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ShanTeaTime
Buffalo, NY
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Korean BL's....We Need To Talk. This Was A Joy
I continue to have a bone to pick with Korean BL's or LGBTQ content. IT'S NOT LONG ENOUGH!!! Why dude, why you gotta dangle this stuff in front of our faces for literally 15 minute episodes!? That's not okay and it needs to change. These series are worth it! However, a slight solution to this is that they also released it in film version. Which is 2 hours long all together, so it actually works better as the film! Totally recommend watching it that way instead of being broken up.Moving on. This didn't feel cheaply done at all. Sometimes you can tell BL's or lgbtq stories aren't done with much of a budget. This was shot nicely and has a lot of scenic shots of Seoul. The couple we get is a case of opposites attract, which is funny to watch and interesting. I liked their back and forth a lot! We see them start to bond more, where Ji Woo even starts to get protective over Seo Joon. I find it funny too that both these actors were in "Tale of the Nine Tailed", one as a supporting role and the other occasional cameo.
I liked seeing Seo Joon's struggle with losing fame. You can tell he's kinda lost, but still trying to keep up the luxurious happy persona. I wish we would've gotten even more of that to be fleshed out, because you can go so far with that alone. We got some of the drawbacks on screen of fame, but not enough! I also appreciated his characters confidence in himself. There's no question whom he's attracted to and he's not afraid of showing it. Though he will protect Ji Woo's privacy if needed, which I also appreciated seeing. Ji Woo was an interesting character. He's actually quite cruel with his words at certain parts of this series/film. To where you really feel bad for Seo Joon! However, he does it because he's so walled up emotionally and used to being alone. Literally doesn't know how to communicate with people very well, its totally understandable and he grows so much! Seeing him at the end, I felt so proud of him and happy that he finally had things to smile about in his life.
The whole plot with the controversy (like I briefly mentioned) was so Korea. Meaning that Korea specifically tends to take controversies (big or small) and run with them, potentially ruining reputations. It was done really well and when you find out the cafe owner was also a betrayer, it hurts! The price of fame is very large. I liked watching it all play out. Finally, hello last episode/end scene chemistry! Like dang lol but I wish it wasn't held off until literally the last part of this and especially during the last like 5 minutes! That whole couple exchange was so good and I was holding my breath. I think that might be the most I've seen from a Korean drama series thus far, let alone a BL concerning real sexual intimacy ("You Make Me Dance" was another one that showed more). Even if it was just some rolling around and flirtatious discussion about things. I know this probably won't get another season...but please give it another season/film! XD
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HIStory3: Make Our Days Count
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The Best HIStory To Date
You wanna talk about me being blindsided by a series? Well this one DID THAT! I did not expect it to be so heartfelt, addicting and very VERY steamy. I had seen "HIStory 3: Trapped" before this one and I really liked it, but this one I prefer over that one, even though both are great. Why? Well this story I was more invested in I think overall concerning each individual character, I mean the show made me cry multiple times. Also the 2 couples we have are equally likable but very different. Where in Trapped though I loved the couples in that too, they were very similar so less variation.Enough about Trapped though, in this series they (the couples) have some great chemistry, which leads to some very passionate scenes that had me gasping out loud. I just didn't think the show would go there, but it did lol. I have to give a huge shout out to the actors in this series, not only did they all nail the seriousness of the drama but also the hilarious humor that cuts the tension at times and it was fantastic. My personal favorite actors were Wayne Song as Hao Ting, he was so freaking charismatic, sensual, adorable and charming in this once he figures his crap out and hilarious. I'm not gonna lie I was extremely attracted to him throughout the show lol, he's so freaking tall too wth and the dimples! Moving on past the thirst, I really liked Wilson Liu as Sun as well, whose surprisingly a newcomer and really really good! My god this guy is funny and sweet. I also really liked Thomas Chang as Zhi Gang, he was super sweet and attractive as hell. Huang Juan Zhi as Xi Gu will break your heart and he was great as well. Very rarely do you get a solid cast of mains so cutos!
Many people either dismiss or dislike this series because of simply its ending, which tbh you can't blame the series on because it's just going off of the source material. However, I understand why. Sun and Zhi got there happy ending and I was very satisfied with it! However, Hao and Xi Gu didn't in this. Which totally sucks because there's so much buildup to making their lives better and then BAM Xi Gu just dies randomly. In the same way his parents did!? Like come on, his character didn't deserve that disrespect. You can't have a character go through all those hardships just to kill them off like that, of course the audience will be disappointed unless it has intended purpose. Which to be honest, this really didn't for the most part so I'm glad the author supposedly added an extra chapter to the novel. However as much as that last episode wasn't optimal for me in how it ended, damn it was still done well. Again Wayne Song as Hao Ting, best actor in the show. He tore my heart to shreds. Seriously I cried for that entire 50-whatever minutes it was. He was fantastic and I appreciated him and Sun's 2 conversations in the episode. Both really well done, written and acted, especially that final scene. I do have an issue with Zhi Gang's lack of response to Xi Gu's death though, I wanted to see his reaction to it as well since they were so close.
Also yes I did see the cameo in "Life Senjou No Bokura", it doesn't really change my thoughts on the original ending. However, it was nice and I hope the actors work together in a full series again. Either way, the show is still great and you should watch it! I've watched it through so many times now and it still makes me giddy every time. We also have to support a female director and screenwriter for this series, yay!
Update: A sequel series was announced! YES! So I'm hoping we finally get a happy ending for Hao Ting and Xi Gu <3 more than likely that will happen because every main actor was recast.
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Frustration The Series
So this was a very complicated series for me. Some choices made in it I loathed, where others I quite liked. It was literally like a seesaw, going back and forth between lows and highs. One of the most significant problems with this show was in fact the pacing of it. It was sooooo bad. There was so much unnecessary filler that could've been scrapped all together because it didn't influence the plot or characters at all. It was mostly done (I think) for fan service or comedy? But it didn't land. We didn't need so little of progression and then in 1 episode BAM everything gets going at full speed. It was a weird choice and could've been fixed fairly easily.When the show started I was into the premise. I loved that we got a solid cast of side characters. Ai and Ni were great, but what else do I expect from Mike & Toptap lol. They had so many good moments in this show together as a steady couple, they were so much fun to watch. You better smack your mans ass on the dance floor lmao! I also really liked How Chon, Na and Pang were a trio. Like he had a good support system backing him up the entire time. Chon's mom and Miriam were also great, what sassy queens they were! Then we get into Ton himself, which is where a huge chunk of my problems with this show surface from as well. I absolutely hated him for 95% of this show straight up (the character obviously not the actor, him I love). His dialogue for awhile heavily consists of homophobic and sexist speech, while also being way too abrasive/handsy. He was rude and super disrespectful at times to people around him including Chon. He also became very VERY possessive and violent which we don't vibe with. Jealousy can bring out stupidity, however Ton had literally zero say over who Chon associated with/dated and his toxic attitude got on my nerves. I understand a lot of it can be chalked up to internalized homophobia, the homophobic dad putting pressure on him and lack of coping skills when it comes to his emotions. But even with that in mind it was too much and I didn't like him. Sure I didn't like other characters too like the ex girlfriend, but she's meant to be hated throughout.
There were serious times where I said out loud I would've preferred Chon having ended up with Na instead. It started with him taking the drinks from Chon that were being forced on him. Super sweet. Na's character actually ended up becoming my favorite! At first he was kinda obnoxious, but in a funny way. Then we see him develop into a kinder person, who gives out food to people in need. He uses the "rich" thing as a way to try and make friends and be wanted. Which I freaking called from the start! Honestly, Na deserved better in this series. He got the 2 leads together with his speech, he got his heart broken for the sake of his also best friend, and he's a pansexual king. We stan. Like I said before, Ton I still didn't like by literally episode 7. Dude was an airhead pouty b****, but like I said before there's an episode where it literally goes from 0 to 100 so quickly and that's when Ton and Chon actually get together. So that happens very quickly, which wasn't the worst. However, Ton's character does a literal 180 and it bothered me. He becomes super cutesy and extra, I didn't like that all of a sudden were supposed to root for him. I needed more time to warm up to the idea of forgiving him for everything else. It doesn't just go away once love "blossoms" or whatever.
So because there's so much filler in this series, I literally have to skip so much unnecessary trash and get to the finale. In few words, it sucked really badly. It was weird, confusing and uncomfortable to watch. We all of a sudden are supposed to accept that a surrogacy is happening with Ton's baby. What in the actual f***? It's literally done to "appease" Ton's disgusting father. Like it literally made my skin crawl. And what's worse is Miriam is the one chosen to do this. We literally get a flash forward of 3 years and she's pregnant. This is done like she was kinda forced upon it by the father and I hated it so much. The situation with the heir was messed up to begin with and the fact that it takes THAT for the father to accept them. While also not even considering if Ton wants to be a father at all! Or how he basically shoves the "responsibility" of grandkids onto his daughter too. Gross. I especially hated that because as a woman who doesn't ever want children it's infuriating to see it play out like this. None of this was acceptable and its played off like it was such an easy solution. Then THEN the father has a stroke and apologizes? Like wtf 100 to 0 real quick and it just didn't make any sense at all. He's unforgivable, period. The only good parts about that finale was Na getting a manz and Chon's mom wanting to whoop Ton's fathers ass.
I also wanted to mention another huge issue that I had with this series. So we had a great discussion about why it was wrong for Chon to kiss Ton while he was asleep. It was brought up and the mom set it straight. However, then we also get in this series a literal scene of Chon getting assaulted in the bathroom by an upperclassmen. And nothing happens from it. They just gloss over it and move on. NO, absolutely not. There should've been repercussions and that character is seen again so it's not like it's just a random plot device (which is also wrong). How frustrating this series was. Like I said some things I enjoyed, most of them being the lighter hearted stuff. But the heavier subjects were handled awfully and I don't think I can just look past them. I will leave with a quote though from the show that I liked.
"Being different isn't disgusting, but the one who hates the one who is different is the one who is disgusting."
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Friend Zone 2: Dangerous Area
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This Was All Over The Place
This second season improved on some things from the first season, I found it more investing and it didn't necessarily drag as much. Also the music is much better and the actors have improved as well with their roles. However, this second season structurally was a freaking mess holy crap. They stuffed WAY too much into it, there was literally no room to breathe. I even forgot certain major plot points because too much was going on! They made some character changes that I absolutely hated overall. Let's get into it.So, again there's of course more of the drama from first season but continued. As well as some needed background flashback information, which I enjoyed even more than the current day stuff in the show that was happening for awhile. Again (like before) I was most interested in Earth/Sam's story, as well as Stud's intertwining. It felt like half the season was recapping stuff that happened and just repetitious plot points we already went over. Then there's this huge shift in character "development" if you can even call it that. It happened so out of nowhere that I was sat stunned like wtf? Earth's character specifically. He didn't have a slow boil, sure he was hurt clearly but becoming this weird completely out of character mentally snapped person was out of place. Some things he was doing I could understand, like making Stud an emotional punching bag. Or even semi taking advantage of Sam's overkindness. But he became just literally an ass**** and I didn't like it. Not because I like his character from before, but because it made ZERO SENSE. If they had taken more time in the season to go that route I would've been like okay! I get it. Earth and Stud sleeping together too out of nowhere was a dumb move that went nowhere as well. I'm sure those shippers are pissed by the end, which I understand. It was kind of just a tossed out plot point for a thumbnail clickbait tbh.
Speaking of Stud's character change however I enjoyed that, we get more into his mind and he ended up being my favorite by the end! He actually does love deeply but needed to care about how he was treated too instead of disposable. Moving onto Bew, she had me hooked at first, but then got annoying after awhile. She's just not a likable character at all for a hot minute and were supposed to sympathize I think? But I just didn't. Did she get some redemption? Not really since she just used suicide as an abusive tactic to trap people, but then she kind of just disappeared so I guess it didn't matter. There's also a lot of relationship toxicity in this constantly and I didn't dig that. Some couples worked through it and others kinda just looked past it. I need the writers to be more consistent with that stuff because its important. Like Amm and Chris. First of all, yaaas lesbian couple representation but nooo mental health discussion done in a way where it was kinda misinformative about bipolar disorder. They really should've had a specialist go over this stuff with them first because I can kinda tell they didn't. Yes I have a close family member who deals with BPD and no I am not an expert but I do have first-hand experience.
Basically this season was fun to watch overall, but just had things that I couldn't overlook for the sake of the fun of it. I'm sure they'll do a third season and I hope they improve even further. Let's take these important discussions and really discuss them right! Also please give us a better ending because this wasn't it. I'm fine with open endings, but this was just dry. Again sorry Earth X Stud shippers, I feel you and the writers kind of stabbed you in the heart by the end. RIP
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The Best Zombie Film To Date
I was recommended to watch this film by a close friend of mine, he knows I love horror/drama films and the fact that it's a Korean based film is even more up my alley. Then I found out this was on Netflix, so I finally got to watch it! I can honestly say this is the strongest zombie film I've ever seen, I know that's a huge statement to make since some U.S. based zombie films are well regarded. However I have my reasons, which I will get into.First of all whatever cameras they used to film this movie I would kill to play around with! This movie was beautiful and so crystal clear in picture. There are fantastic shots done in this film and I really appreciate it for that. Also the special effects themselves were top of the line, that deer at the beginning looked fantastic. Seeing hoards of zombies running and falling over each other like a tidal wave was horrifying, there is so much great tension in this film. Also, the actors they got to play the zombies were fantastic in the way they moved and contorted. The movie also didn't need to use disgusting visuals to get it's point across, which zombie films/series do quite often. Sure there's some of that, but its not overly grotesque.
Every character had personality. I don't personally know any of the actors in this film (update: now I do lol!), but they made a lasting impact on me! Everyone was great, but the 2 that stood out the most to me were the dad (Seok-woo) played by Yoo Gong and Yong-guk played by Woo-sik Choi (update: who's my boy now haha). Both played emotion with such expression and guttural tones that I felt their performances were the most noteworthy. Also... Woo-sik Choi is very cute, so I'll be checking him out in "Parasite" as well (update: lmao sorry for the updates, but I did see him in Parasite and he's even better there!)
When characters die throughout this movie, you feel the loss. Which is the greatest compliment you can give a film like this. Seriously though I never in a million years thought a zombie film would make me cry, this one did that to me TWICE. Holy crap what a tear jerker, I won't spoil it but be prepared to have your heart broken. The action and drama flowed very well together, even when the scenes were slower paced I was still completely invested. Definitely check this one out and give foreign films a chance! Don't use reading subtitles as an excuse to skip fantastic movies like this one, it just makes you look lazy!
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BL Has Evolved So Much Thanks To SOTUS
Another BL that many consider god-tier status. Though I appreciate that this series doesn't go for some problematic tropes it's got its fair share of non-problematic tropes for me to foresee how "SOTUS" influenced other series I've seen thus far. Since this was made in 2016, so it's considered quite old in BL standards. I was surprised to find this series on Netflix, because here in the states Thai BL's aren't really on streaming services, except for Viki sometimes. I guess that also attributes to it's status!Let me start with what I liked. I enjoy both of our leads, whom both started their acting careers from this show I think. As well as some of the side characters actors as well. Arthit really got on my nerves at the beginning of this show, but his character softens a lot so by the end he was okay. Kongpop (played by the lovely Singto) was my favorite, of course seeing as I love him in other shows. But his character was also the most well-rounded and kindest out of anyone in the show. I also liked Aim, but again I knew that actor and I liked him prior anyways. The entire college initiation was interesting (for awhile) and I did really want to see how Arthit and Kongpop became a thing. So for the base level stuff in the show, it was fine!
Moving onto what I disliked. The show got kinda boring after awhile, I wanted the orientation stuff to be over and desperately wanted something else to happen. Eventually we moved on, but it was too late into the series and I wish it would've happened sooner. Also we could've gotten more couple development. Most of it was saved until the last 2-3 eps I'm pretty sure, well minus "longing" glances and obvious tension. I wanted concrete evidence that things were progressing, but I guess that's what the sequel series is for which I am going to watch! I have a feeling I'll like it more than this show, but again I appreciate what this show did for future BL.
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Pretty Solid Follow-Up To TharnType The Series
This movie actually tied up some loose ends from the series which I loved! I was asking myself "how did Type's parents feel about his and Tharns relationship" and "wait did Type patch things up with his childhood friend?" Luckily this movie addressed both of these and gave us more cute moments. It felt more like an extra long episode, not really cinematic but that's okay. Also they kept Type's character development the same THANK GOD. Definitely would recommend for fans of the series. It also really made me want the second season even more since apparently it's a flashforward sequence, so that'll be interesting to see what they do with the characters for that.Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
Why R U Is Enough For Fans To Hang Onto
So 'Why R U' is considered by many to be the BL golden child of television and I can see why to a point. It's clearly got a bigger budget shown by its multiple sets, good camerawork and pretty large cast. This show did surprise me in some ways and disappoint me in others. It's not perfect, but it was enjoyable enough to watch! The overall plot is a tad confusing at first with the whole "are we in an actual BL novel?" plot, though it kinda just straightens out after awhile. We have a meh main couple (and strong side couple) whom do have a lot of chemistry, especially later on in the season dear god. Which I kinda appreciate because they didn't shy away from the obvious tension that was built up between our main characters.The story itself was pretty good, I liked that the girl character wasn't used as just a sort-of boundary between Tutor and Fighter. She actually had a story-line and ends up happy which was cute. Also Tutor is an interesting character enough on his own, though Fighter was super meh or eww to me. Either frustrating or boring at first to be honest because he got very little depth given to him. However, I actually ended up preferring our side/secondary couple Zon/Sai over the main though! They were so adorable and so freaking funny, like holy crap I was in tears at their scenes the panic was real! We also must discuss that first kiss scene and the scene of their first time because it got me, both were really raw and emotional loved it. It totally sucks that they had their scenes cut short, BUT we get a side series of them to compensate so yay! Fighter's character again though I also had major issues with later on in the series, you probably know what scene I'm talking about already so by the end I disliked him completely. He's got this victim blaming attitude tbh by the end claiming Tutor is "making him crazy" or whatever and basically starting to assault him. He stops, but its super triggering and not okay at all. So that lessened my appeal for Tutor/Fighter overall even though it was already lacking.
Though I don't think the overall plot was as solid as one like TharnType that actually had me super emotionally invested, this one was enough for what it was worth. It could've done without some of the tropes that TharnType also had (to an extent) but weren't so dragged out and made more sense in that narrative where in this it was misplaced. We also didn't need the repeated clips of things happening and constant close-ups of abs lol. Finally, I wanted to say Tutor's sister in this stole my heart and I wanted to marry her straight up, also the bakery owner was amazing! Like literally just give me the Saifah X Zon scenes, scenes with the bakery owner and scenes with Tutors sister and best friend, the TharnType cameos then cut out everything else and we'll be golden for me XD
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TharnType Will Keep You Very Interested!
One of my favorite BL series hands-down. What I love it that it doesn't deter from difficult topics, they are quite sensitive so be careful if you're sensitive to that stuff. They include flashbacks of sexual assault, as well as discussions about this as well. It's very upsetting stuff, however it makes for a believable character in Type. Whom is very unlikable at the beginning of this show, he's homophobic and quite cruel to Tharn at the beginning. However, when its pieced together why it makes sense. Usually I hate the hater-to-lover trope in any show, but in this series it makes sense. Type has internalized homophobia, built up anger from suppressing those feelings of fear and disgust, and difficulty accepting Tharn as anything but a monster because that's all the interactions he's had with gay men his entire life. That one experience can change a person completely and the show really captured that. Now I'm not saying it's not problematic, because in certain scenes it is. However, they are understandable to the plot so its made up for by that fact.This show has great acting and chemistry between the leads Mew (swoon) & Gulf (like dang it's believable) and actually shows a couple go from pretty toxic/not great to really healthy and sweet. Definitely some of the best character development I've seen in a show in Type. It's presented well in the flash forward scene, as well as in the special movie that came out after the series ended! Type became a completely different character (with some feisteniss still in him of course) and that's why the series worked. If he had stayed the same and didn't grow, I wouldn't of liked it so much. I found myself not being able to stop and had to keep watching because the story is so captivating. It's paced very well and doesn't leave room to breathe. I literally cried at the twist plotline towards the end with Lhong, wow was that some good acting. Some of the best I've actually seen in television I think! It was heart wrenching, what a great antagonistic character to shock the viewers with. Whom I was told has no backstory in the novel, so good job writers! I felt so badly for Tharn dude, that guy didn't deserve to be hurt by his best friend like that over and over again. Also poor Tar too of course!
Other than Lhong, we also get other great side characters, especially in Techno (love him so much) and Tharn's brother Thorn (cutie). The music for the show was also better than a lot of other BL series romances I've watched. It's catchy af and of course having Mew sing in the series definitely was a plus, though Kao (Lhong) is a really good singer as well! Can't wait to see what season 2 has to offer!
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Moonlight Chicken? More like Moonlight Chicken Nugget
I was very excited for this series since the trailer dropped. So let me get into why it was overhyped from the start.This show definitely has more budget than other GMMTV BL's have. Our main leads (Earth and Mix) are of course great, but i mean they are dating irl so not a surprise and both are solid actors. They definitely were the main pull for this series, however they weren't why I kept watching. The overall plot was fine, though it kind of got stale after a little bit. Though the kind of almost twist of Mix having just gotten out of a relationship was interesting.
The main reason why I kept watching was Heart and Li Ming. They were adorable and had the added inclusion of Heart's deafness. That's great. I definitely was way more invested in them than Jim and Wen's fling, turned almost, to side thing, to almost again and then finally a couple thing.
The storyline of Jim's character being cheated on was good. Yeah that'll mess up relationships forever so it made me a tad less irritated with him. However, LOL though when the ferry accident happened I was like oh his ex is missing!? He's fine! But then they showed a dead body XD and I was like ohhhh never mind. I feel like Earth keeps getting sacked with these lead roles of characters that are either initially unlikable or turn unlikable. It happened in "ATOATS" and it happened in this.
Other side notes. What are these smash cuts!? They were so sloppy editing-wise and the implied romance between Wen's ex and Kaipa was rushed af and could've actually been something. Also soooo many mommy issues ugghhhh. That is all.
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The Ocean Loves Holland
This show was so meh. The plot was sloppy and its executions of drama were really strange. I love Holland and I thought he did a pretty good job in this, especially with it being his first acting gig! I hope he ends up in other stronger BL's that showcase his skills more. Our lead actor was alright too, it was just the script sucked. I would say skip this one and watch better BL's, but if you're a huge fan of Holland just watch for that. I also gotta say, the kids in this show were hella annoying and not very good actors XD. I'm sorry but I've seen some great child actors and this wasn't it!Vond je deze recentie nuttig?
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An Error Not To Watch This Sooner, My B
I didn't know this series was happening. Which seriously sucks XD because it was really good! Korea continues into BL and it keeps getting better and better.First off. Jae Young during the first part of this series was so extra! Dude's going a longgggg way to get "revenge" lmao. He bought an APARTMENT to be near Sang Woo just to annoy him. When it's literally his fault that he failed the class XD I wouldn't of put his name down either freeloader! However, his character gets way better. Once we see him stick up for Sang Woo because of the drunk af guy, the whole tone of the show changed. Jae Young starts falling HARD. Even telling off his own friend for making fun of Sang Woo because he's just "being meticulous" with the project. Oop, what a change. He's also not too pushy. It's actually Sang Woo who makes the first bigger moves towards a relationship which was nice.
Sang Woo at first was boring. Which is the point, but I was afraid he'd continue on like that. Nope, not at all! It's shown that he likes/is attracted to Jae Young pretty much immediately. Which was cool to see. There was also a lack of emphasis on the fact that these are 2 guys liking each other. Sang Woo starts to loosen up a lot around Jae Young. Like when he starts not wearing his hat, the hair reveal was so funny. Jae Young's heart skipped a beat that day lol. Then he starts drawing him and stops wearing red XD. I also gotta says these two's height difference was adorable. That scene though at the bar made my heart flutter. Jae Young asking if Sang Woo finds him attractive. And while looking at his LIPS he says he's really good looking. Then the back and forth kissing, UGH! Thank you "Semantic Error"! It's that and the interlaced hand holding for meeee.
Final side notes. The visuals in this show were insane but cool. Also the soundtrack was pretty good. Let's keep supporting these KBL's so they keep getting made!
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Together, Seasons 1 & 2 Are Successful
So..I liked this better than the first season. Even if there was technically less going on, and let me tell you why. First off. This seems like it might have had more budget than the first season. Which would be nice, but we still had green screen car driving. Whyyyyyy!? My points still stand of needing more stories like this based on true events around BL. This series and "Lovely Writer" kinda broke the barrier and I'm stoked about that. I go more into detail about that in my first season review.I'm still not into James and Ait's relationship because of the power dynamic. However, in this there was a lot less of them and what there was kinda made it better. Since they aren't sneaking around about the relationship by the end. Tee didn't get what he deserved, which again is JAIL. However, he did get pushed out of the production it seems which is great. Also there's evidence against him implicated so I'm hoping that means he's in trouble.
Now, onto the juicy stuff that I loved about this season. Marco and Bas's relationship in this is amazing. At first I worried about Bas's past trauma getting in the way of it. Which is totally understandable. But that worry went out the door when Marco for one saved Bas from suicide, thank god. That was heartbreaking. He also stayed with him, knowing not to leave. It was also shown that Bas liked Marco before any of this went down. Which is so important! Marco brings this up and BAM! They are gettin down. It was lovely and I got butterflies. Marco is so fine and I loved the two together.
OMG btw I screamed when Marco stood up in the press conference. As well as when he gave his important necklace to Bas. We love to see it and I'll miss seeing them! I can hope for a side series just surrounding Marco and Bas but alas, I doubt that'll happen. Watch these 2 seasons though back-to-back, it makes for a better experience!
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His - Koi Suru Tsumori Nante Nakatta
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A Cute Wholesome Story, But Needed A Boost
So this was a really cute story! I liked the beach vibes and surfing in it. We follow the characters Shun and Nagisa as they figure out their feelings for each other. I actually didn't expect Nagisa to have such a big role in this, I thought he initially would just be the love interest character. But he actually becomes the main character by the end and its more his story than Shun's! That was cool and I loved seeing him come to terms with his sexuality. Baby I too find mens back muscles attractive, its a thing lol!However, because the focus shifted towards Nagisa so much and because of the 5 episode time constraint. Shun kinda got pushed to the back more and I didn't get as attached to him. Which was unfortunate and could've been solved with more time. Both girls (Chika and Ako) were alright. I liked Ako a lot more because Chika was alittle too much at points. However, I did understand their points of view and empathized.
I also have a bone to pick with Japanese LGBTQ stuff. They tend to not include any type of physical intimacy in these gay romance stories and that's just dumb. If you're gonna do one, DO IT FULLY! It's part of love and relationships ya'll. You showed Nagisa and Chika kiss in the show but couldn't show the end couple do anything except hug? Lame. It gave me "Cherry Magic" flashbacks again and its frustrating! I'm gonna have to see how the sequel movie measures up, they are older in that so it better up the stakes!
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I Told Sunset About You Part 2
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This Second Season Was Kinda Doomed
First off. "I Told Sunset About You" (the first season) was a masterpiece. So anytime there's a follow up season to something like that, its kinda met with unrealistic expectations. I really tried to keep my own expectations in check for this, however they still did influence somewhat how much I enjoyed this second season. I should say upfront too, season 1 had me in tears many times. This one did not get me once. Which says a lot right away about its effectiveness. Let's get into the positives first.The soundtrack for this second season was fantastic. Really good follow up soundtrack to the first season, which was also fantastic. PP Krit (Oh-Aew) was heavily focused on in this soundtrack to counter Bilkin's (Teh's) focus in season 1. I downloaded this entire soundtrack yet again and it was beautiful. The cinematography of his season, though not quite up to par with season 1 was still visually really pretty. I loved the use of colour again. Though less atmospheric because we have cityscapes which aren't really explored much, whereas season 1 had beaches and mountains. I wish we would've gotten to see wayyyy more of Bangkok because why not have our 2 main characters explore their new place of living! When we had smaller parts shown visually it was really nice though. I appreciated the exploration of livelihood and figuring out career paths. Some people have to change paths with experience and it can leave you feeling lonely and behind on life. But you can do something like change majors and still be successful! I understood where Oh's character was coming from in that regard heavily, and I also understood Teh's too. He can be upset with his own plans changing because of Oh's decision AND there's the whole added layer of his sacrifice in season 1 to get Oh into the program. Which in turn affected his own ability to get into a college he wanted. Making a new friend group too can be difficult on a couple. All this stuff was interesting.
So we get this good stuff narratively. However, I'm hella conflicted with this season overall. Some stuff was done so well, but other things were honestly cheap or out of nowhere. I didn't like just how much time skipping we had in this right off the bat. There was some in season 1, but it felt evenly spaced out. This second season it was all over the place and was very confusing what time frame we were in. The Jai stuff felt cheap and Imma say it again! Many MANY fans were not happy with that plotline and I get it. At least it wasn't done in a "common tropey" way, but we didn't need a cheating plotline. We really didn't. It could've just been something not carried out but thought about. There are lines to acting. Jai pushed them too far obviously and he gives directors a bad name. He also disrespected Oh on multiple occasions, including while he was sitting in on the play practice. The gaslighting ya'll was INSANE! There was also NO KISS IN THE PLAY which was a plot twist lol. Teh was naive, caught up in the lust of Jai's fantasy. Period, it was just work to him and nothing more.
Teh's character is complicated, we knew this. However, this season instigated the thought that nothing ever seems enough for him and that's frustrating. I didn't want Oh to end up walked all over again and that's basically what happened but he put up even less of a fight this time around. Though this also goes into many fans saying Teh never cared about Oh. Which also isn't true and ya'll know it. He came out for Oh literally, took care of him drunk, had a years long relationship with him. There's a deep connection there and people were just pissed about the cheating plotline. Once we get to the foreseen breaking of their relationship, I gotta say I was proud of Oh for breaking down at the karaoke bar and beating Teh up with the bouquet. I wanted to see a spark in him and we got that! However, he ultimately does go back to Teh and here's again where I'm conflicted. Did I want to see them together? Yes and I liked that Teh made a play about their love affair. However, it didn't feel fully deserved. We kinda just get Oh saying he wants to be with him but he doesn't need a forever from Teh. Which is kinda sh**. I kind of understand what they were trying to go for, but because this season wasn't as well written as season 1 it didn't eloquently portray what that meant. It just felt like Oh was being again walked all over and passive. Taking in a relationship that isn't even stable and definitely not one that his character deserves. I appreciate his talk with Bas and seeing old characters again be happy for them. But this wasn't it and I feel like either them not ending up together, or having been apart for far longer and coming back together in the end would've been stronger of an ending. This felt again cheap.
I will miss these 2 though and hope to see them together again soon in a series!
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