Blossom Campus – Series Review & Episode Guide

Min Jae is a new transfer student at Hanguk University specializing in Applied Music. On his first day, he is lost and needs directions to the campus building. He approaches another student, Yoon Chan, who gladly guides him to his destination. Later, they meet again at the library, where Min Jae works part-time. Both recognize each other and have a casual conversation. Yoon Chan is extra chatty and starts asking personal questions. Yoon Chan admits to Min Jae that he hopes they can be friends.

Initially, Min Jae seems shy and reserved. He doesn't know Yoon Chan well and isn't used to opening up to a stranger. He also finds Yoon Chan's personality slightly weird. To his surprise, they keep meeting each other around campus. No matter where they go, their schedules seem in sync. Min Jae almost feels troubled by this coincidence. Like before, Yoon Chan tries to initiate another conversation with him. Yoon Chan insists they are friends and even takes a bite from Min Jae's sandwich. This exchange confirms Min Jae's view of Yoon Chan's eccentric behaviour.

Earlier, Yoon Chan accidentally left his wallet while borrowing a library book. Despite some skepticism, Min Jae contacts his companion to return the lost item. They meet for a meal at a cafe. Yoon Chan is his friendly self, as usual. He encourages Min Jae to relax around him and drop the use of honorifics. When Min Jae admits he has no friends, Yoon Chan encourages him. He wants to be his first friend and suggests they meet up again. Min Jae hesitantly agrees.

Yoon Chan visits Min Jae at the library, where they hang out casually. Suddenly, Yoon Chan's senior from the taekwondo club approaches them. The senior expresses his surprise. He had assumed Yoon Chan was a loner who never socialized with anyone else. Despite Yoon Chan's chatty demeanour, Min Jae realizes his new friend is secretly an introvert. The two are more alike than he initially thought. This revelation helps Min Jae relax around Yoon Chan. Slowly but surely, they start getting along better. Min Jae is happy to call Yoon Chan his friend.

As Min Jae and Yoon Chan spend more time together, their friendship evolves. Romantic feelings begin to surface, although neither admits to them initially. Meanwhile, Min Jae's professor introduces him to Woo Hyuk, a freshman in his department. The professor wants Min Jae to mentor this new student. Woo Hyuk keeps visiting Min Jae at the library to hang out with him, which triggers Yoon Chan's annoyance. Woo Hyuk and Yoon Chan's feud puts Min Jae in a tricky position as he must choose between friends.

Blossom Campus tries to be a sweet, lighthearted romantic comedy. The story is about two lonely guys overcoming their awkwardness and forming a close bond. On paper, it's a cute concept. I occasionally see glimpses of a pleasant relationship moment where the creative vision comes to life. Aww, look at them getting along! However, this response is rare. Typically, I react to Blossom Campus with boredom, indifference, or annoyance. The series doesn't execute its love story as intended.

A romantic comedy is supposed to be charming and humorous, but Blossom Campus fails to entertain. One of the biggest problems is the weak script, which can't deliver an engaging rapport between the leads. From boring small talk to mundane interactions, most scenes aren't that fun to watch. There are too many cliched BL moments where the characters gaze into each other's eyes or play a song on the guitar. Instead, this series should dig deeper into its imagination to create more amusing conversations and playful scenarios. Give us wittier jokes, sharper dialogue, and cheekier mischief.

The writing lacks sophistication, as evidenced by the simplicity of the storylines. The plot is as shallow as Min Jae mumbling, "I have no friends…" and Yoon Chan telling him, "I'll be your friend!" While I am being facetious, this basic summary isn't far from the truth. The series misses opportunities to explore complex themes, expand character lore, or elaborate on anything meaningful. It approaches storytelling on a surface level, resulting in a predictable narrative without substance. The BL audience wants thoughtful dramas, not frivolous fluff like Blossom Campus.

The series rushes through the journey of falling in love, which is my favourite part about BL. After Min Jae and Yoon Chan start getting along, their newfound friendship suddenly transitions into romantic territory. Their attraction doesn't make sense when the characters hardly know each other. The couple should have more meaningful bonding moments to nurture their feelings. The story also tries to set up a generic love triangle, yet it puts no effort into the rival's characterization. Why should we care about Woo Hyuk when we know nothing about him?

Early on, Yoon Chan keeps pestering Min Jae, even though they are practically strangers. He also bites into Min Jae's sandwich without permission, which annoys me due to his lack of etiquette. Later, the series excuses Yoon Chan's antics by interpreting his quirky behaviour as a form of social awkwardness. He still suffers from my poor first impressions of him, and I can't connect with his character. On a positive note, the actor (Choi Dong Ho) exudes a genuine charm. He has a surprisingly buff physique underneath those loose sweaters, which is always a plus!

Later in the series, Min Jae irritates me when he overreacts to a misunderstanding. Thankfully, the dumb conflict is put to rest before the last episode. The finale consists of purely romantic fluff, devoting all its time to the couple flirting and kissing. While I prefer a complex storyline with a climactic ending, at least the series is generous with its BL content. It earns a slight boost for being lovey-dovey in the last few moments. Even so, that's not enough to bring Blossom Campus out of its persistent mediocrity. I feel very meh about this bland and uninspiring drama.