This review may contain spoilers
Thai Harry Potter Meets Thai Draco Malfoy but make it BL
This is a through and through enemies to lovers trope. I got to know about this drama after I watched Dangerous Romance.The plot is weak, sometimes it's ridiculous enough that they had to force add some drama.
The whole series stands on Pawin, Fiat and JJ's acting honestly.
Pawin's expressions are what I was screaming abut during the whole series. The confusion, the slight fear, soft smirks and teasing eyebrow raises, puffing out cheeks in mock anger, even some sassy throwbacks, he is the best part of this whole series, even if the crying scenes made me laugh sometimes.
I liked Pawin more in Dangerous Romance and noticed many similarities.
Extra points because of the portrayal of HIV, Sex-Ed and proper protection during intimate relationships. Not many BL series speaks about these. Fiat ate up his role. He is quickly climbing my top fav actors list .
A subtle throwback to SOTUS and I loved Neen.
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One bad apple…
Wow, I was not expecting this from GMMTV.The quality was up to their typical standards but the script! Awful! It started out cute but then the main couple spent the rest of the series fighting with each other. There was misunderstanding after misunderstanding!
And neither one would talk. Ugh. Pawin was just depressing. When they finally got together there was zero chemistry and almost cringey to see them together.
The side couples were great. And I liked all the side stories. But that main story was just boring and depressing. I thought Marc’s acting was good and he did a great job with the storyline about his mother. I just really didn’t like Pawin. But looks like he may be out of a job anyway.
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100% RECOMMENDED
Don't Ask, this series is 100% RECOMMENDED!!No cheesy storylines. If you're into the story and the acting, you need to watch this. All the couples in this series is AWESOME with their acting skills.
I've been watching almost all the THAI BL series, but for me, THIS SERIES IS MY TOP 5. just didn't know why they ain't popular. Amazing storyline, Amazing Actor, and Amazing Couples. Even the 2nd lead was awesome.
Based on my opinion, Maybe this is THE BEST. The acting isn't weird at all and they feel like they're into their role. Every couple in Thai BL one of them will look awkward for me. Sometimes their storyline was weird. But i didn't find it in this series. It's like a movie to me but longer version.
Hope, the 2nd lead will get the change to have their own stories. I wish every fujoshi out there will notice this series, because it's enjoyable to watch.
-- since english isn't my 1st language, hope you guys get what i meant --
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This review may contain spoilers
Maybe after you run out of all the other doctors, tutors, dentists and engineers.
This drama is so hard to rate for me, mostly because it feels like two different shows slapped on top of each other. One goes from episode 1 up to episode 8 (highschool drama), the second one goes from episode 8 onwards (university drama). It would be so much better if they went the route of "Star and Sky" and just gave each part ~8 episodes to develop.The first part is pretty good. Conflicts are a bit rushed at times, but they aren't purely built on miscommunication or just randomly inserted to cause drama. Both MLs are imperfect, but relatable. Itt is kinda antagonistic, but he has his reasons and we're shown early on that he isn't actually a purely bad guy (This was my problem with Mek from My Secret Love. That guy has no redeeming quality shown in episode 1 whatsoever. None.) Pai is cute with his crush, but he can also stand up to Itt and won't let people walk all over him (that much). Waan and Pure are funny in their own way, and I shipped them hard (unsuccessfully). Later on, it's becoming more frustrating, the drive of main conflict is pretty one-sided and it doesn't get entirely resolved by the end of episode 7. So we're getting into the second part as a bit of a mess.
Second part is way worse. Way, way worse. It's shorter, which is probably one of its problems. But it's also kinda empty. It focuses more on the secondary couple (that is a tad problematic, but interesting), while the main couple makes zero sense. The ending is horrendously done. Really, the last 2 episodes were a pain to get through. It's so bad I might advise you to just stop after episode 10 and make up an ending of your own. Because I can't imagine anyone being happy with such resolution. My favorite thing about this part was Folk. He's precious and deserves the world.
POTENTIAL TRIGGERS (with minor spoilers included) :
Attempted sexual assault - it's pretty ugly, but it's short.
Emotional manipulation - one character is messing with another throughout a major part of the drama for their "own good". They admit to it at the end and even realize it wasn't a right thing to do. Also, I found it unnecessary in a way it was shown.
Predatory behaviour - distressed person is taken to their home and offered alcohol by someone they know a little. Afterwards, the two of them (most likely) have sex. There is no regret shown from either side and there was verbal confirmation of intent beforehand, but it felt kinda iffy and uncomfortable to me.
Homophobia - not overly aggressive. Frankly, it was only used as a plot device and didn't look genuine.
Cheating - implied for side characters.
Absentee parents - in the end, they intend to change.
Fake voice that sounds like from a ransom call.
MAJOR (?) SPOILERS FOR THIS PART
What I liked:
Waan's and Pai's friendship.
Itt's relationship with his mother.
Pai's smile. Pai's intent to confess. Basically a majority of Pai.
The existence of AIDS subplot - execution could have been better.
All of Folk. Even his stalkerish bits.
Banter between Pure and Folk.
The earring symbolism, though it became overdone later on.
What I disliked:
Itt thinking he's doing it all for Pai.
The entirety of ending, starting from the Mr. 950 reveal. It felt undeserved. Preachy. Disconnected from the rest of drama. It really felt like they just wanted such narrative for them, so they put it in even though it didn't make sense. That homophobia subplot is a joke. Needed way more time to be even a slightly believable.
How Pai was always the one on the passive end (forced to do stuff, always the one apologizing or trying to clear things...) They show he can stand up for himself at the start, but then they took away all his power.
The chemistry is just not there for the main couple from episode 6 or so? Like there is no way they could feel that way or switch their feelings as much as it was indicated. I didn't believe them a bit right from when Itt's ex tried to hit on Pai onwards.
Pure trying to touch Folk at the same time Folk was screaming at him not to. It was devastating.
END OF SPOILERS
Overall, I think it's a nice drama to binge. It has its great moments, it has its horrible moments. Most of the time it's just fine. There's not much skinship/fanservice, if you're looking for it. It feels like 2018 BL. It watches as one. And as one, it would have been pretty good. For 2020 BL, it's about average. In 2022, it's underwhelming. This is very much a "Star In My Mind" quality. I actually enjoyed first part of MGaYG more than SIMM, but then it went downhill and in the end, SIMM takes the crown for me. That said, SIMM had 2 more years to adapt and grow, so it got .5 worse score. For anynone getting into BLs, I recommend either starting with this one so you have low expectations, or ideally leaving it for when you're kinda bored and just want to binge something.
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Avrage but a decent watch
Theres nothing extrodinary to see here, the acting was ok, story and plot is the usual enemies-to-lovers we all love, the first 4-5 episodes are a bit of a drag before everyones characters are settled. Though i must say i found it interesting that the writers chose to make Pure and Waan just friends, since usually they would have been set pretty much in stone as the side couple, i did enjoy that little spin. I didn't hate any of the main characters, i really enjoyed Pure, he was goffy and from the start settled that he didnt care for gender when it came to his partners. It's rare to see a character who isn't either gay or "if he wasnt him i wouldnt love him". I find the suttle biphobia very obvious once you notice it. I did though find the constant "misunderstanding" plot device beyond over used here, there was like 3 or 4 within the first half of the show. I didnt like Pai's parents or the teacher who kinda threatened a student that if doesn't make sure this other kid gets into uni, your club is no more, or in the other direction if you get into uni i will reward you by taking away their clubroom and disband the club, which i also have an issue with, are there no other classrooms at all.... in the entire school, they can use?! Overall i dont think it's worth a re-watch but definitely worth giving it a try, it's not a masterpiece but also not horrible.Was this review helpful to you?
Let's talk gay shit
I feel like your enjoyment of this drama will depend on how many BLs you have seen previously because, the thing is, this is a GREAT drama for starters, but a little too much of the same for a veteran BL fan. Luckily for me, I had seen a couple of terrible dramas the past few weeks, so this one was a refreshing series to watch.~Story:
The classic tale. All the elements that make up a Thai BL are here, so this was a safe choice. There really isn't anything memorable about it since it's a story that pretty much introduces people to the world of BL, so don't come expecting groundbreaking shit cuz this isn't the one to do such thing.
~Cast:
Pretty solid. I do not think they were bad, but a little staged instead. The actors needed to let the awkwardness go and become more confident so their performance can feel more natural. Let me talk about a couple of them:
-Pai: He was... okay, I guess. A little stiff, but did perform decently enough to not make me walk away. He needs to work on his chemistry because that's the biggest issue with his acting.
-Itt: This man was stiff as a board. I feel like he understood the assignment but didn't know how to apply it. His chemistry was also pretty nonexistent to the point it didn't feel like he was into Pai in the slightest.
~Pacing, Editing, and Production:
This was a very well made drama. You can tell the budget was decent and the production made good use of it. The pacing was pretty good as well, except the fact that I would have preferred if the mains had gotten together a little earlier in the story. There just wasn't enough time to bask in their relationship because we weren't given any to begin with.
Sis, this show has everything: Enemies turned to lovers, miscommunication, gay shit, bisexual shit, straight shit, ugly ass earrings, why did you buy that shit? Petty beauty contests, and so much more. I personally think this was a good drama and excellent for beginners in the BL genre. If you're a veteran, though, you may feel a little bored by it.
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Good for a light watch to kill time
STORY:- The skeletal framework for the plot, and subplots to stretch the drama are pretty good - felt they were fresh, dreamy and not forced (except maybe one). Plus the characters are unique and has a certain depth too.
- BUT writers have done only an average job in making these components into a good story. I really feel there was more potential to make this plot much much better.
- got to appreciate that decent focus was also given to friendships, family, and struggles of these characters <3
- imo, final episode was little hurried but satisfactory, especially since it gives closure on some matters.
ACTING:
Pai, Pure, Folk and even Waan were portrayed pretty well. But when it comes to chemistry, the gay side couple is still better. To be fair Itt-Pai kiss scenes do not disappoint but I personally boys give low "feels", AT TIMES.
Rest, including direction, production, music, rewatch value - I'd describe as "low to medium average".
FINAL VERDICT: Not something I regret watching. Overall, liked it. Not something of high quality story acting or direction but you can binge watch on a lazy day for the lowkey cuteness.
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I'm impressed
Lets say I was not expecting anything special from this series. At first I thought it was some basic engineering college bl. But boy was I wrong.Yes it did have a normal story but acting wise it was sooo good. It wasn’t cringe at all. Evety actor did Justice to their character.
I started watching it cause I was bored and had a plan of not watching the whole thing but the story kept me going.
It's not one of your common bls. It has so much depth. Every character has a story. The process was slow. But the wait was worth it. The series is realistic and deals with many issues like std, concent etc.
What impressed me the most was Pai's parents talking to a councilor to understand their son's sexuality which is very rare in the bl world.
Folk and Pure were so cute together. Their chemistry was 10/10 and ngl I loved Wan and Beau too. Normally I'm not into straight couples in bls.
Every couple had their growth and ended up together. All in all I'd say the series is totally worth it. Watch it y'all Won't be disappointed. The story is slow but fab and the cast is shef's kiss.
I don’t understand why are people rating it so low. It's freaking good compared to all other popular toxic bls. Stop hating on good content people. This series literally deserves everything. I hope it will get its deserved hype and praise. I want a season 2 so bad ?
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This was really sweet.
The story had a lot to give, but I don't think the writers/directors made the best use of all of the episodes. They're are things I think they should have included and other things I think they should have left out. Overall our was still good though. Some decent lessons on relationships as well.The acting wasn't top tier, but then I looked at the release date, thought about when filming wouldn't been and I realized that some of these actors would've been incredibly young when they filmed this!! This released Sept. 2020, so they most likely filmed during the second half of 2019. At that time the car would've been:
Marc: 17 (Itt)
Pawin: 23 (Pai)
Fiat: 23 (Pure)
Aun: 16 (Folk)
JJ: 18 (Waan)
It wasn't a first time acting for any of them, but it was the first "main role" for three of those five actors. Previously they only had guest appearances or smaller support roles. I've seen most of them do other works since this and they've all improved greatly.
All that being said, I still think they all did the best they could with what they were given, and I still enjoyed this. It's not an all-time favorite, but it was still good.
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I feel mixed
When I first watched this, I really enjoyed it. I was a Pai stan from episode one and I really shipped both main couples(Pai/Itt and Pure/Folk) but as I still had a few issues.Story:
I will say what every bl fan is thinking, the engineering concept is over done and we need more diversity when it comes to the college majors/give us more non college related bls. However, at least they gave Folk and Pai non engineering majors(Pai is a medical student and Folk is a dental student).Aside from that, the show was fun and I enjoyed watching it, I tried rewatching it and I got to episode 8 before I had to stop.I am still a Pai stan and honestly...I think he deserves better than Itt. Itt annoyed me quite a bit, his attitude towards Pai for the majority of the college part of the show was so irritating and he should have treated him better. I honestly think Pai would be better with Folk. Folk is much nicer but Folk/Pure is one of my favourite ships so I can't say I'm sad about Pai/Folk not happening. Before Folk came along though, I genuinely shipped Waan and Pure. I thought they had a great dynamic and was crushed when they didn't get together. But once Folk came along, Waan/Pure was forgotten about.
Acting:
I think they all did an good job but my favourite actor was the guy who played Pai. He made me get really attached to him and I hurt for him every time Itt was a fudging jerk. The other actors did well.
Soundtrack:
Forgettable but pretty
Rewatchability:
It is an easy watch if you are looking for a bl to watch while you wait for new ones to come out or just need a show to watch. I just can't finish rewatching it because I'm too fed up with Itt and the way he's acting
Overall:
Cute but there are much better ones out there. Pai stan forever and screw Itt's dad, he is the worst, I hate him so much. This is a good show for beginner bl watchers.
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The Second Time Around
There really aren't that many series that I would want to re-watch, especially these days when BLs are coming at you one after another, but someone mentioned "My Gear and Your Gown" on Reddit, and I remember bingeing that title and couldn't get certain things out of my head - Win Pawin Kulkaranyawich who plays "Pai", Waan and Pure's visit to the Clinic, and so on. Now the thing is - I hate bingeing. I always find that there's so much stuff going on and you could never hold on to the details, and this series is all about the details.First off, this is not your typical BL where one guy falls on another guy's mouth and he catches him with his lips, nobody drinks until they have to stop and vomit, nobody gets washed down with a bowl of warm water and a small white towel, nobody...well, you get the picture. MGAYG is one of those quiet little gems that takes its own sweet time to roll out its story. All of the problems are real world problems - there's cancer, an incident involving a car accident, HIV and safe sex...in other words, it's like getting a glimpse into the lives of several high school through University friends. Nothing much happens - and an awful lot happens at the same time. At the centre of the story there's Pai - a people-pleasing, milquetoast, nerd - and his classmate Itt (Marc Pahun Jiyacharoen) a jock with a heart of gold whose world just weighs him down, almost drowning him. Of course it's a love story - but not the happily-ever-after type, more of the deep bond and genuine affection type of love...in other words, real love with all its messy ups and downs.
Along for the ride are their High School friends Waan and Pure and, later on, their new University buddies Folk and Beau. Now lemme talk about the performances for a minute. There really are no screaming/bawling/histrionic moments where actors get to "Act" with a capital A. It's a rather gentle, quiet little beauty that casually moves along at its own pace and, at no point, do we get pulled out of the story by overwrought "acting". The Director (Siwaj Sawatmaneekul) clearly opts for more of a poetic realism style of acting and his young cast is more than able to carry it off.
Finally, all I can say, is that if "Gen Y" and "Love by Chance" is your groove, then maybe you should miss this one. If, however, you liked more naturalistic series like "I Told Sunset About You" and "'Cause You're My Boy", then maybe you should give it a shot. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.
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