Is this technically a gay show? Even after getting through the whole thing, that's still kind of tricky to answer. There's never any physical intimacy shown between the two leads, not even a single kiss. What it gives you instead is something that goes way deeper than that. It traces an emotional bond that spans a full decade between two guys who are both dealing with their own baggage, and what they share basically amounts to being soulmates. The story moves across Japan, South Korea, and Berlin. Honestly, whether people want to call what they have a romantic relationship or not doesn't really matter to me. A relationship doesn't need a label like boyfriends attached to it to actually mean something. And closeness doesn't need to be physical to feel genuine. What this show captures is something quieter but way more powerful, a bond rooted in understanding, respect, and just showing up for each other. Across eight episodes, each running 35 to 45 minutes, this is one...
Kevin likes to host online live sessions researching and telling ghost stories. He has grown up in US. He is now on a trip to Thailand to met his relatives and stay with them which includes his uncle, aunt and 2 kids. They are all very welcoming of Kevin and do everything to make him comfortable. Because of his interest in ghosts, he likes to wander alone at night in the neighboring abandoned buildings. Kevin's relatives don't understand his hobby and feel worried about his safety. We then meet Pluem, a contractor and errand boy who works for the uncle and aunt and many other jobs. After a few awkward conversations, we see that clearly there is an attraction between the two boys. To save cab fares, Kevin offers Pluem job as his scooter driver and before you know they are engaged in a passionate sexual affair. But unknown to Kevin, his relatives are actually ghosts. They dies few weeks ago in a car accident and haven't moved on to afterlife. Once he finds the truth, he along with Pluem work together to make sure that they safely move on to afterlife while continuing their romance. As always, there are some misunderstandings but nothing serious. By episode 6 the relatives have moved on and focus is on the leads. Pluem confesses his love to Kevin but he says he needs time (he used to have a very close friend, whom he dearly loved and who died, which led to this ghost interest in Kevin). In fact Kevin just ghosts Pluem and goes back to US, but neither of them forget one another and through his continuous live streams, Kevin continues to put his heart out about his love. Three years later, he visits Thailand again and goes to his uncle's house. To his surprise Pluem now live there because he has many happy memories, is now a famous actor and has been patiently waiting for Kevin. The duo reunite in a happy ending.
The one good thing in this show is that it tries hard to avoid the cliched BL tropes like accidental kissing and all. When the couple have their first sexual encounter, it I just that. A sexual encounter because they both find each other attractive and want to do it (which is how it normally is). So, while the makers succeed in the department, they still lack any sense of pacing or dramatic plotting. There really isn't much point to the premise as it doesn't really factor much into the story and has nothing to do with the ultimate resolution. There is a mystery at the beginning that could have been drawn out and made more terrifying, but instead the audience is let in almost immediately and it's played mostly for laughs. Despite all of that, this imperfect series is oddly endearing and displays inexplicable charm. Kevin and Pluem make an adorable couple with an engaging romance. Their flirting felt modest and more real than many other shows I have seen and I think this will be the USP of this show. Many scenes showcase their comfortable chemistry, physical attraction, and emotional intimacy. The BL content is highly persuasive, mixing sweetness and sexiness in the right amounts. They are not the best actors for sure, which get evident in emotional scenes, but since they look good together and actually share more than a few passionate kisses, the show gets an extra point from me.
There are missed opportunities in the clumsily told story, not fulfilling the potential of its clever premise. The scenes involving the family of relatives were all good fun. The brother-sister banter felt real. The entire family was cohesive and is fully believable as one. There are a few supernatural elements and scare scenes but nothing that can scare you off majorly. A show that could have been about grief and loss, but thanks to a muddled writing ( I know I have said this a few times already) the show fails to rise above average. Nonetheless, Ghost Host, Ghost House is still a charming BL drama with casual moments of fun. I surprisingly enjoyed it more than I care to admit. (6/10)
Comments
The beginning was all over the place and had me fear for the rest. But slowly I got attached to characters and the story. Kevin and Pluem are adorable (and radiate something sexy too). So his the family. Honestly their last moments was something beautifully done and had my heart sway.
I also had a tiny personal pleasure on how they pronounce my name (Kevin). It was so cute!!
Can I recommend another japanese fantastic (both literally and figurativelly) show: Eternal Yesterday (Eien no Kinou). It has the weirdest base plot but has all the right feels at the right place.