This review may contain spoilers
Nira was fantastic! I loved her! I loved her! I loved her! I didn't get the extent of her hatred towards her father and aunt, but I guess the series wouldn't have been as good if it hadn't existed. She is not perfect. She is very flawed. She is so hurt and broken. And that makes her do so many stupid things. But she is smart, and strong, and brave. I just wanted to wrap her up in a blanket and hug her.
I loved the family Nira had around her - Dr. Ben, Aunt On, Yod, Tong, Uncle Pon. They were all so amazing. I love how there were times when distrust threatened to break those relationships, but they trusted each other enough to let it go.
Chut - OMG. Whoever styles Push's hair deserves all the awards. It makes him look so good. Add to that the suits and that 1000W Smile. I am dead. I wish the ending was happier. But there were too many lies (and I'm not talking about the lie about being Transgender, although that may be one of the many). Chut was already so haunted by the loss of his nephew, and we saw that throughout the show. He loved his nephew so much. I love how patient he was with Nira. I loved how he took care of her.
Dr. Ben - OMG. I loved how he loved Nira. How he accepted all of her. I loved how he was willing to let her go because he knew she wouldn't love him the way he loved her. I loved that he was still there for her despite that. I loved that he didn't let that affect the way he treated Chut or Nira, or them as a couple (except briefly before he kissed Nira). I love him. He is so selfless and mature. He is amazing.
Chom - He was a character I never thought I would ever sympathize with. I hated him and the way he objectified and doggedly pursued Nira. I hated him for the way he crossed the line with her over and over again even with her firmly drawing the line. I hated how even when he got clues, he still ignored them. But over the course of the show I realized that he did love his son. I understand why he was so reluctant to accept Chananthawat being trans. No parent wants to see their child suffer or go through undergo discrimination. They don't understand the internal turmoil the child is going through, they only see that society is going to give them a lot of burden. I can see where Chom was coming from. I don't agree with him, but I get it. He was trying to protect Chun the best way he knew how, but preventing him from being Society's laughing stock.
Rong - I hated her. I really did. Right until the last episode. I think at one point in time she must have been a nice person because Chut must have date her for a reason. He doesn't seem the kind who would have dated her for money. He may have been tricked into marrying her but he dated her of his own volition, so there must have been a time when she was good. I think we see glimpses of that in the last two episodes. I wanted to see more.
Manow & Aunt Jib- What a bunch of fungii! I am surprised people still worked with her with that attitude and horrible work ethic. *puke* I can't believe her cousin gave her those photos. He should have known it was going too far and just stopped it. He knew how toxic she was.
All the side family -
Yod - amazing - What a character! They are strong and brave and face everything head on. I love how much they love Nira, even when they know Nira isn't telling them everything.
Tong - SO ADORABLE! I love Tong! He is Nira's brother! He and Nira care so deeply for each other. Sometime in the beginning I thought he was eventually going to betray her. I'm so glad I was proven wrong because he is probably one of my favorite characters.
Uncle Pon - He is Nira's only OG family. He knew her from when she was a child, and has accepted her as Miss, since she was a little girl. He truly loves her. And she truly loves him.
Aunt On - She is so adorable. I love her.
**SPOILERY SPOILERY SPOILER ALERT**
I wish this show had a happier ending. I wish Nira and her father reconciled because he was willing to love her as Nira, completely. I love that we see that Chom loves his daughter, and that Aunt Rong isn't completely horrid. I wish Chut and Nira had a happier ending, and that he could have accepted her as Nira. But even in the beginning we could see that he was haunted by the ghost of his nephew, so I guess that lie would always have been an anvil over their heads. But they made a beautiful couple. I know too much happened for the Siriwats too ever have become a happy-ever-after family, but I hope maybe someday we can have a season 2 of them building bridges. Maybe Rong goes to find Nira because Chom's sickness takes a turn for the worse and needs to prove to Nira that she isn't the horrid aunt she used to be. And she really has changed. And maybe along the way they really do become friends. And maybe Rong becomes instrumental in bringing Chut and Nira back together because she could see how much happier he was with her? And maybe along the way she finds someone who doesn't take her shit when she has her diva moments... IDK part maybe Dr. Ben. I know he's too good for her, but maybe he can handle her y'know what I mean?
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This is so cute. I can't wait for the next episode. I don't know how I stumbled upon this, but it showed up on my YT recommendations (my history is turned off, so I don't know how). It is such a cute story.
Shun - so shy, so cute, so quiet. But his face says it all. I don't know if everyone else has been feeling the same.
Nagisa - this one is harder to read at first, but there's this softness to him when he's with Shun alone.
Chika - This girl. OMG. Obsession much? She literally stalked Shun when Nagisa asked him to meet up. And then invited herself after Nagisa broke things off with his ex. I get her. But at the same time, you can't force someone to like you. I feel bad for her because Nagisa totally used her, and that was so not cool of him. -- ETA -- I totally take this back. She is so cool. Ep 5 makes her totally bad ass.
Ayo - This girl is so cute. I feel so bad for her, but at the same time I feel like she is the most relatable character in this show. The one who wants to be better - the one who finds herself too plain and too boring. I love this girl. And I love how Shun is with her in 2-4. From telling her she is far from plain and has character, to telling her that she is better than him because she is taking action to be more like the person she wants to be. I love how he builds up her confidence. And I totally get why she falls for him. -- ETA -- I just watched Ep 5. And this episode just cemented the fact that I love her. I absolutely love this girl. She is me. Like 3000%. This is totally what I would have done, because I have in the past. When I love someone I just want them to be happy even if it means the person they are happy with is not me. Why are there not more characters like her.
Chika's Parents - How cute are they - from how in love with each other they are. To how open they are about sex and sex education. I totally dig them and their vibe. SO COOL.
Shun's dad - no comment. I guess if he hadn't left none of this would have happened.
If you know that this is the prequel to the movie, you know that between the mini series and the movie there isn't a happy ending even if they both might individually have happy endings. I haven't seen the movie so I cannot say - but it seems like it's a heart-wrencher. I really hope someone subs and uploads it some day - It looks soooo good. And the guy who plays Shun in that is so good looking.
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I loved this short film. From the beautiful poetry. To the fact that Jongin considers both the male and female baristas as potentials for his secret admirer. To the process of elimination.
Everything was adorable. It was a light, fluffy, feel-good short. Worth the 15-17 minute watch! Most definitely.
The actors did a wonderful job. Yoo Kyun Seon was adorable as Jongin the looking customer with a secret admirer who is baffled as to who it could be and wants to find out. The three baristas were adorable. Angelica - the potential female love interest is gorgeous with a mysterious air about her. Shim Min Ki - The potential male love interest is adorable as the shy, introvert who loves always has this dreamy look. And Lee Seul Gi was the possibly the show stealer for me - the bubbly latecomer who is a little bit of a yoda. Love her.
What a great short.
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10 15-minute episodes3 half-brothers, The Yuan brothers (played by Lee Si Kang, Will Chang and Jerom Huang Alouf) are brought together by their father, when their father's long lost love dies and her son contacts him. Thinking her son is his illegitimate son, he sends his sons on a quest to find their long lost half-brother. The oldest brother, Juncheng (Lee Si Kang), who is half-Korean and recently returned from Korea to claim what used to be his mother's property, is saved by a poor man, Lin Xun (Mi Ji Hsu) when he is roughed up by his uncle's thugs. The second brother, Jundao (Wil Chang) lives with his (canonically bisexual) best friend Yang Xiang (Guo Yu Cheng) who is more like an indentured servant and as Jundao once possessively claims "my family owns you". The youngest brother, Junping (Jerom Huang Alouf) is always accompanied by his academically brilliant best friend, Yan Yue (Wells Su) - who is also his partner in crime.
The story had a lot of potential. And I think if it had time to grow and develop it could have been a really great one. Even in 150 minutes, it could have been a really wholesome movie, but it lacked depth and character development. If they were going to make it this short, they should have maybe stuck to one couple rather than trying to cram three love stories into one. But even if it was 3, they should have maybe added some character depth. The characters and storylines fell flat.
I think the actors did a great job with the material they had. The only problem was the sister. She was just such a pain in the butt. I wish writers created more wholesome and respectable female characters. They don't have to be created to add conflict or be used as the "bitch" tool.
I mean its cool 3 gay/bi/bicurious brothers with male partners in 2020. No "I'm gay!!!????" freak-outs. No "I'm coming out" drama. No "My son will not be gay" drama. Great.
A light-hearted, fun, cute drama. cool.
But there was such a lack of character development. They tried with Juncheng and Jundao, but the journey wasn't there, the whole series just lacked substance. It was disappointing. But give it a watch anyways.
The couple whose storyline I was most invested in was probably Jundao/Xiang's because how does one go from "You're my bestfriend" to "My family owns you" to lovers in ten episodes? But apparently we're gonna just overlook all that hot mess and go with "I wanna see if you're gonna stay with me".
The couple whose storyline I was least invested in was Junping/Yue because it's the classic coming of age, gay storyline about two school boys who fall in love. Watched it a million times.
The couple whose storyline felt the cheapest after the series ended - all of the ones I was interested in. One pays the other partner like they're a hooker - hourly may I add.... *FACEPALMING SO HARD RIGHT NOW*.... One strips the guy his "family own" to see if he'll stay with him, and then kisses him.... *sigh* So much wasted potential.
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I have no idea what is going on.
And neither do any of the characters.The actors are awkward and not at all believable. Maybe they should have been support roles for a few months/years. Ana is pretty and Fuse is cute tho. Why keep referencing Mark and Vee?
I don't mind the recast of Gun & Bar, but to be honest I absolutely ADORE Folk as an actor - he was pretty much the only reason I kept watching TOSSARA, so that makes me super sad.
Plot? What Plot?
This was just a BL for the sake of being a BL. there is no story and no realism. The love story was contrived. It had no romance or cuteness. It was so meh. 90% of the time I just wanted to fast forward through the episode. I'm at 5/6 episodes. Might as well finish the show. ??♀️??♀️
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This movie is beautiful. Some people might find it slow/boring, but its actually beautiful.
It's called in between seasons, because it's about the passage of time, going from one season to another.
If you think about Mi Kyung and Yong Joon's relationship, it kind of goes from Summer (when she's all happy and friendly) to Winter (when she shuns him) to Spring (where she slowly starts to accept him into her and her son's life again).
If you think about Yong Joon, he's sort of gone from Spring (where everything is blossoming and beautiful) to a perpetual Autumn/Winter, where nothing grows, and nothing gets better, and he's waiting for his life to restart.
This movie isn't really a BL. It's about a mother coming to terms with the fact that her son is gay, and learning to accept his lover as a caretaker while her own life is also slowly unraveling around her.
It is about a man who is trying to be close to the only family he knows while being pushed away. And trying to stay afloat under the barrage of his lovers mother's discontent.
It is about family, and love of a person bringing people together and helping them find common ground.
I know many people found the ending depressing. But I found it hopeful. Why? Because before Yong Joon didn't have anyone he could tell he was tired to. The fact that he can tell Soo Hyun he's tired makes me think they're getting back on track. Because now maybe Soo Hyun can be someone Yong Joon can lean on, where before he was carrying all the burdens alone.
Mi Kyung is accepting Yong Joon as her son. So perhaps their relationship is no longer a burden either of them needs to carry.
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I am not particularly fond of the whole falling in love with your bully/tormentor storylines. But we don't really have the whole story here. Just the 19 minutes of this short. How do Moo Yeong and Han Bit know each other? How does Moo Yeong know Han Bit so well? Did they grow up together? Did they got to school together (not just college)? Are they exes with a bad break up (is that why Han Bit is so mean to Moo Yeong because he isn't over him, is that why he looks so thunderstruck every time Moo Yeong says he loves Han Bit)? Park Hyun Joon (Moo Yeong) is an amazing actor. When I watched the opening scene it didn't seem so, but then as it progressed I was just more and more surprised by him. He is amazingly talented. I hope he gets more roles and meatier parts.
Kim Hyun Joon (Han Bit) is good too. He was so cute in the final scene when he was finally not bullying him anymore. I loved drunk rehearsal scene. His face in that scene is so expressive.
This is such a nice short. Light, Fluffy, Feel-good, Happy-Ending. <3
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So, not gonna lie, I totally watched this show for Ohm. I adored him in MIR (pretty much my favorite part of that show), and he's a fantastic actor. I am new to Thai dramas so I haven't seen the other lead's shows yet, but he was fantastic too. This show was amazing. I loved the story. I loved the plot. I loved everything about it. From baby!Than and the way he interacts with Mes to adult!Than's bossing Mes around. Apart from the reason of Mes's death being hella predictable, the rest of it was really fun.
I loved Than's friends and even though I usually prefer friends to remain friends -- because why can't girls and guys be friends without them wanting to be more!? -- but I actually liked the awkward love triangle. I loved the goofiness and the way she was one of the guys. It was so adorable. Also can I just take a minute to just comment on just how gorgeous this girl is. Like *breathes out* *takes a minute of silence to calm self*
This whole show was just too cute. There were so many predictable parts. SOOOO MANY. But overall a fun, enjoyable show. So much fun.
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What did I just watch?
When I read the synopsis. I was expecting a really cool story.These characters didn't have such big problems that they would need a "wish" to solve it. Like what were their needs?
Also what a waste. I hate this jealousy trope where two characters fall in love but because a third character likes one of them they try to sabotage their relationship. Like move on. My whole life has been a series of unrequited love and I ALWAYS just wish the best for the person I like. How immature do people have to be that they don't realize that by forcing someone who doesn't love them into a relationship they are both going to be absolutely miserable. Come on. I had my first crush when I was 3 years old. Yes I remember them - we were best friends, and even then when my brain couldn't even process complex things I was just happy when they were happy even though I knew they didn't like me back - because their dad would always use "getting them married to [me]" as a way to get them to do their chores.
This show was not well written or executed. Directors/Writers please come to me when you want to flesh out your story and dialogue. I don't speak thai but I am happy to work with your writers and storytellers to create good scripts and solid stories. I can add all the cheese and corn you want into the script.
Honestly, with the supernaturally inclined synopsis, there was so much potential to this script but it was completely wasted. I think this was meant to be a bit like the k-drama "mystic pop-up bar" but it failed miserably.
The twist was weird. Like what was the point? Other than to be a twist. It made no logical sense.
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So I recently watched Blacklist which a lot of people were comparing to The Gifted but.... THEY ARE SO DIFFERENT!The basic idea is probably similar - there's something sinister in the school and a group of student are trying to get to the bottom of it. But the entire story and execution is completely different! I enjoyed both series (Blacklist probably because it had Ohm, Drake and Frank in it), and this one because it was executed so well.
Pang - I've seen Nanon in a few dramas now (My Dear Loser & Blacklist), and he's alright. Pang probably wasn't my favorite character, but he was a good guy, and he was trying to fight against an oppressive system even though he was at the top of the food chain - which is isn't entirely true because he was both at the top and the bottom. He was in the gifted class, while still being in the bottom most class.
Wave - Chimon is always a treat to watch, I feel. I think he's grown a lot as an actor since My Dear Loser. But I adore watching him. He's a talented kid. I like him in badboy roles. Even though this one was badboy with a twist. You could tell from the beginning that his bad attitude came from a place of hurt and I was looking forward to Pang and Wave's friendship which I knew was inevitable. I can't wait for Season 2 for more of their shenanigans.
Namtarn - I love Namtarn. She is so badass. I love how dedicated she is and how she is so selfless with her friendship and love. I think Lilly did a fantastic job. I was totally shipping Pang/Namtarn/Wave in any iteration.
Ohm - Sing is another actor who I've seen in a few dramas now, but always as a supporting character. It's good to see him in a meatier role. He's cute as Ohm - a very lovable annoying, nosy best-friend (What is it with Thai Dramas and Annoying Nosy Best Friends?)
Claire - I love how Claire goes for resident bitch to sweetheart in one episode. I totally thought she would be a Diva throughout the show, but I'm glad she wasn't. I'm glad they showed her to be more than just a pretty face. I love how much she cared about Punn and Korn. I love how she could switch to Diva mode too though (Ep. 13). Also, if Pluem would have been in this show it would have been a My Dear Loser Reunion!! :'(
Punn - It's so interesting to see Gunn play a straight character for a change. I know he's done a few B/G dramas where he has played a straight character, but I haven't seen those yet. I'm not a Gunn fan, but this show might just change my mind - he played 4 freaking personalities - KUDOS man. That is some talent. Well done.
Korn - I think Korn might low-key be my favorite character. I wish they had developed his story a little more and given him more screen time. I have only seen him in Sotus S before where he also played the lonely nerd type character, but I think he has a lot of potential. I think my favorite part of his character was his friendship with Claire and how he loved her because he loved her and never expected anything from her in return. I love that kind of portrayal of love and friendship and it is so rare to find - usually the character gets jealous and possessive over the person they are interested in and starts sabotaging their relationship and etc. I wish the rest of the Gifted gang would have helped Korn feel less isolated though.
Mon - Such an interesting character. I've seen Puimek in a couple of shows (MDL, Sotus S, FriendZone) before and I've always enjoyed her performance - she is very talented. I also enjoyed her storyline a lot.
Jo & Jack - They didn't get a lot of screen time or get their story told in this series (tbh I'm not a big fan of the actors collectively I've seen 3/3 of JJ's listed finished work, and 6/8 of AJ's). I know we didn't have time for it but it would have been nice to see it.
Nac - Ah. So much to say, but I don't know where to start. I think we all can find Nac in one of our friends, and Nac in ourselves as well. He is such a human character, and it was so sad to see. Ep 13 made me happy to some extent, but its sad to me that the only way Nac and Pang could be friends is if Pang is somehow inferior to Nac, if it is reversed it doesn't work anymore. I wish we knew more about Nac's damage - why does he need to feel superior to Pang? He seemed like such a good friend. It really really broke my heart.
Mr. Pom - Another heart breaking story. I'm glad we got to know more about Mr. Pom. But I wish they had given more screen time to his story. It was so rushed. Pom/Non needed more time!!! *crying fujoshi tears*
Principal - Oh man. Come on. Seriously? Episode 1. That's all I'm gonna say.
Ms. Ladda - What an amazing character. I loved her. From start to finish. Katreeya is so amazing. She really makes you feel her glare. AMAZING!
Non - *cries furious Fujoshi tears* I needed more Non in my life. I needed more Pom/Non in my life. Mek is so cute with glasses and a Nerdy look - he needs to play a nerd more often. Also kudos to the styling team (because if anyone has seen KMA and DBK, his hair was such a mess in those shows).
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Incredible!
Although this is supposedly based on the manhwa 'Weather Forecast of Love', the show is actually quite different from the webcomic that it borrow's its characters from. Dohyun, for one, is a lot more assertive and confident than his webtoon counterpart and Donghyuk is a lot more reserved, a bit of a loner, and a lot less aggressive in comparison to the popular and unattainable Donghyuk of the webtoon. The backstory for the whole show is also quite different from the manhwa, and to be honest, I'd much rather think of them as completely independent works because Donghyuk's insomnia and it's cure are the only common factors other than the character names.As someone who has watched pretty much all the Japanese, Taiwanese, Thai BLs in the last 5 years, I can confidently say that this is show an absolute treasure. The directing, cinematography and acting are impeccable! The story is cute, simple and not unnecessarily and unrealistically dramatic. There are a few cute kisses and both leads are incredible. From the first episode we can see the chemistry and tension between the leads. Absolutely adored this show and the gentleness of it! It is so easy-breezy and light that it is an easy rewatch with each of the 8 episode being between 15-21 minutes in length (including intro and end credits). Definitely worth the ~2 hours.
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So I didn't think I would like this show. like at all. I thought it would be too corny. I thought it would be too ridiculous. I thought it would be overacted. I thought it would be too campy. It was just the right amount of all of the above.
I don't think there was a single character I disliked on this show.... except maybe Vier. But I think we were meant to maybe dislike him a little bit so that we would cheer for Tangmo instead.
I loved Tangmo. He was so adorable. Even when he knew he was losing he never hurt Love. I love him so much. <3 <3 <3 He is the ideal partner. And Tangmo and Love's kiss was so cute. I totally thought they were going to cop out and have Tangmo kiss girl!Love, but they gave us a BL kiss *smiles so big*
Love - I loved this story. She was so cute. As a girl I liked her less, but James playing a girl who transformed into a boy did such a good job. He was so adorable, I couldn't help but love girl!Love as well as the episodes went on (even though we saw less of her). I loved her arc with her brother. It was so cute. And when Good finds out the way he hugged her--- I CRIED SO MUCH!!!! I loved her relationship with Tangmo - from being antagonized, to becoming his mentee and friend, to becoming his secret crush, to realizing Tangmo liked her, and to her caring so much about Tangmo and loving him. I CRIED SO MUCH!!
Vier - I get that we were probably mean to sympathize with him and maybe hate him a little so that we could love Tangmo more. But this guy. I dunno what his issue was. Like honestly. I watched the whole show and I still don't get it. Yeah dude. I'm fat too. Like a thousand people including my parents tell me this a thousand times a day. I am made to feel like shit all the time. I also have this need to be perfect. But I don't want to ruin my friends' lives to do it. I don't want to break their heart by stealing the guy they like just to get on top. Like what a loser. But I agree with Nuclear. He was right at the end of the show. And I feel bad for the guy he had first sibling syndrome towards his best friend. :(
Sean/Rose - I wish we had more screen time with Sean/Rose. I wish this series was longer so we could have explored this character longer. Like if Rose and Vier dated for so long how did Rose suddenly have a brother? How did Vier and Sean suddenly get so close? Why is Rose/Sean dying if I understood that correctly? What was her wish in the first place?
Good - SO CUTE!!! The way he blushes when Me is around. I loved how he's such an A Type and how he works with boy!Love so that they can complete Boot Camp but he's such a softie when he realizes his sister is in trouble, and that he is willing to do anything to help her. I LOVE Good. He's such a good brother, even when his sister is disappointing him.
Nuclear was probably one of my favorite character on this show. I love how he calls the teacher out for only teaching for 10 minutes of the class period. I love how he thinks he's such a ladies man. He was adorable. I love how he tells off his idol when he disappoints him. He's brave. I love that about Nuclear.
Menn - he was so adorable. In episode 1, I totally thought he was going to be the one Love was going to end up with. But he was too "weak" a character I guess. But I adored him.
You & Me - How adorable are these girls. They are just so cute! Such good friends. Such sweethearts. I want these girls to be my best friends too!!! <3
This show was great. I wouldn't classify this as a BL necessarily. Why? Because Love is a girl. She is stuck in a boy's body for most of the show but she is a girl who makes a wish and then because of circumstances ends up stuck in a boy's body, perhaps permanently. The guy who falls in love with her falls in love with her when she is a boy, yes, but he is willing to love her regardless of which body she inhabits. So perhaps it is an LGBT Story where Tangmo can claim to be Bi or Pan. There is a kiss between Tangmo and Boy!Love so I guess, you could take it as a BL. But Boy!Love is still is a girl on the inside.
I love that this show focuses on relationship building rather than audience gratification. I love the relationship between Menn-Nuclear-Love they are best friends and its great. Vier-Tangmo's bestfriend/rival relationship is also so wonderful because they are such good friends and its so sad to see how Tangmo becoming determined starts causing their friendship to deteriorate because of Vier's insecurities. Love-Good's friendship/sibling relationship is also beautiful to witness. You-Love-Me are so adorable - this girl power trio are a force to reckon with. And then ofcourse the Vier-Love-Tangmo friendships and triangle - because Love is so wise and she is like both of these stupid boys' yoda, but she's still so young and naive so they also teach her a lot in return.
This show is beautiful. It is a masterpiece.
Also I am so shocked at how NOT AS OBVIOUS the product placement was.... it was still obvious... but slightly more subtle than it usually is in thai shows. IT SHOCKED THE BAJEESUS OUTTA ME. I could watch the show without being forced out of the scene!! I want to watch more from this production company. I hope they continue to make their product placement more organic to the show.
So I know this show can be read as transphobic to some degree. And it can be considered problematic. https(:)//bl-archer.tumblr(.)com/post/186465653090/as-a-trans-person-how-did-you-feel-about-great-men/ But honestly this show has some of the best relationship building. And Tangmo is the best partner in the whole world. #unconditionalloveatitsfinest I can list all the reasons tangmo is perfect but it would take me forever.
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INCREDIBLE. LIKE HONESTLY. YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS SHOW.
I'm not gonna lie. I didn't think I would like this show.I put off watching it forever because I watched the teaser way back when and it seemed really awful. Also I had taken a hiatus from Thai BLs because the storylines are pretty much the same, the product placements are off putting, the female characters are toxic AF and there is a lot of rape culture that is kind of glorified, the same old same old stories rinsed and repeated you know? Not to mention the script writing is usually poor with a lot of plot-holes and tropes that are overused. The acting is very cheesy and the cinematography is not great. That is not to say that the teams don't put in a lot of work and I do enjoy their entertainment value. They are just not very good quality overall.
HOWEVER.
I have been blown away by KinnPorsche. Yes there is a glorification of rape culture - what with Kinn having sex with Porsche while he is still drugged up, and the whole Stockholm Syndrome aspect with Pete/Vegas (btw. I ABSOLUTELY **ADORE** PETE - he is probably my favorite character in this entire show).
But the cinematography. The storyline. The ACTING! EVERYTHING IS PHENOMENAL!
Like literally everything I dislike about Thai BLs (aside from the rapey aspects) were fixed. No cheesy product placement - it was there, but subtle - like it should be. Not over the top and obvious. The way they utilized the products was great - except the random really glaring hair dye PP for Chay in Episode 10 (I think) . The chemistry between Kinn and Porsche was incredible. Were there a few weak links when it came to actors? Sure. But you can't have everything be 100% perfect.
When the actors spoke English it was intentional. Even though Kinn had a strong thai accent, it was very good. Vegas and Ken (I think that was Perth's Character) had amazing English. I can't speak for the Italians but based on the English, I can assume they did a good job there too. Every thing seemed intentional and well executed. The fight sequences were so well choreographed. Especially the one in Episode 1. The intimate scenes although a little too explicit (but there is a non-explicit version of the show so ??♀️), in my opinion the entire thing was very well choreographed and seemed *mostly* realistic.
There were a few continuity issues that were glaring to me, but on the whole the show was amazing.
I loved Thankhun. He is probably my second favorite character in this show. OMG. I could talk for days about how incredible he is.
I do like Vegas as a character. He is fucked up. He grew up in the Mafia, with an abusive father. He has probably always been compared to Kinn even though Kinn isn't even the eldest brother. He has probably always been expected to overthrow the family even though his father failed to do so (or perhaps never tried). He is smart and handsome - and yet he is never good enough. I can see how he got so fucked up. I would love to see a second season with a redemption arc for Vegas. Maybe even one where he becomes Kinn's left hand - and most trusted person - all because Pete vouches for him. And he CAN be trusted. He doesn't want the power, he just wants to be loved. And Pete gives him love, Porsche gives him friendship and Kinn doesn't hit him when he fails.
Pete is like honest to god. My favorite character. He is one of those characters who is good, but if he's good then why is he in the Mafia? Y'know? So he's got a dark past obviously, and we get to know that when he's getting tortured by Vegas. And if anyone tells me Pete doesn't have Stockholm Syndrome, go look up what that is. He's sympathizing with his captor. He is literally the Poster Boy for Stockholm Syndrome. I do like the Vegas/Pete arc. but there is too much trauma there. For both of them. Like Vegas literally tortured Pete almost to death. Like I don't think people get that. Also people are saying Vegas let Pete go, but Pete literally knocked Vegas out and then escaped. He was not LET GO freely. There's a lot. A LOT of trauma here. Abusive father. Torturer turned lover. Pete has it rough.
LIKE HONESTLY. YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS SHOW.
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The stories didn't seem to have any point to them. Or maybe I just didn't get the point?
Overall they weren't bad. The production quality is pretty good. And the actors are really young, but they've done a decent job. I always find young thai actors who are in BL roles are very awkward. I don't know what the production process was, but they should have maybe worked more on breaking the ice between the actors some more. Because some of the characters were long-time friends, but their interactions seemed very stilted and new. Not like old friends. If you know what I mean. That being said, they were all really adorable in their roles.
Watch to support if nothing else, because it is an interesting watch, and it isn't very long. I think each episode is 15 minutes. and the last two are combined so it's 30 minutes.
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This review may contain spoilers
Ok. So the non-con aspect of this show really squicked me. Where Tharn comes onto Type when he knows Type hates gay people, and he keeps pushing that line. Type crossing the line with Tharn's personal stuff also was problematic for me, but I know stuff like that really does happen when it comes to roommate conflicts, even when they aren't about such personal issues. But Tharn giving drunk Type hickeys and then forcing a BJ on Type in the bathroom was bad. Especially after he's witnessed Type's Trauma and Nightmares. Some of Gulf's expressions are weird. Like when he's at the bar (especially in the 2nd special) listening to the band play. But I actually love what Gulf brings to Type, that he gives Type a harsh accent and abrasiveness.
I like that Type doesn't take shit from anyone. I like that he's a bossy bottom. I hate possessiveness but somehow I like it on Type. But I don't like that he hits Tharn. That really annoyed me. I mean I get that it was alluded to they were a little into pain play, but I'm pretty sure Tharn did consent to being kicked in the nuts of punched or slapped just because Type was jealous. If that happened to a female, it would be partnership violence, so that same goes for a male partner. There are ways he could have expressed it without being abusive towards Tharn, I feel. IDK. Maybe I'm being too pedantic. IDK.
I like Tharn, for the most part. Apart from the non-con in the beginning. I love that he's a monogamist - that he puts all his eggs in that one basket. I love that about him. Also, he cries so pretty (that scene from the intro when he's all red eyed and nosed and hugging type from the back because of reason that are spoilery). I don't know why they put so much make up on Mew though. I get that they were trying to make him look younger, but they just made him look so cakey because of it. They should have just let him be. He's gorgeous as it is and some guys look older. It's a thing.
Techno. I LOVE THIS TECHNO. He is ADORABLE! I Also love this Champ.
Tum - This Tum was HOT like BURNING! That smoldering glare he gave Tharn in Episode 1. *shivers down my spine*. I didn't know their history. I totally thought they were gonna have a go at each other in the bathroom at school. hahaha.
Overall, I really enjoyed this series. The chemistry between Mew and Gulf is amazing. And they are really beautiful together. The story was interesting. I enjoyed the time skip as well - and finding Type more comfortable in his own skin. I look forward to the second series.
I really liked the title track. It is so catchy (even if the lyrics are a little sketchy). I also like the song Tharn sings to Type in the final episode. <3
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