This Siti Never Sleeps At Night

Up all night so you know what to watch, read, and hear

Tag Archives: BLReviews


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🌈📺 TV Review: Love Begins In The World of If (2025) – 🦋

Sugar, spice and everything nice is under wraps. Click here to read the full review!

Season/Episodes Covered: Season 1, Episodes 1-6

Quick Spark: Kano was holding a technical position when he is unexpectedly transferred to the Sales Department. There, he meets Ogami, who is seemingly strict and cold towards him. Kano was having a panic attack when he passes by a shrine and makes a wish. A wish that got him into a parallel world where Ogami is not the strict, cold man he knew.

The Hook: This is the few BLs that I know of that actually depicts the height difference that most BL readers know in the mangas. Ogami is H.U.G.E. Man literally towers over Kano. But aside from that, I like how both of these characters are complex. And the director or writer fitting the complexities of these characters and touching on parallel worlds in six episodes is a feat. You can easily butcher it but they didn’t. While I wish it is longer, and there is room for it to be longer, the length of the drama is short enough for me to finish this in one day. Fine by me. Girl needs to watch other shows too. What I also like about the show is how what you think is ideal may not actually be a good one. In a way, the grass is not always greener on the other side. And it takes one to go to that so-called “greener side” to know that it is not what you need or want.

Character Chemistry: Aside from looking good together and the height difference, I like how the two of them feed off each other. I don’t mean THAT way. Although that is also there and that scene was a little spicy. The way Ogami tried to help Kano in his own way and Kano did not realize that until he went into the parallel world. Kano learning that he was also the one driving people away rather than attracting them and changing his attitude and behaviour.

Pacing Check: It is just 6 episodes. Easy to finish in one day.

Final Sleepy Rating: 🦋 Heart-Flutter (the height difference, guys 🔥)

Status: Completed

Notable Mention: The guy acting as Ogami is so cute and he looks like one Korean actor that I can’t remember for the life of me. But if you think the same, let me know.

Stay awake with me,
Siti


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🌈📺 TV Review: I Hear The Sunspot (2024) – 🦋

It’s so wholesome I’m kicking my feet in the air! Click here to read the full review!

Season/Episodes Covered: Season 1, Episodes 1-12

Quick Spark: Due to an illness, an introverted boy, Kohei, is slowly losing his sense of hearing. Then comes an extremely loud, carefree boy, Taichi, who quite literally lands in front of him. His voice is the only voice that he’s able to hear clearly.

The Hook: To be honest, the first half made me think it was bromance. It looked like a sweet, coming-of-age story of growing up and friendship. An extroverted guy who befriended that introverted boy in school who was treated differently because of his disabilities. Cute friendship. Yeah, right. Not in the second half of the show. Especially not when Kohei showed very obviously how smitten he was with Taichi. And Taichi was flushed everytime he thought of Kohei or when he felt jealousy when girls started talking to him. What got me to stay and continue watching is just how wholesome their whole story was.

Character Chemistry: The way Kohei spoke of Taichi and his face just lit up like he found his sun. If my man isn’t like that, I don’t want it. And let’s talk about how Taichi would stand up for Kohei. And how Kohei could only hear Taichi’s voice. He was so scared of losing his hearing because he was scared of not being able to hear Taichi’s voice again. I love that scene so much.

Pacing Check: The BL shows I’ve watched so far is more of less 10 episodes. But this one has 12 and it’s not enough. I need a Season 2.

Final Sleepy Rating: 🦋 Heart-Flutter (you will be kicking your feet in the air and giggling into your pillow)

Status: Completed

Notable Mention: Well, not really. Remember how I mentioned it looked like a bromance in the first half? Apparently, the producer called it bromance when the source material is BL genre.

Stay awake with me,
Siti


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🌈📺 TV Review: Ball Boy Tactics (2025) – 🦋

So🔥I had to keep this under wraps! Click here to read the full review!

Season/Episodes Covered: Season 1, Episodes 1-8

The Hook: I’m going to be real honest here. Among the Korean BLs I’ve watched so far, this one is the spiciest. There’s a whole 5-min bed scene that I was so shocked I had to pause. And then I felt awkward about the pause because I felt like a third-wheel so I continued. And when I continued, I was kicking and giggling like the fujoshi that I am.

Character Chemistry: The main couple – Kwon Jeong U and Han Ji Won – are so dang cute.

They weren’t awkward (especially the spicy bed scene) though I do wish that the writers flesh their story out more. Not the spicy bed scene. That’s 5 whole minutes and it’s more than enough. There were some time/scene skips that I wish were added. These would keep the story of this couple a little more cohesive. It’s none of the two actors’ fault though. More of the writer’s – not sure if they were short of time. Now, I really wish for a second season of this show. Why? The second “couple” – Byeon Seung Jin and Yang Eun O.

They are, of course, besties. Yet, I really suspect that Eun O doesn’t feel that being a bestie is enough for him. He’s hinted that he likes Seung Jin as more than a friend. But Seung Jin is an idiot (Eun O said so, not me). So, dear writer of the show, please have a second season. And this time, make it 16 episodes. So much more can be written for Jeong U and Ji Won. Jeong U is a star player of a basketball team and Ji Won being a former national gymnast. The writer did touch the angsty part of their relationship around that topic of being in the public eye. But I really want the writer to dig deeper there. What if the hidden relationship is not enough? Particularly for Jeong U. I don’t think he likes being in the closet. Ji Won, though, knew how it feels like to be a former national athlete and the fallout of being one. And of course, our second “couple” – how Eun O is going to drop the bomb on Seung Jin? I feel like there can be some yearning and angst between these two. There’s a little hint of it in the last episode.

Pacing Check: It’s quite okay. But I do feel that some scenes were just too fast. Some time or scene skips that made me feel a little confused as a viewer. So, personally, while 8 episodes is okay, 16 episodes or slightly more than 8 episodes would have been best. So, Season 2, please.

Final Sleepy Rating: 🦋 (Heart-Flutter but also 🔥)

Status: Completed

Notable mention: The man acting as Jeong U is so damn HOT. And, I like my men in glasses so here’s a screenshot of him being in one.

Stay awake with me,
Siti


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🌈📺 TV Review: Secret Relationships (2025) – 🦋

⚠️ Spoiler Alert! Too much feels! Click below to reveal the full review and my fave moments!

Season/Episodes Covered: Season 1, Episodes 1-8

The Hook: I’m a sucker for yearning. And it’s not just on the main character’s side, Daon. But also on Seong Hyun’s side. His desperation when Daon pushed him away just tears me up. Boy was desperately wanting to be by Daon’s side 😭 Even if it meant he could die (he almost did). There are also yearning from the other two characters, Jae Min and Su Hyeon, but more psychotic. Imagine Daon as Cinderella, Seong Hyun is the Prince Charming and Jae Min and Su Hyeon are the stepsisters who were trying to get in their way.

Character Chemistry: Jun Seo (who played Daon) has chemistry with all three guys. Even if one of them acted as a psychopath and the other is a red flag who needs anger management therapy. Jun Seo and Sun Hyung (who played Seon Hyeong) are just so cutieful. It’s the enemies-to-lovers trope. Daon and Seon Hyung hated each other’s guts and then care and love started to form later. Seon Hyung fell first but Daon? Daon fell later but harder.

Pacing Check: It’s just 8 episodes and each episode is about 30 minutes. Of course, there’s the whole: “Wouldn’t it feel like Seon Hyung fall too fast in love with Daon?” Honestly? Daon is so pretty I’d be surprised if Seon Hyung took ages to fall for this man. Hello… he even cried prettily.

In terms of the plot twists, I was not surprised by Jae Min’s actual character. I was able to guess that something was wrong with that man from the first episode. But the one that got me surprised was the relationship between Su Hyeon and Daon. I didn’t expect that. Some people might say that the last episode is kind of weird but Jae Min is a psycho. Am I surprised that took a turn? No.

Final Sleepy Rating: 🦋 (Heart-Flutter but also 😭)

Status: Completed

Stay awake with me,
Siti


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Awake & Rebranding: Why I’m Back to Late-Night Reviewing

Okay, I’m just going to come up and say I was lazy, alright? Maybe lazy is not the right word. Work got to me and I forgot what I truly love to do – writing. Life of a Certified Corporate Girlie 😔

But I’m back now. It’s not because I’m unemployed. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen soon. Reality check: Retrenchment is starting to be common in this part of the world. So, anxiety is there. I just missed writing. I missed yapping to whoever who reads my blog – whether one agrees with my reviews or not. I was craving for some good yearning dramas or movies and Japanese BL came up tops in this category. I need some place to share them. Then I remembered: This blog (lol)

I wanted something that’s a little more “me” rather than the usual template that this site offers. Thus, the aesthetic shift. I will also write casually. I mean, I have been doing so. But rather than the “professional, writing-for-a-news-outlet” style, I will be leaning towards “chatting-with-friends-over-a-bucket-of-popcorn” style.

No one pointed this out. I noticed myself lol. I find that the past “design” (if you can even say that lol) and structure was a little messy. So, I decided that it’s time to organize this. Make everything flow and in theme. And with that, let me introduce to you: The Sleepy Scale!

I will be rating my reviews using the below icons

  • ⚡ Electric
  • ☕ Wide Awake
  • 🦋 Heart-Flutter
  • ☁️ Cozy / Daydreaming
  • 🥱 Drowsy
  • 😴 Snooze
  • 🕯️ The Midnight Oil

I explained it in detail here. Aside from being in theme, it hopefully answers the ultimate question: Is it worth staying up for?

I will still be reviewing movies, TV shows, books and music. That is still the same. You will see some other icons like trigger warning and such just so you know what you’re in for. And with that, I will also be reviewing more BL movies and shows. I have got to admit this: I’ve been watching BL movies and shows but not writing about them. But, let’s be honest, some of the BL movies and shows out there are quite good. Some of the actors branch out further into non-BL movies and shows. One won an award recently as well – Choo Young Woo from You Make Me Dance. But if you are a little sensitive about this part of content, I will be putting a rainbow icon.

I have also added a little touch on the sidebar – Siti’s Midnight List! This is a list that I’m currently watching, reading or listening. I also added those that are in my radar.

If you have any recommendations, feel free to comment and I’ll add to the list.

If you like what you see and you can’t wait to see what’s in store in this humble blog of mine, please subscribe!

Stay awake with me,
Siti

P.S.: I’m a slow and steady reviewer! I focus on finishing a story completely before giving it a final Sleepy Scale rating so you can always expect an honest, full-picture review here