Red Balloon (2017)

STORY: 10/10; it's intense, there are feels, and there is a happy ending. The visuals for this drama, short as it is, were beautiful and the metaphor (as it is explained in the series) with the red balloons was a nice touch. Plus, a major rarity: an open, happy ending for EVERYONE!

ACTING/CAST: 10/10 The cast they got are talented. They played their rolls well, and were believable. There seemed to be an honest connection between both younger and older actors. Whether it is romantic off screen or not doesn't particularly matter to me; nothing kills a show faster than two actors who just cannot stand each other.

MUSIC: 10/10; another reviewer had it dead on: if I could give it an 11, or higher, I totally would. The opening song is gorgeous, the theme song is sweet, and it just helps everything flow together. I would almost go so far as to say that the quality is almost movie-like, for all that it is a short web series.

REWATCH VALUE: 9.5/10; This is the only one where it's a little shorted. I feel like the story is definitely open and waiting to be expanded, but I'm not sure how many times I'm going to be able to sit through that open ending without going nuts. I will definitely, TOTALLY, rewatch it again at some point, though. This seems like a good go-to series if I want something intense but short.

OVERALL: 10/10; loved this series. I hope more people enjoy it, too!

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Wow, that was traumatic

Writing this quick review for my LGBTQ+ community because all the positive reviews did not prepare me at all. But like...this short series packs in an unnecessary amount of trauma and I wouldn't recommend it to other LGBTQ+ viewers unless they're up for that kind of thing. We've got gay bashing, run-of-the-mill homophobic school bullying (and authority figures failing to properly intervene because they are also homophobic), attempted suicide, a forced breakup due to the characters' sexuality not being acceptable to a parent, and a father literally pointing a gun at his gay son and threatening to kill him unless he agrees to marry a woman. There's a third character not involved with the main romance, Xu Yang, whose entire purpose in the story is to illustrate how much gay boys get bullied in school. He gets almost no characterization, and he's not even friends with the main boys (he's from a different class). Yet the story keeps cutting back to him so we can see how he's getting bullied and gay bashed now. Then he tries to commit suicide after reaching out for help to adults multiple times and getting ignored. The story thinks it gives him a happy ending, but even in the last scene we see him, the entire school laughs at him for dressing up as his favorite character (Sailor Moon). So that wasn't cathartic! Justice for Xu Yang!

And like, the romance isn't even worth all the trauma. The boys are great actors, but Xiang Wan kind of harasses Zhi Chen at times, and their only kiss is nonconsensual (with Zhi Chen trying to push Xiang Wan off him while Xiang Wan forces it. Zhi Chen does eventually give in, but that doesn't make Xiang Wan's actions okay.). After their forced breakup, they reunite after thirteen years and just ride off into the sunset together without talking much.

I feel like the show was trying to make a statement about how horrible homophobia is, but it went over the top without balancing the trauma with enough hope. Like, at least give poor Xu Yang scenes where we get to know what he's like as a person and not just a target for homophobes!

Also, I know not everyone is sensitive to this, but the story includes an arc about (high schooler) Xiang Wan getting out of a romantic relationship with his male teacher before he moves on to Zhi Chen, and the series doesn't portray the teacher/student relationship as predatory. If anything, it could be interpreted as portraying *Xiang Wan* as inappropriate for pursuing a married man, instead of acknowledging that his teacher is the one at fault for getting intimate with a minor in his care.

So like all around just not a lot of good vibes. Great acting and music though. Take care, y'all!

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Perfect.

This is the rare BL story that takes place in a realistic world--complete with homophobic classmates, teachers and parents--yet still manages to provide some hope and sweetness for our young lovers, Chen and Wan. The depictions of homophobia are upsetting, so brace yourself. The secondary story line, about a gay boy who tries to commit suicide after repeated bullying, is a reminder that it's dangerous simply to be gay in many situations. And it gives us context for understanding Chen's attempt to hide his sexuality--to virtually hide his entire personality. The actor who plays Chen is so low-key he's sometimes guilty of underacting. But this fits with Chen's restrained, introverted, cautious personality. This emotional restraint is the opposite of Wan's enthusiasm and eagerness.

It's great to see a BL story where the characters are the same age and have such complementary personalities. Too many romances are based around power imbalances or personalities that bring out the worst in each other. (HIStory: Obsessed and HIStory: Right or Wrong, I'm looking at you.)

The format (eight 12-minute episodes) could have been a weakness, but "Red Balloon" does better with its short run-time than other web dramas. The first episode is slightly confusing, because we meet the characters in the present before the main story shifts to events in 2003. A few scenes would benefit from more length or detail, especially when secondary characters are first introduced. But that's all I can come up with for critiques.

The best thing about "Red Balloon" is that the frame story, which shows Chen and Wan as adults, asks us to think beyond a simple romance of star-crossed lovers and consider the cost homophobia exacts from families. LGBTQ individuals are often portrayed as threats to the traditional family. But in "Red Balloon" the greatest threat to families is the homophobia that forces people into sexless heterosexual marriages. "Red Balloon" came out in the year that Taiwan passed legislation that will allow gay marriage to become a reality. In that context it makes a good argument that gay marriage laws make for stronger families. (Stay around after the credits of the final episode for one final scene about Chen's ex that reiterates this point.)

Icing on the cake: the soundtrack. It uses some indie songs with beautiful melodies. They contribute to the emotions even for people like me who don't understand the Chinese lyrics.

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It's real and it's giving a message to everyone

One of the underrated and best BL drama that I've watched that really gave me an impact because of its message. What I really love about this series is that even if it is short (it only had 10 minutes running time per episode) the drama managed to address the important issues in the LGBTQ+ community.

We can see in the series the struggles the characters are in, how society views them and how the characters try to put up with those struggles.

More than that, I'm glad that these issues weren't taken lightly, unlike some BL dramas where the important issues in the LGBTQ+ community are just mellowed down and not addressed properly. We need shows like this that don't sugarcoat these issues. We need shows that are Real and not just make the viewers relate to the characters but also sympathize as well as understand that the struggles the LGBTQ+ community are facing are in fact Real.

What also amazes me in this series is that the actors portrayed their characters well. They weren't stiff or awkward in their scenes and they manage to catch the attention of the viewers. The ending credits and OST (Soundtracks) used for this series is also beautiful. Props to the producer, director, actors and everyone who put an effort in making this show possible.

In conclusion, if you're looking for a BL drama that will really give you an impression as well as insights, this one is a must watch... :)

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Loved It!

I watched Your Name Engraved Herein recently which of course also stars Edward Chen in another time jump/flashback movie and I am smitten. I can watch him all day. The way he conveys love and adoration is so sincere and authentic.

I also loved that the show actually had people speaking Taiwanese which I've found to be rare in Taiwanese BL dramas. One exception being, funnily enough, Your Name Engraved Herein. I also loved that the older version of
Xia Zhi Chen spoke Tainese, mixing his Taiwanese and Chinese the way I mix my Chinese and English with my parents when I speak Chinglish.

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Flawed Though Beautiful (In a Sense)...

Flawed in its execution, but beautiful in its earnestness and music. I've always been a fan of stories that focus on the theme of time passed and regret. It's always poignant and touching to remember that we only live one life and that our lives will end someday. I found this series to be too short and the story was too rushed. It could have expanded and deepened its scope. It was never explained why Xia Zhi Chen felt so obligated to appease his father to the point of entering into a fake marriage and raising a daughter. Why didn't he just cut ties with his father? I know that he couldn't leave when he was younger as he was practically trapped at home, but when he got older and became a lawyer, he had the freedom to leave... But he never did for some reason. This didn't make sense, especially since his father was threatening to kill him or himself. He still stayed. Like what? He didn't really seem to have any regret nor did he seem mentally taxed from 'faking' for so long. It was practically like he was just like, "Eh, I'll just divorce my wife and get with my high school crush" with some pseudo-deep voiceover of finally being free with the death of his father.

There are other several questionable plot points such as why the PE teacher sent bullies to beat up Li Xiang Wan, which didn't make sense. To be honest, that teacher-student subplot was kinda unnecessary to be honest. Also, so many BL series have their main characters be unintentionally outed because they were kissing at home in a public area where any family member could walk in. Like the BL series that I watched before this one literally also used that plot point. It's such a tired trope that is unrealistic and makes no sense! No closeted gay would be dumb enough to do that!

It is impressive though the emotions and feelings that this low-budget series was able to muster though in its last few episodes. I was genuinely touched. And I do applaud the series for portraying the toll that bullying can take on a person and how the school authorities could have done more.

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BEAUTIFUL

This!! This was such a beautiful and impactful short film!
I totally loved it.

The story was beautiful, a bit underdeveloped at some parts due to the short time of the film but amazing at the same time. The main characters have my whole heart, both the younger and the older versions, they have such beautiful souls and nice personalities.
I don't want to go into much details as to not give any spoiler.

The cast was such a good choice, you can feel their emotions and the way they express them is so wholesome.

Now, my highest ranking, the Music value. OH MY EVERYTHING, this film has one of the best music selections I've ever seen on dramas. This is not exaggerating. When I saw other reviews I was like - "How good can it be?" - But whoaaaaa, it is really good. Each melody fits perfectly into the scene, the opening and ending songs are beautiful and overall it gives the whole film more life.

I'm just so happy right now after watching this one. It will mess with your heart but it is worth it in order to witness such a beautiful story. I've lost count of the amount of times I've said "beautiful" but that's all I can thing about to describe this drama - BEAUTIFUL

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Short but pretty enjoyable.

This was a really good series actually but it was too short, so as a result it lacked depth. I would have liked it even more if it was a bit longer since due to the short episodes and run time it kinda felt rush. Also they tried to run even a second plot, even though the supporting characters actually didn't have much connection with the main. It felt rather ridiculous that the father who is just as cruel will care about a queer student. But atleast it gave me a happy ending. Even though the father died happily not accepting the fact that his son is gay and Zhi Chen was forced to marry a girl and have a CHILD just to please that old fart smh, we should really normalize leaving these types of parents at old age home the moment we get the chance or leaving and never come into contact again. But all is well that ends well I guess.

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