🔢 Seasons/Episodes Covered

Season 1, Episode 1-8

✨ Quick Spark

Ryu, a star college ice hockey player, left Japan to visit his childhood friend, Sumiko, in Berlin, after being confessed to by a friend. He was ridden with guilt and was about to succumb to the fire that he was caught in while in church when he was saved by a Korean boxer, Johan, who was also carrying a deep trauma. As the two lonely souls connected, they found the meaning of life and love. They navigated life together till they faced a brutal fate.

🪝 The Hook

As a boys’ love fan, that’s the hook – the story of two guys falling in love without explicitly saying it or doing anything, except being there for each other and being extremely domestic. To anyone else, it’d have looked like a bromance story if Johan’s and Ryu’s actions went over their heads or the words of the people around them didn’t carry much weight to them. But it definitely didn’t go over mine. And I feel that’s what makes it even more beautiful.

🧪 Character Chemistry

The fact that Taecyeon and Hayato Isomura didn’t have to do anything explicit to be able to portray their characters’ relationship well is saying something. That is a mark of good acting from both of them. Words are easy, subtle actions and looks are not easy. They did extremely well to be able to show the audience the deep connection and relationship that they have.

🚶🏽‍➡️ Pacing Check

It’s just 8 episodes and at least the first few episodes were relatively short and only close to the end was it longer but for good reason. While I do wish it was longer, it’s enough to tell the story of the couple. And to break my heart into pieces I was sobbing so hard, snot and all.

💤 Final Sleepy Rating

🥀 – I needed 1 whole business day to recover before I can even write this review.

🧐 Status

Completed

✍🏼 Notable Mention

Not so much about the actors or the show itself but this show reminds me so much of The Untamed I have the urge to rewatch it.