Deep Night (2024)

a pleasant surprise

Overall: I enjoyed the duality of one of the leads, the aerial silks and more. 8 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI. Approximately 3 months after the series finished airing on iQIYI, it was re-released on Deep Night The Series YouTube channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIh-ltO6DKlWlabCf7nTiWyyE_CcWnMdH&si=y-Xw77mcKFaLOrIJ

Content Warnings: manhandling, blackmail/coercion, past death, non con kissing, non con video recording/sharing

What I Liked
- clear premise
- sweet moments
- intimate scenes, mutual affection
- something I really wanted actually happened in the final episode, wish we could have seen a bit more of the relationship developments (maybe a special episode will happen???)
- Wela was smart and already knew something, he had agency
- aerial silks/pole
- the idea that people can act very different in different circumstances
- that Khem didn't want to do stuff when Wela was drunk (but drunk people will frequently say they are not drunk so I would have preferred they altered the scene slightly)
- GL representation
- a realistic point of tension with the main relationship
- mesh shirts
- apologizing and pretty good communication
- supportive parents
- (neutral) comedy sound effects (didn't seem to have as many or maybe I tuned them out)
- (neutral) there were a lot of characters introduced but the name tags many of them wore were helpful before I figured everyone out

Room For Improvement
- not a fan of, 'I won't tell your secret if I get to kiss you' type of stuff, luckily Wela held his own
- the shrieking in the first episode
- continuity error towards the end of ep 1, they were wearing different outfits when eating, perhaps they changed but it wasn't mentioned or shown
- nonsense stuff/convenient writing: 2 characters happened to have each others' phone numbers, drinking 1 shot wouldn't make a person so drunk that they wouldn't wake up and if it did they should go to the hospital, showing someone super drunk then not drunk and then not remembering things well the next morning (which a person would need to have been extremely drunk to have happen), the mom being worried about telling her son something
- the subtitles had several errors but I didn't take off points for it

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Refreshing and interesting

There is something so unbelievably refreshing about this series and I am loving it.

okay, to get it out of the way I have fallen in love with the two MCs Shogun and First. I cannot tell you why, but they just remind me of adorable little penguins that I want to keep in my pocket at all times. plus their chemistry is better than half of the shows I’ve seen lately. And I’m genuinely liking them on social media as well. They seem pretty genuine, and I adore that they’re also supporting other actors that don’t work for the same company as them. So they get points for being an overall outstanding supportive team player. But, no for real for some reason, they remind me of adorable little penguins that I can’t get enough of.

As for the series, so much has gone into this to make it a success. From the standpoint of the aerial performances alone, it’s pretty mind blowing, and you honestly, have to give them props for that. it’s also falls more into the fast paced timing which is nice since it’s cutting down on the unneeded filler scenes.

10/10 for the adorable little penguins

now that it’s over I still feel the same. this was a great refresher BL

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A fun ride but very shallow

Like any other work by this director more focused on an adult and hot narrative, Deep Night is a series that succeeds in bringing beautiful and charismatic actors, an interesting plot and excellent kiss scenes. But it also has the same defects: a poor script, a development full of plot holes and simplistic resolutions. Oh, and let's not forget the excess of kissing scenes inserted to resolve any conflict in the plot.

I like the story and the potential it has, but it's all thrown in here. The character who suffers most from this is Khem. He is introduced as a rich, arrogant man who hates his mother's club (for reasons that the series does not explore in depth), but all of this is put aside after seeing a performance by Wella. There is no development of his arrogant personality for him acting in a kind way, there is no development of his relationship with his mother and the club. Things happen from one scene to another without the slightest narrative logic.

But what bothers me is how nothing has any impact on the plot. Khem discovering that Wella is a host. Pan finding out about Khem and Wella working at the club. Wella finding out about Khem's mother. His mother finding out they broke the no-dating rule. The hosts discovering Khem and Wella's secret relationship. NONE, absolutely none of this has any impact on the story.

And this becomes very evident at the end when the whole problem with the police is magically resolved with an event where they do the same thing they always do in the club performances. The series tries to open up a conversation about hosts and prostitution, but none of the characters or the plot really manage to address this in the slightest.

It's as if the series is ashamed or afraid to associate itself with the term prostitution.

Another point that I find unbearable is this problem with the police. It's repetitive, there's no sense of danger, the person behind it doesn't matter in the plot and it's a bit stupid to think that the police will keep going to the club every time they receive the same complaint and find nothing.

The same happens when Khem records videos for the internet with the hosts, but later the plot has Wella having problems with his mother and college because of his work. It doesn't make sense for him to hide this and show his face doing tiktok videos for the club (not to mention the countless scenes of costumers recording his face)

Finally, the infamous trisal between Japan, Seiji and Ken. In theory I think it's incredible, but the execution was terrible. It's not like the 3 of them have feelings for one another, they just stay together because Seiji is unable to choose one.

And it's a huge waste, it's a plot that could have been used to build something so interesting. But again, like every other narrative here, everything is resolved in the easiest and most convenient way possible.

It's an easy series to watch, the characters are great, but the development is very precarious. There was a lack of courage in creating a more dynamic plot, better constructed and with a bolder script.

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Not perfect, but memorable

I'll be upfront and admit I did not go into this with an open mind, AT ALL. I went into Deep Night fully expecting to find something cheap and surface-level that would make me cringe and regret hitting play. I'd probably end up rating it a 6-6.5/10 and say it was a tasteless, eye-candy watch.

Well, you know what? Shame on me!

This drama had glaring flaws, for certain. The main ones were the villain FL, who screamed like a banshee for no reason and was just plain annoying/idiotic, loud and out-of-place sound effects, and the central roadblock problem for everyone playing out in too similar a way each time.

But it also had highlights as bright as spotlights. And I'm not just talking about the amazing acrobatics, stunning performances, and intense chemistry between the MLs, oh no.

Quietly, a theme of breaking down prejudices and shifting perspectives unfolded, particularly on the part of Khem. He went on a long, difficult, growth-filled journey. From judging hosts, never wanting to be associated with the Deep Night club, and allowing his jealousy and lack of understanding of his boyfriend's career to overtake him to admiring the hosts and noticing their efforts, taking pride in Deep Night and working to make it succeed, and accepting and respecting his boyfriend's work to the point of feeling fully secure in his relationship and cheering him on without any reservations.

My own perspective shifted along with him as I found myself feeling emotional near the end, wishing the best for everyone and wanting the club to do well, not wanting to let these characters that had wormed their way into my heart go.

I wish I could explain in better detail just why I found this so worthwhile. All I can say is that I think you should give Deep Night a chance; it might just surprise you.

Note: .5 out of my score is extra just because, I really wound up loving it, dammit!

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BL and debate on a complex and novel social issue in the genre: male prostitution

It is estimated that almost 3 million Thais are in prostitution out of a population of 65 million inhabitants where, although prostitution is illegal, culturally, contexts of tolerance have been established, reaching the point of creating favorable scenarios to encourage economic growth. based on trips and sexual tourist events.
Bangkok's nightlife scene is majestic, with its lounges, such as The Pimp, Sherbet, Pegasus, St. Moritz or Le Pent, which copy the model of Japanese host bars in high-net-worth environments. Large, elegant nightclubs, with shows and luxury in abundance. You enter a place like this and at the door you already see that the matter is going to be expensive. They are places frequented by the upper and wealthy Thai class.
Inside, it's all tables where you watch the local guys drink high-priced liquor, accompanied by customers, both men and women, extremely smiling and pleasant. The hosts say whatever nonsense. The customers laugh. One drops the glass of drunkenness. His partner wipes his shirt and caresses his cheek.
Designed to receive groups of friends, and when I say friends I mean all male, the waiters of the also known as gentlemen's clubs greet the visitor with two cards. The one for drinks and the one for the hosts. But it's not a brothel. Hosts are not on the menu for sexual reasons. If you pay the high price, what they will do is sit with you at the table, serve you drinks and make you laugh all night. If you pay good drinks, you might touch some meat, kiss, munch, and you can even bite the neck and leave a mark as a souvenir. But no taking something home, at least at the price listed on the menu. It is paid by the company.
There is certainly some similarity with Japanese host clubs. But while in Japan you sit down with your rented girl or boy to tell her your sorrows and what stresses you about work, in Thailand it's for dancing and getting drunk. The hosts entertain the client by making them play rock, paper, scissors while laughing, or a video game on their mobile phone. Whoever loses, drinks. And the client always pays.
Of course, all this has a price. The guys in the lounge are carefully selected and have to be fun as well as remarkably attractive. Don't expect to drink a cheap beer either. The normal thing is to buy reserve whiskey.
How much can a joke mean in a lounge? Quietly about 5,000 bahts, 125 euros, if you don't lose control with what the hosts ask for. And that's knowing that, unless a miracle happens, they will go home like almost everyone else in a normal nightclub. Alone.
I think of all this when I watch 'Deep Night' ('Khuen Ni Mi Khae Rao'), the Thai series that bears the indisputable seal of "Cheewin" Thanamin Wongskulphat, the actor, director and owner of Copy A Bangkok, the production company and agency of casting, who is credited as the first producer of the Y series in Thailand, and who also made successful works such as 'YYY' (2020), 'Why R U?: The Series' (2020), the three seasons of 'Make It Right: The Series', all from Line TV, and 'Love Sick', his first drama, from 2015.
I think of all this when I watch 'Deep Night' ('Khuen Ni Mi Khae Rao'), the Thai series directed by "Cheewin" Thanamin Wongskulphat.
The series tells the exciting and stormy story of Khemthis, played by Shogun Paramee, the latest letter of introduction of GMM 25 in full ascendancy in his first leading role, who plays the beloved son of Madame Freya (Tanya Thanyaret), the owner of Deep Night Club, the most important host bar in the country, and Wela Ratthakorn, characterized by First Piyangkun, an already established figure within the genre with dramas such as 'War of Y' and 'Y Destiny', always in leading roles, this time representing no not only the number one artist on the trapeze, but also the host preferred by clients.
The series will attract the attention of many for different reasons, including the incredible chemistry in front of the camera of the two main characters.
A new aspect for BL fans is the social and cultural landscape of Bangkok nights and, especially, the elegant nightclub that represents the setting, a kind of acrobatic cabaret that serves as a backdrop to address a topic. new within the world of BL: male prostitution and escort services, since Wela and the other club hosts are auctioned and offer sexual and companionship services to clients who pay for their attention, without reaching penetration.
'Deep Night' shows us a form of male prostitution typical of Thai nightclubs. Since prostitution is illegal, these establishments seek to hide this social phenomenon when the prostitute, here called the host, is not paid directly or in cash, but rather through the payment of sexual services to the establishment and through the purchase of alcoholic beverages with those in which the client manages to spend the night being accompanied by the young sex worker.
The series shows how Thai rentboys are auctioned off in nightclubs. The hosts of the Deep Night Club are sex workers, although they only participate as mere companions or escorts. Who says that a person in the conditions shown in the series who receives money for their services, for not having penetrative sex, does not practice what is known as the oldest profession in the world?
Wela cannot do anything to prevent the provision of sexual services that the client demands. You can't do anything to avoid a drunk who insults you, someone who bites your neck, mauls you, touches you in an impudent manner, kisses you, and puts their hands under your clothes.
You can only ease your luck a little by frequently asking the client's permission with the excuse that you need to go to the bathroom. The host needs to ask permission from the person who paid, and justify leaving his table, even for a few minutes, hoping that the night goes by quickly and he is finally free.
The client acts like the client of any prostitute in any brothel anywhere in the world. He is the owner of the situation gained by punching bills or gulping drinks, which in this case is the same thing. The legal limits are set by the club. The sex worker cannot be a minor or be an undocumented alien or other violation of the laws.
Being exposed, Wela is forced to recognize that he has had to carry out this work in order to obtain the money that would allow him to pay off the debt left by his father. Then, new approaches arise: The main annoyance, anger and wound of a person in his place is due to reasons that the series hides, denies or ignores: the suffering of the prostitute for having to get ahead with his life, pay debts, be able to carry a plate of food on the table, being able to dress and put on shoes for his son, being able to pay for his elderly mother's surgery or his little brother's studies through this job.
Wela never questions the reality that life has brought him to. Wela never has a thought about what she is doing with her life, whether she has chosen the right path. He knows it's not the right way. For some reason, he has been hiding everything related to his work from his mother and everyone else for years, because he is aware that it contains both illegalities and shameful, defamatory, degrading, immoral content.
Instead of questioning himself about his behavior, of making the viewer understand why he has been forced to prostitute himself, which would be consistent with a person in his place, what he does is praise his sponsors, applaud the good things he has done. the club has been towards him or how kind the owner of the club has been in giving him the job.
The series does not offer us lessons, which would be extracted from focusing on specific issues like these. The main character does not give hope to people in his place. Wela does not redeem herself, she does not find redemption. He does not seek redemption.
I don't like that the series has approached this whole phenomenon of prostitution so lightly, in a festive tone, in which we will never get to know the human suffering behind the fact that a person decides to enter the world of prostitution .
And I understand that the creators have decided to face the issue in this way so lightly, so superficially, and not with crudeness, with realism, as the problem deserves to be exposed, because otherwise the series would be moving away from the BL genre to become an LGBT+ drama with greater depth, realism and complexity than this other genre would propose.
I also regret that the majority of fans of the genre prefer to ignore the obvious, and instead of joining the debate and reflection proposed by the creators and producers, they dedicate themselves to commenting on whether Japan would look good in a sequined suit or if Dai should touch up her hair. beard frequently.
With his resignation as host No. 1, Wela will no longer be bitten on the neck by a client, nor will he be groped, groped, kissed or touched in his private parts by someone who paid to do precisely this with him.
When the time comes, Freya has to admit mistakes in allowing prostitution in the club and apologize to the hosts "for the chaos that was previously in our club until today's special event occurred."
Whether or not it was their interest, the creators have given their opinion regarding the debate that is being waged today within Thai society about whether or not to legalize prostitution.
To all of these, I was hoping that Japan and Seiji would save the series from my disappointment. If Seiji always considered Ken only as a friend, if he had thousands of occasions to have a romantic or sexual relationship with him and he was never interested because for him Ken was nothing more than a friend, why does Seiji's sudden interest in Ken? ? When did Seiji realize that he loved both of them at the same time, when he always showed interest in Pan and never in Ken, despite the latter's constant hints first and statements later?

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Don’t waste your time.

I have completed watching all 8 episodes of this series and I would just like to say, that this series did not meet my expectations. It’s just a series about male prostitutes who are called “hosts” and about their “dating” lives. It’s more proper to call them “sex lives” rather than “dating lives”. Out of the approximately 240 minutes of this series, I assure you that atleast 200 minutes have NC scenes. It makes you wonder about the writer… what kind of a writer makes an entire series out of ONLY GAP-FILLERS? (I.e., sex.)
The main characters do not have any substantial relationship with each other; atleast you don’t feel so, because they feel so forced and unnatural. Shogun keeps smiling the entire series, but I don’t know if it is because he is a new actor or what, but that smile doesn’t reach me. I don’t feel like his character actually loves wela… and their banter is so cheesy and forced, taht at some point you being to judge yourself for continuing to watch this series.

None of the other actors have any substantial story to contribute to either. Great and James only get together in the last episode, and we were offered only one scene where they were almost together, but not quite. Japan, Seiji and Ken become a throuple, which is horrifying to say the least. That love-triangle really was the last straw that killed my interest in this series.

They also did a sloppy job of dealing with the evil aunt, and the mommy-of-wela-had-a-problem-with-his-prostitute-y-job problem. In the span of one episode, she became okay with him being a prostitute. Why? Because he was THAT good at it. Unrealistic. That kind of dedication may be appreciated in other jobs “by parents” but not in hosting professions.

So essentially, until you wanna watch some NC scenes, and no story, don’t watch it.
The worst part is, it doesn’t even do the NC scene job properly…

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I was more then surprised

Well, this was really something. The very first time I've read the synopis, I had no expectations and basicly I didn't even want to watch it. But my friend did and she liked so I gave it a chance and... I was really rusprised how good it actually is!

The chemistry between all of them is amazing and I totally fell in love with all couples. Even that the most surprising one. Like... What? The? Hell?... I was screaming, not sure of it was out of happiness or frustration, probably both, but I still love the way they were put together, even tho I think it would be better if there was something with Japan a Ken.

Anyway, I enjoyed Wela and Khem's performance and generally the plot. Setting was surprisingly good choice.

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I'm speechless

Not really sure what to say really.
I was half paying attention at one point.
I guess he quit being a host at the club because of his mother.
Then there's the whole Japan/Seiji/Ken thing.
I don't get why they didn't just go in that direction from the get go.
In my opinion they had Japan acting like didn't know anything about anything. He is naive and this shows it.
The fact that he just invited Ken into his budding relationship with Seiji and lets face it he only did that just because Ken was looking like a lost dog. I could see that happening if Japan like both Seiji and Ken ......Ken like both Seiji and Japan and Seiji liked both of them but that's not the case. All I've seen was Ken lusting after Seiji and I didn't get that feeling from Seiji towards Ken at all except best friends. Seeing that Japan is as naive as the day is long I don't see that kind of thing working out in the long run. Once he really knows about life I think he'll be outta there or they will be back to square one where he and Ken going at it. Also the fact that Ken is going along with this just to have Seiji even if he has to share him is really pathetic. Then there was no story for the other two and I really didn't care about Freya in the end because I just didn't like her.

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This is a mixed bag...

First the bad things: The problems of prostitutuion is only superficial mentioned, the acrobatics are only shown prominently in the first and last episode, even when some actors had to do a lot of work to make it believable. The ending is strange as well, especially with the love-triangle... while I don't see it problematic when three people love each other, it was not really explored through the story, it was there in the final episode and I didn't really expect it.

The good things about this series is that the production quality overall was high, and there was a lot of fan-service, which was overdone in my opinion. The chemistry between the leads was also good and they did a good job.

So overall not a bad show, but not a very good one either due to the lack of a more indepth story about hosts in general and not exploring the love-triangle from the beginning. At least you will have lot's of eye-candy.

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The most kissing scenes in any series

An enjoyable watch giving a good mix of story, humour and drama though I did find the acting of the 2 main characters was a little awkward at times, possibly due to lack of experience.
It was unreal just how many kiss scenes there, were just a shame they were often more lip sucking, plus the odd raunchy NC scene.
There were some irritations though - I know Thai series tend to have quite a lot of music but this series took it to the extreme filling in any possible moment with random music. Also I personally find it weird the pauses in dialogue where no one speaks and they just look at each other - totally unatural.

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I liked it more than I expected to

I liked it more than I expected to.

Now, that’s not to say I was expecting to dislike it, but I also wasn’t preparing for anything more than a light snack. Instead, Deep Night served up a decent helping of entertainment, even if some of it was a bit undercooked.

Acting

For a series led by a newcomer like Shogun, I have to say, the chemistry between him and First—along with what I imagine was the director gently nudging him in the right direction—helped cover up the rougher edges of his performance. There were definitely moments where Shogun looked like a deer caught in the headlights of some particularly challenging scenes, but for his first time, he did a solid job. His chemistry with First was especially strong, which worked wonders in carrying the story through its more questionable moments. It was like watching someone perform a complicated dance while occasionally tripping over their shoelaces but still managing to look graceful.

Story

Ah, the story. Let’s just say I have a love-hate relationship with it. On one hand, the premise is full of potential, with all the makings of a great drama—mystery, intrigue, romance, jealousy! But on the other hand, there are so many moments where the logic seems to have taken an extended vacation.

So, here’s the setup: Khen is a university student whose mother runs a nightclub/host club. One fateful day, Khen visits the club and sees his fellow university student, Wela, performing as a host. And just like that—bam!—he falls in love. The twist? These two have apparently been attending the same lectures for who knows how long, but it took Wela taking off his glasses and standing under a dim nightclub light for Khen to notice he exists. If that isn’t a lesson in how important good lighting is, I don’t know what is.

Once they become a couple, the plot shifts into what I like to call the Jealousy Carousel. Khen gets jealous because, you know, Wela’s job as a host involves interacting with other people. They make up, only for Khen to get jealous all over again. Rinse, repeat. After a few cycles, you start wondering if maybe Khen should have picked a less emotionally turbulent career path—like professional sandcastle building.

What I Would Change

If I had the power to make some tweaks (and let’s be honest, someone should hand me that power), the first thing I’d do is scrap the university setting entirely and make the characters a little older. Wela being the number one host would make far more sense if he had, say, five or six years of experience under his belt rather than being a student who’s just squeezed a couple of part-time shifts between classes. It would give his character a bit more depth, too—because let's face it, being a top host at 20 is impressive, but also feels like something out of a fantasy.

I’d also throw in a female hostess, someone with acrobatic skills. This would allow for some more dynamic scenes in the nightclub and provide a bit more balance in the customer interactions. Not to mention, a comparison between how male and female hosts handle their clients could add an extra layer of interest. Plus, who wouldn’t want to see a few flips while someone’s pouring champagne?

As for Khen (played by Shogun), I’d rework how he meets Wela. Instead of them being university classmates who’ve never noticed each other until one fateful nightclub encounter, it would be far more engaging if Khen first met Wela as a customer at the club. That way, their relationship could develop more naturally—from customer and host, to the son of the nightclub owner falling for the star employee. It would also spare us the whole "love at second glance" thing, which is harder to buy than a discount wand at Ollivanders.

In conclusion

Deep Night had potential, and I genuinely enjoyed watching it more than I expected to. But with a few tweaks here and there (and maybe a little more logic), it could have been so much more. It’s like ordering a meal at a restaurant and realizing it would be perfect if only the chef had added just a bit more seasoning—or, in this case, a bit more plot coherence.

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