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...
Mum is a bar owner who runs a local business with his best friend, Games. He is a playboy and flirts with girls and sleeps around. Mum's sister is Mint and they are both very close ever since the parents passed away and they both constantly look out for each other. One night, after falling asleep in his apartment 609, he wakes up in the bed of a man named Dew. Same apartment, just a different universe. Consumed by inexplicable passion, the two strangers kiss and make love. Then, Dew is murdered in front of Mum’s eyes by a mysterious man in a motorcycle helmet. Mum wakes up shaken and confused but figures it’s only a dream, but the next night he meets Dew again, and he continues to meet him. Little by little, he discovers that Dew’s days are moving backward while his days are moving forward, so now Mum needs to try to find who murdered Dew and why and prevent him. In the current world, Dew is Mint's friend from college and she has a huge crush on Dew and has been waning him to be her boyfriend. Dew is dealing with family expectations with respect to business and he is hiding something. The plot thickens where Mint and Dew are also in the parallel world and something is going on there too. After a few nights, Mum somehow figures out hat it is him from the other universe who wants to kill Dew. A messy triangle soon develops between Mum, Dew and Mint between the two universes. At this point Iw as so confused as to what really is going, I just gave in and was waiting for it to come to an end. The show gives us two different endings, which of course show that, depending on what action you take, your life can take different directions. Then there is a parallel love story between Mum's friend Games and his friend Lee who is dealing with a previous breakup. Throughout the show Games keeps flirting with Lee hoping that one day his love will get reciprocated.
While I appreciate a unique story idea, the problem with this show it the very convoluted plot. It is so disjointed and sorry to say, but illogical. There are too many things going on, and the plot really eats any forward momentum you might get out of the characters. Every time you think you're close to finally grasping the story they're trying to tell, they spin it off in a completely different direction and I'm just left confused. The show gets swallowed by its ambitions and on the process, felt a lot to be desired. This idea sounds intriguing on paper. Yet, the execution is muddled. There are too many irrelevant characters, dull side plots, and needless exchanges. Also the development of romance is so random. A full on straight guy who sleeps with a new girl every night, surprisingly finds himself with another boy one night and firstling they do is have crazy passionate sex without bothering about who the stranger is and why this is happening! It was so random. And it repeats every night. Rather than finding out what's really happening to them, the duo ends of spending the little time they have night in date like activities like cooking, saying some really messed up lovey dover lines and of course sex. The whole triangle with Mint in the picture was also just adding to the whole mess. I was never sure whose world I am actually witnessing now. Although, having said that, I did appreciate the fact that the show had a string female character with values and a significant screen time, who was not made out to be the villain of the show.
As mentioned earlier, we get two separate endings here. Wake Up, aka the happy ending, was so incredibly out of character from everything we'd gotten before it almost felt like a completely different show. Dream On, aka the sad/open ending, fits a lot more neatly with the previous episodes, but it does end in a really messy and devastating way, and it still leaves you extremely confused as to what really happened and most importantly, why? And then suddenly in last two episodes Mum from Dew's world comes up and starts messing up things. It was so random. The storyline of Lee and Games had absolutely nothing to do with the main storyline and could have been completely eliminated. Every time their parts came, I would feel irritated. I mean it was acute love story and all, but just did not ft in the overall show. Ideally the show should have been a tout thriller and could have worked wonders, but sadly that's not the case. As much as I like the lead actors, and they did a god job, I am happy that I finally managed to finish the show. All in all, this was a confusing show about cheating and parallel worlds that never made sene or stayed true to its characters. A promising start, confusing middle, and disappointing ending. (4.5/10)
Comments
I liked the time loop idea and two alternate ending concept, kinda like one of my favorite Taro spreads - but some characters just appeared and left like actual spooks so it created another surreal dimension for me. The leads were amazing though, showed again that they can work with no-fluff scripts.
There were many things that hooked me personally, from the two Ikea Melodi lamps in Dew's kitchen, a Bialetti mocca pot (seriously, how cheap can I get?) and a straight drop down a rabbit hole to the time I translated loads of texts on transpersonal psychology. Basically it's the scientific research and observations of altered states of consciousness such as hypnosis, substance induced states, coma, sleep etc that's not the normal wakeful consciousness. Mum takes a strong sleeping pill every night he goes to sleep... If I had a task to analyze this series in psychology and from a Scandi-Nordic-European point of view, I'd say the whole time loop thing is happening in Mum's brain while he's in altered state of consciousness and tries to work out his personal issues. Geez, so that's what happens when you're raised reading Astrid Lindgren's books, especially "Brothers Lionheart".
P.S! LILIES in drinks?! These are poisonous, chrissake. But then... if you want to induce an altered state of consciousness...
OMG!! Can you imagine if this was actually true? I mean, that would change almost everything. You know, now I actually wanna believe that !!
Plus all the non gay wonderful shows and films out there and a full time job. God!! I need more hours in the day
Can't argue for the confusing plot but I think that's exactly the kind of thing I like. For me it was captivating and suspensul from start to finish, I just couldn't get enough of those multi universe intertwining, I was hooked. And consistent, like Dew having a inevitable sad ending in one the universe, can't fight fate style. Loved the elaborated plot, and yet I had no clue how it would end until the very last minute. Making a dual ending finished leaving me in awe (even if one of them is dabatable).
The main pair Ohm/Fluke is still as engaging as ever with their undenyable chemistry. I have to respectfully disagree with the kiss though! For I totally relate with the "straight" guy sleeping with girls and suddenly his world turns upside down because he kisses a guy and accepts what he had been denying for a long time (yep, kindda been there...). Plus it's in a dream state. And hella romantic with the "destined love of your life" dimension -but that's just my inner Diney girl talking there lol. The first kiss for Dew is way more questionable and creepy, can't argue on that.
The reverse timeline meeting is just like my favourite River Song / Doctor situation in doctor who, one more reason for me giggling on the couch haha.
The secondary couple was cute but unnecessary (but you know I'll go for the cute anyway).
I wanted to quickly rewatch parts of it before giving you my thoughts here, but I think I'm good for a complete rerun, got sucked in again ^^. Especially with your suggestion Miisu.
I'd say drop "Oh my sunshine night", some good moments for way too many bad ones and a huge time investment sadly.
I think I will stay away from Sunshine night for now. 18 episodes feel way too long, but I won't be surprised if by some magical chance I do end up picking it some day.
"609 Bedtime Story" incorporates quite many of those "I remember translating this stuff"-moments, the writers are definitely familiar with at least basic theories of Freud. Their alternative endings show really clearly that it's always better to wake up and have some control over what's happening in your own life than keep dreaming - any dream can become a nightmare and you can't control it 'cause you're sleeping. I definitely didn't expect something so Scandi-deep of a Thai series.
@Sailor Maan That teenage Disney girl of yours - is she playing with my voodoo doll again :D ? I'm halfway with "Vice Versa"... again :D Does she like books as well? Wild guess she would like "Christmas in the Snow" (or "The Paris Secret") by Karen Swan...
Now this is one thing, I am sure we can all agree upon for sure :)