This Siti Never Sleeps At Night

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

Tag Archives: HeartFlutter


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🌈📺 TV Review: Sammy’s Children’s Day (2026)

Here comes the Enemies-to-Lovers trope

🔢 Seasons/Episodes Covered

Season 1, Episodes 1-9

✨ Quick Spark

He Chu San is a top student – the first in Kowloon Walled City to succeed, attend university and graduate. His dream is to escape the chaos of the place that is run by triads and corruption. However, while running an errand for a stall, he crosses path with Xia Liu Yi, one of the triads’ deputy leader. His life is not the same again when he’s forcibly pulled into the triad’s criminal scheme. What was meant to be a forced, temporary allyship, they became partners in revenge.

🪝 The Hook

I have to just admit that the reason I watched this series was He Chu San. I obviously have a thing for guys who look incredibly cute in glasses. Help me! But I continued watching because despite him being such a nerd, that man is smart enough to know how to survive a triad. Typically, someone like him would have gotten eaten up (maybe literally) by the triad. But nope, this man survived. I’m pretty sure it’s 80% intelligence and 20% Liu Yi finds him cute, even if he denied that for 8 episodes out of 9.

🧪 Character Chemistry

This series is an irony of sorts. You have Liu Yi who is the triad leader, one of the most wanted and vicious in the hood. But actually a softie and a little immature. Then you have Chu San who is a nerd. But actually dominant. Chu San is the pursuer, not Liu Yi. Throughout all 9 episodes, you just witness Chu San trying hard to show how he’s into Liu Yi but resisting because he didn’t want to lose him and Liu Yi just being oblivious to it until he almost lost Chu San. When it comes to such shows, it also boils down to how good they look together. You have a cutie patootie and a handsome chiseled-looking man. It’s so good and they look kinda believable, some people are shipping them in real life, based on my TikTok FYP.

🚶🏽‍➡️ Pacing Check

It’s not bad but I also think it went a little too fast and a little too short. The ending is open so I feel like it can be longer because it does have a whole back-story with the second couple. And the novel itself (yes, there’s a novel) didn’t end where it ends in the series. So, while I think it’s not bad, it can slow down and make it longer.

💤 Final Sleepy Rating

🦋 Heart-Flutter – It’s cute when Liu Yi figured out his feelings for Chu San. I was like, finally, bro!

🧐 Status

Completed

✍🏽 Notable Mention

He Chang Xi, who acted as He Chu San, was an idol 😮

Stay awake with me,
Siti


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🌈📺 TV Review: Love For Love’s Sake (2024)

Press [Start] to reveal: Spoilers

🔢 Seasons/Episodes Covered

Season 1, Episodes 1-8

✨ Quick Spark

Tae Myung-ha, a 29-year-old, was transported into a virtual game as a 19-year-old. He was tasked to bring happiness to a seemingly-cold school athlete Cha Yeo Woon. To help him navigate this world was the innocent Ahn Kyung Hoon and the one who had a major crush on Myung-ha, Chun Sang Won.

🪝 The Hook

At first look, this is like any BL drama with two school boys that gets right into any BL fans’ fantasies. But once the episodes go by and especially towards the end, it became much deeper. It is a second shot in life for Myung-ha. Of course, the thing that made me stay and continue watching was the concept of a virtual game and Myung-ha having to work so hard to make Yeo Woon happy. While that was the mission of the game, eventually, Myung-ha was also at his happiest, with new found friends and falling in love.

🧪 Character Chemistry

We all have to admit that one of the factors for great chemistry is also looking good together. Lee Tae Vin and Cha Joo Wan definitely did. Both are absolutely adorable. Myung-ha couldn’t help himself from falling in love with Yeo Woon. And it’s so adorable watching him just fall for him no matter how much he tried not to. In turn, Yeo Woon knew Myung-ha cared for him and he tried his best to do what he could for Myung-ha. As much as Yeo Woon needed Myung-ha to give him hope, Myung-ha didn’t realize he needed Yeo Woon as much and he’s the person he wished for in his first life.

🚶🏽‍➡️ Pacing Check

It is just nice. Though maybe if it has an extra episode or scene or something to explain why Choi Jin Jo was the only one in that world who remembered Myung-ha when he disappeared, it would be better. There were lots of theories from the viewers but it would be good to have an explanation for it. Some theories was that she was his ex-girlfriend and from his previous life and the disappearance might not have an impact on her, but I don’t find that theory plausible. My own theory? Myung-ha did want her to take care of Yeo Woon so I’m guessing she had to remember Myung-ha because one of the reasons that Yeo Woon was happy was Myung-ha, which he himself didn’t realize.

💤 Final Sleepy Rating

🦋 Heart-Flutter – I was literally punching my soft toys and kicking my blanket and giggling

🧐 Status

Completed

✍🏽 Notable Mention

I just found out that Tae Vin is 30-years-old. Hello what? He looked so young that he looked unbelievable acting as a 29-year-old than a 19-year-old.

Stay awake with me,
Siti


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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: Wind Up (2026) – ☕🦋

Season/Episodes Covered: Season 1, Episodes 1-50

Quick Spark: A promising high school baseball player struggled with yips, putting his sports career in jeopardy. A mysterious transfer student appeared to help.

The Hook: It’s an almost 2-min duration for each episode. There are 50 episodes, which makes the whole drama to be 100 mins. Not even 2 hours. Very easy to consume with it’s TikTok/YouTube Shorts/Instagram Story format. The only problem? You have to pay to watch all 50 episodes or you will wait. Fortunately, for those who are reading this, yours truly paid to watch all 50 episodes. That’s the hook. If you set your settings to the default, the next episode will just play automatically. This format works for me. Though, I wish it’s longer. The director is the same one for Move To Heaven. That might clue you in on what to expect for this bromantic drama. I will not spoil it.

Character Chemistry: Both Jeno and Jaemin are members from the K-pop group, NCT or the sub-unit, NCT Dream. And they have both been known by fans as best friends and even twins. So, there is no doubt about their chemistry. But how’s their acting as their characters? They are not Jeno and Jaemin here. But Woo Jin and Tae Hee. It’s Jeno’s first time as an actor. On the other hand, it’s not Jaemin’s first foray in the acting world. For Jaemin, he’s also been known as the doppelganger of Nam Goong Min. And he does prove that he should be getting more acting offers. Jeno, for a first-timer, does quite well portraying his character. As fans would know, this man does not have an angry bone in his body. But Woo Jin is almost always angry. For good reasons. He does well in acting with his eyes. On stage, he has been known to be quite expressive. And he does the same here. And both of them together? Heartbreakingly sweet. This is supposed to be a bromance drama. Honestly speaking, as a BL watcher, this is toeing the line between bromance and BL. It’s a very thin line.

Pacing Check: It’s 2 mins each episode for 50 episodes. It’s not slow and it’s definitely very quick. I really wish it’s longer. If it’s a full-fledged drama – 12 or 16 episodes – I think the director would be able to flesh out each character more. Delve a little deeper with their back-story. But even with this short drama, the director did manage to touch a little bit of it without it being awkward. Each one makes sense. The flow is actually quite okay as well. I hope that if it does really well in Kitz app, the director would consider doing a full-fledged drama of it. It is a good coming-of-age youth sports drama that is worth to be shown outside of the Kitz app.

Final Sleepy Rating: ☕🦋 Wide Awake and Heart-Flutter (It’s a bittersweet drama that’s good for a late-night binge)

Status: Completed

Notable mention: The director mentioned that this work comes full circle for him working with SM Entertainment. He was the director for EXO’s music video, For Life. And worked with D.O. from EXO for Bad Prosecutor. Wind Up is his third work with SM’s artistes.

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