This is such a gem that speaks softly and gently to you. I would have completely missed it except for a fortuitous lull in my day. Once I began to watch it, I could not believe what a transcendental sonnet it truly was. As it is almost always the case with Vietnamese BLs, this is another story that is filled with élan vital. ALL Vietnamese BLs have a moral to them – an end towards which they are working towards which is redemptive in nature. But here, its didactic teaching is so full of life, fun, joy, humanity, and finally attainment. Yet its road to gratification must traverse a path of unbearable sadness, internal pain, relive painful memories, and finally face personal loss. Does that sound oxymoronic? Perhaps but is not life itself full of paradoxes? While allegorical, it is so explicative of life.

Kien (Nguyen Thanh Huy) has decided to live on his own and has found a place to stay that is oddly inexpensive. It is cheap, however, because it is haunted. The ghostly occupant is a young man who killed himself seven years ago but does not remember much about himself. Trying to instill fear in Kien, it soon becomes clear that the ghost is only trying to find a better path to the afterlife than his current alternatives are. In order to do that, he must obtain the forgiveness of the individual or individuals most harmed by his death. Since he has lost his memory, it appears to be an impossible task.

Slowly, Kien gives him the information that begins to trigger his memory and then provides him the means to regain those experiences where he is able to put together a fuller picture of his life. Kien names him Ke (Bach Kiet) since he did not know his name but does later discover that his real name is Phong. The story becomes such an intense intertwining for Phong in trying to move on with those whom he has harmed by his death with the added complication that Kien has fallen in love with him and he with him. He must confront and then with solemnity resolve the trauma and pain so that he is able to move on and be reborn.

There is such a cast of minor characters in this series that are not just entertaining but are all so integral to the advancement not just for the story but also to the plot’s outcome. There are gods that have been trying to capture Phong for seven years, loyal friends of Kien who are deeply concerned for his wellbeing, and Phong’s parents who come into the mix almost by fate. Every single one of these characters helps the story to completion, like pieces to a puzzle. And for that, kudos for taking ALL secondary characters and making each relevant, utterly functional, and most of all compassionate, and fitting so well together. Everyone has a reason to be in this story, and they are all so complementary with their purposes being quite clear. I have never seen a series flow so flawless and seamless as this series has. I just did not want it to end. Honestly, this is one time when I wish a series was longer because there are no wasted scenes or superfluous characters here, and I wanted the story to just go on and on. I cared about every one of these individuals. Each served an objective and had a function.

The theme of this series is perhaps hard for Westerners to grasp as we do not have such belief systems that allow us to so casually interact with the deceased as presented here. While a lot of the story does seem foreign from that perspective, it does not negate its believability. It is presented so genuinely because of its sincerity and warmth. It becomes just so credible for us to want to believe that all of this is real. The story has humor, warmth, and a deep compassion between a human and ghost. While it starts out as an individual simply wanting to help because it is the ‘right thing to do’, it becomes deeper and more intrinsic and loving. It just felt so natural for them to fall in love with one another.

The story will touch you in ways that you may not expect it to. While starting out to be perhaps a rom-com, it morphs into a Greek tragedy. It is a redemptive saga that allows for all grieving and suffering participants one last opportunity of contrition with words and behavior of forgiveness to one another. Although the ending is not ‘happy’, it is paradoxically not sad either. I found myself shedding tears of sadness with a strange peace-of-mind feeling as well. It felt hopeful and liberating as well as cathartic. Its moral is: To see our mistakes from our past, admit to them, ask for forgiveness, and begin to move on from there.

Honestly, this is nearly a flawless series. The production values of this series are just exceptional. The acting is top-notch by the protagonists. Their chemistry is off the chart, and they were not afraid to be sincere in being a romantic couple. We can postulate with certainty that had circumstances been different, these two more than likely would have been a loving couple lasting a long time. The other noteworthy aspect of this series is the complete commitment to each of the characters that was shown. Friends are friends not just extrinsically but intrinsically as well. Such examples are almost never presented effectively in series. We also see the horrendous mistakes of the parents and their deep remorse in the treatment of their son. Equally important, Phong learned, sadly too late, that thoughtless actions have dire consequences. Here it was all quite evident.

I laughed, and I cried – a lot – in this series. It had humor and angst but the two were balanced so that neither overwhelmed you. I indeed felt I was right there with these characters. Everything and everyone felt relatable and ordinary. No one, as is typical in Vietnamese BLs, is extraordinary. They all seemed more like us than unlike us – despite cultural differences. I saw myself.

I could not believe how much I truly enjoyed this series. Sadly, I know this series will likely be overlooked by many because it just is not explosive, titillating, or magnetic enough for the traditional or typical BL viewer. But again, you are so missing out on some of the finest romance stories told by ordinary people in ordinary environments in relatable ways in the most entertaining tone that will make you laugh, cry, and most importantly make you begin to see how maybe you have wronged others, and perhaps it is now time to seek forgiveness before it is too late. It is time to make amends.

One of the best series this year. Hands down! Just a remarkable series presented in whispered, gentle, humanistic harmony that is so consequential. Please take the time to watch this treasure.

Rating- 5 out of 5

Streaming on- QPlus TV YouTube Channel