This review may contain spoilers
Surprising depth for a web drama
It's an interesting, balanced storyline featuring what you'd typically expect from a high school drama but with hidden depths where it touches upon some deeper topics. The emphasis on challenging who you are, what you know and whether you need to change and grow really added a surprisingly good depth to the web drama that was enjoyable to watch with a satisfying ending.
The characters are well written, realistic and well-acted with their own issues, backstories and arcs for character growth. Some of the acting of the physical motions like the clumsiness are exaggerated and a little cringe-y but it's a web drama so it's to be expected. Other than that the acting is very good, emotions are clearly shown and easy to follow. It's easy to get invested in the emotional journey.
The storyline showcases varying types of homophobia (casual, blatant and internalised) and how that's dealt with and overcome. It provides a very realistic backdrop for the issues the characters face. In turn, this is nicely balanced with supportive friends/characters and allies so the drama is easy to watch - it doesn't make you feel bad.
The music is featured at appropriate times and fits the tone of whichever scene it's in.
Also, the setting is an all-boys school so it provides an explanation as to why there are few girls present, unlike a lot of BL.
An extra part I noticed and extremely liked was that Tae Kyung is an ASD coded character (difficulties interacting socially and following social cues/norms, slower speech, difficulties making eye contact/handshaking, brutal honesty, rigid morality, separating beans from the food, and more). While this was probably unintentional on the writers' side and most likely a coincidence, it stood out as obvious to me and personally added an extra layer of enjoyment. It was refreshing to see that this kind of character was liked (and even loved) for who he was and that he was the one bringing about positive changes in others as he learned to travel the unfamiliar social landscape. ASD coded characters are usually depicted as "lesser", as "missing" something, whereas in this case, Tae Kyung was the one humanising everyone else, helping them become more rounded, happier individuals which filled my heart with joy. He even got to keep his "quirks" at the end, they didn't change the quintessential parts of him.
Nothing but praise for the web drama, I enjoyed every part.
The characters are well written, realistic and well-acted with their own issues, backstories and arcs for character growth. Some of the acting of the physical motions like the clumsiness are exaggerated and a little cringe-y but it's a web drama so it's to be expected. Other than that the acting is very good, emotions are clearly shown and easy to follow. It's easy to get invested in the emotional journey.
The storyline showcases varying types of homophobia (casual, blatant and internalised) and how that's dealt with and overcome. It provides a very realistic backdrop for the issues the characters face. In turn, this is nicely balanced with supportive friends/characters and allies so the drama is easy to watch - it doesn't make you feel bad.
The music is featured at appropriate times and fits the tone of whichever scene it's in.
Also, the setting is an all-boys school so it provides an explanation as to why there are few girls present, unlike a lot of BL.
An extra part I noticed and extremely liked was that Tae Kyung is an ASD coded character (difficulties interacting socially and following social cues/norms, slower speech, difficulties making eye contact/handshaking, brutal honesty, rigid morality, separating beans from the food, and more). While this was probably unintentional on the writers' side and most likely a coincidence, it stood out as obvious to me and personally added an extra layer of enjoyment. It was refreshing to see that this kind of character was liked (and even loved) for who he was and that he was the one bringing about positive changes in others as he learned to travel the unfamiliar social landscape. ASD coded characters are usually depicted as "lesser", as "missing" something, whereas in this case, Tae Kyung was the one humanising everyone else, helping them become more rounded, happier individuals which filled my heart with joy. He even got to keep his "quirks" at the end, they didn't change the quintessential parts of him.
Nothing but praise for the web drama, I enjoyed every part.
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