A sex-oriented show that is deep yet light at the same time

The BL element brought me to this show and it was fun. I can always see the difference when it comes to adult series that were produced by Asians compared to the films from the West. As an Asian myself, I am connected with how they tackled stereotypes and the firm grasp of the traditional values of the majority, especially the old ones. Which, the drama presented it by having the featured family members have their own stories that rotate about love and desires.

I have been a big fan of Kai Ko since his debut movie role in ‘You Are the Apple of My Eye’ and he hasn’t lost his charm. His still courageous to take roles that allowed him to be fully naked in front of the camera. The friends-with-benefits turned lovers couple are just okay. Storywise, I’ve seen a lot of similar flow and plot of story from this couple. I was not entertained or felt excited when they began dating for real. I am also disappointed that they easily skipped the trauma of the youngest daughter who at a young age discovered that his father is an animal who left her in the car just to eat girls in a hostess club. I also hated her mother for lying and defending his lewd husband.

JC Lin once again slays! He fit his role in this show and I love that I get to see another cool story of a homosexual character. The BL couple was the ‘icing on the cake’ in this drama. It was unexpectedly cute and entertaining. The ending of their love story was pleasing. I love the fact that the gangster boss decided to surrender himself and improve to be a better version of himself the moment that he met the one. Their romance may be short but it was the most memorable one among the multiple couples in the story.

Jumping to the oldest sibling who emphasizes the importance of communication in a relationship. First, I applaud them for clearly and loudly speaking that it is okay not to bear a child of their own. The pressure of the parents is so real for most Asians and I liked that several individuals right now from different age gaps are taking this topic seriously. In the modern world, raising a child is so hard that varieties of traumas and difficulties await them. Each of us has our reasons and decisions about whether to have a child or not, and no one has the right to put us in the spotlight of self-doubt and tension. Another thing that I find cool about this couple is how they also discuss the significance of attending sessions for married couples.

This is a good show for a light yet educational rom-com in this modern period. The only thing I felt lacking was the absence of prolonging the specific topic and resolving it first before jumping to the next plot to be discussed. Nevertheless, the production was good enough to deliver a family story that is very open and transparent about what matters in a healthy relationship.

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The main couple sucks

It wasn’t enjoyable all thanks to the obnoxious love story of Toh and Nuea; an obsessed stalker and an uncharismatic campus heartthrob. I swear, I haven’t felt any lingering emotions or sensations in any of their scenes. I was annoyed by them having over-executed sex scenes for a drama that has the high school concept of sweet and puppy-type love. They are the sole reason why the show is not loveable at all.

Nevertheless, the side couple and side characters save the show and have stories that are more fun than the main ones. Sky and Jao's romance was bearable; they started slow yet cute but also ended up having unforgettable scenes as well. My favorite screentime of them was when Sky wasn’t leaving and driving his way back home when the light of Jao’s room was still on. I just loved the simple yet meaningful touch of worry and care. Daisy, Som, and Intouch also add sweetness to the show. I adored their chemistry with each other and were able to make me laugh from time to time.

I know from my heart that I can fully enjoy this show without the existence of the main couple, or just for them being a side character only. It gives me creeps and secondhand embarrassment from all the things that Toh did before they became an official couple with Nuea. It is also obvious that the intimate scenes from this couple are unnecessary and I didn’t feel any spice at all.

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A deeper understanding of love and happiness

What a fantastic way to start 2024 with a remarkable Korean BL. It’s been on my watchlist for so long and just waiting for the release day, now finally, I was able to finish the show. To be honest, I am not expecting the fantasy touch as its concept and I find it too hard to get the whole story but you just need to focus on the build-up of the characters to enjoy the drama to the fullest.

It all starts with a mission to make Cha Yeon Woo happy, as we all thought, this has to be the objective of the game but in the end, we realize that it is not. The point of the game is to give him another chance for Tae Myung Ha to acknowledge himself, love himself, to find his purpose and happiness in life. I admire the clever way of writing the script -unique and excellent.

In general, the drama wins a lot and has something great to offer to its audience. Casting a beautiful set of actors to play the roles is the typical norm we see from K-BLs, but this one is not the usual one. The actors are such great actors who can deliver and be firm with their characters. I love the genuine acting with top-notch chemistry that is a must for a romance genre. I’ve been a fan of Cha Joo Wan since his debut acting in School 2021 and have been following him on Instagram since then, but I am still amazed at how soft and pure he is and feels like he is Cha Yeo Woon in real life.

Love for Love’s Sake is the perfect title for the show. It allows viewers to understand that love in general is complicated but an important factor in life that makes us alive. This drama receives a lot of love from the community and I am happy for the warm feedback as the actors and crew behind the success of this drama work so hard to produce and promote such a masterpiece. I’m going to be honest, I don’t enjoy it to the fullest unlike with a few K-BLs but I am pretty sure that this show is part of my Top 10 K-BLs of all time. It's just that, the story may be a little confusing at the beginning but worth watching since you will fall in love with the ending.

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Half good, half bad

In general, the drama itself is neutral in terms of overall rating. It offers a few captivating episodes that made me in tears but also has a few forgettable featured stories. Decided to watch this because of the edits I watched regarding the BL side of the story, as well as having Tseng Jing Hua as one of the many characters in the drama. To rate the drama, I must emphasize each episode with my mini-reviews. In particular order, from best to least, here is my ranking:

Best to Good EPs:

EP05 The Perfect Dodgeball Game
I’m being biased here, as a BL fan, I honestly enjoyed this episode. The story touched on the reality of the life of an ordinary homosexual person. “To fall in love with a straight man…” These few lines contain a lot of stories from the gay community. It painfully hurts you a lot. The conclusion of them being good friends and supporting each other from a distance is good enough. I, once again fall in love with Derek Chang. I first saw him playing a villain role in Oh No! Here Comes Trouble and this man is soothing with manliness and sensational appeal. What a blissful sight to see him being cast in a short gay episode.

EP02 The Night in Question
Thank you for introducing me to Terrence Lau, another cute actor to add to my long list of celebrity crushes. The charm of this episode lies in the unusual story. A single man with hearing impaired that fell in love with a hostess. Both of them have a loveable and firm character that makes their chemistry as cute and sexy as possible. A happy ending for a deserving couple.

EP08 Head of the Family
Loving the light yet meaningful storytelling of the happiness of a married couple. I always feel enthusiastic when it comes to the story that showcase different approaches to the norms of how people view one’s life and roles. The married couples being supportive of each others’ life decisions and careers was wholesome.

EP07 The Promise of Karuizawa
I never thought that the usual mistress concept could be somewhat sweet yet remain unethical. The two characters who were betrayed by their respective partners and eventually committed the same mistake were unexpectedly interesting. They fell in love but chose to distance themselves was the perfect ending for both of them. The society will never see them as a good couple because of how their story went out. If they end up together, the fault of their spouses will immediately all directed towards them alone. I can’t imagine the hate and gossip of the people around them. What a dramatic episode.

EP09 The Ghost in Your Heart
The gays are winning… and sobbing. “But why does loving someone turn us into ghosts? I’ve been wondering, if one of us is a boy, would you and I will be fine together?” Lines that spell agony and discomfort. At least, the couple continues their love story after how many years but loses the middle man’s life that huddles their romantic story.

Kay to Meh EPs:

EP06 Something Old
The only good thing about this episode is that the ex-couple did not end up together during the finale. The woman felt pressured by the man’s good intentions which took out the wrong and painful way for the woman’s life. The man is too nosy and has the undying habit of involving the people around them on most occasions, without even consulting the woman first.

EP03 The Color of You
All about lies. I understand that the man can easily reject people who are fond of him, but the whole episode revolves around lies to fulfill their desires.

EP04 From Beyond the Stars
Love the chemistry but not the concept of aliens and time travel stuff. I believed that forcing a fantasy into a reality show was unpleasant. It ruins the setting and pace of the drama.

EP01 Reality Dating Show
I hate that the pilot episode is not even close to being called a decent start to the show. It was chaotic with too much stuff happening between the many featured characters.

EP10 Based on True Events
I understand why EP01 was meh, all because of this finale that turns out to be the mother who produced the storyline of the first episode. The finale episode must need to be impactful and beyond great but this just ruins that idea. I was too bored and not emotional that the drama had ended. My baby Tseng Jing Hua deserves a better story than this one.

I was frustrated but at least I am happy with some of the episodes. Having the pandemic as the time setting is good to showcase what happened to people’s lives during this world health crisis. At the Moment is more about living your best moment in life, prioritizing your happiness more than others.

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The dosage is super effective in the first half but abruptly ineffective during the last part

Psychological dramas are one of my top favorite concepts in K-Drama and I always look forward to what their stories have to bring to the audience. Daily Dose of Sunshine is a great show but loses its charm when it focuses on the life story of the main character, Jung Da Eun. The romance is the major factor why I am not satisfied with the story progression. I don’t feel any butterflies and just want to skip most of the scenes from the main character. I guess if they ended up the two best friends became the main couple, I may have enjoyed it somehow.

On the good side, I get to see heartwarming yet tragic stories about people who are facing such mental illnesses and how they move forward in the real world. Jang Dong Yoon once again proves how versatile he is as an actor. He nailed his character who suffers from panic disorder. I like how his story concluded and the other featured characters with mental illnesses.

The most valuable role in this drama has to be the head nurse. I like her strong, positive, and thoughtful characteristics. I just feel a little bit disappointed with the overall production since they already started with high impact but failed to give consistency and it ended up getting tiring. The other staff from the hospital have a better story to offer. Nevertheless, I still like the show and how it tackles mental awareness for people who are ignorant and have little knowledge regarding these disorders.

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Blowing a pleasant breeze of young love

It kind of feels average, but I salute the balance of giving us decent BLs with captivating visuals and a plot that is good enough to satisfy the viewers. It wasn’t as great as I was expecting it to be, maybe because of how the main couple took longer for their love to only bloom during the finale. I liked the tension of the enemy-to-romance troupe but this is a short drama that I badly hoped for an early access to love progress.

Nevertheless, no one can’t deny the fact that the cast perfectly does their best to give life to their characters. The amount of visuals is insane, and I easily fell in love with them. Giving the second lead a proper ending is the best decision of the production. They also hinted at a possible sequel that may focus on his romance.

The finale is certainly the best episode. I didn’t expect that they would almost draw a daring scene during the scene that involves sitting in bed, the ice, and asking if one wants to see the other one’s underwear. Ending them in kisses is fine but as said before, I am demanding more since the couple have the right chemistry and it is a pity not to utilize it in the show.

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A serene of young love

I have my doubts about adding this one to my list solely because of how misleading the poster was. It was far different from what the actual vibes of the story were. The poster is somehow dramatic and I thought that it would be a devastating series with a lot of pain but thankfully, I came across with non-spoiler comments of how beautiful the setting was.

Characters are fluff and sincere. I love the innocence and kindness that Ryuji-kun has and how he manages to embrace Amane’s feelings in the end. A short BL that did a remarkable way of flourishing the main character’s growth the moment he finds the one with letting go of his past lustful intimate fling with others.

The story being produced in a seaside city was indeed an appealing sight to see and gives the highlight of being covered in warmth and affection that the story is trying to tell its viewers. I wanted to try the summer season living in that beautiful rural town.

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Marking my favorite idols

Casting idols to play as former idols is a good choice and having both Xiumin and Hyungwon in one project is a blessing. Been a fan of these two ever since the peak of their careers as KPOP stars and seeing them together makes my heart beep with happiness. They are my bias in their respective groups and I loved the bond they formed even after the filming of this drama. It is funny that their role contrasts with their real-life personality. Shin Tae Ho being grubby and unorganized is very different from Kim Minseok aka EXO Xiumin as he is the most obsessed idol I knew when it comes to becoming neat and clean. As well as with Jo Yi Joon who was tagged as a fashion terrorist yet Hyungwon from Monsta X is the best dresser in the group. Furthermore, the two of them did not disappoint me as they executed their characters very well with the right amount of acting skills and threw their lines with perfect emotions.

The rest of the cast did pretty well as well and I like each of their characters’ establishment from the story. Eun Young Min, the butcher catches my attention since he is the only actor I didn’t know from the show and he is extremely cute too. I think the downfall of the show for me is how they give us a plot that is too unlikeable. The villain, who turned out to be the cousin of their deceased friend/member, is too hateable. His acting is believable and I wanted to punch his face whenever he showed up on the screen. Having him the redemption of the mart and his reconnection with his auntie and uncle at the end isn’t just as good as it seems to be.

Thunder Boys is such a cool name and I wish they also show us more of their journey when they are still active idols. Yet, the ten episodes are good enough to deliver everything that the story has to offer. I enjoyed it but not as much as I expected it to be. It is all thanks to the perfect set of casts that the drama seems to be more interesting.

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The server and his lover

We have a weird but unique storyline out here. The main couple living in one roof wherein one serves while the other one pays the bill, is quite intriguing. Subjectively speaking, not a big fan of this genre and feel way too questionable but the drama itself is good enough to emphasize the romance and intimacy that the characters have with each other.

The main cast is just okay, nothing extraordinary, or either one of them stood the best. But I found it cute how nerdy yet hotty the side character is, the husband of the girl manga author.

I don’t have much to say in this drama; all I can say is that it is average for me. Not too bad and not too impactful for a show in general. I just wished that somehow, they tried to build a different character development to the weatherman, in a genuine and soft kind of attitude towards the manga artist.

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Great cast but the production felt too rushed

It was good enough for a BL but I wished that it was not a sequel from the first season since the whole story builds within an entirely new set of characters, with the main couple from the prequel having a short screentime as guest roles. The pilot episode was too messy since we were introduced to the cast right away with too little explanation of who they were.

Have you noticed that in Episode Five, a mic has been included in the frame at the top floating to record the lines of the main couple? It was the first time I’ve ever seen a production that has been aired without re-editing this part, it was hilarious haha.

The best thing about this show is how they fairly executed enough screen time for the three couples within a few episodes. And the casts themselves are pretty good at holding to the characteristics of their roles. The kisses!! It was so wonderful how the three couples fought to have the best-kissing scenes in this drama. They are so passionate and no awkwardness is seen through their roles.

If I rank the three couples, I would choose Min Woo and Ma Ru as my favorite couple. Sung Min and Joo Hyuk, the assistant teacher and art student second and last place goes to Lee Hyun and Kim An.

Despite the few loopholes in the drama, I absolutely enjoy each of their storylines. If and only if they managed to have a much bigger budget, I guess that these loopholes can be perfectly excluded. If there’s another sequel of Love Class, I just wish that they bring out the first couple from season one and start establishing what happened to their life after being together as a couple, with the new casts included on it too.

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Explicit sexual tension with a purpose

Another Japanese BL brought something new to the audience. Not your typical romantic drama with an overdramatic storyline. This show wins in terms of uplifting the concept of narrating sexual desires in the mind of a young individual. At first, I was too stunned for having such bed scenes between two students. Yet, I love how they showcase the pros and cons of the main character and how they tackled each of their problems for their respective character development.

Ren is definitely a handsome man and I love his manly yet cute facial expressions. The friend-with-benefits episodes were too hot, especially when they mentioned that they almost have an intimate activity every single day. However, it is not romantically entertaining since lust overcomes love between these two grown men.

I ended up scoring the show not so high but not so low, simply because of its overall impact. It wasn’t the best but I can guarantee they are better than most airing BLs nowadays. I love how the couple ended up being on each other’s side without any of them holding back anymore.

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At least the ending is happy

I’m not sure if this is good or bad, so I will settle for average. I wasn’t hooked during its earlier episodes but suddenly felt okay after watching the last few episodes. The story isn’t as great as it could be. I feel like they can offer more but for any reason, they choose to play safe as a form of their production-satisfaction.

Byun Sung Tae is the one who brought me to the show. At first glance at the promotional poster, I noticed the familiarity of this man and realized that he also participated in Produce X 101 which I supported during its airing period. Seeing him as the main character of a BL show is actually pretty good since his beautiful face fits the standard visuals of K-BLs. An additional benefit is that he can act and sing in a neutral tone, and I actually liked it.

I guess the biggest downfall of the story is the messy characterization of the Casanova ex-boyfriend (who isn’t handsome at all) and the unrequited love of the male best friend. These two characters offer mixed emotions and unnecessary drama at some point.

For some reason, the drama itself managed to survive by uplifting and focusing on the romantic progress of the main couple without having the supporting characters create walls between their relationship and solely focusing on the emotions of the two main characters.

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Design to deliver an extreme amount of cuteness

This has to be one of those K-BLs that perfectly blend neatness and uniqueness. It features that masculinity can be tough and soft at any given time. Korean BLs consistently provide us with clean transitioning and setup of their scenes that look too perfect for the eyes of the viewers. The rural town seems too peaceful to live in without too much drama and stress from the villagers. Cinematography is always winning and makes the show more appealing.

The distinctive role of Ye Chan is one of the best foundations and contributions of the story. It is a rare sighting for us, the audience, to get to see that a big man can effortlessly slay having a jolly and fluffy personality. He is indeed my favorite character in this show. There are no cringe moments and he acts with ease and confidence. Hearing his voice in a local accent is alluring, and I want to listen for more. Ye Chan is a big baby; always wearing those pouty lips to make him even cuter.

Another masterpiece presented in these BL is the robust selection of OSTs. It sounds refreshing and at the same time, it can make you dance with its groovy vibes. I even felt happier when I caught on to the fact that Coldin sang the main OST of Love Tractor too. He is the man who gives birth to the iconic Romantic Evil and Can You Stay, two songs from another god-tier BL, Semantic Error.

Love Tractor showcases dreams can be simple and special, it just depends on one's self-value. Just like Seon Yul who chooses his long-term ambition of turning his passion into music as his chosen path of professions. The same case to Ye Chan who founds simple happiness in his simple life as a farmer. The storyline, cast, and overall production are entertaining to consume. I enjoy watching all eight episodes and they give justice for having delightful kissing scenes that feel too passionate and innocent at the same time.

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Kim Young Kwang’s butt

It is weird. Yes, in a negative way. At first, I kind of feel amazed at how creepy they tried to showcase the storyline, Yet, as it went on, I kind of feel icky about most of the scenes and tend to feel bored from time to time.

The only entertaining thing that the drama has to offer to me is seeing Kim Young Kwang giving his best in nailing a daring role. Full nude scenes are too good for such a popular actor like him. He is indeed a professional. Those intimidates scenes are actually the sole reason why the show is not perfectly bad. They nailed every sex scene with no too much work in camera angles and show us how thirsty the characters are in terms of sex.

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At night, the emotions will kick in

They did pretty great as expected. With the powerful lineup of casts and gloomy vibes of the story, this has been one of my most anticipated dramas of the year. It was just relaxing to see how they nailed every storytelling of each character from the beginning until the end. No one has been left behind.

EarthMix leading the show gives you a touch of calmness from their genuine acting and beholding their firm characteristics into something memorable. They give the right amount of feelings that will attack your soft spot to feel their warmness.

Gemini and Fourth once again own the show! I swear to god that these two young actors are such gems. They always deliver impactful emotions to their viewers whether it may be by means of romance or drama. They never failed to amaze me. I am always in the excitement about every single Heart and Li Ming scene. Their chemistry is super strong.

This has been also one of the best acting performances of both Khaotung and First. Their dramatic plots win me solely because of how fluent they are in releasing all of those needed emotions just by looking into their eyes.

We are all gays in this show and I am loving it! The remarkable script, powerful cast, and letting you feel all kinds of emotions lead them to their successful victory as a drama. However, despite the positive feedback I have for this show, it is not still enough for me to give it a higher rating as I honestly feel bland for most of the scenes during its earlier episodes. Still, Moonlight Chicken is the kind of BL that will not only provide you the sweetness from the BL actors but also tells wonderful stories of individuals who face daily struggles in life.

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