KSM4

Well, I'm not from Thailand, but personally, I'm finding the series disappointing, even though I was really hyped after the trailer. I don't think they established the relationship well, I don't believe for a second these two managed to fall in love before all the drama hit. It was too weak and too rushed. I also think the writing for LJ isn't good, and the actor lacks some skills. So I wouldn't be surprised if people didn't find the show all that enjoyable, though it's weird if it's mostly a Thailand thing. There are way worse shows in Thailand that are still popular.

Sometimes outsiders see the situation better than those involved. In the series, LJ is not mature enough to withstand the force that is PJ, I think it's very obvious when you compare him to his book version. But then PJ is also a reddish flag, so he'd need some talking to about his own behavior!

It was clearly said for a role-play :D Of course you can like whatever version of characters you like, tastes are subjective anyway. But if I were actually talking to PJ and he was my friend, then yes, I'd tell him his taste is bad because LJ is too immature to date him. Though I'd be subtler about it.

Well, you do have the final say :D But I disagree so far, Mr. Demon, so I'll just think your taste is bad. Sorry!

Yes, he's very awkward and unconvincing in the most important scenes.

Reading the book, and I see now that my complaints about the series are justified. They really changed the character of LJ a lot, and they failed to show their developing romance properly. The book might not be written very well, but LJ is a bright, lively, confident person who does a ton of things for BJ. They actually get to know each other and do a lot of things together. LJ doesn't believe some baseless rumors, he actually looks for facts, and he has many real reasons to accuse BJ of lying to him. I found these aspects lacking in the series. I don't think LJ is compelling in any way, and it feels like they knew each other for like two days before all the rumor-fuelled drama.

I'm a fan of romance-focused stories, but I don't think Knot has any of it, to be honest. So far, the romance is very weak and just not interesting enough, with a ton of useless secondary characters, weird scenes that bring nothing to the story, and abysmal dialogue.

I laughed so much at You Shulang having to remind Fan Xiao to be good twice within the first 10 minutes :D Also, if you haven't seen it, check this tiny follow-up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjUgVPGODWk&t=2s

Glad you finished it! I really love the redemption arc here because I feel like it's very realistic. Fan Xiao didn't fully change, not in general (he's still a stalker, still obsessive and possessive), but he finally wanted to try and change, and he started doing it out of his love for Shulang and realization that Shulang deserves better. I would understand if Shulang never forgave him, but as long as he loves Fan Xiao and is willing to give him a second chance, and as long as Fan Xiao is committed to change, I believe in their happy ending.

Unfortunately, this scenario of a character agreeing to terms and then immediately acting like they're about to die and fighting back is very common. I struggle to recall a single exception.

It certainly almost pushed me out! Good thing PJ keeps saving the situation.

Well, bad acting aside, I'm glad that LJ finally showed some love for BJ in the second half. I've been waiting for it.

The acting is becoming worse and worse, to the point where I struggle to keep watching. Except for the PJ's actor, of course, he's absolutely phenomenal. But almost everyone else makes me cringe so hard, especially during emotional scenes. I've never been this conflicted over a series: I love one half as much as I hate the other half.

Haha, he's a tamed psycho, but a psycho nonetheless! He still stalks Shulang heavily during his redemption arc, spying on his windows; he forces himself into his apartment and keeps pushing at his boundaries repeatedly. Threatens him with rape right in the last 10 minutes of the last episode, admits to spying on him, and warns not to provoke him because he has to keep reminding himself not to go crazy all the time.

In the book, after their reconciliation, Fan Xiao keeps stalking You Shulang until You Shulang has to invite him to sit in his office where he can actually see him. He's still unreasonably jealous, to the point of being controlling (even if unsuccessfully), and he acts forcefully during their sex sometimes.

Fan Xiao looks even worse in the series because of the change of locations: in the book, they spend more of the time in China, so all the characters are from there; in the show, they mostly live in Thailand, and move to China only in the end. It implies that Fan Xiao had to move little Tian Tian and his sick mother, as well as Bai Tin and himself, into Shulang's city in China to make sure he runs into them one day :D That's so wild.

It bothers me too. He's okay in some scenes, but very bad in others, especially the crying ones. And I don't like his characterization either, but that's the complaint for the writers. He's much brighter and more interesting in the book.

Yep. A psycho from start to the end.

Same. In fact, I don't think they are even in the same league. Fan Xiao had malicious intentions from the start, and I think he did everything Lu Feng did and much more. Lu Feng was mostly physically aggressive and explosive, and this was always related to Yichen; Fan Xiao is a psycho on every level, with or without You Shulang, and even after his redemption.

I think we can actually measure how special LJ is using objective facts. I'll list the ones I think you might be referring to, and you tell me if I missed something:

1) Not fearing BJ. That doesn't make him special, though, because he doesn't fear him only for as long as he doesn't hear the rumors. You and I and everyone else would act the same. The more of them LJ learns, even though they all are very generic and shallow, the more worried and scared he becomes. By E3, he's snooping, is scared to see him, and looks ready to bolt during their kisses, even though objectively, the only bad thing he still knows about BJ is that a lot of people despise him. There are zero facts indicating that BJ actually did something wrong.

2) Helping the girl. Let's look at it this way: do you think he's the only person at their school who would try to help? They were mostly surrounded by other girls in that scene, who didn't risk stepping up. How likely do you think it is that out of many thousands of male students, only LJ would dare? The chances are slim. It's good that he helped her, but it's just one little scene. Besides, BJ didn't even witness this.

3) Taking care of BJ. That's sweet, but it was only at first + it's not special to take care of your SO. Literally 99% of people do it when they start dating.

4) Not wanting to make a deal. I agree, this is what elevates LJ above others, but again, I really doubt he's the only single person in the world who rejected BJ's help.

So, what out of this makes LJ special and helps him stand out enough to catch the attention of someone like BJ? I think point 4 is the strongest. I can't count point 3 because it's typical behavior; point 2 is mostly good, but not that relevant because it's an isolated incident + BJ didn't see it, and point 1 makes LJ the opposite of special as he acted like everyone else in the end.

Ah, that's the curse of charismatic red/black flags! You hate them but you root for them anyway. I think Fan Xiao is a total psycho, but when I was watching with my Mom, she kept falling for him again and again and urging You Shulang to forgive him already :D

Let us know what you think later, I'm stalking this page because I'm so curious about other people's impressions :D I was totally floored when watching TMS for the first time.