I've always had kind of a love hate relationship with Chinese historical BLs. Some are genuinely excellent, but then there are others that cram in so much plot that keeping track of all the layers of betrayal and scheming gets exhausting, and I end up checking out mentally. Part of the issue is also just how much content is out there in this space, so something really has to stand out to keep me hooked. In this case, the production value is genuinely impressive, top tier stuff, but story wise, I just couldn't bring myself to actually care about these characters. There's a ton of political scheming and backstage manipulation running throughout. Somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, a hostage ends up falling for his own Prince Charming. The show runs eight episodes, each around 50 to 60 minutes long. After spending three years guarding the border, Fifth Prince Yin Qi gets called back to the capital because of a secret letter, only to end up walking straight into a deadly...
From original series, we saw that famous star Seo Joon and the ordinary chef Ji Woo eventually fell in love and started living together. The sequel starts off from there. It turns out that Ji Woo has left his boyfriend and has disappeared. Heartbroken, Seo Joon is unable to move on and with help of his talent company he is able to track down Ji Woo, who now lives in a remote village running an Italian restaurant that is not doing well. Seo Joon comes back in his life trying to woo him again and really understand why did Ji Woo leave in the first place. Its never made very clear, but from what I understood, it was the very busy schedule of Seo Joon and the loneliness which led him to take such action. Seo Joon tries his best to use his influence to make the restaurant turn better, but eye's cold and sub attitude still perplexes Seo Joon because of which he can't even focus on his current project. A twist come sin form of eye's ex-girlfriend whomever back to the same village hoping to rekindle the romance. Some drama happens. Ji Woo randomly comes back to his senses and there is eventually a happy ending.
There is absolutely nothing here new in the story. Breakup, re-appearance of an ex, main love interest chasing the other stubbornly have all been seen before. It would have made sense if there was a legit sane reason for Ji Woo to suddenly disappear. That too leaving ox Seo Joon's birthday with just a note to break-up! What mature relationship ends things this way? I don't get it. Sure Ji Woo feels a bit insecure in front of Seo Joon and by his popularity, but its not like these things can't be talked over. We do see that Seo Joon is doing his best to spend as much time possible with his boyfriend. Eye's character graph completely shocked me in this season. He can across as a brat and heartless person and literally just abuses Seo Joon, who still very much loves him. I just couldn't connect with absolutely anything going on in the show. No justifiable excuse for the breakup is the biggest culprit. The plot is neither realistic nor idealistic. The actors do a decent job but even that can't save a messy plot to begin with. All the other characters came across as annoying (but probably because by this time I was so mad at the makers). To be fair, the little neighbor girl was cute and probably the only decent thing in the otherwise very messy show. Also, whoever did the job of editing needs to be fired. It was almost impossible to tell whether a particular scene being shown was from the past or present. The first 8 episodes are almost a waste of time and if anything, whatever little happens, happens in the last two episodes. This sequel was a huge disappointment. (3.5/10)
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If I can advise a thai BL I was immensely looking forward to and didn't disappoint me, go watch Kinnporsche. It just finished airing and I loved it from beginning to the end.