Self – Series Review & Episode Guide

Tang is a high school student who aspires to be a famous musician. Although talented, he has an attitude problem. Tang patronizes others and believes they can't play music at his skill level. He acts rudely to other students who are simply fans of him. His friends, May and Nam Mei, often have to apologize for Tang's behaviour.

When Tang plays music, he doesn't make eye contact with his audience. The record studio rep, Nep, points out this critique and believes it hinders his performances. She suggests Tang practice playing music in front of a mirror. That night, he follows her advice. However, Tang is spooked when he can't view his reflection in the mirror anymore. Instead of seeing himself, the mirror suddenly shows another teenage boy.

Tang is stuck with this strange condition. Not being able to see himself in the mirror is troublesome, resulting in bed heads and sloppy appearances. In addition, he can't see his appearance in pictures or webcams either. However, this problem affects him only. Others don't notice anything wrong. When Tang tells his friends about what happened, they don't believe him. They think he's making up an elaborate joke.

Tang and May attend an online audition. However, Tang's psychological burden affects him, and he underperforms. The two friends argue afterwards. Tang blames May for messing up the performance. Meanwhile, May is annoyed that Tang took credit for a song they wrote together. Nam Mei tries to mediate their fight. However, May calls Tang a jerk and doesn't want to be friends anymore.

Tang wants to get rid of his ailment, which has cost him a career opportunity and a friendship. He tracks down the mysterious boy in his mirror reflection. This student is Neo, a student attending another school. Neo is involved in a school scandal, resulting in everyone ostracizing him. As Tang tries to learn more, he realizes this guy can be potentially dangerous.

Self is an imaginative series that thinks outside the box. The story has intriguing ideas you don't often see in ordinary BL dramas. It explores unusual scenarios, such as a protagonist who suddenly can't see his mirror reflection. The other lead is involved in a bizarre school controversy and faces murder allegations. These surreal storylines are full of twists and turns. As the unpredictable events unfold, there's a sense of thrilling mystery and adventure.

On the one hand, Self is gritty and captivating. On the other hand, it's a terribly written series plagued with illogical plot holes. The characters indulge in outrageous behaviour and give unreasonable reactions. There's so much about the narrative that doesn't feel realistic, leaving me dumbfounded because of the preposterous circumstances. Also, the storyteller handles many mature topics irresponsibly, from gun violence to mental health. I'm miffed by its representation of LGBT youths, perpetuating offensive tropes without sensitivity.

Self entertains me because of how ridiculous the plot can be. The series swings wildly between two extremes, escalating from innocent schoolyard drama to intense psychological warfare. Each episode is filled with nonsensical conflicts, which resolve as inelegantly as possible. I can't help but laugh at the bonkers storyline. How many BL dramas feature a teenager pointing a gun at his love interest multiple times throughout the narrative? Self is commendable because it doesn't take the safe route. It always finds a way to maximize chaos and absurdity.

The teen romance is unsatisfying. Tang and Neo meet under incredibly convoluted circumstances, making it tough to believe they could form a bond. These two strangers have little reason to spend time together, but the story forces them to interact. Over time, their relationship doesn't develop organically or meaningfully. There aren't many cute or sweet moments between the couple. Whenever the characters come close to intimacy, the tacked-on scenes feel like they pander to the audience. Otherwise, the minimal BL content is hardly the focus.

Self features numerous conflicts. The characters often clash, yell, and argue with each other. Generally, all the actors do a decent job portraying their anger. They maintain the tension in the scenes and appear convincing with their range of emotions. Although the performances aren't masterful, they seem acceptable for a young cast with little screen experience. On an unrelated note, Neo's performer (Triton) is telegenic and looks like a teen heartthrob. If Triton lands the right roles, he could have a thriving career in BL.

Self has an action-packed ending fuelled by high adrenaline. Even if the events are utterly ludicrous, I enjoy the emotional arc of the finale. This series is skilled at building momentum and getting me invested in the explosive climax. The bottom line is that I felt engaged and excited while laughing my ass off during the final episode. Overall, Self is a messy BL drama with outlandish plots and laughable writing. It probably deserves a failing review score. Yet, the story is so hilariously bad that it qualifies as a guilty pleasure. This wild journey has me thoroughly entertained.