Hidden gem. That is what this series is. While it is not perfect, it certainly is one of the more entertaining BLs of this year. To be sure, most Filipino BLs are a bit more adventuresome in their amorous scenes, which made this series surprisingly tame. Yet it does have a smorgasbord of everything in it. Horror, comedy, romance, pathos, redemption, and a heaping amount of love. And for me, it will be something I shall watch around Halloween every year. It is one of those series that makes you feel good about a holiday and in this case that is most definitely Halloween. It shall be my Halloween BL classic to watch every year!
All posts by PPBongi
“I Saw You in My Dream” Series Review (Ep.1 to 12)
Wasted potential. That is what this BL was, which is such a shame as the premise was initially entertaining. Then it slipped into banality and triteness.
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“People Come Later” Series Review (Ep.1 to 4)
This is an astonishing gem of a series that is packed with so much sagacity and common sense, it almost overwhelms your own sense of value. I have seen so many endings that are artificially contrived to be happy but here is one that does not. And I lamented as I really wanted one. But the reality is that not everyone in life has one. And in this case, the choice was made, deliberately, not to have one. Unquestionably, this series is one of the most powerful BLs I have seen this year. It is astonishing but unfortunately, will not be seen by many because it is a low budget production, the quality is imperfect in places, and the story is just too real for most BL fanatics. This story is about ordinary life. That in and of itself makes it unique and unfortunately not within the mainstream of the BL genre. Vietnam has a masterful way of presenting its series with genuineness and reality. This is no exception.
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“Blue Canvas of Youthful Days” Series Review (Ep.1 to 12)
Ah, shucks! This series started out so promising with fantastic characters. I was hooked and consumed by the story – initially. Who would not be? A rich kid trying to escape from his abusive father. A marginalized young man with ginormous artistic skills. An astonishingly handsome young man with a hearing loss trying to make it in a world cruel to him. And an art teacher operating an art school on a shoestring budget and who turns to alcohol to try to deal with an insane mother. Plus, a grandfather suffering from early stages of dementia. Wow! I am totally in.
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“Seoul Blues” Series Review (Ep.1 to 8)
Frankly, I am astonished this series has gotten such poor to mediocre reviews. I loved it. I loved it for two reasons. First, it tells a full story, albeit short and sweet but to the point. Sure, its brevity is both a hinderance and an asset. I wish there would have been greater character development. Nonetheless, this mini-BL accomplished more in a short period of time than most droning on-and-on BLs characteristically do. It had a beginning, middle, and a fine end. Secondly, we saw flawed characters. These are not individuals who are straight from the trope play book. In some sense, they are not at all likeable individuals, yet they are so relatable to who we are as people. In other words, they aPpre untruthful, blemished, and maybe disingenuous. Traits, I am afraid, we all share at one time or another in our lives.
“A Balloon’s Landing” Movie Review
This is a particularly intricate and well-acted movie. Its cinematography is exceptional. Sometimes, using muted and pastel tones to reflect the mood of the scenes. The screenplay is also sophisticated, which allowed the actors to become immersed in their roles to the point that the audience could relate and feel what they were experiencing. Since so much of it was subtle, that took real acting challenges to pull off. The first half of the movie is intensely character driven while the second half, unfortunately, becomes an esoteric mess.
“Every You, Every Me” Series Review (Ep.1 to 8)
When I first started to watch this series, I frankly was perplexed by it. It certainly grabbed my attention and honestly, I did not identify the same actors playing different roles. Sincerely, I thought they were different actors as the roles, setup, and stories were so vastly distinctive. But as each of the storylines developed, I did observe that the essence was the same. It was well into the third storyline when I had my epiphany and realized the actors were the same but each of the stories was wildly different. Two young men find each other, fall in love, and form a nexus. However, not always with happy endings. Each character represented different personalities and certainly different outlooks on life. Yet, something always draws the two of them together. And that something of course is love.
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“Peaceful Property” Series Review (Ep.1 to 12)
“To me, wherever home feels like home, is home.”- Quote from Peaceful Property
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My Favorite Asian BLs So Far (2024)- Part III
My last tier of my favorite Asian BLs for this year is, of course equally eclectic as my first two lists were. Perhaps these, of all the series I have watched this year, are the ones that have left the greatest emotional impact on me. Equally important, they have also made me ruminative and reflective. Wondering and pondering most whether I would have taken the same actions or gone down the same path or felt the same way. Mostly, I saw something within me in each of the main protagonists. Some characteristic force, strength, flaw, weakness, emotion, or perhaps desire that helped me identify more with how they felt, who they were, and/or more importantly why they did what they did. I felt deeply engaged in what was happening and could feel their emotions with them:
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“My Damn Business” Series Review (Ep.1 to 7)
This short but unsullied movie, broken into 7 episodes, is surprisingly effective and very entertaining. While a few cringe worthy scenarios brought it down a few notches, there is one big framework that catapults it back up into the stratosphere, making it exceptionally rare for a KBL. This is an obviously low-budget production that has essentially two main characters and only a smattering of other characters. Thus, it is character driven.
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The BL Xpress 