Not Me (2021)

can't believe i didnt watch this earlier

what an excellent series!
when i first started watching this i hadn't expected this series to touch on such serious and important topics such as the political climate in thailand. it felt very refreshing and made me think twice about things in real life. I think also that that's what makes this drama also very timeless because many of the problems the characters are experiencing are still relevant today and teach us the power we hold and how important justice is.

I mainly wanted to watch it for OffGun, but I'm so glad to say that they are not the saving grace of this series as this series has many good aspects. The plot itself was a little bit predictable at times, but the motives of all of the characters, not just the leads added a lot of depth to the story which was great and made the series feel more real. I'm also glad that the female characters weren't used as plot device but actualy had their own story and wants that didn't centre around just romance or the male lead. Of course, OffGun both did an excellent job :)
I also thought the music was beautiful and it makes me emotional just listening to the OST. The director also did an excellent job with the cinematography, it was a treat to look at.

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This series was everything I needed this year

I‘ve rewatched Not Me a couple of times now and I never get over the fact how good it is. Last year and this year I‘ve struggled quite a lot with depression and thus threw myself into watching series, just to keep me distracted. Not Me kept me distracted while at the same time imprinting itself in my memory forever. And eventhough I‘ve watched MANY series this year, Not Me is still one of my favorites. Why? Because it managed to capture the heartfelt struggle of minorities in society that isn’t build to support the poor and needing. The series addresses many important issues, such as monopolies, gender identity, sexuality, disabilities, and more. All while wrapped into a storyline that has you captured until the last moments. Of course there are always things one can criticize, for example at times the quality of the production lacks, but taking into consideration, that Not Me was provided an incredibly low budget by GMMTV, it did really, really well. I tend to be really generous when rating things I‘ve watched as to not disregard the work and struggle that came with creating it. But Not Me never deserved anything less than my full attention. Even if the storyline isn’t something that would normally interest you, the social criticism portrayed openly and even the one only portrayed in undertones, is worth every second of the time spend watching it.

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Maybe Controversial - But I don't think the OffGun Romance Plot was Needed.

First off I think as a newer BL fan this is a must watch, not actually because of the BL elements but because its just a very well done series that goes places I haven't seen BLs dare touch.

What I really liked:
- Most of the characters were morally grey - all are flawed and in the wrong at certain points
- The plot and atmosphere is messy, dark, all over the place at times (this is a good and bad thing, as some things aren't really resolved)
- Gun's acting was AMAZING. You could literally tell the difference between Black and White based on the way he spoke, body language, and facial expressions.
- Actually delves into social/political issues instead of just skirting around things, or mentioning gay marriage once like most BL dramas do. This was truly from the POV of those fighting to make social change.
- Music was poignant and used tastefully
- Female characters are their own people and not just plot devices (Trans character as well - she was not just a caricature or comedic relief)

Room for Improvement:
- Sean is kind of an ass and hard to sympathize with, even with his backstory
- I don't really think the OffGun (SeanWhite) romance was really needed. In fact it felt a bit forced to me. Like we had to do this because it's technically a BL. If their relationship was just a really strong platonic one and they had developed that further, it would have made just as much sense and wouldn't have taken anything away from the story. The actors definitely have chemistry, but I didn't feel like the characters needed it.
- Yok and Dan were the most interesting side characters and yet got so little screen time it was criminal
- Plot points resolved either off screen or not really resolved towards the end - the ending was very rushed. Needed another 1-2 episodes worth of content to feel fully developed.

Overall despite its flaws, it's a must watch for anyone.

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gun atthaphan is another level of acting

i just finished watching the show after putting it off for months. i dont know where to start and who to compliment first.
let me start with the writers and directors because theyve done an INCREDIBLE job. this series sets the expectations for other bls so high.

everything from the plot to the music to the pacing to the acting was absolutely perfect. every single actor acted like their rent was due and i respect that fr.

but what pushed me to write a review is gun. this man is literally an acting genius. idk if im delusional but i could FEEL different people between black and white. that couldnt have been the same actor. that man had the camera on his face for the entirety of the series and not ONCE did any of his scenes look unnatural or weird. there's no way this man doesnt get an opportunity to act on bigger screens... he deserves worldwide recognition.

thats all i have to say tbh i just needed to let it out. kudos to all the actors i think they made history with Not Me I'll be looking forward to and support all their upcoming works.

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There's a surprisingly good plot in here!

Story is really good, It's definitely not just an ordinary BL. It makes you think and reflect on some social, political and moral issues and the characters are actually well written. Also main characters do have a good chemistry, so it's not like romance part of it is bad. Not at all. I think it's rather well balanced.

Another thing ist that actors are doing really good job. You can see that they are commited to their characters and I would love to see them together in another series again.

Music is one of the best parts of this show. I think the soundtrac totally made the mood in this series and sometimes I cought myself just listening to it during some more emotional scenes.

I would definitely recommend it.

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We don't talk about Todd.

I am all about a good action show, but a lot of the action portions didn't do it for me for whatever reason. I did a lot of fast forwarding during the first few episodes of the show. I didn't drop it though, because even if this particular show wasn't my favorite, it was still a good story with some amazing acting. It felt full and well rounded, and the resolution, in my opinion, took about 3 episodes as opposed to everything being dumped into the last episode. So, while all the sneaking around and violence was necessary to the story, I didn't feel the need to pay attention to any part that didn't have dialogue.

I appreciate that, while LGBTQ+ rights were a part of the human rights that they were protesting for, it was in no way an issue for the guys to have romantic relationships with each other. Within the gang, there was no discussion whatsoever about it being taboo...they just accepted it and moved on. The only part that was really mentioned was the fact that Black and Sean didn't get along so it was surprising that they got together (even though it was finally revealed that Sean was with White, not Black.)

I want to reiterate that the acting was phenomenal.

Some of my favorite scenes:
--When Black beat up Sean and Sean didn't fight back
--The van rescue
--White saving Sean's life in the shootout
--Any scene with Gumpa....I just loved his character, and the smiles that he gave Sean and White showing his happiness for them. Such a parental unit for the gang.
--Any scene with Gram. He was just so good looking. I think it was his hair. Also...I did not really understand the relationship with Gram and Nuch. I think they tried to explain it, but it just confused me. But I loved how sincere Gram was in his affection towards them. And the scene where Gram blew Nuch a kiss was simply sweet.
--Dan's tears

Despite the fact that I wasn't interested in parts of the first few episodes, and various parts throughout, I think that it is worth a high rating.

And Todd......

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Thailand's Best BL to date!!!

Drop everything and go watch it now!!


~~ STORY ~~

Thailand has created a lot of BLs, but all of them have been very repetitive and easily predictable. Not Me, however is different. Not Me is mysterious, thrilling, and romantic all at the same time. There are so many twists and turns that I was left on the edge of my seat the whole time!

Unlike typical BLs that are more light hearted and romantic, Not Me is very dark and gritty. There is some romance thrown in, but the series could have gone without the romance aspect and still been a fantastic series. Not Me primarily deals with a lot of social issues and politics without getting too preachy. It also does BL without too much fan service. It's a great series in that aspect.

Not Me does have it's flaw and plot holes, but it's really irrelevant in the long run as they are hardly noticeable. If there is any big complaints about the plot, it's that the final episodes were a little too jam packed with action that story did get a little lost in the commotion. While the ending was satisfying, if you start to think about the parts of the story that got lots in the action, then you might be unsatisfied since technically the gang's fight with Tawi and Todd haven't actually ended. I do think that the series ended where it should have, sans the Dan and Yok couple. Everyone got together with their respective lovers, and got the public to start looking at Tawi's corporation in a bad light. It's really the calm before the storm type of ending where you know the fight isn't over, but it's still a satisfying ending since realistically fighting corruption is never ending.

Black & White

I am a little confused about Black and White's relationship. I understand that they are twins and that White cares for Black, but Black is confusing. At first he seems to be upset that White is back in the picture, but then he does a 180 into caring big brother. I really think that the writers really didn't put much thought into who Black's character and his motifs. Because Black's character wasn't put together well, his relationship with White wasn't as impactful as it should have been. They have a strong 6th sense where they can feel each other's pain. Utilize that in the plot!! Don't just use it in the beginning and forget about it later!

White x Sean

I enjoyed their relationship when White was pretending to be Black. I wish I could have seen more of Sean's relationship with Black before White started pretending to be him. I also would like to see Sean being more suspicious of "Black" and how White broke down that barrier. Without this, White and Sean seem to get romantically together a little too quickly. That being said, Sean and White are adorable together.

Yok x Dan

They are my favorite couple. I honestly want to see more of them and I want a full backstory on their relationship. While I don't want a sequel for Not Me, I wouldn't mind a spin off with these two. Dan seems to have a lot going on that I think would make for a good spin off. Similarly, Yok's issues about his mother being discriminated for being mute also hasn't been completely told. I would love to see more of them.

Gram x Eugene

I appreciate how their relationship blossomed from beginning to end. They didn't overshadow the plot, and I'm glad that Eugene wasn't portrayed as a toxic woman since most BLs portray women very toxically.

Black & Todd & White

I'm so confused over Todd. He's the mastermind behind everything, but his story isn't told properly. The entire backstory as to why Todd ordered his men to beat up Black was confusing, especially since they are supposed to be best friends. Also, Todd just forgets about White as soon as Black wakes up. Why? Is Todd in love with Black or something? Are we supposed to read between the lines?


~~ OVERALL ~~

Not Me is an amazing series. The acting was fantastic. The cenematography and music were also superb. I really appreciated how Not Me told a BL story in a genre that wasn't normal for BL stories. I want to see more of these non-student, darker genre BLs.

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So good!

I got to finally watch this. I haven't been watching bl lately and this was a good pick to get back on watching bls.

THE DIALOGUE IS SO GOOD.
This drama really made me doubt whether someone will die or will they have a happy ending.
The topics they discussed!
The acting!

Honestly, it's the first time I've seen a whole cast with good acting (in a thai bl). Some were okay but the rest was wonderful! No cringe acting?

Really recommend!!!! As expected, Offgun did well!!! Black and white really did seem like two different people, gun did well on differentiating their movements, aura, look, and even the tone of their voices!

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This is by far the best BL I have ever watched.

The story is unique and interesting. I watched each episode fully, without having to skip parts because the episode was boring, or nothing was happening, like many BL's I've watched. The story wasn't confusing and it was easy to understand, there weren't a lot of couples to remember.

One big part of it is that usually, I either like the main couple more or I like the side couples more. But I enjoyed each couple, and couldn't wait to see more of each of them. Likeable side characters are really hard to pull off in any series, but this one did it.

The main couple had a lot of chemistry, speaking they had already been a couple in a separate series. And when watching them interact I never felt uncomfortable or awkward for the characters. The acting was amazing, and it didn't make me look away or cringe.

The characters weren't annoying or cringy, or stereotypical. Almost every single BL i've watched had a cringy feminine bottom, and more masculine top, but it wasn't like that at all. It was a gay couple, and represented two men, both liking masculine things, not like a straight couple, (Masculine, feminine.)

There was no rapey character, or any sexual assault, all sexual and romantic interactions were consensual. (Which is hella rare to find in any BL.) Also the romance wasn't repetitive, or overdone.

I also liked how they represented the deaf/disabled, and how differently they are treated in work settings, you hardly ever see that.

I thought that the twin connection between black and white was cool, I also haven't seen that in a BL.

Also totally biased here but bikers guys are super hot so that was nice-

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an actually MEANINGFUL BL! Hard to find!

I was very pleasantly surprised with this show. Something I found with this show compared to many other Thai BLs is the fact that they balanced almost everything really really well. Almost all of the characters were well-rounded, it had a subplot commentary on protesting and justice which was very interesting and also very well thought out, the music was good (!!!), and the romance was good, not too much or too little. The only things I would change is I found the ending to be a little rushed (I heard there was some production budget issues or something), but it wasn't anything too terrible. I also found that some of the characters lacked backstory/felt a little flat.

Another thing I loved about this story!! The female characters weren't annoying!! They weren't just there to bother us!! They felt like real people!!!! With their own lives separate to the main characters!!! very impressive for a BL lmao.

I found the premise really really interesting and this was a very well put together show. Good camera work, good acting, solid plot line, overall very solid. In terms of Thai BLs, the quality of this show is fantastic. I absolutely would recommend.

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Be the change you want to see in the world

I loved everything about this one. The political aspects and little jabs at things that are happening, the characters that have deep reasoning for what they are doing, the development of said characters, the pacing, the oh-so-beautifully-placed soundtrack, the actors displaying each emotion so beautifully that it made my heart ache along with them... I could go on about why i loved every second of this series, but all i got to say is: Go watch it, you will not regret it. The production team did a great job and to say that they were brave to put this out would be nothing but the entire truth.

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