The Nameless Season – Series Review & Episode Guide

Do Wan and Jae Yul are high school seniors. Do Wan is cheeky and sporty, while Jae Yul is quiet and studious. Even though their personalities and interests are drastically different, they still get along well. Jae Yul is one of the top students in class. He has excellent grades and plans to attend an elite university. A perfectionist at heart, Jae Yul still gets upset when he can't answer a test question. Do Wan teases him for taking school so seriously.

Do Wan and Jae Yul are friends with Jeon Su, an outgoing classmate who loves to crack jokes. Jeon Su is an aspiring content creator who wants more followers on social media. He constantly pulls Jae Yul into his stunts to go viral. Jae Yul is too polite to refuse him, but Do Wan tells off Jeon Su when he becomes too annoying. As Do Wan and Jeon Su bicker playfully, Jae Yul is caught in the middle between his two friends.

Unbeknownst to his friends, Do Wan has a secret crush on Jae Yul. He sneaks glances at him and hides shy smiles when they are alone. Do Wan is affectionate and tends to be touchy-feely with Jae Yul. Their moments can feel so intimate that they almost appear borderline romantic. When Jeon Su notices how close they are, he teases them. Yet they never cross the line and still maintain a platonic relationship. Do Wan hasn't confessed yet because he believes his feelings are one-sided.

Do Wan also has a jealous streak. He gets upset when Jeon Su and Jae Yul act too chummy around him. Jeon Su, clueless as ever, thinks he's only goofing around with Jae Yul. He never understands why this might trigger Do Wan. Once, Jeon Su tried to invite Jae Yul to be his wingman and pick up girls together. Although Jae Yul refused and chose to focus on school, Do Wan still felt upset at Jeon Su's meddling.

As high school seniors, Do Wan and Jae Yul are in their final year before graduation. Jae Yul is set to attend an elite university because of his excellent grades. Do Wan will go to another school with Jeon Su. They even plan to share an apartment together. However, Do Wan is secretly sad that they'll attend different schools, which means seeing each other less. Before they part ways, Do Wan must decide if he'll confess to Jae Yul or keep his feelings hidden.

The Nameless Season began as a short story in a different BL drama. Do Wan and Jae Yul were one of the couples in Close to You, where they flirted with the line between friendship and romance. Do you cuddle under a blanket with your platonic buddy? These guys do! They bring the same ambiguous will-they-or-won't-they dynamic to this series. The good news is that The Nameless Season has more time to develop the relationship. But the bad news? The love story becomes twice as frustrating because it still moves very slowly.

Initially, I was interested in the couple. However, The Nameless Season drags out the friends-to-lovers arc for too long, so the story feels stagnant. Do Wan spends the whole time pining over his best friend, delaying his love confession episode after episode. He hid his feelings in the premiere, and he still hasn't revealed them as the finale arrives. I lose interest since nothing changes. What makes it worse is that the entire story revolves around an unspoken confession. Since there are very few subplots, each episode only focuses on the waiting game. Oh boy, watching this series requires a lot of damn patience!

Love stories about having a crush on your best friend are too common. It's one of the most familiar tropes, like the plain white bread of the BL genre. Viewers have seen the same plot in many other dramas, so the premise isn't fresh or unique. This series also lacks a clear hook. It needs something memorable to set itself apart from other similar romances. As a YouTube web series in a crowded market, The Nameless Season feels like a small fish in a big pond. It can't rival famous studios that have more time and resources to execute the friends-to-lovers arc much better.

Despite its shortcomings, The Nameless Season is charming. Each episode feels cozy and pleasant with a touch of sweetness. I enjoy the scenes where Do Wan and Jae Yul hang out. The vibe is casual, the humour is funny, and the exchanges are slightly flirty. Even if Do Wan spends too long repressing his feelings, the drama never gets too serious. It stays casual and lighthearted, so I'm always in a relaxed mood when watching. I may have compared this series to plain white bread earlier, but it's more like bread with my favourite jam. Bland? Yes. Still enjoyable? Yeah!

After watching Jae Yul's actor (Lee Jae Hyeop) in a few dramas, he hasn't made a strong impression on me. Due to his quieter roles, he seems reserved and rarely commands my attention on screen. His co-star (No Yoon Woo) portrays Do Wan, who's meant to be cheeky and lively. Yet, he gets overshadowed by Jeon Su, the even cheekier and livelier supporting character. Jeon Su has the best lines, the funniest jokes, and the loudest reactions. He steals the spotlight from the leads in many scenes. He's so entertaining that I wish Do Wan received some of his material.

While Jeon Su cracks jokes and charms the viewers, Do Wan is stuck in an annoying jealousy subplot. Here's another common BL cliché, which The Nameless Season isn't sharp enough to avoid. Love rivals like Seong Hun rarely add anything and only stir up unnecessary drama. That said, I secretly ship Seong Hun and Do Wan. Their dynamic is more interesting than the leads, who have grown dull after six episodes of unspoken feelings. Overall, The Nameless Season delivers a nice but bland BL drama. Like its title ironically implies, the generic story lacks a unique identity.