The family and friends relationships we all want

Let me preface this by saying I haven’t watched Kiss Me Again. I watched the GMMTV compilation of Pete and Kao scenes from it, but that was it. So, I have absolutely no clue what happened in that series nor how certain things differ from it. I am treating this as a separate story.

I absolutely love the series. I like the fact that we it started with an already established couple, even if they were hiding it, which is quite different from all other series I have watched.

Pete & Kao: Tay and New were amazing! The chemistry between them is great and I absolutely loved seeing them interact on screen. The two of them are quite different – Pete is one that is not really afraid of anything, mostly because he comes from a more privileged position and knows his father fully supports him; while Kao is a lot more guarded and is not ready to let the world know as he fears how that might affect his family. Pete’s possessiveness is something that would usually bother me, but it was done incredibly well and consistently, it really fit who he is. The biggest conflict between the two arose from Kao not communicating properly. But I can also understand why he didn’t tell Pete the truth, I have a feeling that he wouldn’t really understand him anyways. I do love the whiny voice Kao often uses to call Pete. And how spite seems to be something that motivates Pete more than anything is something I live for.

Sun & Mork: it’s enemies to lovers, of course the two got my heart. I love the dynamics between the two, including the way they treat Rain. Sun is a very typical older sibling, he nags and worries, but he means well and only does so because he cares. Mork has a bit of a short temper. I am not really sure why, I wish they would tell us more about his past. I love how slow they took things, the confusion and hesitation and denial after their first kiss were done very realistically. Especially by Mork who, up till then, didn’t necessarily considered the option that he likes men.

While on topic of liking men, I am glad they didn’t go for the “I’m not gay, but I like you” line that so many BL series go for. I do admit I noticed that most series done by P’Aof usually avoid all of those cliché lines. And that is something I truly appreciate.

Rain & Manow: I found the two adorable! While they didn’t get together until pretty much the end of the series, I found their interactions incredibly sweet. And heartbreaking from Rain’s perspective.

Nom: he doesn’t have it easy with his father, but that does not excuse his behavior. He might be young, but he is also not that young. The things he did can and do ruin lives and cause trauma. The moment he knew that Kao was taken, he should have backed off. But being the spoiled rich brat that he is, that was not an option for him. I wish we had gotten a more concrete conclusion on what has happened to him. But I do hope there were serious consequences for what he did.

Pete’s father is an absolute star! He has been supportive of Pete and Kao since the start. And while many people might take his advice to keep quiet about the relationship as something negative, I think it was solid advice. People always have things to say, and if you want to make a relationship work, you need to be confident in it. And the fact that he talked about sex and safety with Pete was great to see. Sex education is important, but sadly not many parents are willing to talk about it.

Kao’s mom was amazing too. She knew there was something between Pete and Kao, it was in the way she looked at the two from the start of the series. But she never said anything, wanting to give her son the chance to talk to her when he is ready.

And if we are talking family, I can’t get over the Sun, Mork and Rain relationship. Poor Rain, being stuck between his brother and his best friend pretty much all the time. You can really see how much the three of them care about each other. I also like how Mork made it clear to Rain that he himself is the only person who can decide when and to whom he is going to come out.

The series took an incredible realistic approach to gay relationships in the modern world. Before you can ask for acceptance from others, you need to be able to accept yourself. I think that is a struggle that we really see from both Kao and Mork.

Pete’s and Kao’s friend group is amazing. They are all incredibly supportive of their relationship, even before the two go public. Like they said, they are not stupid, they just chose not to comment on it. I really like their dynamics. They all seem so different from one another, yet they get along so well. I also really liked the friendship between Kitty and Sun. It was something I didn’t know I needed.

I think that the cinematography is done beautifully as well. There are certain scenes that are so heartbreaking to watch. The parallels and the juxtapositions of certain events were breathtaking, they had me on the edge of the seat. The intro probably deserves its own fandom. It might seem kind of simple, but there is so much packed into it.

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Heartbreakingly beautiful or beautifully heartbreaking

The series is a masterpiece. Considering the fact that it so extremely focused on conversations between the characters, one would expect to be bored easily. But the reality is different. I was kept on the edge of my seat through most of the conversations, especially when Wang finally let out everything he was feeling.

The pace seems both slow and fast at the same time, but it is not something that bothered me. I actually think it fits the storyline very nicely. I really loved how nicely different metaphors were put into the dialogue. And even into the scenes themselves. The lines, the bridge, the divider in In’s room. They all made so much sense in relation to the story, the emotions and relations between the characters.

Death of a parent, or another loved one, is always hard. What we have in the series is three people who loved the same man (in different was) and are still mourning his loss. Each in their own way, but they are all still hurting, and there is so much left unsaid between them.

Sasiwimol, Wang’s mom, is a character I really wanted to hate. She comes across as someone who is very prejudiced towards LGBTQ+ community, who abandoned her child when he needed her most, and as someone who doesn’t really know how to be a mom but prefers to be a friend. But towards the end, we get to see just how much she really cares for Wang. She might not be the best mother out there and is quite manipulative, she still cares for Wang deep inside. She wants him to live a life of no pain, of happiness, something she didn’t necessarily have.

Inthawut, the 52-hertz whale, still feels incredible amounts of guilt for what has happened in the past. While there are certain parts of the story between In, Mol and Siam (Wang’s father) that are still unclear, his pain is. He hid himself away from his friends and most society, hoping to fix things that he didn’t even cause. He, I think, sees his loneliness as something he deserves for what has happened in the past.

Wang is lost. Not geographically, but definitely philosophically. He is unsure about who he is as he feels a big part of him was lost with his father’s death. His mom is not someone he can always have an honest conversation with as the two end up arguing. But he finds someone willing to talk in In. I don’t know if Wang’s love is actually real or if he is just interpreting it as such, but that is not really the main aspect of the series. It’s actually Wang’s journey of self-discovery. He learns a lot about his father, about his mother and about In, which in turn helps him learn a lot more about himself as well.

I expected the ending we got, and I think it was the right one. It doesn’t mean it wasn’t heartbreakingly beautiful. Wang had to completely break himself down before he was able to build himself up again. The same is true for In and even Mol. The three of them really went through a roller coaster of emotions.

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We are all grey, a mix of white and black

Where to even start? This series delivered in all sorts of ways. I absolutely loved the imagery, the production, and the OST of the series. The imagery is extremely powerful throughout the series, through what is said, what is done and through the characters themselves.

The series addresses a plethora of different social injustices and problems. And while it might primarily focus on Thailand and its problems, it can be easily translated into the culture and system of almost any other country around the world. Rich and powerful people are often above the law or are exempt from it, how unfairly disabled people are treated in the society, the problems of homophobia and marriage inequality, the sexism… and I could go on and on. I think it delivered so many important messages. It made a statement. It also showed that people have power, but only if they stand together.

The characters were extremely complex. I feel like most of the repeating characters were extremely well developed. They weren’t just there to take up some screentime, they were there to drive the plotline and to tell their stories. All of the actors did an amazing job portraying their characters.

Black and White – I think even their names are symbolic. One is supposed to be bad while the other is supposed to be good. But the fact is, once White starts to live Black’s life, we are shown the truth. No one is just good or just bad, there is a bit of both in each of us. We are all grey, a mix of white and black. White struggled a lot to live his brother’s life, but it also taught him a lot. Something that stuck with me is that he recognized himself as part of the problem, part of that society with connections. I think we were able to see a lot of changes in his mindset. I am a bit disappointed that Black’s story is not developed more, especially with regards to what happens after. He might be shown as cold and unforgiving, but in reality, he loves his brother deeply, cares for his ex-girlfriend and would die for his friends. There was just so much more potential for developing his story further. Gun outdid himself by playing the twins. The two characters are so different, but he was able to portray each of them so clearly. You can tell exactly which twin it is just by looking at his eyes which is incredible.

Sean – he is mostly driven by hate, thirst for revenge. He is willing to risk everything, including his life to see his agenda through. But throughout the series, we get to see him open to those around him. We see him realize that causing harm to others might not be the best way to go about achieving his revenge. He might not have any family left, but he found a family at the garage. They all did, in one way or the other. And him falling for White while battling with his need to bring Tawi down, was pulled off incredibly well. Off was brilliant in his role, he really excelled in showing the emotions, the struggle of Sean.

Yok – giving First this bad boy kind of role was a smart decision. He really pulled it off well. His story is very well written. I love how he wishes to do more for the disabled people, especially after seeing how much his mom struggles with keeping a job. He does seem very impulsive at times, very bold, but with what the boys are doing, risking their lives, it seems very fitting. He doesn’t know when he might die, so he tries to make the best of the time that is given to him. He does teach us a lot about forgiveness.

Dan / UNAR – he was an interesting character. Once his identity was revealed, I knew what the plot twist would be. But there were still things that surprised me about him. It is obvious that he is carrying a lot of guilt within him, as well as resentment towards the injustices that he cannot help, change. There are a lot of inner struggles that he needs to cross. Choices that he needs to make. Hard ones. Ones that will affect people he loves, one way or the other.

Gram – can I start by saying that the silver hair looks so damn good on Mond? It really was an iconic look. He is probably one of the most supportive friends one could wish for. Not only that, but when he loves someone, he loves them fully. He is willing to let that person go if they are happy with someone else. He is very quick witted, and I love his relationship with Nunch. The two don’t really see eye to eye on many things, but they are still friends.

Let’s talk about the girls – Nunch, Namo and Eugene. Nunch is trans, something that is mentioned a few times in the series. I absolutely love the fact that she didn’t become a comic relief character. She was strong-willed and smart, outspoken, and there for her friends. Both Namo and Eugene got their hearts broken, but neither of them let that bring her down completely. They each grieved in their own way, but they both overcame that and moved on. The fact that the two had a story that went beyond just being a pretty girl in love with one of the main guys, is something I really liked.

Gumpa – he felt like a big brother, almost like a father figure to the boys. He was always there to help when they needed it. He always took care of them, he trained them and made sure they were ready to undertake all of their missions. He is smart, he can see through them quickly. I think his behavior really shows that. He knows when they need support, when they need a buffer and when they need a kick in the butt. Sadly, his story is not really developed much. I feel like he would be an interesting character to get to know better.

Todd – he is another character whose backstory was not really developed enough. The plot twist relating to him was not that surprising, his motives were though. But again, they were really not explained enough. I do like his relationship with the twins, especially Black, no matter how complex and difficult it seems to be. It’s obvious that the two care for each other, whether that is romantic or not, we might never know.

Overall, it was a good series that addressed a lot of incredibly important topics. My only complaint is that there are quite a few loose ends and lack of backstory for certain characters that makes it a bit hard to understand them and their actions.
 

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Sweet ending to the story

To be honest, it wasn’t anything too special. This doesn’t mean it was bad though. Special episodes are usually light and fluffy, we get to some cute moments between the characters and that’s it. I really like that they didn’t just do a long recap of the main series as some special episodes (or movies) tend to do.

There was not too much storyline, but I did like what we got to see. Also, Third being angry with Khai? That flashback scene was absolutely adorable! I was a bit worried about the lack of communication between the Khai and Third for the bigger part of the episode, but I am glad they resolved their problems like adults in the end.

I also like the fact that the special episode was done from Khai’s POV. I feel like we really got to see his character development this way. I was not really sure if I liked Khai and Third ending together in the main series, I feel like this is what I needed to convince me that they do belong together.

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You’ll need tissues and ice cream, trust me

I got a lot more than I expected. I knew there was going to be some unrequited love, secret crush on your best friend kind of thing. But I did not expect there to be so much heartache. I spend most of the series wanting to either slap some sense into Khai or Third or both! They were both flawed, but I feel like their flaws made the plot and the series seem so realistic. They truly takes us through an emotional rollercoaster.

I think the actors (not just the main ones) have great chemistry between each other. I felt like the dynamics between them were amazing. There was a lot shown through just looks and the fact they can portray so much emotion through their eyes is absolutely amazing. They are especially good at showing longing for the character they like.

Khai & Third: I wasn’t sure what kind of ending I wanted for them – do I want them together or should they both just get with someone else? Third’s love for Khai is something I truly couldn’t understand at first. Khai seemed to be treating him very poorly while claiming he is his best friend. But then there were moments where we got to see some interactions that made me think that must be Khai that Third loves. The Khai that wasn’t really shown because it would make him too likeable too fast. Third is someone who gives his all to those around him, if they deserve it or not. Khai, on the other hand, is selfish and arrogant, used to girls falling down at his feet. I know how hard moving on from someone can be, especially if it's someone that is close to you. Which means I can understand why Third found it so hard to move on from Khai, not matter how bad he treated him. But then we get to the second half of the series where we get to see things from Khai’s perspective. And I did start to feel some sympathy for him. The scenes when he realizes that he was a terrible friend and terrible human being and just how much hurt he caused Third were the ones that left a lot of impact. I think we got to see a different side of him. Not only that, but he really showed a lot of character growth, and he tried his best to change to be someone worthy of Third’s love. Sadly, he was too stupid to realize how important Third is to him until he lost him.

I am not a fan of the fact that someone of the scenes where Third was crying (namely the shower ones) were done as a comic relief. The rest of the series was quite heavy, so these scenes seemed kind of out of place. But talking about comic scenes, I really enjoyed the opening scene of the first episode – Third was doing review of every possible “I’m in love with my best friend” movie while Khai was clueless in the back of the videos. I feel like that really showed us how stupid and clueless Khai can be. And the fact that each episode was named after one of the RomCom classics was fun. I have seen all of the movies mentioned and I can see why they were used as the episode titles.

I don’t think my problem with Khai and Third possibly being the end game is in who Khai was before. He was a player, a womanizer, someone who didn’t really appreciate those around him. To me, those are all forgivable things. What I find very hard to forgive is the way he treated Third, especially when he thought that Third might have a crush on him. That is something that made me hate him from the bottom of my heart. Not only was he a terrible friend (from what we could see) up until then, but he went out of his way to hurt him. Again and again.

Two and Bone are great friends to both Khai and Third. They both made some very questionable decisions, I am not going to deny that, but they were there for their friends when they needed them most. When Third was suffering, they were there for him. When Khai decided to try and win Third over, they were there for him as well. They were both fully supportive of their friends throughout the series.

I am a bit sad that their stories were not developed more though. I think pairing Two with Un was an interesting choice, but definitely not one I am against. I think the two match each other quite well. Pairing Bone with Paan on the other hand made me feel all sorts of things. I did like the idea of him dating someone a bit older, a bit more mature, but I had a weird feeling about it from the moment the two talked for the first time. The first plot twist was not really something that surprised me. But the second one? Damn, that one hurt. I do feel like Bone’s love for Paan was a bit too quick – he knew nothing about her, it felt more like physical attraction to me, a crush, than real love. To be honest, love is a word that seemed to be thrown around quite a lot in this series (even with Khai and his parade of girlfriends).

I think that Two’s and Khai’s confusion about their sexuality is something that was done incredibly well. Both characters were only interested in girls up to this point in their life. Developing feelings for a man caused both of them a lot of confusion, it made them question themselves. Although I feel like Khai was more troubled by the fact he developed feelings for his best friend.

I enjoyed the fact that they actually included a lot of their university work in the storyline. I feel like we often don’t see any schoolwork that the characters need to do, they are just put into the university because that’s what sells.

I'll finish the review with a quote from How to be a Wallflower that was used in the series and that I believe can really summarize a lot of what we got to see: "We accept the love we think we deserve."

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Cute ending, nothing much happened

The wedding was nice. I think gathering everyone together to say goodbye to the TharnType franchise was nice. The two got their happy ending. All is well that ends well, right? I also like that the whole episode revolved mostly around Tharn and Type and their relationship. They are the main couple and focus of the series after all. I am disappointed that a big part of this episode were recaps and flashbacks to parts we have already seen in the other TharnType series. We still got a lot of new footage, so it wasn’t a complete waste of time.

My complaint is that Techno did not get a happy ending. We have seen everyone get a partner, live their lives, etc. yet Techno has no significant other. I am kind of sad about it, because he was probably my favorite character.

And with this being a conclusion to the TharnType story, I feel like it's appropriate to add that they have left certain things unresolved. Or making very little sense with how they wrapped it up. Which is a bit disapointing.

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I guess being childish and dramatic runs in the family

Out of all of the TharnType series and specials, I think this one is the best. And that is not saying much. The two are still as dysfunctional as they were, nothing has really changed. We do get quite a few scenes with them either confessing their love to each other or being sweet and cute.

Seeing Type’s father… let’s just say I get it why Type is the way he is. I really thought no one will beat Type when it comes to being overdramatic and childish. His father is even worse, so I guess it runs in the family. I do admit that some of the scenes were quite difficult to sit through. But then some were quite fun. However, I really enjoyed Type’s relationship with his mother. She seems like a very lovely person, and I am glad that she is so accepting of not only her son and Tharn, but others as well. She might not fully understand it, but she does not hate either.

I really enjoyed Type’s conversation with his friend that he had a fight in the first season. I think that was a very nice conclusion to that conversation. And while I do find it extremely annoying that Type insists on not being gay, just being in love with Tharn, I cannot completely disregard the fact that a man doesn’t necessary have to be gay to be in a relationship with another man. He can be bi, pan, etc. I am sure that the series creators were not really thinking about this but were going for the cliché “not gay, just love you” thing that seems to be popular.

The whole Lhong thing – once again, NO! Why did they keep pushing for his redemption?

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Was it too short or was there too much happening?

My feelings over this special are conflicted. It’s like they tried to make a season 2, but didn’t really know what to do, so they made a short series and slapped a “special” label on to it. But at the same time, they tried to cram a ton of stuff into it – the internship, the wedding, the idol thing. It was just too much going on for the four episodes that it had.

I also feel like they did Nuer and Syn dirty. Their scene shouldn’t have been used as a comic relief scene. I think the two are adorable and probably have the healthiest relationship out of all the couples from the Cutie Pie franchise. Their scene had a lot of potential, it could have been really sweet and fluffy. But no, they decided to make fun of Syn’s inexperience when it comes to intimacy. Which is a shame.

I was not happy with how Lian was handling Kuea’s request to wait for the wedding night. I don’t really get Kuea’s thinking as the two have been together before, but that doesn’t mean that his decision is something that doesn’t have to be respected. Lian was pushy on the issue, and I didn’t really like that. At least they learned to somehow communicate about things. They still needed some help, but progress is progress.

We don’t really get to see any progress in Hia Yi and Diao’s relationship, but that was kind of expected as the two are getting their own series. Hopefully, we got to learn more about their past. But that’s me going off-topic already.

I think this had a lot of potential, but the execution was not the best. They should either only focus on the wedding part or made it longer to really develop everything else they tried to include.

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I will change to love someone who loves me – to what extent?

Arranged marriage? Age gap? Childhood crush? Yes, please! I feel like the series had incredible potential. I can’t think of any other arranged marriage BL series, so I was really looking forward to watching this one. It’s definitely a trope I really like, especially when it’s done with a well-done age gap romance.

Lian & Kuea: I know Hia Lian was supposed to be cold and kind of emotionless, but it felt kind of overdone at times. Kuea was fun and rebellious yet decided to show a completely different self to Hia Lian. I can understand why he did what he did, he wanted to be the perfect person for the one he truly loved. He took that very seriously. I liked the initial conflict between the two of them, but as the story progressed, things got a bit repetitive at times. I feel like something that many failed to realize is that the only person Lian has to blame for the disaster that happened in episode 11 is himself. He knew all about Kuea’s true self, yet he kept quiet about it. Understandable, he was giving his boy the chance to confess on his own. But because Kuea still thought that Lian doesn’t know who he is, his reaction was the only correct reaction he should have.

Yi & Diao: Diao is a cutie pie as well. He is a bit too clueless at times, but he is ana amazing friend to Kuea. Even if that means getting dragged into his schemes. Yi is another tight-lipped man. I see a pattern here. I do think the two of them are cute together, but Yi felt extremely controlling at times. Like the whole curfew thing. Diao is an adult; he should be allowed to make such decisions for himself. When he is or isn’t Yi’s boyfriend. It just didn’t sit well with me. It felt like a parent – child relationship at times instead of the pinning-after-each-other kind of relationship.

Nuer & Syn: The two of them are so adorable! The way Syn would not admit his feelings for Nuer throughout the series was kind of fun. He kept insisting that Nuer makes him mad, yet he could never take his eyes off him. And Nuer knew what buttons to push. I am certain that he was never actually interested in Kuea, he saw him as a potential friend. His focus was always on Syn. And their kiss scene? It was so sweet!

Saying that the chemistry between the actors is amazing is an understatement. They all seem very relaxed around each other, and I feel like we can see that through the way they interact in the series as well. The OST was done really well, I wouldn’t expect anything less considering the fact that Kuea is a musician. Nunew’s voice is incredible soothing. And the songs they used really fit the storyline well. They carry a lot of meaning too. Change made me shed some tears. Nunew delivered this one so well. I think I am not the only one that could feel Kuea’s pain through the song.

However, there were some not so great things. The first being the first kiss of Lian and Kuea. It was a great kissing scene, don’t get me wrong, but the fact Kuea was incredibly drunk didn’t sit well with me. Also, the fact that both Kuea and Diao are terrified of their partners is not fun. If anything, it should be concerning. I feel like we don’t get enough backstory on a lot of things, which makes it difficult to put certain things into perspective. But my biggest pet peeve was the lack of communication between both Lian & Kuea and Yi & Diao. Do you know how much better things could be much earlier on if they just talked? I know that lack of communication tends to be a favorite plot maker in BL series, but there is such thing as it being too much.

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Cute and fluffy conclusion

Looking at it from a story perspective, nothing much actually happened. And that’s okay. It was a special episode meant to solely show some cute and fluffy moments between the two couples and their interactions between each other. I especially enjoyed the Kluen and Fah moments – I know they say they don’t like each other much, but I think the two have become much closer than they would ever admit. They radiate sibling energy, and I am here for it. Prince and Dao are two cuties, especially when put together. But they have the power in their relationships. I think that’s especially obvious in the way Prince keeps Fah in line when it comes to Kluen. All in all, it was an adorable little episode that showed how the two couples have settled in life after their series ended.

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But know that when it comes to love, I know nothing.

The chemistry between JoongDunk is through the roof! Before we even get a few minutes into the first episode, the two of them are giving each other love eyes. I think they both did an amazing job portraying their characters’ emotions. Even though Kluen (Joong’s character) does appear a bit cold at times, he shows a lot through his eyes.

Their friends are probably the most supportive and patient group of people ever. Kluen and Dao keep going around in circles when it comes to their feelings and relationship. I can’t even imagine the amount of times the rest of the boys got to hear them moaning about their emotions. And yet they never ignore them. They are full of suggestions, some more helpful than others, but they never discourage Kluen and Dao. And the fact that Dao’s brother and Kluen’s mother probably know everything about the two is adorable!

Kluen & Dao: I am a sucker for second chance romances. As well as the right person at the wrong time plots. I feel like the story of Kluen and Dao is both of those and I was definitely here for that. Kluen is aware that he absolutely sucks at talking about his emotions, so hearing him tell that to Dao was really nice. I don’t think Kluen is cold or arrogant, but I do think he is more of an introvert. He has one close friend, Noel, and he is not one who really enjoys participating in events or meeting new people. This also might tie into the fact that he finds it hard to express his emotions to others. Dao is a bit more of a social butterfly. He can be shy, don’t get me wrong, but I think he finds it easier to make friends and there is something about him that makes people comfortable around him. I really think that the two are a good match for each other.

Let’s talk about Typhoon. I really hope he gets his happy ending at some point (Our sky 2, I am looking at you). He is a genuinely good person who wishes happiness for the ones he cares about, even if it means he is not the source of their happiness. He had his moments, I admit that, but he is still a character I really enjoyed watching. The fact he didn’t get into a relationship right away also speaks volumes about his character. He is not looking for a rebound, he is looking for his perfect match. Which is a very mature thing to do. And the right one too.

The locations are beautiful. The OST has this soft sound to it that I really enjoyed as well.

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When the main couple is the least likeable one...

The plot is nothing special. It goes through all of the usual BL cliches, including the engineering students. Cliches are not always a bad thing, but they need to be done well, and they need to be good. Which I don’t think they were. I also feel like the pacing of the series was too slow and very repetitive.

I did like some of the couples. The acting was better in some parts and not so great in others. I was not really bothered by the fact that Mek was actually dubbed. I need to read the subtitles either way, so I didn’t have the time to stress about the fact that his mouth moves differently from what is spoken. I don’t know why some people are so extremely bothered by that.

Bohn & Duen: they are my least favorite couple of the series. Which is a shame, seeing they are the main couple. It started off cute, I really enjoyed their first meeting. I mean, we can’t blame Duen for punching the stranger sticking their face close to his sleeping self. I’d punch him too. But things went downhill afterwards. I hate how Bohn treated Duen most of the time. The whole thing with Bohn fake sulking to manipulate Duen was annoying. Even more so as it was done multiple times. Don’t even get me started on the jealousy. Communication? We don’t know what that is. And the whole who is top and who bottom episode? Disaster that shouldn’t have been made. It’s full of very negative portrayal of gay men, especially those that prefer to be the bottom.

Mek & Boss: friends to lovers, what else can we wish for? I actually like how their story developed; it didn’t seem too rushed. The line between friendship and love is hard to cross, especially if it may mean losing the other person completely. The amount of suffering I went through watching Mek keep quiet about his feelings, and even helping Boss prepare for his date… Those were some heavy scenes for sure.

Ram & King: Yes, just yes. I was worried about how things would go as King seemed to be trying to get close to Ram only because he found his weirdness interesting. I was happy it wasn’t just that. I think the two of them had the best chemistry of all the couples in the series. They were adorable together, from the start to the end. And while verbal communication was not something Ram enjoys very much, I really like how they took this as an opportunity for the two of them to grasp each other’s non-verbal communication much better. King really understood Ram, even if he didn't say anything. And Ram pulling and pushing King around to get him to do what he wanted was cute.

Thara & Frong: I think we can all see the sparks fly between the two of them from the first meeting. I found both interesting, and I like how “fate” seemed to keep bringing the two of them together, giving them plenty opportunities to drive each other crazy. Thara seems to be a bit slow when it comes to love, but can we blame him?

The ending was… meh. Kind of anticlimactic. A lot of things were left open and unfisnished, as they were planning for season 2. It’s been 3 years since the series aired and there has not been any confirmation. Which sucks because it means a lot is just left in the air. I wish we would have gotten a few more conclusions, at least semi-conclusions.

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It was like watching two different series

Where to even begin? The trailer looked extremely promising. It was messy, but it looked like the good kind of messy, you know? I love a good enemies to lovers story, the chemistry was amazing in the trailer already, so I was really looking forward to it.

To start with the good, I am absolutely in love with the OST. I think it fits the series really nicely, I absolutely love the rhythm of it too. I only later learned that Jeff Satur was the composer of it. And to be honest, Jeff never misses when it comes to music. Plus, Isbanky’s voice is absolutely amazing!

Another thing that I really liked were the colors of the series. I really like how they used red in many scenes. Red is the color of anger, hate, love and lust. All of those do fit the relationship between Mangkorn and Yai. The two of them start with hating each other, which soon reaches the peak in lust before developing into love. We often see Mangkorn (and later Yai) wearing red in the scenes that portray any of those emotions, lighting tends to be red in those scenes as well. I think it was a really nice touch.

The chemistry between MosBank is out of this world! I swear you can see the sparks fly whenever the two of them look at each other. They are also incredibly good at showing emotions through their looks and touches.

I found the two bodyguards, Phong and Park, absolutely adorable. They can appear a bit clueless and easy to be talked into doing silly things, but they are just trying their best. I also think that giving the two pink and blue as their colors was super cute.

Now, to the not so good parts. The whole storyline was a mess. It started really promising, but I feel like I was watching two different stories. The first 2-3 episodes seemed quite intense, there was a BDSM aspect to their relationship, a lot of pent-up emotions, angst… it appeared like the series will be messy in the way I like it. And then suddenly, the two are together, being all lovey-dovey, throwing a bunch of extra love-interests into the picture. I feel like they tried to cram in too much for a series that only had 8 episodes. It made things seem rushed and not making much sense.

But what I hated the most was their first time together and everything that followed. There was absolutely nothing consensual about it. First off, Yai drugging Mangkorn and planning to sleep with him for revenge and filming it? That is wrong on so many levels. But Mangkorn apparently saw through that and switched their drinks, so now it was Yai that was drugged and Mangkorn the one that took things to another level. Also, the whole sex tape thing… no, just no. That’s not something you do. Like film yourself if that’s what gets you off, but it’s meant for your eyes only and not as a way to control or blackmail the other person. And later saying that it was all done in the name of love. That’s a toxic image of love right there. You do not hurt the person you love, and you do not take advantage of them in such way.

The ending was a bit disappointing. It teased the second season and some more complications for Mangkorn and Yai. I hate the fact I will probably end up watching it too because I want to know what happens next. I really hope the plot part improves going forward.

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How about we fall for each other?

So the whole multiverse thing seemed kind of intriguing, but I admit I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. The story is really interesting, I love how different all the characters that switch bodies are and how hard Talay and Puen are trying to live the best lives for Tess and Pakorn for when they return. The little detail that Puen and Talay met in their own universe before they travelled to the other was cute.

Puen & Talay: At first I felt kind of annoyed that Puen refused to tell Talay his real name, but as the story progressed, that became something I really loved. Puen is used to people using him, trying to get to him because of his fame, and while Talay might be the only person in the other universe that he really gets close to, he is held captive by his fear. I like that Talay doesn’t pressure him about it too much. Instead, the two fall for each other because of who they are on the inside, not because of their looks or status. The struggle between wanting and not wanting to go back, missing the universe they are not currently in… those were really played nicely into the whole story and they made a lot of sense.

I think Jimmy and Sea have an amazing chemistry. They show a lot through a single look or expression. Another thing I absolutely loved is the fact that whenever Puen was about to kiss Talay, Jimmy would put his whole arm around Sea’s neck. I don’t know why, but I found that really endearing.

The series is also full of nods to other iconic GMMTV series and actors. We got plenty cameos from other artists, e.g. Mix, Tay Tawan, Gun, Perth, Milk, Love, etc. And giving Nanon and Ohm the roles of Pakorn and Tess was brilliant, especially because there are certain scenes that really made us draw parallels with Bad Buddy.

Another thing that I cannot skip are the colors. Talay being a colorist played a major role in the whole series. Each episode is named by a color shade. And we can really see a lot of the said color in each episode, not only in their clothing, light and décor, but often the scenes had a tint of the said color. I think that was done brilliantly, not that I expected anything less. It really made me appreciate the role a colorist plays in making a series or a movie.

I do wish we could see more of what Tess and Pakorn did while they were living the lives of Talay and Puen, but at the same time I think that not knowing everything and just getting to hear / see small parts about it makes a lot of sense. We travelled to the other universe with Talay and Puen, the two had no knowledge about what went on in their own universe, and I think they wanted us to feel as lost and as confused as they did.

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MorkPi ship situation made me both happy and mad

I think this is the funniest BL series I have watched up to date! The dramatics played into the comedic aspect a lot as well, and it was enjoyable to watch. I do admit it felt a bit too much at times, but at the same time, I didn’t really mind it. The plot is your basic love triangle (maybe love square), ugly duckling, university story. There are no major surprises about that, but I am someone who does not mind a well-done cliché. Even if I have seen the same plot about a thousand times before.

I really loved the Kitty Gang. They were absolutely amazing! The way they adopted Pi into their group, no questions asked. They were incredibly supportive of each other, mandatory teasing and playful competitiveness included, and how non-judgmental they were. Also, yay for James (Satang) having his nails painted black. Might be just me, but I find nail polish on men (black or not) extremely attractive. And I don’t think I have seen this in other series. I would know if I did, it’s one of the first things I notice about a person.

I think one the best characters was Mueang Nan. I love it when characters (and people) don’t give others false hope. You don’t have to sugarcoat things and leave the other one hoping for a chance. If you know you do not like someone, you are not being rude by saying so – politely and respectfully. Which is what he did.

Duean & Meen: dare I say I liked this side couple more than the actual couple? I really liked how their story was added in almost as a separate series with a special narrator and making the screen smaller when it was about them. I like how their relationship developed, especially with Duean being 4-5 years older and referring to Meen as a kid when things got a bit wild. When you love someone, you want to change yourself and not them. I feel like truer words couldn’t be spoken for this pair, especially for Duean.

Mork & Pi: I can really understand Pi and his reluctance to be in a public relationship with Mork. He is used to never being good enough, never being fully accepted for who he is. He expresses this fear of not being good enough, of not being strong enough to deal with the public in the series as well. I must admit that Mork is a character I do not like very much. He never really stood up for Pi, and no matter how much he was saying he understands Pi and his emotions, he was constantly putting pressure on him. And I feel like whenever Pi expressed his worries, he was never taken seriously by Mork, which did not sit well with me. Also, Mork was extremely pushy when it came to him wanting a relationship with Pi. And while this is an extremely popular trope in stories, it is kind of obsessive and stalker-like behavior that should not be encouraged.

This whole MorkPi situation brings me to something I am both happy and mad about – the shipping in the series. I think it is incredibly important that we saw how shipping can affect someone, how unsafe it can make them feel. I was really impressed with Pi being assertive enough to be able to say that out loud. However, I was less than impressed with how the situation was handled going forward. The shipping didn’t stop, it just kind of spread to different pairings with the shippers not learning a single thing about it. Even if one of them showed understanding towards Pi’s concerns, the understanding didn’t seem to last long. Even worse was the fact that Mork completely ignored Pi’s uneasiness on the topic.

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