Only Friends (2023)

Absolute Banger

Other than being completely bored by our main (?) pairing, everything else was absolutely amazing. There was not an episode that went by that didn't have me screaming and questioning the morality of my own life haha. These characters are so loveable and the ones that aren't you hate so much that you love them anyway. I have rewatched it twice since the first binge and can't believe GMM pulled out such an absolute banger. You're even forced to care about the most minor characters, on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen with them in their own lives. I haven't found a drama like this in ages and I'm not sure I will again for a long time.

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beautifully shot and well acted - raw and real and fun - but still a victim of theatrics

i was really impressed from the beginning with this unique look into LGBTQ+ life in Thailand, because i don't think any other drama has been as realistic as this one. they didn't hold back in exploring character flaws as well as relationships and all the good and bad that can come with them, and for that i have to applaud it. the premise was interesting - a messy group stumbling their way through romantic entanglements while still trying to maintain their friendship, not realizing how delicate of a balance must be struck in order for both types of love to thrive.

spoilers below:
top and mew were never that interesting to me, despite their sweet start. mew's quest for revenge, while initially a fascinating twist in character, soon turned into a drawn out ordeal that i could no longer stomach. in the end they just didn't have enough substance. i wish we learned more about top's issues, and saw mew coming back to himself, but it all just fell flat.

boston and nick were doomed from the start. i liked them together, but i always knew it would have to fall apart. i could see boston being in an open relationship easily, but nick was always too invested for that. in the end i think that this was a nice example of two people coming together to learn more about themselves and then move forward. but i am upset that boston's character regressed a bit in the final moments, and he was sent off with essentially no resolution, while being continuously punished. i think his friendship with the group would have been a better focus for his story.

now, my loves, sand and ray. their storyline gripped me the most. an ill-advised friends with benefits situation that turned into something more, while one of them was clinging onto somebody else. they ran into every obstacle, faced heartbreak at every turn, but among that rubble, they did love each other. ray was a character that was painful to watch, whether i was sad or angry at him, but i think it really was an exercise in understanding. a beautifully told story from start to near finish, until boeing came into the picture. i would have much rather spent the time focusing on ray's recovery and the repairing of their relationship, but instead, we had an oddly placed will they-won't they that served no purpose.

there's no way around it, the ending was unsatisfying for me. i didn't feel that things closed in a well-rounded and logical way. it was stilted and awkward, strangely paced. this was a pretty good rollercoaster for the most part... but it doesn't stick the landing. i think it's because of the changes made to the story based on fan opinions, but no one can say for sure.

solid acting from the whole cast, but first, khaotung, and mark were standouts, and i hope to see them leading future series!

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They all NEED therapy! But OMG i love this chaos!

I have to say straight off the bat, I love this show. It's by far one of my favourite BL's and shows in general. Hell I wish we had more of it! Let's start with an easy section, music. I have not stopped listening to Kahotungs Ost for this. I love his music, and the song for this show is fire! I love the references to all the rock and indie bands in the show as well, seeming as I listen to a lot of rock music myself. It was nice to see so many bands I like being referenced, As for the rest of the music it was amazing, and every song fit perfectly with the show.
Next we have the story. Holy hell, I don't know where to start with this beautiful chaos. I both love the story and in some ways hate it. I feel like it could have been more brutal and realistic than it was. But i'm someone who like mentally messed up scenarios and psychological messes, so.... But overall the story was brilliant. we got to see a lot of different aspects to each character. We got drama, love, hate, mental health problems, addiction, anger, sadness, comedy, just everything all wrapped up in 12 episodes. They got quite realistic with a lot of scenarios which I enjoyed. It really was like watching a bunch of 20 year olds doing what 20 year olds do. Try and figure out life and mess up a lot (but obvs on a more dramatic scale). I like how to show touched on some serious topics, like Ray's addiction for example. Most shows may add these topics in, but hardly touch on it. But with this show they actually showed us quite a bit and didn't just brush over it, which is really refreshing to see.
Now the cast! There couldn't have been a better cast! Every single actor in this show did amazing, and i'm not just talking about the main cast or the cameo's. I'm a big fan of some of the people who were in this show, so some may say i'm biased. But i'm being 100% honest when i say they all did such an amazing job. Everyone had very different characters, with their own stories and problems. And every single one of them made their characters their own, and made us feel everything those characters were feeling. Whether it was a simple scene which made us laugh, or an emotional one that made us cry, they all made us feel. And for that i applaud every cast member! You guys did amazing!!!

To conclude, this is one of those shows where no matter what i write or try to tell someone, it can't fully express how good this show is. It's one of those you have to watch yourself to see why people love it so much. If you haven't watched this show, i recommend you do. Part of me wishes i waited until it was fully released so i didn't have to wait a week each time for a new episode. Cause once an episode finished i instantly wanted to know what happens next. This is one of those addictive shows, that throws every emotion at you, and no matter how much you shout at your tv cause someone is being stupid again, you can't help but keep watching the chaos unfold. So if you haven't watched it, i say get to watching and i hope you enjoy. And if you have watched it, how you doing?
Now i'm off to re-watch this amazingly chaotic series again!

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It's a hot mess and I am here for it!

It’s fair to say that this series was a mess. Mostly in a good way, but it also had a few downs. But let’s start with the good first. I liked the plot, it gave us a little bit of everything – love, hate, friendship, cheating, breaking up, second chances… The OST was amazing, it definitely made it onto my playlist. The cinematography fit the plot well, I liked the darker tones. The styling was on point too.

The characters were very different from one another, which made following their stories all that more interesting. They were not stereotypical and there was more to them than just being queer. I think that’s important, and I am glad we are moving further and further away from those kind of queer representation in media.

The acting was amazing. All the actors and actresses did an amazing job, not that I expected anything less. Their chemistry was incredible, they showed so much emotion through their eyes or simple touches. There were a lot of emotional scenes, many of which included Khaotung. He is so expressive in such scenes; he really gives his all.

Top & Mew: I absolutely hated the whole idea behind Top being a “top guy” and how Mew is below him. This is something that has been especially pushed forward by Mew’s friends, and I think that is what bothered me the most about it. Top is rich, good looking and popular, and can get anyone he wants. And he makes it a game to get with whoever he sets his eyes on. Mew is supposed to be sweet, innocent, and reliable. He is the most serious member of the friend group. Once things start to go wrong between Top and Mew, I think they both show their true colors. Top is manipulative, he doesn’t like being told not, and doesn’t respect other people’s boundaries. Mew is not as innocent either. He can be just as manipulative, vengeful and knows how to play dirty. I liked how at some point they both realized the trust between them was gone. There will always be hurt and betrayal lingering in the back of their minds. So, to give each other a second chance requires more than just love.

Sand & Ray: There are people who need to be needed and there are people who need others. Sand and Ray are very much like that, with Sand being the one who is always there for Ray. Ray is battling an addiction and has other mental health problems. He is used to solving everything by throwing money at it. Sand doesn’t have much to his name, but he is proud of who he is. He is loyal, caring and often goes above and beyond for others. I liked Sand’s confidence, he refused to be second best to Mew who Ray thought himself in love with. Neither of them is perfect, they both got their hands dirty one way or the other. I can’t decide if they are good together or not. As Ray said, when he beats his alcohol addiction, he might end up addicting to Sand. Personally, I don’t think that’s the solution. If he relies on Sand too much, the other might start to resent him for it. At one point, Sand is bound to get tired of always giving and taking care of Ray. And Ray might resent Sand for not letting him be free.

Boston & Nick: The two really took us on a ride of love, hate and longing. They started of as friends with benefits, but Nick wanted more. I am sure Boston knew that and took advantage of it by constantly telling Nick he is his favorite. Boston doesn’t like commitment; he doesn’t care about school. He likes being free and doing whatever he wants, whenever he wants it. Nick is a cutie with a darker side. He is very possessive and when he gets attached to someone, he doesn’t see their flaws. Most of what they did either to one another or to those around them is inexcusable and nasty. However, both of their shortcomings are addressed and talked about, between the two of them and with others. I can understand the two of them forgiving each other, but I was bothered by the fact that Boston only turned to Nick when everyone else left him. It made it seem like he only sees him as his last option.

Cheum & April: they might be the only solid couple. We don’t really get to see the two of them that much as the series is focused on the other couples more, but I liked the two. Cheum seems to be the most level-headed member of the friend’s group, even with all of her flaws. I did find her too pushy, especially when she was trying to get Mew and Top together. She is very loyal, which can also be seen as a flaw as she often lets that cloud her judgement. April is a sweetheart. She puts up with her girlfriend’s crazy group of friends the best she can. The two of them were able to talk through their issues, even if that talk was brought up due to others. They still did the mature thing, talked things out and were honest with one another after.

A lot of the things were not properly addressed or talked about enough. Atom, Cheum’s little brother, and what he did to Boston. Even after telling the truth, Atom was just patted on the back. What Atom did promotes a very problematic idea about people lying and victimizing themselves when things don’t go their way. Last but not least, Boeing. What was his purpose? He literally went from character to character, trying to hook up or / and date them. His reasoning is never explained or addressed.

That ending though… I mean, we all expected him to show up at some point, but does that mean there is a possibility of S2?

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every week was a roller coaster of emotions

not gonna lie I never expected gmmtv to put out a show like this. They toxic Charakter trades, the addiction to alcohol/drugs and that they would stir up the couples constellations they established in many projects. It is been a long time since I was so invested in a BL. The story and characters were all imperfect and had their flaws wich made it soo realistic.
All actors nailed their roles but especially Neo. It is his first time not playing a comedy character and he was giving his all. Also he and Mark had such a good chemistry but I am glad that they didn't end up together. For this he would have needed more improvement like Top. I wasn't sure if I would have want him and Mew to be Endgame but the script was well written and showed us how hard it was for both of them to find back to each other and overcome the past.
I also found Mond played a good antagonist and I have been waiting for an interaction between him and First since Not Me. This series made me feel a thousand things and once and frustrated me every week anew. But I will miss it now that it's over. I liked the ending but with the Cameo and that Boston could grow more as a character I would like to see a second season.
Overall this is one of the best BLs Gmmtv has ever done! And the acting was superior.

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The GGMTV boys grow a pair

This series gets some hate for not being the usual school type BL from GMMTV but sometimes you need to do something for a different more mature minded audience. In the UK Queer as Folk in 1999 or Skins in 2007 probably did a similar jump from the 'norm' and providing scenes designed to shock.
The headline talk with many people will be about it being more risky with NC scenes but t really needs credit for the story which although not perfect did a really good job of keeping viewers interest in each of the relatively large cast and intertwining their stories.
The cinematography seemed a sterp up for GMMTV as well with some scenes giving me vibes of more a european production.
In some respects the final episode was a let down as the pacing was a bit erratic and was the only one I felt like fast forwarding bits of, but the ending for each character was decent.
It's the first BL I've seen that gave such a big hint of a potential series 2, so lets see what 2024 brings

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Do you like gossip and want to have fun? This is for you

I'm actually shocked at how much I enjoyed this drama. Maybe I was in a good mood, but I was really taken by the various stories of the boys. But let's do a more specific analysis.

Story (9)
As I said, the stories of the main characters really grabbed me. I think the various characters are realistic enough to be almost hard to understand, but if you try you can understand all of them and empathize with (okay not with all of them but almost). It's not the typical GMMTV bl, but it's a breath of fresh air. Small note: the sex scenes are done well and well chosen.

Acting/Cast (9)
There is not much to say except that they are all TOP.
- First and Kao never fail, I found these characters more interesting than those in The Eclipse
- Force and Book are the new kings of adaptability, they are amazing and with a lot of chemistry whatever they do (and then well, the visuals)
- Neo is amazing as usual and I like to see him in such a serious but at the same time bitchy character
- Mark is a pleasure to see as the main character, he has a lot of potential

Music (8)
I am completely in love with the opening theme song. Khaotung did really a good job.

Rewatch Value (8)
I wouldn't rewatch it immediately, but it entertained me so much that I will rewatch it at some point.

Overall (9)
Overall it entertained me and was a good viewing, definitely one of my fav not-typical-bl.

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Please give us Season 2, in 2024

I did a second rewatch of this show & I have a better clarity on my thoughts on this show.

Mew - Mew is easily my favorite character, even though they try to make him the "token virgin" he's much more educated and smart than you would think, starting, when you think he's going to be on this journey of losing his virginity but instead, he's smart and calculated, he doesn't stoop to anyone's level to get even but he lets them know he means business.

Ray - Ray is just your typical sad boy, who is a mess because his mom passed, his dad wasn't the warmest to him and he's in a one-sided love with his best friend. Ray only likes Mew more than a friend because Mew shows kindness to Ray in a way no one else has till Sand but Ray is afraid that if he doesn't act upon his likeness towards Mew, he might lose him. He doesn't understand that Mew will be his friend regardless. With Sand, his falling in love with him but it scares him because he doesn't want to ruin anything so he ends up self-sabotaging himself by pushing Sand away but then bringing him back because he loves him. It's not said in the show but I can see Ray as Polysexual because he said he could love more than one person at once. It was kind of sad seeing Ray not stopping him when Mew wanted to try all these bad things because again Ray was afraid Mew would get mad and leave him.

Ray & Mew - If this was a different universe & series, I could see Ray & Mew as a couple in multiple shows because they do have good chemistry together and their club scene after Top was honestly hot.

Sand - Sand is just trying to survive and make money for himself to reach his dreams but got sucked in back Ray & is falling in love and it's scaring him because he knows how Ray is. I do like how he's smart and doesn't fall directly into Ray, he thinks things through but he can't get past Ray's puppy eyes.

Ton - Boston is your typical "I get what I want" person and he doesn't feel any sympathy for anyone else feelings, like what he did to Mew, Ray had to say "Aren't you going to say sorry" and he just said "sorry" because he felt he had to, but he never said he was completely sorry for what he did to Mew. However, when Mew threatened him with the clip, he knew that Mew held power and could ruin him at any second. He also didn't understand that Top didn't want him anymore so he should've just moved on, More or less did with Nick but he knew Nick was Falling for him and he kind of used it, he would say sweet things to Nick so he would stay and sleep with him, and he sleeps with Cheum'a brother knowing that people he sleeps with falls in love with him and he just can't see that he has that power.

Top - Top is just top, he fell in love with Mew right from the start but instead of just saying goodbye to Boston, he kept letting him get closer, he knew that Boston didn't want them together but Top believed what he said about Ray & Mew instead of just asking him. He also couldn't leave Mew alone to let him get over what Top did or just try to have a normal conversation, he kept following him and being there when Ray was there knowing that Ray hated him.

Cheum - This poor girl was just trying to live happily with her girlfriend, but instead she got roped in the middle of all her friend's drama and problems, how she didn't just say "screw" all of you and left is crazy to me

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Such a interesting fun messy show to watch

Watching this whole show was a massive roller coaster of emotions, they have such amazing acting and the cast did an amazing job executing this show. I loved every single character and I’m so sad for it to end, I miss them already.

TINY SPOILERS‼️‼️‼️⚠️⚠️


I loved all of the relationship duos, fights, and everything. Some of it made me so mad sometimes especially when the fights, but I never got bored once of this show. Personally Sandray was my favorite duo and whenever they fought it made me so angry or upset, I felt like I wanted to throw my phone!😭
They all were rollercoasters of their own in the relationships, but very enjoyable to watch and had me so worried.

After every episode, I always had something to rant about to my friends for hours. I even would rant so much it made 3 of my friends interested and now watching it. Even some kids who don’t sit next to me in class know the whole storyline to only friends cause I always wrap up every episode or even quote what they say on Monday when I see my friends.

All of the relationships were very cute and they had their chemistry, I’ve watched a decent amount of firstkhao since I’m a sucker for firstkhao, but this one was definitely one of my fav firstkhao. (Love them so much)

Another thing is normally when watching shows, I tend to get bored easily and skip a lot. Especially when I want to know what happens, but with this show I never skipped any parts and had my full undivided attention. Love you only friends you are my most favorite show now and will hold a special place in my heart 🫶

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Only Emotional Damage

Every Saturday I was parked with my phone ready to inhale this show, episode by episode. Each week I laughed, smiled, and definitely screamed into my pillow.

But the last 2 episodes did me in and stripped this show from a 10 to a 9. Which isn't a big drop, but despite how upset episode 12, ESPECIALLY, made me, I can't rate it any lower. I might hate the ending, but overall I still loved this show. Each week it provided me so much anticipation and excitement.

I loved this messy show and all of it's messy characters... except you Boeing. Never you Boeing. Boeing was the downfall of the show for me. His entrance felt like unnecessary drama for couples who had already been THROUGH it and come out of the other side. By the time he came in and stirred up all the same drama we just recovered from it was like beating a dead horse.

Me thinking this series would end any different than it started: 🤡

In my delulu episode 12 would've looked like:
-Everyone gets their shit together
-Everyone makes up and is friends again
-Every couple is together and gets a HEA

I don't care how unrealistic that is! It's just what I wanted! Argue with the wall! 😂😂😂

The actors were INCREDIBLE. I couldn't have imagined a better cast. Khao did amazing on the OST also.

Here on MDL, I thoroughly enjoyed commenting each week with the viewers. This was such a fun little community to be apart of these last couple of months. Whether we shared the same opinions or not it was always a blast for me. The comments especially helped me process my experience with this last episode. 😂

I'm officially closing this book and going to touch some grass because my chest still hurts several hours later. 😂

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Everyone's a red flag and we're all colorblind

So. This is the perfect series if you want to have fun, not think too much, and just watch the trainwreck happen before your eyes. It's messy, it's toxic, everyone kisses everyone at some point, and there's some punching, pushing and yelling, too. Just great.
I have to say, this is so not my usual type of series to watch. To go from Cherry Blossoms After Winter to this was such a big jump it gave me whiplash, but I digress. What I mean is: even I, the utmost fluff enjoyer, had a good time watching this. I was invested all the way through.

I generally liked the couples. NickBoston takes the cake for me, the actors were a pairing I never saw coming but they have great chemistry nonetheless. Even with how toxic they were for each other, they had me actually rooting for them at one point. SandRay is also a great pairing. They're also toxic (I'm going to overuse this adjective, apologies in advance), but there's something so natural about the way they interact. April and Cheum were my absolute favorites - I love them. And TopMew I just didn't care for. After the cheating incident, Top just lost all my respect, and I lost interest in seeing them try to mend their relationship. Also, compared to the other two couples, the chemistry wasn't as strong (in my opinion), so that was also a factor.

I think the strong point of this series is its unpredictability. You never know which couples are safe, which ones are not - who's cheating on who with whom, who is whose ex, who has old unadressed feelings, etc etc. I had no idea where the plot was going for most of the series - and I think that's ok in this case. You just enjoy the drama as it comes. It's also as if they randomly chose two of the actors' names and had them make out for every episode, which was messy but entertaining. I swear, every possible combination was tried and tested (some of them multiple times). Even my boy Drake made an appearance (and got with two different people).

However, there are still aspects I wasn't entire sold on. As I said, neither Force nor Book's acting did it for me - they didn't look as into it as the other couples. I haven't seen their other series, so I cannot say if this is a problem they have in general or if it's just here. At the end, I've probably skipped (or skimmed over) most of their scenes. As for their characters, Top became irredeemable after cheating, and Mew lost himself (and also me) with his questionable bad-boy-act. I'm not saying I disapprove of the toxicity (there goes that word again), but rather how the series wanted me to like them, to ship them. How am I going to? There's no trust between them!
Anyway. I digress.
The intimacy scenes were okay. I also skimmed over them, but that's just because it's not usually what I like to watch. So, if you like them, go ahead, Only Friends has loads lol.

I recommend this series, definitely. Not one of my favorites, but it's enjoyable and keeps you on your toes.

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This show gave me anxiety but I loved it

Omgg this was a hot meeeess but in the absolute best way. All the characters are flawed and human and really just looking for Love and Companionship. Usually a messy show means that the plot is bad but Only Friends has to be the expectation for this. The show never lost its way. Yes it got messy and I had to watch through my fingers bcs omggg wtfff but all the characters always stayed true to themselves. Nothing gets brushed over. Emotions get felt! People get hurt, hearts broken but thats life. All the releashionships in this show get portrayed in a deeply human and flawed way. Showing that we enter releashionships and we may open ourselves up and even love someone but that dosent mean that the releashionship is perfect or that it will even last. Love takes so much more than just passion its hard work. Its commitment and always a choice made everyday anew. I hope our Only Friends Couples continue choosing each other.
The cinematography’s and music was also just chefs kiss so good. Someone needs a raise
Also i smell a season two or a special episode. Please please just something. So I can get over my bruised heart from all the pain.

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