To be fair, I've avoided most dramas that used the pandemic as a significant aspect of the plot setting because it often reads as far more gimmicky than the actual reality (which is wild to me given that this is a shared, lived experience). I went into this one knowing nothing but the title, so the expectations were pretty low.

The cast is tiny which I personally prefer in this type of series (sometimes I need a break from learning sixty-four names, eighteen couple configurations, and four sets of interwoven family trauma arcs, thanks). I can count the characters on my fingers and have fingers left. To be completely fair, I was invested because of Aaron Lai and he did not disappoint. The majority of the side characters are engaging and fun to watch as well; MAMA needs their own variety-slash-drinking show. I was originally concerned that they were going to use one of my least favorite BL plot devices where two completely different languages are spoken concurrently and no one notices but everyone can communicate seamlessly with one another. Not only was this not the case, the brief language "barrier" and its sudden end actually made sense within the story. There are a few moments toward the beginning where the plot is a little muddy (i.e. random pieces of information given without context that have middling significance later, but if missed it's nothing major). True to form, there is the token female character that makes me want to strategically remove my own teeth just for something more irritating, but she's not the worst offender in that category.

I enjoyed this so much more than I thought I would.