The Eighth Sense (2023)

Excellent Execution of a K-BL

Gosh, so many Korean BLs are surprising me this year with their quality, their production value, their longevity, and their importance. I won't say all of them have, but the majority of them that I've enjoyed have, and this one is not shy of it. The Eighth Sense is gorgeous, it's truly a beautiful piece of art from the bucket of K-BLs we've gotten this year, and I'm proud of the story it committed to telling and the clear and concise ending to a perfect drama.

Let's Dive In.

Now, because I saw that this series had so much hype and popularity around it, including that it's much more dense and intricate than others, I will be very nit-picky, just an FYI. But I'll start with what I really liked.

The setup of everything was just absolute perfection. What I love most is such a natural introduction of the characters in their natural habitat that doesn't feel awkward or forced. And the chemistry, urgh, the chemistry is breathtaking. I love slow burn, I love tension, I love strangers to friends to lovers. Now this was probably the fastest slow burn I've seen (and a complicated one), but nonetheless, I yearned for them to be together and I got that and that's all I wanted.

I can say without a doubt that all the side characters played an important role in this series and weren't just added-in characters to take up screen time. They helped move the story along, get our leads together, and did so also having their own personal character growth. Aeri, Joonpyo, Yoonwon, and even smaller characters like Bitna were so involved with the overall objective of the show that it all flowed smoothly.

Urgh, again, just so much good chemistry, so much good physical contact, so many beautiful moments. The writers did an incredible job showing the details of their relationship, but did an even better job at diving below surface levels to give our mains actual motives and objectives and obstacles and development. My favorite of them obviously being Jaewon who's so friendly yet facading all of it with hidden trauma that we see him actively working through with the therapist. I immediately loved his portrayal of being the shoulder his friends can lean on and that the surf club can trust, to seeing him in therapy and his eyes weaken and even his posture exhausted. Jihyun is the only one who's able to see through it when they get closer, and you can see Jaewon change and grow with the way he smiles as they interact or make eye contact. And I loved all of it. Down to the very end, actually, especially the end because I definitely needed power bottom Jiyun's energy and he gave just that. (the writers are HELL for giving us that "let's-put-on-our-surfing-suits" scene! the sensuality of it all, like I was literally biting my nails it was so fucking good)

Conan gray music?????? 1000000/10 already. And even besides that, I love the soundtrack in TES. It was hippy and happy-go-lucky and feel-good music, not the typical ballads I'm used to hearing in K-BLs and I loved it.

Okay, so moving on to what I'm choosing to be nit-picky about. Eunji. I get it. She was here to play the evil ex-girlfriend who wants her boyfriend back and will do anything to get him back no matter who she hurts. Okay cool. Except, I didn't hate her, I only felt sorry for her. But my problem with this character is not her actions, but that none of her actions had a genuine motive other than the repetitive ones I'm used to seeing. This K-BL is deep, it's complex, is complicated, and yet they only scrape the surface of her character and I hate it. Really? The only reason she's bitchy is because she wants Jaewon back? It's just too simple for me. I almost wish that Jaewon maybe did something to her, or maybe we see her backstory as to why she tried so hard to get him back, family matters maybe, or something deeper than that. It just looks lazy and tacky to me for her not to have some more complexity to her overall objective. And then try to throw a redemption arc on us? No, thank you.

While I love Jihyun and Jaewon, there is so much from their relationship that showcases it won't last very long and I mean communication. It all starts at the beginning when Jaewon kisses Jihyun on the beach, and then from there on we don't get an explanation as to why or Jihyun never asks, and it's aggravating. They move past it and go through a little conflict, then almost kiss, go through some more complicated feelings, then get intimate on a beach, some more deeper conflict, and boom , it's fixed with a kiss. I wish we heard more from Jaewon, cause we see so much of Jihyun trying, but for Jaweon it is up to him and it's his decision on whether or not to avoid Jihyun or just one day decide he wants Jihyun and runs to him. To me, that's not fair to Jihyun that communication is only gifted through Jaewon's decision. Then they get together and all of the conversations they desperately needed to have were pushed aside for lovey-dovey dialogue. Jihyun doesn't know that Jaewon suffers from depression, which I'm sure he gathered, but I would've loved a conversation with Jaewon explaining it to him. Just the little things that you can detect in a relationship and know that it'll potentially be the couple's downfall.

Something really nit-picky, but in episode 2 or 3, Jaewon and Yoonwon go to a bar and there's a non-Korean bartender who asks Yoonwon her order in English and she answers in Korean, and he looks confused and says, "Sorry?" in which Jaewon had to order for them in English (great English btw). But my problem is that if you're going to work in Korea, especially in a bar/restaurant, then knowing enough to get by seems important. I just hate how confused he looked at someone speaking Korean to him when he works in a Korean bar in Korea.

Ratings:

Story: 8/10 - Amazing. Truly. I was entertained episode by episode, and didn't want to miss a single line of dialogue. some nit-picky things that don't give the overall score of the series higher than an 8 for me, but nonetheless, really really good.

Acting: 9/10 - Really great acting. Some great character depth from Jisub (Jaewon). Jihyun was a tad lackluster going against Jaweon, but still really good.

Music: 10/10 - Conan freaking Gray!! nothing else to say!

Recommendation Value: 7.5/10 - the only reason the score is not high is that this series does have a sense of sadness to it even though it's not a tragedy, so I personally wouldn't recommend it to everybody unless they want something deep and complex and kind of sad. but it's highly recommended for anyone wanting something intricate as it is!

Read More

I sense a masterpiece...

The chemistry between JiHyun and JaeWon is so so so good! It starts right off the bat. In every scene they have had together thus far you can sense a feeling of yearning between the two; the tension between them is very much there. JaeWon and JiHyun have already had more scenes than I can count on my hand that made my heart flutter. Every look between them has a spark. The chemistry between them only grows more and more after each episode passes.

The cinematography is so so so pretty and only keeps getting better! The directing is very nice. Everything about the show flows smoothly thus far. It has a very cohesive feel to it. No comedic funny tracks playing, there are moments when there is no background music and I really appreciate it. This gives the show a sophisticated feel to it.

The story is pretty simple but very engaging. I want to see JiHyun and JaeWon's relationship blossom. The setting is nice. Both leads are so so so handsome. JiHyun is adorable and JaeWon is very handsome. They match each other so well. I love to see an introvert get their perfect love story.

I'm excited to watch them fall in love and be in love. I just want to watch more. I wish the whole show were out. Seriously, I would binge-watch this in one sitting if I had the chance. If this show keeps up what it has been doing it is going to be a masterpiece, more than a 10/10 for me. So far I see nothing at all wrong with this drama; it is as close to perfection as you can get.

The way each the leads act is not frustrating at all. The script is very good. Seriously, I have not seen a show portray mental health issues as good as this one. The topic is handled with care, and it is very realistic and hit home.

It is nice to come across a show as good as this one. Seriously, you never intend to come across dramas like these. For, I always try to hunt for them, but whenever I go out looking for a masterpiece of a show I am disappointed. Masterpieces just spring upon you... at least for me. Like I am hooked and a show hasn't done that for me in a while. I fear this show is going to be all I think about for a long while. Yeah, I will definitely be rewatching this in one sitting when it is all out.

I'll make sure to update this review as I continue to watch the show.

update:
What really touches my heart is the bond that they have. JiHyun is JaeWon's safe place; he is the most comfortable when he is around him. They both make each other so happy and feel the most at peace when with one another. Watching them grow closer and closer is the most heart-wrenching thing. I truly wish them both happiness. Another thing that makes this so great is that both of the leads are not one-dimensional. They both have great depth to them, especially JaeWon with his trauma. Watching JaeWon come to terms with his trauma and how the show describes the trauma that he has is just done so well. It is not offensive or over the top. I just love this so much. And the fact that JaeWon feels so safe around JiHyun just really gets to me. Like he found his person, they found each other at the time they both needed some comfort. I just... it is just... i love it so much.

Ending comments:
This show is truly a gem. The music, the environment, directing, cinematography, acting, just everything is more than perfect. My heart was going all sorts of crazy throughout the whole show.

Read More

WOW¡¡¡¡ I LOVED IT

Everything in this drama was perfect for me. The story attracted me from the first minutes. It has romance, drama, comedy, and emotional overcoming. I remember it was torture to wait 7 days to watch the next episodes.

The scenography and music were amazing. I'm still enjoying the songs in Spotify, especially "I can´t lose it all" and "Astronomy".

Jae Won and Ji Hyun (the main actors) demonstrated a perfect job in each scene, the chemistry between them was impressive. I'd like to keep watching them in new dramas or films.

I also thank Inu Baek & Werner (directors) to give us this stunning drama.

Read More

Emotional fun series

This series was a lot of fun. The two leads are good. I wish there was a little better chemistry between them I do have to say, because there are moments that feel off.
I enjoy the freshman Ji Hyun being inexperienced but yet smart. The one downside to him was there are moments that he is very pushy and over doing it. I felt he lack showing true emotion and the chemistry at times was off putting. Ji Hyun's two friends and (boss restaurant owner), were a lot of fun and so supportive. The club leader and the therapist for Jae Won are amazing characters and bring hope to someone that feels hopeless. Wish we had more side characters like them. To be honest the evil ex Eun ji was not even needed for the story and felt she has no real purpose. I do have to say a lot of the club members are horrible and toxic but sadly there are people like them that exist. The overall story is great it has depth and development and growth. It was a great series but The downside was that there were a lot of parts where you knew there was a missing story or a missing link to help you understand the story better. I wish they did a better job of piecing together each episode I would have liked to see when he ended up in the hospital from the accident and Jae Won being with him there or the back history of things. In ending the series was really good in telling the story but lacked real conclusion and episode connections. Felt rushed by the end sadly. I wasn't the biggest fan of how they ended it with trying to find closure for the ex girlfriend or the troublemaker friend I felt like it was not needed and a waste. P. S. The actor and character of Jae Won is amazing in this series with all the emotion he displayed.

Read More

For anyone who enjoys Top Tier storytelling..

Simply put "The Eighth Sense" is a captivating and emotional story that follows the journey of two college students as they navigate their way through life, love, and self-discovery while tackling their fears and demons. The show features a talented cast of actors (special shout-out to Im Ji Sub & Oh Jun Taek) who bring their characters to life with great depth and authenticity, and the cinematography is stunning, capturing the beauty and complexity of each scene.

The series explores themes of self-identity, family & societal expectations, friendship, and love, and does so with grace and sensitivity. It tackles important issues such as mental health in a way that is both honest and heartfelt, without ever feeling preachy or heavy-handed.

Overall, The series is a beautiful and moving tribute to the power of love, understanding, and the importance of finding and accepting oneself, and it is sure to leave a lasting impression on anyone who watches it.

Read More

Overcome Your Fears with the FreeBirds

One of my top BL's, heck more like top dramas. I really enjoyed it. It was so moody and the use of colours was very impactful on the story. Everything was great; the acting, the directing, the cinematography, the OST. I find myself listening to the songs over and over again just playing back these scenes that I associate with the songs now, and when a drama does that for me, it hit a soft place in my soul. It was just an amazing story that was different and touched on a lot of subjects that are very relevant today. I loved the way it was filmed, you can tell every camera movement was meant to be that way. I loved the main actors chemistry as well, their moments were super cute but also I felt like they really cared about each other deeply, so the difficult times they went through felt realistic. They did a great job portraying the characters. Thank you to all of the actors, actresses and staff on the film! Please watch!

Love from a FreeBird.

Read More

Just watch it my guy

Let’s talk about the obvious first. The cinematography is beautiful, Thea acting is superior and the storyline is not your usual run in the mill bl trope. I found this on the day it was released and I’m so excited because I had heard nothing about the series before hand. To my pleasant surprise the episodes were almost 40 minutes long. This was perfect for this story in particular because one of our main leads has unresolved trauma. We get to have snippets of his therapy sessions which gives us an insight of what he’s feeling and what he’s been through. The length of the drama is perfect because normally traumatic events in BLs are usually rushed to push foreword the story. Having the “conflict”start with our two main leads and then resolving it in the second to last episode is perfect because we get the last episode as a fluff. More dramas should do this in general because it’s obviously more satisfying to have the last episode with them being secure and loving than just say the last 10 minutes. Now the actors as individually. Oh Jun Taek did great ofcourse. He really played Ji Hyun perfectly. Im Ji Sub now is just wow. The way he was able to capture Jae Won and display a character with trauma and depression is top tier acting. Not once did his performance fall flat. And together their chemistry!?!?!?!?! Yea overall it’s something new and fresh and you should watch it because I have superior taste when it comes to dramas and if I say it’s good then the source is trust me bro. Watch it.

Read More

The Five Senses Aren't Everything

This drama is quite simply beautiful in pretty much every way possible. The cinematography, the story, the characters, the acting, all of it comes together to create something truly enchanting. It's authenticity is breathtaking. It tells a story that is real and raw, touching on subjects that many BLs and Asian dramas in general avoid. The Eighth Sense is honestly the best BL drama I've seen in a while and it is well worth the time to watch it.

The story is amazing for all it's simplicity. This is not a big and bold drama filled with pomp and drama. It is wonderfully subtle and realistic. Every part of it feels natural, organic. It's well paced and the delivery is exceptional. Yes, it's a romance, but it's also about two people helping and healing each other. Jae Won gives Ji Hyun the courage to step outside his comfort zone and Ji Hyun helps Jae Won begin to heal from the trauma of his past. And I appreciated that it didn't feel like the pair of them getting together magically fixed everything for Jae Won. It felt like a combination of his therapist's and Ji Hyun's boss's words that finally got through to him and helped him take that first step forward. Sure, Ji Hyun is there to help and support him, but he also has to put in the work himself to continue to heal.

While the first few episodes focus more on Ji Hyun and his growth as he learns to step out of his shell and begin to interact with other people and the world around him, the latter part of the drama focuses on Jae Won as he begins to face the trauma from his past and take steps to move forward. Both characters experience huge amounts of growth in a very short time and it's done so well. They grow both together and separately. And that's part of what was so great. Instead of the pair of them existing in their own world surrounded by barely there supporting characters, they had a life outside of each other. In fact, I think they had more scenes with their friends than they did with each other. But I loved that because it added depth and meaning to both them and the supporting characters who are so often only there to move the plot forward. Here though they're fully developed characters and amazing ones at that.

The acting was fantastic all around. Im Ji Sub and Oh Jun Taek were nearly flawless in their roles. Their chemistry was just so natural and believable. The supporting actors were equally fantastic. Lee Mi Ra and Seo Ji An as Yoon Won and Ae Ri respectively were both fun and insightful as the male leads' friends. I really loved the relationship they had with the two of them and the way that Yoon Won and Jae Won supported and loved each other. Lee Mi Ra and Im Ji Sub just had a very natural chemistry that was great to watch. Jung Seo In was fabulous as Ji Hyun's boss. She was equal parts funny and the deliverer of sage advice. I loved her. Park Hae In as Eun Ji and Jang Young Joon as Tae Hyung were believably villainous. I couldn't stand either character, so kudos to their acting prowess.

One of my absolute favorite things about this drama was how mental health was addressed. The fact that we actually got to see Jae Won going to therapy, the knowledge that he was taking medication for his mental health, and that he even admitted himself that he had depression was huge. Most Asian dramas downplay mental health issues or just ignore them completely. That it was so openly addressed and delved into was gratifying and I hope more dramas do the same.

The cinematography was truly stunning. It had a very stylistic feel to it that I appreciated as well as the fact that it was maintained pretty much throughout. My only complaint was that some of the night scenes were a bit too dark which made it difficult to tell what was going on. That may have also been a stylistic choice but it wasn't one that I felt worked well.

I loved the music. It all worked very well with the drama and felt like actual effort was put in to finding songs that fit with what was going on and they really did enhance the mood for those scenes.

I did have a few things that prevented me from giving this a perfect 10. The main one was the "twist" in Episode 7. I don't know if it was a subbing issue or if it was deliberate, but either way, I really don't like having my emotions played with and that's exactly what it felt like they were doing. It seemed like they went for shock value and then jumped out and yelled, "Psych!" It really killed the mood for me and made me question why I had started this drama. The other part was the handling of Eun Ji and Tae Hyung. Both were terrible, manipulative people, so the fact that they got a happyish ending didn't sit quite well for me. Considering the way mental health was addressed, I feel like dealing with the two of them could have been a good continuation of that because Jae Won did not need such toxic people in his life, particularly Tae Hyung. I would have preferred to see something where they cleared the air between them, but Jae Won made it clear that he could no longer have Tae Hyung in his life. Actions have consequences and I don't feel like either character really experienced any kind of meaningful consequence.

I truly cannot recommend this drama enough, particularly to people who enjoy dramas that are more than just the romance. With a meaningful story and characters, you really have nothing to lose.

Read More

The most majestic BL Korea has ever released

April 26, 2023

The Eighth Sense has been a drama that caught my eye ever since the first episode. As I was watching this and waiting for the episodes to roll out. I can feel and connect with the reality of what this drama entail. There are obvious plot cliches used but it was done well in my opinion.

There hasn't been a single episode where I felt like it was a filler episode. The rollercoaster of emotions I have felt is amazing. As a melodrama KBL, this was fantastic. It checks off all the things that makes a melodrama good! The pacing, the angst, the slow burn, the tension, it was so damn fucking good. The cinematography and the choices of music that they use is just so fitting for the storyline.

The storyline is not super complicated and pretty straightforward. However, the execution of the cast and the directors to tell this motherfucking story is so put together. Like this is just way too fucking good. Up to date, this has been Korea's best BL that they have ever released.

It is so genuinely raw and filled with emotions that plays with our heart.

The Eighth Sense has jumped to my top 5 BLs ever. I have so much respect fo Jae Won overcoming his trauma and for Ji Hyun being there to support him. I must say, this has tug my heart string because their story is very realistic towards my personal life story.

So I hope everyone gives The Eight Sense, the love it fucking deserves.


S-tier KBL for sure! It is a fucking masterpiece.

Read More

Maybe my favourite characters in BL

I loved these characters, I think they were all so well written, and for the most part extremely well acted as well, especially the main boys. Jihyun is a innocent country bumpkin but he's got sass and bite and he is confident in himself. Jaewon has so many problems but he seems indefinitely patient and kind. Aeri is a treasure, and Joopyu is probably the best "best friend" character I've seen in a while, it's all very believable.

And ah the acting, when things get dark you can see how shut off from the world Jaewon is, how his eyes are so lifeless, how he's just going through the motions. Until he sees Jihyun. It's 10/10 from me. Their relationship was so tender and even before they got together, you could clearly see the attraction in the looks, small gestures.

Editing in this show gets a little wild at times with some confusing cuts but some scenes hit you SO HARD. One I need to highlight is in the episode after Jihyun's accident, when the opening credits play completely silent, it set's the mood so well and feels really intense. Or when the scene gets dark and colourless when Jaewon is deep in his depression. It's all so so good and people much smarter and more eloquent have talked about it at leght - I can just say I loved it.

Read More

One word: Cinematography

This show is without a doubt amazing, a couple of things in the middle confused me a bit, and the lack of inner monologue made some things a bit complicated, but other than that, I have little negative to say about it. Now with that said, this is without a doubt the MOST BEAUTIFUL kbls I've ever seen, all the colors are gorgeous and the filming is creative and not messy in the slighest. Many kbls have this where problem that the filming and angles are often very lackluster, but this show really took the time to get nice and well-thought-out shots and scenes that make watching the program more satisfying. All scenes filmed with jaewon's psychologist are magnificent, with creative angles, use of color and props. The first scene in epsidoe 10 is also pure cinematic art, the simplicity of the use of color and the angle, the different patterns, it reminded me a lot of Nevertheless, a series that also have amazing cinematography and probably a higher budget. Both jihyun and jaewon's acting is amazing and their dynamic and chemistry is amazing and incredibly natural.
Aeri and joonpyo are fun side characters with distinctive personalities that are both interesting to watch, and that don't overshadow Jihyun and Jaewon's story. Eunji is a bitch and I don't want to talk about her.
The music is great, the characters are realistic, the main issue makes sense, there are stakes, there is character development, and the ending is satisfying and everything just clicks.
Also they play Conan Gray so-

Read More