The Love in My Way – Series Review & Episode Guide

Ping is a university student who recently got plastic surgery. When Ping was a kid, he struggled with bad acne and got bullied for it. It left him feeling self-conscious about his appearance for years. Now, with his new face, everything feels different. Not only is Ping more handsome, but he feels more confident. For the first time, Ping can walk into a room and actually be noticed. Men come to him in flocks, and many of them want to hook up.

Ping is fully enjoying the perks of being hot. He gets to play the field and sleep around, as if he's making up for lost time. Back when he was considered unattractive, this kind of attention felt impossible. Now, it feels almost sexually liberating. One night, Ping goes to a bar and hooks up with New. Things are about to go further when New's friend suddenly interrupts. Earlier, Max had his drink spiked. He stumbles to the washroom and throws up. New is worried and brings Max back home. Ping must put his hook-up on hold and ends up tagging along.

They arrive at Max's place, but New gets an urgent call from his wife and has to rush home. That leaves Ping alone with Max. Still groggy and not fully there, Max starts making out with him. Ping didn't plan to hook up with a random stranger tonight. He barely knows this guy or what he has been through. Even so, he goes along with it. They end up having a quick one-night stand. Max passes out right after, leaving Ping very unimpressed. Before leaving, Ping leaves a snarky message. He praises Max's large manhood but critiques his sexual performance.

Before leaving, Ping leaves a sticky note. He compliments Max on his big manhood, but critiques his sexual performance. Final verdict: a brutal 2 out of 10. The next day, Max is furious. He knows he wasn't in great shape the night before, but that doesn't make the mockery sting any less. Being laughed at isn't something Max tolerates well. As a wealthy business owner with a short fuse, he orders his bodyguard to track Ping down. He wants to find his former one-night stand and set the record straight.

Later, Ping realizes he actually knew Max before that disastrous hook-up. They went to school together, and their history is complicated. Back then, Max was one of the few kids who saved Ping from the bullies. They were friends for a while, until they were not. After that, Max joined the bullies, and his betrayal traumatized Ping. Max, who used to be overweight, has also gone through a major physical transformation. Ping didn't recognize his former friend at first. Even when they meet again, he keeps that history to himself and says nothing.

While Ping is busy hooking up with other guys, he ends up getting caught in a police bust. His dad responds by cutting off most of his financial support. From now on, he'll only cover Ping's university tuition. With nowhere else to go, Ping moves in with his cousin Tokyo. That means sharing a room with Fuji, Tokyo's younger relative. Fuji is straight and uncomfortable around Ping at first, but he gets over it faster than expected. The two grow surprisingly close. The more time they spend together, the more Fuji starts questioning his own sexuality.

The Love in My Way is super horny. Sex isn't just part of the story. It IS the story. There are so many steamy scenes. The characters can't go five minutes without getting into some risqué situation. Plus, all the guys have hot bodies and seem allergic to wearing clothes. I know some of you watch BL as the gateway drug to gay porn… If you're that person, congratulations! This naughty little series was made specifically for you. For others, the raunchiness may feel like too much. It can be obnoxious when everything is overly sexualized.

Ping is an intriguing character. He goes on a sex rampage, sleeping with all the hot guys who were once out of his league. Dig a bit deeper, and it's tied to his low self-worth. Ping screws around because he doesn't think anyone could love him. He also has a messy history with Max, but the story focuses too much on their childhood trauma. Yes, they had a rough time as kids… But I'm more interested in how Max behaves as an adult. He still acts like an immature brat who treats others poorly. Sorry, but your sad backstory doesn't give you a free pass to be a garbage human. Max has a LOT of growing up to do.

I did NOT vibe with Ping & Max's relationship. Their first hookup felt all kinds of wrong. Max got drugged, but Ping still slept with him. Big yikes. After that mess, Max turned into a horny pest who wouldn't take no for an answer. Cue several icky nonconsensual moments that made me go "nope nope nope." Max's behaviour is disturbing, like when he puts his hands around Ping's neck. Max also puts trash bags over people's heads if he doesn't like them. The series tries to play this off as a joke. So funny, right? I see it as another red flag in Max's collection of toxic traits.

I lost interest in Ping & Max's romance. Sure, they make out a lot and have great physical chemistry… But Max is trash. I ship him with a restraining order. Instead, I got sucked into Fuji's storyline. His character is the biggest surprise of this series. Most love rivals in BL are so boring, but Fuji goes on a complex journey. He starts out as an ignorant straight guy. Then, he learns, grows, and questions his own sexuality. Fuji even considers dating another dude, and his reasons are so pure. He doesn't like how Max mistreats Ping and thinks his friend deserves a better romantic partner.

Ping and Fuji's romance raises a compelling question. Can a relationship work without sexual attraction? Fuji cares about Ping deeply, but he can't get aroused by him. They try to be physically intimate. Each time, they end up with soft noodles. Think about the irony here. Ping sleeps around with many men, but he doesn't love them. When he finds a guy who loves him, they can't have sex. Their dynamic is juicy! Max argues that without a sex drive, this couple won't last. Is he right? Is he wrong? Either way, this series explores topics I've rarely seen discussed in other BL dramas.

Max represents sexual chemistry without love. Fuji represents an emotional bond with no physical sparks. I hate to admit it, but these romances are more complex than your average BL drama. The story asks interesting questions about what makes relationships work. Sadly, the ending is a letdown. I was anti-Max this entire time. After two hours of awfulness, he realizes that treating Ping with human decency is a prerequisite to romance. 🙄 Overall, The Love in My Way leaves me with mixed feelings. It has surprising substance, but there's also too much toxic nonsense.