Really, really good. As close to perfect as I've seen a BL K-drama get.
I really enjoyed this. The chemistry, the actors, the cinematography. Even the story wasn't terrible (albeit it was rushed and I would've just told the father to take a hike and ran away, but what can you do with 80 minutes total screentime?)It was lovely. The only thing I'd have like more is less "shy" kisses, that looked like something you'd give your family, after all that angst. Boy waited 3 years - he should've gone hard.
The music was... generic, if I'm being brutally honest, but it didn't distract from any scene, and I really adored the pacing. It didn't flow badly and none of it felt like "yo, what?" (apart from maybe being friends with Pilhyeon again. Eff that dude.)
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Big Impact in Short Episodes
Is it normal for such short episodes to make you feel so much emotion?It was enough that the first episodes were short, but I especially wanted it to slow down a little more towards the last episodes. It would be unbeatable if there was just one more episode. The way he handled emotions made me feel like I was watching a Japanese drama.
The only thing I can say negatively is that what I typically dislike in most k-dramas is that the kisses are shown as lips touching each other. Looking for a French kiss in K-dramas is like searching for a needle in a haystack.
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大大大キライ キミがいた画面 下までスクロール
だけどもう 今は いない
流れていく写真たち
どうでもいい キミじゃないなら
いらないよ
El plot tenía un monton de potencial y de nuevo fue arruinado por tratar de plasmarlo en 8 capítulos de 10 (diez) (じゅう) minutos!!!! me escucharon quejarme de los bl coreanos de 15 min y dijeron ah siii comete esto entonces. Esto podría haber sido tranquilamente una película en vez de hacerme ir poniendo capitulos más chicos que mis ganas de vivir
Idk el cheto ese me pareció un re hijo de puta cuando lo dejo al guardia irse caminando mientras el iba en auto o cuando fingio usar yeso para que el otro lo bañe y le de de comer pero a la vez me pareció hot y kinda lo entiendo porque no se le ocurría como acercarse al otro sino
Also el beso miserable que se dieron a 2 minutos de terminar la serie los odiooo y ni siquiera fue bueno, fue uno de esos besos de kdrama bien tiesos que decís que si asi se van a besar entonces que no se besen y listo.
Pero algo que si me gustó fue el skinship y cuando dormían juntos y etc etc
También creo que me gustó el plot? porque había cierto transfondo y que puedo decir adoro todo esto de relaciones prohibidas y gente con guita rompiendo las reglas idk kinda like young royals?
Todo lo del final de 3 años después me pareció una chota, hubiese preferido un final bien angsty como que no se vieron mas o se encontraron bien de grandes o un final abierto con ambos encontrándose sin mostrarnos siquiera diálogo entre los dos, simplemente callados mirándose a los ojos y perhaps sonriendo de lado
Solo se que si esto hubiese salido en 2014 hubiese sido mucho mas groundbreaking e icónico al punto de que todos en tumblr se la pasarian reblogueado gifs de estos dos (yo incluida)
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Great, short series. The concept could have used a longer runtime.
For over a year, I have seen "Where Your Eyes Linger" at the top of so many people's favorite BL lists. I was always intrigued by the concept, cliched as it may be. I was deterred from watching it for a long time because I didn't like the idea of such short episodes. And while I still stand behind that after watching all 8 episodes, I will say that it's still quite enjoyable, regardless of the short runtime.To be honest, my reservations about the short episodes could have been challenged if the bodyguard aspect wasn't included in the plot. For one, the characters are only in high school, but it is stated multiple times throughout the series that Kang Gook has been Taejoo's bodyguard for 15 years. Having a child be a bodyguard for another child requires backstory. There was no backstory revealed throughout the entire series. Nevermind the fact that Taejoo never seemed to be in any imminent danger. So, why did he have a bodyguard at all? For the sake of the short runtime, having Kang Gook just simply be a friend who is protective Taejoo, or having him only be a bodyguard for a much shorter period of time would have been a better fit. I don't necessarily feel like giving the characters 15 years of companionship really added anything to the story except justification for a codependency that was never fully explored or emphasized.
However flawed the execution of the bodyguard aspect may have been, it doesn't ruin the show. I found everything else about the series to be quite enjoyable. The acting was phenomenal. The actors really sold me with their chemistry and sexual tension. Great visuals. OST was always spot-on and pulled me right into every intimate or intense moment. There were multiple times throughout my single sitting that I googled songs from the series.
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You can't go wrong with the bodyguard plot
A cute Korean BL that once again fell victim to the 10 minute episode tragedy where no matter how good the story is, the characters are never fully developed. This plot could have easily been a longer series, and I really enjoyed both of the main actors performances! I love the classic bodyguard trope, and it was done well here, though all the relationships felt a bit underdeveloped due to the time constraints. Gotta love the homoerotic tension of wrestling with your "friend" only to stare into their eyes as they have you pinned to the ground. Classic.Was this review helpful to you?
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Short but sweet
My first Korean BL and what a good start it was.It was simple and easy to understand as the series only have one couple telling their story. The story itself isn't really applicable to most people (not many of us have a hot bodyguard who follows us anywhere we go) but the flow of the characters' emotions were relatable. There are small gaps in the story that could have been filled if they expanded a bit but these can be ignored as expanding could have possibly ruined the entire thing.
The actors were excellent. The actor who played the bodyguard (I'm no good with names, sorry) I thought he'd be all stoic and half a*s things but h*ll yeah he delivered really well. I could actually feel his struggle and his pain. The chemistry between the couple is worth mentioning too. They weren't awkward to watch when it comes to those doki-doki moments.
The song choices added a bit of color to the story as well.
I highly recommend watching this series for those who still haven't. You won't regret spending 80-90 minutes of your life on this!
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A Masterpiece
*The dynamic between Kang Gook and Tae Joo is uneven and unhealthy, with Kang Gook being an employee and Tae Joo being mean and manipulative at times, (asking him to hold him "like his mom" and pretending that Kang Gook sprained/injured his arm during a martial arts session) to Kang Gook as well as to women.Part of what fascinates me most about Kang Gook and Tae Joo is exactly what makes the relationship so unhealthy: the many hats that Kang Gook wears for Tae Joo. Kang Gook is his bodyguard and something of a butler, an employee but also his only friend, the man he's in love with but also his whipping boy, as well as something of a pseudo parental figure (A couple of times in the story, Tae Joo ponders out loud why he acts the way he does about Kang Gook. I believe part of this is him genuinely asking Kang Gook. After all, Kang Gook is wearing so many hats for him and Tae Joo is surely emotionally stunted in several ways. Him asking him to hold him "like his mother" was undoubtedly manipulative, but I do believe that Kang Gook provides comfort that he cannot get from his father).
This combined with the tension between the two make for storytelling that compensates for it's many unexplained circumstances: Why did Tae Joo's father employee what appears to be a fellow teenager to guard his teenage son? How did he find him and where are Kang Gook's parents? Why did Tae Joo stay so long in England if just to come back not long after Kang Gook decided he was leaving ?(let me know if I misunderstood something in the final episode)
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Sweet & Caring
Truth to be told, it strongly felt like every fanfic ever came to life and... it works. Pinning over each other for years, longing and wanting the other, but never taking the step forward, protecting each other, making sure the other is not hurt. All the best tags we can find in fanfics are here too. While the story is extremely simple, the directing, editing, acting, ost... everything works in such a harmonious and perfect way, But seriously, I was really shocked at the quality of it all, it was really awesome and really great and I loved every second of it.Good story, good pacing, cute guys and good acting - what more can you ask for? I have one thing, I want more time with them!!! The series is too damn short!
The plot and the execution including the sets are well polished, and all the actors did a terrific job. The show also makes a few more quality decisions, especially around its second female lead who is textually treated in the same way as a traditional kdrama second male lead. It's a refreshing decision, not just from a kdrama perspective but from a BL perspective as well.
As a web drama, Where Your Eyes Linger is far far too short and as such the narrative is rushed. It would have benefited from longer episode lengths.
Definitely worth the shot if you prefer your “innocent BL” and don’t have time to binge dramas with long episodes
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Could've done more if it was longer and the story was more fleshed out
As the first Korean BL, it had good acting. In more intimate scenes from the beginning, you could see the main actors' discomfort at times, but by the end it was very smooth. What saves the music is the song, "Light" for me. Rhat song was so pretty and it was the one song I find actually made an impact on the scenes. Now onto the story.Bear in mind, this is a webdrama with few and short episodes compared to fully fleshed 12-32ep 40min - 1hr dramas with 8 10min episodes. I do wish it was longer as there are many plot holes due to jumpiness of trying to flesh out an entire supposedly slow burn, yearning romance in 80min.
I find the plot would have faired way better should it have focused on Taejoo's father being the antagonist the entire time rather than having him pop up as a last minute villain. I do like how Hyemi did find someone who could give her a happy relationship. Pilhyun really did do a good job as comedic relief and Hyemi's mom was truly the star of the show. I felt the Gook/Hyemi plot made no sense and really would've worked better as a smaller side plot.
There was a lot left desired due to the lack of depth that could've been delved into, but it was a decent break-in into the BL industry.
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I loved the dynamic
I’ve always been a sucker for a power gap, so I really just loved this drama. The story was realistic and heart warming, a slight sadness could be felt, but not for a long time. The tension really kept me going, I literally binged this drama. It felt like the both of them knew of their secret but were keeping silent, for nothing more than shame or fear, but if they won’t try it would be like dying with a lie on their lips. It was gut wrenching to watch, in a way that makes your stomach tingle, whether it be from butterflies or anticipation for what’s going to happen next. The drama really reminded me of backstreet rookie, which is a huge plus. Would definetly recommend both.Was this review helpful to you?
Good to see the first Korean BL, but not the best by far
Another review said it perfectly: as the "first" Korean BL the short runtime and few number of episodes makes it clear that this show was really to test the waters for the fans.Good news is that the episodes are mostly 11-12 minutes, so the show is super binge-able. The story is incredibly fanfic-y, which you will either love or hate, but I really did enjoy the premise and the story for the first half of the show. I actually thought Han Gi Chan's acting was better than Eui Soo's, which surprised me. Personally, I also loved the character of a yappy brat that teases Gook, but I know other reviewers disagree and found Gi Chan's character manipulative and annoying!
My main complaint is that the ending seems SO unnecessarily dramatic and does a disservice to the first half. I think they could've ended it with the same "happy" ending feeling without ridiculous angst and drama that came out of nowhere with absolutely no build up. Also, I think the production was not super polished in terms of make-up and things of that sort (who decided to make Eui Soo wear colored contacts??), and the actors definitely feel too old to be playing high schoolers, and should probably be playing college students. Lastly, the acting chemistry between the couple was pretty good (not great), but the kiss was SO bland compared to what Korean BL shows are doing nowadays, that it seems like they really didn't want to do it, which is a shame.
Overall, it's definitely not the best BL show (or even Korean BL show) that I've seen, but I do have to give it a lot of respect as the "first" that paved the way for all the ones that have aired since!
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Beautiful and emotionally poignant drama
Ok, so when I first saw this I was a bit skeptical to start it. For one, I prefer longer dramas and I am not really a fan of the short 10 min per episode webseries.After a spell of continued boredom, I decided, why not? I’ve got nothing to lose and I might be genuinely surprised and fall in love with the series( like Semantic error or HiStory 2). Anyways, I decided to start it.
Off the bat, I wasn’t impressed. Yes, the production was cute and all but the first episode didn’t really do a lot for me. I thought it another show like Mr Heart where I would enjoy it but not have it on my favourites list.
But, as the series progressed, I found myself genuinely becoming interested in the characters and their actions.
For one, the chemistry between Han Tae Joo and
Kang cook was phenomenal. I don’t know how to explain it, but when together they could display so many emotions without actually saying anything or doing anything. For example, episode 8 before Han Tae Joo was to go to England. Them lying in the bed was surprisingly emotionally poignant and I felt myself tearing up at the most basic of things. They didn’t even kiss, for gods sake! Even their “bouts” relayed so much emotions and I think that’s just the phenomenal acting from both Han Gi Chan and Jang Eui Soo.
The cinematography was good overall and the production was crisp but I expected nothing less from a Korean BL. I’m not really keen on OSTs or musical scores, to be frank I could care less about them but I will comment that this had a good one and for me to notice it is a huge feat.
Like I said, the story really brought nothing to the table and made use of basic tropes but still, it felt fresh in some ways. The won’t they, will they fit a bit exhausting after sometime because it seemed like they always went one step forward and three steps back at times!!
On to characters. In my opinion, there were really only two characters that had character development- the two male leads. Apart from that, nothing really changed for anyone else. Hye Mi, her mother and Kim Pil Hyun basically stay the same throughout, with essentially the same convictions driving their actions. I think really the only time we see character depth is when Kang Cook was about to leave for Japan. Honestly, this isn’t negative criticism in any way. In fact, I’m glad that the writers went down this route, instead of cluttering the plot progression with useless narratives.
Rewatch value. Personally, I’m not a fan of rewatching series( except for itsab <3) but this is pretty rewatchable. It also helps that you can finish it in a little more than an hour.
Overall, this was a beautiful, emotional drama that had a near-perfect execution with so little to work it. I mean, there wasn’t many ways the plot could have developed past where it did and that’s okay!! The performance of the cast was superb and this overall was a lovely treat.
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