Love Mechanics

Very problematic

I thought the characters were cute. Vee was really adorable at first. but then he keeps getting annoying. I'm surprised Mark can tolerate Vee's behavior even seeing so many red flags about him. The relationship was messy and unhealthy even from the start. I tried to give it the benefit of the doubt with Mark and Vee's relationship, but it was so toxic. The problems are always the same. Trust issues, cheating, miscommunication. Different episodes but same problem.
They had their cute moments being together, but I got tired of it after realizing that Mark is too good for Vee.
I guess the acting was good if the main cast can irritate me. Music wasn't really rememberable but it was there.
I wouldn't recommend watching this at all.

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Mechanic Needed

Going into Love Mechanics, I was expecting something pretty special. I'd heard some pretty high praise for it, not to mention the high rating, and based on the hype, I figured this was going to be one of my new favorite dramas. But after watching it, I really don't understand that hype. It was decidedly mediocre, certainly nothing to write home about. The plot, what little there was of one, was repetitive. Miscommunication ran rampant, more so than in a lot of other BLs. It got to a point where it was just tedious. What other absurd reason are the writers going to come up with to keep our leads separate? And what makes it even more disappointing is the fact that Yin and War have fantastic chemistry, but we get so very little time of them actually together and happy, not fighting or sulking or some other terrible emotional state. This drama gets added to the list of ones that had potential but just went nowhere.

Love Mechanics gets added to the ever growing list of dramas without a plot. I know I've said this before, but why is it so hard to write a story that actually has a point? What happens essentially is that Mark and Vee get together, or almost get together, something or someone comes between them, they fight, one or both gets blackout drunk, rinse and repeat. I'm not kidding, that is exactly what happens and not just once, but three or four times. It's ridiculous and sad. Especially the drinking. Almost every character here needed to go to AA. I don't think I've ever seen a drama where drinking was so prevalent. Scenes of characters going out and getting drunk were featured at least once an episode, sometimes more. And besides the drinking being repetitive, the conversations that went with it were equally repetitive. It was a constant conversation of who liked who, trying to force confessions, or woe is me I'll never find love. It got old very quickly, especially with people, Yihwa especially, trying to find ways to force others, namely Mark, into revealing their feelings. Who needs or wants friends like that? It was all very toxic.

Ploy, Vee's ex-girlfriend, was a repeat offender when it came to separating our leads. That being said though, I didn't hate her. She was not portrayed as the villainous woman who deliberately came between them. Her cheating on Vee was, of course, unacceptable and she acknowledged that and that she had made a mistake, but when she found out that Vee had moved one, she didn't maliciously try to sink her claws into him to stay. That final kiss between them was a mistake on both their parts, Vee for putting himself in a situation where it could happen and Ploy for letting her emotions get the best of her, though considering what she'd been through, it's understandable that she'd be a bit emotionally fragile and unstable. But she still tried to make things right, explaining what had happened to Vee's friends and trying to explain to Mark as well. Having her become a source of contention between Vee and Mark three times though was just overkill because then you had Mark misinterpreting their relationship during the photo shoot. What I found most disappointing in regards to Ploy and Vee's relationship is that there is an element of Ploy being depicted as the bad guy for cheating on Vee, however, at the same time, you have Vee cheating on Ploy with Mark and not only does he never tell Ploy of his philandering, the fact that he was cheating as well is never really brought up. That aspect felt very sexist.

Miscommunication is always a popular method of causing drama and moving the story forward, but Love Mechanics took it to the next level. It was just miscommunication after miscommunication between Mark and Vee and it got to a point where it felt very lazy. I began to wonder if they were ever going to get together and there were more than a few moments where I just hung my head because, yup, here we go again with one of them saying or doing something stupid and causing the other to misunderstand them. I really wanted to see these two sit down and have a long heart to heart conversation which, naturally, never happened.

Everyone falling in love with Mark was just weird. Yes, he's cute, but to have multiple men positively pining over him seemed highly unrealistic. Krat especially came out of literally nowhere and started pursuing Mark hard. That whole plot line was just super weird and out of left field. It really didn't fit in well and since by that time I was beyond sick of all the roadblocks that kept popping up for our couple, I was never going to be a fan. Nuea's relentless pursuit of Mark wore thin pretty quickly as well. Consent was not a strong point in this drama as Mark told both men that he wasn't interested and that didn't faze them in the slightest and they just kept coming on to him.

The characters were a mix of good and bad. Mark, Vee, Bar, Kan, Yoo, Mark's mother and Vee's and Yoo's parents were the sum total of characters that I overall liked. Despite the drama between them, I did mostly like Mark and Vee. Mark's moments of immaturity towards Vee when he was trying to push him away and the way he essentially taunted Vee with whether or not he would forgive him were his less endearing traits, but overall I don't think he was a bad guy. Loving Vee was certainly not easy and there is an element that some of what he did was done in an effort to protect himself from further harm. He was shown though to be a good and loyal friend. And even though it hurt, I appreciated his maturity in letting Bar go once he knew he was taken. His sassiness was entertaining and I liked his strength of character. Vee was basically a teddy bear. He never seemed to learn from his mistakes and his heart ruled his head most of the time, but he was overall such a sweetheart. He kind of liked to play the bad boy, but he obviously wasn't and he had a nobility to him that I found endearing. I liked how Bar and Kan to a lesser extent were the only two of Vee's friend group who were actually supportive of he and Mark together. Bar as Vee's best friend was featured more prominently and it was refreshing to have someone who actually seemed to have Vee's best interests at heart and was a kind and sympathetic friend. Unlike Vee's other friends who constantly razzed him and got in his business, Bar was the quiet voice of reason and someone Vee could actually trust. I really enjoyed their friendship. Yoo had some great moments as Vee's brother. He had some very entertaining one liners, but he was also a voice of reason for Vee, trying to shake him out of his stupors after yet another misunderstanding with Mark. He acted very much like I imagine a big brother would in the situations he found himself. I liked that Mark found a second home and a second set of parents at Vee's home. Vee's mother especially was wonderful, just warm and sweet and understanding. She immediately took Mark in without question, loving him and taking care of him like he was her own. Vee's father was not demonstrative in his affections, but I really liked him. His tidbits of wisdom, like the one he bestowed on Vee regarding his motorbike, were a subtle display of affection and a way to prepare his son for the world. His defense of Mark and his family from Mark's own father was a great scene as was the one shortly thereafter when he has a one on one conversation with Mark's father. Mark's mother was also very sweet in her own way and I liked her quietly momma bear ways. She was certainly more moderate than Mark's father and it was clear that she loved her son and only wanted what was best for him.

The majority of Vee's and Mark's friends were overwhelmingly annoying. Everything with them felt like a cliché from their entire friend group being gay except for Yihwa who filled the gap of the female straight friend to their over the top antics. Mark's father came across as a very unpleasant person initially, I truly wondered how he and his wife ever got together, but after speaking with Vee's father and revealing a bit more of his concerns, he became much more understandable character. I still would have liked to have a bit more information on him and what exactly made him tick, not to mention an actual conversation between him and his son where they came to some kind of understanding, but I liked that he was given some depth and wasn't a raging asshole for no reason.

Yin and War are the standouts in terms of acting. They both expressed their characters so well and seemed to have a real understanding of them. Their chemistry was one of the few high points of the series. They were just phenomenal together and had a real connection that translated very well to the screen. It's a pity that everything else didn't reach their level.

The production was overall pretty decent. I really liked some of the cinematography, there were some great shots and angles in there. The music was another highlight. Aside from one or two tracks that I wasn't hugely fond of, the rest of it worked very well.

This is one drama where I wish I'd read some of the reviews beforehand to have a better idea of what to expect. I don't think I would have been quite as disappointed in it if I had. I'm not going to say that it's a drama to avoid. It has it's redeeming features, though not many. I think in the end, I would say it's worth watching once. It's not one that's worth watching more than once though. Then again I'm not a fan of that level of angst and miscommunication and drama, so I'll leave repeated viewings to your discretion.

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Despite reservations, the leads were perfect. But there was a weight that they couldnt shake.

I was/am quite the fan of "En of Love." Namely, "En of Love: Tossara" which I have rewatched more times than I can count. In that series, I was never a fan of Mark and Vee. But after this series, I'm realizing that it was because they didn't have the screen time necessary for their story. There's so much more here than just [Mark who can't take no for an answer] and [Vee who fell out of love with his girlfriend but is too used to her to leave]. So so much more. And I did not expect to cry coming into this adaptation, but cry I did. Major kudos to the 2 actors and the script writer.

The first thing that comes to mind with this series is the underlying plot of how deeply insecure Vee is. Because of how he sees himself and his social/wealth status, he thinks he can't get anything better than what he has. So he doesn't strive for anything. He accepts everything as it comes to him. The only thing he believes he has to offer is being kind, caring, and selfless. Mark helps him realize that he has value beyond this. Which is super touching, considering Mark's own status. He never once uses that fact to wave it in front of Vee's face or to try and get an upperhand in their relationship. In fact, he is always willing to try new things with Vee. It is Vee who always brings up their social class difference - really demonstrating how insecure and self-conscious he is about it.

On the other hand, I hated how this drama handles some of its messages. Primarily, the seemingly overarching message about taking no for an answer when pursuing someone. And keeping that person's feelings in mind. Because several times we see conversations about backing off when they get annoyed. And it doesn't matter what deal you may have made with someone else, the only person who can make the call about being together is the person being pursued. But this was repeated SUPER often. And it seems that the writers believe that the only sign that a person is getting annoyed with being courted, is if they have a boyfriend. Not when they say no. Not when then flat out say they want to be left alone. No. The only time their feelings are respected is when they say (and sometimes PROVE) they have a boyfriend.

I did like how it operated in grey territory though. None of the characters are intending to do bad. And they're all aware they are, and feel guilty about it. But circumstances keep getting in the way. And because of how everything is uncertain, it has everyone's emotions going haywire. So it was all very well written. And, for the most part, well handled.

I say for the most part, because the writing seems to want us to sympathize with Ploy. But there's not much there to sympathize with. She's a hypocrite. And that sweet persona feels very purposeful as a result. But surprisingly, as much as I hate hypocrites, I didn't find her the worst character here.

That honor goes to Siwaa. She had me FUMING like no other in this drama. Frequently. The script may have been telling us she was well-intentioned. But she had NO business getting involved like she did. And if she thinks THAT poorly about Vee, her friend, she should stop trying to call herself his friend. But perhaps she continues to do so so that she can have "grounds" to stay involved in his business. She does whatever she pleases with no mind paid to what the people involved will feel as a result. And if her digs are what Vee has listened to since they became friends, it's no wonder AT ALL why he's as insecure as he is. With friends like her, who needs enemies? I wanted to smack that grin off her face on many occasions. I kept waiting for someone to call her out on it. But no one did.

On a side note, I am AMAZED at how well they chose this new actor for Bar. He felt near exactly the same, but with an overall screen presence that fit much more. I also loved the inclusion of one of the regional Thai dialects with Vee's family.

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Kho-thot: the Series

Because of my feelings in dropping this title, I'm actually surprised how highly rated this show is compared to lower average rated shows that were far better in my opinion.

The catchphrase for this show should be "I'm sorry." Every main character says it so many times but can't seem to stop doing things that require an apology to someone.

Vee's personality is annoying in the way that he's wishy-washy and not assertive when he does make a decision. He's whiney and makes terrible choices. Or lets people drag him into terrible decisions. There was a point i shipped him with Mark but it just got too bad. Vee doesn't deserve to be half of the main couple. When a relationship is the plot, then i should want them to be together, right?

Honestly, by episode 7, i wanted Mark to get with Nuea. He was far more empathetic and charismatic. It honestly would've been a fresh take if all of a sudden the main couple switched because of conflict. That would be interesting, especially if it's one you're rooting for instead.

Vee brings nothing but angst and doesn't do anything or offer anything that makes him deserve Mark's love. I know that's not how love works. But a person deserves better from a partner. It's a shame cuz Vee's actor is the cutest one.

Vee's character is someone who says the things he's supposed to say but can never put them into action. He's that toxic friend you don't want to cut out because you like him and he can make you feel good sometimes. But it's like he brings misery everywhere. And yet he's supposed to be a likable main character.

I also hate the cliche setups of misunderstanding to create conflict. This series didn't execute those scenes well at all. I could see each one coming from a mile away. Those cliches combined with Vee not being likable enough to maintain sympathetic main character status just makes me tired of watching. I don't want to see them together.

The main actors also seemed a little awkward in any kiss scenes.

It never brings me joy to drop a series. I already invested my time into 7 episodes because i was interested enough. But it managed to slowly lose me.

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messy disaster bi, out gay boy, cheating, drama llamas

Delayed from 2021 this is a reboot, retcon, retelling, expansion of the original short miniseries En of Love - Love Mechanics (VeeMark) from Wabi Sabi featuring the most popular and enduring pair to come from that series, YinWar. (They also stared in high school sad BL mini series: The Best Story.) Prom (Nuea also from En of Love series) and a few other familiar faces returned plus some of the same characters portrayed by new actors. Directed by Lit (SOTUS).

Our favorite messy cheeky drama-llama boys were back in spades. And initially I enjoyed it more than I should (and more than it deserved). This whole series is basically a diatribe against cheating, with the sweet out gay boy reaping all the punishment a disaster bi can enact. I don’t like any of these tropes or implications, and yet I couldn’t stop watching. YinWar are geniuses at chemistry and good actors, and their new high heat stuff is excellent. When they are together as a couple, VeeMark are a GREAT couple, like FighterTutor level, only slightly less sappy. But the rest of time is just chaos. It’s hard not to get mad at the messy, whether it be characters, story, or script, but when it’s performed this well, it’s occasionally fun to wallow in the agony.

I really loved the class conflict introduced near the end and what it says about the characters and their families. Why did it only came into play in the last few episodes? Honestly, it could’ve been the plot for the whole drama and it would’ve been so much more absorbing if they had dwelled in the Heirs sphere, rather than the chaotic messy bi-slut cheating space.

In the end? YinWar win the Great Chemistry in Bad Thai BL Wars of 2022 (TM), even over BounPrem. YinWar were great, and they were great in this, but the story was not good, and not improved by being given more time to hang itself. I like the shorter En of Love version better (yes I think they can and should be compared) and I’m was left simply hoping YinWar get more work in the future, they can clearly handle anything that’s chucked at them.

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Surprisingly realistic

Cheating is a massive trigger for me. I have personally never understood it. So, believe me and the other reviewers when we say this show is incredibly well written, directed and acted. It won't make you like the characters at all, but it is believable, realistic. And you won't be able to 100% hate the characters, even if you want to. Which is amazing.

Also, the angst is amazing. They are great actors, and War is amazing. His face and eyes say so much. His character is really nuanced and good. The show doesn't have a lot of dialogue, a lot is just acting. Great actors! This isn't one of those shows that you watch simply because the couples have great chemistry together. Both Yin and War are perfect here. You are here for the plot and their acting. You will feel for them.

I stopped watching at episode 6, and decided to wait for the show to finish before I binge watch the entire show at a go. Honestly, Yin and War are such great actors, I hope they get more shows with great stories!

Edit: Finished it and loved it so much. I also went back and watched the original mini-series. This was a massive improvement on all counts- the cast, direction, storyline, everything improved. People praise War a lot because he is a great actor, but TBH his scenes allow his natural acting ability to shine. In the later episodes, you can see Yin doing his magic as well. He looks like a happy puppy at times. Really hard to hate him, he portrays the character really well. Really glad I tried this.

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toxic af, but DAMN they're cute

This drama could definitely get 10 stars for how toxic they can make a relationship before trying to recover it and turn into a cute love story. Whether they were successful or not, ill leave that to you. All I'll say is that Vee is the weakest POS of a character and you'll want a new ML pretty quickly after starting the series. His redemption arc or whatever feels like too little too late, and they know that so they basically put the relationship on pause at one point, it just kind of feels like a mess.

But these guys are undoubtedly adorable, Vee (Yin) is pretty attractive apart from his weak cowardly character, some parts of the show you even like his character, but not most of the time. Mark (War) is cute af, both the actor and the character have you spiraling out of control falling for him, and I'd rewatch the show just to rewatch his face flush and ears turn red every time they touch.

The story is pretty basic, nothing too crazy and very overdone plot lines. Some cute tropes thrown in there, and overall I liked a lot of the characters. Some side characters were well done and others not so much.

Overall, I watched it all the way through and was decently satisfied with it, without Mark (War) as the MC though, i think my rating would have plummeted. As one of the reviewers already mentioned, it's a drama of angst, so if you're ready for some toxic angst between two sexy guys, have a watch!

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Angsty, but in a good way

The main plot idea is the same as in the shorter version of the series, but I think that it was much better executed. Why? Because we were given time for relationships to develop nicely, we were given the necessary backstories and side stories to fully understand what happened, how it happened and why it happened.

Vee & Mark: Their one night stand still doesn’t sit well with me, but I expected that is not something that will change from the mini series to this one as it was a major plot point. However, I am really glad that they showed that Mark was not okay with what happened in more detail. The scene in which he is scrubbing his body clean really shows that. It might not have been addressed out loud, but it was at least hinted at. I think the series really showed us how much Vee struggled with his feelings and between what is wrong and right in his mind when it comes to him double timing Mark and Ploy. He loved Ploy and having her is something that he got used to, it became normal for him. So, when Mark crashed into his life, it threw him off. It also showed how he felt unworthy of both of them. Could he have handled it better? Yes. Did I expect him to? No. One thing that really upset me was Vee’s complete lack of respect and trust in Mark. This was shown on multiple occasions, and it made me want to shake some sense into him. To be honest, Mark did intentionally hurt Vee, but I think Vee’s words have cut deeper. Especially because Mark was already doubting himself and his relationship with Vee.

If there is one thing this series really delivered, it was rejections. There are a few major rejection scenes done throughout the series and they were all done perfectly. There is no false hope given, and the characters are very assertive about it. And honest. And while Bar rejecting Mark does come across as a bit harsh, it was what Mark needed. He was too hung up on the idea of dating Bar that a simple no wasn’t going to cut it.

I really like Vee’s friend group. Yiwaa is a star, the boys definitely know who is in charge. She runs the show, but it is not overdone to the point of it being annoying. She is the kind of friend that can keep a secret but will also forever tease you for it. Nuea is a sweetheart, he cares about everyone more than he does about himself. He is also very mature. Bar can be a bit of an idiot at times, but he is head over heels for his boyfriend Kan. Kan is another favorite of mine. He’s a cutie with a soft heart. And he knows how to keep a secret too.

It was an improvement from the short series. Yin and War have an amazing chemistry and I really love seeing the two together. I think we can agree that War is an absolute cutie!

The series is full of angst and drama. Which is probably not for everyone. But I actually quite enjoyed the series. Even if I wanted to shake some sense in pretty much everyone at one point or the other. It addressed some issues relating to homophobia and social class differences, which were all very well incorporated into the story.  

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