Light On Me (2021)

Sweet love triangle ...

A short story of finding yourself, standing up for your beliefs, improving and changing your environment. At first all the characters might seem stereotypical, but there is more to them.

The plot would be the same as all school dramas if not for a love triangle where ALL of them are boys with a little extra girl added to make it a very weird geometric shape. Their relationships are hilarious, really. Two guys like the same guy. One girl likes a different guy, who likes a guy. One guy is extra - they do not specify who he likes. I guess, himself?

I didn't enjoy this because I think the main character was poorly cast, despite the fact that he was introvert, The show was also a bit too sanitized, with everything too perfect - it was a bit distancing. For example, TK was visibly plastered with white makeup - they all were, but it was worst with him.

The music wasn't much to talk about, honestly I don't think I heard actual song that I could add to my play list.

This is a cute series - if you like fluff, this is for you. I'll likely forget about it fairly quickly, as it really has very little to say.

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Another BL is finished and...

This is definitely the best K-BL I have ever watched!!
Although it's a short drama the story is complete, from the start to the finale it never feels like something's missing. Another thing that I really liked is that it's very realistic love story..
I'm team ShinWoo since day one so I couldn't be more happy about the ending (and we got a smal hint that there might be season 2 and that's the best news right now)
I really liked the characters DaOn and So Hee were a bit annoying sometimes but definitely they never had bad intentions towards the oher characters. And although I love ShinWoo my favourite character of the drama is definitely ShiWoon hes so cute and fun and such a great guy, he's the sunshine of the whole drama. Most of the actors are rookies but the acting is definitely good. It didn't feel cringe/uncomfortable or robotic to me at all. I think all the the characters were delivered great..and the Music was very fitting to the drama..

If you haven't watched it yet you should!!It's definitely a MUST WATCH BL!!

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Korea gives us the msot Korean BL ever in a brilliant friends to love triangle

There were some who thought this BL a little slow, and I get that, but really it's just subtle and quiet. With Light on Me, Korea gave us an honest to goodness high school set BL with some classic old school yaoi tropes almost like they were doing a bit of a, “now that we’ve hit our stride, let’s perfect the vanilla sheet cake BL style.” It was great, of course, but very refined and elegant which some found off putting.

It’s what Korea does, repackage and perfect vanilla cake into this pretty glowing confection of precision joy. I’m cool with that. By all means, please include BL in the Hallyu take over. This is the K-pop of BL En-Hyphen style, manufactured super-powered cute but... restrained.

But that doesn't make it any less gut wrenching. In fact, it makes every subtle tentative movement of care that ShinWoo takes that much more telling. It makes every fear of exposure that prevents DaOn from taking action that much more traumatic. It makes every moment of TaeKyung’s brutal honestly and blunt communication that much more powerful.

The filming in this show was precision engineered. The frame was kept uncluttered, characters appeared exactly in the center, there is was little unnecessary visual noise, and the lighting is full on, even in night shots. To me this reflected the character of TaeKyung - honest and almost stilted in his mannerisms. I feel like the director filmed this show in a similar way, very careful and clear and specific.

This may have come off as one-note or simplistic to a casual viewer but it’s actually quite difficult to film something so precisely and still make it interesting to watch. So I believe it’s intentional. It forced the viewer to focus almost entirely on the actor’s faces, their nuanced emotion, and their interpersonal relationships to the exclusion of all else. There is literally NOTHING distracting about this directing style. It’s like the camera lens was a neutral white room, a well-lit gallery in which the narrative hung suspended for us all to stand and stare at in hushed silence.

A love triangle has never before looked so perfect or been executed so perfectly, and it never will again. All BL love triangles that come after (and we will get them now) are going to be unfavorably compared to this one.

Korea is VERY strategic and clever with romance tropes. Light on Me is a master class in how to use BL-specific romance tropes to manipulate audience sympathy so we can’t decide which pairing we prefer. They never just throw a trope in without purpose or calculating its impact on story structure. Basically, this is how you infect fans with Second Lead Syndrome. It’s SO GOOD.

So yes, it was cleverly engineered, but it was also SPECIAL, and here’s why:

Light on Me gave us a small cast of beautifully acted complex and sympathetic characters and dwelled on their different motivations, communication, and narrative roles. It gently explored not what it means to love, or even be in love, but what it means to act on love, and what that says about integrity and emotional courage. In doing so, it managed to treat its characters with integrity too. And not just the three main characters but the mentor, the faen fatal, and the best friend support characters too.

For me this BL was classy, a real winner, not the least of which because they NAILED the landing. Korea is DOMINATING 2021. Like seriously. What’s going on here?

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Not bad but far from groundbreaking

Light on Me is definitely a lighthearted drama that you will enjoy if you're searching for an easy watch with no major drama.

What I liked :
- The cinematography was very clean and on par with other korean dramas. The sets didn't feel low budget at all, despite the characters sticking to pretty much the same places through all the drama.
- Nam Goong was like a breath of fresh air every time he was on screen, I loved how he was not only a comic relief character but also a serious and devoted friend when problems arises. It was a nice change !
- They avoided all problematic tropes from what i can remember and they even dwelved into interesting subjects especially with Daon inner struggles with who he is and how he wants to be perceived by others.
- I think this is the best korean BL released so far, it could have been better executed but this is an ecouraging step in the right direction!
- The love triangle made sense for once ! While it was a bit fast, it was well executed and I had doubts until the end about who will end up together.

What I disliked :
- I was charmed by the first half of the drama but the second half felt dragged and I skipped through A LOT of the long staring contests and the awkward dialogues
- The dialogues... I get that the character are supposed to be awkward but having the two main characters interacting like that quickly becomes boring
- While I was okay withTaekkyung and Daon character development, Shinwoo character really didn't evolve much ? and I was really looking forward him opening up and being more comfortable by the end of the drama but it semmed that little changed from the beginning
- The acting was okay, I think the problem lied more in the directing. I've never seen people walking this slow on a sidewalk and the characters seemed robotic to me, especially during their interactions with each others.

Overall it was an okay watch, it got too boring for me towards the end but it remains a really decent BL !

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*very minor spoilers*

I skipped almost every episode of this drama., not necessarily because it was bad but because at the end of day, this drama is your typical high school love triangle romance kdrama. The only difference is that all the characters (excluding 1) are boys at an all boys school.

The cast in general have a collective problem with their acting. They underact. I mean this very literally, they aren’t necessarily bad or unbelievable but they all speak in this slow mellow tone and have minimal facial expressions (excluding the hilarious Namgoong). However this is better than overacting as you can still believe the story. Acting improved toward the end I will say.

Pros -
+ the main lead, Taegyeong, is not a pushover AT ALL! he’s incredibly clear and honest with himself which is what attracts his suitors. He says what he thinks all throughout the drama.
+ the love interests: Da on is genuinely nice and caring and Shinwoo starts of cold but quickly becomes adorable. Both men are at different stages of accepting who they are which I like because it adds depth to the characters. But they're both equally as kindhearted and genuine. Shinwoo has fully accepted himself whereas da on has only just realised and begun his journey to self acceptance.
+Namgoong ( go woo jin) was the funny friend. He was also the friend that always new what was happening to everyone and what to say to comfort you.
+ short and sweet

Cons -
- slow. The plot itself isn’t slow but the actors are. They walk really slowly, they speak slowly, they move slowly. Everything they physically do is done slowly. Literally!!
- I already mentioned but the underacting.
- the random girl that kept appearing at the all boys school lol. I hated her, she had a redemption arc and she genuinely changed at the end but what she did is what I consider to be one of the biggest betrayals you can do to a friend for the sake of your own satisfaction.
- there wasn’t any consistency/flow with the episodes. By this I mean that the episode don’t feel as though they connect. Every episode starts abruptly with something completely different from how the previous episode ended. So when ur binging you feel as though you’re missing something.



To finish off. It’s not really my thing which explains my lack of enthusiasm but it wasn’t bad at all. It’s probably one of the better high school love triangle dramas. So if you tend to enjoy other dramas in the genre.l you’ll like this one.
For me, watching this drama was totally worth it just for the ending. I was incredibly satisfied with the ending which is why I slightly inflated my rating to 7.5 instead of 7. It’s that ending where the writers clearly know who (at the time) deserves taegyeong and what the audience want to see because they delivered.

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Cute <3 but needs to be played at 1.5x

The story and characters are very cute.
This was one of the few shows where you don't feel the main actor is choosing the wrong person in the love triangle/ that the 2nd lead syndrome exists - the beauty is that he is confident enough to choose the person who has always been with him.

+ves
1. Realllllllyy cute <3 leads -- the whole student council was really cute and endearing
2. Realistic - it showed the main actor being worried about what people would say if he is gay
3. Happy ending <3

The only -ve was that the show was reeeeealllllyyyy slow --> easily could have finished in like 12 episodes

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Daon

Team Daon.
Forever and ever and ever and ever.

Out of all the characters, he had the most personality, story, and especially character progression. We watched him change and grow and become happier with himself (not with others) right in front of us.
It's not that I didn't like the other characters, I liked them all very much, it's just the Daon was so fleshed out and human. I connected with him the most (not because we're similar) but just because of what all we knew about him. He went through a lot of obstacles to get where he ended up.
I was overjoyed at the end of episode 15.

Team Daon.
TEAM DAON.

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Predictable, but Super Cute

What can I say, this series was honestly just full of BL cliches and cuteness, but that's okay, because I loved it. Does it surpass Mr. Heart? Mmmmmmmm, no, not really. Both fall in the same category of being full of fluffiness and a sprinkle of sadness, but I think Mr. Heart still has a special place in MY heart. Anyways, Light On Me was an overall successful Korean BL that brought on the feels, the fluff, the tears, and the cringe.

Let's Dive In.

Production was nice. I can't remember if there were a bunch of ad placements, but from what I can remember, there were none that were just screaming at you, so a bonus point for me. Production was overall the usual way Korean shows are produced, so nothing special, but I thought the OST was really good.

Onto the plot. While predictable to the T, it was still the type of predictable that you don't mind. Did I know that Shin Woo would be the one Tae would pick? Yes, I saw it as soon as the dildo fell on the floor. (also, why weren't we given a good explanation as to way Shin Woo was caring around a bunch of weiners???? I'm thinking it might have been for health class or something, but an explanation still would've been very nice). Even with the very obvious plot, it was still nice to see a love triangle (which I'm a sucker for). But I actually want to see one where the main character tries out their options with both parties. (actually dating both parties (separately), kissing both of them, stuff like that). Yes this one was a love triangle, but it didn't feel like it, especially after Da on and Tae were exposed. After that, the Da on slope just went down and up went Shin Woo. But there was a hot second in which I thought that could've possibly end up together, but it was shot down quickly.

If you can't tell, I was on the Da On boat until we sank lower than the titanic. I think I started to appreciate Shin Woo at about the last couple of episodes, but before then, I was hoping their was going to be some kind of plot twist, but nope. While Shin Woo is super sweet and he went through his own trauma with trying to be open, there was no reason for him to act they way he did towards Tae at the beginning. Telling Tae he hated him, not wanting him in the student council for no good reason, like it was so unnecessary. He could've been just some quiet shy guy and that would've sufficed. I get it, he was secretly in love with Tae at first sight, and you're mean to the ones you like (a thing I never will ever understand), but Shin Woo did too damn much. Da On had his struggles too, with being too nice and letting people walk all over him. Even though him and Tae don't get together, I am glad that he learned to say no. Both actors did a really good job, this is the first I'm seeing of them, so hopefully we'll see them in future projects.

Onto Tae. I don't love how they played out his character, to be this stoic loner, but oh well. I don't like to diagnose anyone cause who the freak am I, but I'm pretty sure Tae had some kind of high-functioning autism. He was always very truthful, he didn't want to have friends at first, and he's just pretty social awkward and different. He struggle with communicating with people and has this very neutral face that might've been his actor's choice, but it was noticeable. It would've been nice had they dwelled a little into his home life and his mentality. The actor did an okay job, some times he was good, other times he was to stale and stiff with his words. Onto Nam Goong who gets all my love. Hands down the best performance out of all of them. He was charismatic, he was funny, he was talented, he was a perfect gift wrapped in a little bow. This series would've been nothing without him. They were trying to set him up with So Hee, but after she sent out the photo to everyone, she was irredeemable for me. I don't care that she apologized and tried to make things right, I started skipping over her parts cause she was just making me mad. She was manipulative, she was clingy, she was a pick-me girl -- ugh, it just really upsets me.

Some other nit-picky things. That one scene when So Hee is with her friends and they see Tae and Da On was the stupidest shit ever. "What are two guys doing hanging out on the weekend? that's not normal." Babe what, that was the sloppiest writing ever, we could've done something better, I know we could've. Again, the writing kind of threw me off. I'm glad Tae realized his feelings for Shin Woo, but you can't be over Da On that fast, especially since he spent all his time with Shin Woo mostly just whining and crying over Da On. There needed to be a better transition for that moment.

Overall, this was a nice watch, It took me only a day to finish since it's just 16 20-30 minute long episodes. I literally stayed up till 6 in the morning watching, but it was worth it. Yes, I bicker about this series a lot in this review, but it was a really nice watch that left me laughing, and feeling bad, and feeling good, and everything in between. This is a highly recommended series, Korea once again delivered a beautiful BL love story, and this one gained a lot of praise, so hopefully this is the series that leads to there being multiple in the future. We kind of had a bit of a cliffhanger, some guy came to see the very handsome teacher, but we don't see his face, so that might've been teasing a 2nd season. Let's hope!

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A Must Watch

This show begins, ends, and stays extraordinary all throughout. The story and characters will pull you in instantly. As someone who isn't usually a fan of love triangles, this one is done in such a beautiful and loving way that I found myself only wanting the best for everyone. This is a story of first love, but in the forefront stands the friendship shared between the main cast. I am awestruck by how much love and care was put into this production and genuinely have nothing bad to say about it. From the OST to the acting to the storytelling, Light on Me is truly a representation of the best Korean BLs and Korean dramas, in general, have to offer.

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BEST DRAMA WITH THE BEST ENDING

Honestly it was all just right! I really like slow burn and that’s what this drama felt like! I didn’t hate any of the characters and was rooting for all of them to get a happy ending!

From the start I was Team Shinwoo all the way and I am so glad it turned out to be this way because he deserved to be loved. I am so glad that Tae opened his heart to him and now loves him so much. The whole ending scene was everything and I am glad the other characters seem to be getting their own ending as well! With a season 2, I’m hoping to see someone for Daon and more scenes for our main couple because the last episode was so cute!

Really good storyline, I am in love! Hoping for a season 2! :)

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Light On Me is a proof that a lighthearted BL drama can be GREAT!

Thank you for the 2 months of bringing such joys and excitements to every viewers. The great execution of story, the message and the chemistry between the actors are what makes it a great series despite the typical cliche storyline.

I wanted to praise that they chose to include and tackle about being "gay" in this show. Most Korean BL avoided that topic, and focuses only in love story. But, L.O.M included that which makes it more realistic than others. It's actually a big step knowing that (allegedly) there are lots of homophobics in Korea.

For me, this is one of the best BL drama produced this 2021, and probably the best Korean BL series so far. Light on Me is a living proof that a simple and lighthearted BL series can be this great! My Favorite BL dramas are mostly had angst like ITSAY, ATOTS, HE'S COMING TO ME etc., but Light On Me is now added to the list even if it is not super deep and complicated story.

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Had me in the first half

Story

The premise & plot of this drama is quite refreshing, but some plot points and scenes do get a bit cliché. It’s still fairly well executed though, so it’s not necessarily a bad thing (if it’s not broke, don’t fix it, right?). The love triangle aspect really managed to grip me and keep me interested, especially by the middle of the series (episode 8 or so), but after that, it became quite predictable and obvious to me that Shinwoo was going to be the endgame love interest. I don’t mind that at all since I never had much of a preference when it comes to who Taekyung ends up with (I just want everyone to be happy tbh) and I really was rooting for Shinwoo and Takeyung in the last few episodes. Although I still think that the love triangle was well-done and they managed to balance Taekyung’s scenes with Daon and with Shinwoo quite well, I wish they put a bit more romantic scenes with Shinwoo throughout the episodes because by the end, Taekyung’s decision still felt a bit rushed for me, like he moved on from Daon a bit too fast. Maybe this is because the passing of time can be a bit unclear sometimes, so I don’t really known how much time has passed in between some scenes/episodes.

Other aspects of the story that I like is Sohee’s redemption arc. I would’ve been bothered if they just made her the typical ‘mean girl who’s getting in the way of the couple’ like you see in most BL dramas, so it was nice to see that she got what she deserved for her actions and to also see her grow and become a better person after that. Shin Daon’s coming out storyline was also nicely done. It was very relatable and realistic, plus it’s always nice to see these dramas take on real issues instead of just glossing over them.

The rating of the story would be higher if episode 15 and 16 were better written and executed. Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoyed them, but these two episodes felt odd to me in some places. There are a couple of things that I would’ve personally changed. For example, I think after Taekyung and Daon talked in the beginning of episode 15, it would’ve been nicer to see Shin Daon move on and get more personal scenes instead of romantic ones with Taekyung. Mostly because it’s already obvious that Taekyung likes Shinwoo (he even said it himself!) and so it was quite off-putting to see Taekyung and Daon still having that chemistry (like in the lipstick scene) when Taekyung is clearly not in love with him anymore (maybe he’s still in doubt? But I didn’t quite get that from what I saw). Regardless, the end of episode 15 was still a good cliffhanger.

Episode 16 was slightly disappointing for me. Yes, they managed to tie up the characters’ stories, but somethings still felt missing. I wish they went a little further with Namgung and Sohee, especially when they were carrying the baskets together. Like for Sohee to at least say something and acknowledge that Namgung’s has always been by her side before she goes to Daon or something like that. The fact that they suddenly focused on the teacher on the last episode also felt a bit weird. Yes, he was important in the beginning of the story, but his appearances were quite sporadic throughout and in my opinion wasn’t enough to justify making a chunk of the last episode about him (I wish they just built up the beach scene better instead). It became obvious to me that they were probably focused on him in the last episode because they wanted to do something with his storyline from the webtoon (and considering that last scene, they probably are), so they just had to put him in there somehow. That took me out of the flow of the story a bit, but it wasn’t that bad, it was still pretty wholesome.

Shinwoo and Taekyung were probably the best parts of the last episode, but when it comes to the other characters, I’m still left wanting for more. It would be nice to see a season two of this series where all the characters and their dynamics get explored deeper, so fingers crossed!

Acting

Cheo Chanyi’s performance as Shin Daon is definitely my favorite amongst the cast. I think he managed to portray Shin Daon’s personality and qualms perfectly. Maybe this is an unpopular opinion, but he really was the heart of the story for me. I know he’s not the main character, but most of my favorite story elements revolved around him, like his family issues and also him coming to terms with his sexuality and identity.

The rest of the cast was great too. I can sometimes tell that they’re fairly new actors in their deliveries, but it wasn’t that distracting. In my opinion, Go Woojin as Namgung is an underrated performance that doesn’t get talked about enough. He did really well as the comic relief and I’m sure it’s not easy to keep up that energy all the time. His character was really the one who solidified the group’s friendship for me. Without his character and the great performance, this series would’ve been lacking.

Music

Not much to say here. It was nice and fit well with the tone of the series, but it wasn’t particularly memorable either.

Rewatch value

If I do rewatch this, it’ll probably just be some scenes that I particularly liked instead of the whole thing.

Overall

This drama was nice, but it felt inconsistent to me sometimes, especially in the last few episodes. There were ups and downs, but it was still a very enjoyable experience overall. If I liked the last two episodes more, the rating would probably be higher. If you like fluff and lighthearted dramas, this one’s for you!

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