This review may contain spoilers
I loved Teh and the cinematography was perfect
I related to Teh very much which is why I liked his character. However, after seeing a small spoiler for the sequel I will most likely not be watching it because I don't want the image of him that I relate to so much to be tarnished in my mind.I felt Teh was relatable to me bc it seemed as if he didn't have a strong support system after Oh and him stopped being friends - if you think about it, how many friends did he have that he could talk to about really personal stuff? He didn't - although Tarn and him hung out they didn't really talk bc they were both busy studying in their own lives. This is why I understood his jealousy toward Oh and anytime he paid attention to others. This is also why I predicted that his jealousy and feelings could get mixed together bc he might not be able to distinguish between love and friendship and would therefore have the possibility of falling in love with someone else in the future and after reading the synopsis of the sequel I was right - however, forming feelings for someone unexpectedly bc you have a better handle of emotions is differently than cheating which is why I am hesitate to watch the sequel.
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Enchanted by the Hue of Emotions
'I Told Sunset About You' is a masterpiece that has etched its brilliance in my heart. With a rating of 9.5/10, this captivating drama flawlessly weaves a tale of friendship, love, and self-discovery. Each rewatch deepens my connection to Teh and Oh-aew, whose magnetic chemistry radiates authenticity. The picturesque backdrop embraces their rollercoaster journey, making every emotion tangible. The narrative's raw vulnerability is a mirror to our own experiences, while the poetic visuals and sublime soundtrack transcend the screen. 'I Told Sunset About You' isn't just a drama; it's an enchanting symphony of feelings that lingers long after the sunset fades.Was this review helpful to you?
Absolute cinema
I heard about this show when it was first announced as the "BKPP project" and went okay whatever....ended up paying for each individual episode as it came out. The world was truly never the same after this perfect show dropped. Bilkin and PP deserve their superstardom for this absolute HIT.I believe it is the single best coming of age/coming out show every made and I will die on that hill.
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Heartwarming, Beautiful, Emotional
An incredible Series - One of my all-time favorites.The storyline is unique and very well done, the characters are perfect - everything about this series is actually perfect, nothing to complain about.
This series is sure to touch your heart, I cannot imagine anyone not being moved by it. Although there are only five episodes, there are no distractions, and the entire series runs smoothly from start to finish. The scenery is beautiful as well. The directors, actors, photographers, everyone did an outstanding job.
The rewatch value is high - I am sure I will watch this series again. Also - it gets even better because the series "I Promised You The Moon" is the second season AND is even better in my opinion. Enjoy!
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A beautiful and painfully realistic story
I am very glad I watched this show. The story, the acting, and the way it displays intimacy, yearning, and friendship are truly fascinating.Production/Visuals:
I loved the production and visuals of this show. The use of camera angles and color grading totally elevated the feel of the show and its emotions. There were a few very long one-shot sequences that were truly baffling and felt amazing because you could truly see they were filmed in one go.
Story:
Though the story at first didn't really intrigue me, it captured me within the first hour of the first episode. The rivalry plot, which truly felt realistic, and the following friendship and development were truly interesting to watch and had a lot of emotional depth. Especially the emotional back-and-forth felt incredibly realistic, and all emotions portrayed felt so raw. I truly commend the writers for doing such an exemplary job.
Acting:
Every actor in this show did so well, and totally contributed to the high-quality feel of it, but I truly have to tip my hat to Bilkin, the actor of Teh. His portrayal was so SO realistic, I cannot stress it enough. He managed to portray emotional conflict, yearning, desire, joy, every emotion in such a way that I forgot he was acting. He is also an ugly crier, and it fit the character and his pain so well. If I had to pick one of the best actors I‘ve seen so far, his name would be among them. His chemistry with Oh-Aew's actor was also so amazing. Every one of their scenes was so good and raw that it took my breath away. I could feel the desire through the screen.
OST:
I usually don‘t really write about this, but I feel like I have to compliment here. The soundtrack of this show is truly beautiful and fit so well. In ep3, at the resort, there is a particular expressionistic-style piece that made my soul leave my body. Truly one of the most beautiful things I‘ve heard so far. I actually contacted the composer to find out more about it, but apparently it's not included in the OST and there is no way to get a recording of it. I am truly devastated.
All in all, this is so worth it. I do have to say that towards the end, especially ep5, it did decline in quality a tiny bit, where I felt the resolution was a bit anticlimactic relative to the buildup. But truly, you will probably not be disappointed by this show.
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This review may contain spoilers
I watched it for the first time when it was out in 2020. And.. I hated it. Too cringe, too slow, and I hate but I hate Teh. I was confused, because ITSAY got everyting I loved, good OST, actors that I love, Boss and TangBadVoice, a beautiful screenwriting.
And you know what? Sometimes, people are wrong. I re-watched 5 years later, older and most importantly more focused on it (Yes because I couldn't focus, I was busy with mental health and my degree...)
And GOD I love it! (But I still hate Teh)
EVERYTHING IS PERFECT
They are young messy and yes cringe but that now what I love about them!
Every screenshot you can take feel like art, because it is art!
The relationship with Bas and Oh, show us the differencee between loving someone and being in love... I hope Bas find someone in love with him.
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Absolute Cinema
It is rare to find a series where every single creative element aligns so perfectly, but this show is that rare exception. It is a masterclass in storytelling where the casting feels destined rather than chosen; the actors don’t just play their characters, they inhabit them with a chemistry that feels lived-in and raw. The plot moves with a precision that never wastes a moment, balancing narrative tension and character development seamlessly.Visually, the cinematography treats every frame like a painting, elevating the genre to new heights. But what truly cements this series as a masterpiece is the music. The score is its own character, guiding the emotional heartbeat of the story. The way the soundtrack swells during the final scene didn't just accompany the moment. It defined it. It completely broke me, leaving a lingering emotional impact that I haven't been able to shake off since the credits roll.
No further explanation is needed. This is a perfect 10/10. If you still haven’t watched it, I honestly don’t know what you are doing with your life.
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This review may contain spoilers
A Groundbreaking and Hauntingly Realistic Work of Art
I believe 'I Told Sunset About You' (ITSAY) is a groundbreaking series that truly deserved all the accolades it received. At its release, it stood out as the first high-quality queer coming-of-age story from Thailand. The series excels in every aspect: the cinematography is stunning, the acting is impeccable, and the story is beautifully crafted. I find it flawless in every regard.The show's portrayal of reality is so hauntingly accurate that I couldn't get through it in one sitting. I deeply relate to Teh, which at times is almost unsettling. Similarly, I find Oh-aew's emotional maturity incredibly charming, much like you do. The development of relationships between Bas and Oh-aew, as well as between Teh and Tan, is executed perfectly. Each character is given a thorough and meaningful arc, ensuring they all have their moments to shine.
I also fell in love with the authentic cultural nuances embedded in the series. It subtly yet effectively portrays the Thai-Malay-Chinese relationships, starting with Teh's family background as Chinese-Malay descendants. This cultural backdrop significantly influences the family dynamics and expectations, from Teh's name to his mother selling Hokkien mee and wearing a Malay-Thai kebaya. The differing family situations and upbringings of Teh and Oh-aew also profoundly impact their emotional maturity and acceptance of their sexuality.
Moreover, ITSAY provides a strikingly realistic depiction of the challenges faced by students from rural areas, like Phuket, who pursue higher education in Bangkok. The struggles with their studies and the emotional turmoil of adolescence are portrayed with such authenticity that it mirrors my own experiences of preparing for prestigious college entrance exams in the capital city. The series resonates deeply with anyone who has faced similar trials, making it an incredibly powerful and relatable watch.
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Fab
What can I say except what an emotional BL. Great script.. great actors and such a change from the usualcheesy bl series. The two ML where made for the parts..
one who wasnt afraid to show his feelings the other full of angst about loving a man. The emotional conflicts really hit home how society treats a man on man relationships and what some go through as I have had a personal experience having a grandson who held back
before having the courage to come out as gay even though the family would have supported him fully.
He is now living happily with his partner in the UK.
This drama has shown how lads who are attracted to their own sex have so many obstacles to jump over but I hope eventually things will change because as of now many are going through what this drama spells out..
Thank you to everyone who took part in such a mind blowing series. Actors.. Directors.. Producers..
Scripwriters and everyone else.. ❤️ ❤️
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Painfully beautiful
Beautifully told story with some of the best chemistry I have seen between 2 actors EVER! Did it make me ball my eyes out... Yes, but that's ok. Was there some unnecessarily ugly and snotty crying... Yes, but who hasn't been there!? The story of coming to terms with your sexuality was raw and painful but very real. The tension between the 2 leads was off the charts! It is a short series but it really focuses on the leads so no side couples to distract from the main storyline. My first BL staring these actors so I will definitely be looking for more!Was this review helpful to you?
A CINEMATOGRAPHIC MASTERPIECE
ITSAY is true art. I don't even dare to confine it to the genre of BL since for me, this is more of a queer coming of age story. Boss Kuno and the whole cast knew EXACTLY what they were doing. This drama shows raw emotion, the fallible nature of teenagers in love and denial, as well as the effects of cultural intermingling in the parent generation on the child's upbringing.Someone on social media phrased it in a really funny but insanely accurate way: Boss Kuno's shows dare to ask the question "what if you were seventeen, gay and also a major fucking loser." And I think that sort of encapsulates how Teh moves through the majority of this story. He is a mess. Let's be honest, he is. But he's also a teenager. The bond between him and Oaew runs deep and they get caught in their emotions, and their expectations of each other. It's a roller coaster of INTENSE emotions. Sometimes it drives them (I'm looking at you Teh) to do insanely stupid things out of desperation and it makes one cringe while watching but at the same time it's so beautifully authentic. Billkin and PP Krit really delivered OUTSTANDING performances. I'd trust them with anything they decide to star in. Their ability to express the characters' inner turmoil and conflict is truly admirable.
Let's talk about Boss Kuno's incredible storytelling. The pacing of this story is zippier than other Thai dramas, which I really appreciated here. Still, nothing was missed. Boss Kuno told this expertly, I'm still in awe, how he created such an organic, tender and heartwarming story while also managing to authentically portray the everyday life of these characters and its impact on them by weaving in cultural aspects such as immigration (see old part of Phuket). It gives deep context and explains the boys' upbringing and the importance of Chinese culture in the story. It aids to make us understand the familial bonds of Teh, his brother and their mother and Teh's difficulty to deal with his feelings for Oaew, a boy.
Beyond that, the shots are stunning, the colouring gives the scenes a nostalgic, wistful summer feeling. Boss Kuno also managed to include and incredible amount of symbolism through colours, specific objects etc. and if you're able to catch on, it adds more depth to the relationship dynamics of the main and side characters. This is expert, artistic storytelling and I will never not watch anything directed by Kuno. That man creates magic on screen.
In short: IF YOU CARE ABOUT WELL WRITTEN STORIES WITH MULTI-DIMENSIONAL CHARACTERS AND CAN APPRECIATE ARTFUL CINEMATOGRAPHY AND EMOTIONAL DEPTH IN A DRAMA, WATCH! THIS! PLEASE!
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If there was a list of the top 10 thai bls itsay would take up the top 9 spots
Hands down the best bl/thai series i've ever watched,it was around 2 years ago.. i had been a fan of kdramas before that for a long time but i never watched other asian dramas so i decided to give it a shot, i watched a few japanese shows and i loved them, the chinese ones however, i couldn't really get into them especially since they were mostly historical, one day i found this drama called "addicted heroine" and i watched it, i liked it until // spoilers---->: he started being abusive//,
anyway that was how i got into the world of asian bl, i had heard about thai bls before but i never cared to watch them, and when i did it was honestly not much, from story to acting to production, most the time it felt like a cash grab or meant for 13 year olds, so when found itsay i watched it expecting to drop it half way or to like it as much as thai bls go.. so imagine how hooked i got when i loved the firts episode, and honestly not even the first episode just from their first interactions as adults, the more i watched the more i loved it and the more time passed after finishing it and thinking back to it the more attached i got.
There are shows that you like there are shows that you love and there are shows that don't leave an impact, but some times you find shows that actually shape your standards, they become your own, setting the bar for excellence, and become part of the things you ultimately deem goated, it could be a movie, a song, a person, a random line that you read somewhere and even a trivial incident, that joined the "oh this one thing in this context is too iconic for it's peers".. it may not have had that effect one everyone but it did for me, i compare every bl to it and whenever i finish it i think to my self "you were good but itsay was better" "you will never be itsay" "this one here almost dethroned itsay" but it actually never does..
Moving to acting, story and production,
(I'll finish the review later i got lazy)
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