I discovered this series a few days ago, and I've been binge-watching it ever since.
Just finished Ep 25, and I have to say this series is an absolute DELIGHT. The setting, the story, the cinematography, the music, the incredible way the cast members and their characters interact with each other like a real family.......Just wonderful.
15 more episodes to go. I have a feeling I'll be sad to see this series end.
I just started this series, and so far it's great. I love the village and its people. The scenery is absolutely beautiful, too. Seems like a good place for the FL to rest and recover from the sad loss of her best friend.
Another thing I like about the series so far is how it's filmed. The cinematography is excellent. And the silences, along with the natural sounds of the birds and the wind, are so refreshing.
Those series were planned years ago. I think they’ve long been abandoned.
I hope whomever in the industry tracks viewer responses and ratings on websites like MDL and others will see the MASSIVELY positive response to SmartBoom as a pairing and take that into consideration for future projects.
Rightfully so, there's still a lot of discussion in the comments about Johnny and what he did to Akin.
(I first posted this a lot farther down in the comments, but I'm sharing here again (and have added a little more commentary) for everyone's consideration during the discussion. It's JMO. You don't have to agree.)
I am so glad that, after their initial breakup due to the emotions of the moment, Jin decided to look into what really happened to Akin. It seems that he made his decision to protect Akin in his own way, based on a few factors:
1) Jin recorded Johnny confessing that, while he did not rape Akin, he DID physically / sexually assault Akin and set things up to make it look like he was raped, therefore causing a lot of psychological damage. He also recorded Johnny confessing he basically slept his way into various roles. If Johnny steps out of bounds again or hurts anyone else, even "just" psychologically, Jin has the recording to take him down.
2) He figured Johnny most likely would not be prosecuted under the Thai legal system, since what happened was basically ("only") kissing and bite marks while Akin was passed out drunk. Also, historically, male SA victims in most countries don't receive as much sympathy as female SA victims.
3) He realized that Akin would suffer even more if the public heard what happened and there was backlash against Akin that might affect his reputation and career.
4) Once he had that confession, Jin made sure Akin knew he was not raped and that everything that Johnny did do was entirely his own fault, not Akin's. Jin also made sure Akin knew he was still deeply loved and trusted. <----- That action alone, more than anything else, got rid of the worry and shame and healed Akin's heart and mind.
5) Under the symbolically cleansing water from the shower, Jin "re-claimed" all of the hickey / bite marks that Johnny left on Akin's body. In the process, he made Akin feel safe, loved and wanted. That, also, reassured Akin and it felt like that moment was when he dropped the remaining walls that he had held for so long around himself before he met Jin.
6) Lastly, while SA victims UNQUESTIONABLY deserve to have their assaulters brought to legal justice, in this case I feel like Jin prioritized Akin's mental and emotional health first, and that seems to be exactly what Akin needed. But I have no doubt whatsoever that Jin would also ferociously pursue legal justice too, as long as that was what Akin wanted.
I've always thought War was the best crier in the world of BL but now I think we have a new contender in the house...…
War and Boom are absolutely the best and most convincing criers in the industry. Just raw emotion. I'm glad they're not cast in any of the same series, lol.
Sexual assault is a heavy topic.And when a story chooses to go there, the responsibility is just as heavy.Right…
I agree with you about justice. Absolutely.
But in the context of the series, it seems that Jin made his decision to protect Akin in his own way, based on a few factors:
1) He figured Johnny most likely would not be prosecuted under the Thai legal system, since what happened was basically ("only") kissing and bite marks while Akin was passed out drunk. Also, historically, male SA victims in most countries don't receive as much sympathy as female SA victims.
2) He realized that Akin would suffer even more if the public heard what happened and there was backlash against Akin that might affect his reputation and career.
3) Instead of encouraging Akin to press charges, he recorded Johnny confessing his crime and also confessing he basically slept his way into various roles. That way Jin has ammo in case Johnny steps out of bounds again.
4) And then, once he had that confession, Jin made sure Akin knew he was not raped and that everything that Johnny did do was entirely his own fault, not Akin's. Jin also made sure Akin knew he was still deeply loved and trusted. <----- That action alone, more than anything else, got rid of the worry and shame and healed Akin's heart and mind.
5) Lastly, under the symbolically cleansing water from the shower, Jin "re-claimed" all of the hickey / bite marks that Johnny left on Akin's body. In the process, he made Akin feel safe, loved and wanted. That, also, reassured Akin that he was strong and beautiful in Jin's eyes.
It’s quite curious that non of the fans of #JinAkinisreal hasn’t made posts or compared the necklaces with…
Some of the fans in both the BL and idol fan communities are SCARY AF in how deeply they search to collect information, sometimes going back YEARS to spot even the smallest details and then expose / weaponize them later.
That black honey cut (EP 6.5) is STUNNING. Even more beautiful and sensual than the original scene. The way the scene is in black and white, except for the honey, highlights the shadows and glints of light on their bodies. Absolutely beautiful. Wow.
(I like the music in the black honey cut version better than the piano in the original scene, too.)
And I loved the interview afterward, where Boom and Smart talked about how they communicated their boundaries and built trust to film the NC scene. That was wonderful to see. So professional and yet so heartfelt, too. I love their chemistry and understanding of each other.
I enjoyed that special episode very much.
And amazing acting aside, I have to say the cinematography in this series is exceptional. The camera people REALLY understand the assignment.
The angles they use, the lighting, the uncomfortable closeups when the scene calls for discomfort / anger / emotional turmoil, the way the camera lingers on their faces and just lets the characters' silences and emotions BREATHE, the focus on textures of clothing or hair or skin, the way the camera sometimes frames the background and it becomes another character in the scene (example: the off-center way the rooftop scene is filmed in EP 5, showing the contrast between the brightly lit cityscape over Akin's shoulder while he's in a dark place, emotionally)......EXCELLENT stuff.
You mean to tell me that this guy is in his 30's and he's gonna end up falling for a kid that barely turned 18?…
I think the age of graduation from HS in some Asian countries is more like 19, not 18. And that seems to be the "legal" age, too. Fifa already graduated HS (he was going to start college in the fall, remember), so he's pretty much legal.
And as far as Hem - was there a scene that mentioned how old he is? I think he's only 10 years or so older, so that would make him in his late 20s. Not a terrible age gap, IMO.
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Just finished Ep 25, and I have to say this series is an absolute DELIGHT. The setting, the story, the cinematography, the music, the incredible way the cast members and their characters interact with each other like a real family.......Just wonderful.
15 more episodes to go. I have a feeling I'll be sad to see this series end.
Another thing I like about the series so far is how it's filmed. The cinematography is excellent. And the silences, along with the natural sounds of the birds and the wind, are so refreshing.
Fake-looking fight choreography.
Bad acting, and terrible voice dubbing too.
I can't even make it through the first episode. Dropping it.
They're all described as BL series, but NONE of them include Smart as part of the cast.
That makes me sad.
Maybe someone who has read it will know.
(I first posted this a lot farther down in the comments, but I'm sharing here again (and have added a little more commentary) for everyone's consideration during the discussion. It's JMO. You don't have to agree.)
I am so glad that, after their initial breakup due to the emotions of the moment, Jin decided to look into what really happened to Akin. It seems that he made his decision to protect Akin in his own way, based on a few factors:
1) Jin recorded Johnny confessing that, while he did not rape Akin, he DID physically / sexually assault Akin and set things up to make it look like he was raped, therefore causing a lot of psychological damage. He also recorded Johnny confessing he basically slept his way into various roles. If Johnny steps out of bounds again or hurts anyone else, even "just" psychologically, Jin has the recording to take him down.
2) He figured Johnny most likely would not be prosecuted under the Thai legal system, since what happened was basically ("only") kissing and bite marks while Akin was passed out drunk. Also, historically, male SA victims in most countries don't receive as much sympathy as female SA victims.
3) He realized that Akin would suffer even more if the public heard what happened and there was backlash against Akin that might affect his reputation and career.
4) Once he had that confession, Jin made sure Akin knew he was not raped and that everything that Johnny did do was entirely his own fault, not Akin's. Jin also made sure Akin knew he was still deeply loved and trusted. <----- That action alone, more than anything else, got rid of the worry and shame and healed Akin's heart and mind.
5) Under the symbolically cleansing water from the shower, Jin "re-claimed" all of the hickey / bite marks that Johnny left on Akin's body. In the process, he made Akin feel safe, loved and wanted. That, also, reassured Akin and it felt like that moment was when he dropped the remaining walls that he had held for so long around himself before he met Jin.
6) Lastly, while SA victims UNQUESTIONABLY deserve to have their assaulters brought to legal justice, in this case I feel like Jin prioritized Akin's mental and emotional health first, and that seems to be exactly what Akin needed. But I have no doubt whatsoever that Jin would also ferociously pursue legal justice too, as long as that was what Akin wanted.
But in the context of the series, it seems that Jin made his decision to protect Akin in his own way, based on a few factors:
1) He figured Johnny most likely would not be prosecuted under the Thai legal system, since what happened was basically ("only") kissing and bite marks while Akin was passed out drunk. Also, historically, male SA victims in most countries don't receive as much sympathy as female SA victims.
2) He realized that Akin would suffer even more if the public heard what happened and there was backlash against Akin that might affect his reputation and career.
3) Instead of encouraging Akin to press charges, he recorded Johnny confessing his crime and also confessing he basically slept his way into various roles. That way Jin has ammo in case Johnny steps out of bounds again.
4) And then, once he had that confession, Jin made sure Akin knew he was not raped and that everything that Johnny did do was entirely his own fault, not Akin's. Jin also made sure Akin knew he was still deeply loved and trusted. <----- That action alone, more than anything else, got rid of the worry and shame and healed Akin's heart and mind.
5) Lastly, under the symbolically cleansing water from the shower, Jin "re-claimed" all of the hickey / bite marks that Johnny left on Akin's body. In the process, he made Akin feel safe, loved and wanted. That, also, reassured Akin that he was strong and beautiful in Jin's eyes.
Holy CRAP that sasaeng CREEPED ME OUT.
WOW. I literally got chills watching her. WOW.
(I like the music in the black honey cut version better than the piano in the original scene, too.)
And I loved the interview afterward, where Boom and Smart talked about how they communicated their boundaries and built trust to film the NC scene. That was wonderful to see. So professional and yet so heartfelt, too. I love their chemistry and understanding of each other.
I enjoyed that special episode very much.
And amazing acting aside, I have to say the cinematography in this series is exceptional. The camera people REALLY understand the assignment.
The angles they use, the lighting, the uncomfortable closeups when the scene calls for discomfort / anger / emotional turmoil, the way the camera lingers on their faces and just lets the characters' silences and emotions BREATHE, the focus on textures of clothing or hair or skin, the way the camera sometimes frames the background and it becomes another character in the scene (example: the off-center way the rooftop scene is filmed in EP 5, showing the contrast between the brightly lit cityscape over Akin's shoulder while he's in a dark place, emotionally)......EXCELLENT stuff.
And as far as Hem - was there a scene that mentioned how old he is? I think he's only 10 years or so older, so that would make him in his late 20s. Not a terrible age gap, IMO.