great start, terrible ending

Overall: I was really impressed with the first episode and the first half of the second episode. Unfortunately, cliched writing really let it down. Aired cut on SUKFILM YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYfaogVGCvwTczUW4K1YELu_cWQfUQ21a&si=Wv8xKJkU1Fq2v-5t and uncut with channel Membership https://youtu.be/ync6RU2p-Mg?si=veM-TZOGJ6Q67cI5 (I have watched both the cut and uncut versions)
Update - since they are airing more episodes I have increased my rating to a 7

Content Warning: coercion

What I Liked
- tension/chemistry
- indirect way at first to say he didn't have money, used context clues instead of exposition dumps
- clear communication at the start of episode 2
- intimacy

Room For Improvement
- didn't love that they were doing something before what happened at the end of ep 1
- characters started doing "because the writer said so" stuff in episode 2, why would he write that right next to the other guy? why did all of a sudden feelings change and he ran out to meet him? he just left his phone screen visible on the table when he left, etc
- cliched female characters as potential/actual antagonists
- this is obviously an indie production, but I think they could have collaborated with a coffee shop to get a free location in exchange for naming them as a sponsor/publicity, also subtitle errors in episode 4 made the plot confusing (also had some missing subtitles)
- that ending was such a letdown, cliched and unsatisfying (update: they decided to release more episodes)

Citeste mai mult

a solid rom com

Overall: this was an enjoyable rom com and with a few changes I would have given it a 10/10. If Mek annoys you the first episode, please keep watching. Watched on YouTube.

Content Warnings: non con video recording/posting, non con/dub con kisses (sleeping), blackmail, punch

What I Liked
- Mek's parents are adorable and the discussion of blended families and marriage equality line were absolutely amazing
- funny moments
- sweet and caring moments
- managed to balance four couples pretty well but I think if they had cut it to three it would have been even better
- an established couple
- some character growth with Mek but I did still get annoyed at him a few times in the final episodes
- the ending was lovely
- realistic and continuous physical affection (instead of 1 kiss at the very end)
- Jeff Satur's OST/singing

Room For Improvement
- the chancellor was stupid/not funny, I wish it had been the guys' idea like in the original pilot and they removed the chancellor character entirely
- the cliche drama point at the end with Mek/Kim
- Kim didn't grow as much as I had wished
- the sisters were involved a bit too much at the beginning but then they oddly vanished at the end
- unknown time passed in the time jumps

Citeste mai mult

heartwarming slice of life/romance series (need a Haruna spin off)

Overall: I enjoyed this friends/roommates turned into romantic partner stories, though it could have used slightly faster pacing (almost rated it 8.5 but I liked their dynamic so it ended up a 9). 8 episodes about 25 minutes each. Airing on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4215/living-with-him-2024-e01

What I Liked
- caring/sweet moments
- clear flashbacks and enjoyed seeing them when they were young
- ex girlfriend wasn't a cliche, non-cliche female characters
- a character was a bit naive but he did figure things out and communicated
- supportive family members, dynamics felt realistic
- Haruna was such a good wingman and friend
- overall realistic with trying to maintain boundaries but also being jealous
- production value (nice color symbology which included their clothes, pillows, mugs, toothbrushes, etc)

Room For Improvement
- not a fan of starting a series with a voice over exposition dump
- episode 2 had a too long recap of episode 1 at the beginning
- some slow pacing
- Ryota did annoy me a bit but I tried to keep in mind that he had low self-esteem and was likely struggling with internalized homophobia and/or heteronormativity
- cliche almost told something and got interrupted, the running scene

Citeste mai mult

didn't work for me

Overall: the creators tried to be edgy, sexy, funny, sweet and mysterious but managed not to do any of those things well (I did laugh a few times but some of that was not supposed to make people laugh). 14 episodes about 1 hour each. Aired on GagaOOLala (note there is a very important scene after the initial end credits in episode 14). The production company Copy A Bangkok has also produced: War of Y, Y Destiny, YYY and Make It Right

Watch Notes: I'm not even sure what to write here. There is an exposition dump at the beginning of episode 14 so you could watch that and then the final episode (through to the very end because there is a scene after the end credits), which won't make a ton of sense but neither did the series

Content Warnings: (pretty much all content warnings) murders, death, rape, sexual assault, abuse, suicide (it's complicated), grooming, manipulation, kidnapping, torture, coercion, blackmail, kink shaming, homophobia, drug addiction, non con video recording/sharing/outing, beaten up/violence

What I Liked
- a person can definitely be horny as a virgin and a person can be more comfortable giving pleasure rather than receiving it
- saying that wanting it rough was fine (though I didn't see any rough play until later...)
- a mystery
- appreciate that they tried something different from what we normally see (i.e. fluffy romcoms)
- that sports guy was upset about non con recording/sharing
- at least safe words were mentioned and after care was shown
- realistic friendship between the rich guys and the not rich guys

Room For Improvement
- the two false statements right at the beginning annoyed me
1. not everyone enjoys sex and that is totally okay
2. research does not prove that people think about sex 388 times a day https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20140617-how-often-do-men-think-about-sex (the average for a college-aged man was 19 times a day which was less than thinking about food and sleep) and that study suffered from the "white bear problem" ie telling someone not to think about something makes them want to think about it
- negative and stereotypical portrayal of sex workers
- the NSFW scenes were at times tossed in (especially in the beginning) and definitely felt they were there for a shock factor rather than an integral part of the story
- NSFW were painful to watch because they felt simulated, everyone was always wearing underwear and they didn't use clever camera angles to leave the viewers' minds to fill in the rest, overall the scenes didn't make me feel anything at all, perhaps because I hadn't connected with the characters yet which leads into...
- there were a bunch of characters and I didn't get a good sense of who they were/didn't connect with them, I finally figured a few out and they tossed in more characters
- there was some nonsense stuff that veered into camp and I think it was intentional but it wasn't enough so just felt awkward
- the Japanese voice overs (think ended after ep 2) and randomly speaking in English which made an unfortunate comeback at the end
- exposition dumps in episode 2, 11 and 14
- super disappointed about talking about a safe word but then forgetting it
- cliche poor communication and not clearing it up right away also "let me explain" and doesn't explain
- styling
- characters shared 1 brain cell, characters just believed someone because they said something
- characters had poorly done redemption arcs/personality transplants
- not clearly explaining a very confusing plot and hinting at a season 2 to explain things

Citeste mai mult

slice of life with three friends and a newcomer

Overall: a more realistic/angsty vibe. Think of this as a slice of life/coming of age rather than a BL series (because it is not a BL series, see my spoiler comment). 8 episodes about 25 minutes each. Aired on GagaOOLala.

Content Warning: manipulation

What I Liked
- a few central characters
- glad the guy was interrupted as the other guy was sleeping
- mystery element
- production value (color scheme in particular)

Room For Improvement
- was disappointed because a character knew it was no use but had really high expectations and then had a public breakdown when things went exactly as they knew it would go
- a bit too slow without the mutual tension needed to sustain it
- where did they get that key from, random ropes hanging with a sign which anyone can ignore
- there were opportunities for some clever plot twists but there was nothing
- should not have had this as (especially the last) in the BL time slot

Citeste mai mult

historical masterpiece (uncut version is better though)

Overall: I applaud the writers for giving us this series. I read the book but reviewed the series on its own merits. Aired on YouKu app, GagaOOLala (uncut), YYDS YT channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoqdmwJPCU35AqHWHKLdr5RWqQhBiVl61 (depending on your country) Check out these 2 official movie cuts which center on Yai & Jom
Part 1 of Jom & Yai’s Epic Love Story https://youtu.be/Tt5-Wa5z3RE
Part 2 of Jom & Yai’s Epic Love Story https://youtu.be/vT-HG57Nt7w

Content Warnings: (there were major content warnings that I will put under a spoiler), manhandling

What I Liked
- sweet moments and excellent chemistry
- finally we had well written female characters instead of cliche stereotypes, these women acted/felt/reacted how real women would
- strong messages without being corny, they showed the unfairness of wealth disparities, they addressed something that happened in episode 3 as traumatic and not romantic, we almost never see this between a married couple in fiction though it sadly happens in real life and then they showed the trauma of what can result from that circumstance
- unique premise
- that Jom had agency
- intimate scenes were done extremely well
- the cut version still made sense though the uncut did give additional context that I liked (I've the uncut only since ep 2 and watched both versions of ep 12)
- production value

Room For Improvement
- Jom was a bit frustrating in the first half though he really went thru a lot, I blame the editing for unnecessary long pauses
- the ending was extremely rushed and not really clear of what exactly happened, they could have condensed some of the side plots/scenes in the first half of the series to more fully show the ending
- that mustache was awful and not needed in ep 1
- Jom should have said quietly what the year was when he learned who that ruler was as international fans don't know the date (but it's in the series summary)

Citeste mai mult

enjoyable romcom

Overall: it was a fun watch and I hope we get a sequel/see these actors in more series. 8 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI and YouTube (not in the U.S.) here is the first episode link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s27LxcQeg_0

Content Warnings: kidnapping/held against will, manipulation, coercion

What I Liked
- the supporting characters
- I did laugh several times, the comedy sound effects weren't excessive (I loved that security guard just watching them go at it like that wasn't part of his job lol), though the comedy did give way to angst at some points
- sweet and supportive moments (though Yang should have apologized verbally in episode 3)
- Tammy wasn't a cliche female character
- ep 6 NSFW scene was very well done

Room For Improvement
- plot holes/continuity errors/nonsense stuff (i.e. pretty sure that isn't how you find investors/partners, why didn't he just ask his wealthy parents???)
- Phojai's plan/timeline made no sense and that was a weak apology
- they lived in the same building, but this was not shown/explained and then sometimes Phumjai was at a different bedroom/house (his parents?)
- cliche plot point in ep 5 and other cliches (sick after being in the rain, accidental fall/catch, etc)
- ending was rushed, too much of the debt stuff (could have cut that whole plot out)
- several interrupted kisses in the final episode
- I didn't deduct points for the blatant product placement because it funded the series

Note: I am blown away that Offroad's character here is so different from Saint in Our Days, I have to keep looking to make sure it's the same actor

Citeste mai mult

a first love high school romance

Overall: this gave off Heartstopper vibes with its animations and tone but I wish they had chosen something less serious (I'll put more information in the spoiler). Aired on 2 episodes per week on Regal Entertainment Inc YouTube https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7SneaZWMW0otehz3rmR_7xVEaoW8yNVA

Content Warnings: bullying, transphobia mentioned, mental health struggles and a major one in a spoiler comment

What I Liked
- cute moments
- funny moments
- acting/chemistry
- how the nerdy character defied stereotypes/character cliches, he stood up for himself, had visible tattoos and the character talked about his tattoos as well
- production value
- (neutral) the animations add a sense of whimsy but it's odd because I don't think this script is based off a webtoon/graphic novel so it feels more like copying Heartstopper rather than it making sense based on its source material

Room For Improvement
- the love triangle
- some parts were a bit choppy, at the end it took me a minute to figure out where they were
- I reeeaaallly wish they had chosen something not as serious, of like all the things to choose they chose...that, ugh

Citeste mai mult

KinnPorsche, close but not quite

Overall: I rated the first episode a 9.5. Unfortunately the series kind of fell apart for me, but there were some really good aspects. Although there's crack comedy (and some stupid comedy) parts, I would label KP as a mature series with major content warnings. Make sure to watch past the credits for the final episode. Watched on iQIYI (watched the uncut La Forte and also several episodes of the cut TV version)

Content Warnings: murders/deaths, attempted murder, suicide, threatened suicide, non con kissing and sex (drugged), dub/non con kiss (drunk), torture, manipulation, violence, fight scenes, blood and gore, kidnapping, pet death, breaking & entering, trauma/past trauma, physical abuse, self harm, drunk driving? 17/18 year old with 22? year old (this personally didn't bother me the way it was presented)

What I Liked
- intro song and the music fit the scenes well
- acting, especially Apo and his microexpressions
- some of the funny moments like that light shining on Porsche in the bar as if he's sent from heaven in ep 1
- really lovely cinematography such as the bathroom scene in episode 7
- beautiful and well thought out lighting
- Porsche and Porschay brother relationship was super sweet
- that Kinn and Porsche were realistically horny after they got together
- a more unique premise (we don't have many BL mafia series)
- fun product placements like that bread in the bed
- the free, shorter TV versions are cut really well and it doesn't ruin the series, they toned down/cut some of the violence and sex/nudity in the shorter versions as well as other parts (like cutting the toilet humor from ep 1 which I appreciated)

Room For Improvement
- disappointed with Porsche's character. In the first episode he's shown as a good fighter and intelligent but then it all goes downhill. He does some of the stupidest things, speaking of...
- really stupid decisions from multiple characters (somehow Tankhun is the smartest brother...), Kinn saying he forgot something - really???
- back to Porsche. It's so odd how the character felt about the mafia in episode 1 to where he ends up in the finale with apparently no internal struggle.
- lack of character growth with KinnPorsche, they are terrible at communicating and trusting one another. I wanted to see them work thru this and grow together. Kinn continued to seek his father's approval and I wanted him to start breaking away.
- stark tonal changes. At the end of episode 10 there was no time to grieve, just farting in the bed. I think humor can go well with a darker tone (like Our Flag Means Death) but going from torture to silly scenes did not work for me.
- non logic: owning an expensive motorcycle and having no money, going clubbing with only 3 bodyguards when someone wants you dead, knowing how to spearfish but not that a small knife won't cut through bone, clean shaven after 3 days in the wilderness, lack of police, no one wears bullet proof vests ever
- the dub/non con with KinnPorsche although I appreciate that it wasn't immediately glossed over, there was apologizing and some selfless acts
- Vegas and Pete needed more screen time. I really wish we had seen Pete have a wet dream with Vegas and Pete as a masochist earlier. Also that he purposefully got caught because he was attracted to Vegas. Their relationship felt Stockholm Syndromey and was very rushed. The sex scene needed less music and more actual sounds from them, a steadier camera and some research on BDSM.
- Kim/Porschay, they needed more screentime as well. I was confused by Porschay's intensity as it seemed they were together for a short time but in a later episode Kim looks back at a bunch of pictures of them together and it made me think they dated for longer than I thought.
- camerawork was a little too shaky during action scenes
- replacing swear words with things like "fudge" WTF? We see multiple murders but using swear words is too much (I didn't take off points for this though as maybe the production couldn't control the subs)
- it felt like maybe too many twists at the end, definitely felt like a set up for season 2

Citeste mai mult

Great visuals with a choppy plot

Overall: So don't read the summary on gagaoolala as it gives away what is supposed to be a plot twist in this short film. I've noticed very similar weaknesses with m/m romance from Taiwan (i.e. Because Of You, Light, Innocence, Papa & Daddy) which try to cover too much plot and often have flashbacks/forwards that add to the choppiness. I wish Taiwanese writers/directors would learn from Strongberry in South Korea on how to put a cohesive/realistic story into a short run time (i.e. Some More, Step For You).

Content Warnings: none

What I Liked
- acting
- production value
- the scenes of physical intimacy

Room For Improvement
- choppiness, starts with them yelling at one another, then a guy is in bed, then motorcycle riding, then basketball playing...like what is going on???
- for the basketball playing scene, how did they meet? The story should have started here and given some footing for the rest of the story.
- unrealistic responses/conversations, who doesn't ask what a person does for a job, it's one of the first things you ask someone. Also, if someone tells you not to do something don't they normally give a reason or wouldn't you ask what their reason is?
- how much time has passed, there isn't a sense of how long they've know each other, a few days, a few weeks?
- I didn't like the ending and think there could have been an honest conversation about the challenge/s of their relationship and how they want to proceed.

Citeste mai mult

too slow but with some good NSFW scenes, start at episode 6 or 8

Overall: I initially dropped this after 3 episodes but sped thru the rest and my advice is to watch ep 1 around 12 minutes and then skip to episode 6 (and watch on a faster speed). 10 episodes about 1hr each. Aired on iQIYI. Re-aired on 9NAA YouTube channel. 9NAA also produced Check Out and I Am Your King series.

Content Warnings: manhandling, harassment, kick

What I Liked
- established couples
- NSFW was well done
- sibling relationship
- the title was hilarious
- production value (which makes sense because there was a lot of product placement)

Room For Improvement
- as a viewer I need to want the two leads to be together in a romance series, however, I didn't want these leads to be together, I didn't understand what changed Sky's mind and I think Venus was too harsh towards Sky for way too long, they could have had a five minute conversation but the viewer had to slog thru hours and hours of nothing to get to a mutual understanding
- most of the scenes could have been cut or shortened, watched it on 3x speed, as an example you could start episode 9 after 12 minutes and miss absolutely nothing
- when the beginning scene took place was unclear for awhile, flashbacks/forwards without clear transitions
- who interrupts like that and then continues to have a conversation, get out of the room! (episode 1)

Citeste mai mult

expected more (watch suggestions)

Overall: I normally really enjoy Strongberry productions because they focus on the couple, have good kissing and are well paced. Unfortunately, this series only did 1 of the 3 well. 6 episodes about 20 minutes each (there are actor interviews after the end credits). Aired on GagaOOLala & iQIYI country dependent.

Watch Suggestions (if you want to avoid a love rival and slow pacing)
- episode 2 watch 15-16:20
- episode 3 watch the beginning to 3:50 then 16:30 to the end
- episode 4 watch the beginning to 1 minute (or could skip)
- skip episode 5
- watch episode 6 from 6:30-19:15 and then watch the beginning to 4 minutes to avoid a cliffhanger ending

What I Liked
- easy to understand premise
- visuals
- good kissing/ongoing physical affection

Room For Improvement
- presence of a love rival and too much screen time focused on it
- pacing, almost all of episode 5 was moping
- cliche miscommunication/refuse to communicate
- why did the 1 character like the other so much/aggressively pursue him? I'm not a fan of the childhood rescue trope but at least that would explain it
- comparing m/m romance to biological relative romance was odd
- cliffhanger/non ending
- the comedy sound effects did not make things funny
- explaining things briefly instead of showing them (ie why the guy was worried about a romantic relationship)
- I realize they didn't have much of a budget but setting it on campus and having zero extras took me out of the story, they could have removed the love rival and the professor and paid some extras instead

Citeste mai mult

gave me a headache every time

Overall: the plot did not plot. Watched uncut on GagaOOLala. Also aired cut/uncut on WeTV and cut on YouTube (they cut the NSFW scenes). 10 episodes about 40 minutes each. MFlow Entertainment also produced: Beyond the Star, Ai Long Nhai, Coffee Melody, Second Chance and With Love.

Watch Suggestion: instead of watching the series, watch the Behind The NC Scenes (note the thumbnails have nothing to do with the scenes) https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/3965/time-the-series-behind-the-nc-scenes-2024-e01 These are actually fully edited with music though they occasionally have someone giving directions.

Content Warnings: murder, sexual assault/attempted rape, dub/non con? (not sure what exactly that was around 30 minutes in episode 1), sexual harassment, beaten up, drugging, manipulation, slaps/fight, blood, mental health struggles, non con that turns consensual, breaking & entering, kidnapping, non con video recording/sharing

What I Liked
- the intro didn't make much sense but it did set up high stakes
- at least the manager eventually followed him to his room in episode 1
- the kissing/NSFW were decent (but felt directed instead of organic at times)

Room For Improvement
- not sure what the plot was supposed to be, we had fast jumps to characters that are not introduced well/I didn't really know who they were (especially bad in episode 5), it was also boring ie 7 minutes of guys flirting with women in episode 3
- everything felt odd, the dialogues, the lack of realistic reactions to things, no one acted like a human
- the timeline became especially choppy in episode 7, was not sure how much time passed between scenes
- way too much screen time in episode 1 with the stereotypical/cliche fighting/yelling trans women and evil wannabe girlfriend (reminded me of Be Mine Superstar, not in a good way), luckily the yelling went away
- the set up for the NSFW in episode 1 was awful
- the two leads needed to be styled differently, they looked kind of like brothers
- comedy sound effects that weren't funny
- episode 2 had a very long/odd flashback/dream
- nonsense stuff, that jump drive map in episode 5 being just one of a ton of examples
- cliche evil women
- cliche drunk trope (very fictional mouth says no but body says yes), cliche saw someone talking with a woman and then refused to communicate
- the twist at the end

Citeste mai mult

too many characters/couples and an unfinished finale (watch the 1 couple cut)

Overall: there were 9 actors listed as main roles and 14 listed as support roles, they needed to cut the characters by half and then focus on the fewer characters/couples. I took a full point off for that finale which was one of the worst finales I have ever seen in anything, they dropped several plot threads/had no resolution for several characters/couples. 8 episodes about 40 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI and MFlow Entertainment's YouTube Channel (not in the U.S.). Produced by MFlow Entertainment which also made Tin Tem Jai, Ai Long Nhai, Coffee Melody Second Chance and With Love.

After airing they made a special cut of just the established couple which I'd suggest watching instead of the series https://www.iq.com/play/beyond-the-star-nnkh0lxm1c?lang=en_us Just wish they would have had a better ending for them than a pinky promise promising not to cheat...

What Suggestions if you watch the whole thing (prioritizing the established couple and intimate scenes)
episode 1 - 14 minutes established couple sniff kisses
episode 2 - 32 minutes established couple in a window seat having fun
episode 3 - 5 minutes established couple in a tub having fun
episode 4 - 4 minutes glasses & friend dream kissing, 22 minutes established couple flirting & 33 minutes shopping
episode 5 - 16 minutes established couple on a couch having fun, 33 minutes established couple brief kisses
episode 6 - 36 minutes foot injured couple confession, sniff kiss and bed scene
episode 7 - 24 minutes (NSFW with foot injured couple) to 33 minutes and just pretend that's the end (episode 8 does have a meh NSFW scene with that guy wearing glasses 31-37 minutes)

Content Warnings: non con video recording/sharing, slap, manhandling, attempted suicide

What I Liked
- an established couple, they had some nice kisses/scenes
- cafe worker's dimples (though not sure why he lied about his part time job when the other character specifically said he didn't have to lie about it???)
- some decently done NSFW scenes (the established couple)
- (neutral) there were a few comedy sound effects, they weren't overwhelming

Room For Improvement
- there were a ton of characters introduced in episode 1 and I didn't care about any of them, I did eventually figure most of them out but then characters would vanish for an episode or more
- nonsense writing, a character said that they were waiting for another character to practice when we clearly saw them all practicing...
- slow pacing, I watched at 3x speed, didn't care about the rival company stuff or dance practices
- slap was not needed and not funny
- kind of hinted at a love triangle was annoying
- that final episode was absolutely terrible, barely anything was resolved, they also threw in a very serious thing in episode 8 with no discussion of counseling/medication/help

Citeste mai mult

Needed two seasons for the amount of plot it covered (minor spoilers)

Overall: enjoyable but they needed 1 season for high school and a 2nd season for college. I read the beginning of the manhwa but don't remember it well. Watched on Viki.

Content Warnings: non-biological brothers raised as brothers from ages 7-17, bullying, punches, slap (not between m/m ship), manhandling, attempted non con kiss

What I Liked
- sweet moments like that jump hug/kiss
- good production value (except shaky camerawork)
- Hae Bom is a cinnamon roll who has character growth by the end (more confident/takes initiative)
- Tae Sung did apologize for something he did in episode 5 that was bad
- that Tae Sung respected Hae Bom's boundary at the cafe in episode 7

Room For Improvement
- my major complaint is it was too choppy/not fleshed out enough. For example, they say they are going grocery shopping and then the next scene 1 guy is in a shower...
- in episode 5 I really didn't like Tae Sung pushing Hae Bom against a wall and putting his hand around Hae Bom's throat, especially since Hae Bom has been bullied and then the mom's pretty calm about it...
- in episode 5 there is a dream but it looks like Hae Bom is actually remembering something and that would be non con because he's so drunk (but it was a dream)
- cliche evil wannabe girlfriend
- unknown time jump at the end
- the intro was too long/gave away too many future scenes

Citeste mai mult