Saebit Boys' High School Council (2021)

wholesome <3

High school dramas are usually a hit or miss for me. They're either not relatable enough (feels unrealistic or overexaggerated) or wind up being too cheesy (and thus, cringe). But Light on Me is different.

It has all the classic tropes from bullies to love triangle to monumental school trip, etc. Yet, I believe what's so special about it is that the show uses them in a damn near perfect way. It all flows pretty well. The characters are also extremely lovable, which helps. These themes also act as a catalyst to break down stereotypes/stigma around LGBT+ relationships, a very controversial and sensitive topic in a conservative country like Korea. Especially, Daon's character arc allows this to be done in a direct yet gentle way. The actors are great at handling their character's emotions with such loving care. You can tell a lot of thought went into the facial expressions and body language, which is beautiful to watch unfold.

While this series is extensive for a web drama (which is great), I would've preferred more time spent on Taegyeong and Shinwoo's relationship. Shinwoo feels rather complete. However, Taegyeong feels a bit empty at times. I can see how that would be intentional considering his attitude toward socializing has only changed recently and therefore, he needs time to figure out how to express himself. I feel as though adding one more piece to their story wouldn't hurt the development of this couple, but they did just fine without it too. Not really any plot holes in my mind, just some stuff I wish was wrapped up neater.

Overall, it's a cute drama that keeps you hooked in! All the characters grow in a nice, wholesome way, together. If you like something short & sweet, this will be the show for you.

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I loved it !!

Même si je ne suis pas très familière avec les BL KR mais j'ai beaucoup aimé celui ci. J'ai commencé à regardé par hasard et je n'ai pas été déçue. La dynamique de cette série m'a plu et j'ai du le revoir une fois de plus quand je l'avais terminée.
Le fait que Wu Tae Gyeong décide enfin de sortir de sa solitude et se faire des amis m'a touché, je ne sais pas pourquoi (après tout ce n'est la seule série avec ce plot) mais j'ai eu un réel coup de cœur pour ce personnage que j'ai trouvé très attachant.

Concernant SI Wu je l'ai trouvé plutôt mignon même si son personnage était sensé lui donné un air cool xD

J'ai beaucoup aimé leur rapprochement et je recommande vivement cette série

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Engaging story smolders but never bursts into flame

This is a beautiful story and the production values are top notch. The characters and actors are appealing and the 16 episodes never felt padded just to fill time, yet "Light on Me" sort of smolders but never bursts into flame as a bromance. This may be a cultural thing, because this seems to be common to the Korean BL dramas when compared to the gold standard of Thailand. The plot is your basic love triangle. Woo Tae Kyung, who has always been a loner, makes his first friend in Shin Da On, which evolves into a romantic interest. Meanwhile, Noh Shin Woo has fallen in love with Woo Tae Kyung at first sight, but he is sort of invisible to our hero for the first half of the drama. In fact, they are enemies for the first half due to the fact that Noh Shin Woo is forcing himself not to get attached to Tae. The series peaks at mid-point when Tae and Shin Woo have a sleepover, but Tae falls asleep on Shin Woo's shoulder -- that's as bromantic as it gets. Shin Da On rejects Tae for reasons that are not exactly clear -- it's suggested he's from a prominent family where a same sex relationship would impair his career or disappoint his parents. There's a scandal at school about a rather innocuous picture of two guys with hands outstretched, as if shaking hands. Certainly a photo that tame could be written off as hand shaking -- the boys were 3 feet apart. The central plot of Tae realizing that Noh Shin Woo has been there all the time, sort of in the background, never quite delivers the impact it should after 16 episodes. We finally get a kiss at the end, but even that is far too subtle -- and, frankly, too late in the drama. That should have occurred about episode 13 with more romantic scenes taking us to the conclusion. Meanwhile, the storyline for Shin Da On feels unresolved.. So, as much as I loved this drama, I'm left feeling a bit underwhelmed. The real oddity here is why was the first episode incorporates graphic gay sexual references (apparently visual aids for a high school sex education class) but the rest of the drama is strictly a G-rated, almost asexual story about ordinary friendship.

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Me venia quejando de que los bls coreanos son cortos y por ende no se llega a desarrollar la historia y te deja todo una sensacion rara, como que el concepto esta bueno pero terminas sintiendo que viste un resumen o un trailer de lo que vendria a ser la serie. Pero al fin encontre este bl que no solo tiene 16 capitulos sino que ademas duran de 20-30 minutos!! Un monton comparado al resto que suelen ser de 8 caps y a lo sumo 15 minutos. Y justamente con esto confirme que el largo de la serie permite desarrollar los personas y el romance dejandome mas satisfecha.

Bueno, a lo que es el bl. Hablando de los personajes, me parecieron muy bien construidos y profundizados.

Taegyeong a veces me daba bronca porque parecia demasiado autista pero he kinda like me fr asi que lo entiendo. Ademas me hacia acordar a jeongin de skz asi que me daba ternura.

Shinwoo me gusto solo los primeros capitulos cuando se hacia el que odiaba a Taegyeong y los ultimos cuando ya se le confesaba 24/7, lo cual hizo que no me enfocara mucho en el la verdad, pero tambien supongo que lo hicieron asi aproposito porque toda la serie el foco estuvo en Daon mas que en él. Anyways, tambien me siento un poco identificada con el porque es medio socially awkward. Eso tambien hace que su relacion con Taegyeong sea particular, me parecen muy parecidos y no se si eso es bueno o malo en una pareja. Como que se entienden porque tienen una personalidad parecida pero a la vez siento que mas adelante eso les va a traer problemas en cuanto a que ambos son shy y callados y etc.

Namgung obvio me encanto es literalmente Haknyeon de the boyz!! lo amo y bueno kedesir de So Hee dios que personaje infumable igual es obvio que la construyeron para causar justamente eso y bueno cumplieron con su cometido.

Y bueno, Daon <3 me gusta un monton :( me hubiese gustado que se quede con él la verdad. Ya sabia que no. pues me habia spoileado. pero a lo largo de la serie me encontre pensando varias veces como es que va a terminar Taegyeong con Shinwoo??

Primero porque Taegyeong se llevaba muy bien con Daon, tenian muy lindas interacciones, se notaba que era reciproco el sentimiento, y despues de todo el conflicto, a Taegyeong le gustaba Daon aun a pesar de todo. Pero bueeeno, eso como que no llego a entender por que le gusta Shinwoo. Ya se que teoricamente es porque el estuvo ahi para el, que Daon tiene eso de tratar bien a todos y hacer que Tae no se sienta especial, pero al final te muestran el glow up de Daon, que empieza a priorizarse y a tratar diferencialmente a Tae, hasta te muestran en el ultimo capitulo que Daon le dio un besito en la frente y eso no es algo que haga con todos :(
A la vez, ya se que es todo un tema del timing, de persona indicada pero no en SU momento indicado. Lo cual tambien me alegra porque Daon se dio tiempo para pensar y conocerse a si mismo y dejar de darle bola a las personas que se quieren aprovechar de su amabilidad.

(TW // momento de introspección)
Tambien creo que dice mucho de mi persona lo que me afecta todo el cambio de Daon, fue para mi el plot mas interesante. I'm a sucker for personas que cargan en sus hombros la responsabilidad de ser amables, buenos academicamente y diligentes, y que por eso dejan de lado como se sienten o no se paran a pensar un segundo en si quieren hacer eso que estan haciendo o si cabe la posibilidad de negarse, como si eso fuese a restarles valor como personas (si, kineo a Akk de the eclipse y Luisa de encanto como te diste cuenta). En conclusion, TE AMO DAON.

Algo que quiero destacar tambien es toda la homofobia interiorizada que sufria Daon, lo cual esta claramente arraigado a su necesidad de demostrar que vale como persona tanto a su familia como a sus compañeros, lo malo es que eso no solo lo lastimo a el sino que tambien a Tae.

Tambien la actitud que tienen los del colegio para con Tae, Daon y Shinwoo me parecio muy bien mostrada. No siempre la homofobia que uno sufre es por parte de un grupo de personas haciendo un bullying violento o fisico de manera constante o con un target especifico, sino que son esos pequeños comentarios que van haciendo las personas en el pasillo a tus espaldas o incluso de frente, que no llevan a nada o no lo hacen con una malicia real. Lo hacen tal vez de curiosos o porque nunca vieron nada igual y tienen la necesidad de comentarlo, pero al fin y al cabo el que recibe esos comentarios le pesa toneladas. Varias veces paso, por ejemplo cuando estaban Tae y Shinwoo en la calle y se acerca un compañero de Shinwoo a hacer un comentario tipo ah sos gay? y ahi Shinwoo lo para y el compañero se disculpa y se va!! Lo cual es tan ridiculo pero tan real, esa pregunta tan estupida que hizo el compañero que seguro no penso ni 2 segundos antes de hacerla pero que puede afectar tanto al otro si aun no esta curtido (ejem Daon ejem) es algo muy comun.

Y nada que ver pero el complot que hicieron Daon y Taegyeong en el ultimo capitulo para molestar a Shinwoo aaa su momento gaslight girlboss girlkeep los amo :(
Tambien me encanto el beso muy cute!! Como Shinwoo lo agarra de la nuca a Taegyeong y le da un beso como si Tae fuese fragil pero a la vez como si se hubiese aguantado las ganas de besarlo por años y ese momento al fin estaba llegando! (aunque me hubiese gustado que Taegyeong no se haya quedado tieso)

IDK muy bueno brothers, se convirtio en no solo mi bl coreano favorito sino que tambien esta en mi top de bls en general!

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My first BL drama!

This was my first BL drama in general! I loved it so much and I really hope there is a season 2!

But I really did wish there were more episodes as them both ML's acknowledging their love for one another came in too late towards the end of the drama. But they were so cute even in their awkward moments and the comedy was great too!

I love that spinoff they had from another kdrama (I forgot the name), but they were so cute still! I was so hoping we would get another season in their senior year of high school, or beginning of uni/college life and just more couple scenes!

I feel like we also got a cliffhanger ending with the teacher's past love appeared (I'm guessing it is his past love), whose feet we could only see lol. But we're missing something and we need more! I can't emphasize this enough.

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Enjoyable watch but not the most riveting story

At the beginning of the first episode, the protagonist says that one of the three people he is photographing is his first love. That's a nice introduction to the series because it is all about who the "first love" is--and since there is a "first love," is there also a second one?

The one who the protagonist will end up with becomes rather easy to guess quite early on (even if one is really unable to guess, one could just look at the list of actors and make a guess). And yet, the story quite deftly maintains the possibility that it's possible for the first love to be the other person.

Yes, there is a love triangle, but I'm glad it's hard to simply hate one of the three guys in the love triangle. The four main male characters are each lovable in his own way, and the main source of tension comes from, what else but a jealous girl. Then again, the girl doesn't turn out to be that bad. In fact, no one turns out to be that bad, which is either good or bad for the story, depending on whether you prefer fluff or a more realistic storyline.

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Best Tsundere Ever!!!

Re-watched this today and got reminded of why I loved this show in the first place ...It's such a breath of fresh air with great writing, really likeable characters and a swoon-worthy ML in the form of Shin woo!!!
I also got to appreciate Namgoong and Da On much better than the first time I watched as that time I was too busy being smitten by Shin Woo!!
Da on is a representation of everyone who had to give up on something they really loved and cared for because they didn't have the courage to openly accept it in front of others at that time!! It's a struggle most closeted people go through and is heartbreaking to see him lose the one person who really loved him!!
Namgoong is just a sweetheart!! A friend that you need by your side in both happy and sad times....a friend that would do anything for you...he is a pretty jolly person in general but becomes a fierce force who is ready to take down anyone who dares to hurt his friends !!
Coming back to one of my all time fav character ....other shows should really take note on how to create a non-toxic tsundere so efficiently!! he is one of the most likeable and well written characters I have ever come across...he loves deeply but is not possessive and for him the happiness of the person he loves is more important even if it means losing that person to someone else. He is a great friend visible from the fact that he helps Da-on figure out his feelings of liking someone from the same gender as he knows how confusing it can get and he doesn't want Da-On to suffer the way he did and though this means that he might lose Taekyung he is ready to do that as long as Takeyung finds happiness with the person he likes...where do you find such rare gems in real life ? the fact that he sent so many messages to Taekyung showing his concern despite knowing that Takeyung might probably never read them just shows that for him Taekyung's well being matters more than him actively flirting or courting Takeyung !! get yourself a man who is ready to dive into a pile of trash for you !!! I can go on and on about Shin woo!! Boy you have my heart!!
Also another wonderful aspect of the show is the OST!! The 2 songs just highlight the emotions of every scene that they are played in !!
This is definitely a must must-watch!!!

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I had a rough start with the show and didn't get over it

Somehow I felt not really exited when I started to watch this drama. I don't know why, but it just feels a bit off. Right after the beginning I knew with whom he would end up, so I basically sit through 16 episodes, being 100% sure to know who will be the endgame - and I was right. So the whole show was really predictable for me, which..of course.. minimized the fun for me.

There were some things I appreciated, but I feel like, these things I pointed out in my episode reviews are the same things again and again:

+ Namgoong is a really great friend. Loyal, wise, gives good advices, acts like he doesn't know something to make the other person not uncomfortable, but gives still the right advice and he's funny!
+ The teacher is a gem! I think there were hints to his story for a second season? But..honestly..I am not really interested, unfortunately. (By the way: if someone remembers seeing this actor in another drama: please tell me! It's driving me nuts, because I am sure I saw him somewhere else, but I can't find any information on this, lmao)
+ The show brings some important topics on the table, just like being ready to coming out, being a pushover, first love, unrequited love etc. etc.
+ The soundtrack is great!
+ Character development is definitely present. I like.

But I feel like the flaws overshadow the little good feelings the show gave me. I'm sure I will remember this show, because the soundtrack found it's way in my playlist, but overall I don't feel the need to rewatch any scene of this. Some scenes were really awkward, so it was hard to watch, even when they made me laugh (but I'm also a person who laughs when something is uncomfortable, so..nevermind, lol)

- In my opinion, they spent way too much time with TK and Daon.
- Because of that, it feels weird that TK switches so fast to Shinwoo. Dude looks like he's just the second choice, because Daon can't stand up for himself and Shinwoo is there for him. Especially in the last episode..I don't really understand what this one scene in the beginning is supposed to mean. It makes it even more looking like TK isn't really over Daon. (Am I the only one who thinks that it's weird they keep wearing their partner-bracelets?!)
- TKs monotone acting was really hard to sit out. I love dry humor and straightforward characters, but after a few episodes it's really hard to endure.
- Imho this crashed the whole chemistry. I saw similar characters in other dramas, but they had great chemistry with their partners because they could act really well and adapt to show feelings and a reaction when it was needed. But here..idk how to explain it. It just kills every spark that could have lighten up, because TK looks zoomed out most of the time. He doesn't use a lot of face expressions, his eyes are nearly dead, so hooooow tf should I be able to tell any chemistry in there. T_T
- Wtf was this disappointing kiss in the end? Shinwoo did great!!! But again, TK looks so distant, it feels like Shinwoo is harassing him. x.x

I feel so burned out that I can't handle my disappointment any further, lmao. At this point, I will just say, this wasn't my kind of drama and I agree to the other critical reviews and just spare any more words to not waste more your time reading things other explained way better than me. :'D

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