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As ever, thank you for being so helpful and illustrative. As a cross-cultural dialogue, I'll try to illustrate the native English speakers possible sensitivities to the issue. For English speakers, the terms can go beyond cringy and be actually offensive in the context of LGBTQ relationships.

Many LGBTQ people have had at least one tone-deaf question from someone about who is the "man" in the relationship and who is the "woman." The question is considered rude A) for lacking understanding that two men or two women are wholly able to have a rich, full, relationship B) It can have judgment loaded connotations regarding people being "lesser" men or women for what title they are appointed. C) It's often posed as an indirect way to ask who is the more "Passive" of the two in a sexual way.

Overall, most open minded native English speakers consider such things to not be anyone elses business. Same sex couples usually refer to one another as being one anothers' partners or husbands or wives, based on their genders.

I think we should all be open minded about how cultures view things and I can appreciate how it's common for and sometimes even a point of humour in Thai. I've become more comfortable with it within it's context but I'd be lying if I said that it never feels like a bit of a slight toward the man who is called the wife or the woman who is called the husband.

In saying that, I sincerely mean no disrespect to any Thais or the Thai language. I just posted this to offer to people who might not know just how sensitive the terms can be for some native English speakers.

I feel that native English speakers ultimately should realise that the terms don't carry the same connotations in Thai as they do in English, but I can appreciate that it can feel very counter-intuitive for some native English speakers to adapt.

You did this for 1000 Stars, too. Thanks so much for your time and effort! It's very kind!

Glad you enjoyed. I thoroughly loved it.

I've been retired for a few years I forgot something that might be very important. (Apologies.) In Canada, it wouldn't be wrong for the doctor to want Tian's chart because he is his de facto primary giver. Still, Tian would have to agree and fill out a signed document before it could happen. (The procedure is so standard that I forgot about it needing to happen, for a bit.)The Doc could well lose his job over it, without that signed document. I don't know what those laws look like in Thailand.

I was thinking they would, but thanks for confirming it. In Canada, it wouldn't be wrong for the doctor to want Tian's chart because he is his de facto primary giver. Still, Tian would have to agree and fill out a signed document before it could happen. The Doc could well lose his job over it and certainly would if the doctor disclosed anything in the chart to anyone, including Phupha.

I thought the scenes were hilarious and appreciated the comic relief in an otherwise heavy episode. Everything I've seen to date indicates that Aof and Earth, especially, but also Mix have a relationship that would allow the actors to decline to do the scenes if they didn't want to. I can't say, though, that I fully understand the Thai sense of modesty because I can't consistently discern what's ok or not, and when. It seems to vary so much...

My eyes were either misted or tears were flowing for the bulk of this episode. I really appreciated Phupha's Cock-Of-The-Walk (It's a legitimately appropriate phrase, people, so don't drag me! lol!) routine to provide some comic-relief! I know that some found the episode to be off or dragging, but that wasn't the case for me, at all. It just so solidly underpinned what I love about the series, as a whole. It also set the next episode up to be felt even more deeply: a skilful choice, by and large, by the team.

I have heard the call to duty and I will go watch again! :D

Hopefully, though, GMMTV had already had a look at the numbers before the accident.

I, too, really would like Phupha to directly tell Tian just how much he thinks he's worth at some point. I think it important for both Tian to hear and for Phupha to express as part of his love.

Personally, I think that Torfun kept coming up to serve as a way to set up Tian's decision to come clean about his connection to her. However, I wish they hadn't taken the tack of having Dr. ban and Phupha say the things they did. It undermines those characters to a degree, for me, and seems to counter what the show had tried to say earlier about Tian being his own person. Maybe something was lost in translation, though, of those lines into English and we're not getting some nuances in what they said. Thai speakers who've posted in the past have commented that this has happened sometimes in the series...

Realistically, I think the rangers should have told the villagers when they first learned of it. It's a bit parochial on their part to determine whether or not the villagers could deal with it, and it would have caused problems for any replacement.

That has yet to be revealed.

I'm replying to this not to engage in verbal combat with you, but to speak to some of the points you've raised with other considerations, please know that. Also, if I may, I'd like to specifically say that I've noticed a shift in the tone of your posts, and compliment you on that.

I can empathise with your wish that comment sections were solely for sharing common points of interest, but that is not the case here in the General Comments section at MDL. That's why it's called "General."There are other places that can be set up and are specifically appreciation sites/forums with their own rules.

Maybe though, here, someone could set up a specific Discussion labelled as a 'Series Appreciation Discussion"politely asking for people to keep their contributions to positively oriented posts about the show. That would appear as a link in the Discussions Box that people could go to.

I agree that every show has it's strengths and weaknesses but people can post specifically about either in their posts without having to address both sides, in this section. There are lots of posts in this section that are short posts commenting on aspects they like. There isn't any requirement for them to be balanced, well-argued, etc. Indeed, they are feelings/opinions. A scrolling through this section shows that they are left alone far more than posts are that have criticisms. We can't apply double-standards to praise vs criticism. Here, they are allowed to co-exist. MDL has no rules about requiring that all posts in General Discussion must be well-argued.

I also agree with you that there have been users who came to post with a specific agenda in mind. There was one who seemed to be especially bitter about some fans treatment of a particular author and was obviously allowing that to taint her comments about this series. (Like a strange revenge posting.) It was more a trolling based on hurt feelings about authors. I was one of the first people to confront her about that, if you take a look, even though I have plenty of criticisms, myself. I have no hidden motivations, myself, and haven't seen another such glaring example, since.

For myself, one of the reasons I continue to watch the show is because I really like the actor playing Gene, Up. (I like the all the performers, but Up stands out for me.) I don't have to have a set of well-argued positions as to why I like him, I just do. I would like to be able to support the actors by watching, but I might not be able to do that if the series, as a whole, is thoroughly unenjoyable for me to watch. The scales are tipping, for me, on an episode by episode basis. If I were to drop it, I would also drop posting on the Lovely Writer page.

Again, I have no personal malice in posting this, I'm just offering counter-points to some of yours.

I don't think that there are any obligations on viewers to watch any particular number of shows before expressing opinions. If so, there wouldn't be anything posted until the show was almost half way finished, positive or negative. People have opinions right from the get go and come here to express them. I don't see anything wrong with that.

If it isn't for you, it isn't for you. You have every right to determine that for yourself. I found aspects of it appealing enough to continue up to the current episode but next week's will likely determine whether or not I continue. If you've had enough, already, you've had enough. As the viewer the most important opinion is your own. It seems too obvious to state, but none of us have any specific obligations when it comes to watching a series.

Possibly =)

I only tend to chime in with my opinions when someone seems to accusing the purported victims of foul intent while doing nothing but asserting that Ji Soo is completely innocent. Depending on how far they carry it is how far I respond. I've had exchanges and dialogues with people in between. I don't believe I've ever raised his parents.

As to why I choose to do that? While it's very unlikely that Ji Soo is logging onto MDL and reading any of these posts, there's a good chance that victims of abuse log onto this site on a regular basis and are reminded of the damaging response they've heard in the past which may have prevented their voices being herd; a reminder of the insensitivities that so many have been harmed by.

I point out aspects of the situation that lead me to think in particular ways to illustrate that I'm not just posting without some background experience such matters.

I tend to stay away from other opinions, including those which take a wholly neutral tone. The particular poster I engaged with here is known for posting vitriol directed solely at anyone other than Ji soo: going beyond even the approach of an apologist. Hopefully, that can illustrate my motivations but your opinions on them are rightfully yours.

Good show! Get a sense of it for yourself and see if it's for you.

My honest suggestion would be to try it for yourself and see. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Absolutely! I haven't seen people in this thread get their knickers in a twist over differing opinions... yet. lol!