I yelled "WHY CAN’T YOU BOTH JUST BE HAPPY???!” at my screen many times

There are some warm and fuzzy BLs that make you laugh and giggle at your laptop for hours on end. This is not one of them. Theory of Love is a heart-wrenching excursion into unrequited same-sex love and what happens when you fall for your straight(??) best friend.

Gun really shines in Theory Of Love, showing how far he has come as an actor by capturing the nuances in a range of expressions. Gun is able to communicate an emotional intensity that can get quite overwhelming, so it’s totally understandable why a series like this might be tough to rewatch.

Disclaimer right here that I absolutely love Off and Gun. In Theory of Love, they show tremendous improvement from their performance in the Puppy Honey series, which I found to be slightly awkward.

Their onscreen chemistry has only improved with their real-life friendship: OffGun is back and they got better.

Read my full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2021/12/05/theory-of-love-2019/

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A nice change of scenery with great chemistry but not a show I would re-watch

While Earth has been in several BLs, he hasn’t had a breakthrough in his acting until ATOTS, which I think really proved to be his best performance to date.

Although actual kiss scenes are rare in this series, there are many solid moments with exceptional chemistry. Phupha and Tian are something else when they’re playful or engaged in banter. The relationship is slow to take off but there is always palpable tension in the background.

However, I found it completely unnecessary to have Torfun/Torfun’s organ donation as a plot device. It also didn’t make sense to have Torfun’s death (and by extension, organ donation) as one of the potential ‘tensions’ between the villagers and Tian. Once again, totally unnecessary as 1) this is illogical and 2) there were other better points of conflict in the show anyway.

Read my full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2021/12/08/a-tale-of-thousand-stars-2021/

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A captivatingly beautiful BL with a pensive quality

Given is a highly underrated, visually beautiful Japanese BL centred around a high school student learning to play the guitar from a fellow schoolmate.

Music becomes a key focal point in which relationships are set into motion. For Uenoyama and Mafuyu, it is through the language of music that they discover new vocabulary for speaking to others and each other.

After Uenoyama listened to Mafuyu's voice, something in him was stirred and he knew that his life would never be the same again – composing a song was his way of immortalising that moment. For Mafuyu, the same song bridges his past and future. As he verbalises the lyrics, he engages in a process of healing from a traumatic past, but also acknowledges that he has found someone whom he wishes to co-create music with in the future.

As a relatively short series with only 6 episodes of around 25 minutes each, the pacing is surprisingly slow. However, because every scene is so deliberate and purposeful, some concentration is required to fully appreciate the storytelling.

Read my full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2022/01/02/given-2021/

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Flawed male leads made the show even more relatable

In many BLs, the male lead is constructed to be a dreamboat-type character without any flaws (e.g. Phana in 2moons or Sutthaya in Fish Upon The Sky), which ironically, results in the character becoming quite bland. In Light On Me, there's Da On and Shin Woo, who are relatable characters precisely because they are flawed in their own way.

I’m generally not a fan of over-the-top drama when it comes to BLs so a messy love triangle sounds like it could be a bit much. Thankfully, Light On Me had plenty of wholesome and lighthearted moments that took the edge off the drama, making the series a surprisingly easy watch.

The conclusion of the series may be predictable but how the story unfolded still held its fair share of surprises from time to time.

Read my full review at: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2021/12/25/light-on-me-2021/

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Needs to be 8 episodes, but definitely worth a watch

The premise of the show is unique but heavy. Compared to the History series that Taiwan has become well-known for, Innocent takes on a far grittier quality.

My favourite thing about BLs is being immersed in the process of how couples fall in love and getting increasingly invested in their relationship However, the show struggles to elaborate on how the characters built emotional intimacy – likely a function of the series having only 4 episodes.

I was expecting a dramatic turning point where a character makes a conscious decision to act on their feelings in an us-versus-the-world moment (super typical for BLs), but there just wasn’t this sort of scene in Innocent. Not that it’s a big deal but this definitely contributed to the series being slightly underwhelming.

Read my full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2021/12/15/innocent-2021/

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Was IPYTM as memorable as ITSAY? Definitely not.

I’m usually not a fan of sequels but decided to give IPYTM a go because 1) I loved ITSAY so much and 2) I was looking forward to some visually aesthetic and emotionally intense sequences.

If I Told Sunset About You (ITSAY) is about desire, I Promised You The Moon is the heartbreaking sequel about decay.

The series title hints at how people will fall short of expectations and fail to live up to promises, because, well, such is life. The series starts off with an innocent sappiness reminiscent of ITSAY and Last Twilight In Phuket, but it’s all downhill from there in a gradual but inevitable death of their relationship.

I had a different expectation of Teh in the IPYTM timeline, which takes place some years later. I was hoping to see character development within the context of a maturing relationship, but instead, Teh remained disappointingly unlikeable in his older years.

Read my full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2021/12/18/i-promised-you-the-moon-2021/

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Sorry I don't understand how people are watching this

Apocalypse, violent criminals and BL. As the first of its kind, I was definitely intrigued.

But after 5 episodes, I thought to myself: Ah, screw this. Life is too short to waste any more time on BLs that don't make me happy. I’m going to move on.

The unfortunate thing about TTWE is that I just couldn’t get behind Golf as a character. He’s a pretty face for sure, but something about his character was just so annoying. First point of irritation: Him being the most narcissistic, self-absorbed liar ever. Second point of irritation: How did Golf even start falling for Art?

The best part of every BL is watching the characters fall in love with each other. Not only was this frustratingly absent in this romance, but the chemistry between Art and Golf is seriously off. Honestly, even the old woman and her dog had a better relationship.

My full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2022/12/09/till-the-world-ends-2022-bl-review/

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Not the worst, but just so bland

By the time I reached episode 5, I was seriously starting to wonder what I was even staying for.  At episode 7, I was like, yep okay that’s it. I’m out. Life is too short to waste on BLs that don’t excite.

The storyline lacks depth and novelty, especially in 2022, when the BL industry has matured beyond simple college plots. It’s getting increasingly difficult for a college BL to stand out, so either unique storylines and/or exceptional chemistry between the leads would have to do all the heavy lifting.

Ai Long Nhai would have probably done a lot better if it existed some years back. In 2022, it simply couldn't keep up.

There are some serious B-grade BLs out there filled with downright laughable moments, but ALN isn’t one of them. It’s not that the show is terrible – I can’t find anything that’s exceptionally terrible about the series, but maybe that was it. It was just so remarkably bland. 

The characters are predictable and boring, and the storyline couldn't keep me hooked either.

My review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2022/12/11/ai-long-nhai-2022-bl-review/

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Noey's character really carried this series

This is a story about a cowardly tutor who meets a quirky gang leader.

The first 2 episodes or so were a little over-the-top, but when Thi eventually starts tutoring Noey and the pair start spending more time with each other, that’s when I Will Knock You’s magic begins.

Noey and Thi’s developing relationship brings with it a pleasant warmth. The standard structure of BLs these days features some form of intimacy scene at the halfway mark. Not IWK, though, as physical contact is few and far between. Not this show, though. And it doesn’t need to – well-written love stories do not need to rely on love scenes to convey romance.

Thi’s interactions with Noey, who is just so quirky and charismatic as a character, carry the series to its full potential. All in all, the show was a breath of fresh air with interesting characters and a well-paced storyline.

Bonus points for its vintage-sounding OST!!

Full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/02/05/i-will-knock-you-2022-bl-review/

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Sceptical at first, but I'm glad I gave it a shot

I don’t know how else to put it but Cutie Pie is every BL fan’s yaoi dream. Perfectly flawless men in expensive outfits, fabulously wealthy (and smart), remarkably protective and loving. 100% sensual romance.

I was initially sceptical of Cutie Pie because 1. I’ve never been a fan of Zee (couldn’t finish Why R U?, too dull), and 2. The premise sounds like it could turn into a trope-laden cringefest. Also, the first episode was a little hard to get through.
But the series just kept getting better. Who needs a deep plot or complex character development when you can have 100% sensual romantic fluff, rich-person style?

Read: Lian and Yi are absolutely whipped for their guys, and Foei (Lian’s personal assistant) is all of us BL fangirls who are rooting for the couples.

Audiences are treated to a disgustingly clingy and mushy Lian in private. From long, loving gazes to hungry kisses that seem to go on forever, my mind was blown by the sheer quantity and quality of top-notch kisses in this series.

Yi and Diao’s backstory is not revealed upfront, so audiences are largely clueless when their narrative unfolds. I thought their dynamic reminded me of an older sibling being overprotective of his stepbrother, probably because their age gap appeared far more pronounced than ZeeNunew’s. Not sure if it was just their characters, but I thought their romance came off a little awkward and forced.

Lastly, Synn and Nuer. This couple came out of nowhere, but they became whipped cream part 3. They had an understated chemistry that didn’t quite reach its full potential.

Overall, Cutie Pie is a fevered yaoi dream I don’t wanna wake up from.

Read my full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2022/05/15/cutie-pie-bl-review/

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Highly original, mind-bending watch

4 Minutes is perplexing. Every time you think you’ve worked out where the narrative is headed, it swerves in a different direction. The synopsis makes the series seem like a “get a glimpse into the future and change your destiny” plot, but it’s far more complex than that.

The journey itself is enjoyable rather than nauseating. Instead of predictable build-ups into scenes which are clearly designated as ‘payoffs’, the story is delightfully fragmented and slippery. It’s not entirely clear which sequences took place when, so it requires some mental gymnastics to untangle everything and come to your own conclusions.

Beoncloud has its way with creating such dark and complex characters, sometimes with sinister motivations. In any case, I liked the deeper message driving the show. At the end of our lives, we will always look back on our regrets and wish that we did things differently. All so that the remaining moments of our life aren’t spent being weighed down by our conscience.

While humans are capable of making some pretty awful decisions, 4 Minutes also reminds us that we can choose otherwise. There is always a choice.

More reviews: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/

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Slowburn romance was great, bad pacing towards the end :-(

The good: Slow-burn romances and character development that remains painfully (but realistically….) incomplete. The bad: Awful pacing in the final 2-3 episodes.

You will notice that the romance develops a little slower in Step By Step as compared to most other series. The series has gotten some mixed reviews for being slow-moving and boring. However, some fans have lauded the storyline for its accurate portrayal of real life romance – often a “step-by-step slow burn”. 

There is some tension that constantly burns in the background, but the show keeps to a realistic pace that lets the relationship build naturally. 

Unfortunately, the pace takes an odd turn towards the end as gaps start to emerge in the narrative. This is particularly pronounced for the second couple – they had a mildly interesting dynamic at the beginning that got me excited, but their story seriously went downhill. Despite the longer-than-usual episodes, it still feels as though some parts were abruptly cut out.

For an emotional rollercoaster like Step By Step, some of the emotionally intense scenes felt forced and all over the place. But Jeng, played by Man, really carried the show for me. He absolutely nailed his role and I hardly think anyone could have done a better job.

Full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/07/13/step-by-step-2023-bl-review/

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Great show but I didn't like it as much as I wanted to

Dong-eun is cold, mysterious, and incredibly clever. This makes for an addictive watch because she constantly keeps you guessing.

If you’re the sort who loves clever schemes, this first season may also prove to be slightly disappointing. While Dong-eun’s plans were elaborate and highly complex, nothing about it was particularly clever in the first installment. In fact, parts of the revenge plot didn’t really make much sense in terms of the execution and timing (just too perfectly coincidental). But okay, I won’t nitpick the specifics.

Although audiences are meant to be rooting for Dong-eun, I didn’t really have any strong feelings about her in this season. There were other stronger characters, like Yeo-jeong (the young medical doctor) and heyonnam (the housekeeper), who I found really interesting.

Overall, I found The Glory a little absurd and unrealistic for my liking at times, but there were sufficiently compelling characters and cliffhangers to keep me invested until the end of it so this was definitely worth the watch.

Full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/02/01/the-glory-2022-season-1/

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The only bad thing about this show is the wigs

Remember Me will bring about waves of nostalgia, especially for those who grew up in the era of MSN – painful hours of waiting for someone to come online and feeling your stomach lurch when they reply. This show brought a silly grin to my face for sure.

It’s also about friendships. Family. And transitions in life.

But to me, the true marvel about Remember Me is also how it shows the evolution of relationships across a wide time horizon.

High school friends that you thought would be around forever tend to slink away into the background. (But with some luck they'll come back into your lives.) Family that you can count on, even if you can't agree with the choices they've made.

This show is about the transition into college life and adulthood. And some parts will get uncomfortable. But with the vicissitudes of life, there will be pain, but there will also be joy.

We rarely see characters with disabilities or disorders in mainstream BLs, but Remember Me really went out of their way to embrace greater diversity. And that's something I really appreciated as well.

My full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/01/09/remember-me-2022-thai-bl/

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One of the best Japanese BLs out there

There are a few supernatural BLs out there, mostly involving ghosts, but nothing as original and quirky as Eternal Yesterday. For those who aren't into supernatural stuff, don't let this deter you too much. The show is not at all creepy.

Unlike most BLs with predictable conflicts (parents' disapproval, miscommunication, a love triangle), Eternal Yesterday is about unsettling uncertainty, loss and grief.

There are some fluffy romantic moments, but the series in no way a feel-good high school story. In fact, with some hints being dropped along the way, audiences are left with a sinking feeling that the ending is not going to be a happy one.

By the time you reach the end, there’s nothing left to do but stew in the discomfort of unanswered questions and unsatisfying endings, unspoken sorrows, and of things given and then taken away.

It's enigmatic, tender and heartbreaking - truly one of the best Japanese BLs out there.

Full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2022/12/25/eien-no-kinou-eternal-yesterday-review/

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