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labcat
This review may contain spoilers
Angel Beside Me could have received more attention from international viewers, but it seems that despite having English subtitles, there may be countries where the official videos are blocked.
The story is relatively lighthearted and perhaps nothing extraordinary, but it is unraveled very nicely. It is basically a love story, but it deals with issues like poverty and parental neglect quite sensitively, without making things too heavy for the viewer. There are a few minor plot holes like how Lin manages to get Somchai from the dorm to the hospital after Somchai is badly beaten up (usually he has to dress up as a girl to trick the person in charge of the all-girls dorm), but these don't really get in the way of the story.
The acting is surprisingly good, especially for the supporting roles of Thong (Pongkool) and Punpun (Jamie). Jane is natural as the unhappy Lin who hardly smiles (when Lin becomes happier, it feels genuine) and JJ has portrayed Somchai/the fallen angel well, switching between his vain, playful and earnestly good-natured sides effortlessly. JJ's role is somewhat challenging because it is by turns comic/exaggerated and serious, but he does put up a convincing performance. Finally, Mek also plays the role of Luke very well, giving off somewhat sinister vibes from the start yet at the same time also seeming plausible as a good person (Luke is the devil, and the devil is good at deception, after all).
We can't take the supernatural/religious aspects too seriously though--there is no coherent religious perspective in the story. The concepts of angels and devils may echo Christian beliefs, but there are supernatural aspects that are purely made up (e.g. the concept of doing good and gaining merit doesn't quite gel with Christian beliefs about salvation), so I would treat any religious references as allusions rather than an attempt at a consistent religious worldview. This isn't a bad thing for there is no need to court controversy here.
Oddly enough, I don't have that much to say about the series although I find it enjoyable. Maybe that's the secret of its appeal: it doesn't try too hard to be complex, it tells a nice but simple story well, and the actors have done a very good job overall.
The story is relatively lighthearted and perhaps nothing extraordinary, but it is unraveled very nicely. It is basically a love story, but it deals with issues like poverty and parental neglect quite sensitively, without making things too heavy for the viewer. There are a few minor plot holes like how Lin manages to get Somchai from the dorm to the hospital after Somchai is badly beaten up (usually he has to dress up as a girl to trick the person in charge of the all-girls dorm), but these don't really get in the way of the story.
The acting is surprisingly good, especially for the supporting roles of Thong (Pongkool) and Punpun (Jamie). Jane is natural as the unhappy Lin who hardly smiles (when Lin becomes happier, it feels genuine) and JJ has portrayed Somchai/the fallen angel well, switching between his vain, playful and earnestly good-natured sides effortlessly. JJ's role is somewhat challenging because it is by turns comic/exaggerated and serious, but he does put up a convincing performance. Finally, Mek also plays the role of Luke very well, giving off somewhat sinister vibes from the start yet at the same time also seeming plausible as a good person (Luke is the devil, and the devil is good at deception, after all).
We can't take the supernatural/religious aspects too seriously though--there is no coherent religious perspective in the story. The concepts of angels and devils may echo Christian beliefs, but there are supernatural aspects that are purely made up (e.g. the concept of doing good and gaining merit doesn't quite gel with Christian beliefs about salvation), so I would treat any religious references as allusions rather than an attempt at a consistent religious worldview. This isn't a bad thing for there is no need to court controversy here.
Oddly enough, I don't have that much to say about the series although I find it enjoyable. Maybe that's the secret of its appeal: it doesn't try too hard to be complex, it tells a nice but simple story well, and the actors have done a very good job overall.
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