609 Bedtime Story – Series Review & Episode Guide

Mum is a bar owner who runs a local business with his best friend, Games. The handsome Mum often performs music for the crowd, drawing a sizable crowd at each performance. He's popular with single ladies. Mum frequently hooks up with his female bar patrons, gaining him an infamous playboy reputation. He never settles down with anyone for a long-term relationship, which troubles his sister, Mint.

Mum and Mint have a close bond. After their parents pass away, the siblings are each other's only living relatives. Mint is a confident young woman who likes to assert control over her brother's life. He obeys her orders and doesn't want to upset her. Unlike her casanova brother, Mint is unlucky in love and remains hopelessly single. She has been pining after her university friend, who seems reluctant to enter a relationship with her. Even though she has other suitors, Mint is focused on this one guy.

Games is romantically interested in Vee, the cute accountant who works for his bar. It's his first time pursuing a guy, which surprises Mum. Games tells his straight friend to be more open-minded to gender and new experiences. Yet, Mum remains reserved. He can't imagine himself dating another guy. Games teases his friend and jokingly places a curse on him, claiming he'll fall in love with a pretty boy. Mum is against this idea.

Games has a cheeky and boisterous personality. He openly flirts with Vee and has asked his employee to date him. However, Vee remains hesitant. He wants them to stay friends. Vee recently left a long-term relationship with his ex-boyfriend, A. His ex dumped him to marry a woman. Vee is still healing from his breakup and doesn't want another boyfriend so soon. Feeling undeterred, Games hopes to win over Vee with his sincerity. Vee starts getting swayed by Games' charm offence.

Mum lives alone in a one-bedroom apartment, also known as Suite 309. One night, he goes to sleep and magically wakes up in a parallel universe. He meets Dew, the occupant of this apartment in the alternate world. Consumed by inexplicable passion, the two strangers kiss and make love. Before Mum can ask questions, an unknown assassin suddenly barges into the room. He fires a gun, killing Dew. Mum returns to his world, feeling confused and horrified. He wants to figure out what happened and stop Dew's murder.

Midway through 609 Bedtime Story, an embarrassing realization dawned upon me. I didn't understand what was happening in the plot. I had a vague idea of the storylines. There was something about parallel universes, a murder, and a love triangle. However, numerous scenes and chats baffled me. Despite my confusion, I had no desire to revisit the earlier episodes for clarification. With a good BL series, I can rewatch it many times. With 609 Bedtime Story, once is enough for me.

To write this review, I forced myself to sit through a second viewing of 609 Bedtime Story. The good news is I can grasp the concepts better. The bad news is my enjoyment hasn't increased. I still find the plot impossibly convoluted, disjointed, and illogical. The premise should've been exciting, as the leads travel between alternate worlds to change timelines and stop a murderer. This idea sounds intriguing on paper. Yet, the execution is muddled. There are too many irrelevant characters, dull side plots, and needless exchanges. The lousy writing stomps out the adrenaline in the story.

The romance develops strangely. Early on, Mum seems unusually close with a stranger he barely knows. Why are you so attached? Another issue is that the characters don't spend much time together. Mum and Dew only interact inside the apartment at night. Otherwise, they lead entirely separate lives in their own worlds. In some episodes, Mum hangs out with the supporting cast more than his love interest. Also, most romantic encounters happen in a tiny bedroom. The couple doesn't venture outside and share other experiences. The scope of their interactions is limited.

Even though Mum and Dew don't meet often, they deliver solid BL content. The couple has numerous intimate moments. After all, there isn't much they can do in that apartment besides kissing and screwing. Both leads display physical affection comfortably and share a familiar rapport. Unfortunately, the story introduces a messy love triangle that dampens the romance. Dew's two-timing antics reflect terribly on his character, making him seem deceitful and indecisive. As a result, I have trouble rooting for Dew and Mum's star-crossed pairing with a clean conscience. 

609 Bedtime Story entertains me sometimes. The plot becomes so out there that I laugh at the ridiculous antics instead of scrutinizing everything. The series also exhibits a campy flair, from the over-the-top assassination to the scandalous love triangle drama. This cheeky BL drama has a sense of humour and doesn't take itself too seriously. In addition, the cast gives steady performances. Mum's actor (Ohm) shines in his role, exuding charm and charisma in spades. I also enjoy the secondary couple's chemistry. Games and Vee make a cute pair with adorable scenes.

609 Bedtime Story has two separate endings. The first occurs in a darker timeline, but I hate how the events unfold. Everyone's annoying behaviour amplifies, aggravating the hell out of me. I prefer the happier ending, although this version is too sanitized. All the conflicts get resolved rosily with as little conflict as possible. I feel like Goldilocks and want a conclusion somewhere in between these two extremes. Overall, 609 Bedtime Story is disappointing. I had hoped for a thrilling fantasy BL drama with a high-concept plot. Instead, the series is an overcomplicated mess.