Surprisingly Captivating

So I'd like to say first that I haven't read or seen any of the novels or other adaptations of the story so I had nothing to compare it to. This is also my first Chinese "BL" to watch. At first I was hesitant to watch them due to the censorship BL is subject to but I'm glad I gave this one a try. Okay it's not exactly BL but well, we all know those boys were loving.

Summary:
Okay, so it's not got the sort of blantant smuttiness of Thai BL (or even the muted smuttiness of SK or JPN ones) so if that's your bag you might not enjoy this. That being said, I started watching this not realising it was a 'bromance' and after several episodes I found out it was but I was still really captivated by the story and actors and continued watching and I'm glad I did. There was enough subtle suggestions of a deeper relationship for me to find it enjoyable as a BL.

Pros:
The acting is great. SuYu and Wu Bi are captivating in their own contrasting ways, Su Yu's dad is just precious and lovely, and depicts the poor but loving father figure so well. And Duo is absolutely hilarious and adorable at the same time.

The story development. I enjoyed the journey Wu Bi and Su Yu were on, watching them go from enemies to...'brotherly love'.

Wu Bi's fight scenes. I thought this was cool! It was like some proper action scene fighting. Okay, maybe it's not totally believable that this lovely twink can beat the crap out of hardened thugs and bodyguards but I was TOTALLY here for it anyway.

Production. All of the production seemed really top class.

So we know that BL has censorship issues in China but what I liked is that a more intimate relationship was suggested the whole way through but in subtle ways. It's hard to read some of it in any way but a romantic relationship between two guys. They just didn't explicitly show it. I was actually expecting them to really push that they were 'just brothers' and I feel that actually it was really suggested that they were NOT 'just brothers'. That tube in the bed wasn't lip balm and we all know it.

All the food. God it all looked so good.

Cons:
Though I had no real issue with his acting, I did find Wu Bi's cousin character tiresome and who could take his villany seriously with that hilarious ponytail thing he had going on. I know he's meant to be a bad guy and you're not meant to like him but I found him more annoying than villainous. The girl going after Su Yu had a more interesting 'bad guy' concept than he did. She was a SNAKE.

The music. While at the start, I found the songs endearing, after hearing them at least once in nearly every episode I found them a bit grating.

The ending seemed a bit sudden though I understand there's a season 2 so I'm guessing we know what happened in that last episode but if I hadn't gone looking, I wouldn't have known. I'm not a huge fan of open-ended things. I like closure and very clear outcomes.

Citeste mai mult

Really engaging plot!

I only watched this because I kept seeing it trending on Twitter and I figured since it was being talked about maybe i should give it a go.

I'm so glad I did.

This one managed to have really adorably cute bits, one really charismatic lead, and one adorable lead and a handful of really likable support characters. But despite being 'cute' the story is incredibly engaging and mysterious even. Not to mention at times even creepy.

As with the case for many Korean BLs, displays of physical affection are very tame so if you're hoping for a lot of that, this ain't it. But that being said, the chemistry between the two leads is enough and the story itself is so good that it's worth a watch even if you're not into BL.

Best bits:
The game layouts when there were missions and side quests and proximity notices popping up. Really made it feel like you were watching a gameplay. And the system errors by the end were creeping me out.

When the mission changes from 'Please Make Cha Yeowoon happy' to 'Please Make Tae Myungha happy', I'm not gonna lie, I did tear up. Especially when you saw how unhappy he was.

Other:
There were a few times where I was slightly confused as to what was going on but only momentarily and I think that fits with the idea that the 'game' is experiencing..difficulties.

Citeste mai mult

Simple, Cute, and lots of Food.

This is a sweet, cute story. Nothing too complex or heavy. There's lots of food in it which was a draw for me.

I would say what MAKES this drama is the acting of Minoru's father and of Tane. Especially Tane. I have seen many full grown adult actors who don't have the same acting chops as the boy who plays Tane. He was sweet and cute and every scene he's in was fully believable that he was Tane. In particular when he accuses Minoru of making Yutaka cry and later when he's comforting Yutaka. He doesn't act in the same way most child-actors act which always feels like they're struggling to portray or understand what playing a role in a series is. Not this kiddo! He's superb.

I felt like it could have had a bit more complexity to its plot but generally speaking it's a nice story if a bit simplistic. I've rated the acting 10/10 for Tane's actor alone. Not that the rest were bad but he really was exceptional given how young he is.

Citeste mai mult

Adorable, Likeable, Funny Cast

When i first read about this series I wasn't sold on the idea but after watching the first episode I immediately was smitten by Ye Chan. Yul is also a good character, so I don't want to sell him or his actor short but Ye Chan is absolutely adorable. He's like a golden retriever. If you love your himbos, then he is king of himbos and it's hard not to find him so sweet and endearing.

Apart from the really likable leads, I also really enjoyed Ye Chan's mother and the random white guy farmer. They're all funny, pleasant characters that make this a really easy, enjoyable, lighthearted series to watch.

I really enjoyed the rural setting of this series as well. Perhaps I'm partial to farmland (I grew up in a farming town) but the agricultural setting of this series really was a lovely change to many of the K BL I've watched which mostly take place in Seoul (or other urban settings). The use of sunlight through windows in a lot of the scenes really gave a tranquil, countryside feel to a lot of the scenes, in particular in Yul's house.

The only negative thing I found was that I felt the ending came quite suddenly and I might've liked a couple more episodes of Ye Chan being adorably doting.

I can see how they could do a season 2 easily for this as far as the storyline goes but if it doesn't have another season, it still had a satisfying conclusion.

Citeste mai mult

Great show but watch for the Fox brothers more than the romance.

First of all, I really enjoy series with this sort of theme. I love folklore and supernaturall stuff and add in a little religion flavouring. I just find those themes really interesting so I sort of knew after finding out what this was about that I would enjoy it. Had fun fighting scenes, some actual scary bits (those ghost kids man), fun characters (I love that the gateway to the afterlife is just looked after by some middle-aged couple).

Pros:
The Foxes: All of the foxes are the reason to watch this show. That might seem like an obvious statement given the name of the show but honestly, if there were no human main characters and just immortal beings trying to save the world, I think it still could have worked. Perhaps even worked better.
The Other Immortals: I loved Granny. I loved her husband. I loved all the other immortals that Lee Yeon encounters. Even the baddies.
The Theme: A world where immortal/supernatural beings live among humans. Always fun.
THE FOX BROTHERS: I will be talking about this later.

Cons:
The Main Love Story: Felt forced. I LIKED Ji ah. I found her interesting and a fun character but I felt like the chemistry between her and Lee Yeon was just off. I don't think it's the actors, I just think they're written in a way that seems to have less depth and impact than the other bonds we see in the show.
Those Sneakers!: I liked most of the stuff about this show but those sneakers. No. Just no.
Ji Ah's Parents Story: I get why it's in the story, kind of but I think it feels a little bit...oddly placed within the story and her parents just kinda being chill about having been missing for so long seems odd to me.
The Food: I'm only kind of kidding. I was constantly hungry watching this series. Had to make tteokbokki a couple times.

But let us return to the Fox Brothers. At the end, Lee Rang makes the joke that the piece Ji Ah's making should be called the Tale of the Nine-Tailed Brothers. Thing is? It should be. The main romantic story in this series is fine but the real EMOTIONAL story is the story between Lee Rang and Lee Yeon. I get that a romance based series is going to appeal to people more easily than a show just about the emotional heartache, betrayal and eventual love and sacrifice between two brothers but honestly, I wish the whole thing was just about their brotherly love and the foxes and immortals around them that they care for. Although I tried really hard to be invested in the romantic story between Lee Yeon and Nam Ji Ah, I just didn't feel it. However the brothers interaction was always good. When they were fighting and enemies, when you learn about Lee Rang's tragic issues surrounding his brother, I got CHILLS when the brothers first worked together and I was BAWLING at the end with the video messages. The series is worth watching just for their story alone.

All in all, this is a great series with some really fun themes (folklore, supernatural beings etc) and a really heartwrenching and beautiful story about two brothers.

Also there is a romance that happens in it.

Citeste mai mult

Surprise gem!

This series was exceptionally good and I'm surprised it's not more talked about though I think it may be because this show seems more like a drama that features a gay couple rather than a BL drama. The main pull to this show is its story. The fact that the main couple in it is two men is secondary to its captivating plot. I remember going back to check to see if it was BL after the first episode (it doesn't jump right in with it guys, but trust me, it's worth it to watch the whole thing).

I would say that this show stands out in that it would appeal to people who are not interested in BL dramas. The story is just that good. Jinta, in particular, is a fascinating character and the actor portraying him does an exceptional job. To me, this genre is more drama/mystery/supernatural than BL.

The only negative thing about it is that I feel the end was a bit sudden and rushed but satisfying overall.

Citeste mai mult

As others have said, this series is oddly addicting. It has a lot of the overused plots within BL which is why it's surprising to me how much I really genuinely enjoyed it. The characters are well acted and all of them are fun to watch (I mention this because in some BL, there will be characters..not always antagonistic ones, that I just don't like watching because they annoy me). Apart from the leads guys, I particularly liked the girls in this one, especially Yu na as she seems tough and no nonsense (except when drunk) but witty and sarcastic and I enjoy every scene she's in.

I felt like Sang Woo was heavily coded to be on the autistic spectrum and I thought it was pretty well done. I especially found the fact that Sang Woo asks him to not touch him without warning him ahead of time and the fact that Jae Young does this with no problem or questions from then on especially sweet. This is particularly poignant in that even when the scene isn't overly tense he does this (when Jae Young is pulling him by his bookbag strap rather than his hand).

The production of this is very good; what I've come to expect from Korean BL. The music was great (Romantic Devil is on my spotify now because I couldn't get it out of my head). And while the story is one used often (enemies to lovers in a school setting), it was told in a more fun way.

I have just rewatched this in the last few days and found it just as easy to watch again as the first time. Highly recommend.

Citeste mai mult

Looking for a happy, cheerful time? Don't watch this then.

But actually DO watch this because it's really good and worth the suffering.

I don't rate things 10 very often but this immediately drew me in. I like a good time travel story anyway but this one was particularly well written and well acted. I would say that the BL in this is kind of ...on the side, if that makes sense. While the relationship between Jae Woo and Ji Hoon does make the ending that much more painful, this could have easily been written with the two leads being best friends so if you're looking for some heavy sexual tension and steamy stuff, it's not really here. That being said, the story is great and the actors are top notch in their portrayals. The slightly sidelined romantic side of the story does not in any way detract from the overall story.

Here there be more indepth spoilers




As I said in the headline, this is not a fun, good-time, happy story. I suppose there may be some bittersweetness about it but it's heartwrenching in the best (and therefore worst) possible way. Though I am complaining about it being very sad, the fact that there isn't a particularly happy ending is what makes this story. There is hope. And the bittersweetness comes in the form of realising Ji Hoon and Jae Woo will meet over and over and over again but for me that's also incredibly sad. Little Jae Woo will always suffer from the PTSD of what he went through. Ji Hoon's path is set, and while part of you really wants for them to break out of this cycle, I think that would somehow cheapen the story.

The other supporting cast members are great in their roles. Little Jae Woo is adorable. Hyung Jin is charming and funny without being over-the-top goofy sidekick-ish. And the Boss lady in charge of the ...study dorm hall thing gives off just enough otherwordliness to make you question whether she's perhaps god and will step in to rectify stuff (she doesn't. And for the story to flow as it does, shouldn't).

Apart from all the heartwrenching (I'm not crying, YOU'RE crying), the music is really good. Often times I find music in BLs distracting or annoying or just...don't notice it but this one has a good theme and incidental music.

Citeste mai mult

Cute for the most part

I've enjoyed this show quite a bit. The slow burn was nice. I like that they really addressed the actual issues of an employee dating a boss. They seemed to have set it up that there could be a second series and I'd certainly love to see the actors in their roles again, especially Jeng and Chot, not to mention giving us a bit more of Jen and Jaab closure.

Best parts:
The Pacing Up to Episode 11: I liked that it was slow and when we finally were given that kiss we wanted to see, it was great.

The Character of Jeng: Not gonna lie, I think Jeng is an ideal boss and I kind of think Pat was being immature about his 'control freak' nature. The guy was just making sure his team didn't fail because if it did, people would be out of a job. That's the sort of manager you want. I also love that we've got the older, bigger, more dominant guy being vulnerable and really just a big softie. He's sweet and he's awkward at times. Man's portrayal of the contrast of a guy who needs to be in control of everything and his complete simping over Pat is fun to watch. Also, every time Jeng puts his hands in his pockets I nearly got a nosebleed.

Jaab and Jen's stuff: Listen, Pat and Jeng had some steamy kisses but that kiss between Jaab and Jen might be the best kiss I've seen in BL. With how good it was, I was really expecting a follow up with their characters. Jaab is an interesting character and I found myself wanting to see more of him.

Chot: He's cute, he's funny, he's endearing.

Worst Parts:
Pat: Mr "I dislike that my boyfriend has backup plans to ensure a project I'm working on doesn't fail and my department isn't shut down and people lose their jobs.". Maybe I'm just looking at it from a grown-ups point of view but I'd be glad for my manager to have contingency plans in case what I was doing failed. When Pat wasn't angsting over his boyfriend making sure people didn't lose their jobs, he was fine but I couldn't get over the idea that he'd be so angry that a manager wasn't putting all his eggs in one basket that was held by the new guy who's inexperienced. Yes he fancies you Pat, but that doesn't mean he should blindly let you do anything in the workplace.

Pat's Parents Scenes: They seemed unnecessary and I mostly skipped through them. I get that they're there to provide sage advice but I'd have rather that advice come from Ae, Chot, Nan, Ying..or anyone else, really.

The Pacing at the End: I feel like even if they DO give us a second season, this first season needed at least another 2 episodes. The last episode felt way too rushed given how long they spread out the first 10 episodes. It was abrupt in its pace change.

Citeste mai mult