Seoul Blues – Series Review & Episode Guide

Daeyoung, Jeongha, and Minji are three childhood friends in their mid-twenties. They have known each other for over a decade. During one of their meetups over drinks, the conversation shifts to relationships. Jeongha shyly admits he is inexperienced and has never even kissed anyone before. Daeyoung teases him and jokingly offers to help him practice.

After Minji excuses herself, Daeyoung grows serious in the quiet moment alone with Jeongha. He confesses his feelings, revealing that he has always had a crush on his friend. Daeyoung wants them to start dating. However, Jeongha feels hesitant about shifting from friends to lovers. He's worried it might ruin their long-standing friendship. He gently rejects Daeyoung's confession, leaving him disappointed. The atmosphere turns awkward as both seem uncertain whether this rejection will strain their bond.

Daeyoung meets with Minji afterward. She confesses her feelings, asking if they can start dating. He agrees, which makes her overjoyed. The couple later announces their relationship to Jeongha, who appears surprised and slightly suspicious. Daeyoung begins to flirt with Minji in Jeongha's presence, testing his reaction. While Jeongha pretends to be unfazed, he cannot hide a flicker of jealousy.

Later, Jeongha confronts Daeyoung, accusing him of only dating Minji to make him jealous. He suspects Daeyoung doesn't have genuine feelings for her at all. Daeyoung seems annoyed and wonders why Jeongha cares so much about his relationship with Minji. The tension rises as their exchange carries an unspoken confession, each silently grappling with their true emotions.

Seoul Blues is the latest release from SUKFILM, a small studio that continues to make the same type of BL series. Their first two projects focused on love triangles. Once again, Seoul Blues repeats the stale formula. While the actors and a few details may change, the plot feels recycled from past works. There's a cheating couple, a clueless woman, and endless melodrama over the secret affair. Enough is enough! Does this one-trick pony have no other storytelling ideas beyond rehashing a tired trope?

The romance in Seoul Blues feels trashy because it revolves around a cheating scandal. The two leads are scumbags who deceive their friend and show little remorse. Since the story fails to redeem the characters or give them any nuances, viewers can only focus on their worst traits. It's hard to support this problematic couple when their relationship started by hurting and betraying others. Also, Seoul Blues continues the studio's pattern of portraying women as paranoid, jealous, or scorned. The one-dimensional female characters only exist to fuel the melodrama.

After one love triangle ends, Seoul Blues quickly replaces it with another. Daeyoung's ex-boyfriend takes centre stage, and he is the worst! This obnoxious character constantly meddles with the couple's relationship and brings unnecessary drama. His over-the-top villainy makes the story hard to enjoy. Daeyoung and Jeongha's romance barely develops since they're caught up in the evil rival's mind games. Seoul Blues wastes too much time on Dojin, who steals the spotlight from Daeyoung and Jeongha. Why is this BL series not focusing on the leads?

Like in his previous projects, Jeong Ri U delivers another superb performance as Daeyoung. If there's one upside to the constant melodrama, this talented actor has the chance to showcase his emotional depth. His eyes convey so much feeling, and his expressions always seem natural. He's also a great kisser who elevates the romantic scenes. Along with his cute co-star (Choi Seung Jin), they make a marketable BL couple. Seoul Blues is dealt a good hand with two leads who share strong chemistry, yet it misplays their potential by saddling them with an awful love story.

Shockingly, Seoul Blues becomes more enjoyable in the final four episodes. Branded as the "spin-off", the story hits a reset button, wiping away all the love rivals and past conflicts. Instead, it shifts focus to lighthearted BL fluff. Many flirty and playful scenes bring out the couple's sweetest relationship moments. Episode 10 displays a creative spark and may be the best work I've seen from this studio. It even teases an amusing parody of a historical BL drama, which leaves me a little giddy. Overall, this fun spin-off seems much better than the original series.

The last four episodes are exciting because they take the narrative in a new direction. After three BL dramas with the same old formula, this studio is finally trying something different. There's a clear sense of ambition, from the creative plots to the unique filming locations. Sadly, this improvement comes too late to redeem Seoul Blues. The final stretch can't erase how disappointing the rest of the series has been. Still, I respond positively to the spin-off and hope SUKFILM continues this trend. Love triangles have run their course. Please give us innovative storytelling instead.