For the BL purist out there, this is undoubtedly not a series that will be high on your list of want-to-sees. And you will be making a big mistake if you let its foibles outweigh its content and message. And it does have a lot of flaws requiring patience, understanding, and a genuine love for BL to get through. But the payoff is so worth the effort.

Admittedly, this series is fraught with production issues. Two stand out predominately- sound and editing. The sound is very uneven, or inconsistent, or it sounds like they are in a wind tunnel, or swarths of dialogue are missing presuming because of the copyright questionability of the overlay music. The editing needed to be tightened up a bit, so the story flows more commensurately. Occasionally, the acting seemed a bit uneven, stilted at times, especially in the more mundane scenes. These issues, no doubt, are a resultant factor in what I am sure was a shoe-string budget they worked with to produce this series.

There are two seasons, with the first one being very short and only introduces the connection between Rachel (Myo Mg Mg) and Kyal (J Yaung). Initially, theirs is an intense and passionate relationship. In Season Two, as the relationship intensifies, Rachel tells his mother of his love for Kyal. Initially, his mother is seemingly ok with the arrangement, but she cleverly introduces a young female into the picture so that she can have a ‘grandchild’. With that, she would be content. When the young lady becomes pregnant, the dynamics of the relationship changes and Rachel’s mind is poisoned not only by his mother’s pressures but by societal expectations. He eventually breaks the relationship off with Kyal in a somewhat abusive fashion.

Kyal, feeling completely rejected and unwanted, is hit by a car because he is not paying attention. The driver of the car, Thura Htet (Min Thant), is so distraught that he takes full responsibility for Kyal’s care and treatment. Eventually, the two of them become closer and develop feelings for each other.

Although he cut off contact with Rachel, somehow, he manages to find out Kyal’s whereabouts and constantly and continuously pursues Kyal, even though Kyal has stated that it is over between them. Rachel ostensibly becomes obsessed about Kyal, continuing his efforts to thwart and ruin the relationship between Kyal and Thura Htet. Kyal, despite his attempts to stay away from Rachel, is seemingly drawn to him, which causes Thura Htet to question and doubt the intensity of Kyal’s love for him.

The acting, especially for the major roles, really supersedes what I was expecting. There is a richness and depth to one of the characters here. J Yaung as Kyal is remarkable. His innocent persona is overwhelming, almost naivete-like. Yet it is genuine. He is that innocent and is authentically shocked when people betray him, as he is incapable of doing so himself and therefore, he thinks the same of others. And he never loses that throughout this series. But once hurt and rejected, while he can forgive, he has lost the capacity to love. That becomes a closed chapter in his life. Throughout this series, he had such rejections that would have broken any one of us. Distraught as he was, he still maintains a sense of optimism, not based on a Pollyanna approach, but on an internal sense that if one sees my actions are real, one will know I am genuine. It works. J Yaung has an uncanny ability to look so forlorn and swallowed up in emotional pain. You cannot help but feel sorry for him and at times, he seems like a hapless sap. Yet he always maintains a sense of dignity and truthfulness throughout, never blaming anyone for his own mistakes. And somehow his truth comes out in the end. There is a remarkable richness to his portrayal. There is a softness and a gentleness to this role that came across as real strengths. Just remarkable.

There is obviously more to this story. It is a completely character-driven series where we get to see all sides of individuals. We see they are saintly, as well as sinners. We also get to see a lot of redemption and quite a bit of self-reflection. Each of them begins to see how they have affected not only their own outcome but the outcomes of others. Rachel, for example, goes through a complete metamorphosis, likened from a caterpillar to a butterfly. As he himself says, he has been chasing Kyal with his ego, not his heart. That was lost a while ago. It took him some time to realize that and a lot of pain.

This is an astonishingly well written screenplay, despite what I am sure are translation issues. The words are powerful, impactful and meaningful. When, for example, Rachel asks Kyal to marry him, Kyal says to him, “I loved you, but all the pain and suffering has covered all my love for you. I can’t marry you.” This series is replete with expressions like this that may on paper sound trite, but given emotions and context, makes this series an exceptional lesson in human drama. It is so impressive to not only see these characters grow, but you also sense and feel them change. That is done through a combination of dialogue and impactful acting.

Two things should also warrant you watching this series. This is a labor of love produced on a parsimonious budget and, for that alone, it deserves our attention and encouragement. Plus, it tells a full and complete BL story with heart, passion, and undiminished commitment. The other thing is that this series is an act of courage. Not only is this a love story, but it includes expressive love scenes that are played unhesitatingly and with passion. All of which is a criminal offense in this country. Kudos to the performers and production company for their fortitude and commitment to this enterprise and not compromising to say nothing of their personal gallantry. They represent what is the best in and of the world of BL. Kudos, indeed.

This is a very good BL story, told in an adult world with no fluff and with no immature, silly, trope-like characters. These are real people in real-life situations facing scenarios we can all relate to, to some degree. Misinterpreting something because of strong emotions, not letting go of a love when we know it is over, not seeing that the love we have right in front of us is the most important thing, and also not seeing love also right in front of us as well. There are all relatable issues no matter your culture or status. They tackled these issues, with determination and spirit and a lot of guts.

Do not let this series slip on by without watching it, despite its production and editing issues. You will be not only entertained, but you might just be moved by its poignant story.

Rating- 4 out of 5

Streaming on- Trust Entertainment YouTube Channel