This lovely little Korean bl dropped out of the sky this week when iQIYI (accidentally?) released the whole thing in one go. @bengiyo watched it this weekend and told me it was great, so I dived in and I’m so glad I did. This is my favorite kbl since the Our Dating Sim and The Eighth Sense double whammy. And this show knows its heritage—there are clear visual references to Semantic Error, To My Star, Blueming, and Where Your Eyes Linger throughout.
There’s a lot to love about it, but for me it comes down to two main things: Han Baram and Im Hantae. I just love these two, both as individual characters and as a pair with fantastic chemistry. Baram is our protagonist, a sweet and earnest musician who was manipulated and taken advantage of by his crush before meeting our love interest, Hantae, a giant puppy of a man who takes one look at Baram at the height of his emotional crisis and decides he will dedicate his life to making all Baram’s dreams come true. Despite their instant rapport and comfort with each other (they have that rare distinction of being a romantic pair that actually seem to just genuinely like each other so much), Baram has been burned and it shows—he walks this great line between vulnerable and tough and emotionally open but also closed off, and he is well aware of his feelings for Hantae and guarding against another heartbreak for the entirety of their close friendship. Hantae, on the other hand, is romantically oblivious and manages to be sincerely devoted to Baram without ever giving a moment’s consideration to why he might feel such a strong desire to constantly touch him and be near him at all times. Shenanigans ensue!
This show also provides us with an immensely hateable villain (Ben, @wen-kexing-apologist and I have formed a murder squad 🔪and are taking applications for additional members), lovable band mates, and three original songs that are actually pretty good. Crucially, this story does not take place in the typical bl bubble where homophobia doesn’t exist, lending it a sense of realism and stakes that a lot of kbls don’t have. And more than anything, it manages to hit that sweet spot of being fun and light while still landing some deep and authentic emotional beats. Can’t recommend it highly enough!
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