Befriend (2018)

Don't let the previews fool you this isn't BL

I promise you and not gonna lie... I saw the trailer for this and thought it was a BL drama..

Unfortunately no.... It is just Bromance...with them trolling us with a few instances of BL intimacy thrown in.... *Sigh* The famous BL cut from Ep 4 that fooled us all actually turned out to be imagined by one of the supporting casts [a couple scenes in the drama did make me question if this was indeed a BL drama or not]...

The story itself is okay and I could see many liking it, but it was not what I was expecting to watch when i had stumbled upon it in one of the BL forums. This drama falls into those with a bit of BL hints but no real BL. It's about one guy named Ding Ding who is confused but in love with his childhood best friend Zhang Liang. Zhang Liang, however is in love with his roommate who is the female lead. He also had no idea how Ding Ding felt about him until the very last episode.

I was here for Ding Ding and Zhang Liang... but my ship is sinking in an ocean of my tears :'( I cried for Ding Ding. I hope he gets his forever after in the future

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Befriend is that breath of fresh air that's needed to ground you in reality after watching so many fantasy/melodramas. Although there were melodramatic parts and the typical drama tropes, I really appreciated their exploration of how friendship can grow into romantic love. The drama has a great theme of selfless giving and love; but most importantly, the significant roles friends play in our lives. It's a slow paced drama, but it works for the message the drama conveys. The only thing I didn't like was how rushed it felt at the end. It felt like the writers were trying to create obstacles that didn't need to be there just to squeeze in one last heart-wrenching dilemma for the main character.

Acting/Cast
Zhang Liang's (played by Tsao Yu Ning) character was a bit naive for me; but I had to remember he grew up in a sheltered environment, so he may not have been exposed to situations that would given the foresight he so desperately lacked. Yes, Kang Le You (played by Shu Yao Guo) may have been annoying; but, I think she encapsulates the essence of an immature young woman. As the drama progresses, you really see her growth. Ding Shao En (played by Bo Chieh Wang) was defiantly eye-candy; but, he played his role well.

More Please!
Duan Duan's (played by Bean Sun) BL imaginations were the best!

Honorable Mention
Great soundtrack.

Would I Re-watch?
Yes! I've already seen this twice.

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