The Eighth Sense (2023)

Very nice icing on a mediocre cake

I wanted to watch this as soon as it finished because of the hype, but frankly I feel like I'm going insane reading only 9 and 10 star reviews, so I thought I'd contribute.

- Plot: This is frankly my biggest complaint about the series. While I appreciate that there wasn't unnecessary conflict or excessive filler, there were plot holes left and right that get brushed off by the "artsy" vibe. The gaps and cuts leave the audience to consistently fill in parts of the plot themselves. It's nice that the writing doesn't say everything, but they use this as an excuse to avoid explaining plot events and actions that don't make sense for the characters and situations that have been established. I feel like the high production value and again, "artsy" vibe distract from the actual holes in the plot and leave most viewers to assume that they simply didn't "get" it, rather than recognize this as a fault of the writing. It's the equivalent of flawlessly coloring and shading a portrait so that nobody notices the eyes are completely different sizes.
- Acting: ...and this is the highlight of the series for me. I thought pretty much all the actors did a great job with their characters. It wasn't too heavy handed or cringey (the dialogue was decent, which helps), and felt that the entire cast had great chemistry. I enjoyed watching the friendships between the characters as much as the main couple's relationship. I also appreciated the styling of the characters -- it felt like they all had distinct styles, which suited both the actors and the characters.
- Characters: The main couple definitely falls into the webtoon-BL tropes, with the perfectpopularrich love interest and the smallawkwardloser protagonist. I liked them as individual characters though, especially how they behaved differently around different people. The best characters by far were the (non-ex) female characters, which is really refreshing for a BL. They felt like they had actual personalities! It's nice to see at least some female characters the audience isn't supposed to hate. Not a huge fan of the "fat character who is always eating" trope or them suddenly pairing up the only plus-size characters, but otherwise decent.
- Mental health angle: As much as I appreciate an openly depressed main character and genuine discussion of mental health issues, there were definitely some flaws in the execution here. The "I'm just here to get my drugs" aspect and questionable mannerisms of the therapist really invalidate a lot of the later therapy scenes. It seemed to be going in a good direction with the "If your trauma is causing your relationship issues, you need to sort out your trauma first" point, but that was wrapped up way too quickly with yet another "unspoken" development (read: plot hole). As a plot device to give insight into a quiet character's emotions without weird internal monologues, the therapy plot worked worked. As a genuine portrayal of trauma and treatment, less so.
- LGBT: Interestingly enough, the reviews here seem to be split on praising this as a great LGBT story, and praising it for not shoving an LGBT agenda down your throat. While this is a step in the right direction for KBL series, it still feels very much like a BL, and I was actually a little upset at the characters' reactions to other LGBT identities. The biggest flag for me was the portrayal of drag, as a character gives a report on Hedwig and the Angry Inch while dressed in the drag style from the movie. The character is both demonized and mocked, and the audience is set up to react to the character in the same way. I frankly have no idea why they included an entire scene just to make someone in drag the butt of a joke.

Overall, I thought the good acting and high production value show through, but they can only do so much to distract from the actual issues in the plot. It's icing on a bland cake -- nice decoration, but there's nothing special underneath.

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If I had to pick just 1 BL to watch for the rest of my life….

Yes. It would be this one.
I’m not exaggerating. In my opinion, this is as close to perfection as we’ve ever seen from this genre.
And of all the lovely, tender, funny, touching, artful moments that this show bestowed on us I just think that it’s the realism of the characters and the story, and the fact that over the course of 10 episodes I came to genuinely love and admire most of these characters, I have so much empathy for them and so much affection. I feel that they are my people and I could t be happier with their very happy ending.
Ji Hyun, our sassy, beautiful and genuine boy. Love him to bits.
Hyun Bin, tone def bumpkin tho you may be, you are a good friend and a bold noona slayer.
Yoon Won, such an unexpectedly endearing character. A delight. Go get yours momma.
And my dearest Jae Won…handsome, soulful, protective, helplessly in love with Ji Hyun, I wish you every happiness ❤️❤️❤️❤️🌊🏄‍♂️🥰💋

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What an absolutely beautiful show

I cannot stress how much I absolutely adored The Eighth Sense, its truly one of the best shows I have ever watched. The story, the acting, the production, the cinematography are all beautiful, the chemistry Oh Juntaek and Lim Jisub have is amazing and I seriously need a Season 2 for them, they did an insanely good job at portraying Jihyun and Jaewon. There are many likeable and interesting characters aside from the 2 leads, my favourites being Yoonwon, Aeri and Joonpyo. Jaewon is a really well written character, everything about him feels very real, and Jihyun is just as good, their development in just 10 episodes is wonderful. I cannot stress how much I recommend The Eighth Sense, it has its happy moments and its really heartbreaking moments, but experiencing all the emotions was all part of how much I enjoyed it. I would really recommend this show to everyone, even people who aren't interested in typical Korean Dramas/BLs. I really wish I could erase my memory and experience this show all over again. I tried to give my ratings critically but really I can't give this anything below a 10/10, it's just so wonderful 😭💕

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A delicate story about mental illness and finding yourself (with a few loose ends)

I only started watching The Eighth Sense last week, but I quickly fell in love with its grounded yet somehow dreamy atmosphere. The cinematography and lighting were truly phenomenal. This drama felt more like a movie than a show, and I appreciate the care the cast and crew put into creating it.

The OST was simply wonderful, too. I found myself looking for the songs after I finished each episode. I'm listening to The Story by Conan Grey as I type this.

Onto the show itself. I really enjoyed that surfing was what brought Ji Hyun and Jae Won together. The last time I personally experienced surfing in media was either The Shallows or Teen Beach Movie. (And I won’t complain about seeing the actors in wetsuits). It was something fun and different.

Despite having such a lighthearted premise, The Eighth Sense approached mental health and childhood trauma in a delicate yet realistic manner. It is clear that Jae Won has been struggling for a while, and I loved that they depicted his relationship with his therapist throughout the series. I like it when a show doesn’t shy away from characters using prescriptions for mental health issues, too. It goes a long way in reducing the stigma around an unnecessarily taboo topic. Ji Hyun has his own share of trauma as well, and the two of them become each other’s safe space.

Honestly, the plot wasn’t particularly complex. It has a basic boy meets boy, boy is attracted to other boy and is confused about it, they kiss, an ex is introduced, they break up, they get back together structure. But what makes this show special is the 3-dimensional characters. So much of the story comes from the characters themselves that it doesn’t matter that the plot is just the same skeleton wearing a different skin.

Ji Hyun, my wonderful boy. He has the patience of a saint. He starts off as this timid, country mouse, but he grows into his own by the end of the drama. He’s learned that it’s okay to be afraid as long as you don’t let it stop you. Jae Won was a big part of that. Props to Oh Jun Taek, too. His performance was wonderful, and the chemistry between him and Im Ji Sub was amazing. You could feel the tension when Jae Won and Ji Hyun so much as looked at each other, and it translated beautifully to their blossoming relationship in episode 10.

I really have to give it to Im Ji Sub, though. He’s mastered the lifeless stare so well, and it’s heartwrenching to watch him recede into himself after Ji Hyun’s accident. Everything about his performance was amazing. Jae Won’s false confidence, the mask he projects to the world to protect himself slowly being broken down by Ji Hyun. It’s all on his face. And the breakdown he had when his camera was smashed? Terrible. Awful. I hated it (Spoiler alert: I didn’t hate it).

And the friends! Ae Ri and Yoon Won are the best side characters, no question. Yoon Won is Jae Won’s only real friend (because we’re not counting Ji Hyun), and they’re both so good for each other. I actually didn’t like Ae Ri at first because she came on so strong to Ji Hyun, and I was worried she was going to act irrationally because of what I assumed was the crush she had on him. However, I grew to love her when she and Ji Hyun settled into their friendship. Also, I’ll throw an honorable mention out to Ji Hyun’s boss. She was wonderful as well and acted as a mother figure to Ji Hyun and Jae Won at the end of the show.

I’m also impressed by the skinship in this series. We got some great kisses sprinkled throughout. My favorite scene would have to be the end of episode 9 though. The Story by Conan Grey was the perfect song to encapsulate Ji Hyun and Jae Won’s relationship and finally break through to Jae Won. It culminated in one of the best kisses (or series of kisses) I’ve ever seen in a BL. It’s definitely in my top three. I’m glad it didn’t stop after one emotional scene. We continued to see them kissing, hugging, and cuddling like any other couple. I also loved that Ji Hyun took charge in multiple scenes. So happy they let him be the big spoon because Jae Won deserves to be held just as much as Ji Hyun.

That was the good of the series. As much as I loved it for all of these reasons, the finale left me wanting. The conflict between Jae Won and Ji Hyun had been building since Ji Hyun was released from the hospital, but after they kissed, everything was fine. Although I was frustrated with Jae Won for avoiding Ji Hyun after the accident, I understand why he did it. And I understand if he couldn’t explain why he did it just yet. Depression can make you think irrationally, and that’s not his fault, but I wish he could have at least apologized. He caused both of them so much pain, but it was completely glossed over aside from a line in which Jae Won vaguely promises not to make Ji Hyun sad in the future. I wanted some sort of resolution or conversation in which they talk about what happened between them. Living with a mental illness is tough, and not communicating makes it even harder to navigate for both parties involved. I’m glad they got their happy ending, but it feels like they skipped a few steps in the middle.

Another thing that didn’t sit right with me was the whole situation with Eun Ji. I was confused about when Jae Won agreed that they were back together because, unless I missed it, he never directly said anything. His friends all thought they were back together, too, and relayed that information to Ji Hyun. Then Ji Hyun saw Eun Ji kissing Jae Won and was visibly upset, but Jae Won never confronted him about it even though he knew Ji Hyun was there. You’d think that if she was kissing him without his consent, he would tell Ji Hyun so as to not cause any further misunderstandings. But alas, it was never brought up. At that point, Ji Hyun and Jae Won were still “together,” or at least they had shared intimate moments at the beach and hadn’t defined what they were. It must have been so upsetting for Ji Hyun, yet he never searched for an explanation. Maybe he thought it wasn’t worth getting into because Jae Won hasn’t shown any further interest in Eun Ji, but it was frustrating for the viewer.

There were also a few scenes that I felt were edited poorly. Particularly the scene in episode 6 where Ji Hyun gets injured. I had to rewind it multiple times to figure out what had happened, and I still don’t really understand. Did he pass out and nearly drown? Hit his head on a rock? We don’t see anything except him sinking underwater from his POV. It was just a bit hard to follow. Then people act as if he’s dead, but we find out he was in the hospital with a neck brace. I really can’t figure out where the injury came from. If anybody has an idea, please tell me!

Then there’s Tae Hyung. Nothing about him was likable. If Jae Won could act objectively, I’d say he should have cut him out of his life instead of accepting his peace offering, but leaving a toxic friendship is just as hard as leaving any toxic relationship. Tae Hyung is so clearly jealous of Jae Won, and he’s taking his resentment out on him even though Jae Won can’t control his family’s status. Jae Won has known Tae Hyung for years, and, honestly, I can’t fault him for forgiving him because I would do the same for the sake of the friendship, however fragile, and the familiarity.

Lastly, I’m so curious about what really happened to Jae Won’s brother. Obviously, it’s not the focus of the story, nor is it truly necessary, but knowing would be an interesting look into Jae Won’s psyche. Extending this to his whole family situation, what is up with his dad? We’ve heard that he’s aggressive, but we don’t know much more than that. I hope that we’ll learn more about Jae Won’s past if we get a season 2.

Overall, I enjoyed this drama. Despite my grievances, it left me with a lot of thoughts and feelings. To me, that’s the mark of a good show. Or, at least, one that has done its job. I would recommend this show to anyone who is interested in a character-driven story with a side of romance and self-discovery. It really was a delightful ride. I hope to see it gain some more traction!

Thank you for reading my (way too long) review! I just had a lot of thoughts and no one to share them with. Also, go watch the deleted scene on YouTube if you haven’t yet! It shows more of Jae Won’s breakdown.

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This could very well become one of my most favorite bl ever.

First of all, THEY ARE DAMN CUTE. and second of all the running time. Man 35 to 40 minutes with proper plot? count me in. Third, I sense a masterpiece coming. As usual the main characters shine. Ji Hyun esp. He is like those guys you would want to put in a box and protect forever. Also the actor for him is great. Hard to believe that it's his debut drama. Now Jae Won, my man jae won is great at this. I am already sensing a great chemistry between them.
Now I usually don't like side characters in Korean Bls. Mostly because they almost don't have any story or a good personality. One of the BL with great side characters I liked was To My Star, which also happens to be my favorite Bl of all time. Well you can guess that from my username. So now the thing is, I actually really like every side of the characters here. Even the meanie ex. Mostly because I like how she is portraying her character but I do hope that her character has some development in the future. and the others? They all are great. whether it be the kind but sarcastic employer of Ji Hyun or His best friend. The college friends. They all are great. The first two episodes left a really huge impression.
Now onto my biggest fear.
As you can see, I am a healthy relationship lover. Nevermind that I have a hamlet inspired profile. and one of the thing that is scaring me is the cheating trope. I hate it. I hate it so much. As much as I am loving the drama, if there is any cheating trope involved, like when Ji Hyun and Jae won got together and Jae Won cheats or something, I will lose my shit. Like this isn't probably gonna happen, but there is an ex-girl lurking around. So yeah if things like that doesn't happen and they maintain this perfect pace and chemistry with a good plot, this would make into my list as one of my most favorite bl ever. After to my star of course.

Will keep updated as epsiodes progressed on

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NOT THE BL YOU NEED

This is a psychological series that focuses on internal struggles, inhibitions, traumas and overcoming all of that; the main characters just happened to be both men and fell for each other in the process.
As for typical psychological series, you have to guess the state of mind of the main characters at different points, there is no dialogue nor narration to show you what and how the characters are feeling/thinking about; which is not something I want to watch when I search for BLs.
Furthermore, the scenes are cut either very intentionally or just damn poorly. You have to connect the dots (which I don't have a single clue) whenever the story progresses by cutting. Again, a love story (not a psychological series) shouldn't be "testing" the audiences like that. Like I said, this is an internal psychological war series that both the MCs happened to be men and have feelings for each other.
However, all my praise goes to the sound effects, the lighting/colors, the camera settings, the directing of this series. It was unique, captivating and absolutely beautiful. I'm so in awe and attracted with the production. Moreover, the actors and actresses really carried out well with their jobs. The persuation and realistic acting will definitely elevate your experience.
However, I said what I said, this is not a BL and for those who are expecting a BL the way a BL should be, you will feel the same.

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COMEÇOU BEM E SE PERDEU

Gosto da premissa dos personagens e principalmente o início é muito bom, mas alguma coisa aconteceu da metade para o final pois o brilho se perdeu.
Essa é uma história mais profunda e menos romântica (o que já não é muito do meu agrado), nela temos alguns traumas e desenvolvimento de personagens e isso é feito muito bem no começo mas a partir da metade a qualidade cai em níveis absurdos e tudo começa a se arrastar de uma forma dramática até demais e a julgar por algumas cenas eu não tinha muita certeza se eles se amavam ou se eram bons amigos com feridas iguais (até mesmo porque intimidade de casal quase não existe aqui).
E principalmente, após a reconciliação no final alguma coisa foi perdida entre os protagonistas e a química foi extinguida, é até bizarro a mudança drástica que aconteceu.
Enfim, não é ruim mas quando metade da história não é boa ela se torna imediatamente no máximo mediana.

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Beautiful, Real, Powerful, Hopeful.

General spoiler only at bottom of review.
The way the story was written and told resonated deeply with real life. I had long lingering feels after the series ended. It made me nostalgic of the ups and downs of college, first love, and the hope of youth. Cried hard twice (one sad one positive). Some heavy themes (and a character actually getting help from regular therapy, which I so appreciated). Loved the main characters and their (true) friends.

Positive messages. Deeply touching. Riveted the entire time, didn't fast-forward through anything. Pacing and tension consistently well-crafted.

Chemistry between the leads was like magnets. Skinship and kisses were natural and full of feelings. Beautiful intimacy.

Beautiful cinematography and use of light. Artistically captured the feel of the ocean (didn't just look pretty).

Music, natural sounds, and silence were well utilized and timed. Really enhanced scenes. Some of the songs chosen were memorable and the orchestral piece at the end with the credits was perfect.

Note to self: Because this touched me deeply and resonated with some difficult personal past experiences, I may find it too emotional to rewatch frequently.

GENERAL SPOILER ON THE ENDING:
It is a happy and hopeful ending.

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A thoughtful, realistic queer drama that is most definitely worth your time

This show is a masterpiece. That much cannot be denied. It is visually gorgeous, has an amazing soundtrack, fantastic acting, incredible writing, and one of the most realistic portrayal of queer experiences and relationships I have ever seen in a TV show.
The fact that this is not your average 8, 10-minute episodes K-drama is frankly nothing short of a miracle and if this is the level of quality we can expect from Korean film makers if they are given the resources they need to tell the stories they want to tell, then we can only hope and pray that this show is just a forerunner and that there is more to come.

I will admit, however, that this is a melancholy show. It feels gritty and real and just a little bit heartbreaking.
Now, I don't personally enjoy shows like that and I did have some significant trouble getting into this one, not matter how technically excellent it is on every level.
If you are someone like me, someone who prefers a lighter, more humorous approach to serious topics you might also have some difficulties with this. But I truly believe it's worth watching anyway.
Not only do I think this show is something so unique and well-put together that it has to be experienced at least once, it also has a wonderful, fiercely joyful happy ending. I found it so satisfying, in fact, that I was tempted to go and rewatch the entire thing immediately just to experience it all over again.
I promise you this show will not break your heart, at least not without putting it back together again.
Give it a shot, this story is very much worthy of your attention.

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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.

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