It's down-to-Earth and a Mix of emotions

No I will not apologize for the puns.
In all honesty, this series is well worth the wait and goes beyond just two people falling in love. It's family, aspirations, friendships, the rise and fall, the process of life and self-reflection. There is so much jam-packed in these ten episodes. It is such a journey to watch from beginning to end.
The story is so unique and has many messages to reflect on.
The acting is some of the best I've ever seen in a series.
The romance is many feelings wrapped in one; a beautiful path leading all the way to the final episode.
If you have this on your watch list, or haven't heard of it until now, this is an immediate, top-of-the-list watch. You are pulled into the story, the characters, the conflicts, and the romance. Standing ovation-worthy performance told in ten episodes.

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Disappointing with a capital D

Before getting mad at this review, lemme just say this is one's opinion just like anyone else's. If you liked it, that's great, my opinion shouldn't be an offence to yours. To reiterate, this is an opinion.
This BL was definitely up there in terms of hype for me. I was looking forward to watching such an action-packed drama, and while it delivered for some, a lot of it fell back for me.

What makes it good?
I enjoyed the use of colours and lighting for some of the scenes to give it more of a mafia aesthetic. The scenery for some episodes worked splendidly and there's so much more than just one simple location. It added a lot more to the overall dark raunchiness of this show. The acting is great overall, Bible and Apo being among my favourite actors of the show. Some of these actors are rookies which amazes me how they took on such a complex role and nailed it super well. Born actors is an understatement. The psychological aspects of the show are also intriguing to me, because of its complex nature in KinnPorsche. I don't know if it was intentional in some parts, but it made the characters a little more lifelike.

What makes it bad?
The subplots are one of the biggest problems I struggled with while watching this. I became so lost due to the nature of the pacing. "Where was the plot going?" was something constantly swirling in my head, because it felt like it was going one way before doing something completely different. The editing was at times cheesy CGI effects that didn't make sense, especially towards the end. Some of the music didn't fit the scenes or takes you out of focus. This next point might be polarized but the whole "morally grey" direction they went with the characters felt like a quick label to add as justification. While yes the rating, the whole mafia notion of the show makes you expect to see the morally grey side, I couldn't find any of that with the relationships, because they started off bad and didn't improve as the episodes went on. It felt more black and white, as in "here is character, this is their backstory, now their actions are justifiable". Yes, this is a fictional show, but some parts of it I can understand will make people very uncomfortable due to the execution of such scenes. Also, yeah this is a BL but the lack of women in this show really felt offside. They were mostly put in the plot as a "here's a woman" and then disappeared like a Thanos snap (the same feeling for a certain pairing was treated as a "side support character"). Give us more badass women in mafia shows, dammit!

I was expecting to jump into this mafia drama and be amazed, stunned, whatever else relates to shock in the dictionary, but a lot of it didn't jump out at me. There were some very interesting parts, don't get me wrong, but the entire plot was messy and didn't make much sense. This has cool action, great acting and a neat psychological dive, but that's really all I found were the best parts of KinnPorsche.

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A Family Feud, A Secret Romance

Bad Buddy was one of the most highly anticipated BL's of last year and arguably this is one of the best to come out of GMMTV. Ohm and Nanon were a perfect pick for the main characters of a rom-com enemies to lovers fiasco with wild family drama, crazy faculty rivalry, and a quiet romance between two supposed enemies.
The one thing I found to be a dent to the plot was how weak the conflict was handled. This is an overall rom-com that contains multiple goofy scenes so it's not taken seriously, but during the more serious scenes it interrupts the wackiness and was weakly resolved.
Regardless, though, this series remains a high favourite.

The acting is incredibly well done. The line delivery, facial expressions, body language and more was expressed in a believable manner. All of the actors were great, but I have to give credit where it's due and that's with Ohm and Nanon's acting. It felt genuine and heartwarming with their scenes, they nailed their roles to a tee.

It's great to see the romance branch out and how the dynamics are at play. There is a sapphic side couple which comes as both a shock and a hopeful step in the right direction for more opportunities to have diverse queer couples in series. Their development felt natural and sweet in every scene... and dammit, I want more!

Pat and Pran's development throughout the series was strong. I love how their opposite personalities go hand in hand. The way they express their love for each other was something not often seen in dramas (at least from ones I've watched). It was typical couple bickering, sweet affection and true feelings communicated all wrapped in one... or two, haha!

This series is a perfect lighthearted introduction to Thai Queer dramas. It does not have any kind of bad stereotypes, just people in love despite all odds against them.

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Masterpiece is an understatement for this work of art

I Told Sunset About You truly is a gem to behold. It's a phenomenal work of art that deserves all the praise it receives and more. The themes are realistic, the portrayals are realistic, with amazing additions of symbolism. It strays away from the fantasy BL genre and into an eye-opening LGBTQ+ coming-of-age that everyone needs to watch. Acting goes above and beyond acting; these characters feel like real people going through real struggles. The chemistry is strong, you can feel the intimacy bleed off the screen with Billkin and PP Krit. Music is sentimental and really adds onto the scenes. OSTs are beautiful. Sceneries are gorgeous. Cinematography is breathtakingly beautiful, with a nice vintage-y atmosphere.
I've said it once I'll say it again: this series is a MUST WATCH. Strong 10/10.

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A warm cup of coffee with a side of dessert

In as little as 5 episodes, Old Fashion Cupcake immediately became one of my top BLs. It has a clever way at navigating the ups and downs of adult life, heteronormativity, and the sensual symbols of food.

The film work is so captivating, and often seamless with its transitions. The warmth in colours has a perfect contrast with subtle pans to the main leads as they struggle to find self-acceptance.
The acting is hands-down one of the best performances I have seen in a long time. The actors delivered strong communication, often without spoken words, and displayed a healthy dose of cheesiness to break the tension. One scene has a long single take, which immediately puts you in a state of awe because of how determined these actors were to get the scene right.
The characters felt breathable; as in, they were walks of ordinary life, with relatable struggles. You feel attached to some of the characters' personalities, which I believe is a strong point in this series.
The chemistry with the leads leaves you enamoured. The intricate ways of how they share their hidden love through meeting each other more and more leaves you both on the edge of your seat and adoring the bond they have. They work fantastically well.
I am teetering between wanting more and leaving it as is. Five episodes may seem like too little, but you'll be surprised with how, in this rare instance, the length isn't a problem at all.
Give this show a watch.

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Hold your breath and clench your butt

SCOY is something that is not often touched upon in recent Thai series. It has effeminate gay leads, a trans character with a love interest, a side wlw couple, and incredibly goofy, downright bizarre humour. These types of shows are not to my taste personally, however, I was interested seeing how the industry has exhausted the tropiness of shoving in these types of characters only for comedic value. This series actually gives these characters "life" to them , if you couldn't believe.

What's bad?
The main issues I have with SCOY are editing and plot conflict. The editing is noticeably lacking in a good portion of each episode, often overdone with certain effects I am not a fan of. There's too many times than I can count where they cycle through music too much in short amounts of time, which is distracting. As for the plot conflict, there's some things that give you an eye-roll because it's "here we go again" all over again. It weakened the storyline to me, and would've improved more if they cut those parts out to leave room for how the relationships develop. There's also a lack of screen time for certain characters which I feel were falsely shown as something big incorporated to the story.

What's good?
It has a diverse landscape for every relationship. It doesn't treat the mains as some "background" nonsense, they actually give story and development in one way or another. Both main friend groups are a joy to watch with their interactions. It's hilarious and KNOWS it's making fun of itself. I'll admit there were some scenes that made me bust a gut laughing. There's nothing remotely homophobic - some parts may allude to it, however the main focus is how each character grows as a person. There's some decent coverage on sensitive topics like body dysmorphia/shaming and bullying. The translations are helpful. Instead of "insert character dialogue here", they actually provide context for certain scenes which is a big help for those not fluent in Thai and just goes to show how mindful they are of their audience.

If you can manage cringe, please give SCOY a watch. They worked hard to create a story that represents a minority group WITHIN a minority group. It's something you don't often see so do support the series and hopefully this is a gateway for more stories with effeminate leads, trans characters, and GL side couples.

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A real eye-opener

From the behind the scenes in the production for BL series, to the mutual respect for people's private lives, Lovely Writer delivers a message that was long needed when it comes to the industry and the parasocial relations that follow.

Everyone did an amazing job with their role, but for me personally I found Bruce, Up and Kao to be the powerhouses for carrying all the way through. Their development, growth and expressions from beginning to end were excellent. Acting is strong in this show in general. Furthermore, as stated previously, there are a lot of messages in this show which also act out as callouts. I am surprised at how much they gave these issues the spotlight, as it was much needed and there is that glimmer of hope where people will recognize the rights and wrongs, and hopefully respect people that work in this industry because in the end, we are all people. Another plus is how almost every character plays an important role to the story. Most of the side characters/pairings develop in different ways which also add onto how the plot progresses. There's a variety of different walks of life, personalities and more that aren't the "carbon copy" support characters. And of course, Gene and Nubsib's relationship was wonderful to watch. From the ups (haha puns for days), to downs, the understanding, to setting boundaries, their relationship is one of the most natural I've seen in a show. I mean hey, having picture perfect characters would be boring, right?

The story does have some plot holes that I do wish were covered properly or at least given more time to understand, but for the most part it was well done.

In the beginning there might be people who will find the sound effects annoying (I'm on the bandwagon for that) but please give the show a try, there's more to it than quirky noises. Majority of scenes don't have them.

Overall, a really good series that does a good job at pointing out the main problems while also maintaining separate relationships and growth.

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A Good Change of Pace

It's really nice to see another crime series with a gay couple, or couples, as part of the story.
There is a great sense of flow throughout, that leaves you room for thought after each episode over who's the culprit, who's involved, who's innocent, etc. This is a type of series that focuses on the journey rather than the destination. The ending does make it all worth it for sure, but I found myself enjoying episode after episode, and that's a rarity.
Of course, acting gets a high rating - all of the actors and actresses do a tremendous job at portraying their character. The story has great twists and turns woven in that keep you on the edge of your seat.
It's a very deep and dark story that exposes a lot of underground secrets. Once again, the execution is well done. Only minor hiccups throughout.
There's a nice amount of suspense, sprinkled in with some spice, and a dash of sweetness. A real treat to watch.

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Quite a mess

As per usual, Taiwan doesn't miss when it comes to the acting and/or chemistry. If you enjoyed the acting and chemistry in the first season, the second season has good moments as well.
The one main issue is how they handled the conflict in this season. It's understandable in that some characters have difficulty coming face to face with the problem, but the execution felt like it was lacking. It was frustrating to watch and a bit of a reach. You'll understand what I mean upon watching it.
The side couples' development is also a frustrating part of the show. It was nice to see the dynamics at play with the characters, however some parts felt rushed. It is likely due to there only being six episodes.
There isn't much of a story in this season other than what was happening with the main couple. Again, there were parts that became pointless or felt like silly fillers in between.
Overall it was a disappointing season, but it is rare to find a second season successor, so it wasn't much of a surprise. Just a bit of a disappointment.

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Life doesn't always go down a linear path

This part of the series definitely shows how life can change unexpectedly and we as people are never perfect.
Highest praise hands down goes to the acting. Just like in ITSAY, these didn't feel like one-dimensional characters. The facial expressions, body language and tension between silence really impacted scenes. The characters all contained depth and personality that made them who they are, all thanks to those who created them and those who played the roles. A massive round of applause to the cast.
Next is the music. All of the OSTs are beautiful and impact the flow of the storyline. Emotional and tugs at the heart strings.
Finally, yes, just like in ITSAY, IPYTM contains symbolism. Some of the symbols take some digging to find, but it's great how they repeat certain symbols to make you contemplate.
Though this is not a perfect series, IPYTM delivers raw, unapologetic emotion as the characters we've grown to love transition into young adulthood. Grab the tissues, because the roller coaster ride from ITSAY doesn't stop there.

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A promising start with a lackluster end

First and Khaotung's main lead breakthrough had an intriguing arc to school settings and criticism towards control, as the story pulls you through a relatable part in youth. The dark landscape painted a picture on the pressure teens face before their next chapter in life, but there's twists and turns that make you the detective as the story progresses.

What did I like?
The dynamics for four of the characters really showcases the different perceptions in self-discovery. I think before the final two episodes, it was well developed and complex enough to differentiate between the clashing personalities. The chemistry is tender. I loved the different ways each couple expressed their young love. It feels nostalgic! The discussions of mental health is also one of the rare series where they don't sugarcoat it, but they also don't stereotype and stigmatize mental illness. The acting for the most part (especially with the main leads) is fantastic. Poignant expression coupled with the actors really getting into their characters shows how dedicated they were in bringing the characters to life. The angled cinematography to collaborate with the theme of the show was clever! I see you, camerapeople. Finally, the representation, for once, didn't feel like "insert character for comedic relief". The more feminine characters actually had purpose to the plot, and for good reason.

What did I not like?
The plot had a great stride, but it exhausted its efforts towards the end. The sound quality was not the greatest. It felt like they filtered a microphone underwater for most of the scenes. While it was okay enough to get by, the static sounds were still distracting. And, as I said before, my personal distaste for the final two episodes left me docking off my enjoyment for the series, as well. It felt like they had to rush to conclude the series (or season, if there is going to be a second season). It made me ponder my thoughts on a certain character due to how quick they brushed away a particularly important scene. There was also a part at the end that made me feel like it was a strange fanservice filler. If they had that idea somewhere in the middle it would've made a little more sense, but again, I didn't see how incorporating filler when the conclusion is on the horizon would make the ending feel more complete.

So this series could be a hit or miss for a lot of people. If you're really interested in political symbolism, low-key jabs to government control, or hell, even just the main leads, give it a watch. Support the show. I notice they had a limit with what they were working with, but it felt like a promising story where the crew really cared about representation.

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Tender cinema, brave words

Hwang Daseul's handling of her works pay careful attention to subtle detail with poetic dialogue and masterful cinematography. Blueming isn't afraid to show human characters and emotions, insecurities we try to hide, all under the guise of trying to be as impossibly perfect as we can be.

The acting at times shows both tremendous performance and unintentionally awkward undertones. I can tell that most of the cast is very new, however I can see the effort they put in to bring their characters to life.

There's tasteful warm and cold tones for each scene, that it brings a rather youthful, nostalgic, and indie vibe all bundled in one. I loved the repetition of blue, tying into the title. The characters are enjoyable, and there's something lifelike with how they express their fears of how they are being perceived by the world around them. One tried to work their way to the top, while another has it all. It's a scary world at a young age, and you can see how it affects each character differently. The small tidbits for filmmaking was a nice change in a college/university drama, it again, added something more real. Both Eunbin and Hyukjoon play vastly different characters who fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. The intimate scenes have quite a "heart-jumping" effect, embracing tender, inexperienced, and times where you just have to audibly go "aww".

If I could describe Blueming in one word it would be warmth. It perfectly showcases young adulthood, passion, humility, and so much more. Highly recommend watching this.

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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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Brilliant, heartfelt, emotional throughout

Monster is a movie that sticks with you permanently after watching it. It dives into perspectives filled with guilt, regret, confusion, love and purpose.
Genuinely, this was one of the most emotional films I've ever watched in my life. The storytelling relates to so many aspects of being a queer child who is confused, lost, but seeks redemption just because the world doesn't want to be kind to you, and you don't know why. The way in which they weaved through the different perspectives to the very last was a brilliant capture for the why, how, and what.
The cinematography is beautiful and has such a nostalgic atmosphere to it that I can't describe. Basically, if there were no phones-esque feeling. The characters are complex; every single one, void of any one-dimensionality. I felt myself immersed in their environment/s because it was that intimate being in the spectator's seat of everyone's individualities. Of course, the characters couldn't have been brought to life without the incredible acting. I was profoundly amazed at the main child actors' performances. I am glad to see that the cast and crew took very good care of them throughout the filming process, as this is an especially difficult terrain for children to act in. The music was beautiful, and I so wish there was more in some scenes because it put me in awe how delicate and tender the melodies played a role to further enhance the scene. Though I understand and respect the director's decisions; I'm by no means a professional, this is just my personal opinion.
I for sure have an urge to rewatch this movie because I feel like you can't pick up on all the intricacies in just one go, so this is a definite rewatch. Monster is a beautiful movie with a beautiful and very important story to tell. Give it a watch, you will not be disappointed.

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