Blueming is an adaptation of the webtoon "Who Can Define Popularity?" but it strays quite far from the source material that it has become it's own story.

As a BL drama, it is an amazing example of a textbook BL drama. However, because it is too perfect and is an idealistic BL, it loses some points in the realm of realism. Still a must watch BL.


STORY:

When Si Won was a child, he has a tough childhood. He was teased for being fat and his home life wasn't stable. His father cheated on his mother and left. Since then, his mother has forced her views of being in shape and looking beautify onto her children. As an adult, Si Won is no longer fat and very self conscious. He is also quite popular due to his good looks.

During Si Won's first year of film school, he meets Da Un, who is perfect in every way. Da Un is handsome, smart, rich, and is nice to everyone. Si Won hates Da Un because he finds Da Un to be the perfect person that he strives to be, but will never achieve. Si Won tries to stay away from Da Un, but that proves impossible when they are paired to work with each other in ever class. Da Un also seems to have taken a liking to Si Won and follows him everywhere.

As I stated earlier, Blueming is a textbook BL. Every plot point, character, and scene has meaning to the drama; and there is no fillers. There is also no plot holes. Every question we have is answered. However, whether the answer the drama has given us can be up for debate. For example, when Si Won gets upset at Da Un for having his mother give him the grand prize for his script, Da Un says he's sorry, but he just wanted to be perfect. What does being perfect have to do with helping Si Won win the grand prize? If he said he just wanted to help get Si Won's name out there, or something like that I'd get it, but what does perfect have to do with it? I was so confused that I decided to read the webtoon and that's where I learned where Da Un's answer of being perfect came from. In the webtoon Da Un struggles with good child syndrome, so he struggles to be perfect. In this BL adaptation, however, Da Un's struggles with good child syndrome are not touched upon, so his answer made no sense. Other than that this drama is a must watch. It's not as overly dramatic as your typical Korean drama, but it's a nice drama nevertheless.

Si Won x Da Un

Si Won and Da Un have really good chemistry together. Si Won is very high strung and narcissist, but he knows that and isn't afraid to admit his shortcomings. In front of others he tries to maintain a good image. Da Un, on the other hand, is kind, caring, and a people-pleaser. He's understanding of Si Won's short comings, but seems to have a hard time opening up to anyone about his problems. He knows he is rich and more blessed than others around him, so he forces himself to swallow his own pain and pretend he doesn't feel it.

Si Won and Da Un are really great together. They balance each other out and talk through everything. They have the best communication skills out of any couple (BL and non-BL combined.) They help each other through their problems and support each other. They really are relationship goals.


BLUEMING vs WHO CAN DEFINE POPULARITY?

As I stated earlier, Blueming is an adaptation of the webtoon "Who Can Define Popularity?" but it strays quite far from the source material that it has become it's own story. While the drama does follow the same plot of the webtoon, the situations, motivations, and scene are completely different.

For example:

Blueming
- Characters are all in Film School
- Da Un's family are famous in the film industry, directors etc.
- Da Un's mother and father seems to ignore Da Un's existence
- Si Won's mother is self-centered and cares about her kids' superficial beauty
- Si Won's storyline is the focus
- Da Un's storyline is cut. He doesn't really open up to Si Won.
- Ba Woo & Hoon's storyline is cut. Ba Woo is just a small side character that's barely memorable. Hoon makes a small cameo in the last episode.
- Yun Jeong and Si Won's sister's storyline is significantly cut. Seems like this could is queer baiting with their love storyline. Si Won's sister has a very small role in the drama. Yun Jeong is also a side character.


Who Can Define Popularity?
- Characters are all in the Student Council in University
- Da Un's family is Chaebol and Da Un is heir to his father's business
- Da Un's family really care for him, especially his mother, who is concerned about Da Un's good child syndrome.
- Si Won's mom is supportive of her family and doesn't care much about superficial beauty.
- Si Won's storyline is expanded, especially about being bullied in elementary school and later again in college.
- Da Un has a storyline about his narcissism and his good child syndrome. He opens up to Si Won.
- Ba Woo & Hoon are the secondary couple with lots of interactions with both Da Un and Si Won.
- Yun Jeong and Si Won's sister a small storyline. Both characters play a bigger role in the webtoon.
- Yun Jeong has a big love triangle with Si Won and Da Un.

Blueming still follows the main storyline of Si Won, but just changes a few things around. While a great adaptation, Who Can Define Popularity? is still the superior story as the audience is able to gain a better understanding behind the motivations of all the characters. Maybe if Blueming's episodes were longer than 14 minutes, the drama could have expanded the storylines and become the perfect BL that it was striving to be. I really wanted to see Da Un's struggle with good child syndrome on screen, but it was not covered at all. I hope to see it one day.

OVERALL:

Blueming is a must watch BL, but I still recommend watching Who Can Define Popularity? before or after. I think that Blueming is a great adaptation that can also be considered a stand alone BL.