“Once a cup is cracked, there is no way to make it whole again; the more you use it, the more it cracks.” – Quote from Ha Noi, I love You

What you find, what you always find, in Vietnamese BLs is consistency. ALL of them have a nexus to ordinariness and pathos. By that I mean, they are always stories about us. We can find commonality in each one of the protagonists’ adventures that will touch us. They are always about ordinary people trying to do ordinary things. Yet, most of the characters, while seemingly simple outwardly, are complex internally with layered moving parts. Rarely are they either all bad or all good. Neither are we.

The story is hardly a new one in the sense that its theme is as old as romance itself. Hồng Phúc (Trương Cao Khoa) has a girlfriend, who works in real estate, and has encouraged him to move to Hanoi from Saigon to open up a unique pub, investing his life’s savings because the market is better. Wanting also to be with her, he plunges forward but when he gets there, he discovers that Thanh Tam (Luong Ngoc Diu) is having an affair with another man. Although he was raised in Hanoi, he had moved to Saigon some time ago.

Now, with nowhere else to go, he contacts his old neighbors. His childhood friend Thành Công (Võ Văn Thành) lives with his medically fragile sister Bao Han (Vu Minh Ngan). Because their mother is gone, and the father is abusive, Công has had to raise Han on his own. With no formal education and having to become a loan shark collector, he makes money nefariously where he can with his two companions An (Pham Quang Anh) and Ha (Mai Thanh Xuan). But he has managed to provide a roof over their heads and has taken care of their needs with small comforts thrown in.

Initially, Công comes across as being rather grumpy towards Phúc because he had always been compared less favorably to the successful Phúc. However, it does not take long for Công to begin to fall hard for Phúc. Unfortunately, Tam manages to seduce her way back into Phúc life and while she tries to create a schism between the two men, only creates a deeper connection. She begins to mock and denigrate Công for being gay. It does not take long for Phúc to realize what a con-artist Tam is and how she is the one who is behind trying to destroy his pub; not Công.

This is a very honest acting series in the sense that each made their characters feel sincere and real. The figure who really outshines here is one who is laconic and stays in the background throughout most of the series. Yet, he becomes so pivotal in transitioning Công to becoming a more upright individual. That is An played so masterfully by Pham Quang Anh. Initially seeming like a lackey for Công, I sensed more was going on with him than met the eye. When there seemed to be a ‘mole’ in the complexities of their orders from the loan shark who was trying to close the pub owned by Phúc, it became clear who might that person be who was reporting that they were not trashing the pub. It was An; with the major reason being he was in love with Công. He just wanted him to notice him, after all these years of being together. The exchange between An and Công is so well-written and delivered, showing both empathy and an understanding of An’s feelings. With steadfastness yet sensitively, Công made it clear he only saw him as a friend. But a friend who would support him to become a more productive member of society just as he was trying to do. There is always, always a redemptive virtue about these series, and we see it so clearly in the quixotic exchange between these two friends.

Of course, this series is way more dynamic than described here. With Vietnamese BLs, so many epiphanies are dealt with in natural frameworks. We see a protagonist hurt by betrayal yet succumbing to temptation by the betrayer. We see the unconditional love of a brother for his sister to the point he gave up his future for hers. We see a man deeply in love with his partner that he is willing and nearly did sacrifice his life for him. We also see simple kindness in friends helping each other out without asking them to do so. It all just becomes part of the human drama and the flow of life.

The love connection between Công and Phúc is told developmentally and incrementally. Phúc is not gay, but Công is. Yet, because they knew each other before, there had been a natural bond between them, even if it resumed a bit rocky. Phúc began to see, and more importantly, discern a more genuine penchant Công had with him than he ever had with Tam. Over time, an empathy, a love grew between them, and finally it became physical. And unlike with most Thai and/or South Korean Bls, this couple was neither afraid nor ashamed to be romantic. Their kisses were intense and unabashedly confident because of who they were and their relationship. Their chemistry together was uncommonly strong, intense, passionate, and their love-making was very erotic. Something so sorely lacking in many BLs as of late. We just knew they were a couple who enjoyed and sought the pleasures of one another, which is what defines a relationship. If there is a power-couple, these two guys ought to be a poster board example. Frankly, Công is hard to divert your eyes from. His astonishing boyish charm, the ease he displays in playing his part, his infectious smile, and his just plain enticing and seductive looks could melt an iceberg for ice cubes for a drink. He is that alluring.

To be sure, the story is a bit cliché, but the production quality is nearly flawless. My only real criticism of this story is the overuse of a female as an antagonist. This stereotype is getting overused, and it is an unfair one. Not that the story has no merit; it just is getting so generalized and maybe unfairly so.

This is an exceptionally well-made, well-written and obviously well-acted series that you will not be disappointed in. It is entertaining with a strong moral compass to its message, delivered in such a relatable and genuine manner, replete with individuals who are more like us than the unattainable archetypes of most BLs.

I genuinely loved this series, and it could still end up on my Top 10 List. It certainly will be in my “Must-See’ List.

Rating- 4.75 out of 5

Streaming on- MOI Studio YouTube Channel