Meow Ears Up – Series Review & Ending Explained

Story

Human & cat attraction

I'm sorry, but someone needs to say it. Can we not make the B in BL stand for bestiality? I know Meow Ears Up is a frivolous fictional tale that shouldn't be taken seriously. However, I don't want this drama to set off precedence for normalizing many human-animal attraction stories in the genre. Please don't make me review a spin-off series called Dog Paws Up, Bird Wings Up, or Horse Tails Up.

Beyond my qualms about developing a romantic attraction to your cat, the whole concept is weird. Dermdem rescues a stray animal who magically turns into a human. He barely registers any shock or outrage. Instead, he's already taking a shower with the naked humanoid cat in the next scene. Within the first ten minutes, they're even sleeping in bed together. Is this a normal reaction? Am I the weird one for thinking these events don't make sense? 

Adult & child dynamic

Meow's emotional immaturity makes this love story uncomfortable. He behaves like a child, thinks without cognitive development, and must rely on a caregiver to satisfy basic needs. He also can't analyze situations, understand instructions, or solve most problems on his own. How is Meow prepared to have a romance if he isn't even ready to be independent? 

In Episode 5, Dermdem goes to work while Meow stays in the hotel room to play with toys. The contrast shows everything wrong with their dynamic. They aren't two equals in a relationship. One is an adult, the other acts like a kid, and there's a discrepancy in their intelligence. Yet, Meow Ears Up teases a romance, clearly pandering to the fanbase. The suggestive interactions have the opposite effect on me, and I'm turned off by the BL prospects of Meow and Dermdem.

Cutesiness

Meow Ears Up suffers from being too annoyingly cutesy. The characters think their antics are adorable, but they come across as cringy and corny. Maybe some BL fans will be more receptive to these lighthearted gestures. However, I have a low threshold and can't deal with the nauseating oversweetness. Meow is the worst offender, yet Manni and Faiyen also suffer similar issues. These characters display a contrived naivete that irritates me more than it is endearing.

Also, I wish Meow Ears Up is more creative and introduces diversity in the characters. Maybe I can tolerate one cutesy character, but Meow, Manni & Faiyen have very similar temperaments. Everyone's behaviour is silly, bubbly, and perky. Some pets are cuddly, for sure. However, other cats can be aloof, shrewd, or temperamental. I would have liked to see these different types of personalities so that we aren't getting the same cutesy archetype three times.

Faiyen

OMG. Does anyone think Faiyen's character is pretty villainous? Don't be fooled by his toothy smiles and boisterous personality. This guy might the most sinister character in the whole series. First, Faiyen loses touch with his developmentally stunted little brother for weeks. Then, he abandons his sibling under the care of an unrelated stranger without even a background check. His giddy celebration after ditching Meow is like the hallmark of malevolence.

Let's not forget Faiyen finds out Evan is his university instructor and immediately proceeds to hit on him. Wow, this guy is not subtle about his agenda. He even manages to coax his tutor into giving him free one-on-one English lessons! The scariest part is how Faiyen hides his self-serving streak beneath a cheery, happy-go-lucky persona. You may not realize it, but the three animals in Meow Ears Up are a cat, a gerbil, and a SNAKE. 🐍

Romance

Dermdem & Meow

Dermdem is a lonely individual. Traumatized by his childhood at the orphanage, he develops trust issues and doesn't socialize with others. He cuts himself off from the outside world, so his employer is the only person he interacts with. Once Meow is introduced to his life, Dermdem quickly grows attached to this domesticated animal. Meow fulfills his social void, giving Dermdem the love and connection he lacks from other humans.

Notice how Dermdem cries when Meow leaves with his brother. It's not exactly the healthiest response. Meow is returning to his rightful home, so it should've been a happy occasion. Yet, Dermdem feels devastated because he's losing a rare meaningful relationship in his life. Maybe if Dermdem had more friends, he wouldn't put so much undue weight into his rapport with a stray animal. It's because Dermdem lacks human bonds that he needs to rely on Meow for emotional support.

Surprisingly, Meow & Dermdem could have a riveting dynamic underneath their jolly, frivolous interactions. However, the series portrays their relationship superficially, never delving into the complex undertones of their bond. It's a missed opportunity. An astute storyteller would highlight the psychology and given us insights into Dermdem's codependence on his pet. Imagine if this cute, silly series had darker and deeper themes that nobody expected. It would elevate Meow Ears Up as a BL drama. Instead, the story doesn't quite reach that level of sophistication.

Faiyen & Evan

Faiyen and Evan have a terribly written storyline, lacking substance, charm, or relevance. At least Faiyen is more lucid and intelligent than his younger brother, so his romance with Evan doesn't feel as controversial. Nonetheless, a university student hooking up with his instructor still seems morally objectionable. Despite their problematic dynamic, the writing for this couple becomes so bad that I enjoy them ironically.

An example is the classroom scene in Episode 3. Let's start with Evan's styling. He resembles a prim headmistress of a grammar school, complete with big gold-rimmed glasses. J'adore this inspired aesthetic. Anyway, Evan turns down his students' requests to add him on LINE. I was about to commend him for keeping professional boundaries. But after everyone leaves, Evan immediately hits on Faiyen and asks for his contact info. Oh, Professor Evan only gives out his digits to the students he wants to sleep with. 🙃

Another example happens in Episode 8. Faiyen and Evan show up at the orphanage for no real reason. They have zero connection to this place. Yet, the series makes up a BS excuse because the finale needs to gather everybody in one location. Anyway, their characters must look after the children. Shockingly, there's a random subplot about the orphanage kids bullying Evan. Meow Ears Up manages to vilify these six-year-old orphaned girls, making them ostracize an adult man in the schoolyard. This series has outdone itself, reaching peak levels of hilarious absurdity.

Jin & Manni

I always welcome a GL couple in a BL series, so the Jin & Manni pairing excites me. Surprisingly, they have an enjoyable subplot for a tertiary pairing. It isn't close to being the best love story by a long shot. Nonetheless, their lighthearted scenes are decent for a minor workplace romance in an eight-episode series. I'd hold them to a higher standard if they were a more prominent couple. However, the relationship content is proportionate to their significance to the plot.

From a viewer's perspective, Manni's mistakes are silly and entertaining, made better by her earnest personality. Realistically speaking, her blunders are too over-the-top and unacceptable in a workplace environment. She probably doesn't deserve to pass her probation period and should consider a career change. However, I like how Jin doesn't lose her composure and still treats Manni respectfully. She is a good boss, showing patience, forgiveness, and understanding to a new, nervous employee. Jin's compassion towards Manni makes me like her character more.

I figured out that Manni must have a secret identity because she wore a hat in every scene. Although the plot twist is predictable, I still appreciate Meow Ears Up for maintaining the mystery for a few episodes. It made me interested in Manni's character, wondering whether she's another humanoid cat or not. Plus, her coming-out scene was kinda cute. Overall, I like this GL storyline and their easygoing office romance. They were good supporting characters to include in Meow Ears Up.

Acting

Evan

A unique detail about Evan's character is that he cannot express emotions. Oh my god, I think it's the smartest storytelling decision in the entire series. The writers must realize the actor delivers his lines stiffly. So, they get ahead of the criticisms by making his emotionlessness a legitimate plot point. Ha, we outsmarted all the BL viewers who would've bashed his acting! Evan doesn't need to emote because we turned it into his character's backstory!

Okay, I'm kidding. I don't know if that's the real reason and have no idea if the actor (Bodo Schaefer) is good or not. With that said, his role seems challenging or at least not that fun. His screen partner (Bright) gets to be animated with big smiles and lively reactions. In contrast, Bodo isn't allowed to smile, frown, get angry, or express emotions in any scene. What a drag. I don't want to criticize his acting because it's a weird role with unusual restrictions. How are you even supposed to work with this material?

Style

Hats

If there's one detail I love about Meow Ears Up, I appreciate this drama's commitment to hats. 👒 Meow's classic orange hat is the most recognizable look, integrated into part of the story. However, you may have noticed that Manni's character also rocks a lot of stylish headwear. In fact, she changes to wearing a new hat in almost every scene.

My favourite item is the animal hat she wears in Episode 7. Essentially, she's wearing a fake animal hat to cover up her real animal ears. That's so meta, I love it lol. Besides being a stylish accessory, the hat also represents Manni's growing bond with Jin. When she finally lets her hair down and reveals her hatless self, it highlights how the two characters have grown closer. In other words, Manni is comfortable being herself around Jin. Don't you love when a cute piece of fashion also has a thematic meaning?

Happy ending

Meow Ears Up has a happy ending for all three couples in the BL drama. This series doesn't have much conflict, but it introduces some last-minute tension in the final episode. It's the holidays, and Jin tricks Dermdem to visit the orphanage together. However, this trip brings back painful memories for Dermdem. He almost got adopted as a child, but his prospective parents bailed on him at the last moment. The memory haunts him to this day, making him feel unloved and unwanted.

Although Dermdem is upset, Meow arrives to comfort him. Dermdem appreciates the kind gesture and they embrace. Meow realizes his ears don't pop up anymore in his presence. It symbolizes Dermdem is becoming the most trusted figure in his life. Meanwhile, the other two pairings also reach happy outcomes. Faiyen helps Evan overcome getting bullied by the orphanage kids. As for the GL pair, Jin tells Manni that she officially passes her probation period. Manni can join her agency as a full-time employee.

The series ends with all the characters celebrating on the beach. They see a shooting star and make a wish collectively. Some characters offer sincere sentiments, while others treat the moment more lightheartedly. Evan, being an emotionless robot, was like, "I don't believe in shooting stars~" and refused to participate lol. Anyway, the final line is given to Noi, the lady at the orphanage. Her wish is: "I wish everyone can meet their true love, have the courage to embrace, and engage with each other forever." It's a lovely sentiment to cap off the BL drama!