I'm dropping this series. CityBoy_Log was such a fun and lighthearted show that when it first aired. I really enjoyed kind of goofy and dramatic tone of these characters and found the acting to be a lot better than expected! There was a delightful catch-and-release rhythm going on, where they would end on a very dramatic cliff hanger that would turn out to be nothing important in the next episode that always had me laughing. Unfortunately, with the change to volume 3, this lighthearted tone was dropped for a messier, darker story exploring that more seriously explores themes around infidelity and jealousy. It's just not what I was interested in this series for and not something I'm interested in continuing on with.

-The Full Review-
STORY:
CityBoy_Log is an interesting BL in how far it goes to obscure the fact that this is fiction. Having the characters use the actors real names, professions, and work experience may be off-putting to some viewers. This fact didn't really bother me, but I was aware of TAN and Jaejun before I started watching the show... so the fiction was pretty apparent. I like playing with these lines of reality, but I think it might be beneficial to have a bit more clarity on the channel page itself.
For the first two volumes, I thought the storytelling was really clever. Simple, mundane experiences of these people got heightened into melodrama in a way that pure fun and enjoyment. The constant cliffhanger approach I mentioned above was delightful tug making it easily bingeable and exciting to watch. I really do miss this format of low-stakes drama gone melodramatic, and especially mourn the dropped cliff-hanger from the end of the second volume.
The third volume is just.... different. A lot of the silly enjoyment of the earlier episodes are undercut by characters doing annoying and cruel things to each other. While I enjoy a dark and toxic romance, I don't enjoy the swap from something sweet and goofy to something darker within the same series. The first two volumes didn't differentiate themselves enough to support this shift in tone.

ACTING:
I was pleasantly surprised! Despite having a pretty amateur cast, this show had a natural chemistry and a decent amount of talent. While some of the most dramatic scenes ended up a little bit stilted, by and large the performances were believable and compelling. The format also works in their favor, as awkwardness comes across as "candidness" and supports the concept of an unscripted vlog very nicely.

PRODUCTION:
While the physical production is simple and realistic (though nicely done), what really stands out is the vlog editing. It really does feel like a celebrities vlog channel, and plays with those vlogging tropes to help tell the story in a unique way. I especially like the addition of the still shots at the end of every episode that frequently raised the stakes of the cliffhanger event. It's really well done.

INTIMACY:
Despite my issues with CityBoy_Log, I will always praise the lengths they went to in order to normalize queer relationships on screen. It's been a long year of faked kisses and passion-less BL staring kpop idols, and I truly support Jaejun and Jihan being willing to go there with each other. My favorite part of the third volume is the easy inclusion of realistic sexuality between couples. They've clearly worked on their chemistry and aren't afraid to push the envelope of what "idols" are allowed to portray on screen. I think CBL was definitely a step in the right direction for K-BL in this regard.

In all, I still recommend the first two parts of CBL easily. But the third isn't a genre or tone I'm interested in exploring with this story. I'll be keeping an eye on the weekly spoilers in hopes that this show returns to what it originally had to offer.