Perfectly done!
I don't watch a lot of Korean BLs since they tend to be so short, but after all the hype over Semantic Error, I had to check it out. I gotta say, it lived up to expectations.Sangwoo is planning on making a video game and he's got all the skills to code it. Unfortunately, he doesn't have the graphic design talent to make it happen. He decides to work with Jaeyoung, a talented artist, to get this game developed. Sangwoo is annoyed by Jaeyoung to no end and tries to fire him, but Jaeyoung is persistent in his pursuit of Sangwoo, and not just because he wants to make a video game with him.
I loved both of these characters. They're both so different and so perfectly portrayed by the actors. The whole plot is done so well and I don't think there's anything I could comment on to change besides the fact that I wish the series was longer. Even though it was so short, they managed to pack in character development that was perfectly placed within the storyline. Overall a fantastic watch with a lovely relationship.
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A cute and fun watch!
GMM finally lets gay people be happy? My School President was way better than I first expected it to be based on the plot synopsis. Tinn, the new school president (Gemini) who has been in love with Gun, the "rebel" (who isn't really a rebel) from the music club (Fourth) for years finally gets a chance to pursue him now that he's the president and in charge of all the school's clubs. Unfortunately, even once Gun likes Tinn back, it's revealed that one of the rules of the club is that the members can't date until after the big music competition, Hot Wave.It's fun, it's cute, and there's way too much singing. Luckily, the songs are recorded and not the typical playing guitar and singing in a different key that BLs love to do for some reason. The relationship development was unfortunately slow, but it was still cute and fun to watch. While the vast majority of the show is light-hearted, the more intense moments help with the pacing of it and keep the characters real.
I will be watching anything else with GeminiFourth in it.
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Oh the bodyguard trope....
Am I gonna love a bodyguard plot? Of course. Every time.I thought this one did a good job of building the relationship before the romance even started. The cinematography reminded me a bit of ITSAY, with beautiful beach shots throughout the show. Pond and Phuwin do a fantastic job as Palm and Nueng, and their chemistry is great.
Biggest complaint with this show is the frustration you feel as a viewer from the back and forth of "you're better off without me!" between the two of them. Luckily, it was never too drawn out, but it was still a bit overdone. The way they wove the legend into the show was really well done, and I loved that they kept that until the end. I was expecting this one to be way sadder than it was, and I'm glad it wasn't! It was a great balance between conflict, tragedy, and relief/happiness that it made each episode worth waiting for.
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WAY better executed than I thought it would be!
Did not think I was gonna like this one honestly. I wasn't hopeful in the ability of a BL to pull off a universe travel sci-fi theme but man they kinda nailed this one.I was super happy that there wasn't a bunch of back and forth between the universes. When Puen (Jimmy) and Talay (Sea) wake up in the bodies of people in a different universe, they have to find a way back to their own. I was so worried that we were going to have to watch their old selves as well, but the show only focused on Puen and Talay and their journey home.
Very well done with the right amount of sci-fi elements that didn't take away from the story. No crazy world building that didn't make sense. Overall a fun and pleasant watch without much heartbreak.
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Lacking Something Deeper
Wu could have been so good if it committed to something a little more than it had. While it had good bones, it felt like we had very little time to get invested in the characters before they're thrown into trying to stop a demon which, as the viewer, we are really only told why they need to do this, not shown it - which was my main issue with a lot of this show I think. It seemed like the characters kept telling me why they needed to do things/how they were feeling/etc instead of SHOWING me these things. It seemed like a show that needed to be longer to really get to delve into the feelings of the characters and their motivations. While I love a supernatural story, this one missed the mark for me. I wanted a little more from the big bad evil demon AND a little more of Pete's internal struggle with his own demon.Also, I am totally cool with a story that doesn't have romance in it.....until you use every slow-mo zoom in, romantic music, pull him in until he's two inches from your face type move in the How to Make A Romance Show Book! For a company like GMM, who has made the vast majority of their money on queer media, to make a show that is this queer-coded only to make sure there's no queer romance feels like a slap in the face. And like I said - I do not need this media to be queer/romantic! But there are ways to make a show not a romance that truly make the show not a romance.....this was not the way. If you know GMM, you know that Sky and Nani are not a BL pairing, so I knew going into this that it was not a romance. HOWEVER! I have never felt so frustrated by a queer-baity show before. This isn't a show coming from somewhere that censors queer media, nor is it coming from a company that doesn't support queer media - in fact, it's actively using the profits of queer media to make a show that is 100% intentionally avoiding real queer representation.
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Appreciate it for the history....
Genuinely, the only reason I watched SOTUS was because it's GMM's first series with a leading gay couple. I felt like with all the GMM series I watch, I needed to go back to the beginning. So while I understand how important this series was when it came out in 2016, that doesn't mean that it's still good in 2025.This show focuses much more around the ideas of SOTUS - the hierarchical values of the engineering school - than it does the romance. And frankly, the romance kinda frustrated me the whole show. Not to mention, this was DEFINITELY not an anti-hazing show. While there were moments where I felt like it was leaning that way, it definitely did not end with that message! In fact, parts of it felt....pro-hazing??? Weird take, but even getting past that, I don't love the whole "falling in love with someone who bullied you" trope. While Arthit isn't necessarily a direct bully of Kong, he definitely still bullies him along with the other first years.
Like I said, I'm sure if you watched this in 2016, it was great. If you're considering watching this in 2025.......I wouldn't. Unless you really like KristSingto, or you're curious about GMM's earlier work (and how much they've improved), I wouldn't watch this one.
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Heartbreaking and Heartwarming
WOW! This show was a MASTERPIECE. I already had a feeling it was going to be good between the cast and the director, but this is one of the most moving BLs I have ever seen. I felt like every episode made me full the full range of emotions, and they managed to pack it all into an extremely short show. Not to mention, the artistry in the directing was BEAUTIFUL! The way the shots would linger, the tension in the shadows, and the love in the lighting....all of it was genius. The religious imagery was beautiful, and the small details of religion brought into different scenes really made this show feel complete. It's hard to bring religion into a queer show, especially to do it in a way that doesn't feel like it's ridiculing the religion or pitting religion and queerness against each other, but this show manages to do just that.Tanrak (Fourth) has been raised in the Catholic church, and ever since his parents died, he has been on the path to becoming a priest himself. When Barth (Gemini) transfers to the boarding school, Tanrak is tasked with looking after him; he didn't expect Barth to be a troublemaker who doesn't see the purpose in believing in God. While Tanrak tries to help Barth follow the straight and narrow path, Barth tries to get Tanrak to see things from a new perspective. As feelings start to develop between them, Tanrak is torn between his love of God and his love of Barth, believing them to be mutually exclusive.
The main conflict in this show not being between Barth/Tanrak and the church itself, but being between Tanrak and himself was truly incredible. I feel like oftentimes we see religious parents citing religion for the reason to not accept their queer children, which still exists in this show of course, but I really enjoyed this internal struggling the most. You could really sympathize with both Tanrak and Barth and their reasons for believing or not believing in the things they do. These internal conflicts only grow stronger as we learn more about the characters' pasts, and I am super impressed with the amount of character development we see in such a short series. I of course wanted this show to be longer, but not because it felt unfinished or underdeveloped - I just loved these characters and thought the show was beautiful. And I have to say - Fourth's acting was CAPTIVATING! So much of this story is not told through words but through the emotions portrayed by Tanrak. The struggles he goes through are not things that he talks about, but rather things that show up in his actions and in his eyes. I cannot believe how much storytelling was done simply by a camera pointed at Fourth as he stares into it and WOW it was incredible to watch. Even as someone who is not religious, I found the messaging of this story to be done very thoughtfully, and it definitely has something that can resonate with most people. Overall, this show is one of the best things GMM has put out in a long time, and I think it's worth a watch from everyone.
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Simple, but cute
My Love Mix Up was super cute, light, and fun. Gemini and Fourth did a great job in these roles, and the side couple helped to round it out very well. No conflict was drawn out too long either. My only complaint is that it didn't feel like anything new, especially for Gemini and Fourth.It's said that if you write your crush's name on an eraser, the more you use it, the closer you'll get to them. Atom (Fourth) has a crush on Mudmee (Pahn), a girl in his class, but when he asks to borrow her eraser, he sees Kongthap's (Gemini) name written on it. As he's using the eraser, he ends up dropping it and Kongthap picks it up - leading him to believe that Atom has a crush on him. To prevent his friend's feelings from being exposed, Atom has to come up with another way to tell Kongthap that he doesn't like him, but the more time he spends with him the more he realizes he might like him after all.
This show was a very cute and simple high school romance. If you're a fan of Gemini and Fourth, you'd definitely like it. Mudmee and Half (Chokun) were also super cute and fun to watch! I do wish that Gemini and Fourth would branch out and play different types of roles though, as this show felt very similar to My School President (though less singing), especially in terms of the main characters. Overall though it was very cute and fun to watch.
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World's Most Incompetent Cops
Going into this, I was super excited for the murder/crime aspect of this show, especially as someone who really loves crime dramas. If you're going into this for that like I was, SKIP IT! This show is a romance that happens to have a crime happening in the background. The cops can't solve a case for shit, and spend all their time flirting instead.Jade (Joong) is the cop in charge of a new murder case when a new inspector Kamin (Dunk) arrives to help. The two of them investigate the murder of a college girl and the subsequent murders of the other students in her friend group. As murders continue to happen, Jade's brother Jay is also put at risk, as are the cops themselves. Even though the cops don't get along at first, they grow closer as they work on the case - and Jade's immediate attraction to Kamin is obvious to everyone.
I have never watched a crime show with more incompetent cops. These guys did not solve ANYTHING!! Even up to the very end (no spoilers here) they basically didn't do anything themselves. They quite literally just spent their entire time flirting with each other. The romance fully took away from the actual plot of the show. If you don't care about the crime and just want to see Joong and Dunk flirt, go ahead and watch it. If you care about the crime aspect at all, there are much better crime dramas....
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Genuinely Funny, Great Chemistry
I love when you can tell that actors have worked together for a long time, and that's exactly how I felt watching Tay and New in Dog and a Plane. It's obvious from the start that the two actors understand each other very well, and this is especially apparent in the way they play off each other in comedic moments, and the chemistry they bring in the romantic ones. For a show to be funny in its native language is one thing; for the humor to translate into another language is another talent. This one was genuinely funny, even translated, and was super fun to watch. While it wasn't some deep, emotional show and maybe could've created a little more intrigue or tension in some places, it was still a great time.Kanit (New) is a flight attendant with a pilot boyfriend, doing very well for himself. During a luggage switch-up, he ends up with the suitcase of rescuer Toto (Tay), meaning all of Kanit's designer clothes were replaced with Toto's cheap and rugged ones. Toto capitalizes on this switch up to try out some luxurious clothing, and ends up paying the price when he gets into a fight, Kanit's clothes get destroyed, and Kanit wants him to pay up. Unable to pay with cash, Toto enters into a deal with Kanit: determine if Kanit's pilot boyfriend is cheating on him. As Toto investigates Kanit's (obviously) cheating boyfriend, he starts to fall in love with Kanit himself.
I really enjoyed this series, especially the first half where Toto was trying to find evidence that Kanit's boyfriend was cheating on him. As a viewer, you're almost immediately aware of the answer, but watching Toto try to prove it was super fun. Then, the development of the relationship between Kanit and Toto was wonderful. I really enjoyed the tension between the characters, Toto's boldness in pursuing Kanit, and the comfortability that Tay and New brought to these characters. Not to mention, this show was super funny! Toto's over the top pursuit of Kanit was hilarious. Plus, Mond and Ryu's roles were a great complement to Tay and New, and I was super invested in their storyline too. Overall, a great comedy that you don't need to take too seriously.
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Slow Start -> EXCELLENT Finish
Love upon a time is a show that started off slow and somewhat predictable, but slowly turned into a show that was unique and exquisitely done. I was really excited to see Net and JJ in main roles for a series, and they absolutely delivered on these roles! I am partial to soul mate/reincarnation tropes, so if that's not something you're into, this probably isn't for you - but if you're into it at all, this one is DEFINITELY worth watching! Just get through the slow start and it becomes a masterpiece.Nakun (JJ) has been having the worst luck ever, right as he turns 20. Thinking it can't get any worse, he has a few too many drinks and goes and watches the stars fall - only to end up transported back in time 400 years. There, Lord Phop (Net) informs him that he, now known as Klao, has been missing for awhile, and Phop is glad he has returned. Nakun now has to try to play the role of Klao, figure out why he got transported there, and how he can get back, all while falling in love with Phop.
The first few episodes were a little too silly, and had a few too many stereotypical/repetitive elements of "oh I'm not really back in time, I must be dreaming!" type plotpoints. However, as the actual plot of the show picked up, this show began to wow me. I don't know what has been happening with Mandee/Domundi recently but WOW they are killing it! I loved the attention to detail in this show, from the costumes to the language (and the slow assimilation of Nakun into the past dialect was wonderful). I think that as long as you're willing to watch the first few stereotypical sent back in time episodes, you are in for a real treat with this one! The amount of emotion these actors delivered was fantastic to watch, and NettJJ killed these roles. Not to mention, Latte and Kim as Jom and Kaew was such a nice addition! I loved all of the characters in this and cannot recommend it enough, especially if you like period pieces.
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Selfish Desires
This is EXACTLY the kind of show I needed from OffGun. Dramatic, sexy, thrilling, and MESSY! Throughout the entire show I was upset with both of their characters, as well as Dew's, and that's what made this show so fun. Truly, this is a story of three people motivated almost entirely by their own selfish desires, and the conflicts that they end up in because of it.Jira (Gun) is a struggling artist, currently unemployed and unwilling to take jobs that involve AI because of his moral aversion to generated art. Even art isn't motivating him anymore, so his friend suggests he head to Burn Out Bar to meet other people in similar situations. There he meets Pheem (Dew) and the two hit it off - Jira listens to Pheem's stories of his overbearing boss, and Pheem is happy to have someone to listen and flirt with. Soon, Jira is offered a job working for Koh (Off), but the details are a bit murky. Eventually, Jira learns that Koh is one of the biggest names in tech right now, with an AI model in development that will blow the others away - but since Koh hates dealing with people, he hires Jira as his stand-in for in person events. As much as Jira hates AI, he loves the rush of inspiration he gets around Koh, and finally his love of painting is back and sexier than ever. Jira is torn between his feelings for Pheem and Koh, and the two men both struggle for Jira's attention, but it's unclear whether they're fighting for him because they love him, or because they want something from him.
I loved the way that this love triangle played out. Yes, one of the downsides of watching a GMM love triangle is that you always know who they plan on having together at the end, but the way the relationships developed over the course of the show as so fun. Koh is motivated by his desire to use Jira for his own gain; Pheem by his need to win Jira's attention; and Jira by his sexual fantasies of Koh and entertainment from Pheem. All of these characters seem to disregard the other characters' feelings for their own gain, and boy does that make this fun to watch!! And even as an OffGun fan, I absolutely cannot deny the chemistry between Dew and Gun - frankly, the show is worth watching just for that! Not to mention, the directing/cinematography of this show is GORGEOUS! I'm not gonna lie, I feel like it's rare that I say that about GMM shows nowadays, but WOW this show blew me away with how beautiful it was. My biggest complaints about the show are just that it could have used a little more time on the final conflict, since the ending felt a bit rushed, and I wish they committed more to the messaging around the harm of AI since it was a central theme of the show. Still, this show was VERY good and definitely worth watching if you're into messy and dramatic plots with very flawed characters.
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THIS is the GL I want!!
I don't think I can put into words how incredible this show is. A tense, drama-filled plot mixed with a fantastic romance, all tied together with some of the best directing and cinematography I've ever seen in a Thai show. Just. WOW. This show had me locked in from start to finish. I love a show where the romance isn't the only plot, and the drama and conflicts in this show outside of the romance really drew me in.Bell is celebrating finishing college with her boyfriend and his friends at some club her boyfriend wanted to go to. Though it's not quite her scene, she tries to have fun. When the cops show up, Bell tries to find the car keys in her purse and instead finds drugs that aren't hers - but when the cops catch her throwing them in the trash, there's no way she can talk herself out of it (not to mention, her boyfriend is clearly not going to help her). Once in prison, she quickly learns the social hierarchy there: her and her cellmate Kae keep away from top dog Dao and her sisters, and Bell's told very clearly to avoid the murderer Claire, known as "rabid dog," at all costs. But when Bell gets in trouble with Dao's crew, it's Claire that ends up helping her. Once a loner, Claire starts to taking a liking to Bell, and Bell seems to feel the same way. However, between Kae's jealousy, Dao and her sister's business, and power-hungry guards, having one person by your side is never quite enough to keep you safe.
This show delivered on EVERY front. The tension, the drama, the romance, EVERYTHING was great. Prison plots can go either way for me, but this one was so good every episode that I cannot recommend it enough. I feel like there are a lot of mid GLs, but this is NOT one of them. I loved the characters so much, and thought their story was so well done. If you're looking for a GL that is totally different and still hits every mark THIS IS IT!
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Suspenseful and Thrilling
I was really excited to watch Spare Me Your Mercy when it started airing because I'm a sucker for crime dramas. The premise of this one was especially unique - catching a killer that might not even be the bad guy? The cast was absolutely incredible, and the show had me on the edge of my seat every episode. I do wish this was a 10-12 ep series instead, just because there were a few things I wish they could have explored deeper, but it is absolutely worth the watch.Tew (JJ) is a detective who decided to transfer to a rural town to be near his mom, who is dying of ovarian cancer with only a few months to live. However, right as he goes to see her after transferring, he learns she has passed away months before the doctor said she would. Hurt and confused, Tew does to talk to Dr. Kan (Tor), the palliative care expert in the town. Kan explains that this isn't uncommon with terminally ill patients and Tew doesn't think too much more about it - until terminally ill patients start dying prematurely all over this rural town. With few suspects and a growing suspicion of Kan, Tew tries to keep him close; Kan seems to be trying to keep Tew close as well, and though he says it's because he's developing a crush on him, Tew remains unconvinced. Unclear motives from both parties create tension in this slowburn relationship, and as more and more deaths occur prematurely, the need to find out the truth may outweigh any feelings the two have for each other.
This show was truly incredible. I would recommend watching for the thriller/suspense/mystery elements more than the relationship, because truly the story is about the deaths and not the romance. However, JJ and Tor do an amazing job portraying these characters. A cold and tough detective determined to find out the truth paired with the bright and kind doctor was a great match. The acting, effects, and writing were all fantastic. Plot twists weren't necessarily predictable, but they were built into the story well enough to not feel like I was being blindsided by nonsensical twists in the story. The framing of certain scenes to intentionally throw the viewer off was super fun too. Even though I thought they could have played up the tension in the relationship and that a few more episodes would have helped flesh some things out more, I thought the story was fantastic and loved the way it wrapped up. One of my favorites of 2024 for sure.
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Yes! A good Thai GL!
I have been waiting for GMM to release a GL and 23.5 did not disappoint! Whether or not you like the school-type romance, it is a genre that GMM has managed to perfect. I loved MilkLove in Bad Buddy, so when they announced they'd be starring in a GL, I knew I'd be watching it.Ongsa recently transferred from the countryside to a school in Bangkok, where she happens to run into Sun, a girl she's been following on social media for awhile. While Sun and Ongsa become friends in real life, they also start chatting on social media - except Sun doesn't know she's texting Ongsa, and thinks it's a boy named Earth. Scared to reveal her true identity, Ongsa plays the part of Earth as long as she can, but knows Sun will eventually find out. She can't help but wonder: what would Sun do if she knew she was texting a girl? Even if Sun likes Ongsa, what would other people say behind their back about them?
This show is very cute - again, it's your typical high school romance but between two girls in the same class. The main conflicts bring up points that a queer high schooler would likely relate to - issues of internalized homophobia, the fear of other people's opinions, and the possibility of rejection. It's a great show that isn't too intense and is just a light and fun watch. I think that if you enjoyed GMM's BLs like My School President or Bad Buddy, you'd really enjoy this one. There are conflicts I wish they would have fleshed out a bit more, but overall I had a great time watching this weekly.
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