Utsukushii Kare Season 2 (2023)

kink components, established relationship, cohabitation, miscommunication, celebrity romance

These two have such a great DS dynamic. Only Hira would apologize for banging and wanting to bang his own bf, but do it anyway. Talk about a service top with a humiliation fetish. Sheesh. The masochism is strong with this one. (Since I do not deal with humiliation fetishists well, the cringe factor got to me a little.) Still, pouty jealous Kiyoi is the cutest. [One flaw: The photographer dude should have been played by Kenta. Just a little joke.]

All in all, this second season didn’t blow me away the way the first season did, it was quieter and more uniform in its narrative and messaging - thus more predictable.

The basic relationship misunderstanding remained the same as Season 1 - all about value and self worth and how that’s assessed. The result is a performance that is a dialogue between imposter syndrome and a parasocial relationship. If these two only had the language and framework of BDSM to understand each other than they would, but they don’t so the story is us watching them suffer for it. But that’s part of the fun. Part of their fun too, I think, as if the fighting and misunderstanding is just another one of their many kinks.

An engaging and solid second installment, that was so consistent, I’m ended up keeping the rating consistent too.

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significantly better than season one

I remember watching the first season to this and not understanding the hype. A lot of the show overall I didn’t understand, so with this addition I wasn’t expecting anything amazing. This season adds upon what was their and makes it better, developing characters further and relationships as well

Hira and Kiyoi never had a perfect relationship and I understand that because of how it started. Hira worships Kiyoi and sees him as untouchable.. in the first season it was just that with them really getting together at the end. This season they are already together and instead of just them being in a relationship, it’s them growing together in their relationship.

Hira is finding himself with his work and how he sees Kiyoi, because it isn’t a one sided love anymore. I was frustrated about him but by the end of the drama that’s what kept me watching. Kiyoi honestly developed feelings for Hira and I don’t understand them completely but I get that I never will and maybe am not supposed to. They both have this love and appreciation for eachother that belongs to only them, it’s their bond and they barely can grasp their feelings themselves.

Kiyoi is much more likeable here when you see that admist him succeeding in life and ‘remaining the same’ he is very different. You see him really stay interested in Hira and blush with explicitly telling Hira that he liked him. The obstacle here is that Hira is stuck with the one sided love that he accepted, and the resolution to that was one of the best scenes to me. Kiyoi is just cute- and isn’t as hot headed, he’s humbled. He’s more open about his feelings and isn’t ashamed of how he feels either.

They both put effort into each others lives and opposed to season one, I now understand the first season a lot more. This drama had great acting, visuals, it’s just really good. I’m sad it was so short but am looking forward to the movie.

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When ”gross” and ”disgusting” mean ”I love you”

I was thrilled when season 2 of ”Utsukushii Kare” ("My Beautiful Man") was announced, because in my opinion season 1 was one of the best BL series of 2021. After the four short episodes of season 2 I can only say that this is probably going to be one of the best series of 2023.

On the surface, the relationship of Hira (Hagiwara Riku) and Kiyoi (Yagi Yusai) still looks like a typical unrequited love, with Hira worshipping his ”beautiful man” Kiyoi like a god, and Kiyoi ”insulting” Hira time and again by calling him ”gross” or ”disgusting” (which is his way of saying ”I love you”) although they have been living together for quite some time. Their relationship has been called toxic or asymmetric by some viewers, but it isn't. In fact, both characters are scared to be left behind by their lovers, and although Hira obviously has a mental problem, i.e. the complete lack of self-confidence, and thus seems to be the weaker of the two, Kiyoi is just as scared as Hira that their relationship won't last.

The seemingly asymmetric relationship is not only based on Hira's feeling of inferiority, but it is reinforced by the fact that Kiyoi is a talented, aspiring actor on his way to becoming a celebrity, whereas Hira, a talented photographer, doesn't find a job after graduation. So it makes perfect sense that their relationship becomes more equal when Hira finally gets a job as the assistant of a famous photographer, and Hira and Kiyoi's kiss in the final episode is a relief to everybody who wishes these two lovely characters well.

”Utsukushii Kare 2” underscores once again that often a short series with short episodes can be so much more satisfying than 14 episodes of 60 minutes that keep dragging on and on. If a series is written as well as this one, and if directing, editing, locations, and cinematography are so good, and if it focuses on the main protagonists and doesn't create artificial drama, it can succeed in displaying the main characters and their development in a depth that is often missed in long Thai series.

The cherry on top of this beautiful series is Hagiwara Riku and Yagi Yusai's acting. Hira's stuttering, a symbol of his lack of self confidence, and Kiyoi's arrogance and rudeness are just brilliant acting, and their shy and secret smiles indicate what's going on inside these two young men who depend on each other, and who are living evidence of the saying that opposites attract. Although the series focuses on Hira and Kiyoi's story, we meet some of the characters of season 1 again, among them lovely Koyama (Takano Akira), who – although his love of Hira was one-sided - still tries to encourage Hira as a photographer.

It has been a joy watching this series, and I'm thrilled again because we'll only have to wait for little more than a month to meet Hira and Kiyoi again when the movie ”My Beautiful Man: Eternal” will be released.

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I don't usually like sequels but this one was great

I normally dread sequels and have never managed to find a sequel that outperforms its predecessor. Until today. Beautiful Man S2 has pulled it off, even with odds stacked against it – a commendable feat that is worth analysing.

My only criticism of the sequel is that it was too short – with only 4 episodes, I would have loved to see more of this.

It is a thoughtful continuation from where the first series ended, delving even deeper into the relationship between the characters and tackling the question of what’s next for their relationship given their individual life trajectories.

The dynamics between Kiyoi and Hira remain extremely unconventional and at first glance, can feel unsettlingly imbalanced. Despite being in a close relationship, Hira’s reverence for Kiyoi doesn’t seem to cease in the second series. Kiyoi also prefers to masquerade behind seeming disgust like saying “gross” or hastily adding “I was just kidding” after letting slip his true feelings.

The good news is this: While Kiyoi in season 1 was a lot more opaque, his tenderness and protectiveness over Hira becomes a lot more obvious in the sequel.

My full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/04/04/beautiful-man-season-2-2023-review/

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A genuine struggle to keep the relationship going

This series ventures to explain a relationship between 2 unequal people all from mostly the perspective of Hira who is the most self-deprecating person I have ever seen. What do you do when you fall in love with a person who puts you on a pedestal and almost worships the ground you walk on. Could you even continue being with the person or leave out of sheer frustration.

In every episode you see Hira acting like his old self again where he idolises Kiyoi and considers himself unworthy of his affection thereby putting a strain on their relationship. He fears that this handsome man will leave him someday and he will lose all purpose in life. This fear has such a grip on him that he fails to understand Kiyoi’s feelings and you can’t help but feel bad for him. He wants Hira to have some confidence in himself and be with him as his equal.

The four episode mini series is all about this relationship between the two people who struggle to keep their relationship going against every effort of Hira to stay emotionally distant and Kiyoi to keep pursuing him. All this while Kiyoi is realising his dream of becoming a famous actor loved and adored by people.

Hagiwara Riku does a great job playing Hira, a character who is broken to the point of being pitiful. He has such low confidence that he uses derogatory terms towards himself. He knows he loves Kiyoi but doesn’t expect that feeling to be reciprocated and even fails to accept it when Kiyoi does tell him that he likes him. Kudos to Yagi Yusei playing Kiyoi, a struggling actor who is trying to find a footing in the industry and being in love with a guy so oblivious that it irks him many a times. He is still hopeful that one day Hira will acknowledge his feelings and accept him as his equal.

You need to watch this series for the great portrayal of a hopeless relationship between a beautiful actor and awkward photographer.

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The Lasting Impact

I loved it. The way the characters grew in this season was beautiful to watch. Though at first things were a little Shakey, instead of giving up, they chose to stick it threw.

I could see the thought process of the characters and it opened up a new perspective where as we only saw one perspective in the first season.

It even sparked a few tears now and then, the way Kiyoi expressed himself in the entire season was beautiful.

The characters were never selfish in the way they expressed their love.

You can tell this season was about Kiyoi's perspective in the relationship.

I honestly have nothing bad to say about this season.

If you feel like you're giving up on love, I truly recommend watching it.

You might change your mind.

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Creep or Pebble.....

this season we get a diffrent perspective on how Kiyoi is feeling while being in the relationship with Hira
even though Kiyoi seems like himself from season 1 he has chanced since and therefor have diffrent needs


in this season they put much more focus on how Hira and Kiyoi is interacting with each other
and how their relationship works because as known from season 1 Hira is not the best at communicating with Kiyoi or with anyone because he seems to have a wall between him and people


fact about this season I just love: Hira also chance as he's maturing troughout this season


kiyoi is giving Hira diffrent names just as he did throughout the entire season 1 it's giving a bolt/rookie start to a new relationship but in season 2 there's a scene where Kiyoi is calling Hira a Pebble it's a word he use to show that there's passion in their relationship and that they've spend months together as a coupke

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Sometimes finding the words is a barrier

These two beautiful and talented actors have me invested in their outcome as a couple.
We see Hira still unable to translate what Kiyoi is feeling. His lack of empathy for others is deeply embedded and causes Kiyoi to feel frustrated and angry to the point he sometimes lashes out only to regret that action later.
Kiyoi wants desperately to be understood without having to bare his soul and communicate his needs. At the start of this drama the stand-off between this couple has only barely moved forward since season 1.
In only a few short episodes we can see the progress and the flashbacks highlight these subtle improvements. Both are determined to be in this relationship so a lot of apologies and gestures of love band-aid over the cracks.
Kiyoi begins to express the changes he wants Hira to make and there is a lovely scene where he takes him clothes shopping hoping Hira can appreciate himself and how lovely he is as perceived by Kiyoi.
The biggest breakthrough is subtle and it occurs after Hira secures a job with a famous photographer. We get to see a more confident Hira one who one day hopes to be successful enough to be the on-set photographer of his successful lover.
TBC I hope the proposed movie keeps capturing their loveliness.

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A rare gem that even surpasses its predecessor

Where the first season showcased the slow buildup of the character's connection and culminated in them embarking on a tentative relationship with each other, this season explores Hira and Kioyi's slow-changing relationship as they work on building a life together and figuring out what it means to be happy, not just with each other, but with themselves.
I was already very fond of both characters after the first season, but through watching this I grew to love them more and more. Both of them have grown quite a bit since the end of the last season and as the story dives deeper into their thoughts and motivations, they start to feel more and more like real, flawed people in search of and deserving of love.
Kioyi specifically finally starts to show more of that fierce vulnerability we got to see glimpses of at the end of the last season and it both makes him a perfect instigator for Hira's deeply needed character growth, and serves to deeply endear him to the audience (or at least to me, although I don't think I'm alone in this).
I also highly appreciate how all the conflicts develop realistically and resolve satisfactorily while neither being drawn out unnecessarily to fuel the angst and drama, nor getting wrapped up too quickly or neatly in order to just get to the happy ending already.
In short: This season continues the well-paced, well-balanced, and beautifully portrayed story of two slightly strange but sincerely lovable characters as they continue to face life's challenges together and figure out how to keep changing and growing for and with each other. An actual masterpiece of a sequel.

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im in love with this season 2

i think this is the first time that i watch a serie and i end up liking s2 so much more than s1. i didnt like s1 so thats why i didnt plan to watch this season but thankfully at some point i changed my mind and im sooooooooo glad.
this season is great, i think we got to see more of their acting (their acting is so good) ,the plot is so entertaining and hira is so hilarious, he is so obsessed its so unhealthy but he is so funny as well, i laughed many times because of "suspicious kun" lol but was screaming "please you need therapy" in the same time. obvious both the leads have their own issues and i think their issues kinda match with each others flaws so they keep getting attracted to each others
i just hope hira learn to love himself

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