It ended. That's all folks! (eps 1-13)

Review ep 1-5:
So much anticipation. So much disappointment. I'm NOT dropping this since I keep hoping for redemption, BUT it better come.
As many, I got so hyped up by ep. 0. But the only thing left standing is the acting. Honestly, I commend the actors for portraying these people so well. They are making stupid decisions, act irrationally and the story is both boring and weird.
Some scenes make me vear up with excitement because I hope this is the moment it gets better, but alas.
The fact that the comic relief character has the best part, is shocking.
Wish me luck for the remainder!

Review ep 6-7:
We seem to be getting more story and real drama between our leads. Ep. 7 is the best one so far. The last scene is heart breaking, even though Praew is totally unlikable. Poor Nine is finally making some real choices and Daonuea is being his dramatic self. On the very edge of annoying and cute. For the first time i'm actually excited for the next ep.

Review ep. 8-9:
It keeps overpromising and underdelivering. The love scenes feel insincere at this point, they come from nowhere, there is no build-up. A few scenes later a new (or old) drama ensues and were back to the start. It could be so much better!

Review ep. 10:
Finally!! This was sooo so cute!! I loved the way they are getting shy now that they are officially together. The rings exchange made me swoon. The soft looks Nine gives Daonuea are everything. Lets keep this vibe up y'all!!

Review ep 11:
Well the dreaded 11th episode served us Drama!
Poor Daonuea. Always drawing conclusions and not checking. So much insecurity. I hope he'll be able to overcome this self doubt and trust he is worth all of nines love. Tee and Ice are having moments! There's something brewing there for sure. Candy and Boat are adorable. Although this is a BL, I want more of them. I adjusted my overall rating from 6,5 to 7,5.

Well I did it. I finished without dropping. And ended with a 7.5 rating. With the remark that 7.5 in my way of always generously rating is just about average. It could have been so much better, so much more than average!

What I liked:
- DaoNine chemistry. Especially coming from Nine. I get butterflies level 1000 when he only even glances at Daonuea.
- Scenery. Especially @The Air. I want to book my next vacation there...

What I disliked:
- Daonuea when he throws a fit over nothing. I would love to see him get help for his dramatically low self-esteem and paranoia.
- Rough story telling. Not really bad writing, it just feels like the writing was not really completed when filming started. Still needed much work.
- Too many unfinished character stories. Candy & Boat just bled out, IceTee is just getting started, who and where are all those other boys with Nine...
- unfunny comedy attempts
- horrible pacing

And... It seems like 1 or 2 scenes from the trailers did not make it into the final version. Why??

Review Ep. 13:
Surprise! We get more of IceTee (love this ship name :) ). How or why Ice comes in for an interview? Who knows. But he's here. and he's not going anywhere apparently because before we know it him and Tee are all over eachother. It says a lot that their office make out scene is much hotter than NineDao's was. But that is about the only difference. and this scene is most likely why the episode was made. Not that we are complaining, because whew! But not a lot else is worth mentioning here. But you should definitely watch it.

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Romance Drama Perfection!

Disclaimer first: I'm a huge Dylan Wang fan since MG2018, so some bias may occur.

If you're a fan of the 'OMG when will they finally end up together and get over themselves??' - genre, this is the drama for you. The sweet taste of frustration when any of the characters does not speak their mind and/or heart, letting misunderstandings rise and being unnecessarily shy or insecure. It's horrible, but I love it. Especially when these shenanigans are being portrayed so perfectly as here. ALL 3 (or 4, if you count the boss lady and the uncle) have this trick down hard.
It's a drama like a one of those paperback romance novels. Including the hothothot kisses. I will for sure put this one high up on my re-watch list!!

This is the 3rd drama I've seen with Bai Lu and Dylan Wang as leads and I must say they are indeed a match made in heaven. Their chemistry is electric and they are so natural together. Bai Lu has great chemistry with more actors, but this pairing is exceptional.
Dylan Wang is getting better and better, but his best performance is still the 'Tsundere', the on the surface cold and distant man, but when thawed is a big bowl of charm.
This couple is playing the attract and reject game like pro's. I have been yelling at the screen at them en almost cried in frustration. They could have been married with kids in the first 10 eps, but instead choose to listen to horrible advise and their own huge inferiority complexes. Even a monk telling them they're meant to be doesn't help.
The 2nd couple is possibly even worse! 2 people very much in love but both thinking the other likes their freedom more than them and purposely misunderstanding or running away. Aarrrgghhh. I love it. It keeps me continuously entertained and invested.

Even though there's continuous drama, it never gets boring or bland. This is mostly due to the actors, who are so good at emoting and subtext. The best scene? For me the suduction sequence, where FL tries to get ML to sleep with her, but he has no clue, until he literally gets the message.

Does this drama have Red Flags? Ohhh yess. Many. Women as well as men. All of them have their own shade of red.
Does this drama have cliche's ? Almost nothing but. But that's also why it's so comforting and appealing to me. I really miss these kind of cliche's done well. Here they're done perfectly.
Is this drama for everyone? Probably not, but who cares? Give it a try!

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Spectacular and hilarious

This drama is very funny in the Thai overthetop way. Luke Plowden is one of my fave Thai actors.
Just about halfway through the story is being dragged (no pun intended :-)) somewhat.

The appeal comes from the drag shows, the humor and chemistry of both leads and from their great delivery. The Pla/Too character is a great find. The seamless switches between Pla and Too are awesome.

The whole noona-nadia swaps annoyed me. At this point I was just hoping Prab confesses w/o knowing the truth. That would have made an interesting twist.

What was good: The colorfullness, the representation, the acting, the humor
What was bad: The bland romance, the mafia theme, bad acting from side characters.

Other things worth mentioning: Although this may be a very forward show with regards to representation and modern outlook on LGBTQ+ from a Thai standpoint, do not expect too much Western woke-ness. For example transgender, drag and transsexual are not really seen as different concepts.

That being said, the message that Love Is Love is clearly put forward and I love that.

Sooo sorry that this series is finished! I was looking forward to every episode, despite the flaws. What am I gonna do with my Wednesdays and Thursdays.

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Original take, needs a better title!

Wow. This is one of the most refreshing and engaging bl's I've seen. It's built up from multiple themes, from fluffy romance to mystical fantasy to political engagement and it manages to integrate it all into a comprehensive compelling story. It moves, thrills and excites. It could have used a better title though, as this was not what I expected from it at all. If you are looking for just fluff and romance, this one's not for you. If you like more elaborate storytelling (without the plot holes!) you should definitely give this a go. I did not like the lively furniture though, thought that a bit cringey. The ending reminded me of epic stories in opera's for example. Standing ovation here. Well done!

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Should have been a stand-alone

Honestly, I can't understand the choice to make another 2-moons with a completely new cast. I kept trying to remember who was who again and what their story should be. This should have been a stand-alone with different characters. That would have made much more sense than this mess.

The actors do try their best, but even they have trouble getting into character and it all remains a bit stiff. The chemistry between Yo and Pha is non-existent, where they were sooo hot before. Ming and.... (really can't remember atm) have no part in the story and are just filling the gaps. Thatch and Lom do have chemistry but have a weird sexual dynamic that is a bit awkward. It is watchable and I even enjoyed it, and at times the story got more interesting, but it fell dull again right after. Combined with some big editing flaws makes this not one to re-watch anytime soon.

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Perfect closing. So cute.

A perfect ending for a series that already had a great ending. The happiness radiates from the screen and its all feel good. Rain and Sky kind of fake being mad at their perfect boyfriends to get them to come to them and reverse roles on them. Exert dominance to claim them as completely theirs, at least that's how I interpreted the irrational decision to 'run away'. Especially Sky seems to want to show Pai he is confident about himself and the relationship, which is a huge deal considering where he came from. Rain is just his sulky self, because he knows Payu likes that and he low-key wants to be 'punished'. It's an episode full of fluff and nc scenes like we've seen in the series. But it's the best fluff I've ever seen with these actors who have the chemistry of a fully operational powerplant. I will keep this series including this special ep. on the top of my re-watch list. Ultimate feel good.

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It did not get better. Ep-by-ep review

Ep 1-2:
Only 2 eps in and we've had so many sex scenes these took up more screen time than dialogue.. I hope this was for the purpose of setting the scene and we'll get more story going forward.

Fah and Sher both look angry most of the time, which irks me. Also, what is it that Fah likes so much about Sher? What is different about him? I would really like to know it's more than just physical compatibility at this point.
Tle and Prince are going to get hurt.
Tap and Ping are cute.
We have a fujoshi of course
Ep. 3. Not a lot happening, we're being set up for the real drama I guess. Fahlan and Sherbet are falling for eo, but why is anybodies guess still. Fah acts like a bully and Sher is all smiles suddenly. Does not make sense! Oh, and Sher has a twin! That will be important later I bet. Tap is moping for unclear reasons. What puzzles me is the status of Prince and Sher, are they a couple or not? Tle is clearly not exclusive with Fah... Like I said, looks like it will be a glorious mess.
Ep.4 Fah is getting quite obsessed with Sher and looks for him everywhere Sher is amused, but not planning to give in to Fahs obsession. Fah is even letting Sher into his private life, something he's never done with anyone before apparently, not even Tle, who by the way he just broke up with. Coincidentally they share a class and Sher ends up sleeping in Fahs lap. It's all really cute and I'm starting to see some real affection and care. Sher is interested, or just intrigued. Fah is really falling and the whole campus is shipping them. This ep. had no sex, no kiss, but was so far the best episode.
Ep.5. This is getting very interesting. Fah and Sher are developing real feelings and neither of them knows how to deal with this. Sher wants to run while Fah is obsessing. The acting is getting much much better, the story is falling into place, things are starting to make sense. The twins thing has me very suspicious tho, and I wish the side couples would get some real action. If the next ep is this good again, I will raise the rating to 8.0.
ep 6-9, nothing much has changed. Fah is still jealous and possessive, Sher is resisting. it's a attract push off kind of game and frankly it's getting a bit boring. Now the TapPing story is getting more interesting. It seems we are heading for an emotional confession in the next ep or the one after that. Painful to see them cry over each other together while not having a clue..
Ep. 10 & 11: we are just going back and forth in the FahSher situation. Both in love, both full idiots, both crying. This needs to stop its so boring. TapPing got together. But it was rather matter of factly and lackluster. Dead butterflies. Well I came this far, may as well finish till the end, but I'm not sure this is salvable.
Ep. 12 and final thoughts. The best scene in the entire series is the 2 minutes of sweetness between Gear and Prince. In this ep. And that kind of says it all. Sher steps in some glass and is treated like he's dying. Plenty of room in the bed, fah sits on the ground beside it. And what the he'll was that play about?? In this series, everything fell short of what it could have been. Acting was shoddy, plot was repetitive and boring, side couples did not work. Interesting angles were left unexplored. Ridiculous or bizarre actions, illogical plot lines. BAD KISSING. What saved it? The music, the filming and the chemistry mostly in the side couples. Overall thought: meh.

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Formidable. Awesome. Thrilling

Judging by the high score of this drama (8.8), I knew this was probably going to be good. I did not expect this perfection.
Since the FL is Bai Lu, who is my favorite Chinese actress, her perfect acting was no surprise. What makes the acting score a 10/10 is that all other actors seem to attempt to outshine her and almost succeed! all of them are performing at the top of their ability. Amazing performances from ML Zhang LiHe, Wang XinHue (who's only 22) and Zhou JunWei (who looks a little like Xiao Zhan). Every character is well thought out and given an actual story.
I don't know how the writer(s) did it, but the story is completely solid, despite the intricate intrigue, different interests, tribes, servants, aliasses etcetera. Extremely well done without any obvious plot holes.
Despite this being a romance, it's a very slow burn. First kiss happens when you've all but given up hope it will ever happen. These two people are both flawed, broken and battered and recognize this in each other early on. But it only leads to love later and to romance even later than that. That does not mean we as viewers are left without fluttering hearts. O. No. Sir. The chemistry is fantastic. Not just the one between the leads, but also between FL and her other suitors, so we are left guessing who will "get the girl"for a long time. ML is a formidable man. Very serious, very domineering, very smart, very charismatic. He's a lot. FL is a great match for him with her feistyness and defiance and at least as smart. Also smart is the fact that in this drama, the story is leading, not the romance. We feel it's there, but it does not overpower the strength of the drama, it just adds to it..
I was unable to look away from this for 38.5 eps. long. Totally epic, best c-drama ever.

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When everything comes together this can happen

Where do I begin reviewing this 40 episode masterpiece? Ok, I will start telling you my viewer's experience. Although I have seen a few Wuxia's and other C-drama's, I had never seen any of Bai Lu or Leo Luo before. From the first second they appeared on screen I was captivated, mostly by the scenes they were both in. The chemistry is one I have rarely seen between 2 actors. Not just good, but almost otherworldly. If you know that in essence, they are both playing 3 different roles, and in all of these they hit the mark flawlessly, it is an amazing accomplishment. Bai Lu nails the fierce immortal Li Susu, the cold-ish Ye Xiwu and the innocent clam princess in the Bo're Life. Almost impossible, but Leo Luo is even better as Tantai Jin, the conflicted young man born with the evil bone but good to his core, the devil god, who wants to plunge the world back into chaos, and Tantai Jin the magnificent ruler of the united lands. Their love is as epic as Romeo and Juliet and just as fateful. By ep. 25 I could no longer watch more than 1 episode at a time as so much happens in one episode its dazzling. You get your hopes up that finally things will look up for our lovely couple and in the next minute it all comes crashing down because of a demon, a sister, a brother or a mission. I cried more times than I remember, i screamed at the screen and I told people I was not on my best since I was watching this series that kept me preoccupied. It took over my life!
The supporting cast is just as amazing as the main couple. I loved the 8-tailed fox and the general's tale. They almost deserve their own series! The horrible sister who stole the love threads knew to invoke some sympathy despite her evil actions. The too good to be true friend/brother was exactly that: too good to be true when faced with real problems.
The story is so amazingly well put together that there are no significant plotholes or storyleaps. It all ties together seamlessly. This in itself is rare in wuxia's.
To top it all off, the visuals are fantastic. Beautiful colors, not too over the top effects (if you don't count the bloodspitting at least twice per episode lol), elaborate costumes. beautiful makeup.... perfection and an absolute 10/10.

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Longing for college BL

There is a shift going on in BL. It has been for a while now and I'm not sure it's a good one. Apparently BL creators are under the impression that we're just here for the NC scenes. And while I really enjoy some heavy petting now and then, it has absolutely no value without context. First and foremost, I for one need to FEEL something between a couple. Call it chemistry, fluttering, love. In this case, there was a lot of that in the beginning, but none at all later on. I could have been watching p*rn, for that matter, there would not have been much difference. In some scenes I even think I saw the actors themselves couldn't keep a straight face, especially Bomb and Janus.
This illustrates that this series doesn't really know what it wants to be. A drama, a fluffy lovestory, a comedy or an erotic piece? Who knows. The repeating scenes and sentences are annoying, the side couples are left unfinished as is to some extent the main couple. Leaving in the NC scenes, this needs better acting and better writing to be actually good. If this is really the direction BL is taking, by sacrificing all to the holy NC, I would petition to bring back the high school and college BL hype. Just so you know: I kinda hate those.

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Compelling but... Ep-By-Ep full review

Review ep 1-3: Considering this is a MAME BL, I am pleasantly surprised on the lack of unconsentual scenes and inappropriate language. There is clearly immediate attraction between Rain and Payu and not from one side. The chemistry sizzles like lightning (pun intended) and builds up every time they meet. Although Rain vows to win Payu over in some stupid bet, we soon learn that Payu had his eye on Rain for some time already and is actually the one who fell first. He is clearly thrilled that Rain is slowly but surely swayed by the caring and charismatic Payu. I felt the tension building between them and in ep. 3 they have a very hot and spicy bed scene. Although the build up to this was almost perfect, I felt the shift from outside in the rain to inside the bathtub was a bit sudden. I am very excited to see the next episodes!!
Ep. 4 and I'm invested in seeing this through. Although an actual plot is nowhere in sight, the interactions between Payu and Rain are everything. From (threatening to) putting in a suppository (yes, really...) to singing a beautiful lovesong up close... It's all so so good. The chemistry is off the charts and the atmosphere as a whole is just... I have no words. The lighting is a story on its own in every scene, looks and kisses, playfulness and sincerity, it's all put to frame exquisitely. One thing though... I'm kinda tired of waiting for the impactful first meeting of Sky and Prapai... Can we have it soon? Na? Na? Na ?
Ep.5/6 These guys.... They're bold and sensual and wholesome at the same time. From raw lust to cute baby in an instant and it does not annoy or bother. The dosing of moods is just so good! The annoying dangerous guy who thinks he's all that was annoying, but that's his job. Let's see what happens when Payu finds out about them taking his darling...
Ep7: who else took Rain than the asshole from earlier? He's a speciall kind of stupid pulling this stunt and it won't stand. Payu and Rain are a literal force of nature, no-one gets in their way. I love how fierce Payu gets cute over Rain and how Cute Rain fiercely defends Payu. It's so wholesome I could cry. Rain even gets the courage to confess he's with Payu to his friends and his proud expression is amazing. We get a little preview of what's to come starting next week. The story of Prapai and Sky will take off. Can't wait!!
Ep. 8: The PrapaiSky arc has been launched. It was and was not what I expected at the same time. Sky must have been seriously hurt to offer himself to Pai so easily. The sex looked like what it was: just sex. It then takes Pai 2 months to make up his mind and start pursuing Sky. 2 months?? Seems a bit lengthy... Then, the way he decides to woo Sky is a little on the creepy stalky side ngl. I would have called the cops on him. All it takes is a bouquet and a cheesy line to sway Sky. I would've thought he would be less easily charmed. I hope he will give Pai a very hard time before he lets him touch again.
Ep. 9. Omg, PrapaiSky could be even better than PayuRain! Poor Sky is dealing with traumatic experience(s), which seem to be related to his ex. He's having nightmares and these seem to get worse the more Pai is pursuing him. He is obviously affected by Pai's attention, but he wants none of it.
The interactions between Pai and Sky are intense. Every word, look, move meaningful.. The chemistry is -again- off the charts. How did they get these guys to fit so well together? It's almost match made in heaven so far. Even with an all but unconscious Sky it radiates from the screen. The torture of waiting a whole week for next episodes is real.
Ep 10-13. There is a lot to be said, some scenes are under a lot of discussion, but it all fits so well. Sky's ex is (of course) making a creepy rapey come back and Pai rescues Sky but not before serious damage was done and it takes a lot to get Sky to realize it is not his fault. It even takes Pai to hurt Sky by violating his privacy to make him come to his senses. That scene made me cry, It was so painful for both of them. In the end, both PaiSky and PayuRain are happy couples. But 13 ep bl's have a 14th ep. I hope to be able to see that one too since it will be a paid one.

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Riding the hype but missing the mark

As soon as the first few vampire BL's were announced, we knew this would be a new hype. And what do companies do with hypes? If they don't create them, they ride them! But what kind of a ride will it be....

In this case a bumpy one. LomgLee and Frank have never had too many compliments about their acting skills or even their chemistry. But in this one it's far below par. They seem to just go through the motions, even in de comedy bits, where they are usually ok, here they completely miss the mark. This is not helped by the overly present comical sound- and visual effects.

The other actors are not improving the overall quality. They are either overacting or seem very lost. I part, the material is to blame. It's a cheap, "laugh or i{ll shoot" kind of comedy. If you are a fan of these, you might get something out of it. I would love to be able to say that it had potential. but I fail to see where the potential is. The story is paperthing, the comedy is hardly comical, the acting is bad.

There are plenty of kisses and NC-scenes, but these feel cold, all have the same choreography and lack in chemistry. Even the rape scene (because that's what that is!) doesn't make me feel anything but disappointment.

A plus? The music. The OST is great.

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Almost the best Xianxia i've ever seen (apart from The Untamed)

This is going to be a long review. There is just so much to say about this excellent drama!

As a longtime big fan of Dylan Wang this was a mandatory watch for me and I could not be happier. Where his acting in Xianxia and Wuxia could use some work before, he's bringing it in this one. Where he could not muster a lot of emotion in his expression before, he is even doing micro-expressions this time and it is a joy to watch him exploring his range. He is regal, cold, majestic when we first meet Dong Fang Qing Cang, and we discover his soft, giddy and happy side when he meets the love of his life. We see his jealousy, anger, uncertainty and deep sadness as the story progresses.
Esther Yu, the Female lead is equally impressive portraying both the child like and happy fairy Orchid (Xiao Lan Hua) and the Goddess Xi Yui, who is much more serious and has a very different demeanor than the fairy, mainly because she needs to act like she does not remember DFQC at all.

The other main roles, as Orchids initial love interest Changheng, Fairy Danyin, Rong Hao, Shangque and Jieli really give the story its cohesiveness and have their own interesting stories and tragedies. I would have liked to see more of the Black Dragon Shangque, but I am certainly not complaining about the visuals of this drama.

The story is told in a direct and dynamic way. Between following the storyline, watching the stunning visuals and admiring the actors, there is no getting bored with this drama. Although riddled with tropes, it never feels copied or easy. Not with the visit to the mortal world, or the body-swaps, or the dying for each other.

Apart from the stunningly beautiful cast, the backdrop of the different realms, with its colored skies, ice, lakes, forests and flowers are breathtaking. Every detail has been considered, everything looks heavenly, ethereal and divine as it should since these are heavenly realms after all. All realms have their own distinct aesthetic, even the mortal realm looks colorful and fantastic

The costumes in this drama are in a league of their own. They are perfection, especially those made for Dong Fang Qing Cang. They start off as mainly black, but gradually more color is added. Blues, Greens, Gold, Brown. All stunningly embroidered and fitted. I found myself distracted by them more than once.

Special attention also went into the soundtrack. Aside from the fantastic theme songs, the score and sounds throughout are perfect. Birds chirping, (cloud)whales singing, minimal music, the beautiful flute sounds of Rong Hao. The story is, although mostly a standard dramatic and partly tragic Xianxia, very well-paced and with hardly any plot holes, loose ends or rogue characters. It all fits neatly together, has a start, middle and finish. There's (of course) a lot of death and destruction, but also a lot of hope and actual sense made out of the messes made.

There was not a detail that was overlooked in this drama, everything was done with so much care and attention, it is almost unbelievable. I would like to believe this will set a new standard for the genre.

Well, was there anything I did not like? Why yes, yes there was. Dylan still needs kissing lessons....

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Messy, overly ambitious but captivating

Could have been so much better! The visuals, the cinematography, the acting (most of it), The theme, the potential is amazing. The problem is not so much the story but the telling of it and the editing. Some scenes are just there, without any (obvious) connection to any other scene. We are made to guess why decisions are made or how someone ended up where they are. parts of backstory are given, but not the parts we need at that particular moment. its such a MESS.

Everyone has sex for one reason or another, but initially it's never love. I was puzzling the story together rather than the mystery. We hardly get clues as an audience. We are just given facts or speculations. We are not made to feel we are "helping"to solve the crime. I feel one of the problems is the number of more or less important characters. It's just too much to tell a story AND give them all an NC scene in every ep.

The last 3 eps. are the best, with finally some real progress and action and emotion that actually came through the screen. The last ep. even left me wanting more, so let's hope we get a S2 where the makers have learnt to scrap and strike!

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