It really grew on me

When I first started watching this show I only liked it fine until somewhere around the half-way point when all of a sudden it dawned on me that I'd not only become invested in the characters lives without realising it, I'd also wholly fallen in love with the entire story.
This series has its flaws to be sure, but it also features some incredibly compelling story-telling delivered through beautiful cinematography, solid editing, and fantastic performances by the entire cast.

The set-up may seem contrived at first, but quickly paves the way for some fascinating characterisations; the story at times feels like a character study more than anything else and I personally really enjoyed that aspect of it. The characters are all given a lot more depth than strictly necessary for a light, romantic drama, as well as the agency to sometimes act outside the simplistic bounds of black-and-white morality.
Yu Zhen, for instance, is shown to be clearly aware that his "Single Rule" is not strictly legal, he simply bets on his employees being too invested in the company's continued existence to report his wrong-doings to any authorities.
Similarly, Shi Lei's meddling in the affairs of a client proves to be largely successful, but it is also made clear that his actions are ethically questionable.
And of course there's Yi Zi Tong, whom viewers appear to either despise as an unnecessary addition to the plot for the sake of drama, or appreciate as a necessary instigator of Yu Zhen's character development.
His addition to the story may in fact not have been strictly necessary, but he is a very complex and interesting character. He appears out of nowhere as Yu Zhen's self-styled saviour, presumably out of some lingering sense of guilt over how their relationship ended, and thoroughly derails the leads' budding relationship. He has nothing but good intentions, he's correct in a lot of his assumptions about Yu Zhen's mental state, but for the most part his actions seem to cause more harm than good.

It's these small, unusual elements that, to me, elevate the story way above the level of a silly rom-com.
Yes, it makes liberal use of tropes and cliches, but the characters are three-dimensional, they are flawed, likeable, often genuinely hilarious, and feel like real people, which makes the relationships depicted feel real and believable in turn - a personal highlight for me is Qiqi and Gang's relationship, which is a wonderful depiction of a healthy age-gap romance. Their age difference isn't ignored or put off as irrelevant; their different life experiences lead to differences in opinion and relationship expectations. This in turn leads to conflict, which the two then resolve through open and honest communication and compromise - it is truly a joy to watch.

So if you're looking for a rom-com with great acting, lovely queer representation (there is even a very touching coming out scene, if that sways you either way), and a very sweet slow-burn romance which has some bite and intelligence to it, then look no further.
If you just want something light and easy to watch that's perfect for a lazy weekend on the couch, then this series will deliver as well.
I will say, however, that this is a show best enjoyed in one or two sittings. The slow, gentle pacing best lends itself to binging rather than to watching one episode at a time :)

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Charming, stylised, gay - this show is basically perfect

Oh but I'm so happy I stumbled onto this little gem of a series!
The writing, acting, cinematography, and music are all pitch perfect and make the viewing experience a pure, utter joy.
The simple concept of having to people both entirely pre-occupied with each other while simultaneously completely incapable of talking to one another (a fantastic story-telling device that I already appreciate on its own) is utilised to its full potential and infused with so much clever humour I found myself laughing out loud at least once per episode
I love the approach of having both characters start out with completely different viewpoints of their situation - Mikage is thriving in her little teen-romance movie world while Hinata is essentially living a psychological horror thriller - and yet having them both equally fail at being in any way heterosexual about the whole thing.
Then, as the story progresses and the two get onto more even footing with one another, their relationship slowly begins to evolve into a deeply charming romance which is just as much of a joy to watch as the first couple of episodes, if not more so.
Sure, we only get to see the very beginnings of that changing relationship, but the story ends on a very satisfying note and is, in my opinion, great to watch as a delightful little mini romcom.
The sapphics win big time with this one, go watch it right now.

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Simple, Sweet, Excellent

What a calming watch this little show was.
The story is entirely driven by the complex inner lives of its main characters, two utterly ordinary people in more or less entirely ordinary circumstances, which are explored with such skill and deftness it renders the need for any outside conflict to their relationship entirely obsolete. It's a character-driven drama par excellence masquerading as a simple rom-com and for that alone I'd consider it worth watching.
Add to that the fact that the story and characters are absolutely delightful and deeply endearing, the editing and themes are cohesive and perfectly underscore the plot (the little dating sim-style vignettes of their time in high school in particular are brilliant), the performances are stellar, and the music is fantastic and has been stuck in my head since I first watched the show, well you essentially end up with a must-watch show, in my opinion.
It's a realistic, low-stakes drama with boundless charm and a great appreciation and understanding for love as a transformative force in all of human existence which very much resonated with me.
"Happy endings aren't guaranteed and might not even exist in real life", it says. "But choosing love every time? That's real. That's worthwhile."
And honestly, it couldn't be more right about that.

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Made my heart sing and my soul do a happy little jig

I adore this show to pieces. Everything about it is truly excellent, from the writing, to the cinematography, to the music.
It was apparently produced by the same team behind Blueming and it absolutely shows.
There is so much queer love, joy, and authenticity woven through the entire story, it completely knocked me flat.

The characters are all incredibly charming and well written. The supporting characters are well-rounded and unique and each contribute to the story in meaningful ways. Even the main antagonist is portrayed as a complex, multi-faceted human being whose motivations and actions are logical, even understandable to a certain degree.

The show also excels at portraying intimacy. The relationship between the main characters is perfectly, messily, joyfully real. Rarely have I seen (queer) friendship portrayed so lovingly and realistically, with so much open affection and casual physical closeness. This series really says "Cuddle your homies, tell them you love them." and it is absolutely right about that.
The slow progression from deep friendship to a more romantic relationship is flawlessly paced and the show makes a point of exploring the often blurry lines between different types of love and how those distinctions can both be almost completely unnecessary and deeply needed at the same time.
All of this is perfectly underscored by the editing and cinematography, whose expertly used close-ups and warmly-coloured static shots enhance the impact of each emotional scene tenfold.

So if you want a show full of queer complexity and subtlety, fantastic music, charming humour, and absolutely filled to the brim with joy and love in all its different forms, then this series is perfect for you. I honestly cannot recommend it highly enough.

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A simple story of two people finding happiness in good food and in each other

This has to be one of the coziest dramas I have ever watched. It's calming and slow-paced without ever becoming uninteresting or boring. It also made me incredibly hungry every time I watched an episode, but that is only to be expected from a Japanese series centered around food.
I also really enjoy the was the show emphasises the importance of female friendship, of finding companionship and building a life that makes you happy despite the myriad of little rules society loves imposing on its members, specifically on women.
Furthermore, I find Yuki's slow realisation and exploration of her feelings towards Kasuga incredibly well done and I'd love to see their relationship evolve further.
I will never get enough of love stories (be they romantic, platonic, or otherwise) told through the medium of good food and I simply can't wait for season 2.
Do yourself a favour and watch this show. Do prepare some snacks first though, you'll probably need them.

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Aromantic or not, I fell in love with this show

I cannot begin to describe the feeling of seeing myself represented on screen this way. I have never seen a show featuring aro-ace characters that are central to the plot, much less a show where they get to be main characters. I am so insanely grateful for this drama's existence and even more grateful to see all the aro-ace people in the comments finding joy and solace in this story just like me.

The way the writers portray the leads is simply excellent as well. They both have distinct personalities and interests and their character arcs don't simply evolve around their sexualities. It's made clear that their identities are an important part of their lives, but certainly not the only part. Seeing the two of them grow and evolve as people over the course of the show is a genuine pleasure to watch.

I will say that quite a few of the side characters annoy me immensely and I don't enjoy how some of their storylines were handled. Some plot points felt a bit unnecessary or out of place to me as well. However, all in all I still feel that the good of this show far outweighs the bad.

There is no singular aro-ace experience and the series doesn't try to pretend that there is. It offers a glimpse into the lives of two specific people in a way that will feel familar to most aro-ace people at least to a certain degree and which will give others the opportunity to learn just a little bit about one of the least well known sexualities.
For that alone I highly recommend you give this show a shot.

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An action-packed rollercoaster of a rom-com

I absolutely loved this one.
It's surprisingly intense and action-filled for what could easily have been a fluffy slice-of-life story in a university setting which I personally feel adds quite a lot of excitement as well as space for interesting character arcs.
Yes, it does go to some dark places that I should probably have stayed away from, but all in all it manages even its more serious themes gracefully.
The characters, both the leads and the supporting cast, are endearing and I especially appreciate that the main couple don't quite fall into the stereotypical "Stoic hero" and "Bubbly damsel in distress" roles.
Instead, they both get to be badasses in their own right who also balance each other out nicely.
The romance aspect of the show is also very well handled. It's definitely up there among the most grounded and "explicit" (by censored C-drama standards anyway) love stories of its kind. The dynamic between the two mains is also just so goddamn sweet it gave me cavities, so if tooth-rotting fluff is your thing, you'll absolutely love this series.
In general I'd recommend this to fans of queer C-dramas and anyone looking for a fun, fast-paced watch with a certain off-the-wall charm.
Do be aware of some possibly triggering content, though.

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A solid romcom in a fun fantasy setting

Now, one could quibble over the definition of "rom-com" but that's what this is and I will die on that hill thank you very much.
While I personally don't like this as much as some other shows (The Vampires being my personal favourite), it's still a really solid watch.
The production quality is great, as is to be expected by now, the characters are interesting and lovable, and I actually found myself intrigued by the story line.
Usually these shows suffer a bit from having to cram an insane amount of plot into too short a runtime, but here I actually think the story is perfectly paced and easy to follow.
Sure, there is the odd plot hole, but nothing too grievous or which takes away from the enjoyment of the sapphic sword nonsense.
If you're a fan of C-dramas, or fantasy romance, or queer women in ever more fantastical outfits, then this one is for you.
I will also say that even if you're not hooked by the end of the first season I'd recommend sticking with it anyway.
The plot does pick up a fair bit in season two.

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I will never get tired of ghost girlfriends

This one was a lovely surprise.
Yes, it's fairly light and fluffy, but for how much of a feel good story it is and how short of a runtime it has it manages to deliver a surprising amount of genuine emotion and romantic chemistry between its leads.
I also really like its messages about art as a form of true self expression and the fine line between following a passion and being consumed by it.
By the end of the show I felt like both of the main characters had grown as people and influenced and learned from each other, which is more than some full length shows manage to achieve.
In short, if you're looking for a short pick-me-up with some nice messages and a good, solid romance, then this one is for you.

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The lesbian bar was a welcome surprise!

I really adored this show. It's a very short watch (when oh when will K-dramas about queer women get the budget they deserve?) but it manages to tell a cohesive and frankly delightful story.
There are a good amount of humorous moments as well as several genuinely emotional ones and even if there isn't enough time for viewers to get to know the characters deeply, there is enough time to develop a surprising amount of affection for them.
It takes a lot of skill to pack all of that into a runtime of just over thirty minutes and you can absolutely tell how much love and care went into every facet of the series.
If you're in the market for a low-angst, slice-of-life show that still feels grounded and sincere, then I highly recommend this series. If you're simply a fan of queer women, or a queer woman yourself (or both!) I would also recommend giving this show a try. It's an absolute joy to watch.

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I actually enjoyed it!

Listen, I know it's an ad but goddammit it was such an enjoyable one. To be fair I've only seen Zero: Photography so I can't speak to the quality of the entire thing, but what I did see, I liked.
I'm a huge Ink and Pa fan (and I can't seem to shake my eternal crush on both of them either, sigh) and I loved seeing more of them here.
The story line is absolutely insane in the best way, I mean come on, how can you say no to time traveling lesbians?
But, much in the way Bad Buddy did, this little special manages to actually tell a meaningful story through the medium of Patently Ridiculous Plot Points. There's an underlying theme of treasuring the people you love the most and the clear message that you should never take people for granted.
Zero Photography is about time travel, yes, but it's also a character study as well as a tale about the importance of cherishing the ones you love, not least by choosing them over and over again.
If you Like Pa and Ink give this a shot, you might just love it as much as I did.

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If I had the choice I'd do it all over again

My absolute favourite surprise hit of 2023.
This show could easily have used the time travel trope to tell another cliched love story, but what it did instead was combine genuinely charming and lovable characters with a compelling, character-driven plot which focuses not just on romance, but on more complex themes such as regret, loss and grief, the intricacies of friendship, the differences between the concept of an "ideal future" and one's actual, personal ideal future, and even alcoholism.
All of these topics are handled with sagacity and care and are woven seamlessly into the story.

The characters themselves are all flawed, yet sincerely likeable people who are allowed to evolve and grow not just within their romantic relationships, but outside of them as well. A perfect example of this is Pear who, rather than being sidelined as Kawi's perceived love interest and a simple obstacle on the path to "true love" between him and Pisaeng, is given a good amount of screen time which establishes her as an independent, multi-faceted character with her own motivations and idiosyncrasies.
Complex female characters who are central to the plot are still an incredible rarity in this genre, which makes Pear's addition to the show even more of a pleasant surprise.

Another thing the show does oh so wonderfully right is its approach to depicting queer characters. Not only does Pisaeng explore and question his sexuality outside of his attraction to Kawi, he also forms a bond which Max, who is not only a stellar supporting character, but also serves to offer a glimpse into the realities of being a young, openly queer person. The struggle of constantly having to fight for acceptance and equality, the internal battle for self-love, the fierce joy of being yourself, openly and unafraid.

All in all this is a truly wonderful show with a lot of heart, good music, and many interesting things to say. I'd recommend it to anyone who has ever struggled to find themselves, anyone who has ever wondered about the different roads their life could have gone down, or anyone who has ever had to fight to walk their own path.
I'd also recommend it to anyone who is simply looking for a good queer romcom.
Oh, just go watch it already, you won't regret it, I promise.

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Hop on, I'll take you anywhere you want to go!

This show was such a delightful surprise.
Many Thai dramas tend to fall on the raunchier side of the spectrum (which is not necessarily a bad thing, mind you) so this story made for a delightful change of pace. It is almost entirely character driven rather than plot driven and really takes the time it needs to develop everyone's personal character arcs fully, never rushing yet never slowing down either.
There are no sudden plot twists, no dramatic misunderstandings (at least none that don't get resolved almost immediately via the revolutionary method of Clear Communication) and at 10 episodes the story is perfectly paced.

I especially loved the show's varied depictions of queer people's lives. This is the first time I've seen an elderly queer couple depicted in a drama and I am so grateful for their inclusion here. Not only do those two serve as an endless well of support and advice for Mork and company, they are also plenty fun to watch just on their own.
Mork's tentative steps towards exploring his sexuality are incredibly lovely to watch and pleasantly devoid of any "gay for you" nonsense (although I did at one point find myself swearing at the screen for someone to just say the word "bisexual" already)
I also deeply appreciated the show's approach to Tawan's character who, while entirely comfortable and certain in his sexuality, is still new to relationships and physical intimacy and refuses to do anything but going at his own pace.
Given how, in depictions of relationships where one person is just discovering they may not be entirely straight, it's usually the openly queer person who is more assertive and sexually experienced, this was a refreshing twist on a well-established dynamic.

In short: If you're looking for a calm, low-drama show with good acting, a great cast of supporting characters, and a pleasantly diverse range of queer characters, then this one is for you.

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Charmed the socks off me!

I started watching this after a long string of incredibly written and mature K- and J-Dramas and was immediately reminded of why classic Thai dramas hold such a firm place in my heart.
This show is zany, over the top, and filled with an irreverent charm that leaves you wanting more at the end of each episode.
It has an interesting plot but keeps its focus firmly on developing a slow and gentle romance, allowing the characters all the time they need to grow both as people and as partners to each other, which lets the viewer form a closer bond with the characters and lets them (the viewers) get invested in these characters' lives which makes the whole story, ridiculous as it may seem on the surface, a lot more grounded and makes every single emotional scene all the more impactful. This is still quite a rarity in queer dramas and makes for a refreshing change of pace.

Now beware, slight spoilers ahead.
Some personal highlights (aka Things I Loved):
- The loving attention to detail the writers and directors clearly paid while designing the alternate universe. These details range from the simple (e.g. cone bread), to the hilarious and silly (e.g. off-key singing as an art form), to the genuinely meaningful (e.g. the legalisation of same-sex marriage) and cheekily remind the viewer every now and again to expect the unexpected and stay on their toes
- The bond shared between Puen, Talay, Up, and Aou, and later on Kita and Fuse as well. They are the boys, the lads, the gang, utterly inseparable and always, always there for each other. I'm a sucker for good depictions of (queer) friendships and these fellows delivered big time. This show says hug your homies, hold their hand, kiss their cheeks, tell them you love them, let them know how important they are to you, and they are so right about that actually! I will die on this hill!!
- The pacing and development of Puen and Talay's relationship. As I already mentioned the buildup to every major step in their relationship is very well handled and given ample time to unfold at a slow but steady pace, but it's not just that. The way the show approaches their connection to each other hit me like a thousand bricks and made me shed actual tears a lot more often than I'd like to admit. From almost the beginning of the show these two are incredibly fond of one another and their friendly bickering becomes increasingly gentle and tender until it becomes a dynamic of "I love you so much, so there, take that you idiot, I'm expressing my genuine affection for you, suck it nerd!" at which point I think I lost my heart to this show for good.
- Dol and their understated defiance of gender norms and expression. Dol may not have been explicitly written as a trans character, but their character serves to gently question what gender identity really is and what it means for our lives but also to us personally. I absolutely adore them and wish we'd gotten to see more of them, although they do play a significant role in developing several important plot points.
- The show's approach to love in all its forms. This story boldly and deliberately blurs the lines between platonic, romantic, and queer love and emphasizes the importance of true human connection over trying to force a relationship along a predetermined course. Sometimes love means getting to know somebody over the course of several years until you've come to adore every single facet of their being and it doesn't even matter what type of love you're feeling for each other as long as you get to stay together. At the same time love can also mean the specific labelling of feelings and relationships and the boundless joy and excitement that come with being officially "in love" or "best friends" or "the most important person in each others' lives". This show says "No matter what happens, I'll go through it with you". "Remember, where there's you, there's me", it says, "Thank you for teaching me not to be afraid of tomorrow".

Some personal lowlights (aka Things I Didn't Like):
- How quickly Talay manages to resolve all the problems Tess created after returning to his own universe. I'm glad there were no great, drawn-out conflicts, but I did find myself thinking "Boy that was fast" every time Talay magically fixes whatever Tess broke. A very minor gripe in the grand scheme of things.
- How unresolved Tess and Tun's story felt by the end of the show. I know they weren't the focus of the show, but all the plot threads of Tun's unrequited love for Tess, Tess and Tun's reconciliation and subsequent separation in the alternate universe, and Tess' eventual return to his original universe, were all just barely touched on before being dropped completely. I know they play relatively minor roles in the story as a whole, but given the interesting dynamic that was hinted at between them and how solid the chemistry between Ohm and Nanon (their actors) is as we all know, I wish we'd gotten to see just a little bit more of these two.

In conclusion: A slow-paced, charmingly written and acted story about love, love, and once again love. If you want a show that provides a window into the lives of ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances who come to love each other deeply and fully while tugging at your heartstrings with how achingly gentle and real it feels, then this one is most definitely for you.

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An understated landmark in queer Asian cinema and here's why

Now let me start off by answering some questions you may be asking yourself: Is this the greatest story ever told? No.
Is there anything particularly standout or special about any of the plot points, or characters, cinematography, literally anything at all? No.
But what makes it so incredibly enjoyable (and honestly objectively good in my opinion) is the way the show chooses to engage with its own genre. The whole things starts, as we know, with a fairly ridiculous plot by the university head to blackmail two of her students into producing shippy BL content and promote the university. This could have easily been stupid and downright problematic (kind of, more on this later), but the show holds absolutely nothing back in showcasing exactly why and how the entire thing is awful and problematic. Literally both goofy-ass, idiot main characters listen to the university head inform them of her plan and immediately go “Mam this is unethical as all hell”, with one main point they raise being that these sort of publicity schemes do nothing to actually help queer people or further queer liberation and both of them take issue with that big time.
This theme of calling bullshit on the fetishization of queer lives continues throughout pretty much the entire show, with a highlight being a montage of the two main characters working their way through a list of cheesy cliches to make content out of except every sappy and ridiculous moment devolves into all-out war (read – a slapstick level of physical violence) every time the camera turns off, funny and an incredibly clever and direct interrogation of almost every stupid, contrived trope this genre has ever seen.
The show also emphasizes the importance and beauty of authentic queer relationships by very deliberately juxtaposing them with the over the top, manufactured ship nonsense the characters have to crank out and they keep those themes going solidly even after the whole “we must make this BL content” storyline ends, which is fairly quickly (which I personally also found quite refreshing, I generally felt the pacing of the show was very well done)
Now why was I so blown away by this? Haven’t other shows done this exact thing except better, more in-depth, and more central to the plot? Why yes, they have, but the reason why this show sticks out is because a thoughtful analysis and deconstruction of a serious issue isn’t central to the plot or the themes whatsoever. What these showrunners have done is put all their energy into making a classic uni setting comedy-drama and then just casually tossed in some incredibly succinct and nuanced commentary on the realities of queer love in a time where such love is frequently and almost gleefully exploited for financial gain.
Combine that with some of the best and healthiest depictions of (queer) friendship I’ve seen in a long time (seriously, all six main characters support the hell out of each other and actually teach each other how to communicate, how to set boundaries, how to figure out who and what you want to be. They feel like real people with real thoughts and opinions who have things to say, want to learn and be better, and also happen to care about each other deeply. I may or may not have teared up a few times) and what you’ve got is a whole new standard for queer dramas going forward.

A quick list of negatives:
- As much as the show calls out the actions of the university head as being problematic, she still faces essentially no consequences in the end, and after she lets the boys off the hook and doesn't force them to produce more content for her, everyone just sort of has a collegial chuckle, going "Oh you, what a little scamp you are, uni head" and that's that. Compared to how well the aforementioned themes are handled during the rest of the show this just falls really flat for me.
- The show's one grand pitfall: the dreaded separation. Why do we still choose to do these, they are godawful, they make no sense, can you tell I'm just personally salty about it

In conclusion: An entertaining and sweet standard university drama that packs a little extra punch. If this is an indicator of what the average queer romance drama will look like from now on, then the future of the genre looks bright indeed.

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