THE FADING OF THE DAY INTO TWILIGHT IS NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING OF LIFE AND LOVE

'Last Twilight' is a coming-of-age story of self-discovery that will surprise and excite you through the two young protagonists, played by Jitaraphol Potiwihok (Jimmy) as Mork, and Tawinan Anukoolprasert (Sea) as Day, whom we have already seen leading the cast artistic of “Viceversa” and “Our Skyy 2”. With this, their third leading role, the young actors seek to consolidate themselves as a ship within GMM25.
Written and directed by Noppharnach Chaiwimol (Aof), renowned director, screenwriter, producer and actor who has dramas such as 'My School Presidente' and 'Moonlight Chicken', both from 2023, among others, presents us with a story that not only seeks to make LGBTQ+ people visible, but also seeks to represent blind and visually impaired people, as well as the reintegration of the individual into society after spending time in prison.
Has Aof realized the dramatic potential of blindness and visual impairment to bring us a story on the subject? The social image of blind people has gone through different phases and, to a certain extent, has overcome the usual negative and stereotypical attitudes. Television is also responsible for the perceived public image of disability. Therefore, the representation of blind people in television programs contributes to the general perception that society has of this group.
Will it be Day's destiny to inspire pity, compassion and marginalization? Will the story focus on his struggle to overcome his limitations? Will the series revolve around the facet of his rehabilitation from a hopeful perspective? Is it intended to offer the image of a person who rehabilitates himself and lives a life that tries to get closer to the most normal that his circumstances allow? Will a story prevail in which the blind character seeks social integration? How to make a story with these characteristics, when in current filmography it is rare to see the person with a disability like any other person? Isn't it due to the fact that audiovisual productions show disability as a medical issue rather than from a social perspective? How to succeed in the process?
Aof has drawn on the changes produced in the way visual disability is represented in film and television. He also knows how society has evolved in its understanding of disability.
Taking all of the above into account, it would be appropriate to ask ourselves: to what extent does the series portray a blind character from a positive perspective? To what extent does it represent, and therefore promote, the progressive inclusion of visually impaired people in society? Is one of the purposes of 'Last Twilight' to contribute to enhancing the general perception that society has of disability? Does Day have a fully developed personality or is her character fundamentally defined by her disability? Does the series reflect Day's character as a unique and distinctive personality or is his disability the main focus of the plot? Is Day's personality unique because his character expresses the desire for independence and not wanting to be pitied?
What is Day's level of inclusion in the community? (considering that this includes areas such as inclusive education, employment, residential environment, community participation, recreation and social activities). What are Day's interpersonal relationships like with the people around him? Will your character move away from the stereotypes with which the visually impaired have been reflected in film and television?
TECHNICAL-ARTISTIC ASSESSMENT
Aof makes a triumphant return behind the cameras to create an entertaining product that had a sufficient dose of credibility in its cast for this plot to revolve between cold and warmth, between detachment and tenderness, suffering and illusion, discouragement. and optimism, darkness and light, although the viewer can, at times, decipher the story for themselves, including the final twist. I don't even doubt that this is one of the reasons why 'Last Twilight' is watchable and enjoyable. It is in its own way dreamy, in its own way hopeful, thanks to Jimmy and Sea's chemistry and the questions it seeks to answer.
With a pair of irresistible protagonists and a straightforward love-overcomes-adversity story, 'Last Twilight' hits the spot for the BL fan market. Others will also be able to enjoy it. Aof tries to fight for the desire that his work show a universal feeling, that knows no genres, and is close to anyone.
Although present, sex is not the mainstay of the relationship. Instead, Aof highlights looks, words, silences, gestures as a connection of feelings. In this sense, the series moves away from a common cliché in gay-themed cinema, which rarely seems concerned with delving into the emotions of its characters from a perspective that does not necessarily imply an immediate sexual attraction.
Without superficialities or exaggerated fuss, 'Last Twilight' tells a romance without causing discomfort and trying to find a universality that brings it closer to a majority audience. The series will touch the hearts of many people because it comes with a suggestive and different narrative when we talk about love stories and gender issues.
The mixture of captivating fiery and total trust between the two men is represented in the photograph, totally serene and at the same time always active, but very subjective.
There is no doubt: the public is faced with an irrefutable fairy tale that can win many followers due to the lyrical way of capturing the concerns of youth. Its episodic rhythm allows us to easily access this story about identity and sacrifices, about breakups and reunions, about pain and hopes.
The series cleverly emphasizes the sensual aspects of a coming-of-age story. Strokes of humor, tearfulness, self-improvement, sacrifice and fantasy give a welcome texture to the softness of the romantic novel. Audiovisual in general works despite its formulaic layout and loose ends.
This ambitious series, well shot, without shame, manages to maintain the charm of a plot made to please lovers of the genre. Premiered on November 10, 2023, the entertainment production company is committed to continuing to be a pioneer and leader in the creation of BL series, both originals and adaptations, with 'Last Twilight'.
Also in its good work with the cast, in addition to the aforementioned leading actors, Aof has other well-known faces in the company, such as Tipnaree Weerawatnodom (Namtan), as Phojai, Mohk's ex-girlfriend and friend; Pakin Kunaanuwit (Mark), as Nigh, Day's brother; Premsinee Ratanasopa (Cream), as Ramon, Day's mother; Thipakorn Thitathan (Ohm), as August, Day's sports partner and first love interest; Rachanun Mahawan (Film), as Gee, Day's friend and badminton partner, Kunchanuj Kengkarnka (Kun), as On, Day's friend and also a blind person, among others.
The series follows the love story of a young athlete who has lost his sight after suffering a traffic accident, and his caregiver. When Mhok, burdened by debt, agrees to be the caretaker of a blind boy named Day, they will both know true love. The two characters maintain a complex relationship, since each one is tied to a problematic reality.
The protagonists of this youth drama that promises and at times declines with a predictable course of events, brim with charisma. The story, which could have been told better, has plenty of heart. I would criticize him for saying that he is rich and he is poor, because to political correctness it would seem like just another melodrama.
Not exempt from melodramatic clichés, the program is original. Its director avoids the pitfalls of the typical audiovisual production of homosexual initiation, and presents us with a beautiful and tender story that will inevitably make you fall in love. Mohk and Day's relationship demonstrates that many people in the LGBT+ community are united by their sexuality, but they are also united by love, and it is a love that they have fought for and won.
Playing on the series' title and the name of one of its two protagonists, contrary to the fading of day into twilight, the effervescent nature of young love is deftly captured in 'Last Twilight'.

PLOT
Day, a player on the Thai national youth badminton team, has begun to lose his sight after suffering a traffic accident. Faced with the impossibility of having a normal life, he accepts Mohk as his caregiver because he senses that Mohk does not feel sorry for him. As the young people begin to get to know each other and get closer, Day will know that in approximately 180 days he will lose his vision completely.
Day considers that his disability represents a burden on his family and society, as he is unable to take care of himself. Hence the need to have care personnel and supervision by a psychic. He believes himself incapable of living a successful life. That is why he permanently abandons his studies and sports, and withdraws from his friends, from whom he hides his blindness.
Day has been rejecting all of his previous caregivers, because he does not want a person by his side who treats him like a sick person and feels sorry for him. After losing much of his vision and thus his autonomy, Day begins to treat everyone with disdain and turns his warm and kind personality into a colder and more distant one. He practically lives locked in his room and maintains contact only with his mother, on whom he is very dependent, his brother and his friend On. He blames Night for the tragedy he experiences. He will meet his father, as he divorced his mother when Day was still a child and was raised without his father's presence.
“I don't know what he looks like, all I know is that Mohk is the only one who doesn't feel sorry for me. “It doesn't make me feel like a disabled person,” says the character played by Sea to those close to him, while Mohk reads him the novel that gives the series its title and they strengthen ties.
That's why Day opts for the mechanic who was involved in a fight and just got out of jail after serving a one-year sentence for a misdemeanor. He will hide the fact that he has a criminal record and that is why he cannot find work in his profession.
Mohk will understand the challenges that a blind person faces.
This is how Mohk will initially become Day's mentor, guide and protector. He understands, like no other person around him, his need to relate to the physical and social world. It teaches you techniques to orient yourself and move in space, as well as to acquire habits of personal autonomy. His primary priority is for Day to know and accept his visual situation. For this, communication and complicity between the two is vital. He judges that Day needs empathy from his peers, above all.
His eyes are going to be Day's eyes. Your voice gives you confidence. Mohk will be in charge of creating soundscapes that will allow Day to imagine the world around him. Their hands, intertwined or attached to the rope as they run, create an imperceptible route that Day automatically makes his own.
Mohk is the first to discover that he is in love, but he keeps his love a secret. Some of the reasons why Day may feel insecure about himself will be the same reasons why Mohk begins to love him.
This relationship will be tested when August, Day's friend, reappears and enters his life once again. The dormant feelings are reborn and Day will confess to Mohk that he has had feelings for his sports partner for a long time. Initially, the caretaker will help Day chase August, but August will end up recognizing that he sees Day as just a friend.
That's when Mohk will confess his love, but Day is still heartbroken. It needs time to heal. The bonds between the two protagonists will continue to strengthen as one cares and the other grows as a person, until Day finally opens up to love. Physical attraction will soon turn into a deeper emotional bond.
From two different worlds, although, at first glance, they do not seem to be the most suitable person for each other, little by little they will get along until they forge a friendship as solid as it is unexpected. This will give way to an unusual love relationship that makes sparks fly and light up the night.
Mohk would become to Day the same as the rose to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's little prince: although it resembles the other roses in every way, his rose is unique because he has chosen it. And like the fox in that novel, it will allow itself to be “tamed” by its caretaker. Mohk will take responsibility for what he has tamed, while Day will take responsibility for his rose. The strategy used will be the same one proposed by the fox. They will sit on the floor at first a little far from each other. They will look at each other out of the corner of their eyes and say nothing. But every day they will be able to sit a little closer...
By domesticating it, then, they need each other. Mohk will be unique to Day, while Day will be unique in the world to Mohk. This is how Day will come to understand that happiness must be understood as a reward and not as an end. As the main character in 'The Little Prince', Day will understand that no one is ever happy where they are.
Mohk will be someone capable of taking care of everyone, not just Day. She recovers her sister's car, her only legacy when she died, and defends Pohjai from her abusive boyfriend and gives her shelter in her house. He will take care of her unborn child. Meanwhile, he will find work as a chef to prove that he can protect Day. Pohjai will become an accomplice in the passion shared by these two boys.
For Mohk there will only be one situation in which he feels unable to help his lover: he cannot save Day from completely losing her vision. Day will compensate, if it can be said that way, for his dedication and love, choosing his face as the last thing he sees before being totally blind. Mohk will cry out of rage and helplessness at not being able to help him under these circumstances. However, their destinies will be inextricably linked forever.
The trite phrase “love at first sight” has no place in the relationship between the mechanic turned caregiver and the blind athlete. In matters of love, the first has more experiences, while the second is a self-conscious person because, on the one hand, he has never been able to see the face of the boy he loves, and on the other, this is his first love experience, which he would have to add that the same is with a man.
The two characters are totally different, but that won't stop them from loving each other. In addition to the differences in social classes, one of them is still suffering from disappointment in love, while the other, a heterosexual boy who is very popular with women, is not happy because he has not been able to find the right person. They both need to regain the strength of love.
As they find love in each other, Day also gains independence, gaining self-confidence. That pathetic and pitiful person who believed that because of his disability he would be incapable of living a successful life, ceases to exist. In other words, stop being your own worst enemy. Smile again. Little by little, his bitterness will give way to joy and the desire to see all the sunrises.
But Day will face a dilemma: would he allow a beloved, free-spirited person like Mohk to end up tied to a disabled person? Was I being selfish? Wouldn't the right thing be to let him go so he can live his life without a burden like he is? “You want to push me aside even knowing that I love you. Grab your dreams and live them with me. Don't let them survive us,” is the message from Mohk, who sadly sees how the boy he loves abandons him. Will they travel different paths? Will the same love separate them? Will Day understand the meaning of the phrase “What is essential is invisible to the eye,” said by the fox to the little prince?

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Two soulmates condemned to suffering and oblivion

Imagine that you are completely happy with your partner, that you have built a common past with all the patience and complicity imaginable. Imagine that the myth of the better half has come true, the Japanese legend that assures us that there is someone linked to us by a red thread. Imagine that you finally found someone who was born to complement you.
Imagine that he is the only person on the planet who will understand you like no one has ever understood you, with whom you will merge in a love as deep as it is unimaginable. Imagine that you cannot conceive of a future apart, with a fence only between your house and that of the boy you have loved since adolescence, plans made, mutual friends. All perfect. However, one day a sad family secret that they both are unaware of catches up with them and turns everything upside down. Imagine that two soul mates are condemned to suffering and oblivion.
This is the premise of Regal Entertainment Inc.'s 2020 Filipino boy love (BL) romantic drama 'Ben .
Set in a period marked by the pandemic caused by Covid-19, the series follows the story of neighbors and childhood friends Ben and Jim, who lose contact after Jim moves to another city with his father after her mother's death.
Today, after 8 years, due to the restrictions generated by the new coronavirus, Jim will return to spend quarantine with his grandmother, Elma Magtibay (Christina Simon). In this way, friends reconnect and restart their friendship where they left off.
When two soul mates meet or are reunited, as is the case, a whirlwind of emotions and experiences are generated that serve as a sign of the undeniable connection that exists between them.
During that time, they had both lost contact and it is through his best friend, Flo (Kat Galang), that Ben realizes that Jim is a popular young man on social media. As the two friends reconnect their lives, Ben, the dumb boy who is insecure about himself and life, but more open about his sexuality, reveals to Jim that he is gay.
Jim, the sincere young man with the warm smile, is surprised at first. The strange discomfort between the two is evident. But soon Jim reacts and reassures him: "I'll support you in whatever makes you happy. I'll be there, like a friend."
But what Jim doesn't know is that Ben has been in love with him since his teenage years, and wants to be more than just "best friends."
The first season, told from Ben's point of view, begins with this young man narrating, euphorically, how Jim's return can mean that the two friends restart their friendship at the same point where they left it 8 years ago. From his prism, the series is dedicated to exploring how the relationship blossomed and how it withered.
Just as Ben and Jim begin to enjoy their courtship, the former's mother tells him a secret about his father that could affect Jim's confidence if he knew the truth. At the same time, her abusive ex-boyfriend also returns. Ben decides to break up with Jim without giving him any reason almost at the same time that Jim publicly confesses his love for Ben.
In histrionic terms, not everything is hunky-dory. The group of the most notable performers of the series is joined by Sarah Edwards in the role of Yana, Jim's girlfriend, with a performance lacking depth, and Ben's ex-boyfriend, Leo Portugués, is assumed from the most complete physical extremity. by Johannes Rissler.
Sticking to the rules of romantic drama, we have in 'BXJ' the character archetypes one can expect: the supportive best friend, Flo, and the respective third parties, Yana and Olan (Ronald Martin Angeles), the courier service boy. Their characterizations seem like stuffy formulas that fail to add interesting layers to the main story. The latter two fill the sad "broken people meet" role, and even with her own love life in the second season, Flo ends up stuck in the role of Ben and Jim's third wheel.
Starting from these central characters and situations, without deviating too much from the protagonists, the plot fully complies with some of the canonical rules of television melodrama, and is filled with secrets from the past, violent ex-boyfriends who return, the admirer, health mentality, the family history, the tumultuous relationship between father and son, jealousy, revenge, a layer of machismo and misogyny that in this case barely reaches the thickness of other Filipino series, in addition to other dominant elements, such as the relationship crisis, the fidelity, commitment, uncertainty, the emergence of the most devastating routine, couple experiments, and the challenges that come with being queer in today's world.
It validates the cinematographic staging with insistent and expressive camera movements and intelligent use of scenery and locations.
At this point, I must express my discomfort about the convenience with which Jim confesses his love for Ben in the sense that he goes from being a young heterosexual to being homosexual in an unconvincing and overly convenient way.
Easy Ferrer, director and screenwriter of the series, doesn't even try to put his narrative hero through that harrowing process of discovery and acceptance in slow-burn mode. This "transition" occurs too quickly, as something spontaneous and lacking in organicity.
Nor is it convincing that two such close friends would lose touch in this era of social media. After all, Jim was Ben's first love. How is it possible that they didn't exchange phones or follow each other in the digital world?
On the other hand, the way Ben literally forces Jim to fall in love with him is forced.
Ben's character is presented as someone who simply uses Jim for his own convenience. Ben knows his friend is straight, so making him feel bad about his sexuality is wrong. And similarly, it very conveniently turns out that Jim breaks up with his girlfriend.
The character played by Jerome Ponce can be a little inconsistent at times, especially when it comes to his feelings and emotions: Jim only treats Ben as his best friend, but there are many times where Jim's actions and words towards Ben hint the possibility of something more, such as calling him "wife", the furtive glances he periodically lavishes on him, saying that he will protect him or wanting to hug him and wanting to sleep next to him frequently.
The series revolves on the basis of friends to lovers. However, the story tends to become overly complicated or vary in intensity at times when we lose focus on the main characters. The narrative begins to lose cohesion in the first season due to the incorporation of new characters and conflicts, and the viewer loses sight of the main plot.
This situation is not resolved in the second season. Quite the contrary, it is exacerbated, with the introduction of even more secondary characters and subplots that contribute little or nothing to the main story.
With underdeveloped events, plots, and characters, some stories are also messy or inorganic.

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Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko 2024 (English title: A World Where Everything Definitely Becomes BL vs. the Man Who Definitely Doesn't Want to be in a BL 3 / (絶対BLになる世界VS絶対BLになりたくない男) by Konkichi (紺吉)), continues the story of Mob (Inukai Atsuhiro), the young university student who lived a monotonous but quiet existence until he discovers the true reality of his existence: he is a secondary character in a Boy's Love manga.
From that moment on, he decides to dedicate all his energy to fighting against that reality, to preserve his heterosexuality at any price and not to let himself be carried away by the seductive reality in which he lives... until he falls in love with a boy, Kikuchi (Asahi Itō). , who rejects him just at the moment when our protagonist declares his love for him.
Directed by Ryuichi Honda and Tatsuya Aoki, and scripts written by Izumi Kawasaki, the series has two previous seasons: the first, premiered on TV Asahi in March 2021, and the second broadcast in March 2022.
Erina Koyama returns to take charge of the music. Meanwhile, the seven-member dance vocal group GENIC performs the theme song: "New Game!!".
The drama is not exactly a BL series but a parody of the genre, celebrating and subverting the most common Boys Love tropes.
Will the protagonist manage to fall in love? Will Kikuchi return to Mob's life, after rejecting him to return to Igarashi, her handsome boyfriend? Will Mob open his mind again after the initial setback and finally find love in a boy? Will Mob prefer to continue being a supporting character? Will he let the other couples, including his brother Ayato and his boyfriend Toujou, be the center of attention while he chooses to stay out of it? Will he decide to maintain his identity as a passerby or will he once again become the protagonist of the BL world?
The drama is a live-action adaptation of the manga series "Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko" (絶対BLになる世界VS絶対BLになりたくない男), created by Konkichi (紺吉) and initially released in November 2018 on pixiv Comic, and subsequently published by Shodensha's Feel Comics FC Jam label, currently reaching four compilation volumes.
In addition to the actors already mentioned, the cast is reinforced by Yūtarō Goto in the role of Ayato (excellent in the LGBT+ romantic comedy-drama 'Zenra Meshi'), playing the role of Mob's younger brother; Akihisa Shiono as Toujou, Ryō Sekoguchi as Hatano, Wada Hayate as Mayama, Yuya Tominaga as Jōji, a schoolmate of Mob, and many other Japanese actors and actresses.
The introduction of many secondary characters and guest artists, as well as irrelevant plots, which do not contribute much to the general approach, in order to keep the audience entertained, works against it. It is common practice in most series, but sometimes it gets twisted.
And here, to make matters worse, these gloating largely undermine the cohesion and coherence of the proposal. In fact, the creators did not hesitate to violate the initial conceptions of some secondary characters, in order to adapt them to the emerging needs of the narrative.
Let's hope that in this installment the shot is rectified and it manages to close with sufficiently attractive conclusions to sustain the expected adventures of the protagonist, which will surely be taken up in a later season.
However, the viewer has had to forgive many inconsistencies and more or less drastic or hasty solutions, of various characters and conflicts, and especially of the initial approach, since the series does not manage to fully embrace the madness of the original premise present in the sleeve. It is true that, for example, it manages to make fun of the BL topics contained in Konkichi's work, but the drama in all seasons has stayed with the most conventional ones and has left aside the truly ridiculous ones that would elevate the final result.
I am referring, for example, to everything related to attractive male ghosts that one can only get rid of by hiring the services of an exorcist (equally attractive, of course), something that also happens frequently to Mob in the manga, but It has not been incorporated into the series, and this has an impact on the story.
It is also regrettable that while the manga is made up of very short chapters that go to the essence of the main plot, in the series, despite the fact that each episode has an average duration of 25 minutes and is divided into two segments, it is not possible to the same effect of immediacy that it would have if they were a series of short sketches.
This season may hold surprises, associated with the fate of the character played by Inukai Atsuhiro, a charismatic and ductile actor who in moments of humor achieves hysterical reactions, exaggerated expressions and clownish gestures, but in moments of greater drama he reinvents himself in gesture and restraint.
If someone asked me: What's so special about the series? I would answer that I can't help but compare this one with the previous two seasons:
- A romantic drama that radiates a humorous vibe from the first season.
- A series that sacrifices its humor to show more romance and sentimentality in each installment.
- A comedy that draws attention for its exaggerated reactions and scenarios, such as Mob employing the strategy of "sacrificing" anyone who is nearby instead of being the new love interest or target of the young people in love who surround him and who try to win him over, or the frequent extravagant moments such as finding an attractive stranger unconscious on the street and suggesting that others take him home to recover, something that Mob admits happens to him several times a month and that always happens long wishing him that someone else would take care of the young man and that they would be happy together.
- A protagonist who gains maturity in each season, especially by abandoning his initial outright rejection of BL and gaining understanding of the loves between boys.
- Greater romantic interaction between the characters than in previous seasons.
-The idea of ​​Mob continuing to break the fourth wall.
- It offers a unique possibility of making the public enjoy a plot so absurd that it gives rise to a multitude of ridiculous and quite funny situations that mercilessly mock all the clichés and common places of mangas and BL series.
- Inukai Atsuhiro's solid performance and his extraordinary expressive force.
- The hope that the many supporting actors and guests will become more memorable characters by having greater developments in their personalities and backstory.

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On both sides of the mirror

Aksorn (Beck Pitchayutt Chatchawansombut) and Songjam (Parky Napavit Tewaphankul), in their respective first major roles in their acting credits, represent two young people who are fighting for the same cause: the pursuit of happiness and love, which is not only that of romantic love but also that of love for one's own identity.
Adapted from the web novel 'Memories in Letters' (ท ร ง จำ ใ น อั ก ษ ร), by Hungrybird, the eponymous Thai series of six episodes of about 35 minutes each, follows the love story of two young people in two different worlds and the miracles that come with it.
Playing on the series' title, Parky plays the character "Songjam," which means "Letter," while Beck plays "Aksorn," which translates to "Memories." The two protagonists quickly fall in love and treat each other with love and care, which makes the loneliness, the absence of the mother and suffering the intolerance of the father in one of the worlds make Aksorn's life happier. On their respective sides of the mirror, feelings will begin to grow between the two young people towards each other, while they discover their sexual orientation and identity.
With an extraordinary ability to guide the viewer's imagination, the script written by Nirattisai Ratphithak presents us with an adventure that mixes reality and fiction, which explores the world of parallel universes. This is a story with which any teenager and young person, and even older ones, will immediately identify.
The protagonist and main narrator, Aksorn, moves into a dormitory after being kicked out of the house by his authoritarian father, who does not accept that his son is a writer. In his new home, Aksorn forges a mysterious connection with a boy who lives inside the mirror in his room. From the first exchanges, both young people feel emotionally and physically attracted to each other.
Jinthaphat Sakkaen's photography contributes to the effort of telling a story set in an extraordinary reality that defies all logic following the romance between two young people. 'Memories in Letters' takes place in a surprising and unique environment, divided into two different worlds located opposite each other. The distance that separates both sides barely exceeds the width of a thin crystal, but the natural and physical conditions of each of the worlds make accessibility from one place to another extremely difficult. The boys can see each other, but not touch each other.
Aksorn is a university student of Literature who has lied to his father about the course he is studying at the university and who likes to read the work of Oscar Wilde in one of the two worlds that are on both sides of the mirror. His passionate nature is responsible for fueling his dreams of being a great writer. For his part, Songjam is a happy and smiling young student who likes to dance and listen to music in the opposite world to Aksorn.
One day, an online novel about two people from two different worlds who meet through a mirror becomes the fascination of readers. However, it turns out to be based on Aksorn's life. Who wrote this story? How did the writer learn about Aksorn's personal history? Is Songjam the author? Is there any way the two guys can meet in person? While the novel may be the only key that breaks the wall between Aksorn and Songjam, the mirror, the only obstacle that separates them, remains at the same time the only thing that unites them.
This romantic drama with a touch of fantasy is the first BL series from Studio Say-Yes.
As in every love triangle, in this story about coming of age, friendship, love, discovery and acceptance, a third character is missing, and this is Khiao, played by Atirut Kittipattana, the well-known actor, singer and presenter of news. The trio will travel together, on both sides of the mirror, and we will learn more about them and their past. But will it be a true and classic love triangle?
I am struck by how Beck's character offers an image of a gay teenager who, despite his youth and family trauma, has maturity when it comes to relating to others, and maintains a healthy relationship with those around him, something which is sometimes missing or failing in other series of the genre, as it is not written and represented as delicately and carefully as on this occasion.
Through a modern fairy tale, 'Memories in Letters' demonstrates the interest in making homosexuality visible during the adolescent-youth stage approached from everyday life, that is, without the characters experiencing it with drama or histrionics, as traditionally happened. Homosexuality as a trope is inserted not only in fictions aimed at a youth target or audience, but also in audiovisual content intended for adults, offering greater understanding to those who deal with adolescents, that is, family members, friends and those people in their school environment who participate in their personal and psychological development.
The musical themes "Crossing Paths", performed by Atirut Kittipattana and Parky Napavit Tewaphankul, and "Definition of Love", by Soravit Thitipawat, reinforce the action on the screen to tell this amazing story of love that overcomes all barriers and limits of its realities going beyond science and its properties, and that, in addition, demonstrates that with a low budget you can also work on the genre when there is passion and creativity for the story you want to tell.

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Just a week ago I wrote a post on MDL about this story. The text can still be read. At that moment I asked myself several questions: is this the story of a wounded boy looking for “revenge” after feeling betrayed by his girlfriend? Is it perhaps the story of an escort who unexpectedly falls in love with one of his potential clients? Has Third carefully chosen Pai or is it just a coincidence that it is this boy who accompanies him and not another? Then other questions would arise: Is the viewer facing a skillful and sexy game of cat and mouse while camping? Will it be the beginning of a tumultuous romantic relationship?
I must confess that the second part of the story completely changed the perception I initially had of the film. It has a terrible script and the performances leave a lot to be desired, but it has in its favor that it addresses prostitution, both male and female, an interesting topic that is little addressed in the context of BL series. The narrative is also unpredictable, since the viewer is not able to predict what will happen next. It is also worth noting the surprising twists with which they catch us from time to time.
Negative:
1- The retrospective flashback technique is used as an easy and “recurrent” resource. Its abuse means that at times the viewer does not know what the main plot is, whether what is told in so many flashbacks or the backstory. As a result, we have the main plot lose intensity and prominence in favor of the recurring memories of the two main characters.
2- Repetition of scenes in their entirety.
Movie summary (Contains spoiler):
Third is a young man who learns that his girlfriend, Ann, is dedicated, through a digital application, to being hired by women to work as a companion or scort. One day he follows her and discovers that her job also includes prostitution. Finally, Third finds out that Ann has set her eyes on a young woman, is in love and intends to start a lesbian relationship with her. Third and Ann ask to have a week apart to reevaluate their relationship.
For his part, Pai is a young man also dedicated to prostitution. In fact, his girlfriend has just broken up with him because she refused to accept him doing this job. He is reluctant to submit to his girlfriend's whims, claiming that if he depended on her he would become useless again. There is no doubt that prostitution is Pai's profession. At one point, he asks Third: “And if we want to say no when (clients) want to have sex, how do we compensate them in a way that makes them feel less bad and avoids bad reviews?”
Pai's proposal to his girlfriend is laughable, as he refuses to break up with her: “I will find a middle ground. I will stop holding hands with my clients. Just dinners, movies and walks. And I will also add a rule: do not touch any customers, especially women.”
Third hires Pai for three days to go into the woods to “watch birds,” but he really has ulterior motives. Third knows in advance that Pai works as an escort or “hand-holding” other men, that is, he is a man you pay to have sex with. And he also knows that the girl his girlfriend is having an affair with is none other than Prang, Pai's girlfriend. Third's goal is to trick Pai into following the two girls and exposing their infidelities.
When the time comes, Third confesses to Pai what his purposes are. Pai initially feels hurt because, on the one hand, he understands that he has been deceived by his girlfriend: while he demanded that she quit her job as an escort or she would break up with him if she did not comply with his requirements, she was having an affair with a woman. And on the other hand, Pai feels that he has been used by Third and is a pawn in his plan. Finally, they both surprise the girls by being unfaithful, they turn to each other for support between drinks of alcoholic beverages and they console each other.
Third is clear: He has no future with his girlfriend, with whom he is forced to break up. This is evidenced when Pai asks Third to make peace with his girlfriend, who he hasn't broken up with yet. And Third responds: “Do you want me to chase my girlfriend and make peace with a person who is in love with someone else?”
On the other hand, Ann confesses that she will stop prostituting herself for love of Prang. The love that the two girls feel for each other is palpable, so it is incomprehensible that, when they discover that they have been trapped by their boyfriends, they claim, between tears, that they have devised a plan to deceive them, offer apologies and hope to be forgiven. for them.
Could the two initial couples forget what happened and start over again when Prang and Ann love each other?
I also find it incomprehensible:
- Ann, who is a prostitute and therefore cheats on her boyfriend, when arguing with Prang about whether they should get back together with their respective boyfriends, tells him that she doesn't want to cheat on anyone or make anyone feel bad because of her. .
- Why, if the two girls love each other, do they ask to forget their relationship and return to their respective boyfriends?
- Was Ann's goal to make Third jealous, as Prang suggested?
- Third is okay with his girlfriend earning money from the dating app, but not being a prostitute?
-How could Prang know that Third would follow Ann into the forest and bring with him Pai, a person he didn't even know?
-How is it possible that the two girls devised a plan to deceive them based on information that it is impossible for them to have had when they planned to go camping?
Third accompanies Pai to the bus that will take him back to Bangkok. They say goodbye, they plan to follow each other on social networks, but at the last moment Pai gets out of the vehicle, returns to where Third is and confesses to having fallen in love with him in those days of tribulations. Third smiles as a sign that he too has fallen in love. At that moment a phone call comes in from Prang. They try to say something to them, but the call is cut off.
The ending allows us to see the emotions and feelings that overwhelm the two couples in their respective cars traveling to the capital. While the two boys talk animatedly, laughing and joking, Pai lovingly fixes the hair of Third, who is driving the car. I have no doubt that there is a future between the two. Love has won. For her part, an obviously upset Ann drives the car and Prang, also angry, tries unsuccessfully to establish telephone communication. They have lost in the game.
The director of the film, Jedi Suriyan Dangintawat, has also directed “I Wish You Love”, “Fake Love” and “Friends Forever”, stories that make up, along with others, the series “My Universe”. I have been able to see the last two. Refund Love is the only redeemable one, in my opinion, even though it lacks ambition (or taste, or subtlety, or class). Not even the sometimes pretended humor comes to compensate for its flaws.

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Disappointing because manipulative

When will BLs reflect the real diversity of the LGBT+ community in Thai society?

Something missing from 'To Be Continued' is a convincing explanation of why Ji has rejected Achi for over 10 years.
It is evident that while Achi fully accepts her sexuality, Ji hides it and does not want to acknowledge it. That's why he approaches a girl, but still doesn't decide to make her fall in love with him. It can't be any other way: he is gay. He hides his homosexuality and denies his love to the person he loves. He is a victim of internalized homophobia.
Ji knows his place in an inhospitable world, but he doesn't dare to position himself in it. Ji lives in a world built by and for the heterosexual man. He lives in a heteronormative society that still discriminates against homosexuals, harasses them, persecutes them and excludes them.
Ji, like the other members of the Thai LGBT community, is a man who lives surrounded by heterosexual stimuli everywhere. And everything that goes beyond the "normative" is viewed with suspicion and incomprehension and even hatred. Anyone who dares to feel differently runs the risk of being separated and excluded from the group. As an animal of habit, Ji is afraid of the unknown, he doesn't really know how to act when faced with what is different from him and those who are like him. That is why he chooses to sacrifice his love to try not to be attacked, cornered, ignored.
In series like 'The Promise' a boy hides being in love with his friend, but his decision not to confess his love is justified for fear of breaking the relationship between the two, but he also damages the friendship by putting distance for 10 years, which It is also excessive.
But that's not the point in 'To Be…'. Here the two boys are in love. And while one is open to the relationship, the other does not dare to take the next step. They are in a world and a society that prevents them from leaving the established rules. Going outside the norm has always implied social exclusion. They know each other and love each other. But out of fear Ji does not open himself to love. The series fails to be convincing about why two men who love each other and have no other impediment than the one indicated above, can declare their love and be together.
When will the creators of BL series stop being afraid to demonstrate in their works that love and feelings have no borders?
The question is that Thai BL series have not yet decided to address the reality of LGBT+ people in that country. Until now, BL dramas tell us two very different realities. Although the "positive representation" of relationships between male characters is celebrated, in the sense that they are no longer always synonymous with tragedy or come with a strong load of stereotypes, the genre of love dramas between boys does not show representations close to the Thai reality.
BL series generally focus on “young love,” omitting the realities faced by gay men in Thailand, who still do not have basic rights such as equal marriage. This leads many viewers to misunderstand that Thailand is a gay paradise. And that is not true.
Even homosexual romance dramas are broadcast with the intention of not disturbing "the tranquility and sleep" of the most conservative sectors of the country. The episodes of the BL series are broadcast on alternative platforms through smartphones and digital devices, in order not to interfere with the usual TV soap opera programming.
When will BL series come to reflect the real diversity of the LGBT+ community in Thai society? While dozens of BL series are produced and broadcast each year, stigma and discrimination against LGBT+ people continue to occur within society. When will the creators and directors of television channels understand that making homoaffective representations in BL series more nuanced and political could bring important and positive changes in a society that is beginning to observe its diversity through television creations?
Why do two young people of the same sex, like Ji and Achi, live 10 years of their lives apart, suffering, dying in life, despite loving each other? What prevents you from living a life together, as you wish? While Achi fully accepts her sexuality, Ji hides it and does not want to acknowledge it. And I answered myself: "The reason is that same-sex marriage is still not recognized in Thailand." And he argued that Ji is a victim of internalized homophobia. Ji represents one of those hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of young homosexuals in the world forced to hide their homosexuality to comply with what a conservative society with strong patriarchal and heteronormative traditions demands of them.
In the South Korean BL series 'Jazz for Two', broadcast in parallel with 'To Be Continued, three of its protagonists are also victims of internalized homophobia. Tae Yi, one of its main protagonists, is a victim of the discrimination, rejection or shame he feels towards his own sexual orientation or gender identity, living, like Ji, in a society that stigmatizes and represses sexual diversity.
But the creators of the Korean series did not hesitate or mince their words when addressing this complex and current topic. By exposing the reason why Tae Yi rejected Seo-Hun, the series put its finger on the sore spot and, in addition to making internalized homophobia visible and generating debate and reflection on this issue, it denounced a homophobic society. What courage on the part of the actors, the production team and the directors of the television channels, taking into account that South Korea, like Thailand, is a society in which, despite the fact that sexual activity between people of the same sex is Legal, Gay Marriage, Equal Marriage or Same-Sex Marriage or other forms of legal partnership are not available to same-sex couples.
To argue my point of view, I allow myself a spoiler: Towards the end of the series we will learn that Ji and Achi have suffered a voluntary separation for 10 years due to "a simple misunderstanding." Let no one justify that "they lacked communication or were very young." They are the same age as Tae Yi and the rest of the young high school students in the aforementioned South Korean series. How can "a simple misunderstanding" be credible as such a crude justification for the human suffering, represented in these two young people?
Ji and Achi did not lack communication or experience due to their young age. Ji and Achi lacked the courage of the creators to address sensitive topics, such as internalized homophobia and the homophobia itself present in Thai society.
Ji and Achi lacked the courage of the creators to denounce the harassment and discrimination suffered by real, flesh-and-blood gay youth depicted in Thai BL fiction.
Ji and Achi lacked the courage of the creators to criticize the discourse that seeks to suffocate minorities by stating that being homosexual is something abnormal and depraved.
Ji and Achi lacked the courage of the creators to propose to reflect on real and tangible issues that the members of the Thai LGBT+ community have suffered and suffer, who have been affected by that intrinsic message that society constantly sends you and that tells you that You are not normal, that there is something wrong with you and that you have to hide, make yourself invisible.
It is unfortunate and very questionable to witness how BL lovers set themselves up as censors in the face of reviews like this and, feeling attacked by a critical intellectual exercise and having no arguments to refute the author's approaches, they choose, through trivial arguments, to question the sincerity of someone who carries out a critical analysis with objective criteria, without being carried away by their own tastes or passions.

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In the smallest details there are hidden points to detect. Take a risk

The topic of drugs can be quite sensitive, and even more so when it comes to teenagers. Throughout its history, the seventh art has given us films that have marked generations for their delicate themes or strong scenes that narrate the horror of being tied to an addiction or the crime of making something as harmful as the drugs. Or, even worse, the danger it can represent for younger people.
Films such as 'Trainspotting' (Danny Boyle, 1996), 'Kids: Lost Lives' (Larry Clark, 1995), 'Requiem for a Dream' (Darren Aronofsky, 2000), 'Clímax' (Gaspar Noé , 2018), 'Beautiful Boy: you will always be my son' (Felix Van Groeningen, 2018), and others, address the issue of drugs, and other types of addictions, such as alcohol and violence in adolescence and early youth.
Although it is not exactly immersing us in the underworld of addicts, the Thai film 'Tell the World I Love You' tells a story of personal growth and exploration of romance between two different boys from two different worlds forced to overcome tough tests that will change their lives forever: Kheng (Bas Suradej Pinnirat), a young man who left his hometown to study in Bangkok, and Boang (Perth Tanapon Sukumpantanasan), a drug delivery man, who gets into trouble with a group of drug traffickers when he tries to leave of the same.
However, what Kheng expected to be a short period in the Thai capital before continuing his journey to China to search for his mother, whom he has not seen in many years, unexpectedly turns into an adventure full of action and chase, which does not lack romance, after meeting and falling in love with Boang.
Keng accidentally witnesses an attack by traffickers on Boang and helps him escape. Failing to eliminate Boang, they will send other pursuers after the two boys. As a result, Keng has to leave the home he shares with his friend Tai to live with Boang in a remote location while they hope to outwit those who seek to hunt them.
While being pursued by a gang of thugs led by Nick Kunathip, the two teenagers must overcome unexpected events that invite viewers to get involved and join, and they will face a test that will change their world forever.
In a desperate race for life in a world full of violence, drugs and crime, a story of friendship and love is born between the two teenagers.
'Tell the World I Love You' is one of those movies that does a good job of bringing together the lives of different people. We will witness the life stories of two boys who are different from each other, but who are equally similar.
The other three characters to be introduced are Tai (Net Siraphop Manithikhun), Kheng's friend, who is the same age and who offers Kheng a roof over his head to live in the Thai capital, and Hia Song (Songkran-Rangsan Panyaruen) and Nick (Nick Kunatip Pinpradab), two members of the gangster gang. The lifelines of these five people are about to merge in a way that will profoundly affect their existences.
With this film, which aims to tell us what Thai society is like and help change attitudes towards homosexuality and violence related to drug trafficking and consumption in Southeast Asia, its director, Poj Arnon, once again explores the love between people of the same sex and other social taboos in their country, but which are, without a doubt, topics as universal as life itself.
With dialogues full of meaning and a variety of emotions, its director once again tells a story of love, friendship, dreams and life with the same intensity with which he showed his skill in '18 Rain, Dangerous People' (2022), 'Friend ...I Love You (2007)' and 'Crazy', with which in 1996 he became known on the national and international film scene.
Not without reason Poj Arnon has suggested that the film is a mix of the first two films mentioned above: while '18 Rain, Dangerous People' takes the bitter and sad, 'Friend...I Love You' brings influences such as love that arises from being close to each other, including common points of revenge and a romantic relationship that surpasses friendship.
This romantic action drama film that reflects Thai society with a touch of the 90s of the last century, continues the filmography of a filmmaker who on multiple occasions has dealt with both the issue of homosexuality and drugs, crime and violence. Let us remember that Poj Arnon is the director of the film 'Bangkok Love Story', from 2007, which won him the Grand Prize at the Brussels International Independent Film Festival. With this film, the following year, he won the Best Screenplay award at the National Film Association of Thailand Awards.
Other works of his take up themes such as the school environment, transgender characters, AIDS, homosexual relationships, friendship, Drag Queen, drugs, violence, bullying, racism, sexuality or the discrimination to which members of the LGBTIQ+ community.
Among these, 'Go-Six' (2000) stands out, about a love triangle between a young man and two women, which caused a great scandal at the time due to the ambiguous sexuality of one of the female characters; 'Cheerleader Queens' (2003), about a group of teenage Thai transvestites, or kathoey, who become high school cheerleaders, or 'Spicy Beauty Queen of Bangkok', in which she once again portrays the kathoeys in a crime comedy , starring Winai Kraibutr as the leader of a gang of transvestite bank robbers, or 'Haunting Me', a horror comedy about three elderly kathoeys who fight ghosts in their apartment building.
The film was supposed to be released on February 14, 2021, but had to be postponed several times due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
With a script by the director himself, simple but raw photography by Tiwa Moeithaisong, and Giant Wave in the sound, the film presents situations so visceral and realistic that they generate in the viewer a feeling of repudiation and despair towards the world of drugs. , but also a story about personal improvement, love and hope, seen through a drug delivery man who intends to get out of drug trafficking and regain control of his existence, who will be accompanied on that trip by a stranger who entered unexpectedly. in his life and whom he will later love not only as a friend.
Dear reader, a director of Arnon's stature will not delight in making a film with a simple and uncomplicated story. The viewer has to be skilled and know how to detect that there are hidden points in the smallest details. Firstly, the film aims to 'tell' and reflect what is happening in Thai society.
Among these issues masked in a plot that aims to be seen as light and even superficial, is the struggle of the new generation to fulfill their frustrated and postponed dreams.
The aspirations of Thai adolescents and young people to build a future abroad and escape the sad political and socioeconomic situation in which they live are presented through Keng. He dreams of going to China to find his mother and continue his studies. To do this, he has set out to learn Chinese and pass the exam to obtain one of the scholarships. Even in the midst of the chase in which he will be dragged, there is no shortage of books, essential to achieve his goal.
Another veiled, but palpable theme in 'Tell the World...' is the systemic racism, discrimination and violence installed in that Southeast Asian nation towards members of the LGBTIQ+ community, reflected in the bullying and harassment suffered by Keng, who has have to face being bullied as a "transvestite" and sexually abused. But even defending oneself against homophobes, instead of achieving the goal of getting rid of barbarism, can make it grow even more. Keng is beaten and sexually assaulted and this will generate a psychological problem that will haunt him for life like a recurring nightmare.
Bas Suradej Pinnirat manages to convey to the audience the importance of this heavy burden that he carries on his shoulders through the internal struggle and difficulties that the character he plays must face daily in an intense and ruthless way.
One of the aspects of the film that we should not overlook is the illegality and danger that surrounds the world of drugs not only for those who consume it, but also the risk of early death or years of prison for those who use it. traffic. If it will be difficult, and even impossible, for a drug addict to get rid of the addiction, the trafficker also faces difficulties, even the loss of his life, if he wants to get away from trafficking these substances.
One day Boang feels that he needs to escape from the reality around him. He has seen the destruction of a family caused by drugs. He has recognized the pain of others caused by the illegal activity carried out by him. But by possessing secrets of people, organizations and complex and intertwined networks of drug production and distribution, they will see it as a danger and will try to eliminate it.
Perth Thanapon manages to expose before the cameras both the horrors of the industry and the emotions that overwhelm his character in an internal struggle to free himself from the nightmare in which he has lived.
And finally, we have the question of the romantic relationship between the two boys. Tai has feelings for Keng. He is a close friend who has cared for him and provided accommodation for two years. He has given him advice and helped him with his studies. She has protected him when he is harassed. But Khen doesn't have the same feelings towards him. To Keng, Tai is just a "dear friend."
Boang's entry into Keng's life, both of them escaping the dangers to which they have been exposed, working together to avoid dying, caring for each other in the midst of hardships, sharing what they own and being close to both of them. , especially in difficulties, but still know that “happiness does not matter how many times you smile. It depends on who you smile with”, will bring you together a bond that is stronger, deeper and indestructible than friendship.

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The boys whose names together are not the only thing that look good on them

Who has seen 'Hit Bite Love', the six-episode teen romantic drama released on Jinloe Media's YouTube channel in 2023, which tells the story of six boys from "Rose Garden College" who decide to break all taboos and learn the real truth about love...pain...and growth, don't you remember Burger and King, two of those teenagers?
Don't you remember those two classmates who one day, sitting at their desks next to each other, King, played by Newyear Nawaphat Thannamongkhonsawat, discovers that he forgot a book, so Burger, played by Jur Vasin Traiprakhong, tells him offer yours to share?
Have you already remembered? Of course. It couldn't be any other way, because you immediately connect with the story of these young people that starts from that precise moment, when King sees a drawing of himself in the book and mistakenly assumes that Burger likes it. After this, King finds happiness just thinking that he is loved by the boy who sits next to him and asks him out. However, he will soon discover that everything has been a misunderstanding, because Burger has no feelings for him.
But if in matters of the heart, misunderstandings have caused conflict and broken relationships, they have also brought love, happiness and hope. This is precisely what King finds when Burger enters his life and the two build an emotional connection.
Directed by Jakkaphong Pachara (Yuan), 'Firstly "Like" You' (ตกลงใครชอบก่อน), picks up the story to, through the eyes of Burger, the main narrator, delve into the relationship of the two young high school students .
Based on the entire footage of 'Hit Bite Love', which is just over five hours long, 'Firstly "Like" You' leaves aside everything related to the other two stories, that is, the love triangle between Ken , Shogun and Matteo, and the relationship of the stepbrothers Hida and Saint, to, in about 80 minutes, focus on the birth and evolution of the romance between the president of the school's drama club, and the student transferred to the famous college of high society.
By leaving out everything else, the drama is transformed into a comedy, which achieves a lot of acceptance among an audience that may have rejected the series for addressing topics such as toxic relationships and BDSM.
Bordering on a love triangle that is also not very interested in exploring in depth, the screenwriters Poy Orachat Brahmasreni and Chim Sedthawut Inboon expose in the narrative text themes such as love, adolescence, friendship, discovery, acceptance and personal growth, always in order to entertain, but also to make you reflect.
In this way, we will follow in the footsteps of the young boy with a silly, neurotic, enthusiastic and immature personality who, while he wants to join the drama club because he dreams of being an actor, will have to deal with the persecution of King, who is firmly convinced that his partner class is secretly in love with him.
Personally, I was amused by all of Burger's witticisms to get King away, because every time King approaches him, Burger gets nervous. Likewise, I enjoyed the close relationship between King and his mother, with whom the student has no reservations about confessing his most intimate secrets.
The audience will be able to enjoy how, based on the misunderstanding, King is the one who will be interested in approaching and pleasing Burger. It is pleasant to see how King, a responsible, mature and popular teenager, always surrounded by many girls interested in joining the club to be close to him, suddenly discovers his sexuality while experiencing a homosensual awakening.
'Firstly "Like" You' more than meets what is expected from a film of these characteristics. The keys are, mainly, its script, its aesthetics and its performances, because although the two protagonists have little experience and are only 16 years old during filming, their performances fit perfectly with the narrative style of the story.
Jur Vasin Traiprakhong takes the cake, for his grace, charisma and the way he handles the humorous scenes.
Another element to highlight is the music. Being the same as the series, the cast itself is the one who sings the songs that make up the film's soundtrack. In this way, we will enjoy Jur, Tae, Newyear, Pure, Bigboss, Vic and Alan, who perform "Hit Me Bite Me", a song composed by Alan Campana, and Vic and Tae singing "Oxigen", a song written and scored by Vic Vittawin Panichtamrong.
The photography, by Suchart Makhawimarn, contributes to making the story of two people who become friends and fall in love credible, despite being polar opposites.
Suriya Kaewkrong's editing achieves a fast and quite adequate narrative. However, flashbacks to scenes already presented could have been avoided.
Even so, it is regrettable that, seeking to visualize diversity on screens, the film portrays queer characters in a stereotypical way, due to their continuous screams and mood swings.
While it is true that Thai serial and film fiction with the presence of LGBT+ plots has experienced various changes since its appearance, going from an initial invisibility and stigmatization, in which the characters had to be presented as the opposite of what is morally acceptable in society , to a quantitative increase in these characters, and despite their decrease, traditional and recurring stereotypes continue to be used such as the effeminate LGBT+ character or transsexuals who, due to circumstances, act in a grotesque, exalted or tormented way due to their condition.
Despite the positive increase in the visibility of diverse sexual orientations and identities in BL series and films in this country, creators must take into account that a poor symbolic construction based on stereotypes reinforces not only the deformed social imaginaries about this minority, but the very identity of the collective.
This is even more important if we take into account the great socializing potential that the film and television industries have and the capacity for transnationalization that the distribution platforms of these entertainment products have achieved, as they can promote a distorted vision of this non-human group. only in the Thai national space, but also in the rest of the globe.
'Firstly "Like" You' reminds me of 'Kieta Hatsukoi', the 2021 Japanese teen and school Yaoi romantic comedy from the TV Asahi network, which tells how through a misunderstanding, Aoki, the high school student with a personality Brilliant and in love with Hashimoto Mio, the girl who sits next to him in the classroom, he ends up in a romantic relationship with Ida, his classmate.
I also find similarities with other Thai BL dramas. If in 'My School President', for example, Gun (Fourth - Nattawat Jirochtikul) and Win (Winny - Thanawin Pholcharoenratm) get to know each other more deeply after answering "36 questions that will make people fall in love", in 'Firstly' Like" You' King will propose a series of questions that Burger must answer as part of a theater club survey, claiming that the objective is to get to know the future actor better.
Of the three couples in the series, Burger and King was always my favorite. If they brought joy and life to the series, the film carefully chooses and stages the appropriate scenes to preserve the world created around these characters in the six-episode drama.
The one between King and Burger is a surprisingly tender and innocent teenage romance that is highly recommended, for its humor, for the reflections it invites us to, for the palpable chemistry between the two young people, and for how they manage to create a friendly bond first, romantic. later, without becoming a couple, since we will surely find this in the announced second season.

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Cheng Kai-Xin (Yao Jung Tsai) and Chen Jie (Li-Hsin Money) are two homosexuals involved in a beautiful romance despite keeping it secret. Their tender romantic relationship begins to falter when they both discover what the other is hiding: Kai wants to enter a Catholic seminary to become a pastor, following in his father's footsteps; and her boyfriend plans to go abroad to train as a soccer player.
While Kai asks Jie not to travel to another country as this would mean an immense distance between the two, Jie points out that if Kai becomes a pastor the relationship would also be compromised due to the Catholic Church's opposition to homosexual relationships.
'Icarus' (伊卡洛斯的翅膀 / 'Yi Ka Luo Si De Chi Bang' is a 2017 LGBT+ themed romantic drama, written, directed and edited by filmmaker Alan Chen, which tells us through the characters and their conflicts an authentic myth of our times: that of Icarus, one of the shortest and, at the same time, most complex classical myths.
Produced by Shao-Han Wen and with photography by Meng Chen Hung, the short film tells us that Kai lives trapped with his father, a pastor played by actor Chin-Liang Liao, not on the island of Crete, but in a Taiwanese church. But when he falls in love, Jie is the sun that illuminates his life. However, the more he wants to reach out to his boyfriend, the more he falls into the embrace of the heat.
After Kai learns of his lover's plans, his first reaction is to paint Icarus falling because his wax-glued wings cannot withstand the heat of the sun. When Jie asks him "What did you think about when you drew this?" Kai responds with two questions: "When are you going abroad?" I mean, will our feelings for each other disappear?" It is evident that Kai has come to the conclusion that the path Jie has chosen may result in the end of the existing relationship between the two. But doesn't Kai's decision have the same destructive power?
However, like the story of the myth, the short film leaves us with a variety of interpretations and meanings. These include the one about young people who do not control their impulses and crash immediately, or the one that tells us about an ingenious father and his unfortunate son, both victims of their own ambition.
With Daedalus unable to save his son, many see the story of Icarus as a warning about the dangers of ambition or lack of moderation. Some interpret the story from a more positive perspective, emphasizing the importance of living life fully, even when there are consequences.
Given the backdrop of the Taiwanese Catholic Church, some might take the film text as a metaphor for what can happen to people when they stray from the path of righteousness, assuming that the Church represents this.
Others see Icarus as a symbol of punished youthful recklessness, or the symbol of the rebellion of young people with respect to their parents, but also as a symbol of the innate curiosity of youth, the attraction of risk, the pleasure of adventure, of the interest in learning, of the fever to rise to the top.

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A story of healing, love and the fusion of two opposite worlds

No one can resist the charm and cuteness of pets; Regardless of whether it is a parrot, rabbit, dog or kitten, they win your heart and little by little they end up being part of the family. Most human beings enjoy spending time with their pet, which is not surprising since while you indulge in the moment, your brain feels happy and secretes "the happiness hormone."
'Love is Like a Cat' (사랑은 고양이처럼), also known as 'Sarangeun Goyang Icheoleom', the romantic comedy from South Korean director Kwon Nam Ki ((권남기), revolves around Piuno (Mew Suppasit - 'What The Duck ', 'TharnType' and 'TharnType2: 7 Years Of Love'), a well-known Thai star who doesn't like animals, and her romance with Lee Dae Byeol (Chu Jimin, known as JM, from the South Korean idol group JUST B), the director of a pet daycare.
Every time he crosses paths with an animal, Piuno remembers a traumatic episode he experienced in his childhood that makes him not want them around. Pets do not awaken that feeling of love or tenderness in him. He suffers from zoophobia. He is aware that this phobia is considered an irrational act of human beings, but he cannot help it.
It has been suggested to him that his "illness" can be treated with professional help, since he can find the necessary support to overcome the trauma and gradually manage to coexist with the animals. But he has not paid interest to the matter, thinking that it would not be of much use to him, and he has moved on with his life.
However, when he finds himself threatened by those who wish to see him brought down, there is only one thing he can do to save his reputation and his career: work at a pet daycare in South Korea.
Putting aside his severe dislike for animals, Piuno begins working alongside Dae Byeol, who will help him find ways to overcome the trauma that first inspired his hatred of animals. This is how he will end up appearing in a reality show set in a pet cafe in Seoul.
But these will not be the only surprises that the protagonist encounters: as his heart begins to soften, unexpected feelings begin to arise for the young owner of the daycare center. What will happen between the cold and enigmatic actor who doesn't believe in love, and the outgoing and romantic pet daycare owner when their lives intersect?
Lovers of the BL genre in general, and of Mew Suppasit, in particular, will be pleased with the reappearance of the renowned Thai actor, singer and producer in a romance drama between two boys of the same sex. On the other hand, JM, his co-star, shows his youthful charms and the dreamy aura of the idol, as well as his talent as an actor, in this, his first appearance in a drama.
In addition to the aforementioned actors, on screen we will see GeonU, also a member of JUST B, also in his acting debut, playing Gi Min, one of the pet daycare workers; and Kim Kyoung Seok ('Hot And Sweet' and 'Someday Office'), as Jun Hyuk, a friend of Dae Byeol and one of his biggest followers. These secondary characters play a very important role and contribute intensity and complexity to the conflicts.
With a seductive cast, in addition to wonderful chemistry, the direction, cinematography, writing, music and staging transport the viewer to a dream and fairy tale universe in which everyone involved, including the Animals, especially dogs, contribute their own, to achieve a series capable of marking a milestone within the genre, as it escapes stereotypes, and shows human beings with their nuances and in various circumstances. The narrative maintains a good rhythm that enhances the emotional closure of each episode and the series in general.
All these details give an idea of ​​the story told to those who still do not know it, a narrative firmly based on the love stories between two young men of different personalities, countries, professions, languages ​​and cultures, but determined to sustain their idyll against all obstacles. , prejudices and cultural, linguistic or temperament divergences. One looks like a dog, while the other looks like a cat.
What an actor lacks because he is new to these issues, the other provides, due to his extensive experience. It's fascinating to watch the couple navigate their uncertain feelings. One of the main reasons audiences will admire the series is the simplicity and relatability of the story, as well as the good visuals.
Once the romance escalates, 'Love is Like a Cat' shows one of its greatest strengths. The series has the ability to create many tender moments between the two young people. We will see them flirting in the garden of the animal nursery and kissing in the sunny corner of the clinic room, under the knowing gaze of their friends, including the four-legged ones.
Every affectionate interaction is like a treat for BL fans, making these scenes even better thanks to the beautifully polished visuals. The public will witness the generous abundance of romantic images. The cinematographer captures every intimate look and every loving gesture with pinpoint precision.
Dae Byeol is a well-defined protagonist. He knows his work and loves animals. He is sincere, responsible and faithful to his friends, both those who bark and the others who accompany him on this journey of taking care of pets and falling in love with a famous television star. His qualities create a memorable character with nuances. His charm emerges once the performer gains confidence in the role he plays. Just then the couple's chemistry strengthens, going from being a little embarrassing at first to building a more comfortable and deeper relationship.
In comparison, Piuno's backstory will also draw the viewer's sympathy with high marks. He likes it more and more, especially when he overcomes the somewhat mysterious, reserved, fearful attitude when encountering the animals for which he has always felt rejection, when leaving behind the weight of the circumstances that forced him to move away from his comfort zone, and when you begin to adapt to the people, the language, the customs, the culture of a foreign country.
The series explores the couple's bond physically, emotionally and spiritually. When I think about how Piuno and Lee Dae Byeol started the story of "strangers to friends and friends to lovers", both of them, side by side, went on an eventful journey. They overcame personality clashes, misunderstandings, and even cultural and language differences. Best of all, there's a lot of cute BL content.
One of the strong and striking points of the series is the fusion of two worlds. Piuno and Dae Byeol come from two different countries and cultures. Their universes will collide when their paths cross. Everything that separates them will not be an impediment for the two main characters to get closer, fall in love and begin a journey in search of happiness.
Each episode aims to ensure that the viewer is not disappointed, that they remain hooked, that they have a closure that lives up to expectations. The technical and artistic teams worked to achieve it. The arc of the characters, their development, as well as the events and conflicts, are very coherent.
The script, the depth of the themes addressed, and the aesthetics with which they are presented, the attention to detail to be as realistic as possible, the convincing performances, with a cast made up of established and young actors and actresses, determine, among others , the elements that mark the success of 'Love is Like a Cat'.
'Love is Like a Cat' is a story of healing and love. In addition to the entertainment factor and the fun and tender interactions between Piuno and Lee Dae Byeol, the series tells a story about overcoming trauma, opening your heart, and falling in love.
The inclusion of the adorable animals will provoke a positive reaction from pet lovers and the general public.
This is one of the four joint Thai-Korean BL projects from Hanyang Studio, from the same WeTV Original production, 'Peach Of Time'. The remaining dramas are 'Eccentric Romance', 'Wuju Bakery' and 'The First Love Manual', scheduled to premiere in 2024.
This collaboration between the two countries demonstrates once again that BL series defend the correct formula to sustain and consolidate the genre with the aim of satisfying an audience that craves authentic and moving love stories.
Personally, I liked the way the plot was executed, subtly exploring the characters' personal stories.
This romantic comedy is designed and taken from the script to the images with the potential audience being fans of the romantic genre in general, since love is universal and knows no genres, as well as fans of romances between boys in particular, and makes it clear that its objective is to portray love, acceptance, self-discovery, sexual diversity, the search for happiness, the influence of reality shows on viewers, the perception of the image of actors and idols by the public. , the pressures of the entertainment industry on artists, the challenges that come with being a queer person in today's world, themes explored through the dynamics of the characters.
Conceived to move people and involve audiences, through the main story and secondary plots, the series proposes to generate controversy about other dominant, current and universal elements, such as the tumultuous relationship between father and son, the love of animals and how they influence children's behavior, workplace camaraderie, sexual exploration, positivity, self-validation, and maturation issues. There are cultural debates and topics related to veterinary medicine and animal adoption, which helps make all the stories relatable.

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The rowdy Dino finally has his own apartment, a safe space to embrace his sexuality. So closeted that he doesn't even tell his parents or almost anyone about his sexual orientation: only his sister knows.
Look for safe sex and a decent chat. Through a gay dating app, he has scheduled to meet Vince, the attractive and discreet neighbor, but the sexual encounter is interrupted by the unexpected arrival of his parents, and before them he will once again restrain his deepest but most difficult desire: "come out of the closet."
However, Dino cannot prevent the brand new dildo from being seen by his mother.
Vince is willing to wait. The wait is worth it: a friendly relationship begins to emerge between the two that may very well lead to something more.
With solid performances, a beautiful script, magnificent camera work and charming surroundings, the short film 'This Is Not A Coming Out Story' (2022), by Filipino filmmaker Mark Felix Ebreo, brings us fun moments and an irresistible visual chemistry of its two protagonists: Dino, played by AJ Sison, known for his role in 'U-Turn (2020)', 'Dito at doon' (2021) and 'Love in the Ungodly Hour' (2021) and Vince, a character assumed by Jel Tarun, actor known for his role in 'Silent Cries' (2023).
The short film also tells us about homophobia.
The soundtrack fits perfectly with the film story.
With a script by Mark Felix Ebreo himself, the cast closes with the performances of Jun Nayra, known for his performance in 'Bonifacio: Ang unang pangulo' (2014), 'Darna' (2022) and 'Sandwich' (2023), and Gigi Hernandez, known for her role in 'Sandwich' (2023), 'Ikigai: Life Is a Beautiful Ride' (2023) and 'Alapaap' (2022), playing Jerome and Liz, Dino's father and mother, respectively.
Committed to bringing queer narratives to spaces to increase the visibility of the stories of people who have not yet discovered their true identity, Mark Felix Ebreo won with this short film the Best Director award at the 1st Pelikulaya LGBTQIA+ International Film Festival, as well as a Honorable Mention in the Short Fiction category at the 34th CCP Gawad Alternatibo.
Additionally, 'This Is Not A Coming Out Story' won the Cardinal Gold Award with the highest honor, as well as the award for best screenplay at the 20th CineMapua International Student Film Festival.

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The fear and insecurity that homosexuals suffer in an intolerant and homophobic country

The third short film by Kim-Jho Gwang-Soo (김조광수) takes up Min Soo, the character created by him and first introduced in 'Boy Meets Boy', in 2008, and later in 'Just Friend?', the following year, for tell us about the most recurrent film themes and objectives of this renowned South Korean film director and screenwriter: sexual awakening, coming of age, sexuality, gender identity, being queer in a heteronormative and homophobic society.
But in this film, the filmmaker introduces other topics, such as sexual desire, bullying, the problems of homosexuals facing a homophobic society, the fear of homophobia. The final scene is quite devastating with the Irish song Danny Boy.
Peter Kim, nickname by which this filmmaker is also known, seeks to illustrate in 'Love 100° C' (사랑은 100℃ / Sarangeun 100℃), the desires and dangers that homosexuals face in South Korean society through a hearing-impaired gay teenager named Min Soo. From the first scene we are introduced to the teenager, while he masturbates with photographs of his classmate Ji Seok, a supposedly heterosexual, homophobic person, of course, whom he secretly loves.
Despite his deafness, Min Soo is a self-aware young man. He suffers from bullying from his classmates not because he is gay but because of his hearing problem, since the other high school students confuse the condition with an impairment in his brain. For the same reason, his brother, a year younger, also bothers him. Min Soo needs a hearing aid, but he can read people's lips if they talk to him correctly.
It is probably not difficult to imagine that he would also suffer homophobic attacks if his sexual orientation were discovered.
Min Soo's life changes when one day a young and attractive masseuse from a bathhouse he frequently visits begins to flirt with our protagonist. For the first time in his short existence, Min Soo receives kind and respectful treatment from a person who is not his mother, the only one who thinks he does not have a mental deficiency.
The handsome bathhouse worker treats him as an equal and offers him a free massage. Next comes a beautiful scene between the two boys communicating through whistles and applause to the beat of the background music of the short film itself.
The shot of Min Soo swinging his legs between the masseuse's crotch, one sitting on the bed where he will receive the massage and the other standing before him, is moving.
Kim Jho films the next sequence, that of the massage or rubbing, slowly moving the camera and stopping it on her soft skin, like that of any child. There is nothing obscene or disturbing in the scene and there is a lot of poetry and art. Finally, in the sauna, the masseuse performs oral sex on Min Soo, who writhes in a state of sweaty enjoyment and ecstasy.
Afterwards he is jubilant at home. His mother notices that something has changed in her son's life, as he is now happy and communicative. The experience with the man has given him a new confidence, a unique power. The steam room becomes his refuge, a place where he can experience sexual pleasure with someone who respects him despite his youth and disability. He is a free young man.
Feeling confident and valued, he is able not only to confront his annoying brother, but also to tear up the photo of Ji Seok, the boy he was in love with, thus, in the past, the boy he was in love with, when he bullies him again.
But his life is turned upside down again when one day he enters the bathhouse looking not so much for the warm waters and steam at 100 degrees Celsius, but for love at that same temperature, just when the masseuse suffers a homophobic beating. No one present dares to intervene while the young man is attacked by another while receiving kicks, expletives and homophobic phrases. Min Soo can only react by running away and hiding in a nearby alley, where he cries inconsolably.
Back in the bathhouse, but this time alone, Min Soo comes to understand, as well as transmit, the message that the film carries: the fear and insecurity that homosexuals suffer in an intolerant and homophobic country like Korea South.
Although Kim Jho's work has mainly bordered on the territory of Boy's Love, which is why he is able to attract a female audience, with this film, released in September 2011, the film producer and LGBT+ rights activist also pursues conquer gay men with a story perfect for these people, especially when contextualized.
This endeavor will not be difficult for him to achieve, thanks to the adorable Do Jin Kim, the first hearing-impaired film actor in South Korea. This young man, 20 years old at the time of filming, conquers us from the beginning with his silly, sweet and effeminate smile. Although the director manages to establish the conflicts in each scene with the good script and excellent work behind the cameras, the actor carries the film on his thin shoulders, showing us what drives Min Soo's decision-making process.
We will find the character created by Kim-Jho Gwang-Soo in his next film. In 'Two Weddings and a Funeral' Min Soo also does not react to a homophobic attack against one of his friends. The difference is that Min Soo from 'Love, 100°C' is not an adult over 20 years old, but a teenager already separated from the world due to his hearing disability, but both, each in their respective films, fear facing a intolerant and violent society.
In his two previous short films, the filmmaker explores the terrain from fairy tales and fantastical dreams, but 'Love, 100°C' demonstrates that it is honest realism that best adapts to the world vision of its director and screenwriter.

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In the things that pass, for those that stay

Kim Dong Ah is a teenager who seems to have been born frozen in the cold winter, and becomes obsessed with things that have not changed and are static, as if frozen, after his parents' divorce. His mother's love, which he thought would last forever, changed, and that change had a great impact not only on Dong Ah's family but also on his own life. With his mother gone, his father, wounded, became violent.
In order not to hurt himself and to avoid hurting others, Dong Ah thought that it was best not to change and not let anyone into his life, for fear that one day this person would decide, like his mother, to abandon him.
With his large round eyes, poorly defined face and dark, bushy eyebrows, he has a deep voice and a dry expression and humor. He has had to leave school.
But suddenly, Song Yeon Woo comes into his life, a young man, also 18 years old, with a very warm character, who finds it natural to smile and is friendly towards others. Yeon Woo always approaches Dong Ah with a smile, and little by little he breaks the wall of sadness and coldness that he has built around him. Who is this person who seems to show everything about himself without hiding anything, but whose true feelings Dong Ah is unaware of? How is it possible that this boy, so different from him and as warm as spring, can make him feel unknown emotions? Is Yeon Woo a figment of Dong Ah's imagination?
With this interesting and intensely powerful story, Kim Yeo-rim, the writer and director of the short film 'The Winter Child', exposes how people, emotions and relationships pass over time. Time melts the frozen and freezes the melted. But there are things that human beings need to hold on to so that they do not escape.
In the director's own words, the film sends a message of comfort to those who are suffering in the midst of numerous changes, to those who hold on to something that may be painful: it is okay to let go and move on. It is necessary that painful things pass by, so that those that give us happiness and warmth remain forever, like the fire at the end of the short, in contrast to the ice/winter motifs that are maintained in most of the audiovisual.
Starring Hyun Woo Ahn and Woo Joo Hwang in the leading roles, and the cinematography by Gyu-ri Lee and Park Jeong-hyeon, the short film captivates the viewer.
The image of Yeon Woo melting Dong Ah's icy exterior and her ironclad belief that she can't change anything in her life will haunt me forever. Yeon Woo is the person who came into his life to help him come out of his shell.
However, the ending leaves me with more questions than answers: Is returning to the same beginning a good change? What is preferable: staying in one place or seeking changes that allow us to free ourselves from what causes us pain?
Waiting for the continuation…

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An unusual love triangle

Sukitomo (I Like Tomo – スキトモ), the LGBT+-themed romantic drama and shounen-ai film by Japanese filmmaker Mitshuhiro Mihara, portrays that confusing time of youth in which relationships become imprecise and the balance between love becomes precarious. , friendship and family are broken.
The film, from 2007, proposes an unusual love triangle between the serious and responsible young man Aoi Tomokazu, a member of a boxing team and who is in his third year of university, Yoshiko Saitō, his best friend and two years younger, whom he sees as a little brother - although he feels something more for him than a simple friendship - and Tomokazu's sister, Aoi Misao (Komatsu Airi), who is also romantically attracted to Tomokazu and is jealous of his relationship with Yoshiki.
After his performance in 'Boys Love', of the same film genre, Takumi Saitō, star of the 'Prince of Tennis' musicals, now in the role of Aoi Tomokazu, continues in this film challenging perceptions of love, friendship and the sexuality. As in 'Boys Love', Saito acts alongside Aiba Hiroki, one of the co-stars of 'Prince of Tennis', the latter playing Yoshiko Saitō.
Released on January 13, 2007, the film was screened for the first time at the 16th Rainbow Reel Tokyo, an LGBT-themed film festival held annually in the Japanese capital, 'Sukimoto' tells us the evolution of relationship, from childhood to early youth, between the future boxer and the boy Yoshiki, who was hit by a truck while playing with Tomokazu and suffered an injury to his right leg.
This injury never fully heals and consequently he limps when he walks, a fact for which he believes Tomokazu feels guilty and treats him well for it. Yoshiki must deal not only with Misao's attempts to keep him away from his brother, but also with his own conflicting feelings.
The role played by Takumi Saitō is coherent in embodying the role of the young man so busy in boxing that he has not realized the attraction that Yoshiki and Misao feel towards him. I like his performance in this movie. I've seen some of his other work, but I really admire his art after watching 'Sukimoto'.
Hiroki Aiba also achieves naturalness playing the disabled friend in love with his best friend and neighbor, and Airi Komatsu as the 14-year-old sister who is jealous of her brother's relationship with Yoshiki, since she also has loving feelings for him.
Also convincing is the performance of Mizuki Tsuruoka in the role of Arisa Andō, Misao's best friend, who, despite her young age, has been able to understand not only Misao's loving attraction towards her brother, something she considers unhealthy, but also Yoshiki's love for Tomokazu.
The title of the film, which addresses themes such as friendship, love, family and fraternal relationships, is a play on words; «suki» (スキ), which translated from the Japanese language means "to like", and «tomo» (トモ), which refers to the name of the main character. Therefore, the name of the work could be literally translated as "I like Tomo."
With the production of Kawashiro Kazumi and Kataoka Masahiro, the director called on the award-winning Japanese photographer and director of photography Ashizawa Akiko to translate the script written by Kanasugi Hiroko into images.

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