#axelle judges bl shows
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axelle judges bl shows > Bokura No Shokutaku
summary: Yutaka lives a lonely, boring salaryman life, which lightens up once he meets little boy Tane and his older brother Minoru, who bring him into their lively family life.
where to watch: dramacool
grade: 8,5/10
pros:
this is SUCH a heartfelt show. it's quiet and subtle, but talks about trauma quite extensively & truly allows its characters to FEEL. which makes it immediately in the best jbls I've seen bc it is a love story but it's also more than that & is highly relatable just for that. the writing truly is beautiful & near perfect in my opinion!
the acting is excellent, and I truly felt everything the characters were feeling on screen & much more. minoru's actor has some serious heart eyes on him!!! the kid who plays tane also did an amazing job & was adorable!
similarly, the chemistry was really, really good, and didn't feel awkward at all (unless it was needed, that post-confession conversation in the café still haunts me with how good it is!)
the pace is really good! I feel like some of the episodes kinda felt similar in the beginning, being just yutaka going over to minoru's place for a hang out with tane, but apart from that I think the show utilized its screentime almost perfectly & it was a really engaging show from beginning to end, even with its slower, more contemplative quality!
the characters are so fucking endearing AHHHHH!!! I also was really glad to see there's not that many characters & none of them is truly horrible or "the villain" (even yutaka's brother who gets redeemed eventually), bc they got to be developed quite a lot & really made me attached to them.
cons:
the first episodes aren't super deep or focused on the love story which makes the second part of the show more powerful to me, but at the same time I didn't feel too bored or like I'd stop watching, and in fact only made me want to keep watching even more.
would I rewatch it: yes!
I'm gonna be honest, I started this show expecting it to be very mediocre, but instead I absolutely enjoyed every second of it & it way surpassed my every expectations! I honestly couldn't recommend it more, it's not too long, sweet, extremely well written, heals its characters' trauma & has an absolutely beautiful love story!
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axelle judges bl shows > Laws of Attraction
summary: Charn is a big shot lawyer who is hired by Senator Thattep in a case where a little girl was ran over by his son. The girl's niece is Tinn, who comes to hate Charn for his disrespectful tactics.
where to watch: youtube
grade: 8/10
pros:
even though the story is quite simple, it was well written and convincing & a fun journey to go through!
the acting was so so so good, once again film ate even though I wasn't a fan of his creepy smile lol, and jam truly is becoming a fave of mine bc he's too fucking charismatic!
I especially liked that the show didn't spend much time on the obvious. for example, instead of pretending to be shocked that charn wants to become a better man for tinn, it's accepted pretty quickly bc it's a very well-known twist that we all saw coming. this reduced the feeling of 'I've already seen this story 50 times before' for the viewers & made the show progress more smoothly.
the chemistry was even better than in to sir with love :)
cons:
the side ships were so underdeveloped, bro. we literally miss tee & tanthai getting together & being captured by thattep, and maya & rose were barely confirmed... I genuinely think they had the time to develop them well though, or they should've added two extra episodes imo.
some of the plot twists & solutions to problems are way too obvious or escape logic but oh well, this isn't meant to be a super deep or serious show so it's okay.
would I rewatch it: yes!
Overall this was an enjoyable show but of course not on the level of To Sir, With Love because of the difference of topics and length of both shows. It was still a super fun show and I'm hoping to see more of this ship because I really like them together :)
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axelle judges bl shows > Be My Favorite
summary: Kawi is 30 and lives a shitty life. His father died, he has a low paying but exhausting job, no friends, and Pear, the girl he's liked since his university days, is getting married to their classmate, Pisaeng. When Kawi discovers that he has the ability to travel through time, becoming 20 again, he decides to try and seduce Pear. One problem: Pisaeng is there to get in his way.
where to watch: youtube
grade: 8,5/10
pros:
the story is not only pretty original, but very well written. I think everyone can find themselves relating to elements of the show, and I loved the topic of wanting to go back in time to fix things which is something everyone has wished at least once in their life. I also love that we see the characters slowly detach themselves from trying to change & predict the future, but actually enjoy the present, which is a pretty beautiful message to pass. the theme of the show truly makes it so lovable and important in my eyes.
the acting was really good from everyone! my favorites were of course my baes gawin & aye who especially slayed :) krist also really impressed me considering I was obviously skeptical about him acting in bl again.
LOVED LOVED LOVED the pisaeng coming out storyline. it wasn't anything incredibly original, but actually was never done that way in a bl show & made incredibly respectfully and well, especially thanks to fluke gawin's performance!
gawinkrist ate?? the chemistry was mostly really good on & off screen and they really sold pisaengkawi to me.
cons:
all of my problems with the show come from the writing, so here you go:
I wish we'd seen kawi's feelings more before he changed his mind from liking pear to wanting to be with pisaeng. I know it was explained as him suddenly realizing it once pisaeng was gone from his life, but I still wish they'd given it slightly more time so we could really feel the weight of kawi's feelings.
I found the pisaengkawi's first time storyline kinda badly executed, even though the sex scene in itself was beautifully acted & filmed. kawi's discomfort with sex is never explored, and he changed his mind without us ever seeing his thought process. I wish we could've gotten a scene where pisaengkawi discussed their relationship with sex & it was made clear that kawi does want to have sex but is just scared, bc without that scene, it feels like kawi doesn't really want it, and the cut from pisaengkawi not getting along great to them having sex was really jarring in the show.
I wanted the side characters to be more developed, and believe there was enough screentime for that. I would've loved to see pear finding herself outside of romantic relationships, kwan finally meeting a man that treats her like she deserves, I wanted max to be more than just activist pride guy (which, SLAY!) and get more screentime & depth bc he's fucking iconic, and even crusty not should've been shown having grown & become a better person after 10 years.
would I rewatch it: absolutely!
If you'd told me Be My Favorite would be one of my favorite shows of the year, I would have laughed at you in the face. In fact, I was the first one doubting this pairing and even the precedent one, but I gotta say... this show really pulled through for me. It is more flawed than I'd like, but still a very touching show about a topic frankly rarely or even never seen in bl. I'm so glad I gave it a chance :)
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axelle judges bl shows > The Eighth Sense
summary: Jae Won, in his last year of university and just came back from his stay in the military, is the popular kid from the surf club. When Ji Hyun, a freshman from the countryside, joins the club for him, sparks fly, and a long tumultuous relationship starts.
where to watch: dramacool
grade: 8/10
pros:
- this show stands out a lot from its directing, which is very indie looking compared to other kbls. it feels like a film d’auteur, which makes it so there is a lot of experimentation in this show which is very appreciated, and also makes the show stand out & way more memorable.
- the chemistry is amazing. and I don’t mean just between the main ship, but the friendship chemistry is equally as great, be it jae won with yoon won (my fave friendship, I loved them sm together & she was by far my fave character!), ji hyun with ae ri, or jy hyun with his boss, the relationships of the show are portrayed very realistically & with great banter!
- the pace is SO much better than usual kbls that are way too short for my liking! with 10 episodes of 40 minutes, we get to fall in love with the story & characters way more, and moreover the writing was quite good & balanced so the story didn’t feel like it dragged often, if ever.
- the characters are amazing, and again, bc of the length of the show, we get way more attached to them. they’re all very flawed & sassy, and they truly feel like real people which is not always easy to achieve!
- the acting is very good & natural. it doesn’t stand out as the most incredible acting, but for a series that seem to want to be a bit more realistic than most kbls, it landed perfectly for that job.
- the soundtrack lowkey slaps, it’s very different from usual kbl soundtracks & contributed to make the show stand out. in a way, it reminded me of the not me soundtrack (my fave soundtrack ever) in the way it can sometimes feel a bit random but still works amazingly with the show.
cons:
- bc of its indie feel, there are moments that do feel a bit amateur, and the execution isn’t very uniformous, which makes it so certain scenes are truly amazing, while others feel like they should’ve either been cut down or shot/written differently. imo eps 7 & 8 especially were less good than the rest.
- this is a story that feels very reminiscent from the gay stories released before or in the early 2010′s. so if you’re like me & you’ve watched so many stories like this before, it will definitely limit the reach that this series has on you emotionally bc it feels like you’ve seen this story happen before. they did offer enough changes to make it stand out & different, but it is still a reason why this series isn’t an 8,5/10 for me.
would I rewatch it: yes!
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this show & would absolutely recommend it to everyone! I absolutely love these more indie-feeling shows, and here it definitely made a story I’ve otherwise seen over twenty times work way more! I also gotta praise the actors & writers for making me this attached to the characters, they were lovely!
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axelle judges bl shows > Jun & Jun
summary: Lee Jun is an ex-idol who joins his first regular job. To his surprise, he is reunited with his childhood best friend, Choi Jun.
where to watch: dramacool
grade: 6,5/10
pros:
the chemistry was some of the best I've seen in a kbl!
choi jun's character is so fun & attractive, he definitely carried the show imo!
I liked the second lead a lot & his ship that was eluded to with the other idol was cute!
cons:
most of the screentime is spent with the two leads... apart??? it was really hard to see them grow into a relationship bc their story is so underdeveloped.
bc of that, this is kinda of a boring show? like nothing much happens at all tbh.
the love... square felt so fucking forced?? like no shade but why is it that every time two or three guys like the same person it's always a very boring vanilla character with very little personality? 😭
also no shade but the ex-idol storyline serves absolutely zero purpose & doesn't fit lee jun's character at all imo.
would I rewatch it: no
The first two episodes were promising but sadly this show was kinda disappointing to be honest.
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axelle judges bl shows > My School President
/!\ SPOILERS AHEAD
summary: Tinn has been crushing on Gun for over two years, and decides that senior year is the year he needs to make a move. For that, he becomes the school’s student body president in an effort to help Gun’s music club avoid cancellation.
where to watch: youtube
grade: 8,5/10
pros:
- this show manages to take a very basic story that honestly shouldn’t have lasted more than one episode, and develop it in an endearing, quirky and very interesting direction through its writing. the writing of the show gives so much care to the characters and their feelings, and treats them in honestly such a rare way with making tinngun experience a lot of obstacles with maturity but never break up, as well as giving all the side characters a lot more love than usual. this really took the show from what could’ve been extremely forgettable & seen 50 times before plot, to truly one of the best bls in a while!
- similarly, there’s so much care put into the show: the original soundtrack is really great and the fact that the opening credits changed every 3 episodes to indicate changes in the story & characters was SUCH a good idea! you can tell the creators of the show really put so much effort & thought into it & imo it more than paid off!
- the characters are amazing. I gotta talk about my boi tinn bc he has everything of the “perfect & boring bl love interest” which is a trope I’ve criticized where the love interest is handsome, smart, talented, rich, has everything going on for himself except for a personality, which makes half of a ship so fucking boring in bl shows, but here my boi tinn is my literal fucking fave bc we get to see so much of his point of view. we see him freak out about his crush, be shy, be awkward, etc. but we also see that his family life & the pressure put on him is real, which adds layer to his character. as for gun, he’s equally as amazing, and so much of the show allows him to explore his feelings which makes him such a relatable character. sound is also another fave of mine, he has a great character development just like win, tiw is literally an iconic friend & deffo the mvp of this show, yo got a good storyline about insecurity, and por & phat were adorable and completed the team well. I literally fell in love with this group of friends so much & they absolutely carried the show!
- the acting & chemistry, man. so as you might know already, I’m a hater LMAO. I don’t like new pairings easily at all, especially when it contains both new actors I’ve never seen before. but when I say fourth & gemini stunned me, I really mean it. first of all they have an insanely natural chemistry that really puts a lot of more experienced pairings to shame lol, and it’s the same for satang & winny who play winsound and literally stole the show for me! I swear I started by rolling my eyes at the possibility of winsound & then I got converted real quick LMAO. but apart from that, the acting is just so fucking GOOD. fourth shined the most for me, he brings a vulnerability to his character that is very impressive for his age, but gemini also did an amazing job showing the complexities of tinn. satang also impressed me greatly, this boy has amazing heart eyes & also displays a lot of vulnerability, I hope to see more of him! but honestly everyone did a great job & really sold their characters to me <3
- I feel like what makes this show special is that it doesn’t stay surface level at all. when the guys lose hot wave, another show would show them being disappointed & depressed for one episode and move on, but msp went further by having them internalize their feelings & then ultimately fight once they can’t contain it anymore. them blaming each other then crying & apologizing is honestly one of my favorite scenes of the show?? it was such a real scene that was FELT, and also a great display of friendship there. another good example is the fear of coming out & the wish to hide their relationship, as well as the homophobia experienced by tinngun in the last episode. another show would’ve likely completely skipped through that & showed tinngun accepted by all without batting an eye, but instead by showing tinn’s mother’s uneasiness around her son dating a guy, and that asshole teacher being a complete homophobic dick who thinks he’s in the right, or even those teachers who shook their heads at tinngun being cute at prom, it all felt more realistic & added layers to the show and their relationship where it’s not all sunshine & rainbows, yet they still stay strong & support each other. all of these moments really add a lot of depth & importance to the show, and also strengthen the characters & their relationships a whole lot.
- the pace is also perfect to make it a super entertaining show & I never felt bored for even one minute!
cons:
- as quirky & fun & entertaining as this show was, it is still pretty basic in most of its storylines: gun’s mom being sick, the guys losing hot wave, tinngun’s relationship leaking online... and like honestly that doesn’t take any of my enjoyment of the show away so who cares, but it does keep me from grading this show any higher. yes I literally have nothing else to put in the cons LMAO
would I rewatch it: absolutely! it joined my comfort shows list <3
I expected this show to give me sorta love sick vibes (one of my fave comfort shows), but I didn’t expect it to be a more updated version of a just as healthy couple as phunnoh, giving me a just as vibrant & enjoyable high school slice of life that I love so much. I literally fell in love with this show, man. it was entertaining, and endearing, and honestly it became an instant favorite. I couldn’t recommend it more!
#axelle judges bl shows#my school president#my school president the series#bypiningbisexuals#I had a LOT of things to say LMAO
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axelle judges bl shows > Minato Shouji Coin Laundry 2
/!\ SPOILERS AHEAD
summary: Now that Minato-san and Shin are dating, all of their problems are not done since Minato-san still struggles to accept the relationship. On their own level, Asuka and Shu also meet their first problems as a couple.
where to watch: dramacool
grade: 6/10
pros:
- asakusa. I only watched this useless sequel bc of my baby asakusa, who's one of my favorite side characters ever <3 and his ship is so cute & wholesome, I loved them!
- the acting & chemistry are good, when they are not being held back by the writing lol
cons:
- BRUH. this is the most useless sequel ever, there's no progress in the ship's personality even though they're together, one is still pushy while the other runs away, and the plot is paper thin...
- THE "MEMORY LOSS" TROPE???? FELT LIKE A JOKE, BFFR. first of all it comes out of nowhere 2 eps before the end, but also its been seen so many times before it honestly feels like a parody now instead of an actual trope... I literally rolled my eyes when it happened lmao.
would I rewatch it: no
This had no purpose and I regret watching it, but oh well. Add this to the list of HUNDREDS of shows I've watched that wasted my precious time on this earth lol.
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axelle judges bl shows > To Sir, With Love
summary: Set in the 1920′s, Thian’s mom has tried to hide her son’s homosexuality since he was a kid in order to protect the Five Dragons association which he is set to inherit. But when Thian falls in love, that lie gets harder and harder to preserve.
where to watch: youtube
grade: 8,5/10
pros:
- FINALLY a lakorn that treats its queer characters right. it’s the first one I’ve seen where there is NO bury your gays or sad ending, and that actually seems to side with the queer characters instead of using society’s rejection of queerness to further the plot for the main straight couple. here thian & jiu ARE the main couple, and it’s no coincidence we don’t see yang & lingpin getting married in the finale. instead, society has to adapt to thian & not the opposite, in the end he doesn’t lose everything like his mom thought he would. this was SO refreshing!
- perfect characters. thian is perfect with a heart of gold without being boring, jiu has an extremely complex but loving personality, yang is a devoted brother who knows his own worth, the mom & her servant are extremely badass even if misguided, lingpin is so fun & lovely, mae bua eternally loving, and the dad was great as a stern but ultimately loving figure in the household. even yang’s mom was a great villain in how annoying she was LMAO. even though these characters did fit in some of the usual lakorn archetypes, it was still a breath of fresh air & they carried the show perfectly!
- phenomenal acting from everyone, especially the mother, thian & yang! honestly acting rarely misses in lakorns, but here I especially think everyone did an excellent job :)
- great chemistry between both ships, they just slayed & I loved them together!!! also the non toxicity between them with just the right amount of will they won’t they & forbidden love was SCRUMPTIOUS!
- best writing in a lakorn I’ve seen in a while!!! usually, lakorns ALWAYS let me down in some way, but this one was damn near perfect, it had the angst, it had the fluff, it had the lessons, the plot twists... and it all just worked so well & was just so satisfying to watch! bc the writing makes so much sense, the show never loses its entertainment factor & never gets overly frustrating, which is EXTREMELY rare for lakorns :)
- this is also the best looking lakorn after in family we trust by far, the decors & costumes were gorgeous <3
cons:
- this is still a lakorn so there’s quite a few over the top, overdramatic moments which makes it impossible to be graded higher, but this is definitely one of the most tolerable lakorns I’ve seen still!
would I rewatch it: honestly I don’t really rewatch lakorns bc they’re so long, but if I was to rewatch one it would definitely be this one!
I went into this show fully expecting to face the bury your gays trope again, but it actually was an incredible queer lakorn. It acknowledges its historical settings but also puts the queer characters in the right & the bigots in the wrong, and holds its characters accountable in a very rare way. Outside of the queer themes, this was just such an entertaining, non problematic lakorn, which is SO rare to see. I loved it & it’s now one of my all-time favorite lakorns <3
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axelle judges bl shows > The Eclipse
/!\ SPOILERS AHEAD
summary: Ayan infiltrates the Suppalo school to try and figure out what happened to his uncle who commited suicide after working there. There he meets Akk, the head of the student prefects who has it in for him, while also hiding a secret of his own.
where to watch: youtube
grade: 8/10
pros:
- the acting was amazing from everyone involved. I’ve been a fan of first & khaotung since their first roles so I didn’t expect anything less from them but they were incredible, there was not one moment where their acting felt off, and it was especially great to see khaotung in such an unexpected role for him that’s actually great for once! another great surprise is also neo, who was finally allowed a more serious role & did great, and also louis whom I had only seen in one role before and had a very solid performance. aj, my underrated fave for years, was also great just like ploy. basically everyone did amazing & I loved this cast :)
- I loved that this show tackled the difficulties linked with figuring out your sexuality & coming out, especially in relation with being lower class, even though I wish it would’ve been made a bit more clear that the reason akk is super closeted & also follows suppalo rules so blindly is bc he’s the only one in his family with a hope of going to university & would get a scholarship from being the head prefect. but in general, it was nice to see a bl show acknowledge sexuality & homophobia. while I do like the escapism of bl shows that pretend like those topics don’t even exist, I also think there is something more touching & heartwrenching to having them get explored. it’s also more realistic while still having a happy, positive queer story in the end so imo there’s only good things to gain from it.
- the overall story’s message was great, and fits well with other high school thai dramas that tackle corruption (which I’ve made video for here.) I also ESPECIALLY liked that the bringers of change are effeminate gay men, bc those kinds of characters have been mocked & ridiculed for far too long in thai dramas. but here they’re brave, iconic, and have otherwise fulfilling lives with a great friend group & also boyfriends. honestly I would have loved to see even more of them but this positive portrayal of effeminate gay men was really important imo, and one of the great aspects of this series which tackled more queer topics in general. but apart from that, I just really liked the message of this series for almost every character, and it worked really well for me.
- the chemistry was really great, which is not surprising since I’ve never seen first & khaotung have bad chemistry with literally ANYONE. as for neo & louis, you can tell they’ve matured as a ship & they feel more grounded and better overall than in futs. the ships were really compelling, especially akkayan who worked fantastic in my opinion!
- this is kinda small & random, but I REALLY appreciated akkayan not breaking up once they got together. literally EVERY OTHER bls (even ones I adore) love breaking up the ship before the final climax of the show to add drama, but here I really loved that even when akk wanted to pull away, ayan never let him. they also took a bit longer than other ships to get together & felt very sturdy thanks to it, which made this high school ship feel more mature & beautiful imo.
cons:
- from the beginning of the show, I’ve felt like the pace was a bit weird & the ending was gonna be unsatisfying, for a good reason: the whole investigation plot & all the drama surrounding suppalo felt very much like it was thrown in there so akkayan could meet (because it WAS!) throughout the show, while the romantic relationship had a good pace imo, the suppalo storyline was barely acknowledged at all & most of it is spent on protest scenes that end up all feeling & looking the same in the end. bc of that, not only are the suppalo-focused moments kinda boring, but it also meant that the show had to settle everything in the two last eps, which is why ep 11 was just plot twist after plot twist & led to plot holes and overall insatisfaction from the viewers. all of that to say that the writing is in big part to blame for that, and I wish it would’ve gone differently bc the show could’ve been even better if it had.
- thua as a character, man. he was one of my favorites & was ruined in ep 11. having a queer character who’s been bullied his whole life for being gay outing others for literally no reason felt worse than other outing scenes in shows by straight characters bc DAMN, how are you gonna betray your own like that ;_; and then having him never apologize but everything goes back to normal the next day?? HELL NO. he should’ve been called out by akk & apologized to him, and akk should’ve had an explanation scene with kan & wat as well. this whole part of the episode just... sucked, and ruined kanthua for me.
- that bl short film concept was wacky af I’m sorry... I already didn’t love certain fanservice scenes towards the beginning of the show but THAT??? didn’t fit in tonally with the show at all & added absolutely nothing to it.
- for a show called the eclipse, there wasn’t a lot of eclipsing. it might sound like I’m nitpicking but???? the eclipse was literally one second long????? and it had no fucking purpose at all????? like how random for being the fucking title of the show though :’) I just wish the eclipse would’ve been incorporated into the show more, for example from the first mock trailer I thought the eclipse was tied to the suppalo curse, so I think they could’ve played into that more.
would I rewatch it: sure :)
This was in the top 5 of the shows I was most excited for this year, and while it wasn’t perfect I really enjoyed it & what it stood for. I still recommend as it’s a nice little show :)
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axelle judges bl shows > Step by Step
summary: Phat is a young worker at Jian Group, who develops a crush on a handsome guy he spills bubble tea on. To his surprise, though, it turns out that this handsome guy... is his new boss.
where to watch: dramacool
grade: 7/10
pros:
my favorite aspect of this show is that it embraces the flaws & feelings of its characters. it lets the relationship between jeng & pat develop very slowly (as it should for this kind of story), it lets pat kiss his ex before he ever kisses jeng & realize he doesn't love him that way anymore, and many more moments that felt very realistic compared to how other shows did it. the writing really cared for the characters' motivations & feelings which I loved.
to add to the realistic aspect of the show, this truly felt much more like a lgbtq+ show than other bl shows, which was obviously really nice & I hope it becomes a trend for more thai bl shows to come.
as someone who usually prefers shorter shows, I actually really enjoyed the longer episodes here? I don't know what it is, but it really added to the show's experience for me & didn't make the show drag on or boring. my issues are more so with the writing, but the length of the episodes actually made me more attached to the story & characters that are otherwise pretty basic.
the acting & chemistry were very good. there were some moments where I thought pat's actor wasn't that great, but jeng's actor did amazing & I really wanna see more of him, as well as jaab's actor & up poompat who honestly slayed in this role. overall the chemistry between the whole cast really was amazing too & contributed to the show feeling more natural.
the show is well filmed & you can tell a lot of care was put into it, which makes the watching experience more pleasant.
cons:
jaab & jane are truly the most underdeveloped side ship relationship I've ever seen??? nothing happened in their story, and they got reunited OFF SCREEN??? this is truly the biggest failure of a side ship I've ever seen, especially since these two had great chemistry. idk what happened here but this was NOT it.
the show really lost me in its second half when it became about pat crying every goddamn five minutes. it honestly made me lose empathy for him after a while even though he was a character I really liked at first. moreover, if a character cries all the time, it lessens the emotional impact it has on its viewers. as an example, we barely see jeng cry at all during the show, yet, when he does, it was WAY more impactful. I think there's a way to write a crybaby character, but this was not the way here.
overall basically all the side characters except chot are useless & served no purpose, also what was the point of beam being in love with ae while she's with kanun?? literally so useless, it ends up being discussed as a non issue & added absolutely nothing to the show.
I fucking hate when there's a one or two year gap in a story for no reason other than to reunite the characters last minute & pretend that ending is satisfying enough, so it's no surprise I hated the two year break in the last episode. it's become so overused in bl shows & it's fucking annoying, we saw no growth from the characters & them getting back together after two years felt very unrealistic, when pat's love for jeng had never even been shown to be that deep.
sorry but the age gap between the actors bothered me. even on screen, the fact that this is a boss/employee story will always bother me, especially since there's quite an age gap, but irl? every time I remembered pat's actor is only 21 years old & there's 11 years between him & jeng's actor, I cringed. I know it's legal or whatever, but it just bothered me during my watching experience.
I have no idea if this is nitpicky or if it bothered other people, but there are very big continuity jumps between scenes in the same episode regarding pat's actor face & haircut. he looks way younger in certain scenes than others, some that even happened one after the other. it's probably bc they filmed the pilot teaser way before the rest of the show but it was VERY distracting to me.
this is very much a me thing, but the english segments were way too numerous & long. we get it, pat's actor can speak english & jeng's actor is half white, but idk... it bothered me.
would I rewatch it: probably not...
Overall there's a lot that this show put out that I truly appreciated. But sadly it really lost traction as episodes passed, and ended up quite disappointing to me. I did still like many things & will remember this show for them, though.
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axelle judges bl shows > The Promise
summary: Phupha and Nanfah used to be best friends but Phupha left Nanfah suddenly for over a decade. When he finally decides to come back to Bangkok, he immediately runs into Nanfah who wants to start the friendship all over again.
where to watch: youtube
grade: 7,5/10
pros:
the plot is nice, I'm a sucker for best friends to lovers so this was right up my alley!
the chemistry is really good & there are some serious heart eyes at play!
my man boss who played techit in not me is here & I couldn't have been happier, he carried the show I was GAGGED to see him here!!!
the acting is solid from everyone!
cons:
the show kinda loses itself at the halfway mark. in my opinion it should've been shorter to avoid some episodes to feel like they're just running in circles to waste screentime.
the writing is a bit thin tbh, like there's not much substance to it since they just went with the classic trope of the love triangle (in this case a love square bc 3 men are in love with nanfah lol) so it just feels a bit boring & forgettable on that part tbh.
they also should've cut the eps beter bc from what I saw a lot of scenes that built up phuphananfah's relationship were cut from the show when imo they shouldn't have.
would I rewatch it: I likely won't
Overall this was a nice little show that seemed genuinely great in its first episodes but sadly didn't stick the landing. It was still a nice time though!
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axelle judges bl shows > Love Tractor
summary: Seon Yul, on his way to become a bigshot lawyer, drops everything and goes to escape in his grandpa's countryside house. There, he meets bumbling but lovable Suh Ye Chan, who quickly gets a liking to him.
where to watch: dramacool
grade: 7,5/10
pros:
charming location :)
suh ye chan is a really cute character & really carried the show well, he was silly just the right amount while still doing good in the more serious scenes!
the chemistry was really good & the couple is just wholesome and sweet!
cons:
this is a simple show so there's nothing revolutionary or life-changing about it, and it's even a bit forgettable tbh.
would I rewatch it: why not!
Overall this is a cute show, but that's about it. I did really enjoy it tho :)
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axelle judges bl shows > I Will Knock You
summary: Thi the awkward tutor finds his life transformed when he starts running into Noey, a high school gangster who seems to take a liking to him.
where to watch: dramacool
grade: 8,5/10
pros:
- while the cinematography is nothing to write home about, the world-building is so fucking good! the vintage, small town vibes of the show really contribute to making it stand out, even with a more basic plot.
- the characters are so fucking fun, man. they’re all incredibly cartoonish but work so well in the context of this series. my fave is of course noey bc he reminds me so much of my favorite character of all time khai from theory of love, but even thiw, the rest of the watphlu gang, nidnoi & auntie tim are so fucking fun to witness and make the world of the show so much more vibrant and entertaining.
- the writing is actually quite fucking solid? like it’s crazy bc not that much happens in this show at all, yet it stays entertaining till the very end? the script also takes care of its side characters well, and everyone has a satisfying story & ending imo.
- the acting is just okay except for noey & his mom who SLAYED. I’ve been saying noey’s actor will go very far & I truly believe it bc he managed to make noey, once again a very cartoonish character, feel grounded in reality, & the emotional scenes were amazing!
- overall this is just such a campy, feel good show. it has a vibe different from any other show I’ve watched & is not afraid to be silly, but is also mostly about noey growing up & especially evolving as a person. I loved the over the top nature of this show & I loved its overall message, and I had the MOST fun watching this :)
cons:
- thi is quite hard to like for the first half of the show bc he’s just this spineless, bumbling idiot, but he definitely becomes more likable as the show progresses.
- the age gap is deffo a bit problematic but since the relationship doesn’t really have intimate scenes & is mostly instigated by noey, I was able to overlook it. but I do wish they would’ve made noey 17 going on 18 & thi 18 or 19 instead of having a six years age gap like that (the fact that the actors actually have an even bigger age gap of 9 years irl doesn’t help lol.)
would I rewatch it: with pleasure <3
I don't know what possessed me to watch this show but I'm SO GLAD I did bc it's honestly a new favorite of mine. It made me realize that I'm completely fine with bls with a more basic plot when they actually show that they have care put into them & are made to be quirky, fun, and most importantly: authentic.
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axelle judges bl shows > La Pluie
summary: Saengtai has a disease that causes him to lose his hearing when it rains. For the past two years, he's been hearing his soulmate's voice when it rains, but, traumatized by his parents' divorce even though they're soulmates, he doesn't believe in love with that mysterious voice. One day, though, he meets the man that makes him want to believe in soulmates.
where to watch: dramacool
grade: 7,5/10
pros:
I really enjoyed the characters, especially saengtai & saentien, they really made the show for me and I got quite attached to them! I especially liked that tai, even though filling the role of the shy bottom, kinda switched it up by being being a shy bottom who's not afraid to flirt & voice his opinions. more characters like this please!
beautiful cinematography & filming!
the acting was very solid, I especially have been a fan of title tanatorn since he absolutely CARRIED remember me, and I was so happy to see him definitely deliver as the main lead in this!
even though the writing is nothing out of the ordinary, I found it quite solid still, and I wasn't really let down by the series at any moment, which is something that happens more often for me than not.
the chemistry between everyone was very good, which was to be expected from thai dramas that rarely ever miss. title & pee especially are a very interesting ship & I wouldn't mind seeing more of them!
cons:
not gonna lie, this is a quite predictable series. like, nothing really shocked me apart the one scene where the main four characters all have a fight that was very well done imo, but apart from that not much stands out from this show & it uses a lot of already overused tropes.
I did like tai & patts, but they are quite a boring, vanilla couple, which is fine, but also didn't really bring out much extra interest to the show on my part. especially patts as a character was fine, but definitely fell in the category I've created of "perfect but boring bl love interests", though thankfully at least he's not toxic like many characters present in that list lol.
would I rewatch it: I wanna say why not, but realistically since I do not have the time to rewatch ANY show anymore, I know I won't rewatch this one :(
Overall I did really enjoy this show, which made me want to rate it higher, but when I thought about it, I realized that it is gonna be a show that is pretty forgettable to me. I wouldn't NOT recommend it, but I also wouldn't really go out of my way to recommend it, so do with that what you will.
#la pluie#la pluie the series#axelle judges bl shows#bypiningbisexuals#my reviews are back bitchesssss#so many shows to catch up on lol be patient with me
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axelle judges bl shows > Zenra Meshi
summary: Souta leads a boring salary man life. When he inherits his grandma's house in the countryside, he meets Mahiro, who helps him cook recipes from his grandma's cookbook.
where to watch: dramacool
grade: 6/10
pros:
I always like the countryside setting in any show, so this was very pleasant.
I loved the representation of dishes from around the world, and was happy to see a taiwanese character in the countryside which made the show feel slightly more diverse. also love the two out gays supporting each other & being bffs!
the mahiro actor, whom I love from cherry magic & I will do it in the next life, literally has my whole heart & he just carried the show for me :) but also to be fair, the souta actor has some of the most captivating eyes ever & his overall look was fascinating. I just wish they'd been given better material.
cons:
for what should've been a simple & wholesome show, they tried to make it far too complicated to fill the 12 episodes, when the show should have never been that long.
similarly, the writing wasn't so good tbh, and most characters weren't that likable by the end of the show bc of the nonsensical choices they made.
this contained one of the most annoying female characters in a while for a bl, which was kinda disappointing. she's such a pushover & really selfish, and her ending up with her creepy boss that was using the power imbalance between them to try & seduce her was honestly disheartening. I thought at this point bl writers had understood that if you're not gonna give somewhat good roles to your female bl characters, you shouldn't even write them into the plot in the first place, but oh well.
honestly the chemistry was really stilted & lowkey some of the worst I've seen from a jbl in a while, and I think it's mostly from the writing.
would I rewatch it: no
This had some potential to be wholesome & cute, but truly became more & more dumb and annoying as time passed by.
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axelle judges bl shows > The Luminous Solution
/!\ SPOILERS AHEAD
summary: The story of Thana and Patis, a long-term couple who is struggling, and Ryou and Mai, highschool boys who slowly fall in love with each other. Both couples will be led to go to a magical coffee shop where their craziest wishes can come true.
where to watch: dramacool
grade: 5/10
pros:
the acting was good. I especially liked thana's actor, and hope to see more of him! nice to see bhu bhudis' acting leveled up since manner of death :) gun napat was also really quite good in this!
you know, I gotta respect the commitment to this show. the writers had a weird ass idea for a plot & truly committed to it, and even though I didn't like the show, I 100000% prefer a show like this one than an uninspired show that feels like it has been seen 50 times before.
cons:
where to start? this show is confusing as hell. I know it's on purpose & shit, but imo you can make a confusing show that still makes enough sense to pull the viewer in, but here it wasn't the case in my opinion.
I didn't like the ending at all. the plot twist that the teen ship is actually the adult ship when they first met is SO weird considering they don't look like each other at all & had different names (which I know was explained on the show but still felt forced lol.) and then thana & patis still end up together in the end??? be for real.
speaking of thana & patis, I didn't like them at all. the actors had great chemistry, but the characters were entirely incompatible. the whole show was watching a couple that should've broken up months ago keep trying to be together & it was really annoying, ESPECIALLY when thana & that younger neighbor had SO MUCH more potential & chemistry imo! I was so frustrated they weren't developed more bc I honestly really liked them together.
even though I respect the vision, what was the point of this show??? it added nothing to my life, brought me no good moments or important lessons, and ultimately was definitely a waste of my time.
would I rewatch it: absolutely not lol
I went into this show expecting it to be a mess, and it absolutely was LMAO. Don't bother with this.
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