The Story Has Its Flaws But Ohm and Nanon Carries The Show Effortlessly

I’ve been reading some of the other reviews to ascertain where I stand in terms of Bad Buddy as a whole. And after all that back and forth – reading both the negative and positive reviews, I can objectively say, with definitiveness, that Bad Buddy is the BEST BL that GMMTV has produced so far. Relative to other BLs produced by other studios, Bad Buddy easily soars up high in the list. Now, this isn’t to say that Bad Buddy is perfect, if anything, it tries to be (and it almost comes close) but is held back by a few faults of its own, but not for lack of trying.

MUSIC
I don’t think I need to say a lot in this aspect. We had three original soundtracks created specifically for this series, and that alone is enough to tell you that the music is on point (as it should be for music created for this specific show). One genius move they made was to hold back the lyrics of the opening melody until the very last episodes. This was a pleasant surprise for the fans as the song had been hiding under their noses!

ACTING/CAST
If I were to specify the one thing that carried the whole show from start to finish, it would be Ohm and Nanon, and I’m not saying this lightly. Both Ohm and Nanon have received praise for their acting chops in their previous work. And so it is no surprise that a combination of them is deadly. With their experience and being friends in real life, their chemistry could only have been absolutely and effortlessly phenomenal, and it is. They have delivered what is arguably the best kiss in a BL, and more! As for the other casts, aside from the older actors and Love, it's just that their characters and the story did not lend them enough screen time to flesh out any outstanding performance, but that isn’t to say they’re bad.

Ohm and Nanon’s chemistry is unquestionably the best asset of this show, but you would be pleasantly surprised about Ink and Pa’s chemistry as well. Although they only have a very limited amount of time, it wouldn't be easy to miss and feel that spark between the characters. And of course, we got a tease of WaiKorn, but I never expected that ship to sail anyway. Overall, aside from Ohm and Nanon, the acting and cast were ok and are nothing to worry about.

STORYLINE
The story is nothing new. And where Bad Buddy stumbles (sometimes slightly, sometimes on its face) is in its story. The first few episodes were the weakest (no surprises there) with the seemingly incessant and objectively childish quarrels between the two gangs. The story tries to subtly redeem these characters through dialogues that try to correct for what we would consider toxic traits and mindsets in today’s world. Ultimately, we see the culmination of this Act as a way to bring the two lead characters closer together.

In the latter parts of the story, we are introduced to the conflict arising from the two characters hiding their relationship from their friends. Wai’s redemption arc is another matter that sparks debates even among avid lovers of the series. In my opinion, the resolution to this conflict was ok yet unsatisfactory, it leaves me on the fence.

The main thing that keeps on coming back, the biggest outlier is the seeming resolution of the conflict with the parents plus (*gasps*) another time jump. This is also not surprising given the fact that our expectations have been set from the beginning that this familial feud is the root cause of their rivalry in the first place. For some, time jumps are lazy and most of the time jarring.

I have some misgivings about the time jumps if I'm being honest to myself... But if it serves to move the story forward, then so be it... But I need some morsels and crumbs, please? My only wish is that we’d been given more time to see the parents’ relationship progress. Alas, I also understand that it may have been too wieldy (story-wise) trying to fit all these sub-plot points into what is already a dwindling number of episodes. And even now as I write this review, I'm conflicted about how I feel about it. Leaving this to the viewers' interpretations maybe is its biggest shortcoming.

Stumble it may, Bad Buddy redeems and picks itself up and brings itself up to new BL heights through the subversion and callouts of some of the most common tropes and stereotypes in BL (and did I mention the insane acting performance and chemistry of Ohm and Nanon, yes).

It rightly calls out and corrects the errant ways of previous GMMTV BLs when Pa explicitly takes a jab like “I’m straight but Pran is the only guy I like.” Its side female characters diverge from the usual and tired trope of a crazy ex-girlfriend or a secret admirer; the show instead turns this on its head by creating them to be wholesome supporters and reliable catalysts for the lead characters’ relationship. It also pokes fun at the seme/uke/top/bottom/wife/husband expectations in a queer relationship which is inherent in a heteronormative society – “Does calling me a wife make you feel superior?” Its GL side couple is given space to breathe and grow and not serve as fillers.

Moreover, and this is VERY important, there is no homophobia in this show. What this does is it normalizes queer relationships as if there’s absolutely nothing wrong with them, which there isn’t (not debatable)!

I know that I’m missing many more points that I could add to tell you that this show is worth your time. But to summarize, Bad Buddy’s flaws and imperfections are totally outweighed by all the positives about the show, chief among them Ohm and Nanon’s performance. There may be times when you may feel slightly disheartened by the turn of events but Ohm and Nanon are sure to compel you to stick to the ride for the rest of the way.

OVERALL, Bad Buddy is a show that puts a spin on the old Romeo and Juliet story, doing it well enough and in a queer context at that. It gives you enough and may leave you wanting more. IT'S A DEFINITE MUST-SEE!

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It Had So Much Potential But Fell Short

I did not intend to write a review but it just saddened and frustrated me that this show had so much potential yet it ultimately failed to deliver where it matters most, which is its story. There were a lot more bones and not a lot of meat to go on.

The story leaves a lot to be desired. It could have used some of its more slow-paced scenes to show more, depicting progression between the characters' relationships with each other or perhaps some development for some of the other characters. It's a slow-burn alright, but sometimes it just felt a little bit too slow I had to speed it up.

The finale definitely is the most flawed of them all. It felt like they dumped it on that episode all at once. Whatever needed tying, boom, it's there. We jumped into a time machine and fast-forwarded to the 2nd couple and the third emerging one. Suddenly there's a lot of exposition going on. Like, what???

There was little to go on with insofar as the 2nd couple's progress, relative to the previous episodes, not until this final episode which felt a little jarring to me. It felt like they were relegated to the sidelines much more than they should have.

Re: Aue's ex, I'm not sure scenes involving her fit squarely within this episode (Ep11) or were necessary or relevant anymore. Overall, the antagonists felt half-baked/not fully developed.

IMO, overall, they were able to deliver but I can't help but think that the show did not get to its full potential, it was very barely, barely enough, and might not be enough at all for some.

The chemistry is there, and the supporting characters ok. The cinematography is great (its sole saving grace) and the music is good but it felt that the writing is not quite at the same level. Really, I'm just going to say it again, it had so much potential but it ended up ruined somewhat.

This show has some critical flaws but did I enjoy watching it somehow? Yeah, you could say (but I can't tell for the others). Would I recommend this to friends, yeah maybe, but I'd include a very big, heavy disclaimer certainly.

TLDR: Story is stretched too thin and could be too slow for your own liking. If you like slow burns, you can maybe give this a try, or else go look for something else to watch.

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A Guilty Pleasure

First, let me tell you right off the bat, if you are here to enjoy the bickering and banter between the two leads, maybe you can give this show a try but if you are the type who can't stand questionable plot points and downright toxic tropes, turn away and never come back. Some people regard this as terrible, and rightly so.

✅ Clingy ex-girlfriends
✅ Non-consensual sexual advances/dubcon
✅ Moments that don't make sense and make you go "WTF?!"
✅ Mediocre acting for some scenes
✅ Prank in the form of some physical assault

There are so many moments in this show where, as a critical viewer, you'd be 100% totally turned off and decide to drop it. I wouldn't blame you. Now, I sat through all the episodes and found some moments of redemption, albeit that's all they are, moments. These moments all combined are not even close to outweighing all the problems this show has. But to the lead actors' credit, they are able to somehow carry the show even if at the barest minimum.

The story had potential but was never realized, maybe only very remotely. Alas, the writing was questionable at best and stopped down to toxic levels at worst. Things were starting to get interesting towards the end. If only the show was not stymied by Chinese censorship, we might have seen a proper end to the story even if at this stage, we're left with only barely anything of substance (other than the two main characters' romance).

Even with the unquestionably dubious storyline and toxic tropes, I managed to enjoy some portions of it thanks to Johnny and Timmy's 'chemistry', even when it isn't apparent most of the time.

Again, I say that I'm putting this show in my "guilty pleasure" collections of shows I've watched. Most will objectively and subjectively not like this, and for good and very valid reasons, but I liked it enough to even give a few minutes of my time to write this review. It's stupid fun.

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16 Episodes Are Not Enough To Tell A Story That Will Satisfy You Fully

Extraordinary Attorney Woo is a light-hearted, legal then semi-romantic drama that is able to go through its emotional (and legal) beats well enough to be very easily likable.

I understand that the story mainly is about Attorney Woo and how she deals with being a working adult with autism, I can't help but feel that there's something lacking in the romance department. With 16 episodes, I was yearning for some more screen time for Jun Ho's character to be developed and not just be relegated as the "really nice guy." The romantic parts of the story were all well and good but sometimes, it felt that he was just that, the really nice guy and barely Attorney Woo's love interest. Aside from displaying the traits of a guy that gives off the green flag vibe, I just really couldn't help but feel that he's underdeveloped even when I really liked him and their dynamics a lot.

The same goes for Min Woo, the tactician. I felt that him being this semi-antagonist wasn't really given much weight and was only there to add tension. His actions barely had any consequences, it's as if when he was being written, the writers were pulling their punches. Maybe because they had his and Soo Yeon's pairing in mind, which if I think back to it, for me was too little too late.

At this point, I know I'm nitpicking, but regardless of whether this show would have a second season (it's confirmed), I'd have liked for the characters to have had more room for growth than what they did. But don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed this show a lot and it had me in tears a few times. JH's genuine love and care for YW , his "I like you. I like you so much that it feels like… I'm sick inside." were all enough to melt me into a puddle of warmth and tears, their relationship was so good, and I'm being objective. It also deftly and gracefully handles the nuances of the stigma that people with autism face without becoming preachy but instead carefully weaving the point cohesively to the theme of the profession.

TLDR:
Although they stumble sometimes, I still think that the writers did well enough to balance the legal and romantic aspects of the show somehow, which is no easy fear. My wanting more character development did not make me love the show less, if anything, it made my desire for a season 2 with more backstory even stronger!

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The Story Definitely Had Potential

The story definitely had potential if it weren't for the fact that, like most of the criticisms leveled against it, the story ran too fast to my own liking. There were a lot of things that audiences seem to be required to fill in the gaps with their own interpretation and imagination. And that is its biggest flaw. If we had more character depth and the story was given more time, this definitely would have worked better.

Now, even after that, I can't say that I didn't like it, quite the opposite. On a lazy day or when you're stuck somewhere with nothing to do, you could fire this up to have something quick to watch. It maybe too fast, and there may be gaps but the story is straightforward and the chemistry works OK, I guess.

TLDR: Its pacing is too fast, but if you're willing to look past that, and love a kind of lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers again story, you just might like it even if just a little bit.

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One Of The Best BL Stories I've Seen

I thought at first I wouldn't be satisfied with the show with just how short the story is but I was sorely mistaken. This has brought me a lot of feels that even 12 episodes of some series couldn't.

The story even managed to bring in some of the social issues gay relationships face today and how it intersects with family dynamics while also bringing up the fact that people are steadily breaking away from this norm. There are a few things that we could nitpick for sure, but for a show as short as it is, they have done a very good job in delivering solid emotions in a short amount of time.

This, truly, is a beautiful masterpiece! I LOVED IT!

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When I started watching this, I didn't know that it'd be a favorite, but it is now.

I started watching this exactly 6 months ago. It was one of those shows I would watch in between waiting for the episodes of currently airing shows, but then I found myself wanting to binge it in the last couple of episodes.

For a show made in 2019, 3 Will Be Free, I have a feeling that it was a breath of fresh air during its time when BLs (esp. GMMTV BLs) were still trying to actually hone in on an inclusive message without falling into the trap of harmful stereotypes. The characters' progression in their relationships does not feel forced or done just for the sake of progressing the relationship. Moments were not added just for the sake that characters dive into fluff or romance. The push and pull and give and take is there. Of course, this show is far from perfect. There are plot points that are glossed over or were never given an exposition, but those didn't take away from the absolutely enthralling dynamics of the trio. Their relationship blossomed beautifully to the end.

And even though we were served by a seemingly late last act/conflict, those still managed to show how deeply the trio feels for each other and not only to tie a loose end. And at the end, it reminds us of what we've always known, love is love, no matter what (or in this case how many).

Even considering all its flaws and rough edges, I could definitely say it's a gem. When I started watching this, I didn't know that it'd be a favorite, but it is now. Great watch!

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I Love It So Much, I Couldn't Help Myself That I Hate It Even If I Don't Want To

I never intended to write a review about this show but after seeing all the episodes, I just had to get this off my chest.

Overall, I liked how they built it up, little by little establishing the relationship between the characters and especially between YS and XH. I love how their story progressed and along the way it got me convinced to invest emotionally in the characters. Tbh, I think Wayne carried much of the weight of the show, he was just SOOO good!

Although there were tropes that are frankly overused (hello, "I don't like guys but I like you only"), they can be forgiven and brushed aside. I love how they have this dynamic of the parents' views intersecting with same-sex relationships. I love how there is an explicit scene of the main character's friends actively trying to understand and accept this new type of relationship in their minds. I love how our main characters' love develops. It didn't feel rushed and questionable to me. Towards the end, I removed all my armor and embraced and LOVE the characters. And I was mistaken to have done so.

Towards the latter part of the story, a growing uneasiness kept on bugging me. Apart from parent x child problems, we have not seen any conflict with major stakes. In the last few episodes, I kept on hoping for something sensible to come up and test the love of YS and XH. I was afraid that this much joy must have a high price attached to it. And then THAT plot twist came, I was horrified among many other things.

I mean, not all stories can and do have happy endings, but in this case, I must say that our characters deserved so much more than the ending that they were given. True, I shed tears and was an emotional wreck in the last episode, but I think it has more to do with how this ending did not give the characters justice even if it was to end tragically. The use of a doppelganger at the end felt absolutely contrived, arbitrary, confusing, and unnecessary to me. I kept on waiting for a backstory for the doppelganger only to be left disappointed when one of the characters confirmed YS' death. I thought a slightly acceptable closure was that YS' character had amnesia, but alas, dismay followed.

I cried tears for XH, I felt his pain. I LOVE the story but that ending butchered my love for it. They had been building us up only to leave us utterly hanging and dry towards the end. I can't stress this enough, the story is great but YS and XH deserved so, so much more than what they were given. It wasn't a satisfying ending at all. It was almost perfect, they just didn't tie the knots well enough, if at all. I was left with bitter sadness, questions, and exasperation. If I were to rewatch this, I'd skip the ending, I know. I loved it so much, then frustratingly, I couldn't help myself that I hated it even if I didn't want to. Regardless, this is still going to be one of my favorites for sure.

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I May Have Cried More Than I Care To Admit

Gaya sa Pelikula is a must-watch!

The soundtrack is on-point and is meticulously picked to fit the story. It bravely tackles issues that not many series in this genre does not do as well, sometimes to a fault (to the point of being too preachy, but the author has repeatedly acknowledged that this is deliberate, so with that said, this might come off as such to some). No moment is wasted and all the puzzle pieces fall into place to deliver an extremely solid story.

Backed by supporting characters that are not sidelined and have their back-story, an agenda, and a message to the masses, Gaya Sa Pelikula expertly weaves the overarching message about the biases of society against gay individuals (and how this is so ingrained even to queer individuals themselves) with the budding romance between queer individuals.

Honestly, Gaya Sa Pelikula ruined BL for me, somewhat. I have watched other BLs before and I have been forgiving of the cringe-y moments and the other things that don't give weight to the story or are just plain contrived. However, since diving into GSP, I now find myself looking for and failing to find more meat and substance to these otherwise just-OK stories. Gaya Sa Pelikula is that food you find incidentally but is now your benchmark for all the other ones with the same flavor. You try to go and have a taste of the ones you usually have but now you find yourself unsatisfied with what you used to have before. And now you find yourself uncomforted by the shallow waters that you start yearning for someplace deep to dive into.

It's profound what Juan Miguel Severo has created. I have not yet seen or maybe I am much too unseasoned a media consumer to not have seen any other story in this context that furthers the queer agenda while also beautifully delivering what the consumers' hearts clamor for.

The ideologies behind the advocacies that the characters are fighting for are not dispensed for the sake of the usual romantic excitement. What Gaya Sa Pelikula masterfully does is very seamlessly blend the two, forming a cohesive narrative -- one that does not only deliver a message but also provokes thought and, satisfies and invokes a myriad of emotions.

Gaya Sa Pelikula has really set the bar high on what a BL series can be and do. A perfect combination of chemistry, good talent, a story with substance, and most importantly, unwavering purpose to tell and take back our story.

In the end, it says that "the real fight is outside," reinforcing its message that it is but one part in the many parts of the fight against homophobia and the rally for gender equality. Truly, GSP is that long, tight, warm hug that queer people want from society, and their loved ones.

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