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Contrast (Japanese Series)

By Golu
This is basically a high school BL where two guys who have nothing going on in common somehow end up getting really close to each other, and that's kind of the whole point of the title too. There's barely any drama or fluff packed in here, it stays pretty straightforward the whole way through. A little bit of friction pops up here and there, but it's nothing compared to what you'd normally get in this kind of show. Runtime wise you're looking at 8 episodes, each one sitting around 25-30 minutes. The two guys carrying the story are Akira and Kanata, and funny enough they knew each other's faces way before they ever knew each other's names. Kanata's the type everyone likes, always got people around him, popular guy, but there's this distance to him that people can't quite place. Turns out he had an injury that ended his football days, and that's what pushed him into being more withdrawn, and it only got worse once his younger brother got picked...
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Heart Stain (Korean Series)

By Golu
This little Korean series is cute and all but honestly we have seen this story play out so many times, that it does not hold any novelty at all anymore. Plus, the lack of chemistry between the leads and the slow pacing makes these episodes very dull. The story line is pretty thin and there are no real dramatic moments or anything. Sure, it's a sweet drama and easy watch but won't leave you with anything memorable. With 8 episodes each of 24-25 minutes average, this is how I like my episodes in terms of both number and duration.

Woohyun is a high school senior with a secret crush on Jeongmin, his homeroom teacher and club advisor. Woohyun is drawn to his teacher's warm personality and quickly becomes smitten. One day he gives a hint to his teacher that he likes someone but never tells the name. He does understand that student-teacher relationship is taboo and even if he confesses, this will go nowhere. We then meet Park Doha, Woohyun's classmate and best friend, who figures out that his friend has a crush on teacher. When he confronts Woohyun, he is shocked but admits to the feeling. Taking this as an opportunity, Doha coffees his feelings towards Woohyun and proposes a deal. They should date until graduation. If Woohyun falls for him, Doha wins. If not, Woohyun wins. Since Woohyun wants to move on from his crush on the teacher, he agrees to the offer. Woohyun thinks this relationship will help distract him from his feelings for his teacher. They start dating but it's hard for Woohyun to get over his feelings. When Doha realizes that this may be a lost cause, he decides to go to Germany for his graduation for 4 years and asks Woohyun for a breakup. Woohyun is surprised, but understands. But he soon starts to miss Doha and questions himself whether he just misses his friend or at some point he started to develop feelings for him. 4 years later, Doha returns and they both confess their love. In between we have some side characters, including their close friends and an ex-friend of Doha who suddenly confesses his feelings.

When the show started I was curious to see where this student-teacher angle is going to do. Interestingly it becomes only a one-sided crush, treating this as a coming-of-age experience rather than an actual romance. The show never oversteps its boundaries in that aspect. What it does do a good job is unlike other BL's where the protagonist suddenly falls for another guy, nothing like that happens here. He tries to move on by dating Doha but clearly his heart still pines for the teacher. I appreciate the thoughtful writing, which presents Woohyun's struggles without judgment. Even though he falls for someone unsuitable, the story never mocks him. Sadly, the story just doesn't move ahead. In the name of dating , the two friends just spend more time together. I understand Doha probably thought that Woohyun will forget the teacher and fall for him, but that doesn't happen overnight and actually, I am glad it doesn't happen that way. Doha is a sweetheart with a sensitive nature. His interactions with Woohyun feel pleasant, but their romance lacks strong chemistry. While the two leads share a friendly rapport, I don't sense passionate sparks between them. The ending also feels rushed taking a 4 year leap just so that they can bring the couple together. Despite the happy ending, I'm still not convinced by this couple. Their feelings never seemed strong enough to make the romance compelling. Also, the whole teacher angle is just not explored enough. I mean, at one point I wasn't sure if the teacher also shared the same feelings for his student or not. There was definitely something there. Overall, the show ends up being strictly ok and slightly bland for my taste. (5/10)
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