Love in the Big City (2024)

Queer chronicles of a gay guy living and loving in the big city of Seoul : a raw and poetic journey

This is clearly one of the most qualitative BL that I have seen so far, not necessarily one that I would easily re-watch but one that really left a strong impression on me. It is drastically different from what I have seen in the genre, as it provides a deep dive into the life the central character of the story, almost like a chronicles of his life. It can be seen as a slice-of-life with a lot of dramatic elements put in a realistic but at the same time poetic way.

The main character is a writer who in a way narrates his life to the viewer, which really give it a different flavor to most series. His relationship with his mother as well as with Kylie were central pieces of the story to me. The romantic interests in the series were more like passing boats into the hero's life, not the main focus but bringing up so many thoughts as he evolved through the various relationships. The ending felt bitter-sweet and made sense given all that happened to the hero and the way the storytelling was built from the start. I would not have minded an additional episode to better round it up tough.

Casting was very solid overall with the main actor clearly being the strongest part of the series. I really hope to see him in other works because it is his performance that elevated the watching experience and made me care that much for the character he portrayed. The cinematography was pretty good: the apartment of the hero was a character in itself evolving with him as he went through various life events, the OST was also very fitting to the drama and there were quite a lot of very memorable scenes that were filmed super impactfully.

I would recommend this to people that are looking for a different kind of BL story. It is more of a chronicle of a life rather than a standard romance. Of course, I have nothing against fluffy and butterflies romance or angsty tales of passion but here it is a different proposal both in terms of content as well as storytelling. The good writing, the very deep topics relating to what's happening in real life as well as the interesting arc of the main character arc strongly resonated with me and make it worth your time. If you enjoy BL such as 'I Told Sunset About You' and 'The Eighth Sense', I think you should give it a shot.

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Cazzo che bello

L'ho guardata in un giorno e non ho saltato neanche un pezzo. La storia ti prende da morire sono saltata dalla sedia tantissime volte per non parlare dei pianti che ho versato. Un episodio è cosi pieno di emozioni che pensi che l'episodio sia durato molto di piu' . Tratta argomenti seri in maniera veritiera. Cazzo se oddio quanto sto povero attore debba subire insulti omofobici, è una serie fatta benissimo, vincerebbe anche molti premi se la società coreana non fosse così omofobica. Spero che questo attore raggiunga successi enormi perchè selo merita proprio. Bravissimi anche gli altri protagonisti che hanno esposto personaggi molto differenti tra loro; ho avuto emozioni diverse per ognuno di loro.

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A journey to self-acceptance

In the Korean queer drama sphere, this is unlike anything I've watched. This is a series holding the weight of emotions, love, trauma. There's so much packed in 8 episodes that you can miss out on the little details, but regardless it holds a message: self-acceptance.

The pacing isn't perfect. Time doesn't always work nicely when you have a large story to pack into eight 45-50 minute episodes. Nevertheless, with what they had, they made it mostly work.

Nam Yoonsu isn't just an actor, he's also an advocate. His performance in the drama and his persistence afterwards is something I admire. It's not often you see an actor being proud of their work, let alone in Korean queer media. Sadly, conservatism prevails in a rapidly developing society, I can only hope Yoonsu's advocacy is recognized under a mostly positive light. He committed to his role as a young adult maneuvering in between different realities and brought life to Goyoung. Additionally, the entire cast in this were fantastic.

The humour comes in great bursts. I was genuinely laughing during some scenes. To the scriptwriter, thank you for bringing in humorous jabs during tense scenes.

Flawed characters. Goyoung isn't perfect, Mi Ae isn't perfect, Gyuho isn't perfect, etc. But they make it work navigating as outcasts in society. I love how the writers weren't shy in expressing imperfection. It leaves you feeling discomforted, but in a way, it reflected in a lot of my life stories.

Themes of being an outcast. Goyoung is a gay man with something holding him back from love, navigating under a religious guise ironclad to Korean society. I loved the subtle ways in which the story shows the effects of being an outcast from character to character. There's so much I would discuss with this, but it would end up being a boring novel. In the many layers of Goyoung, he finds his eventual acceptance as a difference to the "norm". I appreciate his development as a character.

Cinematography is incredible. It's as if the words taken from the novel have been firm-pressed into animate scenes. The movement, the subtle tune of music, the careful blur to focus on a character. I could go on, it's just spectacular.

Watching Love in the Big City made me reflect on my own life, and the last time a show had that effect on me was I Told Sunset About You. This is going to be something that I will likely go back to, as it's unlike anything I've seen in a long time. It felt like a cinematic reflection on a young queer man going through a portion of his life to self-acceptance. I hope this review sparks a tick on your watchlist; you don't want to miss watching this.

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Honestly the best series that came out this year

Love in the Big City is an absolute gem, delivering a perfect 10/10 in every aspect. From the captivating storyline to the flawless performances, everything about this production feels deeply authentic and engaging. The cast is phenomenal, each actor embodying their character with such depth and nuance that you can’t help but get emotionally invested in their journey. The chemistry between the leads is electrifying, adding layers of charm and realism to the narrative.. i felt so many emotions watching it.

The direction and cinematography are equally impressive, capturing the vibrant energy of the city while reflecting the intimate struggles and joys of modern relationships. The soundtrack fits seamlessly, elevating key moments without overpowering the story.

What truly sets Love in the Big City apart is its ability to balance humor, heartache, and hope in a way that feels relatable and refreshing. It’s rare to find a show that hits all the right notes, but this one delivers on every front.
In short, Love in the Big City is a masterpiece that sets a new standard for romantic dramas, and it’s a must-watch for anyone who appreciates top-tier storytelling, outstanding performances, and heartfelt moments.. I cried a lot.

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LIFE AT ITS PUREST

"i wonder why you sleep in utter silence like you're constantly on tiptoe. as if you're never home, no matter how long you've lived here. "

Pure, raw and both beautifully written and directed. I don't recall any other korean show with this level of realism. It's just life. With its ups and down, the bounds we create, the love we seek, the distance we fall apart.

I loved how the story was told, the connections Go Young make on his journey navigating into the universe we live in and the society we sometimes feel rejected from. It's heavy but also very simple, a sigh of what it is to be alive. I was giggling, screaming, got sad, felt the happiness, peace and despair. His relationship with Gyuho broke me into pieces.

Nam Yoonsu, how to not fall in love with you. What a great cast and amazing performances from the whole team. I beg for more shows like this to come.

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Like a slap in my face

I’m speechless, I mean I don’t know how to begin with.. It’s raw, beautiful, it’s daring, it’s relatable… The series set the bar high in terms of the great acting, what they want to convey and the topics they’ve brought up in it but also of course, the really nice cinematography.

It feels like, each episode is like a movie in which we kind of witness what happened around him, his feelings, his relationships. It’s like following his chapters of his life.

After watching it, I had bittersweet feelings yet I’m impressed, it was a bit too real.

Sorry it was quite short but I think I sum up my thoughts on this series.

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someone please share a spare heart with me

It was so wow. From the very first seconds, it captured all my attention, and now I feel like I might need a spare heart. My English doesn’t allow me to describe fully all my emotions, but my bestie and I spent a lot of time, words, and even tears just trying to move on after it.
It doesn’t mean that the series is bad; on the contrary, it provoked so many emotions that we couldn’t watch anything else for a while. At first, it was like, why can’t they end up together, why didn’t they try harder… then, oh, actually, maybe this is better for everyone. It's just that we’re not as decisive or strong as Yeong to hold on.
And Yeong still needs to learn how to live with Kyley and how to love. I hope he’ll be alright.

About Yeong Su, I'm not sure I totally understand—or maybe I just don’t want to believe it. Was it really all just a plan of his? Was Yeong initially just research for him? But then he fell in love, got scared, and pulled back?
That was painful.
And the story with Habibi isn’t clear to me. He lost his vision for two weeks, and then what? What was the cause?

About Kylie. It cause me to learn more, cause I’m convinced that this condition requires ongoing treatment. I didn’t really like how it was portrayed in the series, though.
And the issue with condoms seemed unrealistic to me in 2024, given the huge variety available.

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Tour-de-force. And it lingers in your mind after finishing it.

Love love love this. Binged it and loved it. Great acting, great storyline with great chemistry between the characters which makes it transcend beyond a typical BL. It is sweet without being cloy, it is sad without being overdramatic. After finishing the show, the afterglow of it lingered on me - sadness, hope and sentimentality. The last I had such a feeling after watching a series was after finishing the English series 'Normal People' based on Sally Rooney's novel that also had a similar-ish story line. This series is perhaps the closest and most accurate depiction of gay people living in asian countries. Best series so far on here this year, regardless of genre. Absolutely brilliant.

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Loved it

Even at the beginning I was interested, which is rare for me to want to finish the whole series in one go. I was so happy when I heard they were releasing it in one go. I would definitely recommend this series to all, Some can probably relate to it or most people actually. some much happens in a short 8 episodes so you’ll definitely stay interested.. IMA NEED A SEASON 2 THO, it’s really good, I haven’t watched a show like this before, especially a Korean drama that’s has all of this type of recognition. I was also really exited to see yoonsu as the main actor I’ve seen other stuff he’s in and I love his acting. He did not disappoint. His narration also I could feel “a connection”? I'm not sure what it call it but I also really enjoyed the narration in the show it helped you understand his point of view really well if you could not understand by just watching. Which his acting portrayed the emotions said in the narration..WOULD DEF RECOMMEND!!!..

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