Currently the best show I've ever watched
Hormones series (S1-S3) are the very first Nadao series I've watched and I like it so much because it fits my standard more than G*MMTV's shows i've watched before. After that I challenged myself to watch all Nadao shows and that's how I found this series. I actually watched the trailer before it aired but didn't really pay attention to it so I missed watching eps 1-3 in realtime. But, a day after eps 3 aired I suddenly have the urge to start watching it so yeah that's how I came to the Thai fandom :') I can't even explain in detail how amazing ITSAY is bcs it really impacted me that much. After watching ITSAY, I watched so many new shows (almost 20 new series + movies), but not even one lingers in my mind like ITSAY did...That's how powerful ITSAY is. Should watch this yourself bcs sometimes I'm really sorry for the ones who might missed this series.Was this review helpful to you?
Probably one of the most raw and honest depictions of love and growth in all it's intensity.
i don't really rate shows that high that easy. if a story doesn't have a good grip on me by the first episode itself i drop it. however, that was not the case about this show. it had me by the throat from the get to.the thing about i told sunset about you is. its so dreamlike. every frame is a painting, every scene is saturated, every character is color-coded-- until the lines start to blur and the colors start to swirl and that is significant too. its so dreamlike in the way its tinted in a way that makes you feel nostalgic, like unreal. like surreal.
The way the love is Felt the entire time, it punctuates every scene. Even in its misunderstandings, even in the pettiness and the anger and everything that gets lost in translation, things that you hold on to so tightly that it bleeds into your hands your heart; and roosts in your soul. That is the kind of mark ITSAY leaves on you. This show is timeless. I feel like i could come back to it any time and day and slip back into feeling everything i felt when i watched it the first time. It simply does not get old.
and the beauty of it lies in that its dreamlike state its further amplified by the rawness of emotions, of loaded silences and awkward pauses and hands that hesitate and knees that knock. in emotions that are entirely too full, too saturated and so very real in all its intensity that punctuates every moment of each scene. and the soundtrack with mood specific iterations to fit the scenes such that it's such a heady swirl of colours and emotions and love that it feels like drowning.
and you love every second of it.
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Hate is Love.
I Told Sunset About You can only be described as intimate, dramatic and unrequited. It is a drama that unfolds to the highest level of tension, immaturity and longing. The bittersweet tonal character of this drama is irresistible. How cold, distant and brutal rivalry can be a mirage of love, lust and affection. It is haunting how the characters do incredibly dumb things but you can get it. You can ride how immature, inconsistent and frustrating everyone can be. It is because you have been sucked into the universe of their language. The language of love.The direction of this drama is masterfully done. The breathtaking nuance, symbolism and character Director Boss manipulates through the lense is charismatic and thought-provoking. The ambiguosity of the environment felt naive but coherent. It never took the artistry of the performers. The director honestly enhanced all of it. This series could not have been more perfect without the director.
The cinematography is stunning, some scenes even reminding me of Emmanuel Lubezki's work. This is a gorgeous visual feast. The angles, the Director of Photography manages to capture is asymmetrical, dynamic and wide. This is the best cinematography, I've ever seen for a TV series.
The screenwriting had flaws, it was much for the fact that the script was hammering through familiar territory. However, the miraculous consistency, poeticness and realist nature of the writing was piercing through the viewer. Scenes of singing, remorse, and confrontation were much more provoking for which the script really shined its best.
The editing was impeccable. The pacing of this series were pretty spot-on, dynamic, powerful and visceral. You can feel each ounce of guilt, shame and regret each frame offers with the amazing collaboration of the cinematographer and the editor. The flaws of this drama were towards the finale. I mean, it could be that the director was just out of character whilst filming this, or maybe he was unsure how to deal with it, or maybe he was pressured to top an episode of this series. Either way, it showed a plot hole unlike any other. For that, I think my score would have to be lower too.
Overall, I really think this drama should be viewed and declared as the magnum opus of the boys love genre. The important pieces of literature, filmmaking and artistry where totally captured by this series. The series was a freewheeling ride toward the slice of life in Phuket, Thailand. There two boys meet, became rivals, and became lovers.
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This review may contain spoilers
Still unsurpassed
Writing this review after rewatching this. It's so damn good! I'm crying laughing and swooning with Oh and Teh. Both Billkin and PP should star in more dramas. They have the acting game down. Oh deserves so much better than the hesitating wavering Teh. And I think he knows. But he loves him so much he's willing to go through several hells for him. I rooted for them, but I hate that I did. They would have been better off never meeting again, but hey, then we would not have this jewel of a series.Was this review helpful to you?
undoubtedly a MASTERPIECE.
I wish there were enough words out there to describe how ITSAY made me feel. SUCH good production, INCREDIBLE acting, AMAZING storyline, BEAUTIFUL ost. Writing this review after my second time watching it, the first time was as each episode was coming out. The best BL out there. Such a raw and authentic representation of love and friendship between two boys and of discovering their sexual identities. ITSAY takes you on a heart-wrenchingly beautiful journey that breaks you and embraces you at the same time. I would like to commend Billkin and PP on their incredible acting and chemistry. They phenomenally portrayed the roles of Teh and Oh-aew. A masterpiece in every sense.Was this review helpful to you?
Perfect
I have no words to say about this. This drama is a perfection. The plot, acting and even the picture quality of it. Many of the scenes look like a portrait. Just so perfect. Would totally recommend it to anyone. This is a must watch!! The best bl ever. Not like any other random BLs. I would say without hesitation that this was the best drama I've ever watched. Billkin and PP made sure to portray their characters smoothly and their acting was superb that made the characters Teh and Oh-aew more emotional.Was this review helpful to you?
Top shelf series!
Not your typical BL Drama, its top shelf stuff!How am I just coming across this and how is this so good?
During the winter in Thailand in 2023 I was stunned that PP Krit is all over the place, and I am not a huge fan of him. After watching this, I am.
Kuddos to the director and the crew- every single person on the set. Nothing but beautiful. High class , set up, story, scenery, acting of the main leads and the support actors. It is nothing like your typical enemies to lovers Thai BL series. They go really deep with teen struggles from all perspectives. From what is the real friendship, true parenting, sexuality from gay and straight perspective, small town upbringing, competition- healthy and not. And all the sacrifice we make to move forward in life, stupid decisions that make us human.
Leads are normal looking teens, for beginner actors they have made this series a perfection wearing emotions on their faces and expressing through intricate body language. It is very obvious that there is so much work was put in into developing the characters. They are intimate without going overboard.
Cinematography is what makes this a true masterpiece. I was drowning in the warmth of the Phuket sunrises and sunsets. Seeing such a beauty in the overrun by tourists small southern town, little details of everyday life.
Chinese influence and idolizing of it is real in Thailand, and the project incorporating that without overpowering feeling.
To catch everything- I watched it twice.
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Best LGBTQ+ asian show i've ever seen
I’m honestly surprised that Thailand could produce such a quality show. after watching few episodes of tharntype I thought they were stucked in the mid-2000 when consent, forcing partners and so on weren’t considered a big issue in a relationship.I told sunset about you however went beyond my expectations not only in terms of production which is quite high compared to the two thai drama i’ve watched but in terms of attention to the LGBTQ+ community and realism. It’s a show i would recommend to watch during the pride month at festivals and i honestly think it should be on Netflix to showto westerners productions how to portray a believable coming out of a teenager.
As a person who struggled with coming out myself I could relate to Teh and his fears i felt like i was watching my younger self, i could see my own mistakes portrayed on the screen. The screenwriters did really a good job writing Teh. He’s an annoying character but believable and strongly real.
Ohaew on the other hand was disappointing. Not in terms of PPs acting but the character itself. He’s much more aware of his identity and still behave like sh*t towards Bas. You don’t deserve that little cutie pie.
As an art student I also enjoyed every single shot of this show, the colors, the framing… it’s absolute perfection and by far one of the most pleasant asian series i’ve watched.
I’m glad Thailand is capable of showing how to proper portray LGBTQ+ struggles in a believable and delicate way.
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Piece of art
I started it cause i heard it has beautiful cinematography. This is just a PART of this art.At the beginning i though that this will be just a simple/light story with happy end and thats all
OF COUSRE I WAS WRONG.
1)THE ACTING: they have TALENT and nobody can disagree !!!
2)THE OST: soo beautiful
3) THE MESSENGS & THE TOPICS {like friendship, forgivness, love} that are including in the story
4)THE PLACES piece of art
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?????
I lived every second/scene, they transmit every feeling!!!!!!!
Even the moments with silence or the moments that were supposed to be awkward were beautifuls !!!
I am not the type of person who pay too much attention if there is chemisrty between the main couple, BUT i can say that there chemisrty was very strong.
YOU SHOULD WATCH IT NOW and
~Even tho it was only 5 episodes, it won a place of my heart~
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Perhaps the best Thai BL series to have been realased in 2020
What this series does so well is tell a cohesive and satisfying story. With only five episodes, this will appear to be a quick watch, but I assure you that what this series accomplishes in five episodes is a masterpiece of cinematography that we rarely get to see. An awesome cast, a moving score, wonderful writing, and compelling themes, this series follows our protagonists through their fears, hopes, loves, and dreams. A genuinely sweet coming of age story, we find ourselves rooting for everyone as the story unfolds and we cannot help but come of age ourselves.Was this review helpful to you?
Beautiful but draggy and frustrating
Hmmm... One of the rare case where I'm going to lower my initial ratings after a rewatch. I rated it 8.5 initially but I've decided to lower my ratings to 7.5. Not because I've changed my mind since I initially watched this 3 years ago... but rather because everything I felt back then, is still the same today. It's just that 3 years ago, I just couldn't bring myself to rate this show according to what I truly felt given the production value, how gorgeous this series is and how much people liked it. High production BLs is still a rarity in Thailand so whenever you come across one, we tend to forget to rate the show for its overall story and not for how good it looks. Not saying it shouldn't play a part in the overall ratings but it shouldn't overshadow the main criterion which is the story.So what issue do I have with this show? Well, since I'm too lazy to write a long review and lots of people have extensively written about how magnificent this drama is yadayadayada, I'll go straight to the elephant in the room:
Struggle n°1: I feel the director loves their cinematography too much. Yes it's gorgeous, yes it's important to let the viewers be "in the moment" but every time I feel like each scene could have managed the same effect with less extra seconds. Each scene is always slightly too long to the point of feeling draggy and because it piles up and piles up repeatedly, it just makes watching the whole thing a struggle.
Struggle n°2: These teenagers are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO frustrating. Teh in particular. I'm not gonna go back on his case but I found these characters realistic but frustrating to watch. My God were they frustrating to the max. Is it because my teenage years are a far away memory now but there were many instances were I was just utterly fed up with the both of them. Both Teh and O-Ew were being ridiculous.... But Teh was on another level. No matter how beautiful the show was, at the end of the day, Teh made every scene a struggle. I'm not really sure why I got frustrated to that degree because I regularly watch shows featuring teenagers and no matter how unreasonable, I'm usually not as frustrated... But my guess is that Teh just has a very shitty personally. He's not a bad person, but the few flaws he has are HUGE. Most of his problems are struggles of his own making but the worst of it is how hurtful he turns out to be and repeatedly at that.
With almost 20 years of Asian dramas under my belt, I can count on the fingers of ONE hand, the number of times I wish the main pair didn't end up together. This one takes one finger and I hope I'm mistaken... But I think the follow-up series "I Promised You the Moon" which I've yet to watch, is probably going to take another... of the same hand.
I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who felt that way though. When it first aired, it was difficult to find anybody who shared the same sentiment but time did its job, you see lots of people who are sharing their frustration.
People who loved it LOVED it though... So you should definitely check it out yourself.
I'm currently rewatching though... But with 2 episodes left on my rewatch, I'm now 100% sure my opinion is not gonna change. I felt the same back then and still feel the same today.
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If I had to sum up this series in one word : beautiful.
It's the story of Teh and Oh-aew who were best friends as kids but after a childish argument, they did what a lot of kids do, they didn't talk to each other anymore.And yet, they never forgot each other.
Years later as they're preparing for university admissions, both pursuing interests in the field of Communication Arts, the two meet again in a Chinese language class, and their reunion as a young adult awakens complicated feelings.
It's really a youthful story of coming of age and the discovery of first love.
I would like to say that the production is stunning, in Asia we could compare this kind of production with that of Korea, but coming from Europe, I must say that this production reminds me of the French independent films which are shown at the Cannes festivals.
This series is short but it feels raw, real and vulnerable.
The tones give off the vibes of 90s films, the sets are far from being so polished as you see in the usual BL Thai series, where you have the impression of being in a model house, but here you really feel that it's filmed in Thailand. We see the streets, the restaurants, the temples, the beaches, the schools, it really feels real and it contributes to the vibes of the series which tells a touching and beautiful story.
As for the story itself, I have to say that I'm amazed, the story is simple, the plot is simple but the acting really changes everything, it makes this banal script become a masterpiece.
And I am weighing my words, this series is in my top 3 of the best BL Thai series.
The characters are just so realistic. They are young, sometimes a little stupid, but vulnerable, they have a good heart and their own challenges.
By discovering their mutual feelings for each other, they also realize that they have feelings for a person of the same sex, they have to come to term with this fact, with their family and the gaze of others.
And it's hard, at any age, in addition to discovering themselves and another person, they have to expect judgments, disappointments.
If you want toxic relationships, ridiculous dramas, just move on, this story is to tell a beautiful story, and it's more about introspection and growing up.
I won't say more, everyone can have their own personal tastes, but to me it's a masterpiece and game changer in the BL genre.
It's really to see.
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