One of the best bl's to ever exist.
I usually never give something such a high rating unless I think that it is deserved. I believe this bl is one of the best series you could ever possibly watch. The relationship between the characters is healthy and written exceptionally well. The actors have fantastic chemistry, which ties the entire story altogether. This is one of my favourite series as it has one of the best LGBTQ+ represented storylines. It's made specifically for the lgbtq+ community! It has no stereotype, no "I don't like men, I only like you" trope, no internalized homophobia and no commercial/fan service soft porn. One of the best! I recommend this to everyone. This show will always have a special place in my heart.Was this review helpful to you?
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If you haven't seen this, drop everything and go watch it right now
This review is basically going to be me raving over this series for however many paragraphs it takes.Take that as your first and final and only warning.
Where do I start?
The story is of two young men who are studying in different faculties in the same university. Pat, Engineering. Pran, Architecture. Historically, the two faculties have been rivals and several of Pat and Pran's friends take this all very seriously. The first scene of the very first episode is a bunch of Engineering students chasing down and beating up an Architecture student, so you know the rivalry is intense.
To make things even more complicated, the two young men grew up right next door to each other and their families absolutely loathe each other. We don't find out why until nearly the end of the series, but it's not a trivial reason, and the hatred on the part of Pran's mother towards Pat's father is warranted and justifiable.
Unknowingly, Pat starts courting Pran (it's a mix-up that does completely make sense) and, when he discovers who it is he's been exchanging notes and gifts with, he doesn't immediately have a meltdown at the mere though of liking a boy (which I half expected, because it's such a trope in BL), he doesn't punch Pran or accuse him of deception or any of the other things that happen in these situations in other BL's.
No, they pretty much agree to stop being rivals and start being friends, before things develop into more. They use bets and competitions as flirting and it is hilarious.
They have such good communication with each other. They talk about things honestly and openly and they both apologise to the other for their mistakes and they stick by each other when one of them is in trouble and....it's so refreshing and wholesome and good to see.
The acting is on another level, especially for a BL. Ohm (Pat) and Nanon (Pran) are both very skilled and it shows. I already knew Ohm was good, having seen him in Make It Right and He's Coming To Me (I recommend the Book/Frame cut of Make It Right if you haven't seen it, and He's Coming To Me is an excellent shorter series in which Ohm partners with Singto. It's a gem.)
I hadn't seen Nanon in anything else, though his resume is quite impressive, so I wasn't sure what his acting would be like going in, but I need not have worried. He's so good it's almost unbelievable. If they gave out awards for TV acting in Thailand, he should be up for Best Actor. His emotional range is impressive.
The chemistry and dynamic between Ohm and Nanon takes this series from great to excellent.
There are only two songs used throughout the series, and one of them is kind of over-used, but both are still lovely and the incidental music is good too. I like the fact that they avoided so many of the ridiculous sound effects that other shows tend to overuse. Moderation is key, and it's clear the director and editor agree with me.
Even the product placement, whilst definitely there and noticeable, has been toned down, which is so good to see.
And, to make things better, we get an actual GL second couple in this, even if their relationship isn't as developed as the main leads. There's talk of a sequel to this, and to be honest, I don't want one. I'd like a spin-off instead, focusing on Ink and Pa's relationship. There's a time jump at the beginning of episode 12, and I'd like to see how their relationship developed over that time.
REWATCH VALUE: high, high, so so high. I'm rewatching it now, in fact.
I've said in other reviews that no show is perfect, and this isn't either, but this is the only one that I've felt justifies the full five stars/10 out of 10 rating. I watched this and I didn't feel cheated, I didn't end up feeling like I'd wasted my time and the ending was satisfactory and fulfilling.
That, to me, is the hallmark of a great series.
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Great lead actors.
Acting of both lead stars (Ohm and Nanon) are on point. The best BL series. There are no boring episodes. The series shows how to handle and manage relationships and make it healthy. Whatever emotions Ohm and Nanon act in the series, they are always believable, and audiences can always relate to them. They will take you to their world. This series would make you cry. When Ohm and Nanon cry, I am sure every one will also cry.The series is recommended to everyone, not just for same -sex relationships but also to straight ones.
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This review may contain spoilers
Take a shot every time I type "I love" XD
WARNING! To vent my feelings, I'm gonna do it episode by episode since others are, and I feel validated lmao Plus, like, there's a LOT of feelings in each episode~ It's so good~ Even so, I won't spoil anything major, so you can experience yourselves~TL;DR? Full disclosure: I didn't like the book because of certain plot lines that I absolutely ABHOR, including "studying abroad" and "those who are older than us ALWAYS know better" (which is gross, and most certainly not true). The show, though? Is almost NOTHING like the book, thankfully. I mean, p'Aof literally saw it and was like, "There's potential, but it could be better" and BITCH HE MADE IT SO MUCH BETTER. One of my favorite parts is the way it addresses the issues PatPran face. There's an overarching problem that both main characters are working on, but, for the most part, each issue gets resolved before the episode is over, which means the usual tactic of using cliff hangers to keep readers interested is no where to be found. Despite this, I STILL can't wait for every episode. It addresses stereotypical BL tropes (especially those in Thai BLs), and the characters freaking COMMUNICATE their PROBLEMS. It's so freaking NICE. There are misunderstandings and quarrels, but, again, they're generally resolved before the end of the episode WITHOUT rushing. Plus, the OST? It's beautiful. Just Friends is a wonderful song, and Nonan's voice is so soothing and aching and ugh. I love it.
ONWARDS to my completely uncensored reactions lmao
Episode 1.
It's such a good introduction! This episode does a good job of setting groundwork. We get so much detail, but it doesn't feel rushed or forced. It just flows naturally, like a good story should do~ I love this more than the book already lol The way Nonan's eyes are so expressive makes me jealous, honestly. Side note: I'm glad they didn't do that typical, "This guy's my bully, but I love him anyway." That shit drives me INSANE. Another side note: is it me or is Pat more... Pat when he's around Pran? Maybe I'm reading too much into it since I know they're probably gonna end up together (oh, come on! It's a BL, and they're the main starts. That's not a spoiler; that's just common sense!).
Episode 2.
I normally don't like the "opposites attract" rhetoric, because it's (more often than not) complete garbage, since you have to have something in common with the person you like--otherwise, the relationship won't last. My favorite thing this episode (and throughout the series tbh) is the BALANCE. Yes, Pat and Pran have different routines and majors, but they're similar where it counts: kind, thoughtful, and loyal. Pat cares for his sister, family, and friends. Pran cares for his friends and family. They deal with things differently, but they have similarities on a fundamental level. Also, like, the misunderstanding this episode is adorable, and I love how they handle it~
Episode 3.
They're also goofballs. Have I mentioned that yet? Dear Lord! They're such dorks. It's so cute, and I hate them lmao. Also, kudos to Pat for being so stubborn! Despite Pran telling him not to talk to him, Pat just smirks and keeps trying, even offering to help. I love this character the most, to be honest, and I can't blame Pran for falling for him because same, my guy. Same.
Episode 4.
"I know you can [do it on your own], but I still want to help" is the best freaking thing I've ever heard. I love it so much. Also, it's such a good thing that Pat and Pran's friends are with them, because if they got roped into a cultist leader, they'd be so screwed lol They're so easily manipulated, it's kinda cute. It's also realistic, especially with the rivalry, because you don't always thing logically when arguing or fighting--you just wanna be right and have the one-up--so I give them kudos for that as well~ Another nice subtly is the way they show how different Pran is when talking to others (soft, polite speech) versus how he is when he's talking to Pat (angry, informal, rough). I'm starting to get the vibe that Pran feels more comfortable with Pat, just like Pat is with him. Like they can be themselves with the other. My heart~ Also, the way Pat just expected Pran to sit next to him, so he slid the chair out expectantly? And the fact that he's paying so much attention to him that he notices Pran's shoulder starting to bother him? Please don't do this to meeeee~
Episode 5.
This episode. THIS EPISODE. I can't. Also, can someone tell me why it's the fifth episode, and I just noticed that, in the intro, Pat's and Pran's friends switch sides, so Pat's friends are next to Pran and Pran's friends are next to Pat? Small detail, but I like it~ Moving on~ I love how Pat deals with things. He always immediately tries to figure out an answer and/or solution. When he messes up, he tries to fix it. When he's confused about his feelings, he immediately tries to find the answer. I love that sort of "head first" mentality, and I think that's why I like his character so much: I'm so tired of people skirting around their feelings and their issues. As someone who likes to have the conversation so I can get it over with, I totally relate to Pat, who just wants to KNOW. Also, his jealousy over Wai is, like, the single best thing, especially since it's more than just romance: Wai can go to Pran's house, Wai can be friends with Pran out in the open; that's so much more than Pat feels like he will ever be able to do since their parents hate each other. I love that detail~ (Someone, take a shot every time I type "I love that" or "I love them" or "I love" anything lmao). And, of course, that KISS. The difference in emotions WHILE kissing for Pat and Pran is beautiful, let alone afterwards. The different way they handle things is really coming out here, and I *snickers* love it~
Episode 6.
You know, I kinda forgot about the whole "Pat interested in Ink" because, like a champ, this show didn't harp on it, and I immediately started shipping Ink with Pa because, I mean, why can't we get a good GL? Until Pa was like, "You two are fighting over Ink, right?" and then I was like, "OHHHHHH! Is that why Pran..." And I realized that Pat literally told Pran he liked her an epsiode or so ago, so, like, how confusing for poor Pran! Shit! I bet Pat also forgot because he's... Well, he's Pat, and I feel that lmao. Aside from that, Pat using their bets and power struggle to make Pran look at him and pay attention to him? Cute~ Pat going out of his way in an environment that would clearly eat him up? Also cute~ Head strong and unperturbed--two traits I love about Pat. Just give in Pran. For the sake of my heart because Pat's sad eyes are BREAKING IT. On another note, the adverts in this show are also wonderfully done. That flirting scene with the printer? Golden. I also just love how everything is bickering--not quite fighting, but just little quips and arguments because they're stubborn~
Episode 7.
This whole episode is GOLD. The cute flirting, the tactics? It's soooo good. Even the part where they try to make each other jealous, which is something I usually hate, is done so well, with both parties being like, "Why're you acting so weird?" But Pat and Pran are so focused on the other, they have no idea that their "dates" are absolutely lost. It's brillant~ A highlight from this episode is another detail: the fact that Pat looks at the door to see how Pran is feeling (the sad face this time) and immediately changes his tactics because he's worried? God help me because these boys are going to KILL ME. Toto(?) screaming, "I just survived this" at the end is literally me.
Episode 8.
Another good example of communication with a touch of sweet. Every problem, they both admit their faults. They both apologize, and they both compromise, choosing what works for either of them. It warms my heart so much~
Episode 9.
WAI. WHY (ha) are you such an ASSHOLE. I thought you were GOOD, but you're literally just PETTY. In the WORST WAY. UGH. I understand his betrayal, and I know that being lied to sucks, but that doesn't give you the RIGHT. Ugh x2. Korn and the rest of Pat's friends are angels, and I love them, but I tend to like most of Drake's characters, though I wish he'd be the main lead at some point~ Pressing on, Pat's character continues to set the bar higher for an potential relationship I want to get in, which is problem, but we'll ignore that for the moment. Them being open and out DOES make my heart happy. Though I'm annoyed by HOW it was done, I recognize there isn't really any way it could've been done, especially with Pran's PTSD when it comes to being friends with Pat in public (thanks, mom and dad). I wish we could've gotten Pa's initial reaction, but alas~ Also, Wai, did you HAVE to waste that water bottle? It was completely full! Thankful that the issues were resolved in ONE EPISODE, and it wasn't dragged out until the end or something, because then I really would be annoyed~
Episode 10.
I'm SO GLAD this show deviated from the book. The reason in the book for this feud, in my opinion, was absolutely stupid, but this reason? I totally get it. I would be upset and heartbroken, too, and I'm also just happy they made it something UNEXPECTED. Like, this show is doing so well with the "plot twists," because I never really think they're gonna do it well, which is stupid, since this whole show is done well lol. Either way, I thought we would have a prelude to sadness for episode 11 (because of the curse), but, honestly, I was, once again, pleasantly surprised that, instead of breaking up because of the conflict, they decided to face it together. Like, how fucking healthy is that? I love it~ I also love the way Wai is integrating, and I would be totally down for a KornWai ship hinted. Also, InkPa ship is SAILING, bitches, and I'm SO FREAKING HYPED. I was worried (again, stupid on my part) that they'd drag it out and make it to where Pa is just misunderstanding her feelings and blah blah blah, but P'Aof was like, "NO BITCHES. THIS IS IT." And it happened in episode 10, which means we might get even CUTER moments. All in all, my heart is both happy and hurt. Negative Ten to Pat's dad, and 10/10 for InkPa~ See you all Friday~
Episode 11.
THAT SONG, THOUGH. LIKE. WHAT. "Love is nothing else but you" is probably the single best thing ever. The way it's been the opening the entire time? That was so brilliant. I love p'Aof so much! He's such a dedicated, talented director! Like, wow. And this sound track is fucking ENDING me~ This episode was entirely PatPran. They lived their lives, worked out their anxieties, and just enjoyed each other the whole time, and I can appreciate it. Plus, like, not to beat a dead horse, but that song? ugh. I love it. I wasn't TOTALLY impressed when Pran was singing it previously because the beat seemed off, but I attributed it to them making it feel like it was in the process of being written, and DAMN. That final piece? I love it. There were rumors of Twitter spoiling it, but I think people don't realize that the book has been translated into English since almost the beginning of the series, and it's different enough from the series that it doesn't really matter. OF COURSE, based on the previews for the next episode, where they're talking about breaking up (did they even break up? did I miss that? I thought they were just going home!) with each other, I'm guessing we're gonna do that thing I hate, where we have a year or two gap between meeting each other. Ick. I'll probably dock points for that, but I'm still overly impressed and in love with this series. One episode to go, and I'm both excited and sad~ Love is nothing else but you, na?<3(:
Episode 12.
I TAKE IT ALL BACK. THAT WAS AWESOME. They DECEIVED ME, and I LOVE IT. UGH. Way better than the book. I also love the fact that they took what the guy at the beach said to heart like I did. When he said that the world couldn't change him either, I was so inspired, and I'm excited that our boys were just as inspired because I felt like that line was perfect, honestly~ I even love that they included that little thing about their parents giving in to their relationship. Ugh. I just finished it, and now I wanna watch it all over again.
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just what I needed.
I cannot put into words how I exactly felt during this series. It's like someone had known all the things I would love to watch and put them in one drama. Firstly, I was already a big fan of Ohm and Nanon, their work always pleased me and I even rewatched their projects a few times. On December 3rd of 2020, when Bad Buddy was announced, I absolutely freaked out, not only because of the super fun plot, but also because my favorite boys (and my favorite girl Love) would be the protagonists on that show. I didn't even watch the trailer a second time, because I wanted to forget about the scenes so I could watch the show without already expecting something to happen.There were hard times, Nanon got covid, the filming was postponed, as well as the airing date. A lot of things were going wrong, but I always persisted. I never stopped believing Bad Buddy was going to be IT. Everytime I remembered it was going to be a real series with dear actors, I would put on a big smile and search for updates. When GMMTV announced they would come to life on October 29th, I got so happy. When I watched the first episode, I got even happier. It's not a joke, their chemistry is UNMATCHED. The scenes were funny and goofy as I was expecting from a gmm BL series. The dialogues I'd been waiting for, the bickering I'd been waiting for, the LOVE STORY I'd been waiting for. Everything on that freaking show had me completely insane!
About the main leads, Ohm and Nanon are such great actors, I've got nothing to complain about that. Ohm is amazing with emotional, clingy and goofy scenes, Pat was the perfect role for him as he resembles the other so much. Nanon is just the BEST at expressing trivial feelings, his precise delivery got me thrilled, because his past recent roles were full of angst and serious faces. Now, even though there were angsty parts, he was able to portray a lighter character, who frequently smiles and laughs. Their gaze, their sparks, their touching, every little detail was what made my heart so fulfilled. Not to mention their improvised scenes, it was such a good addition! I would go on about these two boys for hours, but I don't want my review to be THAT long. Well, I love them very much!
The side characters had their function on the show of course. Although I don't like Wai, only we (the viewers) know what he did to PatPran. He wasn't punished so I just stopped caring about him honestly. Korn has his flaws but at least he was a great friend to Pat when everything seemed to be falling apart. Now, the stars on this path of side characters: INK AND PA! I would never imagine that Aof would create a storyline for two girls falling in love omg I absolutely LOVED it. That scene in the park when Ink offered to take photos of Pa just to fool around was the first sign, I was already thinking "Hm, WHAT IF these two become a couple..." but I didn't know they would seriously make this happen, and I am so happy that they did. Even with just a few scenes, nothing was rushed and implicit, they got their moment and even more than I expected. Kisses for InkPa my beloved!
About the main plot, I got really happy that they weren't apart because of their parents. When we all found out they pretended to break up, I let out the biggest sigh of relief and started laughing SO hard I love them so much ughhhh. Aof did a brilliant job changing the climax (because in the novel Pran is transfered to live abroad because her mom sent him). Pran was indeed away, but because he CHOSE to. He saw a job opportunity that seemed interesting and had an agreement with Pat that they would still be together. Just the best couple of all time... I was already a fan of Tilly Birds, but now when I listen to them I sometimes think of PatPran, it's always a beautiful moment.
Final thoughts: this show added a big amount of happiness and love inside my heart. I am really proud to say I was here since the beggining of this beautiful journey (and even before, since I watch everything Ohm and Nanon do). It brought recognition, and a lot of LGBTs felt comforted while watching it. ALL my "thank yous" to the cast and crew, they were phenomenal. I'm going to miss them a lot, and I will surely rewatch it with my friends when I recommend it to them :D It's now one of my favorite BL series.
):)
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Just a breath of fresh air
I finished this series yesterday, but I am now finding the time to give a review. And what can I say? This series was indeed a breath of fresh air for me! I mean, the last Thai BL that I watched and I gave a 10 to was 'A Tale of A Thousand Stars' while the last good BL that I watched and gave a 10 to was 'Kieta Hatsukoi'. And yes, I know that this BL had some glaring flaws. However, the best parts outweighed those flaws for me, personally.Stoey-10/10
It's a simple story that has been told many, many times. Yet, I feel in love with it. They were frenemies and became lovers. Heck- they were friends from since they were small behind thier parents back! And I felt that it was portrayed in such a beautiful way. And, okay, yes, Wai was a huge d@ck for doing what he did to them and not apologizing, but in the end, he accepted them.
And what I loved about this series that I am not seeing a lot of people are talking about is that the parents, while they don't like each other, they are very acceptable to whoever thier children are dating. Like Pran's mom accepted that her son would date a guy( she just didn't want it to be Pat though). And Pat's parents were totally cool that Pa was dating Ink (I'm sorry but tis is huge to me as I will forever be scarred by BL's parents who don't accept thier kids due to who they are dating). And coming down to the ending- like the parents know that they are secretly dating and have (kind of) just come and accepted it.
And, okay, I thought that it was a trival reason for why the parents hated each other. But when I saw an explanation for the reason- I understand why they became the way that they did. I'm not gonna say that this series is perfect in all of it's ways- yes they are flaws. But those flaws don't really stand out to me.
Acting/Cast-10/10
Hands down. One of THE best acting that I have seen in such a long time. From the amin cast to even the supporting role- they all were phenomenal.
Music-10/10
I love the music so much that it honestly didn't bother me, no matter how much times that they have played the song in the series.
Rewatch Valu-10/10
Yes! I will most definitely rewatch this series again. I love it so much! And I shouldn't be surprised because the director of this series, Backaof Noppharmach Chaiwimol, has developed phenomenal series over the years with outstanding actors and I will continue to support him!
Overall-10/10
Overall, I give this series a 10/10. I have stated in previous posts that for me it's how the actors and he directors are able to bring across a story that you have seen a 1000 times into a way that can either take our breath away or make you feel...meh. They were able to do the former for me and for that I am grateful. I would most definitely recommend this series to others to watch!
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This review may contain spoilers
Good chemistry can fill in for where the story is lacking
Bad Buddy has taught us two things. First is that a great chemistry between the actors can bring out the emotions of the viewers no matter how good the story is and second is that the standard for BL dramas is tragically low.And by neither of those points do I mean to say that the story of this drama was awfully constructed, but am simply pointing out how the plot itself isn't anything note-worthy compared to the real strong points of the series.
STORY:
With the exclusion of the romance we aren't left with much. The main point of the story is that the guys were forced to become rivals due to the pressure from their parents, but even if the reason for the hatred between the two families is explained and they eventually let their sons interact with each other, we've never really found out why the two families decided to live next to each other if they've been in a conflict since high school.
The story is introduced by a fight breaking out, but we still don't know why Pat and Pran ended up getting involved with the "gangs" in the first place or why their faculties had such a deep rivalry to the point when they were willing to beat each other up.
Everyone seemed to start secluding Pat and Pran after having found out about their relationship, but when Pat went to give Pran the USB and was asked to shout out his love for Pran, nobody had expressed a disagreement with it.
There was a build up to Wai being a fake best friend who was guilt tripping Pran and using him when it was convenient, but then he did a complete 360 and suddenly came around to help Pat and start being friends with them after only one favour.
I think a lot of these points are related to how the story of the novel was changed in order to introduce a happier ending, but this had unfortunately fragmented the plot into serious and dark parts followed by easy solutions and light-hearted moments with happy conclusions which made me feel like there wasn't a very consistent flow of the overall plot.
HOWEVER, the romance part and the way the drama revealed its plotwists was the more significant and majority part of the story.
We were introduced to Pran and Pat being faculty rivals who had nothing in common, but the impression was progressively broken as the two began revealing their closeness, common history and their long-term pinning for each other. The reveals had the power to make people invested in their story and want to know more about the characters' true feelings and further developments. The build-up was done at just the right pacing, we watched Pran realise his feelings while Pat was out there subtly flirting for 5 episodes straight. The first kiss was completely unexpected, yet hadn't brought a conclusion to their story, instead opening space for even more difficulties and the flirting game which ended with Pat finally indirectly confessing his feelings brought quite an exciting development with a satisfying end. And even after they'd started dating, their relationship dynamic was fun and sweet enough to keep people interested no matter what the non-romance part of the plot was focusing on. Episode 11 felt like a promise of them staying together no matter what the rest of the world thinks or how conflicting their opinions were and episode 12 had absolutely delivered and diligently stuck to this mindset.
Each of the episodes ended in a way which made the viewers highly anticipate and theorise about the next progress of the story no matter at what point their relationship was.
Lastly, let me talk about the low standards for BL dramas now.
I have this opinion partially because of the non-relationship part of the story and mainly because of all the harmful stereotypes Bad Buddy has managed to avoid.
One of the two reasons this drama is so highly praised is the healthy relationship development between both of the main couples. The dialogues have not only omitted any uncomfortable BL tropes, but also outright mocked them. We had the whole "it'd be ridiculous if I said I was straight and you were my only exception" conversation, no mentions of wives or girlfriends in regards to Pran and Pat's relationship and even when Pat was roleplaying as Pran's girlfriend in episode 3, he'd purposely exaggerated his behaviour to seem as a guy who was jokingly acting like a girl instead of portraying himself. The dynamic between Pat and Pran never felt one-sided, they both respected each other as partners, neither of them was overpowering over the other and they talked out their conflict with each of them being allowed to equally express his opinions.
The relationship between the girls was portrayed so refreshingly too, they didn't have any long-lasting conflicts, it was just pure love that started out of a coincidental meeting and their dynamic was fit to be that of a side couple. There is such an underrepresentation of GLs that it made me overjoyed to see this kind of relationship in a popular drama of its neighbouring "genre".
Neither of the couples were sexualised, there was no bottom/top talk, none of the kisses and touches happened without consent or while under the influence of alcohol.
And a really thoughtful detail was shown at the end when Wai with Korn openly "flirted" as a part of their bromance despite both being in a stable relationship. It proved how people can be great friends while still flirting and jokingly acting as a couple, as long as they have that kind of trust with their partner.
And that's why I think it's a huge shame such a bare minimum has to be celebrated when this should be the norm for all BL/GL dramas. Imagine how good a drama of these "genres" could be if it had more than a basic plot while still focusing on this the relationship dynamic in this way and to this extent. Obviously, we're still at a point when we need to up-bring the healthy gay relationships in order to increase the quality of these "genres" and make them more realistic instead of settling for anything we're offered. So hopefully Bad Buddy can be the motivation for directors and writers to do better and not ignore the voices for the actual LGBTQ+ viewers.
ACTING:
This brings me to the second reason of why this drama was such a success.
Ohm and Nanon's amazing chemistry has seeped into the characters they were playing and further served to improve the relationship parts of the story. The bus stop designing scene from episode 3 probably would've been quite awkward if actors who weren't as close had to portray it. All the expressions of affection felt very natural since they'd put effort into practising even those kinds of things off camera. They'd always managed to express the right amount of affection and adoration during the scenes and dialogues.
All the main side actors were great, but the OhmNanon chemistry is definitely the main highlight of it all.
MUSIC:
Pran's two songs were well composed, catchy and memorable and their incorporation into the plot also made them stand out. They complimented the atmosphere and despite having quite cheesy lyrics, it worked well with the pair.
What I personally minded was the rest of the soundtrack. Some songs felt too overpowering to the point when they seemed to be interfering with the scene instead of setting the atmosphere. There were scenes with rapid changes of mood where the strong changes between background music wasn't very pleasant and felt too dramatic and unnecessary to me.
OVERALL:
Despite its minor flaws, Bad Buddy absolutely has to be one of the best BLs to have ever been produced in East Asia. This drama has finally reached the standards which should be considered the norm and aimed to be achieved by other BL dramas in the future.
I'm just really hoping the fans of this "genre" can also improve their mindsets together with the dramas and learn to do their part by ceasing to ship the actors, making a clear divide between the character and its actor and stop obsessing over the top/bottom debate (it's just as harmful as thinking gay relationship need to have the traditional labels of the husband and wife roles). I believe that if these kinds of opinions stop being so normalised in the BL community, we have a higher chance of seeing the quality of future dramas improve.
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One of the best ones.
This Thai BL stands out like other good ones,,It’s not stereotypical, good storyline, good plot, not toxic, consent, good representation for mlm.
i love the cast ,, the music is catchy and I love it all
I will defentily rewatch this series,
I’m proud of the actors, the director, etc..
I’m proud of gmmtv for finally one of the few good bls they have.
It’s a good step in the right direction.
May many learn from this..
10/10
Gonna miss this
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This show and the feelings.
This show is an absolute watch. The rating imo is too low for this show. I really think it should be at AT LEAST a 9.0 avg rating. All episodes have been amazing and great to watch. Love ohm, I mean who doesn’t. Am I right? And Nanon has been killing it. His acting in this show is on point. I was a little worried at first given it’s his 1st bl but he has been flawless.Conclusion: Fuck this show and how it messes with your feelings. Fuck…….. this……….. show. 10/10 would watch again.
Update: The show is now unfortunately finished and i already miss them. Watch this series and i can promise you, you will not regret it. This series is refreshing that it breaks the BL norms. This is most likely my fav bl ever.
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What a ride!
Overall: Bad Buddy is one of the best bls of 2021 and just in general. Breaking the stereotypes of bls, the monotonous story, the homophobic parents, the lack of chemistry and the lack of healthy relationships. 'Bad Buddy' did what a lot series wished they have done, from being the most talked about bl with over 1 million mentions on Twitter every Friday, to make me cry on ep. 11. that's legendary (lol). 'Bad Buddy' will go down in history as one of the standards, when you watch a new bl, you would think about 'Bad Buddy' before, and now you'll measure the writing to that of BB. I know that for sure, I say this because after 'Lovely Writer' I couldn't stop comparing every bl I watched so. Anyways, enough talking. 'Bad Buddy' is excellent, unforgettable and overall one of the best bls writing in history. PERIODT!Grade: 10. This is a great story!
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When “Bad Buddy” was airing, the MDL feeds were spammed with comments, screenshots, reviews, and everyone was praising this drama. I thought I would pick this to be my first Thai drama (I ended up watching “I Told Sunset About You” first). Maybe the expectations were too high, and I fail to see how the drama could justify a high 8.6 rating. As reviews are very subjective, please do not hate me for not loving it (I like it OK). I am a new Thai drama watcher, so maybe I am not getting some of the cultural or BL references/biases. I am judging this based on my enjoyment level.
What I Enjoy:
General Plot - I do enjoy this modern and BL take of “Romeo and Juliet”. Even though for the most part, I was confused about why the two families hate each other so much. The reasons given in the beginning of the show didn’t seem to justify the animosity. But I like the premise and how our main leads break that tradition. I enjoy the development of how Pat and Pran compete with each other since childhood. This sense of competition never goes away, even when they become lovers. I have always been a fan of the enemies-to-lovers trope and I think the transition of the different stages of their relationship is done relatively well.
Chemistry - Pat and Pran really do have great chemistry together. I love their bickering and the continued competition throughout their relationship. This I-am-not-losing-to-you spirit adds spice to their chemistry.. I like the embarrassed and twist-my-arm looks that Pran always has on his face. I also like the smitten looks that Pat has when he’s looking at Pran. They complement each other very well. Their few emotional scenes were done really well. The couple gives off a very rom-com vibe - cute, fluffy, sweet and fun. However, at some point, the flirting became a little too much (more in the negative section below).
Love who you want - I am not sure if other Thai BL dramas are like this, but this drama doesn’t make a big deal when someone is in a homosexual relationship. We have heterosexual, gay, lesbian couples in this drama. No one was alarmed, no one was criticizing or judging. It’s giving a message of “I don’t care who you love as long as you are happy”. It’s different from “I Told Sunset About You’. There’s no coming out of the closet angst, stigma or prejudice. We really need more drama like this to present a healthy, supportive message to the world.
Songs - I like all the songs in this drama. I always look forward to scenes when Pran picks up the guitar and sings.
What I Don’t Enjoy:
Excessive Flirting+Shirtless Pat = Fan service - I love flirting as much as the next romance watcher. However, the flirting in this drama is excessive and cringey to me. A whole episode was dedicated just to the leads’ flirting before they are officially an item. At times, I also find Pat annoying when he keeps on pestering Pran and just repeating these cringey love lines. I wish the drama had toned down on the flirting, and focused a little more on the family drama/history and not just waited till the last couple episodes. Additionally, are we having too many shirtless scenes of Pat? Don’t get me wrong, he’s hot and has a great body and I do enjoy seeing this handsome guy. But I feel like the excessive flirting and shirtless scenes are just for fan service to create buzz when the show is airing. It “cheapens’ the quality of the drama.
Faculty Rivalry - I also feel that the drama spends too much time on the Architecture/Engineering rivalry. These college students are acting like high school kids, with no self-control whatsoever. When you get busted so many times, it’s time to think before you act. With the excessive flirting and rivalry scenes, the drama could be cut down to 10 episodes only.
Product Placement - There are so many products being advertised in this drama. We have the usual suspects of drinks and snacks. I’ve never seen a printer advertisement by a male lead before (I guess we still need to change ink cartridges these days), and the multiple scenes of our leads cleaning each other’s face with makeup remover.
Other Observations:
1. Pat’s father looks Chinese and his character’s name is Ming. It’s also interesting to see him reading a Chinese newspaper.
2. Do Thai beers really have such light color and no foam at all?
3. The ending is good enough for me and we don’t need a Season 2. Love the subtle acknowledgment of the parents.
4. To show that the kids are adults, you just need to get their hair styled back - no more hanging fringes.
5. My first time seeing and listening to a Thai Xylophone. It sounds great!
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Great fluff, but forgetable.
This is not a bad series. But I also don't feel it's as good as most other people do. I would recommend it, but here's my honest review:The first half of this is spectacular - it roughly follows Romeo & Juliet, so it's hard to go wrong. The director does a fantastic job of ratcheting up the dramatic tension until the end of Ep 5. But then nothing happens. The major conflict with Pran's best friend Wai just evaporates without real resolution due to an external circumstance - there's no conversation about what happened - one moment he's homicidal, the next he's totally OK with everything.
The central conflict between the families also never goes anywhere - there's a brief reveal of the origin of the conflict, and then it's never addressed again - it just goes away... after a time jump.
Speaking of which, time jumps are lazy. The director opted, instead of confrontation and resolution of the central conflict, to just leaping over it. That makes it incomprehensible why they would endure the enormous sacrifice of keeping their relationship secret for five years.
I love that we got to see the main couple interacting as a couple throughout most of the series rather than a hug in the last 10 seconds of the series, but the entire second half of the series is basically just cute moments between them, with no further development of their relationship from the climax on the rooftop in Ep 5, and so it gets repetitive and dull - I've never before in my life ff'd though romantic scenes in BLs, but I was just bored and in the later episodes, relied on 2x to get through them. They seem more like friends with benefits than a real couple. In the last ep, they interact exactly like they did at the beginning - not like people who have been building a life together for 5 years.
Ep 5 was the peak because it contained a very skillful buildup of tension with an extremely satisfying resolution. Because all the conflict after that just disappeared, we were cheated of a satisfying resolution. The couple never had to fight for anything to be together - they just were. For 7 more episodes with very little happening plot-wise. If there are no stakes, there's no tension, and nothing to invest in, so all you have left is cute boys being cute to each other, which is great, but disappointing if it's all there is.
The acting in this is very good. Ohm and Nanon obviously really like each other, so their relationship is comfortable, and Jimmy is a standout as Wai - he was downright scary in Ep 5 and he has a strong presence.
So if you want a fluffy feel-good series to watch, you can't beat this. But instead of being what it could have been, one of the best BL series of all time, the director just didn't know how to resolve the dramatic tensions he'd build up, so he just punted, and as a result, other than Ep 5, this series is eminently forgetable. I doubt anyone feels that way just after watching the finale, but I suspect many will, in fact, forget it fairly soon.
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