Crush on You – Series Review & Episode Guide

To and Jay are best friends. They end up hanging out after Jay's recent breakup. And it's not just any breakup. It was a long-term relationship that blew up after Jay found out his boyfriend cheated on him. Ouch! Cue the sad beach scene, where Jay sits alone and cries into the void. As the loyal bestie, To shows up with alcohol and plops down beside Jay. He tries to help his buddy forget about that trashy ex-boyfriend.

Deep down, To is in love with his best friend. He has been carrying a secret crush on Jay for years and even tried to confess in the past. Every time, To loses his nerve at the last second. Jay seems completely oblivious to how much his friend struggles with his feelings. The closest To ever got to confessing was through a text message. Before he could send it, Jay received another message from his boyfriend (now the infamous ex), who beat him to the punch. To was forced to pretend to be happy for Jay while quietly swallowing his own feelings.

Now both guys are on the beach, getting drunk together. To jokingly proposes a toast to the end of Jay's relationship, but Jay is too upset to play along. Jay lets out some anger by yelling into the sea about how much he hates his ex-boyfriend. To joins in, so Jay does not have to yell alone. Jay rests his head on To's shoulder, appreciating the solidarity. When Jay wants to go for a swim, To stops him. They both tumble into the sand, laughing and giggling. Clearly drunk, they end up in an intimate position. To is inches away from Jay's face, secretly hoping for a kiss.

Crush on You is a hidden gem. As a chronic BL watcher, I dig through the internet like a raccoon looking for snacks. I love hunting down obscure indie dramas made by tiny studios with limited resources. There's probably a small crew doing everything. You can tell the budget must be tight because the lack of polish is noticeable in some scenes. Yet, this little 20-minute series won me over. Most short BL dramas are rough around the edges, but Crush on You surprised me by being more charming than it had any right to be.

This story absolutely captures the feeling of having a crush. It understands that dumb little brain spiral where you overthink everything. At first, we see To's struggles. His failed love confession attempts are funny yet relatable. However, the series doesn't only focus on the yearning. It shows the softer side of a crush, where you pay attention to the most random details. To knows Jay's habits and even remembers his favourite drink. He says, "When it comes to you, I want to know everything." It's a simple line, but it feels so meaningful. Other BL dramas go around in circles and can't deliver this same message properly.

This filmmaker also knows how to stage a romantic moment. Early on, the two leads sit on the beach at sunset, sipping drinks and trading cheeky banter. Eventually, they're tangled up in the sand with their faces inches apart. Oh my god! The vibes are immaculate! Later, they return to the same beach for a kiss. The camera slowly zooms in… The music swells in volume… And each kiss gets a little more intense… Everything lines up so smoothly that it feels cinematic. For a low-budget indie production, it has done a fantastic job of creating a dreamy atmosphere.

Crush on You doesn't get everything right. After a solid opening, the story jumps into a drunken hookup. One minute, the couple shares a soft moment on the beach. The next minute, they're screwing in the back of a car. The transition is clunky as hell, ruining the delicate vibes for a cheap thrill. The romance suddenly feels tacky, especially when Jay claims he didn't give consent and To argues he did. What started as a sweet crush turns into drunken sex with your best friend, which is the most dime-a-dozen BL trope imaginable. Crush on You makes a bad writing decision here.

The story seems choppy in some parts, which could be a footage problem. The filmmaker hasn't shot enough material, so a few clips get reused to fill in the gaps. Also, it suffers from the curse of the 20-minute drama. There's too little time to develop the couple's relationship deeply. The series captures the feeling of having a crush, not the feeling of falling in love. I did like Jay & To's conversations, especially the one in the car. They sound like two people talking naturally around each other. However, we still need a lot more bonding moments to show they're in love.

Even with all my complaints, I found myself smiling at the couple's playful moments. Both leads (Book and Ome) give solid performances, making their characters easy to like. The series also sneaks in some good music, especially that one catchy song that pops up whenever something important happens. By the finale, I loved the quick montage of their past kisses leading into the most intense one. What a simple yet effective way to wrap up the love story! Crush on You may not be a masterpiece. But for a 20-minute BL drama, it's a good effort from a rookie filmmaker.