.

~~~ Bee x Prince (and the ABC trio) ~~~

Bee or Bumblebee is Team's clubmate and part of the comedic ABC trio. He falls in love with his classmate Prince, who is a famous actor. They end up having a secret romance because as a famous actor, Prince can't disappoint his fans by having a lover, let alone a male lover.

While I like Bee as a character, and am curious about his love for Prince, these two and their relationship have no business being in this drama. They give off Love By Chance vibes that as soon as I saw Prince, I thought he was Pete (Saint) 2.0.

Bee and Prince do have an interesting storyline, but it has no business being in this drama and should be a new drama all together. The screen time given to Bee and Prince's storyline should have been given to Mannow or Waan's storyline.

~~~ Waan x Tul ~~~

Waan is Win's older brother, while Tul is Win's clubmate. Waan meets T-Rex, Tul's username, while gaming online. T-Rex accidentally overhears Waan's father scolding him while gaming which leads to Waan unloading his issues to T-Rex. T-Rex becomes Waan's safe space, but he never wants to meet T-Rex in person.

Waan and Tul have an interesting storyline and it's nice to see their romance on screen... However, as a spinoff to UWMA, myself and most of the audience wanted to see more of Mannow's relationship with Pruek, so their relationship came out of left field. I still want to see more of Waan and Tul though, since their storyline is very interesting.

~~~ Mannow x Pruek ~~~

If you've watched UWMA, you know Mannow ends of dating Pruek. Between Us just fills in some of the gaps of how they got together... However, maybe because this is a BL and Mannow and Pruek are a straight couple, the screenwriters chose to focus on the other gay relationships. Once again, Mannow and Pruek get very little screentime and are pushed off to the side. We do get a little more detail into how they got together. But unless you watched UWMA, you could care less about this couple. Their storyline is given in bits and pieces that you need to watch UWMA and Between Us to get their whole storyline. If you don't and are watching Between Us as a standalone drama, you won't understand why Mannow is so important and why she is in the drama.

~~~ Dean x Pharm ~~~

Same with Mannow, Dean and Pharm are there to remind us that this is a UWMA spinoff. They mostly just are a cameo and are just odd reminders that this is a spinoff.


•❅──────✧❅✦ OVERALL ✦❅✧──────❅•

While Between Us wasn't the best as spinoff to Until We Meet Again. It is a good drama. I recommend when watching this drama, that you think of it as a standalone drama rather than a spinoff. If you leave the UWMA aspects out, Between Us is a good drama, so I enjoyed it. Boun and Prem gave amazing performances and I will probably rewatch it a couple times since I really enjoyed Boun's acting here.

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Interesting Commentary on Social Media from an Actor's POV

~~~~~ Synopsis ~~~~~

Two Japanese actors, Shison Jun and Kamiki Ryunosuke have a casual talk about SNS (social media). They discuss how people use SNS and how it affects other people. During their discussion, Ryunosuke reveals himself to be a wizard and does a body swap with Jun.

~~~~~ Plot ~~~~~

This mini drama isn't winning any awards, but it does make an interesting point about social media. The drama is a commentary on social media and how people use it. The actors talk about how people use SNS to attack people while hiding behind their computer screens. They also talk about how despite hiding behind a screen, that SNS might be filled with people's true thoughts that they can't say out loud be it for good or bad. They also compare SNS users to actors because on SNS you can be whoever you want to be.

The mini drama also dives into the topic of "triple personalities" in SNS during the second half of the drama, which is represented by the body swap. I think it's supposed to be about how you are "you", but you also have your idealistic "you" and the "you" you portray yourself to be. This part was a little confusing because it is an abstract concept and unless you fully understand what they are saying and the analogies they are using, it makes it difficult to completely understand the context of their conversation. They also used body swap to visualize it which is also a little confusing.

~~~~~ Overall ~~~~~

The mini drama is an interesting one time watch for Kamiki Ryunosuke and Shison Jun fans, but it can be skipped.
They don't do any big time acting in this mini drama and there really isn't a plot. The ending is also vague.
The most this mini drama does is open a conversation on the use of social media, but the commentary isn't something new or special. It also doesn't dive into the real pros and cons of social medias and just touches on the subject.
Overall, there is nothing to really hate or love about this mini drama. It's quite forgettable.

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Very Short But Cute

My Type is short and sweet.

~~~~~ STORY ~~~~~

The whole story revolves around Lin Yang trying to figure out his feelings for Gao Yan Zhi. It's very straight and By-the Numbers. No real twists and turns. It's great for a short watch.

Lin Yang x Gao Yan Zhi

Lin Yang is like a puppy following around his new favorite human trying to be adopted out. Gao Yan Zhi is a little more hard to read. He has girls constantly around him, but doesn't seem to care. Because it's a short watch I'm trying not to read too much into it, but he comes around. They have a few cute moments, but nothing too fancy. I honestly wish there was more cute moments so I can confidently say they are a cute couple, but I can't.

~~~~~ PRODUCTION ~~~~~

The quality is pretty bad. It looks like it was shot on a phone since it has a vertical angle (Unless it's the version I watched on youtube.) Either way, the production quality wasn't amazing.

~~~~~ OVERALL ~~~~~

My Type is a short BL to watch when you have only a few minutes, but you want to watch a BL. It's nothing fancy, but it's cute.

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