A Crime Drama Wearing a Romance Costume
I'm a big fan of Up and Poom as an on-screen pair. They have this calm, effortless chemistry that makes them feel like industry veterans who know exactly what they're doing, both individually and together. So when this show was announced, I was genuinely excited. A forbidden romance between a police officer and a host who ends up working undercover for him?
That's an incredibly strong premise.
Which is exactly why it's so frustrating that the series never fully commits to it.
Buried somewhere inside Love of Silom is a far more interesting, more political story—one that explores sex work in Thailand, the complicated relationship between sex workers and the police, or even the realities of sex tourism in a place like Silom. Instead, the series keeps brushing against these ideas without ever really engaging with them. I kept hoping for something closer to Spare Me Your Mercy: a crime drama with a romance at its core, rather than a romance dressed up as a crime drama.
You can feel that missed potential in the characters themselves. Wayu's backstory falls into the familiar trope of financial hardship pushing someone into sex work, and despite supposedly being good at his job, he's written as surprisingly naïve once romance enters the picture. Krit, meanwhile, has a genuinely compelling conflict—a controlling father shaping every aspect of his life—but the series rarely gives that storyline the attention it deserves.
Even the undercover operation, which could have driven the entire plot, is introduced with promise before quickly fading into the background.
Personally, I would have leaned much harder into that premise. Let Wayu already be an experienced host who knows Bangkok's nightlife better than any police officer ever could, and force Krit to rely on someone he initially misunderstands. Their partnership could then have become a way to explore why sex workers often distrust the police, how Thailand's nightlife operates in legal gray areas, and how both men gradually challenge their own assumptions about each other's worlds. I think that would have made not only the investigation, but also the romance, feel far more earned.
To be fair, the show does get some things right. Up and Poom's chemistry carries much of the series, and there are moments that hint at something much stronger: Krit slowly questioning his own prejudices, Wayu refusing to be defined by either his profession or his past, and a relationship that feels built on mutual respect rather than rescue. The ending also feels emotionally satisfying.
My biggest issue is that the series seems far more interested in being charming than challenging. It introduces heavy topics—family rejection, homophobia, human trafficking, sex work, gambling addiction, childhood neglect—but rarely allows them the space they deserve. They're there, but mostly as background decoration rather than subjects the story genuinely wants to explore.
Add in a few overly cheesy moments and I was left with the feeling that the show repeatedly reaches for depth, only to pull back at the last second.
Love of Silom isn't a bad BL. In fact, it's an enjoyable one with likable leads and solid chemistry. I just can't shake the feeling that it had everything it needed to become something far more memorable—and chose to play it safe instead.
That's an incredibly strong premise.
Which is exactly why it's so frustrating that the series never fully commits to it.
Buried somewhere inside Love of Silom is a far more interesting, more political story—one that explores sex work in Thailand, the complicated relationship between sex workers and the police, or even the realities of sex tourism in a place like Silom. Instead, the series keeps brushing against these ideas without ever really engaging with them. I kept hoping for something closer to Spare Me Your Mercy: a crime drama with a romance at its core, rather than a romance dressed up as a crime drama.
You can feel that missed potential in the characters themselves. Wayu's backstory falls into the familiar trope of financial hardship pushing someone into sex work, and despite supposedly being good at his job, he's written as surprisingly naïve once romance enters the picture. Krit, meanwhile, has a genuinely compelling conflict—a controlling father shaping every aspect of his life—but the series rarely gives that storyline the attention it deserves.
Even the undercover operation, which could have driven the entire plot, is introduced with promise before quickly fading into the background.
Personally, I would have leaned much harder into that premise. Let Wayu already be an experienced host who knows Bangkok's nightlife better than any police officer ever could, and force Krit to rely on someone he initially misunderstands. Their partnership could then have become a way to explore why sex workers often distrust the police, how Thailand's nightlife operates in legal gray areas, and how both men gradually challenge their own assumptions about each other's worlds. I think that would have made not only the investigation, but also the romance, feel far more earned.
To be fair, the show does get some things right. Up and Poom's chemistry carries much of the series, and there are moments that hint at something much stronger: Krit slowly questioning his own prejudices, Wayu refusing to be defined by either his profession or his past, and a relationship that feels built on mutual respect rather than rescue. The ending also feels emotionally satisfying.
My biggest issue is that the series seems far more interested in being charming than challenging. It introduces heavy topics—family rejection, homophobia, human trafficking, sex work, gambling addiction, childhood neglect—but rarely allows them the space they deserve. They're there, but mostly as background decoration rather than subjects the story genuinely wants to explore.
Add in a few overly cheesy moments and I was left with the feeling that the show repeatedly reaches for depth, only to pull back at the last second.
Love of Silom isn't a bad BL. In fact, it's an enjoyable one with likable leads and solid chemistry. I just can't shake the feeling that it had everything it needed to become something far more memorable—and chose to play it safe instead.
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