Plot...Rinse...Repeat

In this series you will see a heartbroken guy have a one night involving bondage with a stranger who is a mafia boss and later finds himself to be a target of the stranger's affection. The same old, good guy falls for a bad man. There is stalking, forceful home imprisonment, constant surveillance and much more presented as something endearing. But what do you know! It works and he falls in love with the mafia boss. It appears like the producers thought of making a BL version of 50 shades of grey and after the first few minutes of Episode 1 just gave up on that the whole BDSM idea.
Although the plot has nothing new to share, but the performances by the leads could have elevated the show. Sadly, no such luck. Kim, who plays the morally good guy just looks confused during the whole series and Kamol who plays the mafia boss wanted to go for a stoic performance but looks bored throughout. The supporting characters did a much better job at holding my attention with their performances. But the one character that takes the cake is Danil. As soon as he enters a scene he steals the show with his over the top acting and I was all the more happy for it.
I am always interested in a storyline where the 2 main leads don't immediately fall in love and it shows a gradual progress in the development of feelings. This series eats up 8 episodes before Kim even starts reciprocrating the feelings. Until then it just moves from one plot point to another. Kim complains about being stuck in the house under constant supervision. Kamol convinces him that its safer for him to stay indoors. Kim then escapes his imprisonment only to be captured by the antagonist and has to be rescued and then rinse and repeat.
There are plots here that don't help in furthering the story. The story of Itt and Day was a waste and they could have been completely removed after Ep. 1 and nothing would be lost. They tease a romantic relationship between Baiboon and Khom but there is no definitive answer. And the one scene with the bodyguards that I will not state in detail, just comes out of nowhere and had me wondering "Why" and "huh".
The story was stale, performaces not upto the mark and plot repeating itself but I still enjoyed the series for the sheer ridiculousness of it all. Though I would have been happier to see a little less of the blatant product placements in each episode. All in all an interesting watch which can be repeated when you have nothing else to go for.

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An apt end to a great series

This is a 70 min episode to tie-in the story of the main leads. This is all about misunderstandings and reconciliations.
Rain witnesses Payu talking to a girl and misunderstands the situation and Sky is bothered by one of Prapai's ex. This enrages both of them and since talking it out with your significant other is never an option in these series, they decide to go on a vacation together leaving their boyfriends behind. After much of searching (well... not that much) they find the whereabouts of Rain and Sky. Although they catch up to Rain and Sky, they realise that their boyfriends are still angry. Rain and Sky design a punishment as a form of reconciliation and finally all is forgiven at the end. Later on confessions are made and vows are shared and finally all is well between them.
The story was simple and quite endearing with some really feel-good moments between the 2 couples. A nice ending to the series which is worth a multiple watch.
I feel there is certainly enough material to make a separate series detailing the life of Sky and Prapai since their individual pasts have just been mentioned in passing and a lot can still be brought to screen. The actors playing the characters are great and have a wonderful chemistry.

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Good story with disappointment as it could have great

The story revolves around 2 guys at school that meet, fall in love, suffer minor hiccups in their relationship and stay together at the end. Takara (Sato Arata) is the silent type that really cares about his significant other and is out there to help and protect him. Amagi (Oriyama Nao) is the cute, energetic kind that has his small circle of friends and enjoys every moment. He also is in love with Takara and is not not shy about voicing his true feelings although is shy in certain other matters.
Both the male leads share a great chemistry onscreen however that develops gradually and its not rather evident in the first couple of episodes. Special mention should go to supporting cast of Katori (Suzuki Kosuke) who plays the ever-helpful friend of Amagi and Tanaka (Komiya Rio) who plays the oblivious but caring friend of Takara. Katori especially plays an important role in helping the 2 leads to reconcile their issues.

Now its time to discuss the things that I didn't enjoy and the list might be long. Warning: Spoilers ahead
Ep. 1 begins with a conversation between a sorrowful Takara and a crying Amagi wherein it appears that there might have been an event due to which they are no longer in a relationship or on the verge of breaking up. This hooked me immediately as now I am intrigued to know what caused this . The scene moves to the past where we are introduced to these 2 characters and how they decide to start "dating". Now I assumed I will be taken through a journey detailing their days together and how their relationship develops further but to my utter surprise ,in a rush the issue from the beginning is revelead to just be a simple misunderstanding and they get back together. So all that crying and weeping for nothing. That could have easily been resolved by having a conversation.
And this is where the series lacks behind many other BL series with similar themes and storylines. These 2 ML do not seem to have a natural conversation. They just happen to meet daily at school, they greet each other and go into mundane topics that dont further the narrative but is just a filler to move to the next scene. Every episode is - Amagi has a simple conversation with his friends about something random, Takara and his friends talk about something generic. Amagi and Takara look at each other. Then they meet and have another conversation about something random.
So what pushes the narrative ahead if its not the dialogue between the 2 ML? Its voice-over narrations. Takara will look at Amagi and will go into a long winded voice-over narration about how he feels about Amagi or Amagi will look at Takara will have his own voice-over narration talking about the past. This is how the series progresses from one plot to the other. Its not a smart dialogue but these 2 reminiscing about something from their past.
In one of the episodes they show Amagi's past when he was a kid, ignored by his parents and that revelation and his understanding that he is always ignored and abondoned by people could have been used as a plot showing his constant need for validation from Takara about their relationship. They teased that possibility by showing Amagi speaking to Tanaka that he is the only one who is in love but nothing came out of it at the end.
On one hand we get to know about Amagi's childhood, but on the other hand we get no information about Takara. Many such opportunities of improving the story was available but it was not grabbed.I understand that this series is adapted from a manga and I have not read it so not sure if anything like this was mentioned in there. Purely judging the story presented in this series, I can state that it could have been done differently with a lot of new concepts introduced but sadly we didn't get that.
I would recommend it as a 1 time watch and should be seen especially for the supporting cast.

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Workplace Romance: A Cosmetic Tale

This series is a refreshing addition to the BL genre, offering a mature and nuanced portrayal of adult relationships. It stands out for its focus on workplace dynamics and the importance of open communication.

The series follows the lives of two male beauty advisors, Natsume and Toma, who work together at a cosmetics company. Natsume, a dedicated and passionate employee, finds himself mentoring the more laid-back Toma. As they navigate their professional and personal lives, they both develop feelings for each other, leading to a series of misunderstandings and challenges.

What seriously surprised me was the captivating performance by Okuno So, capturing the character's shy and gentle demeanor with remarkable nuance. His portrayal of Natsume's internal struggles and emotional growth is particularly impressive, making him a standout in the series

The series wasn’t without its flaws. There were a lot of drawn out internal monologing by Natsume describing the scene and his feelings. Would have rather loved to see it being played out rather than feeding it to us. A lot of characters are introduced out of nowhere and leave soon enough, case in point the introduction of Kakizaki Keigo.

In conclusion, this series is a breath of fresh air and away from school rom-coms. With superior acting and a great plot, it never fails to hold your attention.

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A Familiar Yet Engaging Tale

While the series boasts strong performances, its familiar plot and drawn-out melodrama hinder its potential. The series follows the well-trodden path of a blossoming romance between co-stars, with Shirasaki's character development taking center stage. Taisuke delivers a commendable performance as the overwhelmed actor, effectively conveying Shirasaki's internal struggles. However, the series leans heavily on misunderstandings and jealousy, stretching the narrative beyond its natural conclusion.

The comparison to 'Drama no Shuen ni Narimashita: Crank Up Hen' is apt, as both series explore the dynamics of on-screen and off-screen relationships. While the former embraced a lighter tone, '25 Ji, Akasaka De' opts for a more serious approach. The actors' chemistry is undeniable, but the script fails to capitalize on their potential. While the plot adheres to well-established BL tropes, the series shines in its portrayal of the characters' emotional journeys. Shirasaki's internal struggles and Hayama's supportive role create a relatable dynamic. The actors deliver commendable performances, bringing depth to their characters. However, the series suffers from pacing issues. The constant misunderstandings and separations become predictable, hindering the overall narrative flow.

In conclusion, this series is worth binge watching thanks to the splendid work of the actors but it falls short of delivering a truly memorable experience

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Bitter Sweet

The story starts rather promisingly where to oust a stubborn head chef, the owner of a restaurant hires an unknown but talented chef and at the end of the year one of them will lose their job. What starts as a rivalry slowly turns to love as they work with each other and get to know one another.

Here is where there is some food for thought. Although we get episodes after episodes of the 2 leads frolicking around the beach, amusement park and fish market, we see them getting to know each other slowly. But then we realise the 2nd chef (Choi Jung Woo) is not what he claims to be and we never get to see the real him. Is he a culinary genius that can replicate any dish that he eats or is he just a fraud? I was left scratching my head about it and I am not one to speculate what that would be. Don't make me define the character without giving me even a hint of who is truly is.

The actor playing Choi Jung Woo did a great job playing a goofy, cocky yet talented chef but I cant say the same about the actor playing Yoon Do Gun. I ain't saying he is a bad actor but somewhere he wasn't interested anymore. He seemed to have much more character during the outtakes.

Although the story was strong, the execution left something to be desired. The fault can't be placed on the fact that its a mini series. I feel a lot of scenes about them just looking at each other with no dialogue could have been cut and that time utilized in showing a bit of their back story to make the characters well rounded.

Give it a try if this story is something that you feel you are interested it. Since its a miniseries, you hardly lose a lot of time. Its a score of 8 for story as I feel there was potential but 7.5 for the series overall

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