Light On Me (2021)

The characters were super relatable

Let’s be honest, the plot was not anything new or exciting, but I think the execution was done well! The plot was given time to develop, the friendships had time to form, and love had time to blossom. It’s definitely a slow-burn with a sprinkle of love triangle, maybe even a love square. The cinematography was beautiful, the locations were very picturesque. The music, the lightning, the camera angles… Korean series have definitely mastered that.

Noh Shin Woo & Woo Tae Kyung – the two are a hot mess. I think they are both so relatable. Tae Kyung is an introvert, does not have any friends, and doesn’t do well in social situations. He does often come across as cold and closed off, but I think it was often just his nerves and not knowing how to act in given situations. Shin Woo has a crush, and he does not know how to handle it. He has been hurt in the past, so he built walls to protect himself. He is awkward and comes across as rude, but in reality, he simply doesn’t know how to act around his crush. I really like how they take things slow, going from enemies to friends and only then to lovers. It is not rushed. This is a first love, first relationship for both after all.

Shin Da On – he is an over achiever and a people pleaser. He is friendly, approachable, always smiling and hiding his true feelings. I think his struggle to maintain his status, the idea of him that others have, has been done nicely, especially in the latter episodes. It really showed the painful reality of trying to achieve the expectations of others. Da On trying to be good and helpful to everyone did contribute to certain people feeling like he was leading them on, like they meant more to him. And I really appreciate how that was pointed out.

I do think that Shin Woo and Tae Kyung were not given enough time as a couple. I really wished everything would have been resolved sooner and we would get to see them being all cute and lovely for a bit longer. I also think certain people were forgiven too easily. What that person did is horrible, especially considering the society and the school environment. Another thing that bothered me is how it was implied that we can decide who we will like. That’s not how it works. Just because someone is being nice to you or has feelings for you, you can’t just say “I am going to like that person too” and be done with it. I found that very strange and not really making any sense.

I think it was good that they addressed and showed negative aspects of being gay in all boys’ school. It is definitely not all sunshine and rainbows and people are not nearly as accepting as we would all like them to. So I think it’s important that such things get addressed from both the positive and negative side.

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Korean BL drama that spends enough time to develop friendships/relationships

Completed - 4/2/2022

Korean BL dramas tend to be pretty short, so I am glad to see that "Light on Me" is a longer one. And because of that, I feel that there's enough time for the drama to really develop the friendships and the love triangle well. The development feels organic and at a good pace. Most of the time, high school or college BL dramas focus so much on cuteness and fluffiness, that the romance develops way too fast and quite forced. "Light on Me" is able to spend time to let Woo Tae Kyung's character develop and really shows us how he grows from an anti-social loner, to one surrounded by close friends and loved ones.

Speaking of Tae Kyung, I am also happy to see a male lead that is not overly innocent and passive, a doormat or pushover. Although Tae Kyung is quiet, he's honest and will fight back. He's not afraid to speak his mind and thus, avoids any type of miscommunication or lack of communication, esp. when it comes to his relationship with Shin Da on. He wears his heart on his sleeves and really left the ball on Da On's court initially. The dynamic between him and Noh Shin Woo is different. He's not the smitten one, but one that holds the power to dictate how the relationship goes.

On the other hand, due to the longer length of the drama, I also would like to see other small subplots. I want to know more about Shin Da On's family and their family dynamics. What really prompted him to strive so hard to be liked and not be a disappointment. I want to see more about Noh Shin Woo's initial feelings towards Tae Kyung. We were only shown a few quick flashbacks of the initial attraction, but I would have loved to see more and know more of his background story. This drama did a good job in providing enough materials for Tae Kyung's character, but I wanted to know more about the other characters in general.

Acting and production quality seem to be decent. I would say Kang Yoo Seok (who plays Noh Shin Woo) might have the best acting performance out of the bunch. But then, I might also be bias as I think he's the most handsome one in this drama as well. LOL. Acting is not cringey but not always natural. They definitely act better with the more outgoing/friendly/fun scenes, than those that are emotional or require subtle facial expressions.

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SEASON 2 Should Happen (honest review)

HONEST REVIEW.

This is a proof that having LONGER episodes could add more value to the story and drama itself. It stretches the plot, gives the characters more exposure and builds deeper emotions and attachment from the audiences. Of course it has to have a good storyline like this one.

I’ve watched several BLs already (chinese, thai, japanese), so trust me, this is on my Top 5! It’s the most k-drama like BL drama (if you get what I mean).

It’s actually so REALISTIC. I’ve had someone like Daon in my life (lol). He was afraid to be a disappointment to his family, and everyone else. So he couldn’t fight for me. But he loved me. Anyway, the way every scene reminded me of our struggles before just get to shows that it’s something that really happens in real life.

So I basically watched it for Yooseok, but… I ENDED UP FALLING IN LOVE WITH CHOE CHANYI (SHIN DAON) ?

He played his role so well, that even I myself fell for him ? I was happy to see him happy. Admire him for always understanding people and situations. I was also hurt, when he was hurting. I was sad with him. I was regretful with him. I was with him on this drama. He made me, be with him all throughout.

It’s crazy!!! I don’t wanna invalidate Shinwoo’s efforts… he deserves everything… but Daon has a special place in my heart already and it grew bigger and bigger I couldn’t just let go of him. Like I wish Taekyung could’ve been more patient and understanding about Daon’s situation. They ain’t the same, Daon got different things to consider, different background, different people in his life, and I wish Taekyung could’ve supported him more while he was struggling. Daon (his character even in real life) needs someone who won’t give up on him, someone who he could call his safe haven where he can rest when reality hits him so hard. It was his first time as well so his situation was really understandable too.

This is not one of those dramas with 2nd Lead Syndrome (If I’m taking Daon as the main love interest), cause I want them to end up together so bad LOL.

If Season 2 will be about a 2nd Chance of Taekyung x Daon??? That would be THE END OF ME.

Like what if Shinwoo would for some reason screw up, or his Old Crush would come back???? Then Daon will be there for Taekyung. OMG OMGGG WE ALL NEED SEASON 2 WITH SAME CAST JUST ADD MORE LOL

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Desnecessário

O principal é muito sem sal. Por mim ele poderia terminar sozinho que não faria diferença nenhuma. Os dois interesses romanticos são até interessantes, mas não o suficiente pra balancear a chatisse do principal.
Acho que essa série não adiciona nada na vida de ninguém ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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More than meets the eye

Wow, it's interesting to read the reviews here and see how polarised people are about this show. I came to this one a bit late - so many shows to watch, so little time! - this show did not disappoint. Let's dive in!

So maybe let's start with the positives? The Korean industry is only just warming up to this genre, but we knew at some point they were going to upgrade from 6 x 15 minute episodes to a full 16 eps. REJOICE! I think Light On Me really nailed it with the length of this show. 16 x 25 minute-ish episodes was great pacing for me. So often K-dramas want to give us so much that they end up giving us too much - think Crash Landing On You's epic 16 x 1.5 hour episodes - even as a huge fan of the CLOY show I could see how much padding went into the eps. So for me the length of the show was spot on - just enough to properly set up and grow the story line for us, but not too much that we start to see some silly scenes.

Aesthetically, this show is really beautiful and pleasing in its restraint. It opted for the surreal technicolour treatment that K-dramas tend to employ, especially so in their high school settings. However it is uncluttered and clean, as is the music. We are not smacked on the head with the OST every few minutes. In fact, everything is so minimalist that it really forces us to focus on the actors. The colour work and editing is so schmick. Every small grimace and slight hesitation is magnified to deliver a super-charged version of the sweaty angst and pressures of being 18 and in love for the first time. And oh boy, do we get all of this in spades.

On to the negatives - surprise, surprise, the baddie is female - AGAIN! Thanks, BL genre. I mean, in the context of this show, I get it. The story called for a female love interest, but did she have to be the antagonist AND the most unlikeable character too? The BL industry seems to think so ... over and over and over again. Also, how the most popular boys in the school so easily decided to adopt an orphan puppy at the start of the show was a bit unrealistic. Plus, we only ever saw the 4 boys in the student council room for the entire show, despite their being apparently 20 students in the council. There were a few of these little details which broke the spell a bit for me, but they were minor hiccups which did not detract from the show.

Which brings us to the story. On the surface, this is a very standard high-school love triangle, but it really, truly isn't. For starters, the love triangle is so creatively set up that we do not and can not know which two people will end up together until Act 3. We are totally rooting for either the Shin Woo or Da On camps, not just from episode to episode but from scene to scene. In some ways, we end up rooting for all four boys and their lives, really. Therein lies the strength in this show for me - each of the four characters are vivid, compelling and SO DAMN LIKEABLE. Yes, even Tae Gyung! Unlike many other reviewers I did not find his acting awkward ... I mean, his character was meant to be socially awkward, right? I was invested in all of them and very divided about how it was going to be resolved, which of course is exactly what they wanted.

So how does it resolve? In a really mature way, which, let's face it, is unrealistic for 18-year old lovesick boys. But I guess just like the four super likeable boys of this story, maybe this is the version of reality that we want to believe in.

PS: the ever popular Spock Hairdo continues to dominate.

PPS: For a super detailed and really illuminating read, I highly recommend Absolute BL's review of Light On Me on Tumblr.

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Adorable!

Actually, at no point was I rooting for Daon. I don't feel like he was ever right for Tae. Daon is handsome and kind, but I don't think he ever knew what Tae wanted or needed, whereas Shinwoo effortlessly fit with Tae. I wished Daon a happy, healthy, journey to self discovery much like Tae did.

The reasons I didn't give 10/10:
1) I wanted a clear break between Tae's feelings for Daon and Shinwoo.
2) Lee Sohee. She was redeemed for me in the end, which pushed my 8 star to a 9 star, but gosh she was MEAN!
3) I wanted more from the only kiss scene we got in the last few minutes of the show.

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Voir Kang You Seok dans Black Knight m'a donné envie de revoir Light On Me. De plus, je n'avais pas partagé mon avis ici, c'était aussi l'occasion de le faire. Bref !

J'aime la douceur de ce drama. Même si on peut y voir le cliché d'une romance de lycée, on y trouve bien plus d'émotion et de profondeur qu'il n'y paraît. La première fois que j'ai vu ce drama (lors de sa diffusion donc), j'étais septique. Le premier épisode ne lui rend pas honneur, les suivants sont bien meilleurs. Pour ma part, ce n'est qu'une fois arrivée aux épisodes 8/9 que je me suis rendue compte être enthousiaste dans l'attente des suivants, jusqu'à l'impatience d'être à la semaine prochaine.

Sans m'en rendre compte, je me suis prise d'affection pour les personnages. Parce qu'ils sont l'essence même de Light On Me.
Woo Tae Kyung est franc, introverti et maladroitement mignon. C'est aussi un garçon courageux qui assume ses sentiments avec une certaine réflexion. Lee Sae On donne une jolie performance bien qu'on sente qu'il n'a pas encore exploré ses talents d'acteur. Cependant, son manque d'expérience lui permet de peindre un personnage maladroit et parfois trop tiré qui est en accord avec Tae Kyung.
Le mystérieux Noh Shin Woo. J'ai aimé la façon dont il avance à son rythme. Il a conscience d'être lent, mais il reste malgré tout fidèle à ses valeurs et lui-même. Aujourd'hui, on tente toujours d'aller trop vite ou de laisser les autres nous façonner à leur manière. Shin Woo prend son temps et s'occupe sincèrement des gens qui comptent pour lui avec des actions silencieuses. Kang You Seok livre un personnage doux et fort d'émotion.
Ensuite, Shi Dan On, le président du Conseil des élèves. Sous pression par ses parents et son rôle de président, il doit être parfait en tout et partout. Choi Chan Yi dépeint un jeune homme très solitaire qui va doucement passer par une prise de conscience.
Quant à Namgoong, il incarne à lui seul la parfaite définition de l'amitié. Le genre d'ami qui réchauffe ton cœur avec son grand sourire et son affection communicative. Ko Woo Jin représente à merveille l'amitié et les rires avec son regard pétillant de malice.

En réalité, le seul personnage qui n'a pas trouvé d'intérêt à mes yeux est So Hee, interprétée par Yang Seo Hyun. Pour moi, elle est seulement là pour ajouter une petite rivalité, mais qui n'apporte pas grand chose à l'histoire. Elle aurait pu simplement être autre chose que la fille amoureuse et obstinée qui ne veut pas lâcher prise.
Le triangle (le carré plutôt) amoureux n'est pas malsain ou toxique. La romance est adorable ainsi que les réflexions des personnages.

Sans trop en faire, sans artifices particuliers Lee Ji Eun nous livre une jolie histoire ainsi que d'agréables personnages. Quant à Lee Yoo Yeon, il offre de beaux plans et des mises en scènes subtiles et gérées.
Dans son ensemble, Light On Me est un moment doux et agréable avec des personnages rayonnants auquel on s'attache beaucoup trop rapidement. Il rappelle aussi que trouver sa place n'est pas facile, mais qu'il faut prendre son temps et ne pas s'oublier.

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Simple and direct series

I like this series, maybe it would have been better on a nonuniversity background.
The actors acted in pretty good sync with their characters. Background music and sounds were pretty enticing.
The story is cute, simple, and direct, but too immature/kiddish.
This series is perfect when for when you are in the mood for something too light and fluffy and won't mind watching something slow.
A part of the story which doesn't make sense at all is a girl hanging out in an all-boys school, even while on a trip. There were some plot holes in the story including this one.

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THE.BEST.KBL.

I agree that LOM can be a bit utopian and boring for some people… but I honestly don’t mind the utopian part. They delivered the message and story well. For me, It gives a fairytale vibes or some sort and like watching anime but not anime and not anime adaption, if you know what I’m saying. LMAO. But, it is realistic in the story bits and script. ALSO, it’s not boring at all. I hate slow paced series, but this show is about self discovery for one, so it made sense that the production team took their time with it(and this is coming from someone who has the attention of a goldfish?). This is a deeper level BL compare to the mainstreams where straight guys switch gears left and right like it’s nobody’s business. Unlike surface level BLs, this show dives into the inner struggles, the realization, the battle between one’s self and the prejudice of the real world we live in. The only reason this BL is not the winner in KBL category in my opinion tho is because the lack of intimate scenes. Shows like this can never win in an industry that is saturated with skins, sex, and just overall stereotypes. Hands down one of the best BLs. No unnecessary dramas, no clichés, a love triangle that actually matters, a storyline that actually makes sense, great chemistry between casts in out of the series. In the end, you’ll be in love with all the casts and the production choice with the direction of the story.

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In my opinion, there are several pros and cons to consider when discussing this drama. Let's start with the pros. Firstly, the main lead, Taegyeong, is a character who stands out. He is not a pushover at all and is incredibly clear and honest with himself. This is what attracts his suitors, as he consistently speaks his mind throughout the drama.

Next, the love interests in the drama, Da On and Shinwoo, are both intriguing characters. Da On is genuinely nice and caring, while Shinwoo starts off cold but quickly becomes adorable. What I appreciate about these characters is that they are at different stages of accepting who they are, which adds depth to their personalities. Both men are equally kindhearted and genuine. Shinwoo has fully accepted himself, whereas Da On has only just realized and begun his journey to self-acceptance.

However, there are also some cons to consider. One major drawback is the slow pace of the drama. While the plot itself may not be slow, the actors tend to move, speak, and even walk slowly. This can be frustrating for viewers who prefer a faster pace.

Another negative aspect is the inclusion of a random girl who kept appearing at the all-boys school. Personally, I disliked her character as she initially betrayed her friends for her own satisfaction. Although she undergoes a redemption arc and changes by the end, her actions were still considered a major betrayal.

Lastly, there is a lack of consistency and flow between episodes. Each episode starts abruptly with something completely different from how the previous episode ended. This can make it difficult for viewers who are binge-watching to feel fully engaged, as it feels like something is missing.

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A hit or a miss

Light On Me has as much good stuff as it does drawbacks. It has a very generic plotline, cliche scenes that I cringed at, a relatively slow pace, and the feel of a very typical rom-com (which isn't a good thing considering the plots going around these days). But Light On Me is also an example of a very mature take on romance, and the love triangle in this is done with so much thought that one can't help but admire it and its simplicity.

The acting was a bit awkward to watch in the beginning. In fact, I took a 4-month break after watching the first two episodes. But once it grows on you, it's not as hard to watch anymore, and one might even find it adorable as I did.

My sister, on the other hand, refuses to complete watching this and I do not blame her. This show is not the best I have watched, and it is a total hit or a miss. It is up to the individual to decide their stance on it.

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Light in the Dark

Light on Me is a relatively short, but sweet drama that I found engaging despite its faults. On the surface, it does come across as your typical high school drama complete with all the tropes you've come to expect from BLs. However, the more I watched, the more I saw that there is a depth to it, not so much with the story, but certainly with the characters. There's something about it that's almost relaxing and it made watching it very easy.

Light on Me does not break the mold of high school dramas. There's nothing new here, the same old tropes are used. However, aspects like learning to accept yourself and stand up for yourself are explored and add to the story. It took a couple of episodes for me to really get into the story. I struggled with Taekyung as the lead because he was so robotic. However, as other characters were introduced, I found myself becoming more invested. I will say that the robotics do extend to the other characters to an extent and it does make it harder to form attachments to them. It gets better as the drama progresses though. Some aspects like turning the sole female character into a villainess was frustrating. It's overused and the whole scenario of her spreading the picture was unrealistic and unnecessary. The passage of time was also not well documented and it would have been nice to have some idea of how much time had passed between events. The love triangle, which I am generally not a fan of, was actually really well done here. Both couples have their pros and cons and there's enough understanding that they really could go either way. I do wish a bit more time had been given to the build up of Taekyung and Shin Woo's relationship since it was endgame, but it was still done well enough that I can't complain too much. The pacing is slow and steady, which is part of why I found it kind of relaxing. There are no real extremes, it has a course to follow and it does so quite well with very little meandering. I appreciated that.

The characters are where it's at with this drama. There's an element with each of them that they are more than their appearance and outward actions and I really enjoyed that.
- Taekyung starts out as a loner who doesn't feel the need to have friends. However, despite his introversion, he's relatively confident in certain situations and honest to a fault. As he gets involved in the student council and starts to make friends, it becomes clear that he has a big heart and is actually a very selfless person. My biggest qualm was the fact that almost right up to the end, it seemed like he was still vacillating between Shin Woo and Daon. I would have liked to have a clearer picture as to when his feelings for Shin Woo started to manifest.
- Shin Woo comes across as cold and rude but in truth he's a sweetheart who just takes time to warm up to people. He's loyal to his friends and has great respect, both for Taekyung and Daon. The way he treats them both is a testament to his character. Despite his love for Taekyung, he's willing to step aside for Daon because at the time, that's who Taekyung loved. However, once things fall apart between the two of them, Shin Woo takes the initiative to step forward and pursue Taekyung. He's respectful of Taekyung and despite his own awkwardness, does his best to be there and support him.
- Daon was probably one of the most compelling characters for me. The evolution of my perception of his character as more of it was revealed was very interesting. He starts out very likable, a little too perfect, but a good guy. But as things progressed, I realized, he wasn't very genuine, he was very much a people pleaser and he lacked perspective and knowing how to prioritize. If anyone needed his help, he dropped everything to help them, meaning that Taekyung, if they'd entered into a relationship, would never be his priority. And eventually I just realized that he was selfish and really only cared about himself. But the great thing about him was that once he realized all that, once Taekyung pointed it out, he put out the effort to change and better himself. He stopped caring about what others thought and catering to their needs and that was so refreshing to see. Because despite those faults, Daon was not really a bad guy. The neglect and lack of love from his family obviously played into a lot of his mindset and actions. I think he had the most character growth out of any of the characters and I loved it.
- Namgoong was one of my favorite characters. I loved that beneath the goofy surface was someone who was far more mature, observant and wise than anyone gave him credit for. He truly cared for his friends and was fiercely loyal to them, helping them in any way that he could and sometimes that meant calling them out for their crap. He was just an all around good guy.
- While not a huge player, I really liked Mr. Seo for his wisdom and his investment in the students. He obviously cared about all of them and made an effort to connect with them. He's the kind of person you wish all teachers were like.
-Sohee is almost not worth mentioning. She's the token female character that it was decided should be the villain because she's loved Daon for three years and therefore, first come first served, regardless of how Daon feels. She somehow decides posting a picture of Daon and Taekyung together is a great idea to break them up and have Daon go running into her arms except that it blows up and Daon cuts her off. Predictably she apologizes to everyone, everything is forgiven, and they're all friends. Boring. She could have been so much more and I'm disappointed that this what they decided to do with her.

The acting certainly could have been better. Sae On in particular was far too doll like and it wasn't just the makeup. I understand the character was supposed to be introverted and awkward, but he was just wooden and lacking in almost any expression. Particularly comparing him to Yoo Seok whose character was also introverted and awkward, yet he's still so expressive and brings so much to the screen. Chan Yi's performance sometimes felt a bit empty, but for the most part he did quite well. And Woo Jin just brought Namgoong to life and was a pleasure to watch.

The makeup was a big issue. Particularly for Sae On, he had so much makeup packed on that he looked like a mannequin. The others weren't quite as dramatic, but all around it was excessive. That being said, I did like the fact that this was a longer drama. I wish more current BLs would keep with this because that made a big difference. The production value also felt higher and in general it was better quality all around. The music was great. I really enjoyed the closing song and several of the other songs worked in.

This was just a very enjoyable journey and my only issue is how long it took me to discover it. I would certainly recommend it as one of the best Korean BLs I've seen and hopefully future ones will follow in its footsteps.

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