queerbagel
Germany.
Amazing, unique storyline
The story is so interesting and entertaining. Emotional damage in every episode, but it was so worth it. The acting was top tier, the chemistry was amazing, the character depth was there, the spicy scenes were well done. Ming *was* a red flag but he was so well-written and you could really understand his position as the series progressed. I felt like the actor for Tong was a bit weak, but otherwise a top tier show. So worth watching. I especially loved Poom as Joe. Pepsi also once again did a great job as a director.My only real criticism is how they wrapped up the plot in episode 12. The ending felt weak, with all conflict resolved very fast and not incredibly logically. But given the rest of this amazing show, I am so willing to excuse this weak point.
Was this review helpful to you?
A beautiful, aesthetic story of love and attraction with an indie feel
This drama is probably one of the best K-BLs I've watched so far.Especially the cinematography my favorite point here. The color grading was so aesthetic, amazing at conveying emotion and mood, and you could really see that someone poured their love and attention into every frame. The way it was shot, the angles and cuts, were so beautiful, refreshing, and just amazing at conveying the story. Also the intro and the way it worked with the store was just really cool. The cinematography of this drama was just incredibly enjoyable and had a great indie feel.
The story of this drama was interesting and enjoyable to watch. The characters were fun, realistic, some were even refreshing. Special probs to my girl Yun Won, one of my favorite female characters in a Korean drama I‘ve ever seen. Sadly, I did not really enjoy episode 8-10 as much as the ones before. Somehow, these episodes felt a little weaker, more "normal" (if that can be said in a negative sense) as before. This is the only reason why my rating for this fell below 9. Almost everything until episode 8 was just amazing.
Special shoutout to episode 6, which is one of the only episodes that I have ever given a 10/10 to. The cinematography, feeling, vibe, and acting in this episode were just outstanding. This episode in particular was in my opinion the best part of this story, and deserves an award.
Now onto the romance and acting. This part of the drama was incredible to watch, especially in the first few episodes. The story and chemistry between the characters felt so real. This feeling of electric attraction and being intrigued by a person from the get-go. Wanting to be so close to them suddenly, falling hard and fast, and everyone questioning why these two people like each other so much. It was so refreshing and real. I loved this natural progression of the story, and especially the way it was handled in episode 6. Also the kisses in this show were so REAL, emotional, beautiful, passionate. It's been a while since I‘ve seen something like this in a K-BL.
The story also dealt with mental health and depression in an interesting way. Especially how the acting and cinematography contributed to it was well done. I did feel like it could have been dealt with a little bit better, but mental health is such a hard topic that a lot of shows don‘t even begin to address.
To summarize, a really good show. Incredibly enjoyable to watch, good acting, good cinematography. A little lacking in some parts and it falls off a little towards the end, but totally worth it.
Was this review helpful to you?
So amazing, but the last episodes were weak
This show is definitely worth watching. I loved the plot that just kept you on your toes, and the amount of theories I created was not healthy. I just felt like the last two/three episodes were in stark contrast to the rest of the show and much weaker.Positives:
- Bible's acting! He was once again just convincing, natural, and just truly a great actor
- The plot. The writing of the plot progression was super interesting, how they kept dropping hints and kept us guessing. The characters were also super interesting, especially how they were morally grey, flawed, and complex.
- The NC scenes. Even though I wasn't the biggest fan of the pairings in this, they're chemistry wasn't AMAZING (but that wasn't the point of the show at all so it's fine), all the NC scenes were full of chemistry, incredibly nuanced, natural, and well-used as storytelling devices. Probably my favourite NC scenes ever.
Negatives:
- The last two/three episodes. The dialogue felt off/forced. The acting suddenly felt unnatural. They tried to wrap up/explain the previous plot in a way that made it feel silly, that dissolved all this great tension they'd previously built in an insignificant way. Truly am a bit disappointed.
All in all, still an amazing series. Maybe not that much rewatch value since it lives off the plottwist. Truly could've been a 10 star if they'd kept up the theme with the last episodes.
Was this review helpful to you?
Funny, exciting, cute
This show is probably my favorite K-drama yet.Positives:
- Song Kang's acting is amazing (and he's just very gorgeous)
- interesting and well-written female lead
- well-thought out story line and fantasy elements
- funny side characters
- interesting villain
- thriller/gore-like elements
- very strong and good start & middle
- the soundtrack (the instrumentals!!!) is so good
- the insight into history and religion were interesting
Negatives:
- the last two episodes are much worse than the rest of the series and can't really compare - the plot and the character development feels out of place and uncharacteristic. This would have been better without the last two episodes (whose conflict could've been solved within minutes)
- some characters are a bit ridiculous/unserious and there are a few cringy moments
- the villains were a bit predictable but that wasn't the point, so it's fine
Overall really a great series. I especially loved Guwon, he was funny, pretty, epic, entertaining, and just great in general. The only real downside is that the show drops a bit in quality after/around ep. 13, but that is the case in many K-dramas.
Was this review helpful to you?
Beautiful and heartbreaking
This is such a simple story, but Jes and Bible manage to give it such depth. The chemistry between the two is just so strong, and the characters feel natural and realistic. The yearning and heartbreak feels so real, and this movie just lets you feel all this raw emotion. The heart-wrenching of one loving too little and one too much is just so beautifully conveyed in just 20 minutes. Especially Bible once again showed his exceptional acting skill. I cannot wait for him to produce more content.Was this review helpful to you?
Not amazing, but not a waste of time
I'll keep this review short and sweet, a little bit like this show:Positives:
- The main actors were pretty and had great chemistry (especially in the (few!) intimacy scenes)
- The plot was interesting and entertaining
- The cinematography was very aesthetic
- The character of Inami was well-written
Negatives:
- There was unnecessary drama and miscommunication at times
- The writing was a bit flat at times, especially Kabu
- It could be a bit boring and slow sometimes
Overall, certainly not a bad BL. You can watch it and it's not a waste of time, you won't regret it, but it's not a must-watch, either.
Was this review helpful to you?
This movie is so painful, and you'll love it.
I kid you not, I had to sit down for two hours and stare at the wall after watching this. The story is heartbreaking and anxiety-inducing. The characters are painfully realistic. The cinematography is out of this world. The amount of angst this movie creates is impressive. It is a realistic portrayal of gay lives, and that is what makes it terrifying. The topic of internalized homophobia is one of the main focuses, and it is well executed and so deeply painful.I would recommend this movie only for those knowing what they're getting into. It will literally change your brain chemistry.
Rewatch value is high, because you can understand the depth of the movie even better, but nothing will hit you emotionally like the first watch.
Was this review helpful to you?
The second part of the show is the far superior one
The first half of the show is fine. The acting is alright, the characters are entertaining, but it’s really not anything world-changing. The spicy scenes were well done though.THE SECOND PART HOWEVER is a masterpiece. The chemistry of FortPeat is off the charts, the trauma plot has depth and is very moving. The spicy scenes are amazing. I watched the entire show for the second part and was not disappointed. The wait is so so worth it. If the entire show was just SkyPrapai/FortPeat, it would be a solid 100/10. Just amazing.
In summary: the first half is alright, and the second AMAZING.
Was this review helpful to you?
A beautiful and painfully realistic story
I am very glad I watched this show. The story, the acting, and the way it displays intimacy, yearning, and friendship are truly fascinating.Production/Visuals:
I loved the production and visuals of this show. The use of camera angles and color grading totally elevated the feel of the show and its emotions. There were a few very long one-shot sequences that were truly baffling and felt amazing because you could truly see they were filmed in one go.
Story:
Though the story at first didn't really intrigue me, it captured me within the first hour of the first episode. The rivalry plot, which truly felt realistic, and the following friendship and development were truly interesting to watch and had a lot of emotional depth. Especially the emotional back-and-forth felt incredibly realistic, and all emotions portrayed felt so raw. I truly commend the writers for doing such an exemplary job.
Acting:
Every actor in this show did so well, and totally contributed to the high-quality feel of it, but I truly have to tip my hat to Bilkin, the actor of Teh. His portrayal was so SO realistic, I cannot stress it enough. He managed to portray emotional conflict, yearning, desire, joy, every emotion in such a way that I forgot he was acting. He is also an ugly crier, and it fit the character and his pain so well. If I had to pick one of the best actors I‘ve seen so far, his name would be among them. His chemistry with Oh-Aew's actor was also so amazing. Every one of their scenes was so good and raw that it took my breath away. I could feel the desire through the screen.
OST:
I usually don‘t really write about this, but I feel like I have to compliment here. The soundtrack of this show is truly beautiful and fit so well. In ep3, at the resort, there is a particular expressionistic-style piece that made my soul leave my body. Truly one of the most beautiful things I‘ve heard so far. I actually contacted the composer to find out more about it, but apparently it's not included in the OST and there is no way to get a recording of it. I am truly devastated.
All in all, this is so worth it. I do have to say that towards the end, especially ep5, it did decline in quality a tiny bit, where I felt the resolution was a bit anticlimactic relative to the buildup. But truly, you will probably not be disappointed by this show.
Was this review helpful to you?
Cozy, cute, complex
This show is literally my all-time favorite comfort show. The characters are well rounded, well acted, well written. The plot is interesting. The cinematography is so cozy and beautiful. The actors are gorgeous. Almost all plot is executed logically and with great pacing. The few slightly steamy (not even really steamy) scenes were great and fit well. Great to rewatch as well. 10/10 would recommend. Also appreciation for Ritzu's hair please, it looks so good. Anyways, to wrap it up: literally such great, cozy show.Was this review helpful to you?
not bad, just a bit boring and slow towards the end
I didn't drop this because it was bad, I just was a bit bored in the end and then forgot to finish and now it's too long ago... I might give it another try at some other point, because it was honestly fun. I liked the male lead. There was a long and slow drama at the end. The relationship developed fast, but in a nice way. Honestly a fun drama if you have the attention span for it.Was this review helpful to you?
A beautiful, painful, realistic story of growth
This show absolutely touched me to my core. I literally had goosebumps running down my spine every episode because it was so realistic.The story, of love and pain and growth, and of the different partners of Yeong was so beautiful and written with so much intricacy.
The cinematography was breathtaking, telling a story of its own. The long, quiet shots were enough to make you lose your mind.
The acting was phenomenal. I could feel every character to my core, and every one felt like you'd just taken a real person from life, instead of an actor playing a character.
Most importantly, this did not feel like a Korean BL. This was an Oscar-worthy story of raw emotion, life, and relationships. There was zero chastity or holding back or romanticisation. This was not a drama, this was a story. And it was so worth telling, and so beautiful. Everyone deserves to watch this.
Was this review helpful to you?
This is NOT how you deal with suicide
This review is a warning that the writers of this story might have meant well, but they missed the point by a landslide.You cannot talk to suicidal people the way the pink girl does: without respect, yelling at them, encouraging them to commit, mocking them, daring them.
And the worst thing is: they frame this as positive. Her actions can and should not be condoned. You should deal with suicidal people, ESPECIALLY when your job is to prevent them from it, in a respectful, empathetic manner.
As said in other reviews, this is such a sensitive topic, and this show just doesn't deal with it correctly.
They deal with it in each episode overly simplified, as if you can just "resolve" it, as if you can fix years of trauma with just yelling at a person to be reasonable.
The only person that was remotely doing the right thing was Jun-Woong, but even his actions were incredibly surface level and half-assed.
The entire message of this drama is just incredibly harmful, and what it tries to convey to the viewer is just awful. It's not clear what the show is trying to explain, what it's trying to imply is the right way to deal with a person that's about to commit suicide.
But one thing is sure: this is not it. This is not how you deal with suicidal people, and this way of talking to them shouldn't be condoned in any way.
Yes, we only watched two episodes of this, but just given those two, and some other reviews, this show just fails entirely in every way. Except the casting. That really slays, but you can't fix a shit storyline and harmful messaging with amazing actors.
Was this review helpful to you?
