Bad Buddy (2021)

Worth Every Minute

Story
The story of this series is simple - theation re are two families at odds, and the children of these families have a history that brings them together and keeps them together. There is a twist, the non lead sibling is a bit protective of the antagonistic family. We find out little details in between that lead to an unbreakable bond between two cast members. We see all the bumps on the way and how they forge this really RELATABLE attraction.

Acting/Cast
Before I saw episode 1 - this was an excitement. Ohm has always been a favorite and Nanon was really coming up. I expected them to have good chemistry, but I was absolutely blown way. After episode 3 - hell I was hooked. I understood why people did not like 1 and 2 - but i knew there would be something more coming after - and I was not let down. Everyone's character evoked the type of reaction the director wanted. If we wanted to be angry at a character - EVERYONE WAS ANGRY - if we wanted to feel bad for a character - EVERYONE FELT IT - It didnt have to be some convoluted storyline to evoke false rage in a cringe weird situation that wasn't plausible -- The emotions came out. And our leads. Holy SHIT. what a fantastic duo. There couldn't have been anyone else in GMM TV to do this. The trust with each other as actors, the love between the characters and their portrayers, the trust in the cast and crew, simply blown away. I have only felt this way twice before, in I told Sunset About You and Until We Meet Again. Less so in UWMA - I think Ohm Thitiwat had to grow into his character more, but he still pulled it off. Here, though, 1000 stars

Music -
When we got Just Friends? - we died. Knowing the significant of that OST was interwoven into the show. It was done in a way that was simple overall, but damn, so significant. When to OST changed for end credits, WE KNEW IMMEDIATELY - then we got Secret. It gave so much power to the actions of the characters. This was Pat falling after Pran, but falling so DAMN hard. Then P'Aof tries to mess up up again - with Our Song. Which has been playing since the beginning. And the significance of that being the underlying them throughout - My god When Pran sings Our Song in Ep 11 - it was so damn emotional.

Rewatch Value 10+
You haven't seen each episode 10+ times? WTF



Overall

I'm a little late to the BL world. I honestly didnt start till right before the pandemic. Started Dec 2019 with SOTUS on netflix. I loved Kongpob. Made my way to SOTUS S on netflix because I wanted more. From there, YT suggested Dark Blue Kiss which was still airing and Love By Chance i think or 2 Moons - Well, i just watched them all. SOTUS was my first

after those, Youtube suggested Until We Meet Again - 4 episodes were out, but i didnt know that. I watched the first 4 and then couldn't find episode 5. (It wasn't out yet). I just expected them to all be out. UWMA was the first one i watched weekly. It was so different it quickly became my favorite (After a 17 week involvement).

I've loved shows since, I've watched many weekly - Light on Me, FUTS, ATOTS, - And I enjoy the differences in them and what they offer. Even if its silly - Sometimes need a silly break.

But Bad Buddy Came along - and it wasn't the silly parts of the fights, it wasn't the story - The story is pretty basic.

But it was something simple. Love is love, and how do people in love work around that love.

There are things in this show I've done, and have realized, and have kept me around with someone - its an understanding

its an understanding that there are things when you are 20-25 that happen - sex, sniffing, pheromones, etc

there are things that are hard if you aren't out - family

friends - can be tricky but true friends are there for you

you have some people you rely on always - PA (then Ink - then korn then wai) - but wai is a bitch

And its not perfect, but you can whether that storm.


Im sooo damn happy with the realization of what a happy gay relationship is like. This is the first and only show that has show that a couple is 50/50 - and it takes 2 - it takes so much effort for that balance and its NOT BASED ON SEX ROLES.

The top was a dud - 5 min
The Bottom was a 10/10

Things are fluid - and they are wonderful. And Loving, and there for each other, and someone who will walk BESIDE them -




Thank you for this BEAUTIFUL portrayal of an LGBT relationship.

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When it was great, it was amazing, but it did deserve a slightly better send-off.

Overall, I'd still give this show a solid 9 because it had moments that really made me think that this show was shaping up to be the best BL ever, and it was in many parts. The only reason I won't give it a 9.5 or a 10 is because many of the biggest conflicts that the series built up throughout the episodes were resolved very poorly (like the Wai situation) or not resolved at all (like the family beef, which was supposed to be the central theme of the story but was pretty much swept under the rug in exchange of an unexplicable time jump). Despite the not-so-great development of these two plot points, the show is clearly a step in the right direction when it comes to positive queer representation and it was clear to see the effort of the director and the scriptwriters to avoid some of the most annoying clichés from other BLs. I just wish they wrapped up the story as brilliantly as they handled the strongest episodes (5-8 and 10, in my opinion). Had they done that, I'd easily give this show a 10. It is definitely a show everyone should watch and definitely overall a better piece than your regular BL.

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Love in BL finally done right

Instead of talking about the stellar acting, directing and even music, I am going to talk about a few personal observations that made this show one of my favorite shows of all time.

We see the couple get together and stay together. We see them do small things that couples do and simple things like talking feels special. I generally dread couples getting together early in a show as that means contrived conflicts and inevitable breakup. Instead, we get one of the healthiest couples onscreen.

The characters in relationship feel equal. There's no toxic power dynamic. Both characters have strong personalities and they are never afraid to speak their mind to each other.

The conflicts are solved quickly without being drawn out week after week.

Homosexuality is not treated as a fantasy. Talks about sexuality, cute coming out scenes, addressing harmful tropes and stereotypes are all present. This show feels like it was made for us, the LGBTQ+ community.

One of my favorite scenes of intimacy in a gay show is in SKAM season 3 when Isak and Even just lay in a bed fully clothed, smoking weed, talking about parallel universes and figuring out their kisses. Well, this show has several scenes like that, where you will feel the intimacy and the love. Smell is used as a great device to signify love, only ITSAY had done this well before. The characters also understand consent.

I had an emotional breakdown because of this show and in the end all the crying was worth it.

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NEW favorite BL series!

I usually don't write reviews, but this series is too amazing.

The story may sound boring, like it's been done before. BUT Nanon and Ohm make this series SPECIAL! First the acting was top-notch. Nanon and Ohm are such great actors with great chemistry together. You can really see it throughout the series. The whole cast did a great job as well. This show breaks the stereotypes! P'Aof did an amazing job directing.

The music scores in this series were beautifully done. It fit the mood of the scenes so well. We have 3 OST's. I loved them all. Definitely check those MV's out!

I would totally rewatch this series. It is now my comfort show.

Overall, this show can join ITSAY as another masterpiece. ( for me at least). If you haven't watched the show, I highly recommend watching this series!

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The Story Has Its Flaws But Ohm and Nanon Carries The Show Effortlessly

I’ve been reading some of the other reviews to ascertain where I stand in terms of Bad Buddy as a whole. And after all that back and forth – reading both the negative and positive reviews, I can objectively say, with definitiveness, that Bad Buddy is the BEST BL that GMMTV has produced so far. Relative to other BLs produced by other studios, Bad Buddy easily soars up high in the list. Now, this isn’t to say that Bad Buddy is perfect, if anything, it tries to be (and it almost comes close) but is held back by a few faults of its own, but not for lack of trying.

MUSIC
I don’t think I need to say a lot in this aspect. We had three original soundtracks created specifically for this series, and that alone is enough to tell you that the music is on point (as it should be for music created for this specific show). One genius move they made was to hold back the lyrics of the opening melody until the very last episodes. This was a pleasant surprise for the fans as the song had been hiding under their noses!

ACTING/CAST
If I were to specify the one thing that carried the whole show from start to finish, it would be Ohm and Nanon, and I’m not saying this lightly. Both Ohm and Nanon have received praise for their acting chops in their previous work. And so it is no surprise that a combination of them is deadly. With their experience and being friends in real life, their chemistry could only have been absolutely and effortlessly phenomenal, and it is. They have delivered what is arguably the best kiss in a BL, and more! As for the other casts, aside from the older actors and Love, it's just that their characters and the story did not lend them enough screen time to flesh out any outstanding performance, but that isn’t to say they’re bad.

Ohm and Nanon’s chemistry is unquestionably the best asset of this show, but you would be pleasantly surprised about Ink and Pa’s chemistry as well. Although they only have a very limited amount of time, it wouldn't be easy to miss and feel that spark between the characters. And of course, we got a tease of WaiKorn, but I never expected that ship to sail anyway. Overall, aside from Ohm and Nanon, the acting and cast were ok and are nothing to worry about.

STORYLINE
The story is nothing new. And where Bad Buddy stumbles (sometimes slightly, sometimes on its face) is in its story. The first few episodes were the weakest (no surprises there) with the seemingly incessant and objectively childish quarrels between the two gangs. The story tries to subtly redeem these characters through dialogues that try to correct for what we would consider toxic traits and mindsets in today’s world. Ultimately, we see the culmination of this Act as a way to bring the two lead characters closer together.

In the latter parts of the story, we are introduced to the conflict arising from the two characters hiding their relationship from their friends. Wai’s redemption arc is another matter that sparks debates even among avid lovers of the series. In my opinion, the resolution to this conflict was ok yet unsatisfactory, it leaves me on the fence.

The main thing that keeps on coming back, the biggest outlier is the seeming resolution of the conflict with the parents plus (*gasps*) another time jump. This is also not surprising given the fact that our expectations have been set from the beginning that this familial feud is the root cause of their rivalry in the first place. For some, time jumps are lazy and most of the time jarring.

I have some misgivings about the time jumps if I'm being honest to myself... But if it serves to move the story forward, then so be it... But I need some morsels and crumbs, please? My only wish is that we’d been given more time to see the parents’ relationship progress. Alas, I also understand that it may have been too wieldy (story-wise) trying to fit all these sub-plot points into what is already a dwindling number of episodes. And even now as I write this review, I'm conflicted about how I feel about it. Leaving this to the viewers' interpretations maybe is its biggest shortcoming.

Stumble it may, Bad Buddy redeems and picks itself up and brings itself up to new BL heights through the subversion and callouts of some of the most common tropes and stereotypes in BL (and did I mention the insane acting performance and chemistry of Ohm and Nanon, yes).

It rightly calls out and corrects the errant ways of previous GMMTV BLs when Pa explicitly takes a jab like “I’m straight but Pran is the only guy I like.” Its side female characters diverge from the usual and tired trope of a crazy ex-girlfriend or a secret admirer; the show instead turns this on its head by creating them to be wholesome supporters and reliable catalysts for the lead characters’ relationship. It also pokes fun at the seme/uke/top/bottom/wife/husband expectations in a queer relationship which is inherent in a heteronormative society – “Does calling me a wife make you feel superior?” Its GL side couple is given space to breathe and grow and not serve as fillers.

Moreover, and this is VERY important, there is no homophobia in this show. What this does is it normalizes queer relationships as if there’s absolutely nothing wrong with them, which there isn’t (not debatable)!

I know that I’m missing many more points that I could add to tell you that this show is worth your time. But to summarize, Bad Buddy’s flaws and imperfections are totally outweighed by all the positives about the show, chief among them Ohm and Nanon’s performance. There may be times when you may feel slightly disheartened by the turn of events but Ohm and Nanon are sure to compel you to stick to the ride for the rest of the way.

OVERALL, Bad Buddy is a show that puts a spin on the old Romeo and Juliet story, doing it well enough and in a queer context at that. It gives you enough and may leave you wanting more. IT'S A DEFINITE MUST-SEE!

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Meh (tbh)

I think if yall read some of the more honest, unbiased and lower rating reviews, yall can get a fair idea of some of my disappointments with BBS coz they explained almost all of them very well. So I’m not going to discuss those in detail. I’ll talk about some of my other experiences with this series.

I struggle to get invested in Thai BLs and here too was the same case for reasons that can extend from weak storyline to quirky-cringey sound effects. But I still struggled through the first episodes only to be really invested by ep 4 which only peaked at ep 5 with that kiss. Omg... that kiss was everything. I was watching ep 5 at midnight and I almost woke up my entire neighbourhood. I was caught so off guard and wasn’t expecting such lip action when many of them have a history of pecking each other like fishes.

So I was obsessed after that episode and then came ep 9. That ep 8 cliffhanger was one of the most anxiety inducing scene I’ve ever seen tbh. So I was waiting for what should’ve been ep 9 but was completely thrown off by a half baked ass “redemption” episode. I hate that episode from the bottom of my heart. Wai outed his best friend in front of everyone and it is Pran who is following wai asking for his forgiveness. The irony is revolting. But suddenly it all makes sense since BB doesn’t have homophobia as it is an utopian world so there’s also no outing. And wai also has a background story to justify his actions— I couldn’t cringe my teeth any harder tbh when BBS stans or the director or writers puts forward these kinds of reasons as an excuse for such terrible writing. I combusted when wai was joking and smiling on video call with patpran after doing the bare minimum of finding a cctv footage overlooked by the lazy cops. This episode couldn’t have gone more wrong.

The show just took a major dip for me after that horrendous episode 9 and I again went back to struggling to get through each later episode. I just muted many BBS stans on Twitter coz the level of overyanalyzation of the show and fetishisation of ohmnanon was unbearable. They were writing big ass posts overanalysing every detail and scene about a show that literally has an unoriginal plot with cliches and was carried entirely by the actors and their chemistry. BBS would’ve been way nicer if these stans would’ve just let it be what it actually is-simple and sweet.

The episodes after episode 9 were Meh overall. It failed to bring back the charm of the holy trinity episodes of the show- 4,5 and 6.

Then came episodes 10 and 11 which were angsty and somewhat disconnected. The scholarship issue was reasonable and also unreasonable. The entire western culture vs eastern culture discourse that ep 11 sparked and all the gatekeeping that was being done against western fans couldn’t have been more disgusting. I am Asian and I am aware of the importance of family and education. But that doesn’t give my parents any right to stomp on my happiness and what I want in life. Children’s happiness shouldn’t come between the family, rather parents should find a way to find happiness in their children’s happiness. Children should be allowed to take their own decisions in life. People were acting like patpran weren’t grown ass men who didn’t know their priorities right. Children shouldn’t also fully give in to controlling toxic parents coz even if children love their family and will do everything for them, children should have it in them to stand up for what’s right and call out what’s wrong. Coz if parents are so adamant on their thinking, it isn’t right for the children to be adjusting. By giving into such toxic family dynamic, its going to be everyone who are going to suffer directly or indirectly. Rather than giving in, children should try to have deep talks with parents about whatever issue it is and explain to them patiently and wait for them to come around. Realistic isn’t always correct.

People were putting toxic controlling parents on such a pedestal on social media over that episode and being emotional and sharing their stories which is great. But- So when in ep 12, it was revealed that patpran actually never broke up and had been straight up lying to everyone all this while, all those stans had suddenly become silent. They were coming after western fans and gatekeeping BBS from western fans for what? This was all so dumb.

At last, All I’m going to say is BBS is indeed a good series and has a lot of plus points which yall will find in any other 10 rating review here. But I said what my experience with this series was and it was love-hate. This series peaked in the middle and ended on a meh. Ohmnanon are great actors but again the bar is that low when it comes to BLs. It was certainly not worth all the hype but it’s still a good series. I was obsessed too until a certain point so I get it why people are so invested in it but yeah... if I go on to tweet an unpopular opinion about BBS, suddenly an entire army of BBS stans would start attacking me. I’ve seen many getting attacked like that. It’s the stans who are just making this simple series into such a big thing and calling it end all and be all of BL. “Bad buddy wasn’t perfect” an there’s so much room for growth and better BLs that could come in the future.

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Bad Buddy Shows That GMMTV Can Do Better

From the beginning of my watch to now, I think there is a completely different view on this series than I originally had. In the beginning, when this was first announced at the GMMTV 2021 lineup, this was on the very bottom of my list. It looked like a typical Uni BL that, of course, I was going to watch, but I wasn't going to think anything of it. But from then to now, I feel like that has changed for sure. Bad Buddy was again, a very successful and pleasing BL that a lot of people can find entertainment in. However, Bad Buddy did have its little slice of irreverence and irksome characters.

Let's Dive In.

Production was decent, just the same old it always is. The rooftop was very nice though, and probably the best to come out of production. I did like the montages of them going to each other's door and hanging items. Pat sneaking in with his blanket was by far my favorite. Way too many ad placements. Usual for GMMTV, but I've seen smaller companies do way less at advertising (Have you ever watched Arm Share? or Earth-Mix Space? I can't remember the exact variety show, but they literally spent 15 minutes talking about KFC... I don't recommend any of their variety shows unless you want to sit through them speaking forever on an ad you could care less about). I know this is how they get their money, but damn, there has to be something else than this. It's literally GMMTV, one of the biggest companies for BL, they have to be making enough bank to cut at least a few ads, geez. Other than that everything was decent.

Onto the plot. Nothing special. which is why I give this show a lot of credit. While the series was nothing new, original, or impressive, it made its way to being something great because of the actors and their amazing performances. This show wouldn't have worked had it been with any other actors, especially Ohm and Nanon. The plot was as basic as it could get, but with these two, they turned it into something more than that.

Anyways, back onto the actual plot. I give it a 50/50. In terms of Pat and Pran, I loved it. In terms of some of the scenes presented, they were irrelevant and dumb. for instance, the shooting and police situation. Dumb. Very dumb. And so out-of-the-ordinary for the series. it was a serious "what-the-f**k" moment for sure. There were plenty of different ways they could've had Pran run into Pat's parents. Many. I'm not a fan of filler, but with this series, it worked really well, especially for when Ohm and Nanon were kind of doing their own thing and just making the series feel more realistic.

The situation with the parents was okay until it just became annoying. Pran's mom was upset with Pat's dad about the scholarship thing, but they both live in the exact same style of house, in the same neighborhood, in the same town, so it wasn't like he was doing much better than her family. Again, that part made sense until it didn't. I also would've liked it if, by the end, Pat and Pran's parents would've eventually gotten over the feud entirely and allowed their children to be happy. For them to be grown adults and still have to hide their relationship has to be aggravating (especially after 5 years).

Moving onto the characters. I loved Pran and Pat. Ohm and Nanon did a phenomenal job at playing these characters. Their chemistry was through the roof, which is so surprising for me, cause at the beginning I was on the bandwagon that it wasn't going to be good at all. But Ohm could make chemistry with a tree if he wanted to, so I shouldn't have thought for a second it wouldn't be good. They both brought about some awesome performances, and Pran and Pat were pretty much perfect in this series, with enough flaws for me to enjoy them even more. Although, the last few episodes were feeling very much fanservice-y and not telling a story at all. A little less of that, and I think I would've enjoyed them even more.

Ink and Pa were just the cherries on top. I don't think this series did enough with the two of them. Granted, we did get a GL couple, but they were barely on screen. Had they been treated like the other side BL couples, we would've gotten a much more drawn-out indication of their relationship. I'm satisfied with what we got, but I wish we would've gotten more.

With the few times we did get to see Drake's character, I enjoyed him (when he wasn't being a bully). Korn was really silly and extroverted, and Drake played that character wonderfully. He had barely any screentime on this show, with the exception of the last few episodes. I will continue to advocate for Drake and the reason why he deserves another series of his own (but that's for another discussion). Wai was by far my least favorite character. Maybe not because of him personally, but maybe how the writer's disregarded how he outed Pat and Pran to the entire school. A huge situation that was just dusted off (I don't even think it was brought up at all). I think this series did a good job at being progressive (making fun of the 'I'm only gay for you' trope), but in a situation like this, it was serious and deserved to at least be discussed. Then Wai just bothered me with the entirety of the episodes that he was mad at Pran. Mad because Pat didn't tell him? A really weird excuse for him to have a surge of rage. It took Pat getting almost shot for him to be like, "Okay, I'm fine with your guy's relationship"..? They tried to redeem him in the end, but by then, I was just not feeling it. Jimmy is adorable and did a really good job, but his character is a nuisance. The rest of the cast did really well. I also want to give kudos to Pran's mom and her amazing scene with Pat's dad. Beautiful.

Rating:

Story: 8.5 - Nothing new, nothing special. But because of the acting, the plot/story felt fresh and enjoyable. Some irrelevant plots, and annoying circumstances, but other than that, I was entertained.

Acting: 9.5 - Phenomenal. Everyone did an amazing job. Ohm and Nanon made this series work for a plethora of reasons, but their performances were one of the larger ones.

OST: 6 - I don't remember much of the music, and quite honestly, I skipped over the parts of them singing, cause I just wasn't feeling it. But since it wasn't anything noticeably annoying or distracting, I'll give it a 6.

Rewatch Value: 1 - I have more series to watch. This series was nice, but I have no need to rewatch anything. Maybe come back for certain parts, but probably not even then.

I'm nit-picky with GMMTV series because I expect more from them than anything. They have the money, the actors, the resources, and the power to do so. While Bad Buddy was indeed one of GMMTV's best BL series, I know we can still reach further, and do better. I want to see something different than the typical uni BL. Sadly, it seems like the only series to gain popularity out of GMMTV are the uni BLs, so they're never going away, but I'm on the side of wanting something more than this. More than a bunch of engineer dudes falling in love. Especially, again, from GMMTV. Of course, I recommend this show, especially for viewers just getting into BL.

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Acting

The first thing I want to point out is , of course, their acting. Nothing to compared with any other BL actor, for me. They really set up the bar for BL actors, seriously.
Another thing I have to point out is their chemistry. Ohm and Nanon are already best friends before the series. That's one of the reasons why they are so comfortable around each other and not awkward at all. Every scene looks natural for me.
And the last one is PLOT. No unnecessary drama, no unnecessary plot twist, just acceptable problems between teenage friends and parents-children. There, you can also see how parenting works in Asia.
I still have a lot to say, but I will stop here because I want you to check out yourself.
You must check it out if you don't wanna regret.

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One of the most beautifully portrayed enemies to lovers show out there

I absolutely adored this show . It had everything romance , amazing actors , phenomenal production beautiful directing . Bad Buddy is a very sweet show overall . Bad Buddy really lives up to it's name because that covers the essence of the show , Pat and Pran are bad at being friends because there's always been so much more between them. I also loved how they tried not to be too cliche .

ACTING: The acting was honestly some of the best work that I have ever seen from GMMTV actors. Shoutout to the casting team because everyone literally EVERYONE had amazing chemistry. The main actors , supporting actors , even the parents had chemistry with their spouses. None of them seemed out of place which made the story so much more believable. People don't understand how important it is for supporting cast to be just as good as the main actors. A bad supporting cast can literally drag down the entire show so props to the entire cast they did a superb job. Can GMMTV make a show for DrakeJimmy ?? because they're so cute byee..

Holy Moly the chemistry between PatPran was everything it was cute and funny and steamy . I could never imagine anyone else being the main actors besides Ohm Nanon . They brought life to a story that honestly could have been boring . They embodied their characters so well. I honestly believed that they were in love. They have the healthiest relationship I have ever seen portrayed in a BL. This is what a relationship with clear communication looks like. When there's misunderstandings you clear it up right away and communicate your feelings. I loved watching them grow together. This is one of my favourite pieces of work from Ohm . His dialogue scenes were my favourite at some point in his career he should try voice acting I'm in love with his voice and his ability to change the tones of it depending on the feeling his happy voice is not the same as his sad or angry voice . I love how he's improved his acting through his facial expressions as well . For me he is the perfect Pat. Nanon on the other hand really came for our necks. Alot of people weren't familiar with some of his previous works but in Bad Buddy he showed that he is such a natural actor . His acting in this is extremely charming I think everyone immediately fell in love with his acting. Ohm and Nanon work well together and I sincerely hope to see them act together again. 10/10

STORY : I won't say much about the story . It's honestly stereotypical and not much is actually happening. Just your average romeo and juliet type story . The actors and directing/ production team made it beautiful. 7.5/10 (I have to be honest)

DIRECTING/SCREEN WRITING : I think P'Aof has become one of my favourite Thai BL directors. It was beautifully done. Him and the entire production team managed to present us a perfect story to watch . There were scenes that I would have liked to watch on screen from the book however the show from start to finish was so well done that it doesn't even matter. I loved how they mocked stereotypes of BL's in Bad Buddy it was entertaining to see that they do actually read and take note of fans comments on other shows. I didn't read the ending of the book but I was happy to see a couple that doesn't break up because of others disapproval. It was such a plot twist because I was getting ready to cry in the last episode but instead I didn't need the tissues because I was just so purely happy. 10/10

MUSIC/PRODUCTION : The music was beautiful and light . The production was so well done. One thing that GMMTV excels in in the Thai BL market is Production. Nanon has such a pleasing voice as well. 10/10

COSTUMES : Okay so I just added this category because I needed to rant. What was up with their clothes after 4 years ? Geez it's only been 4 years so why were they dressed up like grandfathers or fathers of 3 children lol. Especially Nanon in the scene at the graduation party . WHO IS RESPOSIBLE ??????? Because why ? like what was the reason ? They were in their late 20's not late 30's lol.

Anyway please watch this show it was great . This is such a feel good drama and I'm going to miss it so much !!!

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The BL to End All BLs

Enemies to lovers is a fairly common trope in BL dramas, and I've seen it used with varying degrees of success, but never as well as in this drama. Here it was very nearly perfect because for once, we have an actually healthy relationship. The story didn't feel cliché, the reasoning behind people's actions while, perhaps a bit overblown, were still understandable to an extent, and the development of the leads relationship felt very natural. This was just a very well done drama that was a joy to watch.

The story is centered on our two leads' families who have been enemies for years due to business reasons. Or so the boys were told. They were raised to constantly compete with each other and thus have been enemies since childhood. However, there have been moments when they've connected and had a tenuous friendship during this time, though its doubtful either one would admit that it was a friendship. Once they reach university and their two faculties start to collide and they also discover they live right across from each other, feelings start to emerge and the rest is history. One of the things I really appreciated about the story is the parents' rivalry wasn't over a failed romance. I feel like that is used a lot and is extremely cliché. I think what actually happened is so much worse and is far more justifiable for what transpired afterward. Don't get me wrong, they blew things way out of proportion with dumping their problems on their kids, but by the same token, I also kind of get it. The pacing was quite good. There were a few draggy moments, but for the most part, the story moved along well. I really enjoyed the relationship build ups of both Pran and Pat and Ink and Pa. I felt they both developed quite organically, and I was excited to see a well done lesbian relationship in a BL. The few times I've seen them in BLs, they've been done pretty badly. And the ending was hilarious and so very them.

The acting was quite good all around but Nanon and Ohm definitely take the cake with their chemistry. They are both talented actors together and apart. Together they just play off of each other really well, their interactions are very natural, and, again, their chemistry was fantastic. Apart, Nanon I feel is very expressive with both his eyes and more subtle facial expressions while Ohm is more open with his facial expressions and uses his body more. I enjoyed watching both and the supporting cast was great as well.

The characters were all so varied and interesting. I really enjoyed getting to know all of them and see them grow. The character development was great and the best part for me was that while all of them grew as people, they also stayed true to themselves. For example, while Pran and Pat figured out their relationship, realizing that they loved each other, the potential consequences of that love, and developing a mutual respect for each other, they still ultimately remained true to themselves and I appreciated that while their attitude towards each other obviously changed from enemies, there were some things, like their competitiveness and way of speaking to each other that really didn't. Pran though is overall just such a sweetheart and his fear of them being found out just kind of broke my heart. He's loved Pat for so long and now that he has him, I think he's just terrified of losing him. Pat is also a sweetheart in his own way. He's a prankster, but he has a good heart and he'll do pretty much anything to help Pran or one of his friends. With Pa and Ink, I found their growing relationship to be very sweet. There were hints of it when Pa was still in high school and then once she was in university and the two were able to spend more time together, it became quite obvious that there was a mutual attraction. I liked both girls' characters. They were both strong women which I definitely appreciated and Ink's possessiveness of Pa made for some pretty hilarious scenes. Korn was just adorable as Pat's friend. I loved his loyalty to Pat and how supportive he was of his relationship with Pran once it was revealed. That scene with him refusing to let Pat sit with them and then popping up ten seconds later to give him food was so freaking cute. I also really enjoyed his relationship with Wai there towards the end. I almost could have shipped him with Wai, but I think I prefer that they left them as friends and colleagues. Wai has me a bit divided. On the one hand, I overall liked his character. On the other hand though, his exposure of Pran and Pat's relationship was super messed up. That's not something you do to your best friend. However, I can also understand how betrayed he must have felt and in the heat of the moment, he wasn't really thinking through his actions, so I'm willing to give him some grace. He came through with the video to clear Pat which he didn't have to do although an actual apology would have been nice. Again, I really enjoyed his friendship with Korn and their banter at the end of the drama. I don't really have much to say about the parents that I haven't already said other than that I thought their acceptance of their kids' sexual orientation was awesome.

The best part of this drama, besides the fantastic story, acting and characters, was just how many stereotypes that typically pop up in BLs that it absolutely destroyed.
-The husband/wife labels that pervade most BLs were chucked right out the window. Pran calls Pat out for calling him his wife and when they reverse the roles, Pat realizes how it sounds. His reasoning was simple enough, he just wanted to show that they're closer but Pran essentially says they don't need to use the label of husband/wife, they're close enough as is as boyfriends. It's a sweet moment that also highlights that there really isn't a need to place labels in LGBTQ relationships as to who is perceived as stronger/weaker.
-The only gay for you stereotype is also removed here. Not only does Pat candidly state that he is bisexual saying that he likes all genders but Pran also essentially states that he is gay while saying that he may someday like girls as well. Pa actually makes fun of this stereotype within the same episode. The whole scene is pretty great.
-Enemies to lovers relationships seem to always have some degree of toxicity to them. Writers and directors are good at making them look cute and fluffy on the surface when in actuality they're very unhealthy. I have definitely fallen prey to some of those in the past. What is so refreshing about Bad Buddy is that there is none of that here. There is no toxicity, their relationship is genuinely healthy. Yes, it has its ups and downs like any relationship, but they work through their problems together, they actually communicate with each other. Neither one forces himself on the other, there's a mutual respect and love, despite their bickering and occasional disagreements.
-The defined top and bottom stereotype is gone. In every BL I've ever seen, one character is always the top and the other is always the bottom. From my perception, they completely tossed that in Bad Buddy and went with a versatile relationship which was super interesting and also refreshing. I think its something that should definitely be more common.

The OST was fantastic. Music honestly plays a subtly major role in this drama. It's music that initially brought Pran and Pat together as they wrote Just Friend?, music that broke them apart when Pran's mother found them playing together and transferred him, and then music that brought them back together when seeing Pran play their song made Pat start to realize his feelings. Besides that, there's also the song that Pran writes for Pat declaring his love. And the scene there at the end of Pat and Pran singing together was so sweet with Pran's mom hearing them and leaving them be. I loved her little smile. Nanon's voice is amazing, I could happily listen to his songs on repeat for days.

This is frankly the BL to put all other BLs to shame. It has set the bar so high that it will truly be hard for any others to top it. Everything about it was just so incredibly good. I honestly wish I had watched it sooner because this is what a BL should be. I cannot recommend this drama highly enough and it is one I will absolutely be coming back to in the future.

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Out of the ballpark

Thailand has always been the home and mothership of BL but there wasn't much quality in their series and most of it relied on the same trope and cliches of the episode 11 curse, the 'i am not gay, you're the only guy I like', the 'breakup because we have to' and the cringefest romance/being cutesy sometimes, and my personal poison the husband and 'wife' trope. Urgh. In the last year or so it seemed that the Philippines and now even Korea seemed to be running ahead of Thailand and coming for their crown in terms of production value and acting. But this series, this series blew everything and more out of the park! It set a new standard for Thailand and for all upcoming Asian BLs and I am so happy Thailand snatched back that crown and said "your call, bitches!" I have yet to see chemistry, acting, and skills at this level. I have also never seen so many people on so many various forums and on social media reach the same consensus on how amazing this show was on all fronts and how it actually affected. This show was more than just two good-looking heteronormative guys being paired together (cough*cough) trying to sell us a love story. These were two actors who themselves had so much off-screen chemistry and who in their own words 'were soulmates' believed in their being that they were Pran and Pat. Having been best friends for years, Ohm and Nanon's solid friendship and love as buddies themselves shined through the entire 12 episodes, and we ourselves couldn't see where Pran and Pat ended and Ohm and Nanon begun. Ohm and Nanon - gosh. These two actors are simply awesome. As someone who is also in the media/performing arts line and has been in front of cameras, a few times, I have so much respect for these two actors. I have not seen the extent of acting talent in individuals so young. It's not easy to emote with only ones facial feature and make the audience believe you're feeling the emotion and not just acting it out. Nanon nailed that in every damn episode. Ohm brought that carefree spirit out of Pat so easily, that I forgot that he is a perfectionist and a little neat freak OCD in real life. I have never been bothered to write a review for any BL's I have watched but, this show affected me in ways I have not been in years. I was coming out of a bad place mentally when this show started and this show made me feel things, made me look forward to something, and help me heal from the numbness I have felt for so long. This show deserves everything I am sure it will win. This show deserves the 10 minutes of me sitting down and writing this. This show deserves a second season.

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