Ticket to Heaven

Wow. Absolute Masterpiece ??

Wow. I have no words. But I also have a thousand words. The acting from both Gemini and Fourth was incredible! This was a drama that would be hard for anyone to pull off with all the moments of speaking without words and showing so much raw emotion and pain. They both deserve awards, standing ovations, and the highest respect for this series. As a queer person who grew up catholic, this show really touched my heart and heals a broken part of me that my unaccepting family hasn’t healed. The way Fourth was able to portray that inner struggle and the pain he felt having felt like he had to choose between his true love and his love for God was absolute artistry. I was curious to see how Gemini and Fourth were going to be given this is a drama unlike anything they’ve ever done before. I can’t stress enough how impressed i am with their acting abilities and duality. Every episode had me in tears whether it was happy or sad, I felt so much emotion through this series. Waiting for it for 2 years was agony and it was worth it. The ending made me so happy. I was afraid after the motel scene that Tanrak was going to leave Barth but he didn’t. The subtle way they showed their story resulting in marriage was absolutely beautiful and graceful.
The literal only downside of this series was that it was only 6 episodes. I wished for more and more episodes. I didn’t want it to end. I hope this series catapults both Gemini and Fourth’s career into even more dramas that test their abilities. Seeing them develop in their career has been a privilege and I can’t wait to see what they do next.

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A sincerely moving story

This series is beautiful. So much care was taken while talking about many issues, and I felt moved by how beautifully this story unfolded.
While I personally may not be able to relate to queer people who are religious (I decided to leave that path after realising who I was), I truly felt like this series communicated their feelings to me in a very real way.
Tanrak realising that he didn't have to choose between his faith and Barth was heartwarming. The confession scene in the final episode made tears well up in my eyes. Father's role in Tanrak's life made me so emotional — that montage of their hugs throughout the years was so poignant. The inclusion of Auntie Lek, a trans woman who continues to believe in God, and the comfort she brought to a troubled Tanrak felt so important. Barth's conversation with his mom, and the way she told him she loved him more than anything — I feel like that was something he needed to hear to let go of his resentment towards God.
I suppose this review isn't particularly structured, but who cares? I'm just rambling about what I loved about this series.
Barth and Tanrak's love was something that could have easily been cut off had they not had the courage to face it. I'm so glad they faced it. I'm so glad they continued to live and have a beautiful life with each other and with God.
May many other queer people who are struggling with their faith be able to make a decision that soothes their soul. I truly, from the bottom of my heart, wish all of them happiness. Barth and Tanrak, thank you for this beautiful series.

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"To every kind of love and faith." TT

First I had already read the novel before the series premiered, so I went in with high expectations—and somehow, it still managed to exceed them. The adaptation stayed remarkably faithful to the original story while expanding on the parts that needed more depth. The novel occasionally rushed through important emotional moments, but the series took its time, adding the right amount of detail and development without ever losing the essence of the original. It genuinely felt like the complete version of a story I already loved.

Have to say, visually, this series is absolutely STUNNING!! The cinematography, color palette, locations, costumes, and overall aesthetic were beautifully crafted, creating an atmosphere that perfectly matched the emotions of the story. I'm just in awe.

What impressed me the most, though, was how thoughtfully the series handled its themes. I mean, the sexuality discovery, faith, prejudice, guilt, and self-acceptance were portrayed with so much care and sensitivity. Tanrak's internal conflict never felt exaggerated or exploitative, it felt painfully human. Watching him struggle between his faith and his feelings for Barth was heartbreaking, and I honestly cried alongside him more than once.

Barth and Tanrak... their relationship is built so naturally that every glance, every conversation, and every quiet moment carries so much emotional weight. Their love are so gentle, sincere, and deeply patient and earned, making it impossible not to root for them from beginning to end.

My only complaint is that six episodes simply weren't enough. Ticket to Heaven is one of those rare adaptations that doesn't just honor its source material—it elevates it. Beautifully written —witch really surprised me ... well done gmm— , beautifully acted, and emotionally unforgettable. I'll really miss this story TT

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Warm but preachy

I watched it all in one sitting.
And I loved the metaphors so much :
- the roti was the apple . The taste of "sin". The taste of freedom and the taste of Tanrak's own feelings.
- the confession scene with tanrak opening the door and barth joining him in his hell.
- Tanrak leaving his rosary with Barth and him losing it (he left his faith with him but he lost it)
Tongdech being also the one who brings it back : reminds him of it.
And there were many other ones...
I wish GMMTV made more series like this with as much symbolism as this one. I enjoyed it truly.
And I loved the acting of Fourth so much.
The only thing that i feel i differ on with many other viewers is i do consider the priest ( Father) as the villain of the story and the religion as a trauma. You can see it in Tanrak's reaction to them finding out. Because if his love was permitted in his religion, he wouldn't have had such a big reaction. That episode broke my heart for him. Kongdech was the sneakiest b**** ever, i hated how every time he came in on the moral high ground, acting like he didn't know nothing, when he knew.
I hated how the priest didnt reach out and ease his worries, and instead he repeated the same message "choose between god and love". Implying that if you choose love, you are forever guilty of being flawed.
I hated how Tanrak fully believed that, and lived many years feeling flawed as a human.
And I think if it wasnt for the trans character i would hate this story. She came in like a fresh breeze in the middle of hell. She was an ICON.

All in all, this show is for someone who is both religious and lgbt and it is important to have shows like this. But it is also important to remember that you do not have to live in guilt. YOU ARE NOT FLAWED FOR BEING YOU. And you shouldn't feel guilty because if god exists, He would love you either way. Being gay is NOT a sin to repent from. Neither is acting on it. Being alive and well and with your loved ones is the best that can come out of this life.
So I hope that this series wont reinforce the religious guilt many still feel to this day. And I hope it will instead be a message for love.

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Man that was sadly underwhelming

This series really did not stick with me emotionally. The whole time I was really wondering if Tanrak was even religious at all. Let me just list all the things I did not like.

> I actually did not like Barth's character. His character felt more like a devil sent to tempt tanrak and not an innocent love portrayed between two people that happen to love each other. He was not very understanding of Tan's hesitation in abandoning the church and just felt overall like a really selfish character. When they are arguing and he tells him God has never done anything for him so why does he even spend time praying... That scene really pisses me off and it seems Bart makes no attempts to understand Tan and his faith. He just keeps trying to get Tanrak to abandon his faith for him like wtffff. I HATED that.

>No one is homophobic like huh... This was very weird, everyone is like "love is love my sweet child and God will love you no matter what." What kind of fantasy world are we living in lmaooo. Even the best friend being like "I am just upset you guys didn't tell me"... Oh okay so yeah homophobia is obviously not a problem in this world I guess. They show a bit of the father being homophobic and some of the classmates but other than that it felt like a very non issue. Even in the big 26 i meet deranged religious people telling me homosexuality is a sin in a fucking Wendy's on a tuesday afternoon like can we be fr.

>Tanrak spent most of his life in the church. His whole life was the church. He lived in the church LITERALLY and was working on being ordained and it seemed so easy for him to just drop that for Barth. Tankrak should have literally been CRUSHED mentally, emotionally and spiritually for his whole life plan to change over night like that. He left behind everything he ever knew. He left behind his dream of meeting his parents in heaven. He left behind God. He left behind his entire life for Barth and it was not treated with any emotion whatsoever. Tanrak should be screaming, crying, throwing up telling Barth "If I choose to love you there is nothing left for me" or something like that. He just is not as devastated as he should have been, I have felt more emotion when picking which monster flavor I am gonna get for the day.

Overall it was a decent drama I still recommend everyone to watch it but sadly it just did not hit as well as something with this type of story should have hit and I won't lie I was pretty disappointed.

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Cinematic Masterpiece

This drama was a beautiful masterpiece on religion. I was a bit surprised at how easily you could have swapped the main characters for a straight couple and the plot wouldn't have changed. Throughout the whole struggle shown between Tanrak and his faith, not once was it explicitly stated that he believed being gay was a sin. He felt like he was sinning because he liked someone who took him away from his faith not BECAUSE he was gay. He felt like he was sinning, because he was choosing to be selfish and walk away from priesthood, not because he was gay. As an ex-Christian who deeply struggled with accepting my feelings while still being in the faith, I really would have loved to see them show how Christianity believes gayness is a sin, and how that can cause internal turmoil. I also would have really loved to see Tanrak struggle to accept his own feelings more, rather than the pain come from him feeling like he was sinning and because he was questioning being a priest. But maybe that's just my Western perspective, maybe Christianity in the East really doesn't demonize queerness as a sin. Either way, this was a beautiful portrayal of emotion and everything about this drama is absolutely top-notch.

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Good! Brevity Killed It Though

I hate that this did not resonate with me like I see that it has with so many other people. Ticket To Heaven was my most anticipated GMMTV BL of 2025 out of 18 (?) BL series announced. I think I'm more upset by my expectations than the actual series.

Let's Dive In.

Ticket To Heaven is no means a bad series. It is a great series, Gemini and Fourth have a powerhouse chemistry that is just as fervent here as it was in their past series. The cinematography is gorgeous, with a subtle grain and muted gray color palette that perfectly complements the story's tone. I also appreciated the lack of heavy beauty filters. Being able to see the actors' natural skin and facial details made everything feel much more grounded. The performances across the board are stellar, and the central question the series poses, "Can I love God and men too?" is both poignant and painfully too-real. Where the series loses me, unfortunately, is its brevity.

I genuinely think this story could have benefited from at least 4 more episodes. There were several plotlines that felt like they were only scratching the surface, but the biggest one was Barth and Tanrak's relationship. I love yearning. I love watching two people desperately want each other while circumstances keep them apart, and for the first three episodes, the series delivered exactly that. The final three episodes didn't have the same effect. I wanted more time with the slow burn. After the almost-kiss in the wash room, I would have loved to see Tanrak continue wrestling with his feelings while still pushing Barth away. Let that longing build even more before finally giving us the kiss in maybe episode 5, or even the finale. I think my expectations were shaped by the idea that this would be a slow romance, and honestly, I believe it could have been if the series had been given more room to breathe.

This is mostly me being nitpicky. Overall, Ticket To Heaven succeeds in many ways. It tells a compelling love story about two people trying to find each other while navigating the restrictions and expectations of religion. Even if it didn't completely land for me, I can absolutely understand why it has resonated so deeply with so many others.

Story: 7.5/10 - Good parts, parts that could've been better. Good though.

Acting: 9/10 - Good! Gemini definitely surprised me!

Music: 6/10 - Didn't pay much attention to it. Definitely did not care for the title sequence song.

Recommendation Value 8/10: Sure, if religious torture is your thing? But overall, it's honestly pretty light on what you'd think it'd be pretty tough on. Also, Gemini is so hot in this, so yes, go for it!

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