6
1
Tragic, Beautifully Poignant, Yet Absolutely Riveting.
This drama is a complete surprise and shock for me. And it is definitely one of the best dramas I've watched to date. (And it is not solely limited to Thai LGBTQ+ dramas either.)
I remember watching the trailer, which to me simply looked like a montage of images as I had no knowledge about the original story and began this completely on a whim. Payback is something to be experienced from start till the end. It's cruel and equally comforting at the same time. Cruel in the sense that it makes you ponder a lot. Deeply emotional as it depicts both grief, romance and acts of transgression.
The outstanding and riveting performances by the cast, the script and the direction further prove my point. There is not a single actor who doesn't leave an impression. Particularly the actors for Sun, Jay, Sunny, Sky and Kajorn and the villain. Everyone gave truly memorable performances which I won't be forgetting anytime soon.
Starting right off the bat, the first episode begins with an audition where a man named Sun aggressively uses his balisong after he fails to impress the judges. A flashback sheds more light on his character--- Sun had previously been an illegal debt collector who had terrorized and traumatised many. When fate strikes back in the worst way, snatching everything that he held dear, time comes to a standstill.
But, revenge springs alive when he overhears that his ex-boyfriend who was now a rising star, had played an integral role in shattering Sun's life. He joins Dream Entertainment with this sole purpose of outsmarting Bank.
Sun, played by Minlee, is a tragic character. I have to appreciate the actor because he manages to bring the dead character to life. Sun is literally dead on screen - he has a single facial expression throughout the first episodes. The one scene that captivated me is where a photographer, Pakin, forcefully triggers an emotional response purely through his eyes.
Sun's innocent and hardworking manager, Kajorn and another actor under him, Sky somehow become a newfound family for the lonely boy. It's evident that his life as a past criminal and the tragedy that followed had made him a shell of who he truly is supposed to be.
But, the question stands. Tragedy would have hit Sun, regardless of whether his ex-boyfriend played a role in his downfall. His lawless and unempathetic actions were the ones which ultimately led to the situation he was in. So, what was the point in taking revenge against Sunny?
The character of Sunny is portrayed as a remorseless sycophant, so I think that he does deserve a lesson.
But, where the series took its hold on me is that the same question kept lingering in Sun's mind too.
When Sun encounters Jay, a powerful man of Dream Entertainment, he is forced to face the ugly truths about his life.
Jay is by far, one of the most dominating characters I've seen onscreen. Hats-off to Toptap because Director Arthur is someone enigmatic, perspicacious and an absolute scene stealer. He exudes confidence, grace and poise onscreen.
While Jay serves as an anchor although a rather harsh one, who often crosses limits and attempts to utilise Sun's skills and simultaneously tether him back to life, the deeply ingrained guilt and grief never fades away.
Sun's 'revenge' persists till the end, but the story is more than just payback.
It was beautiful, seeing someone who once loathed himself and lost all purpose in life rediscover his identity.
Stepping away from the emotional aspects, the story does manage to imbue a sense of humour. Even in unexpected places. Starting with Kajorn and Uncle Sia, who is the first one to truly make Sun smile.
The lovelorn Jay's attempts to woo Sun through his coercive methods was definitely one of the interesting parts of his life, aside from Kajorn and Sky.
(And an interesting part for me, the viewer as well. Their interactions on certain rooftops, particularly Alice's Labyrinth, were the ones I looked forward to every week.)
Even the menace-like Pakin, behind his stabbing words, hid someone wise.
The story is peppered with incidents that serve as the impetus for Sun to make certain choices.
Setting aside how well written the story was (from my point of view, as I have no knowledge about the novel or the manhwa adaptation), the soundtrack was beautiful.
I admit, I felt like a fool after discovering that a certain song used in EP7 wasn't a real song, because it sounded absolutely magical to me and I spent hours searching for it.
I found the last episode satisfying. Even though it had a few speed bumps, it managed to avoid any major trenches and brought the whole story to a complete denouement for almost every single character. Except for the villains. (The speed bumps that I mentioned fall into this category.)
One small piece of conversation between two characters hammer the final point in. Because ultimately, thriving against all odds is much more difficult and something you have to be greatful for. I don't know why, but it struck a cord in me. The series answered all my questions and left no loose threads.
Payback is definitely not for everyone. But, I for one, am glad that I stumbled upon this little gem and discovered Sun and his family. A solid 9.5/10 from me.
I remember watching the trailer, which to me simply looked like a montage of images as I had no knowledge about the original story and began this completely on a whim. Payback is something to be experienced from start till the end. It's cruel and equally comforting at the same time. Cruel in the sense that it makes you ponder a lot. Deeply emotional as it depicts both grief, romance and acts of transgression.
The outstanding and riveting performances by the cast, the script and the direction further prove my point. There is not a single actor who doesn't leave an impression. Particularly the actors for Sun, Jay, Sunny, Sky and Kajorn and the villain. Everyone gave truly memorable performances which I won't be forgetting anytime soon.
Starting right off the bat, the first episode begins with an audition where a man named Sun aggressively uses his balisong after he fails to impress the judges. A flashback sheds more light on his character--- Sun had previously been an illegal debt collector who had terrorized and traumatised many. When fate strikes back in the worst way, snatching everything that he held dear, time comes to a standstill.
But, revenge springs alive when he overhears that his ex-boyfriend who was now a rising star, had played an integral role in shattering Sun's life. He joins Dream Entertainment with this sole purpose of outsmarting Bank.
Sun, played by Minlee, is a tragic character. I have to appreciate the actor because he manages to bring the dead character to life. Sun is literally dead on screen - he has a single facial expression throughout the first episodes. The one scene that captivated me is where a photographer, Pakin, forcefully triggers an emotional response purely through his eyes.
Sun's innocent and hardworking manager, Kajorn and another actor under him, Sky somehow become a newfound family for the lonely boy. It's evident that his life as a past criminal and the tragedy that followed had made him a shell of who he truly is supposed to be.
But, the question stands. Tragedy would have hit Sun, regardless of whether his ex-boyfriend played a role in his downfall. His lawless and unempathetic actions were the ones which ultimately led to the situation he was in. So, what was the point in taking revenge against Sunny?
The character of Sunny is portrayed as a remorseless sycophant, so I think that he does deserve a lesson.
But, where the series took its hold on me is that the same question kept lingering in Sun's mind too.
When Sun encounters Jay, a powerful man of Dream Entertainment, he is forced to face the ugly truths about his life.
Jay is by far, one of the most dominating characters I've seen onscreen. Hats-off to Toptap because Director Arthur is someone enigmatic, perspicacious and an absolute scene stealer. He exudes confidence, grace and poise onscreen.
While Jay serves as an anchor although a rather harsh one, who often crosses limits and attempts to utilise Sun's skills and simultaneously tether him back to life, the deeply ingrained guilt and grief never fades away.
Sun's 'revenge' persists till the end, but the story is more than just payback.
It was beautiful, seeing someone who once loathed himself and lost all purpose in life rediscover his identity.
Stepping away from the emotional aspects, the story does manage to imbue a sense of humour. Even in unexpected places. Starting with Kajorn and Uncle Sia, who is the first one to truly make Sun smile.
The lovelorn Jay's attempts to woo Sun through his coercive methods was definitely one of the interesting parts of his life, aside from Kajorn and Sky.
(And an interesting part for me, the viewer as well. Their interactions on certain rooftops, particularly Alice's Labyrinth, were the ones I looked forward to every week.)
Even the menace-like Pakin, behind his stabbing words, hid someone wise.
The story is peppered with incidents that serve as the impetus for Sun to make certain choices.
Setting aside how well written the story was (from my point of view, as I have no knowledge about the novel or the manhwa adaptation), the soundtrack was beautiful.
I admit, I felt like a fool after discovering that a certain song used in EP7 wasn't a real song, because it sounded absolutely magical to me and I spent hours searching for it.
I found the last episode satisfying. Even though it had a few speed bumps, it managed to avoid any major trenches and brought the whole story to a complete denouement for almost every single character. Except for the villains. (The speed bumps that I mentioned fall into this category.)
One small piece of conversation between two characters hammer the final point in. Because ultimately, thriving against all odds is much more difficult and something you have to be greatful for. I don't know why, but it struck a cord in me. The series answered all my questions and left no loose threads.
Payback is definitely not for everyone. But, I for one, am glad that I stumbled upon this little gem and discovered Sun and his family. A solid 9.5/10 from me.
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