Awaiting Dawn (Vietnamese Series)

Vietnamese shows can really be a hit or a miss, and this one was no exception. The plot definitely had some good ideas, but it felt like they dragged it out way longer than necessary. Honestly, they could have finished the whole thing in eight episodes, but instead, we had to sit through fourteen installments that were 35 minutes each—and the finale was almost an hour long! Also, I’ve got to say, the "amnesia" trope is getting so old in the BL world. Writers really need to find some fresh ideas.

The story is about Viet, a young artist who is going through a really rough time. He’s lost his parents, gets picked on by his boss, and eventually quits his job. To make things worse, his boyfriend has been ghosting him, and when Viet finally goes to see him, he finds out the guy has moved on to someone else without even bothering to break up with him. His only support is a female friend who sticks by him through everything. To clear his head, Viet heads to a quiet mountain village and stays at a family-run homestay. That’s where he meets Dung, the family’s son, and they form a really unexpected connection. Viet also gets close to Dung’s grandmother. Through some really sweet moments, they start falling for each other, and Viet finally starts to let go of his past. However, you can tell Dung is holding back. We learn that Dung’s older brother sacrificed everything to take care of the family and just wants Dung to focus on his studies. He isn't happy about Dung being in love with a guy because he’s scared the world won't accept them—and he’s also dealing with his own past heartbreak. Eventually, Dung finds the courage to follow his heart and stay with Viet, but an accident happens right after Viet convinces him to go study. Three years later, Dung returns only to find that Viet has lost his memory, so he spends his time taking Viet back to all their old spots to help him remember their love.

I think the show had a lot of good themes, like family duty versus love and dealing with mental health, but there were some big downsides. It felt like the production team tried to do way too much with a very small budget. I appreciate the ambition, but the execution definitely took a hit. Luckily, the lead actors were great and had good chemistry, but their "will they or won't they" phase went on forever. It took about seven or eight episodes of Dung clearly liking Viet but being too scared to do anything about it. On a side note, the guy playing Dung was really hot and in great shape; I definitely didn't mind the scenes of him sunbathing! I also loved the grandmother—she was so wise and caring, and she’s actually the one who helps Dung realize he should follow his heart. The older brother was a surprise, too. At first, he just seems annoying and bossy, but once you hear his story, you actually feel bad for him. Viet’s girlfriend was also a great character because everyone needs a friend like that. If you're wondering what the issue is since it sounds mostly positive, it’s really the pacing. The script needed to be much tighter. Some scenes just went on and on, which felt even worse since I was binging it. At the end of the day, it was a decent try with some very good-looking leads (though I wish they’d stop putting such obvious lipstick on them). It just really needed a better edit and a more polished script to truly work.

It's a heartfelt but overly long story that struggles with a low budget and some tired tropes, even though the main couple is great to watch. (5.5/10)