Mama Gogo (2022)

Very Entertaining

This was a very funny series. The script was great because it mixed the right amount of comedy and drama. The cast did a great job portraying their characters. I also like how the actors did not take their character seriously. The only character I didn’t like was Fifa. She was portrayed as too whiny and annoying. I don’t know if this was a problem with the script or how the actress was told to play the character. As for production, the cinematography, sets, and graphics were awesome.

Random Note: Annie’s house was also used in the 21 Days Theory series as Q’s house. I always get a kick when I see a familiar location used in different series. However, this was the first time I saw the same location as I was watching both series in one day.

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Incredibly wholesome and rich

When I first watched the trailer for this series last year, I was expecting a superficial/empty series, and basically just decided to give it a chance because Earth would be part of the cast.
I started watching the show yesterday, expecting to be busy with it for the rest of the week, but ended up binge-watching all the episodes in two days: in fact I just finished watching the last episode and ran here to write a review.
I don't think I can express smoothly how much I enjoyed this series. I already said I started watching for Earth, but his presence alone wouldn't make me sit through more than the first episode if I didn't like it: it wasn't just because there were many familiar faces in the cast either, but it really was because of how well all the actors portrayed each character, and how the setting and the plot were taken very seriously from the beginning to the end.
In fact, Mama Gogo is not just about a strip club full of handsome half-naked dancers. It's about the themes of friendship and found family, about learning to appreciate life values that go beyond just making a lot of money and having a comfortable life, and also about learning from one's mistakes and growing from them, no matter your age. The series also touched on the subject of how entertainments for women are considered gross/unacceptable, as opposed to the same kind of entertainments for men being considered the norm.
I applaud the entire production team for the wonderful job they did with this. I was seriously expecting to just enjoy this superficially, but it ended up becoming one of my favorite Thai series of all time.

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Guilty Pleasure Watch - Cringey, Funny, Over-the-Top, SEXY, and Heartwarming

Completed - 9/8/2022

“Mama Gogo” is a guilty pleasure! Is it a perfect drama? Nope! Is it entertaining? Hell Yeah!!! Because I know what I am getting into, I can thoroughly enjoy the ride and give this an 8.5 rating.

A few quick notes:
1. This drama is super over-the-top and cringey! Beware if this is not your jam.
2. Because of #1, this drama is also HILARIOUS!
3. Hot Guys + Hot Abs + Sexy Gyrating and Hip Thrusting
4. Crazy funny sound effects to complement the dialogues - but could be too much for some.

Now if you OK with all that, then you are in for a fun and crazy ride!

The story is simple. Annie is a former popular idol who was forced to retire. Life did not treat her well after she left the entertainment world. Unexpectedly, she inherited a host club (women were entertained by a bunch of hot and sexy guys). The story then revolves around Annie and her Mama boys. It’s a very simple and predictable plot really.

What I Like:
1. Annie is a great female lead. She was a little too loud for my taste in the beginning. But she has grown from being a selfish and money-hungry single mother, to a caring business owner who tries her hardest for the host club and the boys. Annie is a fighter. She doesn’t back down, doesn’t cave in. She is independent and actually uses her brain to solve problems. She shoulders all responsibilities and problems and I’m glad to follow her journey. She also has the most amazing outfits. This woman looks so good in everything she wears.

2. Hot Guys - What can I say, it’s a drama with a lot of good-looking guys with hot bodies. I know I sound like a perverted old woman, but they are the main reason for me picking this drama. Since these guys are actors and not professional hosts (I assume they’re not), their dancing is pretty good. However, if you compare them to professional dancers (at least the ones I’ve seen in Las Vegas), their dancing actually isn’t that great. They are fun to watch though! I quite enjoy the rivalry between the Cute and Sexy Cash vs. the Handsome and Sexy Kampan.

3. Earth (as Kampan) - Wow.. I am amazed this is the same Earth I saw in “A Tale of Thousand Stars”!!! What a talented actor to be able to act in two very different roles. Earth is so corny, cringey and over-the-top funny. He’s also the best dancer of the bunch. What a nice body as well.

4. Lee (as Chen) - Well, I think I might have a new crush. My first drama of Lee and he looked so handsome when he was first introduced. I like Chen. A tough guy on the outside, but such a sweetheart on the inside. I especially like those few quick scenes of Chen when he flashes his shy looks when being teased. However, I wouldn’t say he is the main lead. He doesn’t have as many scenes as other characters.

5. Side stories - Amidst all the crazy fun, there are several heartwarming stories. They are short, but I do enjoy them, esp the one about Yut and his daughter and Ball’s dreams. I enjoy the ‘Found Family’ and friendship between the Mama boys.

What I Have Mixed Feelings:

1. Annie + Chen Romance - I actually liked their chemistry a lot more before they got together. Their fights and bickering are really cute. You see a more shy and innocent Chen in those episodes. I would have liked to see more of the “courting” before they’re together. Once they are together, they are sweet and fine, but not as fun as before. But of course, romance is not the central plot here, I just wish their romance develops a little bit better.

2. Kungten (FL’s sister) and Fifa (FL’s daughter) - Most of the time, I find these ladies quite annoying. Kungten’s playing hard to get is quite annoying especially when Cash was being so open and honest with her. Fifa’s animosity towards her mother is a little too much for me. She’s just a spoiled brat and I don’t know what Mikhael sees in her.

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Laugh out loud funny moments when you least expect it

While Mama Gogo initially appears to be a Thai edition of Magic Mike, this show is so much more than muscle and empty gyrating. What Annie’s crew sells is in short supply in the modern world: A connection to something deeper.

Amidst the roaring crowd and flurry of dollar bills, Mama Gogo makes the point that desire is complex, going beyond just a handsome face and a nice body. It’s about undivided attention and the ability to make others feel seen.

And that’s exactly what Chen (played by Lee Thanat) – my favourite character in the show – demonstrates even without shedding his shirt. I was worried that the debtor-collector relationship between him and Annie was going to be cringey and problematic but their relationship progressed in a really sweet (and surprisingly, not at all weird) way. Chen was the one who saw through Annie for who she is – a single mother struggling to do the best she can.

Earth’s character, Kampan, is supposed to be an antagonist in the show, but he’s not a typical villain. In fact, I have difficulty wrapping my head around his character. If I had to describe him, he’s like a real-life Ken (yeah, like Barbie’s Ken) but with a bit more depth and agency – sometimes, he comes off like a robot with a pre-downloaded personality struggling to masquerade as a human being. Not quite sure what to feel about his character but it’s certainly not Earth’s best performance.

Full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2022/08/30/mama-gogo-2022-review/

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Magic Mike but funny

I was drawn to this series because I liked Drag I love You so much. It is not as entertaining as that was, but it has plenty of hilarious scenes. The comedy comes from the over the top acting, which bounders on the cringey side, but just manages to stay away from it. It gives feelgood and pretty ripped man bods. What's not to like? The main character Annie is a powerhouse who stands her ground surrounded by predators. Her ex, her former partner, a creditor and her daughter are all asking for something from her. Suddenly a golden opportunity in the form of an inherited host club falls in her lap and she decides to make the best of it to make money and improve her life. While recruiting men to host at her club, she meets a colorful set of guys who all bring their own set of issues and talents to the club. She manages to make her creditor fall for her by giving him a sexy dance (LOOOL, this scene is gold) and as a bonus riles up her former partner, who then decides to also start a club to annoy and compete. Everyone falls in love left and right, some couples lasting, others failing miserably. I love that, although all relationships are heterosexual, they are not standard at all.
There is plenty of women's liberation and feminism, great music and a serious note here and there. I was entertained every second and regretted that it ended. I don't know if I will re-watch, but I will certainly not mind a sequel.

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Amusing ride with hot gentlemens and a strong lady!

mama gogo = "Why should men have all the fun"
I loved this drama very much!! I don't know if such bar exist where women can have fun with men!!
I liked how each character has their own share in the series.
Annie's character is the ideal on and she is an inspiring women for those men around her.
Even baby gangster made a goal to own a bar for himself and not to work under his father anymore as a debt collecter!
The way they have shown how this world treats women pleasures as something taboo is appreciable!
Men think that they can have fun with women at bars at night, but when it comes to his daughter or wife or girlfriend is having fun he can't accept that as her happiness! That mentality have ruined many womens happiness!
This is series is not only about women's pleasures and fun!! This series also covers how those entertainers life will be in bts...
This story shows how single parents try to earn money for their children's happiness and how they raised their children!!

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Y'all are missing OUT!

I knew nothing about this series. I can't even remember how I got to watching it but somehow, I was browsing the interwebs of YouTube and found myself watching the series. But you know what? It was worth it.

The story revolves around Annie and her fallout from the pop-duo, Annie and Tina. She ends up being pregnant with a deadbeat partner, and becomes the sole provider for her family. Through chance, she inherits a property from her uncle and low and behold, it turns out to be a host club. The series then explores the world of host clubs, from the types of customers who come through to the lives of the boys serving as hosts. Themes include reconciliation, sex work stigma, romance, and resilience against all odds.

From all the eye candy GMMTV can give us to the choreographed dance seductions and drama, this is definitely a great, guilty pleasure series you don't want to miss out on. Phenomenal casting choices, great cinematography with dope soundtracks, and almost flawless script. You'll find yourself laughing, crying, and rooting for just about everyone in this series. Take a break and indulge in everything Mama Gogo has to offer. You won't regret it.

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This series has everything

I was not expecting to like this show as much as I did but it was truly fantastic. It was funny, sad, frustrating, satisfying, goofy and serious all in one. As someone who started watching Eastern series because of BL, I had put this one off for a long time since it's not BL. But honestly, I should have watched it sooner for how great it was.

There were so many great elements to it that didn't even include the abundance of skinship of hot men dancing and grinding. Actually, besides the fact that they are hosts in an adult bar, there wasn't much about the show that I would consider 18+ besides some colorful language. Even the romance aspect with the different couples don't get more than one, maybe two kisses in and that's it. But if stripping men make you uncomfortable then sure, there's quite a bit of that. I wasn't a fan of Magic Mike but I did like this and didn't feel uncomfortable during those dancing for money bits.

There is a lot of second-hand embarrassment in this as the guys figure things out and get their footing as well as a lot of cringe-worthy moments (Mostly from Kampan) however it becomes quite obvious really early on that it is intentional and it's meant to add a lighthearted and silly tone to the show. Kampan's cheesiness in particular was over the top and sometimes ridiculous but it still somehow worked and I absolutely loved how Earth played the role. It just did camp and obnoxious so well, I was surprised at how different it was from other shows I've seen him in. And when he and Tina team up and have screentime together, I liken them to Izma and Kronk from Emperor's New Groove with how much comedic chemistry they had.

I found that in general, all the actors played their roles well. Everyone has such different personalities that it added a lot of depth and substance to the show. Probably the only character I was tempted to fast forward through was Fifa because i just hate whiny, bratty teenagers who disrespect their parents. Although, I kinda get it because we've seen her mom say multiple times to her daughter's face that "my life would have been so much better if I didn't have you" and that shit stings. She mellows out a bit when she's wth Mikhael though so it gets better. And Mikhael is so stinkin' cute and adorkable that I was rooting for their happiness anyway.

And Chen is relationship goals, that's all I can say. He's the most lovable cockroach (you'll get it soon enough) I have ever seen.

Last but not least, Annie is such an interesting protagonist... she's not a good person by any means yet you can't help but root for her. We see her character grow over the course of the series and ultimately get her act together but it is a long, winding and bumpy road with more than a couple of detours along the way. She's an interesting puzzle because, while she helps out her boys and tries to do right by her daughter, she is still very self-centered and thinks the world revolves around her pretty much right up until the second half of the final episode. And, while some of the resolutions seem a bit sudden, I do like that all loose ends get tied off and there's not a single aspect that is left as a question mark.

The ONLY thing I wish we had gotten was a dance battle between the ex husband and Chen...

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Mindlessly Funny With No Cliffhangers!!!

THIS story is a pure mess with lots of flaws but I still watch it.
WHY?
because I would rather watch something stupid and funny than CRINGY romance. you don't have to feel guilty watching cringy storylines just because you like the ML or FL. it's mindlessly funny and full of chaos with no cliffhangers ???

the characters are VERY bad at dancing that's what makes it more funny. and stripping skills? undoubtedly hilarious. they tried but I'm sorry they're actors not dancers ?

if you are tired don't want to pain your brain just watch this, your brain will come back to it's initial stage lol ?

Good luck!

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Nice moving hipps along a lame story

What can you say about it?
I'm surprised how bad this series is.
Great actors but a really lame story.

Pirapat Watthanasetsiri was in it. Great acting and now I know that he can also play the villain. I know him mainly from the BL series.

Sirin Horwang, very well played and looks stunningly good. You can tell she had a lot of fun playing the role.
She was really born in 1980?
You can't tell by looking at her! She really looks younger than her film daughter!
You don't believe me? Then look for yourself!

Way-ar Sangngern looks stunning and also acted stunningly.

Thanks all for them.

But what's with this shallow storyline?
Am I so spoiled that a couple of dancing boys and a down-on-her-luck woman can't entice me?
Yes, it was nice to watch. But the theme was through after two episodes. I was really bored. I then skipped through the episodes and would have loved to quit the show.

The guys danced relatively well but it's still far from amazing. And then those stupid lines. Women are stupid who fall for that kind of thing. These are clichés that are more annoying than funny. The series goes in the direction of comedy. But in some places it's rather poor. Accidently funny.

No!
Sorry. Failed.
No recommendation from me. Nice moving guys is too little for me and it needs a much much better story.

Watch something else... or two episodes, then you've seen it all.

Have a good time

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Não tem BL, que triste.

Uma comédia romântica tão bem feita que apesar de trazer uma bagagem de sofrimento por parte da protagonista Annie, consegue ser muito engraçada a ponto de sentirmos empatia por ela, mesmo que o início da série mostre que ela está apenas colhendo o que plantou, já que era totalmente irresponsável, e acabar sendo injusta com Tina, que trabalhou para conseguir vencer, e seu temperamento se justifica pela traição de Anne no passado.

Anne começa sua redenção com a abertura do Mama Gogo, e o talento dos meninos é um capítulo à parte. Apesar de todas as situações malucas que insistem em perseguir Anne, ela passa a ser uma pessoa melhor, a sentir empatia pelos seus funcionários, nasce uma empreendedora, nasce uma mãe consciente do quanto errou com sua filha e com todos que a beneficiaram em algum momento, maravilhoso quando ela salva a filha de Huge.

De todas as situações paralelas, eu amei o triângulo amoroso de Kungten, Kayu e Kampan. A história de cada um dos meninos é louvável, e eles acabam merecendo o sucesso que tem.

A família de Chen é outro ponto interessante. Ao mesmo tempo que são milicianos, também querem manter a tradição de "moral e bons costumes". Pra ser sincera, não achei imediatamente que eles iriam namorar, por causa da diferença de idade, não que isso seja algo errado, foi apenas a minha impressão mesmo.

Sobre o final, que bom que deu certo para todos e o final foi feliz.

Aspectos técnicos são bons, mas não ótimos, e não esperem por um BL secundário, pq não tem.

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