Naughty Babe (2023)

So Poorly Executed And Toxic Relationship

Through ep 5/8. Struggles with writing (dialogue, plot, and characters), acting, music, and heavy-handed makeup. It comes off like it's trying really hard but has ended up campy.

Max and Nat do have good chemistry, but that's not enough for me to think positively of this series.

Possible trigger warning if you've ever been in an emotionally abusive relationship, or with a narcissist, or someone who uses an illness to compell you to stay with them.

The script is juvenile. Dialogue is shallow, cliche, repetative, and awkwardly unnatural. Like, "Don't overthink things. It's probably nothing to worry about... You should take this time to really think about your feelings and things." But you just said to stop thinking? *Facepalm.

The plot is convoluted and requires a ridiculous amount of suspension of disbelief. There's a lot of generic/bad elevator music and it's really obvious in spots.

The main character Yi is a compulsive manipulator. It casts an uncomfortable shadow on all the romantic scenes thus far; it feels more like purely selfish coercion. Because of Yi's long-standing and blatent disregard of Khondiao's mental and emotional well-being, it's difficult for me to enjoy the pressured-seduction heavy plot (which is a trope I often enjoy). More on this under the "general spoilers" section at the bottom of review. I really didn't like the emotionally abusive way Yi treated Khondiao in Cutie Pie and he's just as bad here. Though he's supposedly trying to make up for his horrible past treatment, Yi's current approach still includes lies and misdirection, and is not respectful or even thoughtful of Khondiao. *His actions, both previous and current, do not match his sweet words.*

Nat shows some potential as an actor and I'd really like to see what he can do if given a decent script. I most enjoyed the moments when his character starts showing some backbone and pushing back. There's a fire behind his eyes that makes those moments engaging.

Max's acting hasn't improved from Cutie Pie. He postures a lot and his emotions stay on the surface in almost everything he does. In other words, he's not good at pretending. He doesn't internalize and embody what his character experiences.

I am impressed with NuNew; how he manages to infuse such sincerity into his few, inanely-written lines here is beyond me, lol.

Now onto the emotional (and sexual) manipulation. GENERAL SPOILERS below.
If Yi doesn't remember any of his relationship with Khondiao, then it's so not romantic for Yi to all of a sudden start getting heavily sexual with Khondiao. The audience may know that Yi's miraculously and quickly gotten his memories back, but Khondiao doesn't because Yi is purposefully keeping that from him. From that perspective Yi is just a guy, with no emotional attachment, trying to get into Khondiao's pants. And going after that hard. Yi forces attention on Khondiao, and while Khondiao tries to put up boundaries, he keeps relenting to the seduction and sweet-sounding words because he's trauma-bonded and co-dependant on Yi, thinks he loves him, and is touch-starved. When really, there has been nothing redeeming about their relationship for years (or ever).

The approach written for Yi to take in this series is not putting things to rights in a way that is at all respectful to Khondiao. I can't believe Yi truly loves him. To me there is nothing sweet in that dynamic.

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A lot of mixed feelings

Some parts of this show were quite cute (the beginning and the last few seconds lmao). It started out with promise and I was enjoying it, but before the halfway mark I was bored and it was falling flat. The acting also wasn't very good, it seemed that they all had one tone for every situation.

NC: 😐
Happy: 😐
Danger: 😐
Sad: 😐

I was very interested in this couple and their mysterious back story from the Cutie Pie days, however finding out everything I was like really???? I personally found the big secret so so SILLY. 😭 Now that might just fall on the OG manga, but the acting in this series did not sell me, nor did that CGI tiger. & did the dad even like his son? Why did he randomly try to steal his guard and go, "remember he is the reason your dad is dead." hello??? he was a literal child when the tiger accident happened.

Zee and NuNew were my favorite part, as well as the poor bug eye dog lmao.

It wasn't AWFUL, but I don't think I'd watch it again.

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Wonky execution with lots of strange scenes

The story is all over the place at times and I’m not sure what I’m really supposed to be focusing on. The undying love and bond between Yi and Diao? Their backstory? Or Yi’s quietly handsome assistant who seems to be their biggest shipper?

BUT there were also some wildly ridiculous (but honestly fking funny) moments – a terrible CGI of a tiger, some peculiar scenes fuelling the ZeeMax fantasies, and a parent (like an actual daddy) hitting on Kondiao??? Ahh I’m dying, stop it.

All in all, MaxNat is not my favourite BL pairing. And Naughty Babe has definitely not changed my mind. This spinoff had good potential but the execution was wonky.

Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/11/09/naughty-babe-2023-bl-review-max-nat-still-not-delivering/

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No surprises!!

I finnished to watching just now and i feel confused. The seri's don't have any "peak point" to surprise or shock you. It was too ordinary. Didn't give a chill or "OMG What going next?" wibe. They did have all ingredients but chose to make simple dish. What did hapen his brother and uncle? , I didn't feel his father regret and I not sure Yi's love is real or consuetude! Something was off about the scenario, they needed work things out.

Yes chemistry was good (big but is coming...) BUT same thing all over again they were like side couple from Cutie Pie they didn't add anything them themselves. Seri's soundtrack and intro was "Mehh". (not thought through...).

Best thing was the last 5 min. "Their big familly portrait." I admit (I waitted to see a little peek to how were Nuea and Lian doing?) IMO All actors need challenging project and different kind a roles or their talent will going to be rusty.

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It left me disappointed in many different ways

Having seen Cutie Pie before, I knew that the relationship between Yi and Khondiao was a mess. I am not sure how they managed it, but they made it even worse in Naughty Babe. There are a lot of things that make very little to no sense when it comes to the relationship between the main couple.

First thing first, what was up with that tiger? I hated how those scenes were done, the CGI was atrocious. And I am not sure why they decided to change what happened when the two were little from a dog attack to a tiger attack, but it was a bad decision. It negated some of the things that played a big part in their story before.

I did actually enjoy the relationship Yi and Khondiao had with Yi’s father. I found it funny how obvious he made it who he prefers between the two. He loves Yi, don’t get it twisted, but he also loves Khondiao. Maybe he is trying to make the boy feel loved, because it’s obvious that his family is lacking in that aspect. Yi and Lian together are as hilarious as before. But I really liked how Lian had some really good advice for Yi and wasn’t afraid to let him know when he was being an idiot. Kuea and Diao were two cuties together, even if they tend to be a bit dramatic at times.

I enjoyed the mystery element to the series. It added a layer to it that I didn’t expect. Even if things were a bit too obvious and dealt with fairly quickly (might be because the series is shorter), it felt like it wasn’t explored enough. The absurdity in which this whole thing ended in the last episode though… just why?

Yi & Khondiao: I thought their relationship can’t get worse, but I was proven wrong. The two still can’t communicate properly, don’t really trust each other, keep lying to one another and apparently don’t even know each other well enough. Yi is still very controlling, he just hides that better by having his guards spy on his boyfriend. I do like Khondiao’s sassy side, even if I think it wasn’t really utilized well or in the right places. They have a lot of problems, but they do not appear to be mature enough to solve them. Sometimes it feels like there has been no progress in character development from Cutie Pie to where we are now. Max and Nat have great chemistry and they know how to kiss. But the comedic aspect to their characters, the over-done personality traits were not really something I enjoyed. Even if I think they acted them out well.

And while on the topic of comedic aspect, I don’t like most of the wanna-be comedic scenes that we got. They just felt extremely immature and not really something that fit Yi’s character well. He’s supposed to be mature, cold, a workaholic… not an immature manipulator with the humor of a frat guy.

All in all, I was disappointed. I really expected more from it, especially as they had an already established couple, backstory, side characters, the world in general… only to go back on many things, continue with the toxicity of the relationship (only more hidden), with characters that act like they are in high school instead of adults.

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Love the dog

I loved the dog. But I didn’t really get the story. Maybe it’s because I was inattentive, but why exactly wanted Diao to crash the wedding? And what was Yi’s plan? And… Hia Yi told Diao (I don’t remember what came before Diao, was it Khun?) many times he loves him. Diao ran away at the wedding day. Hia Yi said it again: he loves Diao, no matter what. Diao stayed and they married.
I was just like: What? So easy? He says he also loves you if you’re naughty and you stay? Are you serious?
And one question: Who worked with whom? At the end Nuea gave Yi the ring, for the marriage proposal. Does that mean he knew his plan all the time?
But seriously, the dog was the best in the entire series. Not every dog would be so cooperative. And all the outfits he wore… wow.
Oh, there’s one more thing (more than one, but I don’t want to mention them now) I don’t understand. The baby at the end. They only talk about the bigger girl, she’s adopted or something like this. But the younger one… they call it their sunshine, their luck. Is it also adopted? I mean… they can’t have children. Or is it the child from just one of them? However, bye.

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Naughty Babe Reaction/Review!

I really like the opening scene! I like how it is animated. It sort of gives off the feeling that it is from a novel and coming to life
#NaughtyBabeEP1
amazed by the productions and the acting improve for MaxNat
The way you can see the fear in Yi's eyes as he was searching for Diao and how he just looked so afraid when he released Diao's clothes were all gone. Max did amazing! This was perfect! acting the emotional in this moment his afraid, his eyes ,his hand shake its was amazing to see all over this details.
The whole flashback is so important to know where Diao came from and why he chose to leave. Honestly, my heart was breaking so much for him The way Diao had lost hope in their relationship the look was on his face this emotional arrived to me without any more talk its was enough what we see to understand how much this broken .
My heart was breaking so bad for Kon Diao. Nat did an amazing job in the airport scs and in the hospital scs thats was perfect and so high acting skills from nat.
over all in between this scs its was between the romantic scs between hia yi and nong daio was over sweet and comic in same time .. the other scs was between the over controlling and between comedy things by the way and it is was so good for max because its his comfort ground , the accident scs was amazing one the production really great and was high silks target over the exceptions even ..
waiting for the next eps .. this series start strong so excites for the coming episodes

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Asmei

Não é uma história bombástica, inovadora e surpreendente, mas com certeza um belíssimo clichê, daqueles que não aconteceriam na vida real em nenhuma hipótese, porém aquecem o coração pq o casal principal nos permite sussurrar de amor junto com eles.
Confesso que, sendo essa história retirada de dentro de "Cutie pie", eu tive um grande medo e uma grande curiosidade. O medo consistia no fato de que que Cutie pie foi um sucesso estrondoso, e até agora Zee e Nunew são um casal sensação, portanto eu temi que o casal principal tivesse seus holofotes roubados, mas isso não aconteceu. E a curiosidade, de fato foi desperta em Cutie pie, já que a história de Diao e Yi sempre foi muito obscura e terminou sem maiores explicações.
Meus medos foram infundados, minha curiosidade foi satisfeita, e terminei a série sendo a maior shipper de Max e Nat desse universo, que química surreal, que cenas de amor lindas, MDS!!!

Toda a história só é contada e resolvida, após Diao ter certeza que Yi não o ama, e só está com ele para cuidar, como uma obrigação sobre a qual ele desconhece o motivo. Quando Diao consegue fugir, Yi, que na verdade o ama muito mas não consegue falar abertamente, sofre um grave acidente de carro tentando encontrar ele, e a partir de então conheceremos toda a história que uniu esse casal, desde o grave acidente com o tigre que terminou causando a morte do segurança de Yi, a amnésia traumática de Diao, e o senso de responsabilidade da família Chen, que acredita ser culpada pelo trauma de Diao, e te essa ideia alimentada pela família interesseira dele, que faz com que eles assinem um acordo de noivado entre duas crianças. A série inicialmente deixa um tom de mistério sobre quem sabotou o carro para matar Diao (ele é quem deveria se acidentar, não Yi), que infelizmente não é mantido até o final. O que me deixou meio decepcionada foi não ver os criminosos pagarem, nem saber o desfecho deles.

A atuação de todos é impecável, inclusive da cachorrinha, a ost é linda, todos os detalhes são milimetricamente perfeitos.

Sinceramente, amei que Diao sempre foi protegido e tido como um grande inocente, mas ele é quem toma as rédeas para livrar a família de seu amor da exploração causada por sua própria família, e de forma muito inteligente ele consegue resolver tudo.

Amei a série, verei outras vezes e pra mim, com certeza está entre minhas favoritas.

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An Overindulgent Mess

This is the continuing story of CUTIE PIE which itself was an incoherent hot mess. Fortunately, this series was a bit better and less emotionally abusive in content. It also made an attempt to tell a story and did try to bring a certain level of maturity to the forefront. Unfortunately, it merely continued the overindulgent and pampered story of Kon Dio . and Yi. While certainly not deep and more like a soap opera, it had the potential for being a good BL series that just would not push itself to tell a love story. There are some deeply and profoundly moving and poignant moments to this series, however. And it also features in a supporting role one of the handsomest men I have ever seen.
You can read my full review of this series at BLBliss.com and find out who that is.

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A Playful Finale to a Captivating Journey

"Naughty Babe" provides a captivating conclusion to Khondiao and Yi's journey, which began in the "Cutie Pie" series. With only 8 episodes, the series feels a bit too short, especially considering how relatable the characters are and how much viewers might want to see more of them. There was a clear opportunity to delve into Khondiao's family affairs, particularly their plan to take down the Chen family.

The series primarily revolves around the evolving relationship between Khondiao and Yi. Khondiao believes that Yi has lost interest in him and is seeking pleasure elsewhere. Heartbroken, he decides to leave for Switzerland, but a twist of fate occurs when Yi has an accident and loses his memory.

The plot takes a sharp turn from a romantic comedy to a mystery. Viewers are offered a glimpse into Khondiao and Yi's childhoods, their past traumas, and the reasons behind Khondiao's memory loss. Furthermore, a larger, more intricate plot involving Khondiao's family emerges, revolving around their pursuit of money and property from the Chen family. Fed up with being used by his family to manipulate and harm the Chen family, Khondiao and his friends hatch a plan to resolve the issue for good. What ensues is a comical cat-and-mouse game between Khondiao and Yi.

Credit is due to the series' creators for managing to keep the tone as light-hearted as possible, even in the midst of darker themes such as attempted murder and blackmail. The actors Max and Not deliver exceptional performances, and their on-screen chemistry is unquestionably a highlight.

However, there are several plotlines left unfinished. Notably, Khondiao's uncle's ultimate plan remains undisclosed, and the character of Chen, who could have served as one of the antagonists, disappears without a resolution. Perhaps a full 12-episode series would have allowed for a more comprehensive exploration of all the introduced plot points.

In conclusion, "Naughty Babe" is an enjoyable watch and a fitting conclusion to Khondiao and Yi's storyline. The series excels as a light-hearted comedy, offering numerous swoon-worthy moments for all.

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Another Surprise

I placed spoilers at the end of this review.

Warning: There is slight disconnect between the marketing and the actual content of this series. However, this was a good thing (for me at least). The official trailer and show description suggested this was going to be mostly a very light and fluffy romcom, but had a nice amount of drama too. That being said, this series had a more interesting storyline that I anticipated.

The positive: The script is not perfect, but it was entertaining and not too predictable. They did a good job explaining the past history of Yi and Diao’s friendship and family relationship. Although there is one to many storylines for an 8-episode series, they did a nice job layering them and didn’t leave any loose ends. The cast was great and did a great job with what they were given considering some of the flaws with the script. I also like how supportive Yi’s father was with Diao. Overall, the cinematography, special effects, and CGI was good.

The negative: The main problem was the story continuity from the previous series (Cutie Pie) involving how Diao lost his childhood memories. The new storyline was a little far-fetch, but at least it was interesting. Even though it was a drastic difference, this was only a minor problem for me. The script had a lot of comedy that seemed missed placed and not very funny. There was also the random introduction of side characters in the middle of episode 6. Although the product placement was subtle, it still became annoying at times.

Random Notes:

Once again, I was pleasantly surprised because I was not a fan of Yi and Diao’s storyline in Cutie Pie. I liked their backstory in this series. You don’t have to watch Cutie Pie before you see this. They did a great job at making this a standalone series.

Interesting that they were able to get the same child actors from Cutie Pie, but not the same dog.

I thought it was hilarious that the dog was dressed like Chucky from Child’s Play in episode 3.



******Spoiler Alert******

The consistence problem with how Diao lost his memory made Yi and Diao’s storyline in Cutie Pie make no sense.

I was worried that Yi’s only reason for faking his amnesia was to try and win Diao back and happy that it wasn’t. It was part of it, but it was not the main reason.

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