It gets better...

This is the first lakorn I've seen so I knew going into it that it would be different from anything I've ever seen before. I also knew that the romance aspect was not going to be a big part of the story.

That being said, even going in armed and ready, the first half of the series absolutely DRAGGED for me. Not because there wasn't anything going on but because it was the same thing over and over and over again. I honestly ended up skipping most of the scenes with the second wife and her maid because every single time was "how do I get my son to succeed Tian?" And whenever the wives were arguing it was just supper catty to me. Then, as sweet as Lady Phin was, her voice sometimes just got on my nerves because she sounded like she was whining, even when she wasn't.

There's a lot of questionable actions going on which, I normally don't pay too much attention to because not much can phase me. But when Li started trying to send Mat to seduce her own son then drugged him and Phin to make them sleep together, thinking "if he has sex with a woman, he'll stop being gay," that was seriously messed up. And I almost felt queasy when they were sitting down to dinner with the mushroom dinner although I suppose that was the point so kudos to the writer for that one, I guess? I suppose the bad characters had to do some pretty nasty things in order for their redemption to be that much more satisfying and so they kind of accomplished that too. But it could have been done in maybe half the time. Especially since EVERY conversation was overheard by someone else. It should have moved the story along faster but it didn't during the first 80% of the series where it was a constant plot point. Honestly, for as big of a mansion as they were living in, there was ZERO privacy and apparently everyone was just happening by at the right moment.

Now, the second half was getting better as Tian started standing up for himself and flat out saying "I don't want to take over the family business and hide what I am anymore." Nevermind that no one except is brother listened to him but as we see him get more and more frustrated, the viewers are just waiting for the explosion to happen.

Speaking of the brother, I think the best part of this show was Tian and Yang's relationship. When they were on screen together, it was always phenomenal from start to finish. I really can't say enough good things about them and really, Tongtong's performance as Yang was probably the best throughout the entire series. Apparently, being a lakorn means there's bound to be some overacting which I definitely agree with. Especially Jan and her maid.. they were distractingly overdoing it which was also part of the reason I skipped their scenes.

The last couple of episodes really hit hard in an unexpected way for me. With how ridiculous the series started out, it really ended strong with some major feels and declarations. Some of the speeches could have been edited a bit shorter, especially Li's while she's there surrounded by everyone and she addresses each one individually. But still. I found myself tearing up a few times, especially toward the end.

Overall, I would say it was a worthwhile watch though I don't really see much re-watch value in it for me personally. Maybe if there was a Tian, Yang and Jiu cut, I'd watch that over and over. But this was a long series with a lot of repetitiveness that brought me really close to dropping it. But if you decide to start this, I'd suggest to stick with it because it gets better as it goes.

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A drama without the drama

This series was such a breath of fresh air. It was a nice break from the overly dramatic, ridiculous storylines filled with miscommunication, jealousy and misunderstandings. There were no vindictive ex's, no love rivals doing underhanded actions to gain favor and no unnecessary filler to drag along in order to make the series longer. Every plot point had a purpose and were interesting to the extent that I almost forgot what happened in the beginning of the series since it was so interesting.

And, finally, a workplace drama that actually had emphasis on the actual job and work they were doing. Pretty much 80% of the series storylines had something to do with their work and it still made sense and was captivating enough to hold my attention. They didn't overly explain or dumb things down for the viewer but gave enough so that anyone who isn't into marketing could follow along.

The side characters were interesting in the way they were very realistic in their emotions and actions. Every office worker has dealt with the busybodies, the inappropriate jokesters and the quiet yes-men who just want to survive another day in the workplace. The friends were fun yet supportive and loyal and honestly, Zorzo as Ae had me laughing so much throughout the series. I also enjoyed seeing Bruce as Chot and thought he played the character well. Sometimes I find the "ladyboys" played a little too over the top but he had a nice balance and it was actually fun to see him opposite Up in a kind of role swap from their roles in Lovely Writer.

As far as the romance goes, it is a very slow burn but a sweet one. The hesitations on both Jeng and Pat's sides were completely justified and the satisfaction we get when they finally come together is made all the more sweeter because of it. This was a good example of a love triangle done right and I actually really liked how Put's character was handled. He was not mean or made out to be a villain but rather a man who realized he messed up and lost the love of his life because of his mistakes. He truly wanted Pat to be happy so he ultimately steps away when he realizes there's nothing more he could do to regain Pat's love. The side couple, while confusing at times, was frustrating in the good way that makes you root for them even more. Unfortunately, that story is left open though it feels like it was intentional for either a second season or a spin off featuring their story.

As of the time I write this, I have no idea if there are plans for a second season but I feel like it could go either way. There were a few loose ends that could be resolved better in a season 2 (mostly the second couple and Jeng's father) but I also feel like, as far as the main couple is concerned, they have a satisfying ending and don't need anything drawn out for the sake of views.

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A nice watch for a single sitting

The thing I like most about these short series is that you can binge it all in one go without feeling like you wasted a whole day of actual productivity. This series, while nothing phenomenal or ground-breaking, was an enjoyable watch.

On the surface, the storyline might seem a bit ridiculous where an established chef has to compete to prove he deserves to stay head chef at a well known and successful restaurant. But as you continue watching, you'll see that the competition is merely a coverup and excuse that Laura, his equal-share business partner, is using in order to replace him without flat out firing him.

Basically, she wants to change things up with a new menu whereas Do Gun wants to keep things status quo. Since Laura doesn't do the cooking herself, the only way she can get what she wants is to replace Do Gun. We see this in the way she wants Jung Woo to frustrate Do Gun and either drive him to quit or drive him to compete. But even then, she has rigged the competition so that Jung Woo would win anyway so either way, Do Gun is gone. In that respect, I think the storyline had more depth than first glance, especially for a short, 2hr total series.

Unfortunately, this didn't really help in making the romance make sense. The cute-chemistry was there as well as the bickering chemistry but not so much the romantic-chemistry, if that makes sense. I enjoyed watching the friends in the kitchen interacting with both chefs and found myself laughing along at some of their moments.

All in all, I could see myself watching this again for a light, doesn't-need-a-lot-of-attention viewing if I feel like seeing a couple of cute guys with some funny side characters.

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Pleasant surprise

There isn't a whole lot to say about this show except that it turned out to be a lot better than I was expecting. Lately, I've been getting more and more tired of school-life shows because I feel like once you've seen a couple, you've seen them all. But this show had some good reviews so I tried it out and I was so glad I did.

It was very entertaining from start to finish and it even had a taste of after school life which I greatly appreciated. With three main couples, I was afraid that it might be a bit overkill but I found myself invested in each story and was happy to see each situation was very different so it wasn't just the same thing over and over, just with different characters.

Personally, I thought each conflict was executed well and, while they used my least favorite trope of all (claiming "I don't love you" for the benefit of their partner) I can overlook it because it gave me enough other stuff. And, really, it was kinda used effectively here, unlike in other shows where it just creates more unnecessary drama. At least here, it meant Mek goes to Australia where he wouldn't have otherwise. But I like to think they could have had a discussion instead and stayed together, doing the long-distance thing for a couple of years without having to break his heart in the process. But I guess that's BL drama for you.

All in all, it was a great series and I would watch it again for fun.

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No expectations is the way to go.

It should be a general rule that one should not go into watching a series with expectations. Having a preconceived idea about what should happen takes away from what actually happens and more often than not leads to disappointment.

I think this may be the case for most of the negative reviews this series is getting. That and the fact that when we see the same pairings over and over, we get into the mindset that these characters should be playing a certain role in every project they do. I think some people forget that these are actors and they can be anything and anyone the script calls for them to be.

Unfortunately, I think this is what hurt this series the most. Sure, it just finished and there's still a lot of watching to be done, but I'm concerned the bad reviews will turn people away before they even give it a chance to make their own opinions. In my opinion, it was a decent watch though it certainly wasn't anything to write home about. And, while I can't see myself watching it again, I may look up some scenes occasionally.

Regarding the main actors and their roles.. I get it. I know this is based off a novel but it really feels like a manhwa or manga. It's got the "everyone chasing after one of the lead characters," an older uke with an innocent, puppy-like seme, not much dialogue between the couples... etc. And the second couple was practically non-existent except for their NC scenes. I even remember thinking at one point, "why doesn't the doctor have many lines? Are they not confident in his acting and only using him for eye-candy?"

In this respect, I though Ja actually portrayed the character well, actually. I may prefer him in a more serious, mature role but that doesn't mean he didn't capture the essence here. It was almost believable that he was younger and more immature than First's character. First, on the other hand, in the attempt to seem older and more put together, seemed to be mostly expressionless throughout 80% of the series. I think he just has way too much passion and charisma to try to pull off that aloof, in control older-man vibe. I appreciated the attempt because I like it more than the whiny brat he was in TharnType 2 and the start of Don't Say No, but it still felt a bit flat and 1-dimentional to me for the most part.

Early on in the first few episodes, I was about ready to drop the series on account of the supporting female cast.. the actress doing the series with Ashi and the 2 managers were driving me nuts but, thankfully they don't get all that much screen time as the story between Punn and Ashi progressed. The managers just get enough to actually further along the plot which was nice after a while. Even Worra became amusing after a while with her over-the-top performance in the lakorn within the series. I wonder how many times the real actress, Noon, had the crew cracking up with her antics and found myself looking to the other actors to see if they crack any smiles.

Ming was a very good character. He is the best wingman and "daddy" to Ashi and Punn. His scenes with the doctor were nice to watch too, being that they were always banging. But hey, it was hot and well done. It was hard to get invested in the doctor as a character since they didn't develop their relationship much or even develop him as a singular character until they gave him a half-assed backstory in the second to last episode. The writers/director put more emphasis on and effort into explaining how Title became such an a-hole than they did with showcasing the doctor and why we should care about him as a supporting character.

Speaking of Title, he was your standard, cookie-cutter villain where he is so in love with the main character that he will do horrible things in order to get his crush to notice him. It's a trope I'll never understand because what good guy "hero" is going to be like "wow, look at how awful that guy is.. he must really love me. I want to be with that guy." And then you have Title doing the whole "well, if he won't love me then he can't love anyone" thing. Like, he flat out says it, not just hints at the mentality with his actions.

Them going to Japan was a nice change of scenery as I don't think I've seen any Thai BL use this storyline yet. Usually if a character goes abroad somewhere, we don't usually see them in that country. Off the top of my head, I really only remember Kirin briefly being in Korea in Cutie Pie and Shi De being in the US in We Best Love. The scenery and architecture in the Japan portion of the show was stunning, especially with the snow. It was mainly because they were filming a period piece but it provided some great visuals and of course the use of hot springs.

The pacing felt a little weird since Punn and Ashi's story at times felt dragged out while Ming and the doctor could have used so much more. It made the whole thing feel unbalanced though I was still invested enough to watch to the end and feel entertained all along the way. Again, it's not the best series but it was an enjoyable watch for what it was.

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