A markedly improved sequel, but has the main couple been together for 2 years or 2 weeks?
I got into SOTUS because of SOTUS S. The prequel's plot didn't sound very interesting to me. The prequel of SOTUS S, simply titled SOTUS, is about two boys developing feeling for each other with the backdrop being that one is hazed by the other under a sus hazing system. SOTUS is a lot more than just that of course, and you can see my thoughts on it in my review for it. SOTUS S' premise however, sounded too good to be true. A BL drama that focuses on a stable gay couple balancing their commitment to work, school and each other? With that legendary premise in mind, I watched SOTUS in preparation for SOTUS S.SOTUS S requires viewing of SOTUS, this sequel series takes place two years after the original. Arthit (Krist) and Kongpob (Singto) have yes, been together for two years! Kongpob is now a head hazer, and Arthit is about to start his first job at Ocean Electric Company. In the workplace, Arthit shows off a more reserved, shy side of himself and it's nice to see. Krist's acting again doesn't disappoint and he pulls off the fresh newbie role very well. What he goes through is entirely relatable for anyone entering a first job. Krist's character gets involved with a new cast of coworkers and they're all very fun and likable. The coworkers, despite being nice, still give the image of being unapproachable at first (either with reason or through Arthit's own framing of them as such) and it's such a minor thing that's done so well. Arthit's friends from university however, don't play a huge role in SOTUS S. While I did miss Arthit's friends, it just didn't make sense for them to show up as much as they did before. Not seeing Prem and Bright brighten (pun unintended) the screen anymore is a loss, but the workplace drama that their absence makes room for is really the highlight of SOTUS S.
Arthit (and eventually Kongpob's coworkers) are great. They're entertaining, and they give Ocean Electric a personality that the university doesn't have. Earth is quite frankly, the best. She's Arthit's coworker who starts off abrasive only to soften up as the show progresses. The other standout coworkers are Tod who recently returned from his studies abroad and is a total dudebro. There's Cherry who is an effeminate, openly gay character and is just hilarious all around. There's also Somoh who is the loud office lady with the annoying voice, and Durian who serves the office gossip to Cherry and Somoh. They're all very good at livening up the show and making you laugh. The coworkers all work as supporting characters in the sense that show up often and are each woven into the show's plot or a subplot. This is an improvement over the prequel where you'd wait for some characters to be of importance somehow only for the show to end and they barely got any focus. I did notice however, that Earth did have a plotline that seemed to be dropped but it was much less glaring than Waad's in season one since she doesn't disappear and instead simply gets a new plotline involving another coworker.
For Kongpob's plotline, we return to the SOTUS hazing system. It's sucks to say it, but it's not a surprise: the hazing plot is not very good. Singto's Kongpob isn't very believable as a hazer, and neither are his friends who now also take the role of hazers. It's also sad to see that they're perpetuating the system that they were under, and hated, in the original. In SOTUS S, the hazing is framed as "nicer", and in some moments it definitely is, but there are a couple of scenes where the hazing still shines out as cruel but the show pretends that it isn't by putting an upbeat rock track over it and having the seniors smile and laugh instead of sneer and chuckle at the juniors. Anyway, there's not much to be said here because much of the hazing plot is quite literally a retread of the original's hazing plot, right down to a new character who's defiant of the hazing like Kongpob previously was. The retreading goes right down to M still fawning over May a whole two years later. The character that defies the hazing system this time around is named Day, and he interacts with Tew as the older tries to understand why he's so averse to participating in the hazing. Tew and Day are one of SOTUS S' new subcouples. Thankfully, Kongpob's hazing plot comes to an end soon enough and he takes an internship at Arthit's workplace, Ocean Electric Company and this is where the show picks up. As with Arthit's university friends, Kongpob's take a similar backseat to introduce more characters.
Alongside Tew and Day being a new couple, there's also Nai and Yong. Nai is an intern that joins alongside Kongpob as an intern at Ocean Electric Company. Yong is already an employee at OEC and mentors Nai. Now that I've gotten to talking about Nai and Yong, I think it's important to talk about Arthit and Kongpob. For a couple that's supposed to have been together for two years, Arthit and Kongpob don't really act like it. I'm sorry. Yong and Nai have a lot more chemistry and feel like they're simply being themselves whenever they interact. They are so believable as a couple or even just as two guys that enjoy being around each other all the time. I can't say the same for Arthit and Kongpob. In the earlier episodes especially, the main couple is awkward, stiff and barely affectionate with each other. Arthit isn't a fan of PDA or excessive affection in general in-universe, but the awkward stiffness extends to even phone calls between the two and them seeing each other off to work. With Arthit and Kongpob being in a vacuum of sorts in the show's prequel, it wasn't as obvious, but it's really highlighted now with Nai and Yong acting as a contrast to them. Arthit and Kongpob's awkwardness in part does have to do with the show's plot and what they're going through but there are still times such as, again, them seeing each other off to work or the phone call, where their relationship feels unnatural and stiff. This stiffness isn't helped by the fact that some of the conflict that the main couple goes through, feels like something that could and should have been resolved earlier in their relationship with the appropriate lessons learned. SOTUS S at times treats its main couple as though they've only been together for two weeks as opposed to two years and it really stands out. Arthit and Kongpob do get genuinely sweet and tender moments, but I couldn't help but prefer Nai and Yong over them.
To maybe offset the awkward relationship energy, SOTUS S has these small university flashback scenes between Arthit and Kongpob where they're seen dating in university. These shorts show up at the end of every episode. They're short and sweet, but after a while they start to feel repetitive and make even the dialogue during the actual portion of the episode seem repetitive since the flashbacks hit on the same notes that the cute moments in the show do. Something about a reward, something about a punishment, Kongpob says something outrageous with a straightface that makes Arthit flustered and then Arthit tries to play it off, etc. The flashbacks do a bit more harm than good since seeing the "rhythm" of their relationship so clearly managed to diminish it for me somehow.
On the direction, the show has some noticebly pretty shots, mostly the night scenes. They're not screenshot and make your wallpaper shots, but it's still something that I found myself noticing this time around. The timewasting and padding problem that the prequel had is thankfully gone now. With the direction improved, I hoped that the music direction would as well, but it hasn't really. The show still has a lack of music. There's a new catchy jingle that plays (honestly a bit too much, but it's a nice piece) but the show still heavily relies on an instrumental version of its opening. The opening theme is a rock piece with a fairly generic instrumental behind it, so the appropriateness of the track in some scenes is a bit up for debate. I found it pulling me out of the show either because it felt inappropriate or because I couldn't believe that they were using it yet again.
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Holistically, SOTUS S is a marked improvement from its prequel. The workplace plot is a lot more interesting than the hazing, and the new characters at Ocean Electric lend a fun and friendly air to what could have been a boring workplace drama otherwise. The show on a whole feels more streamlined, and save for the hazing plot retread in the first couple of episodes, it's a much more fun show to experience. SOTUS unfortunately falters again with its treatment of Arthit and Kongpob. The main couple is treated as if they've simultaneously been together for two years and two weeks from the point of their behavior around each other and with some of the conflict that they find themselves in. After watching SOTUS S, you should take a look at Our Skyy episode 5 which acts as a final send off for the two. The two finally act like a real couple that's comfortable around each other and it's lovely to see.
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I heard many people complaining how it does not have enough kissing/hugging/etc., but it made perfect sense for me as it was. I liked the realism behind their relationship and how unsure about himself Arthit was presented. How scared of other people's reactions and opinions he was. Most BLs show, as if everyone is cheering for the gay couple, they have fan clubs and ship names. This was closer to reality and made the story more moving.
The whole Arthit arc was amazing and Krist did a brilliant job portraying all the emotions. When he cried, I wanted to cry too, when he smiled and was all cute and shy, but in love, I had fireworks in my brain ;) That said, because the whole focus was on him, other characters and plotlines suffered quite a lot. All the side couples were there, but not developed. They were mostly happening off-screen and it was hard to follow them and get engaged, since we could not witness the development.
That said, I still believe it was a good follow up after season one. I have watched the whole season in one sitting, so I guess it must have been entertaining for me.
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The actors:
Krist is a great talnted actor, i like his acting he have skills , on the other hand Singto is immature actor that not convincing so much and he's character even less convinsing. so it was probably worse for him.
The chimistry between them was bad and the characters not realistic whats so ever, their relationship is a fiction, there was no affection or communiction like a normal human being. It's been 3 years since they started their relationship and still they are not comfortable with each other and not talking so much. even not hugging or something normal dialogs occurred.
The music:
Not to my taste like most of Thai dramas ost its banal , i don't know why all the ost in gmmtv sound the same.without connection.
The story
Boring and plain without emotions, they are in the office most of the time with no interaction between them , the characters around them also plain, it's almost like a long commercial
I try to watch this again ...but i just can't!
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The character development between Kongpop, and Arthit from start to finish has made me feel like I was growing with them, Its hard to describe how I?m feeling. The acting of Singto is so believable, having watched some of his interviews he has become one of my very few small list of actors. The chemistry he?s built over time between Krist?s displays perfectly onscreen as well, at times it feels like he?s so sincere with the lines he?s been given which I find mesmerizing because it?s only acting. Once you give this series a chance, you will most likely know what I?m talking about.
Although, during the second season of the SOTUS series I felt like it was a bit rushed. Not too much, but in a way that we did not get to see the smaller characters develop throughout the season. There were only little cameos once in awhile but It did not get to truly show how those characters got their in the first place. This series to me, is beautiful and a good watch. If you have the time, I definitely recommend this series above all the BL series I have ever watched.
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I didn't have very high expectations coming into this. Don't get me wrong, I loved the first season, but it didn't move fast enough and always felt like there was something missing in the way that it really didn't address a lot of what I was hoping it would.
Boy, was I surprised. I absolutely loved Sotus S. The story was amazing, the acting was better than the last season, and we actually got to see them in a relationship and struggling through everything that entailed, as well as some unpredictable obstacles that really contributed to some major (and majorly necessary) character development. Everything that had been niggling at me from the first season was addressed and resolved, and I was actually interested in the side characters for once. It was so nice seeing those same characters we loved from season one move on to such a different chapter in their lives and deal with the new challenges and difficulties that arise from it, and it was very rewarding to see them flourish and really grow into themselves. I would have liked to see more of Dae and Tew, but ultimately everyone got the resolution they deserved, even the minor characters who had only had a few scenes here and there through both seasons.
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SOTUS S is a good series for people who want their BL to be PG-rated, innocent and sweet. Though there's less conflict in this season than in the first season, the characters are arguably more likable. I got bored by some of the workplace stuff in early episodes, but later episodes had good pacing. Not one that I'll rewatch, but it was worth my time once.
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This review may contain spoilers
Okay lets start off with the main couple Art/kongThey really really really work through alot of stressors involved in adult relationships and thats something i can strongly relate too. I do wish they showed a few more intimate moments (hand holding, kisses, hugs) overall i wish there was more BUT what they lacked in the physical they definitely make up for with the dialogue and acting! wow wow wow that stepping up that arthit does shows so much growth i really really wish they would take this series one step further and just dive in to parental influences i want more of that dynamic from shows
NOW LITERALLY EVERYONE ELSE
All the other couples are so painfully underdeveloped like they could of pushed things wayyy more it seems like ti could be written off as close male friends than actual couples (which might be intentional idk) just wish they would of given more into the couples like a kiss or hand holding idk something to solidify the 13 episode lead up
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OG Sequel Series
Even though I actually really enjoyed this series, I still would've rather preferred that it wasn't made. I enjoyed Sotus way more than the sequel, and that's just because some of the decided plots for this series were boring and pointless. Arthit's entire job plot was so slow and tedious. I didn't care about his coworkers, or his boss, or anyone in that facility. Wish they would've shown more KongArt and less Arthit at work.I understand that sometimes it’s hard to be publicly out about a same-sex relationship, but I still had some problems. By this point in the story, Kong and Arthit have been together for 2-3 years, and Arthit is still not comfortable with Kong. Kong would make small gestures, and Arthit would reject it. This was solved by the end of the series, but I just think it’s ridiculous that it took him 2-3 years into the relationship to actually treat his boyfriend as his boyfriend.
I CRIED WHEN ARTHIT CONFESSED TO EVERYONE THAT HE LOVED KONG. There are only two things that I cry at: coming-out scenes and emotional confession scenes. I didn't realize the tears that were falling out of my eyes after it was over. Finally, Arthit accepted his boyfriend after so many years, but also, the music and everything was just so perfect.
I feel like there were a lot of side couples in this series, but maybe that was just me. Few and Day were cute, but we didn’t get to see enough of them. Overall, I did enjoy it.
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A Rare Romance
A character like Kong is a very rare gem. His charisma and his love for Arthit holds strong even till this present season. Arthit by himself doesnt necessarily know how to navigate through his love life as a gay man but with the help of Kong he is able to pull through.Also I see people continously complain of their lack of intimacy/ s*x life. Actually the intimacy is HEAVILY IMPLIED but never explicitly shown. Listen to the conversations between the two lovers, watch for symbolisms and you would DEFINITELY be assured that their love life is active
A BL Like this should not be taken for granted. 9.5 /10 rating.
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This review may contain spoilers
With the first season of SOTUS, we were introduced to Kongpob and Arthit and watched as their relationship grew from enemies to friends to lovers. It’s hard to expand on already established relationships in shows which I believe this season had difficulty with. We know Arthit is an easily irritable character but during this season he gets upset with Kongpob and shuts him out over the littlest of things, which made me grow to dislike him more as the series went on. I also feel like the plot in this season is somewhat thrown together in an effort to continue the story.The side relationships seem more like friendships than romantic, except for Todd and Earth since Todd is clearly interested in her.
I only watched SOTUS S because I enjoyed the first SOTUS and missed the characters, but I wouldn’t recommend watching this season if you don’t love the characters as much and are content with the story in the first season.
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