unique premise (same actors, different characters/stories)

Overall: this is not a reincarnation/time travel plot as all the stories happen in the present day. Instead, the actors play different characters in standalone plots (episodes 3 and 4 were 1 story, 5 and 6 were 1 story and then 7 and 8 tie everything together in a way). 8 episodes about 55 minutes each. Aired uncut on GagaOOLala (not Japan or South Korea) https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4812/every-you-every-me-2024 & WeTV
https://wetv.vip/play/296rso568y0ryfg/m4100yjgyjz?ptag=3_5.16.5.13870_copy ; airing cut version on YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvw0WLA6w9UQZrmUoifbNDO9S6yUS9ry7&si=JHVZI3-LAPw_9dev Note: watch after the initial end credits as some episodes have a separate plot

Episode 1 - I was a bit confused with the world building but then it made sense. I enjoyed the sweet moments, the friendship (potentially aromantic character as a bonus) and the intimate partner abuse felt realistic. Not a fan of the comedy sound effects and they could have made it a bit faster pacing-wise. Content warnings: intimate partner abuse/violence, manipulation, manhandling, past death

Episode 2 - typical cold CEO/nervous worker plot. That grandma way overstepped boundaries though her heart was in the right place. Enjoyed the sweet moments. Content Warnings: manipulation

Episodes 3 & 4 - I was going to rate this higher; however, I couldn't get into the moping/angst because they explained it much too late. Not a fan of silent simping for years and making a choice for someone without talking to them first. Liked the second couple and the supportive friends/family/coworkers. Content Warning: a major one but I'm keeping this spoiler free

Episodes 5 & 6 - there were peak visuals in this episode lol, I enjoyed the flirting and physical affection. I really disliked the invasion of privacy and the shoehorned plot with the female character. They spent too much time on the past in this episode as well. Content Warning: past death, manipulation

Episodes 7 & 8 - I'm trying to be spoiler free but I had the most issues with these episodes

Watch Suggestions
- end ep 5 at 45min
- watch ep 6 22-35:30
- skip ep 7
- watch ep 8 31 to the end)

What I Liked: I most enjoyed how the actors were able to play such different characters, the styling was great. The commentary on challenges of shipwork towards the end was also unique and interesting.

Room For Improvement: because I didn't see a key aspect of them as an established couple, it was difficult for me to root for them. The non linear storytelling at the end of episode 6 thru 8 made things needlessly confusing. They didn't actually show what didn't work, so I'm not convinced everything has been resolved and it won't happen again. The time jump felt like a cliche way to resolve the conflict.

Citeste mai mult

want them in a new series with a better script (also BL side couple timings)

Overall: I thought the actresses did a good job but the cliched script dragged things down. The BL side couple was cute however 10 minutes of screentime was not enough. Aired on YouTube worldwide and Netflix in SE Asia.

Content Warnings: non con kissing turned consensual, slap, manipulation, homophobia

BL Side Couple
This is all of the BL scenes thru episode 7 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKDiAXnZ200 ; then in episode 8 watch 37:57-38:40 and 41-41:20

What I Liked
- visuals
- sweet moments
- supportive friends
- BL side couple was cute

Room For Improvement
- really terrible communication, took until episode 7 of 8 for a character to learn something
- "plans"
- the dad knew and never told his daughter
- the managers fighting
- the BL side couple had about 10 minutes of screen time and way too much of their relationship development happened off screen

Citeste mai mult

joyful, emotional & drama-filled (reality m/m dating series)

Overall: Sparks Camp contestants bare their souls, get hurt, heal, laugh, cry and love. 10 episodes 45 minutes each. Aired on Black Sheep YouTube channel. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL87uyU6xM7Lft-Lpwbv5G3ZQJZDvxC9_p&si=gVVHvglgds-tTvix Here is my review of season 1 https://mydramalist.com/profile/blcompilations/review/278749

Content Warnings: past death, grief, trauma, past coercion

Reality Series Note: with any "reality" series I keep in mind that what the audience sees doesn't necessarily reflect what actually happened. There can be guidelines the audience doesn't know about, parts are edited out or ordered in different ways to show a certain narrative. I read in the YouTube comments of season 1 that the director said it wasn't scripted, but I always take that with a grain of salt. My goal for reality dating series is for people to have a good time and maybe make a new friend. Any actual pairings at the end of the show are icing on the cake.

What I Liked
- really good diversity with the cast, it wasn't all actors/models/influencers
- that the guys had name tags on which was helpful to remember who was who
- the initial game of guessing who the items belonged to was much better than the oil game from season 1, they made items easy enough they were guaranteed to get a few correct but not super easy so there was a bit of a challenge
- the deepest darkest secret game was fine, I'm assuming the guys knew it would be recorded/aired publicly
- Mother Mela is a good emcee*
- the trivia game

Room For Improvement
- the platinum gay thing was cringey
- having them repeatedly draw the sparks publicly was really sad and they should figure out another way to accomplish this (like write letters and the production crew see who has matches and then sends them on 1 on 1 dates)
- a contestant asked to sit something out and the emcee* said no, people should have the right to pass in situations like that
- putting 1 person on the spot to answer all questions was definitely to make things messy/drama-filled

Comparison to other m/m dating shows
1. The Boyfriend (Japan) on Netflix. Guys run a coffee van and live together for 1 month.
2. His Man (South Korea) on iQIYI, currently on season 3. Anyone can date anyone. Beautiful production and conventionally attractive guys.
3. Boys Like Boys (Taiwan) on GagaOOLala, had a very similar aesthetic/vibe to His Man
4. Love House seasons 1 & 2 (Vietnam) on YouTube (most have English subs, this is ep 1 of season 2 no subs though https://youtu.be/TKzT_nHfVTA ). I liked this set up more than Bromance because the guys could all pursue one another. I didn't like the "secret couple" aspect and dividing them up based on sexual position seemed odd (can't they discuss that in private???) Season 1 was also the most brutal "rose ceremony" I've ever seen in any dating reality show. Season 2 was better.
5. Bromance (Thailand) is also on Gagaoolala. This is the typical Bachelor/Bachelorette set up with a bunch of people competing against one another to be with the 1 bachelor. I didn't like this because they could have all been hitting on each other and we have multiple couples! I got kind of bored and skipped a bunch.

Citeste mai mult

excellent chemistry/tension

Overall: the leads really brought it in this university series. 6 episodes about 25 minutes each. Aired on WeTV https://wetv.vip/en/play/dy0tqsfvpl73f7f-No.1%20For%20You Also a special edition that has a few extra seconds for paid subscribers (did not see the difference in episode 1) https://wetv.vip/en/play/7isd6uuw6sdr6v0-No.1-For-You-Special-Edition/i0039ifao8c-EP1-No.1-For-You-Special-Edition 

Content Warnings: non con video recording, manipulation/blackmail, non con touching/kiss, homophobia

What I Liked
- sweet moments
- funny moments
- intimacy/chemistry
- that bridge scene was amazing
- supportive friends, the sassy cousin and the mom
- a non cliche female character
- attention to props (rainbow books in the library, the skeleton that changes positions)
- character styling
- music (the actor YU who played Zhou Shu Yi sang the OST "Blue Lover"; the bartender in episode 6 was Alex Chou who was a lead in My Tooth Your Love and also sang "Hard To Let Go" in We Best Love)

Room For Improvement
- starting with a flash forward/montage for the episodes
- cliche leg cramp scenario
- multiple stupid "plans"
- needed more screen time with the 2nd m/m couple

Citeste mai mult

Overall: this is a 22 minute short available on Mind Trio's YouTube channel (they did On Cloud Nine and Calculating Love)

Content Warnings: teasing/bullying?, gaslighting

What I Liked
- the actors did a decent job
- a few cute moments

Room For Improvement
- the plot was confusing, they started with a flash forward/flashback and then I wasn't sure what their relationships were to each other (long-time friends, acquaintances, classmates, etc)
- not a fan of the central premise and then how it's an open ending
- maybe I missed something but the reactions didn't make sense, the one guy smiled but he didn't return his feelings, why did he smile and then complain later about the teasing if he enjoyed it???
- the two tropes in the very beginning should have been reversed which would have been more realistic
- the character gaslighting and saying he doesn't have those feelings

Citeste mai mult

messy, semi-realistic series

Overall: age gaps and employer/employee aren't my favorite plot points in the romance genre, but the acting was good and production value decent (for what I assume is a low budget production). Aired on YouTube and GagaOOLala

Content Warnings: grief, employer/employee, age gap, manhandling

What I Liked
- the OST is very catchy
- the acting at the beginning of episode 1 was excellent and true to life, I've done something similar when crying but trying to not look like I was crying
- the grand entrance at the end of episode 1 was funny
- pansexual rep (bad - dig at millennials); good conversation about bi and pan
- realistic kissing and intimate scenes

Room For Improvement
- I did not laugh very much with the applicants or that sign at the end
- continuity error/mistake, it said he had interviewed 8 but it was only 7 at that point
- the 2nd episode timeline is very confusing, at first I thought it was a series of continuity errors because their outfits kept changing. I think it would have been better to not do this in flashback but rather do a flash forward towards the end (so put the opening scene at the end, explain to his son that it's been 3 weeks, then show the scenes that happen after that conversation without any flashbacks)
- some scenes were too dim
- in episode 4 the dad just stood next to the pool when a person would have started moving almost immediately
- towards the end felt rushed

Citeste mai mult

super adorable

Overall: this is a micro series/long ad from a perfume company about a college freshmen and a senior. Watched on YouTube.

Content Warnings: none

What I Liked
- a lead used his brain to figure something out (even though perhaps a bit unrealistic, but I didn't care)
- the ending was really cute
- good production value*
- nice music

Room For Improvement
- they should have cut the female character out and used that screen time with the two leads
- *the blur filter was too heavy and the subs were very difficult to read with the white font and no outline or background

Citeste mai mult

Short follow up to The Novelist

Overall: This is an 11 minute continuation of the story from The Novelist (aka Pornographer). Watched on Viki.

Content Warnings: none

What I Liked: (very minor spoilers)
- some sweet moments like the head on the shoulder at the end
- communication about the letters
- that kiss is no dead fish lip press haha
- the car seemed to match the pale pink of the cherry blossoms
- the ending song
- (neutral) they used the same music that is in The Novelist which is either a nice call back or recycling to save money...

Room For Improvement:
- the kick from the sister was unnecessary
- the intro music doesn't match the vibe of the show

Citeste mai mult

BL With A Cherry On Top (Ehhhh???!!!)

Overall: a fantastical realistic BL showcasing a healthy relationship. This is in my top tier of BL shows.

What I Liked (mild spoilers)
- the ability to read someone's mind without them knowing is a major violation of privacy, but Adachi does not abuse this power, many times he actively tries to avoid using it. He likes it and wants to keep it because he wants to know how he can help others. 
- the way Kurosawa handled the King's game. Even though it's likely what Kurosawa wanted to do, once he saw that Adachi was uncomfortable, he changed it to a forehead kiss and said 'sorry' in his mind.
- the fact that Adachi doesn't have an identity crisis or internalized homophobia when he knows Kurosawa is romantically attracted to him. The reason that he thinks he can't be with Kurosawa is that "I'm afraid of getting more deeply involved and disappointing him" (episode 4), basically it's Adachi's low self-esteem that makes him think he's not worthy of being with Kurosawa. 
- the cinematography/color scheme
- the humor, like that bad poetry on the bus

Room For Improvement
- why did Kurosawa wait 5 years before making any moves? Just because they bumped into each other in the elevator he thought it was fate or something? I think he likely continued because Adachi was being more reciprocal, I just wish there had been a bit more of a reason at the start of the series. 
- the side couple. The 30 year old comes across as a creeper to me. I wish they had made his character not be exaggerated and more calm.
- Adachi's over acting is not my thing. It appears to be common in many live action adaptations from manga, but I wish it was toned down a bit more. 

Citeste mai mult

a strict CEO and a freewheeling guy

Overall: I enjoyed their dynamic but I needed less of the scheming woman cliche. 30 episodes less than 2 minutes each. Aired on Swipedrama app (also has I'm Your Pet). It took me 3 days to watch the series for free, which is really good for these vertical series. Note - episode 1 starts out as a preview and then goes into the episode. App information below.

Content Warnings: non con video recording, manipulation, mention of past intimate partner violence

What I Liked
- opposites attract dynamic
- laughed when he agreed to keep something a secret and revealed that secret a minute later
- sweet/caring moments (under the table footsie was fun)
- the 'say please' part in ep 17

Room For Improvement
- cliche wannabe girlfriend character and failed redemption arc
- wanted something at the very end that would have wrapped up the story nicely


How to Watch For Free
Day 1: check in, ad after check in = 7 coins, 3 ads = 9 coins, watched episodes 1-12 (free to watch), 13-15 used coins, 16 & 17 (when I ran out of coins I touched outside of the coin packages and then I could watch an ad to watch 2 more episodes 18 & 19). I then got the 6 coins for watching 5, 10 and 15 minutes but something glitched so I only watched up to episode 19 for free on Day 1. There are other ways to get coins (ie sign in, social media, get notifications) so you could watch more. Leftover coins day 1: 2

Day 2: check in, ad after check in, 3 ads (17 coins plus 2 from day 1) - watched episodes 20-22, then watched 23 & 24 daily ad, checked in 5, 10 & 15 min and watched 25 & 26

Day 3: watched a few ads to finish the series

App Notes: unused bonus coins seem to last for a year, episodes don't re-lock, you can't skip to different episodes (must watch them in order), no wait time between watching ads is nice

Citeste mai mult

a nice way to spend time

Overall: though I'm generally not a fan of manipulation, I was happy with how things progressed/ended. 29 episodes, about 2 minutes each. First 3 episodes are on YouTube here https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-UwHhkbex8oOO_F3qasjlzStoabjnG9-&si=DnorKiMj2k5f8O1I - rest of the episodes are on the BUMP app which is not available in all countries.

Content Warnings: manipulation, trespassing, non con touching, victim blaming

What I Liked
- sweet moments
- the perspective switch
- that a character immediately apologized for victim blaming

Room For Improvement
- some odd music choices that didn't fit the vibe of the scene
- the cat blocked shot at the very end
- the BUMP app is not available in all countries but they haven't released the rest on any other official platform

Citeste mai mult

the way to a man's heart is his stomach

Overall: the food looked delicious, but the chemistry was lacking. This series was based on a manga which I didn't read and I reviewed the series on its own merits. 7 episodes about 25 minutes each. No official international release.

Content Warnings: non con touching, non con picture taking/sharing/outing, cyberbullying

What I Liked
- the bar owner
- the cooking
- I did laugh at the 'get me salt' part
- how the younger guy stood up to the ex
- that the time jump was realistic and not years later

Room For Improvement
- didn't really feel that romantic spark between the main leads, I don't have issues with an age gap with equal power dynamics so I'm not sure what wasn't working for me
- too much screentime spent with the ex
- had the cliche running scene
- something that was interrupted in the final episode
- the title made it sound as if the older person needed to be fed due to their advanced age (I didn't take off points though)
- lack of international release (didn't take off points)

Citeste mai mult