Funny, entertaining, cute, great coming of age BL series
Usually, I am not really into highschool or college setting BL series because I watched tons already and I'm sick of it but I give this a try because it made me curious when I saw the trailer.That said, I thoroughly enjoyed 'I Will Knock You'! This BL series offers a refreshing take on teenage gangster life, blending cute moments, humor, and heartwarming scenes that kept me hooked. The characters' dynamic and interactions are genuinely endearing.
I think the series could benefit from exploring Noey's father's backstory – a glimpse into his life or fate would add another layer to Noey's character as it is not shown what happens to him, whether he is alive or dead. Initially, I found Thi a bit frustrating due to his passivity and cowardness especially every time Noey bullied him. It would've been great to see Thi stand up for himself more or, better yet, if the series started with them as enemies, with Noey's constant teasing pushing Thi to his limits.
Despite these minor critiques, I loved many aspects of the series including the cinematography - it's awesome. The OST, particularly the song about destiny, resonated with me – there's something about old-school tunes that hits home. Noey's stylist in this series deserves a raise! His vintage-inspired fashion, hairstyles, and even the gang members' looks are fantastic. It's adorable how Noey's style reflects his love for vintage things, from his clothes, movie choices to his trusty Nokia dumbphone in a world of smartphones.
Overall, 'I Will Knock You' is a charming series with great characters and style. I'd definitely recommend it to fans of BL and coming-of-age stories!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
I Will Knock You (2022) — Full Review
This drama is incredibly cute—in the purest, most heartfelt way.The first half of I Will Knock You is not about romance at all.
It’s about building trust.
Thi, a timid and sincere university student, becomes Noey’s tutor under awkward circumstances.
At first, their relationship is filled with misunderstandings, nervous sweat, and comedic tension.
But little by little, what grows between them is mutual respect, patience, and emotional safety.
That slow foundation is what makes everything that follows feel so real.
From Episode 8 onward, Noey’s feelings shift clearly from friendship to love.
His way of pursuing Thi is clumsy, earnest, and surprisingly gentle—especially for someone who acts tough on the surface.
Because the trust is already there, this transition never feels forced. It feels inevitable.
Episode 11 is where the story truly hurts in a good way.
Thi creates distance after being confronted by his parents, choosing to step back for Noey’s sake.
It’s a painful decision rooted in care, not fear.
And then Episode 12 delivers the emotional payoff:
Noey follows Thi all the way to Chiang Mai.
Even while apart, Thi continues to support Noey’s studies, proving that love doesn’t disappear with distance.
When Noey finally graduates, Thi keeps his promise—he comes to pick him up.
That moment says everything.
In the end, this story isn’t about dramatic twists or grand declarations.
It’s about two people who meet at the wrong time, grow together, wait for each other, and realize they were meant to walk forward side by side.
A soft, warm, destiny-level love story—quietly unforgettable.
Was this review helpful to you?
soooo slow-paced
I would give this series a 10 for all the nice details put together, for the beautiful camera movement and especially for the adorable young actors... BUT the action soon becomes sooo draggy that literally nothing happens for long long minutes. I totally understand that life is like that, mostly relying on small gestures, but for a drama i expect something different.Maybe it's just me losing patience?
..............................................................................................................................................................................
Was this review helpful to you?
Better than I expected
Wow!! Didn’t know what to expect going in and really loved the show from the first episode. It was unique and well acted. Thi got on my damn nerves at times but goodness did I end up loving him. The show was nothing groundbreaking but it was a very well made BL story. The acting was fantastic the characters were so likable and the story kept me engaged. I will miss this cast so much and after the ending roller coaster of episode 11 the ending made up for any of its missteps and tie’s everything together in a nice now. Well done ever one involved.Was this review helpful to you?
From the retro atmosphere…to the enchanting garden grove restaurant…to the reverence at the Buddhist Temple…to the innocent romance….I was enthralled with every moment of it.
What I found especially intriguing..and encouraging..about this production were the numerous scenes showing the unfailing respect and reverence that the trouble making gang showed towards the monks and the Buddhist temple.
I hope to see the two main actors together again in another comedy BL series. I rated it a 9 out of 10.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
ITS SO WHOLESOME
This is my first time commenting on mdl, since I love the series so much so I decided to just post my take on it. It's going to contain very little spoiler on their characters, but I think its safe to read if you need a push to start watching it.I am pleasantly surprised to have such a strong attachment to this series. It started pretty childishly at first, and it took me 3 episodes to actually find myself getting interested in the progress of the story. But it got so MUCH better after about 2-3 episodes in if an overdone romcom is really to your taste. Noey is a high schooler here, and I think he would be about 17-18 yrs old, while Thi is his tutor (albeit unwillingly) and is in his third or fourth year in university, so I supposed they have 4-5 years gap.
I shared the same concern about the age gap in the series, and was a bit skeptical about how they would pull it off, if it's going to include problematic tropes, for instance, grooming. But it wasn't the case at all when Thi was actually a coward. He cowered a lot in front of Noey who always kinda bossing him around and Noey is actually a very narcissistic jerk. And the relationship between them was 98% led by Noey alone who pursued Thi in the end. Thi only opened up to him in the second half of the series but he never NEVER made a move on Noey inappropriately.
At the same time, there are some viewers who are displeased with the lack of enthusiasm or effort coming from Thi because it seemed that Noey was the only one who tried to make it work. But I couldn't be any more grateful for that. This series would have gone so wrong if Thi immediately entertained Noey's attempts. I feel like Thi is very conscious of where they stood, that it is wrong for him to reciprocate the feelings Noey have for him, and he is also confused I would say. So as much as it is disappointing that we couldnt see Thi giving more in this relationship, it is the best decision for them and there are still moments where Thi takes care of Noey, supporting him in his lessons, goes out of his way to protect Noey even if he's not so brave.
And I have to applaud for how slowly they developed feelings for each other. How it didn't just happen overnight. Noey only realized his feelings for Thi halfway in the series, and his romantic azz intensifies afterward lol. And it also left a lot of time for us to see their lovely moments before the series end. I couldnt stress enough how much I enjoyed it and the ending was perfect. Maybe some would say it's a little rushed, but I think they wrapped it well and gave us a good closure.
Lastly, this story is very red flag done green and i love it.
Was this review helpful to you?
It becomes a great series after the first six episodes or so
I feel like splitting this series in two parts for this review (the first six episodes and the last six) because I had a very different impression from each part. While I did end up enjoying the series a lot and I believe it deserves this 9 out of 10 I chose as my rating, I still need to express a complete opinion about it.Overall, the story has an interesting premise, but the first six episodes were not able to give it a proper start. The pace of the events feels way too slow, and the dynamics between characters are off as well.
Noey was portrayed well and caught my attention enough to keep me watching for more episodes, but Thi's characterization was handled very badly, showing some backbone for about ten seconds per episodes and then turning back to his shy, fearful and goofy self - and I don't mean it in a good way.
These first six episode could have been useful to put more emphasis on Thi's characterization and the dynamics between Noei, Thi, their friends and their families, but instead they seemed mostly full of nothing. I felt like they could have been cut down to three episodes with a better pace.
Starting from the ending of the sixth episode, the events and the dynamics get a lot better, and this is also where the series starts shining bright. Thi also earns his own proper characterization and starts showing his own presence next to Noey, making their moments together a lot more enjoyable and endearing to watch. The way the feelings of both are portrayed along the way was also beautiful and left no room for any annoying "will they, won't they?" as the episodes went by.
The groups of friends were also shown much better, especially Noey's gang, with Thiw as a special mention. The "bad boy" element was not just used as a fancy aesthetic and multiple elements of that life were taken into consideration for the plot, which I really appreciated.
A very memorable series, I highly recommend it!
Was this review helpful to you?
I will knock you? Yes, please!
I wasn't really sure what to expect from the series. I was mostlly worried how were they going to pull of the age gap between Thi and Noey, a university student and a minor who is still in high school. In the end, I really enjoyed the fact that Noey was the more badass one while Thi was sweet and shy. I think this really helped push their relationship into a good direction. We can see a lot of growth from both of them, as well as all the support characters.I'm a sucker for enemies to lovers stories and this one delivered. The differences between the main two characters are very interesting and it's an absolute joy watching them grow as individuals and as a couple. It was fun and interesting to see Noey and his bright coloured shirts, slicked hair and love for old music, in contrast to Thi and his absolutely adorable sweaters, bursts of courage and inner monologues.
The fact that Noey, who is younger, is the one in control of the relationship really hits different. I really appreciate how the makers of the series aproached its making, especially after I found out that the two actors have a 9 year gap in real life, with Tar (who played Noey) still being a minor during the filming. Also, hats off for absolutely brilliantly done end credits scene that was on point for every single episode. The ending was absolute perfection as well.
We get some cute and fluffy moments, some awkward romantic scenes, a few fight scenes and a bunch of comedic scenes. It had some cringe scenes, but what series doesn't? It's definitely a show that will keep your spirits up and make you laugh out loud.
Was this review helpful to you?
Noey's character really carried this series
This is a story about a cowardly tutor who meets a quirky gang leader.The first 2 episodes or so were a little over-the-top, but when Thi eventually starts tutoring Noey and the pair start spending more time with each other, that’s when I Will Knock You’s magic begins.
Noey and Thi’s developing relationship brings with it a pleasant warmth. The standard structure of BLs these days features some form of intimacy scene at the halfway mark. Not IWK, though, as physical contact is few and far between. Not this show, though. And it doesn’t need to – well-written love stories do not need to rely on love scenes to convey romance.
Thi’s interactions with Noey, who is just so quirky and charismatic as a character, carry the series to its full potential. All in all, the show was a breath of fresh air with interesting characters and a well-paced storyline.
Bonus points for its vintage-sounding OST!!
Full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2023/02/05/i-will-knock-you-2022-bl-review/
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Quirky but cute and lovable
The starting of the series strikes me as being a little strange. Is it a story set in the 1990s or something? The setting and the set seem rather quaint. It wasn't until smartphones were featured and some explanation of Noey is emulating people from his father's generation that I started realizing that the story is set in contemporary Thailand.And then we have Noey behaving like someone with multiple personality disorder and different personalities surface at different times. Sometimes the way he behaves is baffling. While somewhat explained, the quirkiness of Noey's character doesn't really seem all that purposeful. I mean, why doesn't he get a smartphone or something? But perhaps it's what makes this series special?
Once I got over the oddness, I found the series pretty engaging. There are a lot of funny scenes, but some might take issue with how it trivializes (or even glamorizes) gang violence at times.
I like it that the series doesn't take the sappy route, with Thi having feelings for Noey, who is going after a girl at first, and going all lovesick. To be sure, Thi does find himself attracted to Noey but his feelings are ambiguous. It can be both a good and bad thing that it's hard to tell where the series is headed, if anywhere at all. Sometimes it feels episodic, but somehow it kept me watching maybe because it doesn't take too much effort to watch and enjoy.
The series does become better after Noey decides to hit on Thi instead of going after the girl he is at first interested in. Although it feels a little random , the turn in the plot marks the point where the series gets more interesting. But it may take some quite a bit of patience before getting there.
Was this review helpful to you?
A Fun, Lighthearted, And Wholesome Drama
Let me start by saying 'I Will Knock You' is a fun, lighthearted, and wholesome drama. I like that the drama wasn't overly serious. There were some comedic moments in the drama that cracked up. Also, there were some iconic moments in the drama. I will not mention the iconic moments because I don't want to spoil the drama for you guys.Some of the characters were weirdly wholesome. The lead actors' chemistry was cute and wholesome. There were some wholesome and lighthearted moments between the main actors/main couple that made me giddy. I have to say something about the main actors/main couple's awkward staring. I thought their awkward staring was oddly adorable. I think some of the actors and actresses acting were pretty cringey but also pretty casual.
Out of all the episodes, the last episode (episode 12) was my favorite. The episode was sweet and wholesome. I must say, the overall drama was fun to watch and pretty entertaining.
Was this review helpful to you?
Messy at first but ended solidly
Tears were running down my face as I finished this series.My mind can't process the abnormal conversations and behavioral responses of the characters. The awkward comedy executions, the exaggerated acting and overlength shallow scenes left me thin-lipped while watching the initial episodes. Unnecessary scenes allotted too much time and wasted the earlier episodes. The sick dance moves of Thi are the only interesting and memorable scene. My mother woke up at 11PM last night because I laughed so hard while watching him.
I kept on watching with a frown face until I reached episode 6 and that's when the real show began. I really appreciate the main characters' fluffy relationship. Most of all, I applaud everyone who gave one of the greatest and most solid character developments (Noey's) of all time. I almost cried when I am watching him to be the best version of himself. The other characters, who actually stay the same and have no improvement until the end, become the polishing tools to make him the shiniest diamond. His character matched with remarkable acting brings out the potential of this series. The incorporation of the 50's-90's vibes to Noey's personality really gives off a pleasant retro vibe. I really like the use of old songs and instruments as background music.
Upon checking the main leads' background details, I was quite surprised by the age gap they have which is almost 10 years. Nonetheless, they have great chemistry. Hope to see them again together in the next-coming dramas. Disregarding the messy gang scenes (which could've been better if they really acted like a proper gang, not a bunch of clowns), this series is a must-watch.
Watchable and 80% well-executed.
(PS: I don't like the title. )
Was this review helpful to you?
