Duang with You

In the doghouse: A howling mess of cringe

Neither of the main characters are likable. Duang is borderline stalkerish and his "golden retriever" energy crosses into actual dog behavior (the sniffing? seriously?). TeeTee overacts the cute shtick so hard it gets annoying by episode 2. He does literally 100% of the work in the relationship, basically worshipping a guy who gives nothing back.

On the flip side, Qin is a total jerk. The script tries to excuse his awful behavior with some vague childhood trauma, but it’s a flimsy excuse that gets magically resolved in less than 10 minutes near the end. Por looks bored, sleepy, or completely zoned out in every single scene. I think his facial muscles moved maybe a dozen times the entire series. Because of this, the leads have absolutely zero chemistry.

The writing is just lazy. Instead of actual character growth, we get dragged-out, boring student life filler, deeply cringy dog sound effects, and a totally pointless side couple that gets zero screen time. They couldn’t even blend the comedy and drama right, so the tone is a complete mess. Plus, the blatant in-your-face ads (like that random, unnecessary trip to Japan) were super annoying.

It’s just a cringe-fest disguised as fluff. Save your time and skip it.

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Not the best, but still good

It's been like 4 years since I've actually finished a Thai BL, and somehow Duang With You was the one that pulled me back in. I'm such a sucker for the golden retriever x grumpy/black cat trope that I already knew this was so for me

Storyline and Writing

The story itself is pretty simple... golden retriever Duang falls for the much more reserved Qin and decides he's going to break through all those walls Qin has built around himself. That's basically the backbone of the whole series and I don't think the show is trying to be anything more complicated than that

And honestly... I'm okay with simplicity when the characters are interesting enough to carry it

What I liked most was that the romance isnt really about Duang fixing Qin. It's more about Duang consistently showing Qin what affection can actually look like. Qin is someone who has become so used to withholding himself that even receiving something as simple as affection or reassurance can feel unfamiliar to him. So I liked the way Duang slowly and slowly gets through to him instead of Qin suddenly changing overnight

The show also deserves credit for not turning Qin's background into endless trauma porn. There is obviously heavier material there but the series doesn't make that suffering the entire identity of the character or use it as an excuse to manufacture drama every five minutes

Though. I appreciate that the show doesn't make queer happiness feel like something that has to be earned through suffering. It doesn't completely rely on homophobia, family rejection, or endless angst to create conflict

But at the same time, I can't completely ignore how idealized the world of the series can feel. Everyone is so accepting like all the family, friends, community, basically everyone around the couple. It creates a very comforting world but sometimes it also makes the story feel a little too sheltered from reality. And because the show deals with queer relationships, that contrast becomes more noticeable. I don't necessarily think a BL needs to traumatize its characters to feel realistic, tho. I actually appreciate that this one tries to imagine a world where queer people can simply be loved and supported. Maybe, I just wish there were a little more texture around that world

Characterization & Acting / Trope Execution

The chemistry was chemistrying and a lot of their interactions felt really natural to me. Even when the writing got a little too sweet for me, I was still invested because I genuinely liked watching these two together

I also really liked that Duang isn't written as the typical masochistic, super-masculinized BL lead. He's obviously very soft and expressive, but he's still his own person. He's scatterbrained, chaotic and sometimes completely ridiculous, but he's also surprisingly emotionally perceptive. That's what kept him from becoming just a walking golden retriever joke

And actor's performance is honestly impressive because you have no idea how difficult this character to play naturally

That kind of exaggerated, puppy-like, animated energy can become annoying very quickly if the actor is just mugging for the camera. But TeeTee somehow manages to make Duang feel like an actual person underneath all the comedy

Duang also does something important whenever the tone gets serious: he knows when to stop being chaotic. You can actually feel him becoming more emotionally present when Qin needs him which makes his kindness feel like a character trait rather than just a trope

Qin worked for me too. I liked that his characterization wasn't just "cold guy who secretly likes the sunshine boy". There is an actual reason he's so guarded and I liked watching those walls come down gradually.

As someone who built my walls high while grew up in an Asian household. I could really feel him. People tend to underestimate how much childhood and family dynamics can shape you and sometimes when you finally speak up, you're just seen as rude or ungrateful child. We don't need a lecture or a guilt trip, Duang is right, all we need is just that one hug and one sincere apology

I also get why Duang meant so much to him. Everyone seems to want to rush you into relationships, like you should just open up immediately because "the person likes you”. But someone like Duang, who's actually willing to wait and let you open up at your own pace, is pretty rare. And I think that's what made their relationship work for me.

Like.... isn't it beautiful when someone takes the time to learn the little things about you? Not just what you're like on the surface, but what shaped you, how you were raised, what you've been through, your traumas and all the parts of yourself you don't easily show??

That said, I think the actor playing Qin still needs some work in the heavier emotional scenes. His more restrained acting was much stronger for me than the big crying scenes. There were moments where I could see what the scene "wanted" me to feel, but his crying didn't completely sell it

Also, thankfully, the relationship never felt "too" heteronormative to me. There are still familiar BL conventions, obviously, but I didn't constantly feel like one character was being written as "the girl" in the relationship just because he's softer. Don't get me wrong, masc/fem pairing itself isn't what inherently makes a show heteronormative. It's more about how the seme treats the uke like a girl and how the audience forces those straight gender roles onto them. And the same thing applies to the wide part of the audience that strictly demands masc/masc pairings. A lot of that comes from homophobia and internalized misogyny because they just can't stand seeing a guy who's visibly fem or flamboyant

The other thing I pretty don't like was the second couple. Tho, I really appreciate the femboy bottom, I was already getting tired of the whole f*ck*ng buddy-friendship dynamic. There was potential but I don't think the writing gave them enough room to actually develop

Watching Experience

This was probably the biggest factor in my enjoyment because I was watching it after being away from Thai BL for around four years

There was something genuinely refreshing about seeing a Thai university BL centered around "art and music students". Back when I was watching Thai BL more regularly, it felt like every other series was engineering, medicine, or some variation of that. So even though "university BL" itself isn't exactly new, changing the environment and creative interests of the characters made this feel a little fresher to me

I also appreciated that the show was generally more interested in being sweet than creating unnecessary suffering. It has some heavy material, but it doesn't constantly try to make the audience miserable

My problem was that the sweetness eventually started becoming too sweet for me.

This is where I think I experienced a little bit of the Moonlighting curse (once the leads entered into a relationship and the sparks disappears). I'm not saying the series literally has that problem in the same way but it kind of felt repetitive. The show sometimes just keeps giving me sweetness without enough variation. Cute scene, cute scene, cute scene... eventually I was like "okay I am fed now"

So this is probably just my Japanese-BL-conditioned brain talking, but I honestly think I would've enjoyed this more with a slightly tighter runtime. I've been watching a lot more Japanese BL over the past few years, and I think I've just gotten more used to stories that are willing to be shorter and less repetitive. There were definitely scenes here where I felt like they could've been trimmed without losing anything important

And then there are the puppy sound effects

They were funny at first

Then they started happening so often that I began anticipating them before they even happened

It went from "okay that's cute" to "PLEASE STOP"

Production Value & Cinematography

I also really liked how the show portrays college life. I'm not even sure how accurate it is to actual freshman life in Thailand but I kinda envy how lively and eventful their college setting feels. Everything looks so bright, youthful, and carefree that makes me feel the stressful parts of university don't feel stressful. Maybe part of it is also seeing queer characters being able to exist so openly in that environment, which makes the whole setting feel even more freeing

And Thailand really knows how to do those performance scenes. I don't even know the proper term for it but whenever the characters get onstage, put on a showcase, or just sing their hearts out, they really know how to make those moments feel special. It's cheesy, yes, but tbh, I eat that shit up

But I also think some scenes didn't quite live up to the production's apparent budget

The Japan scenes especially made me think, "you had Japan and cherry blossoms and THIS is the shot you're giving me???"

That kiss under the cherry blossoms should've been the cinematic moment. I wanted better framing, better use of the location, something that made the whole thing feel more memorable. Instead, some of those shots looked surprisingly ordinary considering what they had available

It wasn't so badly shot. I just kept thinking it could've looked so much better

Overall

I wasn't even planning to write a review because, honestly, the Thai BL community was one of the reasons I slowly stopped being as invested in Thai BL in the first place. After four years away, I wasn't expecting this to be the series that pulled me back in

But here we are

It's definitely not perfect, and I think I would've enjoyed it even more with a shorter runtime and a little less sweetness toward the end. The second couple needed more development, some of the heavier acting didn't completely land for me and the world can feel a little too perfect sometimes

But the characterization and chemistry carried it for me

Maybe I'm just incredibly predictable, but golden retriever energy x grumpy black cat will always get me

Tho, I asked for a golden retriever and they gave me a literal puppy, lol

8.5/10 stars

The 8.7 MDL score is fair tho and isn't completely unreasonable either, but at the same time, there are so many BLs sitting below that score that I personally think deserve more recognition. So I guess it's a little overrated, but not THAT overrated?? Idk, like, I can see why people are enjoying it and me as well, I just wouldn't rate it like a perfect 10

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DWY is a BL Gem

There's nothing different that I'll say here that hasn't already been said. Duang With You is the perfectly BL series that has the right mix of quite literally everything. There was a time that I could not wait until the next Saturday to watch. Something as simplistic as a uni love story shouldn't have brought me this much joy, but it did.

Let's Dive In.

TeeTee and Por were born for these roles. It's very rare that I conclude that only a certain pair of actors could plays certain roles, but it is so true in DWY. Teetee plays the perfectly hyper-bubbly neurodivergent lover Duang, and Por as his stoic, black-cat opposite. This is my type of dynamic to a T. Extroverted "seme" and introvert "uke". Oh, how I loved it so much.

There's nothing much to gripe about when it comes to DuangQin. Everything is stellar. The intimate scenes are stellar. This series took the time to have a real open and honest conversation about sex, and it was fantastic.

My slight nit-pick is the side couple and the god-awful English that they had no need to speak. We also receive a good amount of screen-time with them, but barely-there development.

Ratings:

Story: 9/10 - spectacular. small gripes here and there, but great.

Acting: 8.5/10 - TeeTee stole the show. He did an absolutely wonderful job. Por, with his character's personality, fell slightly short, but I still enjoyed his performance, nonetheless.

Music: 7/10 - Skipped all the dancing and singing. Sorry.

Recommendation Value: 8.5/10 - this is the perfect starter BL for those getting into the genre, but also, it was just so good.

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I don't want Duang or Qin with me

Beware reader - this is but a complete rambling, and shall (probably) not contain any decipherable opinion on Duang With You.

Because if this is what romance looks like? I don't want it!
From either POV. NO THANK YOU.
I'm not chasing my crush after they say no, in fact, I'm probably never going to confess to my crush - but that's a me thing - but if do, and they say no, I am not sticking around, like Sir, if you don't want me? Bye, I have better things to do.
And I don't even care if the guy chasing me around is handsome - you Sir, are going to jail, you stalker.

From the very first episode, I did not understand why this was something you were supposed to root for - Golden Retriever and Black Cat energy is real - but everytime Duang and Qin interact, it feels like Duang is literally absorbing all of Qin's energy (not that we get to see a lot of it anyway)

Episode after episode we see Duang going around doing the absolute most (too much) to make sure he has Qin's attention, which starts out kind of weird and kind of innocent. Sometimes you see someone and fall hard because they're attractive and talented and you get a tiny crush. And if you keep running into them, the crush gets bigger and you confess, which is exactly what happens here - albeit with the assistance of two characters with whom Duang shares his single braincell (I love them). It's all fun and antics, because Duang straight up says to Qin, 'I'm going to flirt with you'.
And Qin agrees!

But from there on out we get the worst possible love story, where Duang is doing absolutely everything. Absolutely everything in their relationship. He's all around Qin, bringing him food, drinks, helping him with performances, being the shoulder Qin can cry on - he's doing absolutely everything to get this man to go out with him. Which is either irritating, or endearing if you're Qin. Throughout all this, Qin shows no sign of ever being interested, until he suddenly is.. because they danced well?

It was unbelievable in the first place that the man whose sole expression was no expression agreed to date the energetic puppy but it only gets worse.
Because even as they date, Duang is the one putting in all the effort. According to Qin, letting someone come to you while you wait is an admirable trait, which no sir. That's not how relationships work. You can't expect to sit still and let someone worship you - but that is the exact kind of relationship they have.
They try to chalk it all up to Qin's experience with dating, him wanting to take his time before getting into a relationship because his first love got too frustrated when their relationship went nowhere after a while. Which fair, he wants to see if Duang is doing it just for the thrill of flirting with someone or if he's actually in it for the long run. Fair? Right?
NO
It would be fair if Qin barely knew Duang, but turns out, he's known him forever! He's known him well enough to know he was a genuine guy, and he still takes his time.

Maybe I can't fault him, because Qin.. Qin is a lot of things and Duang is just.. a lot.
I didn't like either of the leads, the way they were written. The trope they based their personalities on is soooo easy to mess up, and they did it royally here. They are the exact opposite to each other, so much so that both of them feel like absurd caricatures of human beings. It's too much or nothing at all.

Duang is too much. Sunshiny and ever-positive characters are almost necessary in a lot of plots, but not like Duang. Between the sniffing and the actual dog-like behaviour, his instincts to treat Qin like an actual deity can be easily ignored, but don't. That is not healthy behaviour. We don't watch dramas for ultimate reality but that is not healthy or realistic.

Qin is the complete opposite. I think his facial muscles moved a grand total of 12 times in the series. He is depicted as an entirely traumatized human being, which is again fair because he's been through some stuff, but I really hate the 'love solves all' narrative. That Duang is the only ray of sunshine in his life felt like utter nonsense. Even aside from that, Qin was a character written terribly, sometimes his behaviour really did come across as mean and narcissistic and I did not enjoy it.

Duang With You is an execution of one of my biggest pet peeves I have with literature and media - the perfect leads - no known flaws, all surface. And I don't mean flaws that are not really flaws, like "oh I read too much!"
No, how are they flawed and how does it affect their lives and the story? It doesn't have to be super deep, we are watching a romance but if you're going to have two perfect human beings on screen who do and say nothing to provoke, just simply agree.. it's not sparking any change in any of them! The only thing these characters have to grow from is a slightly sad background story that is resolved in one conversation despite them practically blaming everything that goes wrong in their life on that one thing.

We even got a side couple with just minimal screentime and maximum cringe, there was no real point to have them be a couple, except to maybe see how their pairing in the reality show would work out in a drama.

The only bright spot in this came in the form of three names - Duang, Jamie and Pae. I know I just laid into the way Duang was written, but remember the two people he shares his braincell with? I love them. Their friendship was genuinely admirable and the only healthy relationship in this entire show. They were fun, chaotic, supported each other but were never afraid to call each other out or smack some sense into each other. Their interactions were always the highlight, no matter the episode.

I don't even have the strength to rewrite it in my head, it's not a bad concept, it's just age old and so boring that I don't even want to contemplate on if anything in this could've been done better. There were tons, but I just don't have the energy to do it.

Maybe I was in a terrible mood as a watched an episode and that skewed my entire opinion of it.. but I don't think so. I just didn't like it, but honestly? It does have it's appealing qualities, they just weren't appealing to me. So instead of saying I do/do not recommend, I'll let everyone watching figure it out for themselves. My review has pretty much laid out facets of the story, it's only negative because I didn't enjoy them. So definitely find out for yourself - but for me, it was a no.

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Empty cuteness

Not a proper review, I simply noted some of my thoughts about the show.

- Both main characters were unlikeable: Duang – childish and annoying, Qin – unpleasant and obnoxious. The show tried to explain Qin’s behavior, but it felt like a justification rather than an explanation: he’s allowed to act like a jerk because he has absent parents and was mistreated by his nanny. Given how little time was spent on resolving this issue (it was less than 9 minutes from Qin’s parents entering his condo, where the ep. 11 argument takes place, to Qin resting his head on his mom’s lap) – it was a flimsy excuse at best.

- Unlike most BLs, which spend too much time on side plots and events that have nothing to do with the love story, this show could have used some proper filler or a side/secondary couple story. Instead we got some BL tropes (including an ex trying to get back with one of the main characters and behaving like an a-hole in the process) as well as tons of vapid fluff and what was supposed to be "student life" – which was so boring and dragged for so long, that I started to watch the show on fast-forward.

- Jamie and Marvis seemed more interesting than Qin and Duang (which was a very low bar), but were given so little time that their side plot can hardly be called a story. The remaining "supporting" characters did not seem to serve any purpose in the story of either couple; not sure what was the point in including them in the show.

- There was no character growth (I actually laughed at Qin’s "I think everything that happened has made me grow so much" in ep. 12). While at times the script allowed Qin to act less like a douchebag, those moments were too few to indicate an actual change, felt fake and served to baffle others (mainly Duang).

- Instead of trying to elevate his character or at least make it likeable or relatable, Por did the opposite. He seemed sleepy or drugged or bored in almost every scene he was in, which made Qin seem permanently uninterested in anything, giving the vibe of a self-centered and uncaring person.

- TeeTee’s approach differs from Por’s, but his performance isn’t much better – it is barely watchable, and his "being cute and funny" shtick gets old by the end of ep. 1 (and gets annoying by ep. 2). However, there was a handful of scenes where TeeTee dropped that routine and behaved like a normal person (he even became serious once) – Duang needed much more of that to be a three-dimensional character. Those very rare glimpses that we actually got prove that TeeTee was able to portray his character differently – like in ep. 11, when Duang comforts Qin, who collapsed to the floor during an argument with his parents. I’d love to see more of that: Duang who is not necessarily mature, but is not childish either, who is genuinely caring without the constant overacting, who is not the smartest kid around, but is not silly either.

- I did not detect any chemistry between Por and TeeTee here – which is weird considering I remember them having some of it in that shoehorned romantic scene they had in ep. 8 of "Your Sky".

- The comedy did not work for me. The only part I found actually funny was the Duang-as-Chucky sequence in ep. 2.

- I got secondhand embarrassed while watching the post-shower scene in ep. 7 with Qin and Duang discussing the intimate side of their relationship. While the idea to have such a scene was very good, the execution was everything but good – both writing and performances were cringy and missing every beat they should hit.

- It’s always good to see Tattoo Colour on stage.

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Not the best, but still good

You know that thing that kinda annoys you at first, but you find yourself going back? Like it just grates at you, but for whatever reason, you keep going back coz something about it calls to you? That was this show to me. Maybe I'm subconsiously a masochist.

☀️What I Liked🌑
1. The acting - There are parts that I for sure did not like. However, when the gimmicky parts of the plots are drawn back, you get to see just how well these guys act. Especially TeeTee, who plays Duang. When they stop making him play a literal dog, you can see the immediate change in his face and aura.

That man can act. A good example is in the finale, after their conversation with Jamie on the phone, and Qin tells Duang that they can sleep together. You can see the immediate switch on this face. I wish we saw more of that serious/toned-down side of him

Por, his smile is absolutely beautiful. In terms of acting, I think he was OK. I didn't cringe at it. However, it is harder to critique him as his character, Qin, doesn't have that much of an emotional range, meaning Por doesn't use his facial muscles much. Likely since Qin's supposed to be more reserved.

He could do better with his crying scenes, but overall, based on the little we got from what he had to work with, I think it was OK. Hopefully, we get to see him as a more expressive character in the future. I think I'd like that.

As for the wider cast, some were cringe, most were average. No one quite stood out for me.

2. The Production Value - Based on my experiences with Dumondi through 'Khemjira', 'Love Upon a Time', 'Zomvivor', and now 'Duang with You', the company has some incredible people behind their cameras. Their cinematography is top-notch. Up there with (dare I say) a company like BOC. They know what works and what to do with the camera and the lighting.

Lemme gush about lighting for a second, the blue light on Qin in episode 6. Holy shit. I know that scene was supposed to be hot, but that light on him. Oh, it framed him beautifully. The NC scenes in episodes 9 and 12 are also filmed so beautifully. I know the actors have to do their job to sell these scenes to the audience, but the people on the lights and cameras have to be recognized for how well they highlight the actors and their actions in said scenes

3. The chemistry - What I keep thinking is, 'if these characters can give us this much chemistry in a fluffy, college show, what do you think they can do with a more mature, perhaps even darker show?' I think I would spontaneously combust.
PS. I know most people loved their 1st kiss in episode 4. I didn't like it. It wasn't reciprocal enough for me. But the kisses in episodes 9 and 12... That's where it's at. That's where they actually and equally shine

4. The communication - They are surprisingly mature in how they communicate and refuse to let things fester. This show isn't driven by miscommunication, and I love that. And this isn't just with the main characters, even within the wider friend groups. They argue, yes, but take the time to talk things over and fix them.

🚨What I Didn't Like/Could've Been Better🚨

1. It can be overly comedic - This is an ongoing issue for me. Oftentimes, Thai BLs do this kind of humor that doesn't quite land for me. It's over the top, a bit forced, and just so confusing. I remember being thoroughly annoyed by the comedy that I had to note down my feelings after episode 4. Good thing they toned it down as the show proceeded. Or maybe I tuned it out...? IDK. But I think it's the former.

2. Duang's characterization - He is very childish, especially in the 1st half. I think it's meant to be cute, but it comes off as immature, taking you out of the headspace where you're supposed to view him as a potential love interest. And for the love of Christ, why did he have to act like an actual dog for most, if not all, of the 1st half of this?

I think the makers of this show wanted to portray him as this sunshine golden retriever, which, cool, no problem. But why make him mimic an actual dog? Why was he panting on my screen? You can 100% do a golden retriever character without the dog traits. It's been done before. I'm still unsure why they insisted on it.

3. The 2nd couple - With how the streets were excited about the introduction of Marvis, I thought the 2nd couple would have a bigger role to play in the overall story. Only, no, that wasn't to be the case. So much could have been done with a story about 2 playboys falling for each other, but they just let that drown. Then, they only let the combined friend group meet Marvis for 2.5 seconds in the finale. Tsk, tsk.

4. The performances - I mean all the singing and dancing. So during the course of watching this drama, I learnt that the 2 main characters are part of a Tpop band under Domondi. Which could explain why I had to spend about 20+ minutes or so (divided btwn 2 episodes) watching them perform full songs and dance routines.
However, I shouldn't have had to sit through all that. Christina Aguilera and Cher singing and dancing in the 2010 movie 'Burlesque' makes sense coz that is a musical film. Duang with You isn't a musical, so none of that extended singing and dancing made sense to me

5. The situation with Qin's parents - It should've been handled better. The resolution was too quick and too shallow, especially after that long flashback to Qin's childhood. The child actor and the woman who played the nanny should be commended for their acting, though. I was simultaneously heartbroken and pissed off to the high heavens

Would I rewatch this? Absolutely not. I cannot handle a 2nd round of Duang

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Duang Without Me

My review of this series will certainly not fit into the vast and I do mean vast majority of viewers of this series. For me, I simply did not get its appeal, outside of the obvious. However, how far can gorgeous, and I do mean stunningly handsome, young men take this story? I hate to make the contrast but if this series was composed of not so stunningly Adonizes, would there be such a mad flow to rate this series so high? Or perhaps even if one of them had even been marginally defective in some capacity. I think not, for if you honestly assessed it, the story itself is rather mundane and primarily relied on the God-given obvious assets inherent in the actors’ physical appearances. So, I want to take a step back from the apparent and appraise this series on how it emended me. And to be quite honest, I found this series to be woefully limited. While I know I am probably not in the typical demographics of those watching this particular type of BL, as my perspective of this series is going to be vastly skewed. Plus, I also know the vast majority of viewers are quite positive about this series. I simply cannot agree with that assessment. What I am disturbed about and find most disconcerting is the image that somehow this is representative of gay relationships, which all BLs are. In their world, nearly everyone is gay and everyone seemingly accepts gay unions as ‘normal’. That is NOT the case and Qin and Duang should have been made to, at the very least, have some obstacles to their relationship so that others who think ‘it is a walk in the park’ for us, realize it is not. I would also like to see some sense of maturity also develop in these BL relationships especially Thai ones, so that there is not this emphasis on Pollyanna endings and development of sugar-coated connections so that all one has to do is flitter one’s eyelids, act like a dog, and prostrate yourself before someone and pledge your devotion entirely to your loved one and you will then live in nirvana for the rest of your life. That is just not the case.
Unquestionably, this is an entertaining BL; just not for me, however. I could not overcome the story’s flaws but found the portrayal of Marvis and Jamie so much more real and erotic than the connection between Duang and Qin. There are a few surprises but for me not enough to carry me over the finish line into thinking this was a great or even good series.

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Cute but nothing more

Here we are again. I feel I am becoming a hater, but the standards for BL are lower than low.

Duang with You was very cute, with an adorable protagonist who had a lot of chemistry with his onscreen partner. I can't deny that. But the plot was so bad; it had no flow, incredibly flat and cliché. It felt like it was written by ChatGPT just so the main couple could play in something.

Honestly, since they never resorted to overdramatic scenarios, it was still enjoyable to watch, and it left a positive feeling.

But I can't, in good conscience, agree with the reviews that gave it above a 9.

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Uncut = Too long. Could have been so much better if edited out fillers

Who will enjoy “Duang With You”? This drama is probably not for everyone but a pretty selected audience. Here’s what I think. “Duang With You” is best enjoyed if:
1. Are a lover of fluffy and cute romance and don’t mind sound effects to add on the cheese.
2. A fan of love-at-first sight
3. A fan of persistent, almost stalkerish type behavior to pursue a love interest
4. Looking for a stress-free drama to not think about the craziness in the real world

Honestly, I don’t quite hit all these categories myself but I was in search in the #4 category and I knew what I was getting myself into. So, with expectations calibrated, I dive into Duang’s world.

Plot/Pacing:
As the title of my review suggests, this drama could have been so much better if it’s edited to be shorter and tighter. A drama that relies on the romance between Duang and Qin and nothing much, having 12 long episodes is just too much. Some of these episodes are 1 hour and 20 minutes long. We’re not watching a Thai lakorn with twists and turns, or birth secrets. There is just not enough to fill all those hours. I was under the impression that the uncut version means steamy scenes not being edited for public TV broadcast. But in this drama, I think uncut simply means the director includes everything and nothing is edited out, steamy scenes or not. There are actually some very meaningful conversations between the leads that are important to the character development. Yet, those don’t come often and are overshadowed by filler scenes of friends fighting for snacks, leads nose kissing each other, banter about doggy jealousy, or minor characters having too much screen time. I wish time was better spent, esp with Qin’s family drama and the secondary romance.

Acting:
Acting is a mixed bag here. I personally think TeeTee is the best of the bunch. He is Duang! Cute and charismatic and you just can’t not like him. Unfortunately, Por needs a little more practice. I distinctly remember a scene where Por/Qin sat next to young Qin and both of them were crying. The contrast in that crying scene was so evident that the young child actor did way better than Por. The rest of the cast did fine. None is exceptional and also none is a disaster.

Characters:
Duang is cute, no doubt about it. TeeTee is a better actor as Duang, than Por as Qin. TeeTee is already such an adorable actor that I don’t think the drama needed to add extra cheesiness and sound effects. They should let TeeTee shine on his own. Duang is the greenest flag and I am fine with him having Qin as the center of his universe, since he’s young and this is a rom-com. However, I am not a fan of his stalkerish and persistent behavior (not a fan of this in general). But that’s his charm in this drama and I’ll look past that as well. I wish Qin would just give us a little more instead of a nonchalant bitchy look. I think this might have to do with Por’s acting as he’s quite new to the industry. I am glad to see him slowly open up and really grow. Qin has the biggest character growth, and I do enjoy that part of him. I also really like Duang’s friends, Jamie and Pae. They are fun, chaotic and true friends of Duang. They stuck by him during his stalkerish pursuit (and explain when he could cross the line) and call him out when he’s out of line. Although they weren’t hopeful that Duang will win Qin’s heart, they accept his ‘unique stupidity’ and cheer him on. One of the best scenes of this friend group was when they were singing “Do Do Re Mi” when they sneaked into the Music Department. I actually laughed out loud at their silliness! Duang’s family is also hilarious. We can totally see where he got his personality.

Main Romance:
Even though I might not agree 100% on the persistent pursuit, I do think it takes a Duang to break down the walls that Qin put up. This is a classic case of opposites attracting and complementing each other. I would have loved to see more scenes of Qin being jealous and pouty, instead of bitchy and indifferent. This is actually quite a slow burn romance. It took them forever to get to the ‘talking stage’. I’m an old lady, and I have no idea what a ‘talking stage’ is. At first, I thought it’s like flirting and seeing each other, but not actually dating. Kinda like the some some relationship in K-dramas. But Qin and Duang did more than talking and flirting, and it got intimate and also calling each other partners (not lovers or boyfriends). I guess that’s how young people define relationships these days and I have a lot to learn! Although I love their real kiss scenes, I got beef with those supposed cheek kisses. The lips never touch the cheek. It’s a nose kiss! Many might love the intimate scenes, I am in the minority. I am glad that the drama doesn’t shy away from telling us Duang and Qin are not virgins and are horny young men. But the director doesn’t seem to be able to pick between sweet and sensual intimate scenes, or sexual and horny. In the end, the actors did their best, but the intimate scenes feel confusing and indecisive. But to end on a positive note, I really love the last scene at Freshy Night when Qin was on stage at Freshy Night. The lyrics of the song, paired with flashbacks, brought tears down my cheeks. That was a great ending to recap everything that happened in the last year.

Secondary Romance:
Jamie and Marvis could have been such an interesting and contrasting romance to Duang and Qin’s. They are sexier, flirtier and have such sizzling chemistry. Yet, not enough time is dedicated to their sexy beginning, and how they might be falling for each other. Their interaction lacks depth, even though they make such a good-looking couple. I wish they were given more time instead of all the fillers we get.

Production:
The drama does look pretty. With nice big apartments and houses, some interesting and unique clothing choices for Qin and Marvis. They also have money to go to Japan! I’m glad the characters are not always in their university white shirts, but also have some cool casual wear. Since it’s a Thai drama, there are product placements, too much lipstick (though thank goodness not bright pink). Lastly, I want to applaud the OST. This drama has really great and lovely songs, sung by the cast. I got the OST playing while I’m writing this review.


Do I recommend “Duang With You”? Only if you fit what I listed in those 4 categories above. This is a young romantic-comedy with a lot of cheesiness and fluffiness. It’s not for everyone. But if you can get past that, it’s a story of how two opposites attract and complement each other is the best possible way. I just wish the drama is a lot shorter, and edited in a way to tighten the storylines and give more screen time to others that are not the leads.


Completed: 4/18/2026 Review #683

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vibed with the second half more

Overall: I did not enjoy a child-like character who basically stalked a seemingly uninterested character for several episodes. Note this review/series has something that might be triggering. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/duang-with-you-uncut-episode-1-1i3zcr5hiek?lang=en_us and episode 1 was on Mandee YouTube Channel https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcTibKbv20S7j_lCcNUEywFWET_lybdJZ&si=kC4Ac1i6KZTkdSmx

Content Warning: stalking (portrayed as romantic), hits (portrayed as comedic), past child abuse shown

Watch Suggestions for Uncut version (if the dynamic at the start doesn't work for you and this takes out content warnings/focuses on sweet parts)
- start at episode 6 at 20:30
- stop episode 7 at 57 min
- episode 8 watch 8-12:45 and 35-end
- episode 9 watch 4-6:35 and 20:30-end (skip 42-43)
- episode 10 watch beginning-22 and 40:30-51:50
- watch episode 11 but skip 26:30-37 where there is a flashback
- watch episode 12

What I Liked
- easy to understand premise
- supportive friends (though they sometimes shared 1 brain cell)
- visuals
- cameos/supporting roles
- sweet/caring moments
- intimacy scenes done well
- talked about flexibility in positions

Room For Improvement
- the child-like character (one time he said "I'm sulky now" while pouting and stomping his foot) who relentlessly pursued a seemingly uninterested character (at least 1 time he told him to shut up) and this lasted too long before being reciprocated
- pointless side couple
- comedy sound effects did not make things funny

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