Perhaps not quite a masterpiece, but most assuredly it is a Must-See series. This is an astonishing and discerning BL told in just about an hour and a half. However, it loses much unless you watch it in toto. In that way, you get its complete essence, since each episode is only between 7 to 10 minutes in length.

The series is an astonishingly reflective narrative of the convoluted mind of the South Korean culture towards not only sex in general but homosexuality specifically. It is obviously a taboo subject but one that they simply cannot stop persevering on. While they circumvent the whole concept of sexuality in euphemistic terms, they are intensely preoccupied by it. From an outsider looking in, their whole notion of gay relationships and sex in general is astonishingly parochial and taboo, and beyond off-limits and must still be hidden and talked about in hushed tones.

Our story begins with two friends that are at a local bar. They are roommates and are college students. Jaesoeob (Lee Donghun) fancies himself a Casanova, if I may use that terminology. His friend, Jungwoo (Choi Dongho) is constantly being pressured by him to ‘date’ more girls, as he is getting older and will soon be going into the military service for his compulsory active duty. Jaesoeob is always trying to set him up. The social pressures on Jungwoo seem rather intense for him to go out more and to find the right girl.

Jungwoo orders a shirt online. The checkered shirt he orders is the portal to making this story flow with subtlety and connect it continually. It is also emblematic of the entire series. The individual who delivers the shirt to him happens to be the rather handsome and mesmerizing bartender, Hangyeol (Jeon Yubin), from the bar that he and Jaesoeob frequent. Unconsciously, Jungwoo cannot keep his eyes off him when he is in the bar.

However, when Jungwoo tries on his shirt, he notices that a picture of the bartender and an obvious close friend of his is in the pocket. When confronted, Hangyeol admitted to trying on the shirt but just once. To apologize for his transgression, Hangyeol says to him that he will give him a free cocktail ‘on the house’ the next time he is in the bar. He then gives him his work schedule (hint).

Perhaps beguiled a bit now, Jungwoo goes into the bar and since he knows nothing about cocktails, asks him to surprise him with a drink. He gives him a “Blow Job’ and Jungwoo looks perplexed and confused, not understanding the reference. When told to reference it, Jungwoo perhaps at this point, finally begins to put the pieces together that maybe, just maybe, the bartender is interested in him.

What transpires is a triggering and a happenstance that allows for the two of them to be alone in Hangyeol’s apartment. Easily awakening the dormant feelings in Jungwoo and the intense attraction of Hangyeol to Jungwoo. Ironically, it is only after they begin to kiss and make love does Jungwoo find out his name.

In the morning, when Jungwoo realizes the extent of what has just happened, he then tries to blame the alcohol. He was drunk and honestly ‘not gay’. It was a ‘mistake’, deeply wounding Hangyeol with such a dismissive rejection. Then Jungwoo panics and tries to overcompensate by dating Jaesoeob’s girlfriend’s friend.

This is not only an entertaining BL with surprisingly strong performances, but there is also a strong screen chemistry between the two lead actors. For a South Korean BL, which are not generally known for its straightforwardness in relationship scenes, this was surprisingly intense and emphatic. We could at first feel the sexual tension between them and then when they got together, their barriers broke down quickly, and then we could sense the warm yearning that they had for one another blossom forth. It was to say the least charming.

There are just a few performers in this mini-series and they all stand out, frankly. But I have to ‘tip-my-hat’ to Choi Dongho as Jungwoo. Sometimes I think the naturalness of the South Korean’s naiveness is simply inherent or almost instinctual, which I know it is not, but they are masterful at being and playing innocent and unaware with great finesse. And Chio Dongho was just exceptional at it. Hiding his ‘closetedness’ takes a lot of energy. I could not honestly tell if his character really did not know what a ‘blow job’ was, or he really was that naïve. That was masterful. And then to slip into being ‘drunk’ as if he was putting on a pair of slip-on shoes after having sex with a guy and innocently saying it was the booze that made him do it as an excuse was yet another example of the compartmentalization of the mind to mollify any notion of being gay.

However, it did not take much from Hangyeol to make Jungwoo realize that all of it was a sham and his reality, when they are alone, he was in love with him. We get to see, briefly, what must be an anxious time for Korean men to accept the substantiality of their sexual orientation.

Hangyeol meets up with apparently his former boyfriend, who was the individual in the picture. The whole encounter seems rather cryptic with the confrontation being rather tense and uncomfortable, and we are left with a feeling of inconclusiveness.

That feeling is also evident at the end. If you are expecting answers/conclusions/happy endings at the close of this series, you best not even start this series. There are none and perhaps that is why I loved it so much. His roommate, Jaesoeob, at the end puts the pieces of the puzzle together and point-blank asks him if he is in a relationship with Hangyeol. We get no answer. The End.

What this series makes you see is the insular thinking of a rather closed and rigid society when it comes to its acceptance of sexual expressions. It still holds to some strict standards of appropriateness and tolerability, perhaps pressured by family and unspoken societal norms only, but nonetheless they are there. And gayness is just not quite acceptable yet. When Jaesoeob is questioning Jungwoo, it felt more like an inquisition rather than a friend trying to be supportive or concerned. It felt accusatory, like that is simply ‘not acceptable’ behavior. Perhaps subtle. Perhaps backhanded. But clearly and distinctly messaging that gayness is still taboo.

It will be interesting to see how all of this is handled in a Season 2, if there is one. I just hope there is another season as this story is just so fascinating. You opened the box; how will you now close it?

Rating- 4.75 out of 5

Streaming on- Sukfilm YouTube Channel