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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Started off great, but could use more work after

My expectations were high after the first two or three episodes. I loved the chemistry between the two actors, the not-so-subtle flirting undertones to their conversations and the little comedic inserts that came with Lee Jun not being sure of what to make of Choi Jun. I think the visuals (of everyone, not just the mains) are on point, the aesthetics and cinematography are stunning as well.

Sadly, things started to go downhill quickly after that. There was both a lot happening with the meetings and work-related stuff, but there was nothing happening when it came to the relationship and character development. We don’t get to know the motives of other characters, we don’t really see them change, we don’t see how Jun and Jun fall for each other. We got new characters and possible love interests that made it even harder to keep up with the plot. There was a lot of confusion.

Choi Jun & Lee Jun: the two look good together, I can’t argue with that, but there is absolutely no relationship development. We don’t know why Choi Jun (still) loves Lee Jun. We don’t get to see how Lee Jun falls for him. They don’t spend enough time together for them to get familiar with one another again, so they don’t know each other well enough to justify their present love. The actors were okay, but I feel like they didn’t really get the chance to show everything. I felt each Jun got a specific label and all of their personalities and actions were reduced to fitting that label. We had the hot director Choi Jun and adorable ex-idol Lee Jun. Both of their characters were not developed enough.

Actually, most of the characters were not developed enough. However, they were a nice addition to the series. I really enjoyed seeing both the old office workers and interns together. And Kim Yeong, she was such a cutie pie!

Another thing that lacked some development, some explanations was the love square between Lee Jun and the three men that were enamored with him – Choi Jun, Song Hyun Jae and Chim On. It was a mess. And one that left me mostly confused. The flashbacks related to the said love square left me mostly more confused as to what happened in the past.

I do admit the side couple was adorable once the two started to spend some more time together. I liked them paired together a lot more than seeing them pinning over someone else. I loved their dynamics and their playful bickering.

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Why R U so all over the place?

What did I even watch? It’s all over the place! The plot is a mess. There are too many characters to really keep up with all of them. And I feel like I watched the same two scenes about ten times each. The plot had a nice set up at first, maybe a bit too dramatic for my liking, but it was interesting. But then it went up in flames. The idea that all that happened is due to the bet between Zon and his sister quickly became a side thing. Instead, the series tried to keep with a bunch of couples and completely failed at that.

The cinematographic aspect was not the best. Some shots were very strange and with certain scenes constantly repeating, it felt like they did a lot of that just to fill in the time. The series could have easily been a few episodes shorter. Included less couples. The background sounds were all over the place too. I felt like they exaggerated with the comic sound effects.

Fighter & Tutor: they are both idiots. At first, I though only Fighter is an idiot who should just sit down with himself and decide on what the hell he wants. Or doesn’t want. His hot and cold attitude was not cute. The way he treated Tutor throughout the series (except for their cute and in love phase) was not okay. Tutor was doing okay at first. He was a bit confused, but he knew where he stood. And then he decided to keep secrets. To make decisions without his partner. To make an even bigger mess of things. That, however, does not excuse Fighter’s behavior or actions. It was how he handled things that made me absolutely hate him. I think both Zee and Saint are great actors, and they did good with intimate scenes and had great chemistry, I just don’t like the characters they played.

Saifah & Zon: I thought the two were supposed to be the main couple. But they got less screen time than the other main couple. At least it felt like that to me. They had me confused most of the time. Zon is dramatic. And Saifah is flirty. Together, they are a hot mess. I don’t think the switch in Saifah going from possibly hating Zon to being completely enamored by him makes sense. It happened in a second, which made me confused if he is simply messing with him or if actually likes Zon. There was a lot of back and forth between the two, but I also feel like nothing much happened. They sang, played the guitar, flirted and denied flirting. I don’t mind low-drama couples, but with everything else going on, they kind of faded into the background for me.

There were a few other couples – Japan and Thantai, Dew and Blue (with a sprinkle of Champ), Natee and Zen, Junior and Soda, Daw and Hwahwa. None of the mentioned (possible) couples got proper story development nor enough screen time to really round off their stories. I think they just added to the confusion.

There’s also Zol, Zon’s sister and the author. What happened with that plotline? I know it was supposed to be a way to start the story off, but it was never addressed if her writing came true or if it was just a coincidence. I feel like that just faded into the background. A similar thing happened to Zon’s parents and their role in what was going on.

To be honest, I did a lot of skipping. I also watched a lot of it on double speed just to get through it faster. I am just happy to be done with it.

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“Unfuck it!” – that’s what I call good advice

I really like the premise of the series. I’m usually a bit meh on soulmate plots as they tend to be very cliché, I admit that, but I found this one really interesting. Probably because it’s something I haven’t heard of before. Also, the idea that both decided to not act upon the whole soulmate bond intrigued me.

Patt & Tai: Their first meeting was adorable. I did find Tai’s sudden interest in his soulmate a bit weird. Why did he suddenly decide to give him a chance when he ignored the man for over two years? I can understand his wariness on the subject, but the sudden change was a bit unexpected. Is it only because Patt is hot? I can understand Patt’s decision to defy his destiny. He seems like a dream man. He has his life together, is loving, honest. I found the two adorable. There are a lot of things that I don’t really like about the two either. Tai is too forgiving and too understanding at times, he doesn’t know how to communicate his feelings and his needs. Patt tends to keep secrets, he doesn’t always see his faults and tends to react quite aggressively and impulsively. Pee and Title have great on screen chemistry, I can’t deny that. I really enjoy seeing the two together. Their kiss scenes were amazing! Title has also done incredibly in the silent crying scene. My heart broke for him, I think we all felt it.

Lomfon & Tien: I find Tien a bit childish at times. He’s a brat, that’s what he is. But he also seems to be quite mature when it comes to giving advice to Tai. And I really like that, because it shows that just because he is quick to anger, he can show maturity when needed. Or when he feels like doing so. He and Lomfon have everything set for a good enemies to lovers kind of story. With some love triangle thrown into the mix. And I am here for it. Tien’s confusion is something I am really enjoying. He’s so cute, especially when drunk. Lomfon appears to be much more responsible and often ends up being as a not so happy babysitter. He is also someone who tends to think about everything which sometimes ends up backfiring on him. He doesn’t always act rationally, even if that is something he tries to do.

The whole situation between Phat, Tai and Lomfon is interesting. I like in how many different ways the situation can be interpreted. I wanted them all to find some sort of clarity while solving the mess. It might not be a perfect situation, but it is what it is. I just wish this would play a bigger role in the series. The climax to the situation happened fairly late into the series, I expected it to happen sooner and be more important part of the story, especially as it was shown in the trailer for the series.

There are some plot holes or things that make absolutely no sense. From how the boys (don’t) know each other, to why they are keeping secrets from one another, to the café scene, the whole hearing loss soulmates thing … And even why Tai’s parents felt the need to keep their mouths shut about how they are handling the divorce. The boys were all in their teens and older when the two separated, meaning they were all old enough to understand it.

And while on the topic of divorce, I really like the message they showed through the relationship of Tai’s parents. Being soulmates doesn’t necessarily guarantee a romantic compatibility. It might set things up for it, but it does not mean it will work. Love is not enough, there are many other factors that play a big role in maintaining a relationship. And seeing the two parents still be friends is another great message – they might not be right for one another, but they can still be friends and raise their children in a loving environment. Coming from someone with divorced parents who have great relationship even after everything, I can’t stress enough how important is for parents to be able to act like adults and not try to make their children hate the other parent.

One of my favorite advice in all of BLs I have seen, is definitely Tien’s love advice to Tai. When you fuck something up, you need to find a way to unfuck it. Simple and straight to the point. All in all, I really liked the relationship between all four brothers, but especially Tai’s and Tien’s. It’s very realistic love-hate relationship. Like we can annoy each other, but when you need me, you know I am always there for you.

I really liked the scenery and cinematography of it. The locations were beautiful, and the rain often made everything look even prettier. The OST is nice, the sound effects weren’t distracting and it all went nice with what was going on in the story.

The ending though… is that a set up for second season? I am honestly not sure how I feel about that. With this series starting great and ending meh, I don’t know how they could turn S2 better. Plus, I don’t think I like the love triangle they have in mind for possible season 2.

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Just thinking about getting jealous already means I'm not trusting you, right?

This really feels like two episodes of fluff. And I am not complaining. Even their special episode was pretty much all fluff. But it suits Kluen and Dao, the two are permanently stuck in the honeymoon phase of their relationship. At least it seems so.

I do admit that I got a lot of Sarawat and Tine vibes from Kluen and Dao. Especially when Kluen introduces himself as Dao’s boyfriend, making the other boy flustered. Or when they are washing their faces in the bathroom and end up pressing their cheeks together. Some might find that annoying, but I found it cute. We all know that GMMTV often squeezes in little references and nods to their other series like that.

Another thing that I absolutely love about their relationship is how they handle jealousy. When you trust someone completely and you know they only have eyes for you, there is absolutely no reason to feel jealous when they are talking with someone else. We are not talking about flirting here, just having a simple conversation with someone.

I feel like we are getting spoiled by new side couples in Our Skyy 2. To be honest, I am really happy that Typhoon is one of the characters that gets someone. He is a very lovely person who cares a lot about those around him, so it’s only fair that he gets his own special person. I am not sure how I feel about the other new pairing. I love the two actors together (who doesn’t?) but I really imagined a different pairing. I also think that not pairing them together would make more sense story-wise.

I like that the overall vibe of the series, the colors, the setting, etc. were kept the same. It really makes it feel like a continuation of the main series. I feel like this is even more obvious if we compare the Star in My Heart episodes to the Never Let Me Go episodes. They are very different from one another, yet so true to the original series.

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Should've happened before Pieces of Me

It was much better than I expected. Especially considering what we were told it will be at first. I was very concerned about the original plot (Nick pretending to be 16 to get with Tod), so seeing that they changed it made me very happy. I do think it was better done this way.

However, the two parts did seem to drag on a bit, especially the second. The acting wasn’t very believable at times, which I think made it difficult to really feel the emotions in the more emotional scenes. They also ruined the ending by scheduling these two episodes after Pieces of Me. We already had a good idea of what to expect, which kind of prevent the buildup of what would happen in the end. Maybe switching the order of Pieces of Me and 1626 would be better.

Another complaint I have is about the time – when things happen, how do different events follow each other, etc. I found it very hard to keep up with what is past and what is present. There was no clear distinction between the two.

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The ending was perfect, anything else would be wrong

It was fairly light and humorous drama, nothing too heavy. And that made it a perfect binge drama. The plot was simple, but they made it believable. It had a nice flow and things didn’t seem forced. There are a few things that I think it could have been done without or could have been done differently, but it wasn’t anything major.

Go Sa Ri does seem quite superficial, with not much depth. I did find her slightly annoying at times, but I can also understand where she is coming from. I do wish she was clearer with the guys around her, it felt like she was stirring them all along while she was unable to make any solid decision. I am glad that this is at least cleared up to some point at the end.

Pi Jung Won is in love with his best friend, but she doesn’t see that. In a way, he is more reserved and not willing to share his feelings, because he knows it might ruin his relationship with Sa Ri. I like how he was never pushy with his feelings, how he never used Sa Ri hurting him as an excuse to try and control who she does or doesn’t date.

Jeon Woo Sang who Sa Ri divorced is also back in hopes of a second chance. With all his clinginess and creepiness, he has a soft heart. He wanted Sa Ri back and was willing to do a lot to make that true, but he never went as low as to hurt her. I’m not excusing his stalkerish behavior, but I don’t think he was ever malicious.

Yeon Ha Rim might be young, but he is not dumb. I actually really liked his character. He never hid who he was, didn’t pretend to be someone else. Sure, he joked with Sa Ri about his age at first, but I don’t think that should be taken seriously. His age does show in the way he interacts with Sa Ri, it’s almost like he idolizes the idea of love.

Ki Sun Jae is the CEO of the company Sa Ri works for. I actually found him very adorable. He didn’t really give off scarry director vibes most of the time but was very sweet (even if slightly reluctant). He was trying to be obvious about his feelings while simultaneously trying to keep his distance, his cold persona that everyone knows.

I absolutely loved Doo Mu Ri and Ye Soo Won. The two might be dramatic and extra, but they were great friends to Sa Ri (and even Pi Jung Won). They were supportive and were always there when Sa Ri needed them. They didn’t let her hide when things got tough, but instead offered support. Sa Ri’s work collegoues were a mess. Some were fun or were able to redeem themselves, while others were just not likeable. Sadly, that is often the truth of a workspace.

The acting in general was okay, but it did feel flat sometimes. I am not generally a fan of the over-the-top scenes, but I didn’t find them bothersome.

I also really liked the ending. I think it was perfect the way it was. I know a lot of people might not find that ending satisfactory, but it carries an important message, one that has been pushed forward quite a few times during the drama. If you paid attention, of course.

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A lot more mystery than romance

The premise of the series is not really my cup of tea but I decided to give it a go anyways as the trailer looked interesting. Sadly, the series didn’t really deliver. I put the majority of the blame for this on the script, editing and styling choices.

The script was not really well thought out. Most of the time, things were very slow moving and there was not nearly enough going on. There are a lot of things that also don’t have an actual explanation and / or proper conclusion. Or proper background information. Even just takin Mon as a lost soul into consideration – sometimes he can’t taste food or travel through walls and doors, and other times he can. It was a lot of inconsistency. Let’s not comment on what they did with the scene where the bad guy is caught. That was a disaster.

The editing cuts were sometimes done very strangely, so the jumps from one scene to another didn’t always look good. The flashbacks were okay, but I think the transitions between past and present should have been clearer. As for styling choices, the ghosts looked horrible and more like they have risen from the dead.

Mon & Thames: Mon does appear as a relatable character (which is more than I can say for a few others). He does appear kind of awkward, and I honestly don’t fully understand some of his decisions. Thames can seem quite arrogant at times, but we also see his more realistic and down-to-earth side when he is with his grandma. We do get some cute moments between the two, but their relationship just happens. There is not really any clarity on why they like each other. They just do. I also think that the two actors didn’t really have a good chemistry. There were times when they appeared really awkward with each other and I am not sure if this is due to the characters or the actors. I am loving Ping as Thames, I think he does well in the role, but Guitar’s portrayal of Mon does feel a bit flat at times.

The side characters were fun, I guess. I really liked Bua, she was a good friend and manager to both boys. The other two actors were a bit of a mess, I didn’t really like either of them. And the guardian spirit did very little guarding, but that’s fine. Mon’s work friend was an easy way out in the end, and I didn’t find his character persuasive.

A lot of focus was on the mystery part of the plot while the romantic aspect of it was not done well. It was lacking. I did enjoy most of the mystery stuff though, but there were a few situations that didn’t necessarily make a lot of sense or were just done in a weird manner that didn’t really fit the narrative or the characters.

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A lot of it was quite confusing and unclear

The story continues from where we left off in the special episode. Kind of. Some time passed, but the story progresses in a logical way from the past to the present. I’d label this one as a second chance romance; the parts that were centered around the relationship of Zhou Shu Yi and Gao Shi De were probably the better written parts of the plot. I found the rest of the plot quite weak and very confusing.

Gao Shi De & Zhou Shu Yi: I was a bit annoyed by the choices they made and actions they took that lead to them being where they are in the beginning of the series. I do feel like most of their problems could have easily been solved with some communication, especially on Gao Shi De’s part. He kept so many secrets that I still don’t understand why he decided not to share them with his boyfriend and that led to more misunderstandings. I really like Zhou Shu Yi’s response when he learns the truth. It also shows how serious he was about them being together. I do feel we get to see a more mature side to both of them at times, which was a nice detail as we have moved from college life to working life. Their chemistry is still amazing though.

Shi Zhe Yu & Liu Bing Wei: the two have been kind of hinted at in the first season, but due to how limited their screen time was, I wasn’t really sure if they are a thing or not. They are confirmed couple in the second season, and while they don’t get much screen time, I found them adorable.

Pei Shou Yi & Yu Zhen Xuan: I want to like the pairing, but I don’t. I understand that Pai Shou Yi has a disorder (I don’t think the translation is right, I couldn’t find anything under that online) that makes him cold, uncaring. And Yu Zhen Xuan has several different issues himself. They have been separated for over 12 years and while one wants the other, the other doesn’t really care about anything or anyone. Their scenes were painful to watch sometimes, and not in a good way. I also feel like their story ended up being very confusing as we got some glimpses into their relationship, but not nearly enough information to understand everything that has happened between the two.

The ”villain” who separated the star crossed lovers was not hard to figure. I was suspicious about them since their appearance in the first season. I was sure there was going to be something there. But I also found this person extremely childish and not acting their age at all.

The series ended with a lot of things either not addressed or not getting a proper conclusion. Which is a shame. I might be in minority here, but I think S1 was better than S2.

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It's like a teaser for the second season

I don’t fully understand what exactly is going on in Gao She De’s life in America, but it seems like he has his hands full. I feel like we get a lot of different hints as to what might be going on for him to stay there for much longer than planned. But we don’t get any definite answers. It’s almost like a teaser for the second season of the series with a few glances into the lives of Zhou Shu Yi and Gao Shi De during their separation. I am a bit disappointed by the fact that a simple misunderstanding and lack of communication seem to be the main conflict both for the special and as a set up for season 2.

It's very confusing though and not a lot of it makes sense. It was definitely not was I expected from the special episode. What happened to special episodes being sweet? And cute?

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Can Payu and Prapai really be considered green flags?

I actually quite liked the series. I think the locations and production value are great, the OSTs are beautiful and catchy. The actors did an amazing job portraying their characters and the chemistry between all of them was amazing.

We actually follow two almost separate stories that feel like spin offs of one another. I think we would all benefit from two separate series with an extra episode or two each, because things felt quite rushed at times. There often wasn’t a clear logic in the way scenes followed one another either. And quite a few plot holes or plot choices that make absolutely no sense. What do you mean Rain was afraid of telling Sky that he likes a guy? Sky literally helped him plan how to win over the guy!

Payu & Rain: where to even start? Payu seems to be a bit cold, but very confident and independent. He knows what he wants and goes for it. Rain is… annoying. I don’t know how else to describe him, but he is supposed to be this innocent and overly dumb character. There were a lot of scenes in which I just felt annoyed by him. But at the same, he felt very relatable. When his car breaks down in front of the bar and he is unsure how to react. Every new driver has probably felt that way at one point. Boss and Noeul have great chemistry, there is no denying that. Their NC scenes were done incredibly well and I think that them being comfortable with each other off screen really translated well into the series.

Prapai & Sky: Prapai is sweet, rich and caring. He seems to be less cold than Payu and tends to make his intentions clear early on. Sky is my spirit animal. I absolutely love his character. The sass, the constant snacking, the sarcasm and just generally being done with everyone. He has a horrible past which means he doesn’t really open easily though. Fort and Peat also have an amazing chemistry, they really did great in their NC scenes as well. With their first night together being a mess, I really appreciated how important consent was between the two going forward. Sky always either initiated things or gave consent clearly.

This is based on a MAME novel, so I should have known better than to hope everything will be great and that we will finally get some real green flag characters. Here’s the thing, I don’t mind red flag characters if that is shown clearly. Go be toxic, just be honest about it. We were gaslighted into thinking that both Payu and Prapai are walking green flags when the reality is far from that. From manipulation, stalking, sex coercion and non-consent, forced coming outs… and I could keep going. But most of these were very well hidden in the plot, so they can be easily missed or shown as something romantic. Which is also problematic.

I really want to take a moment to talk about Gun, Sky’s ex. I’m not going to go into what has happened with him as I don’t want to spoil anything, but I was so impressed with Dunk’s acting. It is very hard to make us hate a character as much as he made us hate Gun. And sure, Gun is the villain in the story, but if the villains are not well thought through or portrayed right, I don’t really care much about them. But Gun? I loathed him.

All of the side characters were a lot of fun actually. I really liked Sky’s and Rain’s university friend group. They were a lot of fun, and I was living for Sig doing his best to annoy poor Som. Payu’s boss in the office was interesting too and I really liked their relationship. Don’t even get me started on Chai, Pakin’s right hand man. There was just something about him that demanded attention when he appeared on screen.

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“Being gay is not like Covid-19. It’s not infectious.” – Nam, Chon’s mother

I tried to like the series, I really did, but it fell flat for me. There were things and characters that I absolutely loved and think were done incredibly well, but there are also plenty of problems that came with that.

The plot is simple and is something that has been done plenty of times before. Which is why it needs to be done well to be good. The start was good, but I think it went downhill very quickly. I did have a lot of problems with the pacing of the plot. It was very slow at first, but it felt super rushed towards the end.

They tried to include a comedic aspect in the series, but I feel like it often fell flat. Often they exaggerated in scenes to make them funny, but I didn’t find them funny. A lot of Ton’s jealousy scenes didn’t really translate well through the screen either.

Tonhon & Chonlatee: I found Chon adorable at first. He appeared quite clueless at times, but he showed that there is a lot more to him. He knew exactly what was going on around him but decided to play dumb a lot of the times. But his actions in the later episodes really made my blood boil. It just didn’t sit well with me. Ton is not a very lovable character. At least I didn’t really like him most of the time. He made a lot of homophobic remarks, and while I know it stems from his upbringing it is not an excuse for his behavior. He can also be incredibly pushy to the point of everyone around him being uncomfortable with it. I can’t decide if he is as dense as he portrays himself or if he is just so deep in denial in regard to what is going on around him. Pod and Khao are both great actors, I have seen them in other things and I know they are capable of doing much better, I just don’t think that the plot truly gave them the chance to showcase all of their talents.

Ai & Nai: The two of them are sweet together. However, considering that the two are together and are obviously attracted to men, I found their friendship with Ton annoying. Not only were they enabling Ton to keep festering his homophobic views, but they also often went along with his comments and made such comments themselves as well. The fact they went as far to get a fake girlfriend to fool Ton is absurd. Mike and Toptap have always been one of my favorite side pairings in GMMTV series, the two have (had) great chemistry together, I just once again feel like they were not given a proper chance to show it in the series.

Miriam was nice, but I wasn’t the biggest fan of her. I felt like her character was unnecessary. I do admit that Jan did an amazing job, don’t get me wrong, I just didn’t see the point in having Miriam be part of the story. Pang was a good friend to Chon, I really liked it.

The fact that we got the typical evil ex-girlfriend plot was a bit annoying, I do admit that. But I can see what Amp and Ton were together. They are very similar in many different aspects. From their homophobic views to their “main character” energy. It also makes sense why didn’t work out. What Nueng did and tried to do is never properly addressed and that pisses me off. And that Amp was the one that orchestrated the whole thing and gets off with no consequences as well… why, just why?

Out of everyone, Chon’s mom was my favorite character. She is very supportive of her son; she knows everything about it. She is not quick to judge others and she really raised Chon the right way. But she is also not afraid to call people out when they do something wrong. It doesn’t matter who it is, if what they did is wrong, she points it out. Her telling Ton’s father that being gay is not like covid-19, it’s not infectious, is probably my favorite quote in the whole series.

I liked the production value, the OST and the filming locations were beautiful. I just think they wasted a lot of potential. The series could be great, it had a really solid cast and a basic plot that could have been done much better.

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I liked the parallels between Shima's past and present

I didn’t read the manga that the movie is based on before watching it. Which might have affected my perception of the movie, making my opinion differ from the opinions of people who have read the original first.

The plot is quite simple, but there is nothing wrong with that. It’s an office romance between two very different men, who both suffer from past trauma and / or heartbreak. Their pasts do differ, but that doesn’t mean that the pain of either one is lesser.

Togawa & Shima: Togawa seems to have an addictive personality, in the sense that he tends to get hooked on things. Drinking, smoking, and later Shima. It is not necessarily portrayed that way, but it is a conclusion that it could lead to. Shima is quite introverted, he doesn’t do well in workplace social interactions because of his past, his previous job. He is also someone who tends to put everyone before himself and tries to do what he thinks is best for others, even if it means hurting himself. The two do start on the wrong foot, but Togawa quickly proves himself as a good person, even if Shima’s first impression of him was not the best.

My favorite part of the movie is how it draws parallels between Shima’s old relationship and his relationship with Togawa. There are plenty of similarities between the two and Shima even points out how he apparently tends to repeat his mistakes. It really showed how similar situations can be handled differently.

There are a few scenes that are a bit problematic, especially considering that Togawa is Shima’s boss. I know that what he said was meant as joke, but I don’t think Shima knew him well enough to know that. Which is why it did feel like he was using his position to pressure him. But it was not a reoccurring situation which I am grateful for.

The movie lacked chemistry, at least from my point of view. I am not sure if this is due to the personality of Shima, or due to the lack of chemistry between the actors. It’s also almost 10 years old, which probably also plays a role in this.

The cinematography was beautiful, but a lot of scenes were very dark, so it was hard to see. Or they were shot from far away. That is something that I didn’t really enjoy.

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There is nothing better than love to make you feel young again

It really was a joy to watch this series! I think it was very realistically done too. I think we all at some point in our lives reach the stage where we feel lost. We either don’t know how to continue, if we are on the right path, or we might feel like we are too old to do something new, something exciting. Having someone there to help you through that is great, so seeing how Togawa helped Nozue through his crisis was really sweet to watch.

Nozue & Togawa: Nozue is 10 years older and seems to be stuck in a cycle of sleeping and working with nothing much else happening. Togawa is younger, but he also has a much better work life balance. Which he learned from Nozue who offered him many good advice in the past. I really liked how much influence Nozue actually had on Togawa as a mentor and a boss. That truly showed what a good person he is and just how much he cares for others. But it also showed that Togawa had very good opinion about him from early on. The two really are a good fit for one another. Togawa is mature, so it doesn’t seem like Nozue is actually that much older than him. And he is also very good at making Nozue relax and feel younger, not so stuck in his life. After all, there is nothing that makes a person feel younger than love. Plus, their chemistry was good too. Their reactions to different situations seemed very realistic which made the whole thing even more enjoyable for me.

There was no unecessary drama, which I liked. The two are adults, so I was glad we avoided all the drama that we often get.

I absolutely loved their little food dates. I know how hard it can be to go try something new on your own, how nerve wracking it can be if you don’t know how or what to order. So having someone else there, even if they don’t know what they are doing, is a lot of fun.

All in all, I really enjoyed the series. The side characters were really fun as well. The other office workers that worked under Nozue were fun, I really liked Nakamura. And then Kirishima as both friend and possibly HR person really had a great relationship with Nozue.

It was a bit short; I would love to see more. The end scene jump was a bit rushed, but it didn’t really bother me too much.

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Would you like to start dating now? Yes / No.

I found the series absolutely adorable! The cinematography was beautifully done and was really well thought through. The office setting, Shin Ki Tae’s apartment and his house plants, the school, the restaurant… it really fit altogether so nicely.

The plot might seem quite simple, but it was well developed. I really liked the fact that we actually see everyone at the office working instead of the work aspect being just hinted at like in many other series. Sunny is probably my favorite character (beside the main characters). She is a woman of few words, but she notices everything and shows support silently. Boss Theo was an interesting character. He might be the boss in paper, but in reality, everyone is just bossing the poor man around. Especially Shin Ki Tae and Sunny. Jamie is a cutie too, she brings light into the office for sure.

Shin Ki Tae & Lee Wan: The two of them are so cute together! I really like how they kept up with little intimacies once the two became boyfriends. It really made it feel like the two are in love. Lee Wan can be quite awkward and tends to run away from his problems, he has an artistic and romantic soul. Shin Ki Tae seems to mostly do better in social interactions, but he also suffers from separation anxiety due to the past. And we can really feel his anxiety in some scenes. The two actors did an amazing job showing emotions, and they had great chemistry.

The little high school game inserts featuring Shin Ki Tae and Lee Wan at the end of the episodes were so sweet! I really enjoyed them, especially because they followed the premise of the dating sim game they were developing.

My only complaint is that I wish it would be longer! It went by so fast. I just want more of it.

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