WingedBean

Moody, Sensual, Messy & Thought-Provoking

When this story starts, it presents itself as social commentary with a side of romance. 10 episodes later, and this is, in fact, romance with a side of social commentary. It is a slower type of romance as a large part of the story is spent on Jira trying to pick between the two men, Pheem and Koh.

The Characters
🎨Jira - He's indecisive in the romance department, stringing two men along for far longer than it was necessary IMO. On one hand, there's Pheem. The seemingly good guy, who, according to the synopsis, is physically Jira's type to a T. On the other hand, lies Koh. An unapologetically capitalistic arsehole, who, if you listen to Ing, is Jira's type, personality-wise.

Jira is also an artist down on his luck and broke. He wants to keep doing art in a world that is slowly being taken over by AI. And worse, he now works for a tech bro whose world is AI. He hates the tech bro for his values, which clash with his own. He's also attracted to tech bro but tries to deny it

💻Pheem - The seemingly good guy. While he may look like the better option at first, he wasn't the right choice for multiple reasons, the biggest being that he's fake AF. He only pays attention to what Jira likes because it'll increase the likelihood that Jira will sleep with him. He's also in a one-sided beef with Koh, which didn't do him any favours, if we're being honest.

💼Koh - The unapologetic asshole with debilitating social anxiety. He's unlikable, and I think that's the point. I don't quite think that we, as the audience, are meant to really like him. Only Jira is, and so we like him or give him a chance because Jira likes him. And because, as the story progresses, he changes parts of his life to make space for Jira. Does he become the perfect man? No. But parts of him are softer because of Jira.

Ing & Mawin also made rather interesting side characters and friends to both Jira and Pheem

The Relationships, Specifically the Romances
🌹🥀PheemJira - The chemistry between the characters was undeniable, but they'd have never worked for multiple reasons. Noteably,
1. As previously stated, he's fake - From changing his taste in music to getting that new tattoo on him. He never fell inlove with the things Jira liked enough to make them his own. He simply co-opted them to make himself look good in front of his conquest.

2. He's very pushy, especially in the sex department - All he knew how to do was flirt and insinuate that the two should sleep together. A note I wrote in ep 5 stated as follows 'Almost all their interactions end with him suggesting that they go home together. Jira is sometimes willing n other times doesn't seem into it. Like in ep 5, I feel like he took him home coz Pheem asked. Had he not, I don't think he'd have brought it up.'

3. He never made a good muse - Remember when Jira finally asked him to sit so he could paint him, and the man couldn't do that. He kept moving around and once again, resorted to flirting with Jira. I don't paint, but that seemed disrespectful AF to me.

I was never quite convinced that Pheem loved Jira. Even in that emotional and very well done scene in ep 7 in the rage room. Pheem only seemed to care that he won Jira and Koh lost him. Eventually, in all his scheming and jealousy, he fell in love, but it was too late.

🌹🖥️KohJira - I like to refer to love stories like theirs as 'the heart wants what it wants.' They shouldn't work. Actually, they'd probably thrive better if they went their separate ways and never crossed paths ever again. Yet, they choose to remain together. To try and forge ahead even when their circumstances and even values show that they likely will not work long-term.

Something keeps pulling them together. Such love stories always scratch a very special itch in my brain. I love them. They are human in such an interesting way. It's like they scream at you 'Hey, humans and love aren't black and white. They are very much shades of grey.'

They fall for each other partly in the bickering and partly in the silence. I think that Koh made a more interesting love interest because

1. Jira actually liked him. - I found it most interesting and hilarious how Jira was always so physically unresponsive to Pheem. However, with Koh, the man just needed to look at him, and bro would be hard. Jira would try to transfer those horny feelings to Pheem, but it never worked.
He looked like a ragdoll every time Pheem kissed him. So stiff with little emotion across his face. However, with Koh... Refer to the bedroom scene in ep 1, the painting scene in, I believe, ep 8 in Koh's house with the flowers, and the kiss scene on the rooftop.

2. Koh willingly changes to better suit Jira - Not fully, of course. But where Pheem's changes felt manipulative and held an ulterior motive, Koh felt genuine. And the changes were never extravagant.
Simple things like going to get him from his house coz he knows his commute is long, getting breakfast in the morning when Jira slept over, even if he himself said he never liked breakfast, or even braving that club environment to go get Jira.
All these were sincere, and I think they speak to romance better than a tattoo.

3. A clash in values vs attraction - Koh has the personality of a lemon. He's also a ruthless capitalist who only cares about the bottom line. Jira thinks that everything should be above board and humans should care for each other. Koh is also a pro AI fellow, and Jira is an artist at heart. Jira cares about human-made art, and his main source of income is being threatened by the very thing Koh is pushing for. Bruh, when I heard 'input Jira preset' in ep 9, I died. I simply passed away.

However, despite all this, they continue to be attracted to each other. Jira fell 1st, although he tried to deny it, but Koh fell harder. But Koh doesn't seem quite interested in changing. How the hell does such a relationship survive? I like that their relationship ended on a 'happy for now' note, because honestly, I wonder how they'd survive long-term.

🎭🧑🏻‍🎨The Social Commentary⚙️👨🏻‍💻
The story posed an interesting question in the AI vs Human debate. I think once on Twitter, I saw Nunchy say that they weren't really looking to answer if AI was good or not. Whether it should be shunned or remain. Rather, they were asking the audience to ask themselves if and how these two things can co-exist side by side. The story doesn't give us a conclusive answer. If you think about Koh as the 'AI' and Jira as the 'Human', you see them work together, clash, diverge, then come together once more.

They end on an uncertain future at the end of the plot. Can the two truly walk and work side-by-side?

I think this is an interesting and real position that reflects where society and technology are today. You cannot escape AI, no matter how much you want to. While people online are loud and angry about AI, the tech bros are still making strides to incorporate it in everything. Job postings are demanding that applicants have the knowledge and willingness to use AI. Many people are also losing jobs to automation. It's maddening, and a lot of fields feel uncertain, especially the creative ones.

Just like Koh and Jira don't know if they can truly work, neither do we, the general population, know what the future holds

💭Random Thoughts💭
a. Some BL ships work incredibly well in darker, moodier stories, and OffFun are squarely on that list. FirstKhao are another. Both excel in grittier plots that make you think, confront feelings and emotions you'd rather not face, and push the envelope in what human relationships are.

b. I find their (OffGun's) fade-to-black NC scenes rather interesting in the BL landscape. I've watched this ship in 3 stories: Not Me, The Trainee & Burnout Syndrome (I dropped Cooking Crush, so we're not counting that). They always have such good chemistry, and their kissing is so good, but their NC scenes are always so short.

I don't quite follow ships outside of TV shows, so I often wonder if this is something they've chosen for themselves. To always go with fade-to-black scenes. I'm not saying they should adopt the scenes in shows like 'Don't Say No', 'My Stubborn', or the currently airing 'Peach Lover', but I'd like more. Unless they don't want to do it, in which case, I'll respect it

c. I'm glad the show introduced me to Dew both as an artist and an actor. I added 'Mr. Kill' to my 'plan to watchlist' because of him. A show I'd originally ignored since bromance is not my jam

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Tough Topics Bound & Highlighted By Tight Storytelling

Often, when I finish a book, movie, or TV show, I go on and on in the review talking about why and how much I either loved or hated it. Other times, like I this case, I have no clue what to say or where to start. Because words fail me. I truly don't know if I have the words to explain why and how much I loved this show.

I started this coz I was in a romance slump. I wanted something darker and above all, something that would make me think. And BOY did I get that. The production is high value as with many Netflix shows, the acting is incredible, and the plot is well-paced and engaging — the plot did lag a bit in the middle, and I thought that the characters were being a bit too reckless, but perhaps that's to make things more intense.

I think what made me fall in love with this story is the issues tackled and the characters themselves.

🔬Fang Yi Jen - I do not know much about autism, let alone asperger syndrome. However, what I know from other TV shows I've seen is that those with this illness are usually utter geniuses or used for comedic relief, or a combination of both. Compared to the regular person, Fang Yi Jen could be considered a genius.

However, instead of this story highlighting that, it chooses to highlight how this condition, unfortunately, makes him both a bad husband and father. Because of how hard it is for him to interact with pple and understand them as a 'normal person' would, he ends up lashing out, when the 'normal' thing would be to be patient — i.e., in the car with his wife and their crying baby.

When his negligence of his daughter in favour of his job ends up getting her hurt, he serves his wife with divorce papers and leaves, never looking back again. He thought he was saving them from himself, but that ended up hurting them even more. He neglected his daughter when she was young and till almost adulthood. If she had never gotten involved in those murders, would he have ever looked for her again? Likely not.

Eventually, he does try and does change for the better, but that does not mean that the poor girl and her mother never suffered. My heart broke so much for them. I loved that by the end, there seemed to be hope for him and his daughter. Fang Yi Jen is still Fang Yi Jen, but where he'd have ignored her before, he takes extra care and time to show up. He also says thank you. This is a personal opinion (observation?), but I feel like most pple only say thank you to strangers, never to those close to them. He now takes the time to say thank you, not just to Hai Yin, but also to the captain, and that one friend (?) he had in the lab section of the police force.

📰Hsu Hai Yin - Lord, did I HATE her in the beginning. She was all for the story. The real people and feelings behind the hard-hitting deadline be damned. However, once she learns the truth about the deaths, after her interaction with the twins' stories, she starts to change, thankfully for the better. This time, it's not just about the hard-hitting headline.

She starts to care about the people she's writing about and how her stories affect not just the subjects, but also others who might be going through the same thing. I do like that she was the one person who seemed to understand Fang Yi Jen the most. He still acts like himself, but instead of demanding that he be 'normal' he takes him for what he is. And eventually, her giving him the space to be who he is leads to a very beautiful friendship.

👧🏻Chiang Hsiao Meng - We feel the most impact in the last two episodes and I cried. Okay, I didn't fall to the ground sobbing, but balancing tears were wiped severally times. She was so, so sad. Her life after her dad was filled with considerable pain. Watching her in the hospital with the mum, then again when speaking to her dad was.... my heart was hurt.

The societal issues were also a huge part of why I liked this plot. Like Hsia Meng, most of the characters were also neglected. They felt like they no longer had a place or a voice in this world because those who were supposed to care for and love them abandoned them when they were no longer of use. Or no longer fit into the mold they wanted — aside from perhaps the story with the twins and Liu Kuang Yung. The twins were a story of jealousy and invisibility, and the latter was about guilt. I'll say that of all stories, I found Liu Kuang Yung's the hardest to empathise with

Rewatch value is an 8, as I feel that this could be a hard story for many to rewatch. Especially once you tie in all the victims' stories and why they chose this path over staying alive and fighting to see another day.

Not sure how to properly end this, so I'll finish with this quote from one of the directors
"In The Victims' Game, there's a group of people who want to let go, and there's a group who also suffers from pain and oppression, but still believes in the value of life. They're trying to bring back those who wish to give up. We hope that the series can make their voices heard when they're still alive."

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No woman (no one really) deserves this

Let's be honest: If Hae Jo was played by Oh Jung Se (or any other non-conventionally attractive actor) and not Woo Do Hwan, NO ONE would have perceived this story as anything close to romantic

When I started it, I genuinely thought that it'd be a great drama. One of the best of 2024, however, everything was ruined by the romance btwn Hae Jo & Jo JaeMi. It was the textbook definition of a toxic love with a toxic, selfish, and cruel man. Hae Jo is not only horrible to the supposed love of his life, but also utterly horrible to his adoptive mother/older sister.

Maybe they were trying to frame this as he has a hard time expressing his feelings, so you need to look beyond what he says to see what he really means, but that's a heck no for me. I would not want a person who uses my insecurities to hurt me, -simply because they are going through something or they are trying to save me from themselves -, in my life.

He insulted JaeMi in such cutting ways and abandoned her much too much. He also ruined her potential love life for selfish reasons, knowing he was going to die. And to reiterate, he was also really crappy to his adoptive mother/older sister. Basically, he is a shit man who ruined the show for me

The only positive here is that Eo Heung & Jae Mi didn't get married. Jae Mi didn't love that man, and Eo Heung, while he did love her, his reasons for wanting to marry her were wrong. I'm glad (for him) that they went their separate ways. It allowed him to finally get under his mother's thumb, stand up for himself by himself, and find himself

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You have to guess what the characters are thinking because they're certainly not going to tell you

You know what this movie made me think of? The 2023 Korean Netflix movie, Ballerina. I did not like that movie. See... Ballerina and Tee Yai: Born to Be Bad suffer from the same problem - a lack of dialogue. They give you great actors, incredible cinematography, interesting action scenes, but very little dialogue. You spend most of the time trying to guess what the actors are doing, how they're doing it, and at times, why they are doing it.

Apo - my dear lovely Apo - has very few lines, especially in the 1st half. I think we were at minute 40 something when he said something and I asked out loud -to an empty living room - 'wait, is this the 1st time he's spoken?' Then I remembered that no. It was likely the 3rd time (in 40+ MINUTES!) - the other two times were at the temple and in the train.

He spends his time looking (glaring) at people and shooting them. I mean, that's cool, but also, WHAT IS HE THINKING???
We know why Tee Yai became bad, but why does he STAY bad? He sees that his friendship with Rek is strained and fraying, so why does he keep pushing and dismissing his friend? He keeps robbing, but why and to what end? What does he do with the money? What does he gain from all of this?

Tee Yai's bestie, Rek. He's very different from Tee Yai. Yes, they rob together, but whilst Tee Yai is ready to kill at the drop of a hat, Rek holds back. Rek also doesn't seem to enjoy their robbery lifestyle and has new priorities once Dao comes into his life. Basically, you clearly see that the relationship btwn Rek & Tee Yai is strained and that something's gotta give.

But they, once again, do not take you through that thought process and the conflicting emotions. Decisions are made, and you sit there like 'oh, I guess that's the choice you made'. Things happen, and you simply have to accept that they did. You don't know how or why they happened, but they did, so just roll with it. Just go with it, babes. Don't ask any questions

All in all, the writing, the script, and maybe even the post-production are at fault for what this movie is. A lot was left unsaid - and as per the credits, a lot was cut-, and I think that was to the detriment of the plot. They give you interesting characters, but don't care to flesh them out enough for you to care or root for them. Perhaps it is, as one commenter said, that this movie would have been better were it a series, or even a miniseries, to help us understand and connect with these characters better

What I'd have given to know more about
👱🏼‍♀️Dao - A prostitute in love with an infamous wanted criminal? Life dealt her some very complicated cards. Plus, can you imagine if we got a glimpse into her thoughts about brothel sex work and the violence that surrounds it?
👮🏼‍♂️Jakkrarat - Is he righteous or corrupt? Maybe he's morally grey? Or perhaps he's an overworked cop experiencing unnecessary pressure from his superior, and that's what turns him bad?
👨🏼Kid (Khit?) - He was a rich kid who shot his a-hole of a dad n went to join a wanted criminal's gang for (seemingly?) sh*ts and giggles. I want to know what pushed him to do that

Sigh... So many questions, so few answers.

Random side note: The number of times I said 'This man is so fine, Jesus' every time Apo came on screen.... That man is so goddamn fine. Christ! That long hair with a goatee is definitely a look that I'd like to see replicated in future movies/series👌🏾

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If your friend group is like this..., LEAVE!!!

This show was such a delight to keep up with week after week. THE DRAMA?!?!?!?! It was sooo fucking good. The characters were messy and human, and above all, the story had meaning and a message in all the characters portrayed.

As for the couples -

1. SandRay were the best couple to me. Not only are FirstKhao pretty AF, but their chemistry is just beyond everything. Their acting, especially Khao, who had such emotional scenes, is top-tier. I love that they found their way to each other after all their trials and tribulations - mostly due to Ray and his drinking problem. I became a FirstKhao stan after this

2. TopMew - ForceBook were much better in this show than in 'A Boss and A Babe', especially Book's character. He was more mature. As for their story in this show, that's complicated. Cheating is something hard to get over, and I genuinely don't know how they'll deal with it.

3. TonNick - Who knew that NeoMark had such range? Anyway, I'm so happy that Nick finally chose to love himself over loving Boston, who never treasured or respected him as he deserved. My heart really broke for him in the last episode, but some lessons do need to be learned, albeit the hard way.
As for Boston, I feel the punishment was deserved. He spent all his time plotting against his friends and putting his selfish needs above all others. Finally, his selfishness left him with no one in his corner.

4. As for Cheum and April... They were kinda meh. And Cheum wasn't a good friend either, especially to Ray. She always favoured Mew more, and Ton wasn't even anywhere in her view.

5. Finally, Yo n Plug, I wish they had more of a role to play. I'd have loved to see their relationship dynamic and the inner workings of dating while trans or dating a trans character. Maybe someday trans characters will get better roles in BLs and not just like comedic relief or the random bar-owning friend.

6. As for Mix's appearance in the ending scene...interesting. Very interesting

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This drama made me convene the group chat - and they don't even watch BLs

This show was sold to me as a BL, but it's honestly so much more. After I finished it, I simply sat in silence, then started talking to myself, trying to figure things out as it made me think about way more things than I expected. Things that I hadn't ever thought about; about myself, love, sexuality and gender, the physical form of your partner vs the soul, and much more.

Other than almost all characters, but especially Kenta, figuring out their bisexuality, there was the main question of whether your love for your partner would be affected if they changed not only their appearance but also their gender. For the cast, the answer was yes. The soul is what matters, and the body is simply a vessel.

For me, it's different. I don't think I'd still love a person if they changed their gender, coz my attraction is towards men, so if they became female... idk. We'd probably be besties for life. We'd be soulmates

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I Think About Them Every Few Months

What would you do if it were the end of the world and your 1st love, the toxic ex who utterly ruined you, came to find you and promised to give you a pill that'd help you quietly unalive yourself instead of waiting to be roasted alive?

At the end of the world with you took me by surprise. I was lowkey convinced that I'd hate the story since everyone said that it was toxic AF. While this is partly true, the story is so engaging and tells the story of a complicated love in the most engaging way that I loved this by the end.

See, the history between Masumi & Ritsu is utterly toxic, mostly because of Ritsu. He's selfish AF both in the past and also as the world is ending. He ruined Masumi. BUT!! Whether we like it or not, this is a story about their 2nd chance as the world is ending, and it is so well told.

I like to think about this story as one of those 'The heart wants what it wants' type plots. Are they good together? No. Are they toxic? Yes. Would they likely be MUCH better off if they simply walked away and found other people? Absolutely. But then again, the heart wants what it wants, whether you, the audience, like it or not, they'll stay together and figure things out, one mess at a time.

I loved seeing that Ritsu had already started trying to find his way back to Masumi. He knew he'd fucked up and was trying to find his way back. The world ending (and the 'dead kid' on his living room couch) was the kick that pushed him to finally get moving. As for Masumi.... I wish him the best. The best being that this time, Ritsu has actually changed and values him. No more cheating or threats to out him

PS.
1. The NC were also so freaking hot and surprising - JBLs tend to be quite chaste. We need more moaning in BLs, no music
2. If the world didn't end, I'd give em 6 months and then check in. I don't trust Ritsu
3. If you're looking for more 'the heart wants what it wants' type stories, I suggest ' My Stand-In (2024)' My Personal Weatherman (2023), My Beautiful Man (Sn 1 - 2021, Sn 2 - 2023, & the movie 2023)

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So Darn Cute

The story is generic - a bit of 'enemies-to-lovers' with a bratty, entitled idol & a straight-by-the-book, couldn't-care-about-idol's-status stuntman. The episodes are short, and the overall vibe is very soft, slice-of-life. And that's the beauty of it. It's uncomplicated, sweet, and straight to the point. Very calming and cozy.

The main actors have good chemistry in their interactions and their banter, and the side characters also did a good job. I wouldn't say I saw any cringey acting in this one. I will say that the 1st episode was a little shaky for me. The editing was abrupt, but I think that's because this was in reel format before. However, after that, everything is done well, and the story follows beautifully.

Also, a side note, Lee Tae Hyung, the actor who plays Gu Jae Yeon in this show, his ears remind me of Wonho's ears

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Slice of Life with a Side of Mystery

The story is very slow. As one reviewer noted, the plot is largely flat, focusing instead on the slow-burn relationship between the main characters. While Ye Li’s revenge and the Lishan Mountain storyline exist, they remain in the background of the romance, their everyday lives, and court politics.

Points to Note
1. The arc with the Cangbei princess, her cross-dressing romance, and the maid felt like drawn-out filler. A long-winded way to bring Mo Jingli back into the picture

2. Ye Li's sister, Ye Ying, I didn't care much for her largely because I am averse to spoiled characters who feel like they are owed something. But if her story teaches us anything, it's never to love anyone more than you love or value yourself and your safety. I am glad she didn't lose her life at the hands of or because of that man and his enemies.

3. The story loses its momentum once the divorce happens. It is already a slow drama to begin with, but once this arc hits, everything feels like it's moving at a snail's pace. I will say, I watched episodes 37–40 at 1.5x speed to finish it.
PS. I did enjoy the Lishan arc that happened in the midst of all this. While she is basically miraculously cured after being forced to confront the trauma, I enjoyed seeing Ye Li's mental health issues brought to the forefront.

Final Thoughts:
I was able to finish this because I wanted something slower. Something to help me fall asleep at night (slice of life dramas/movies/anime do that to me). Had I had different expectations, I'd have dropped it

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Better Writing would've Made it Shine even Brighter

I cannot believe it took me 8 days short of 6 months to complete this drama. I think this happened for 2 main reasons

1. Shine aired at a time when my country was also going through political protests. Specifically, student-led, gen z led protests. The issues, especially the police and military brutality, just hit too close to home for me. Reality bled into fiction, or was it the other way around? The point is, it was too much. I use dramas as an escape from daily life. At the time, this show just magnified the reality around me

2. I accidentally got spoilers. Thank you, my carefully constructed Twitter algorithm. As soon as the show aired, I knew what happened to whom, and that quickly diminished my desire to continue with the show.

Now on to the show itself,
I believe that 'Shine' is a very important story. It gets points for tackling something outside the usual BL lens with the heaviness and seriousness that it deserves. I may not know much about Thai politics, but I know all too well the plight and fight of the people against cruel, corrupt governments.

As for the characters
✨Trin and Tanwa - I found their opposites-attract relationship interesting at first. However, as the story unfolded and as the political matters became more serious, I found them to be more than a little mismatched. I love that Tanwa's carefree attitude and playfulness helped open Trin up to a whole new world. Something less buttoned up than he was used to.

But how did Trin influence Tanwa? The politics and reform matters were important to Trin, but Tanwa never involved himself in them. Never steps foot in this world that Trin cared deeply about - even though his view of some things did come from a privileged lens. Tanwa's story is all about his daddy issues and drug use. For a show whose main theme is political revolution, it was odd that one of its main characters was so removed from it

✨Victor - Turns out that he'd become my favourite character. N not only that, but I also felt like he had been older and a tad bit more mature in his approach for revolution, he'd have made a better partner for Trin. Especially intellectually, and even more so due to the time period they lived in. His dying, particularly in the way he did, broke me. His death is an unfortunate reality of what happens when the pple decide to fight the government.

I have seen this reality on the news more times than I want to recall. I get it, I understand it, but I don't got to like it. I am disappointed in how the show added that 'Don't tell Trin' conversation btwn him and Tanwa. They used that to absolve Tanwa and give him and Trin a happy ending. Lowkey, I feel like Tanwa having to carry that burden of Victor's death would've been a better, more impactful ending for someone like him.

I hope to see more of Peter as an actor in the future

✨Krailert and Naran - I knew it was likely going to end the way it did, I just did not expect the specific route it took to land where they did. I thought that their political differences would drive them apart. Because, yes, opposites attract, but not in cases such as this one. The difference was too much.

I expected that Krailert would choose the military might over Naran and what he fought 4. You know, as he was just another cog in the militaristic machine. I just never expected him to reveal everything, hope for a happy ending, only to be stopped by the wife and her powerful family. While they both left broken-hearted, I feel the most for Krailert. I just know that he spent most of the rest of his life in that room crying, reliving their memories, and playing that song he composed over and over on that piano.

Now Son and Euro as a ship... may the BL gods give them another worthy script in the future. Their acting skills and chemistry deserve another chance. Hopefully, one with a happier ending this time

✨Dhevi (and to an extent, Veera) - To say that ep 8 shocked me would be an understatement. What do you mean that this long-suffering woman, whom I spent 7 episodes feeling bad for, was going to trap a man she knew would never love her by threatening to kill the man he loved? Her turning evil was not in the realm of possibilities in my head. And lowkey did not make sense. I hated that twist.

With all the power she had thanks to her father and brothers, she should've found a way to keep Veera alive and divorced this man who would clearly never love her. She deserved a better character ending than what we got. Speaking of Veera, that horrible hoophobic military general died 'alone' in his cell in the same way that we saw Veera's body. I wonder if the specific way of setting up his death, this was the doing of the other military guys or Dhevi coz I believe that she somewhat loved him.

✨Final Thoughts✨
While I appreciate the heavy topics explored in this drama, I think the writing, especially that of specific characters, left me disappointed. Most of the acting by the cast was exceptional, and I fell in love with the main OSTs. 'Far Side of the Moon', 'Half of Everything', and 'Am I in Love' have found their way into and a permanent place in my playlists

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Holy Shit

I could probably come up with a better heading, but 'Holy Shit' is the only thing ringing in my head because, Holy shit. What the ever-loving fuck?🙆🏾‍♀️?

I'm also not one to come on this platform and complain about how a show is rated or tell people to ignore ratings. I understand that the enjoyment of any media is subjective. I have absolutely abhorred shows that are loved and highly rated to a point that I questioned the sanity of the reviewers and myself, and loved shows that people said were mid or a bore.

With that said, if you are considering watching this, I now urge you to wholly ignore the rating of this show and give it a chance. If you enjoy thrillers, love stories that explore the greys that are humans, and want a story that's not afraid to show just how cruel and evil people can be to serve their own ends, watch this.

The pacing was incredible, the comedy, while unexpected, was good and not overdone, the performances by the cast were incredible, and the social issues explored.... My God. I hate that they are grounded in everyday, horrendous reality. Other reviewers have mentioned it, but the strength of this story is in how no one is either good or bad. There isn't one good guy and one bad guy. Humans are layered and nuanced, and they show you that.

Now about that ending.... I knew some shit was about to go left field when something in my head went 'Are we ending this now? Only to look at the progress bar and realize that we had 11 minutes left.' Little did I know. They done fucked me up in those 11 minutes. I just... Holy shit

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I Actually Liked It??‍♀️

Quick Overall Thoughts:
The ship, their chemistry, the acting by the cast members, and the romance plot carried this show. The production value is incredible as well. However, the plot involving the police case could've been better. It wasn't explored deeply enough for the issues it tried to handle/bring to light.

I do enjoy watching this ship, so some may call me biased. But I do feel that, despite the issues further outlined below, this is a good show to give your time to. While it still deals with deep family and societal matters, it is a much lighter instalment than what we got in 'My Stand In,' and a chance to see what else the actors bring to the proverbial table

Okay, now for my actual thought spewing...👇🏾

What I Liked

🍓The Acting - The people in the cast did their job well. I saw Up back in 2022 in 'Lovely Writer,' then spent 2 years hoping he'd grace my screen again. I'm glad he and Poom chose to be a pair coz I get to see more of him. Poom, the man, blew me away in his role as Joe in 'My Stand In'. And now in this show, he once again proves that he is not a one-hit wonder. May the BL gods and whatever powers that be in that world keep giving them more roles, interesting scripts, good production budgets, and good directors.

Ps. I feel like I should give a shout-out to the actress who played Wayu's sister. Her crying in their reunion scene remains stuck in my mind. It genuinely felt and sounded like she was crying from the very depths of her soul.

🍓The Chemistry - The ship never fails to deliver on the chemistry front, and I love that they choose to go all the way in delivering the scenes as they are required.

🍓The Comedy - From the bits of the trailer that I'd seen b4 the show aired, I'd expected the show to be more on the more serious and sensual side. So you can imagine my confusion and worry after seeing all the comedy in the 1st 2 episodes. It is no secret that Thai comedy is usually a miss for me. However, I liked it in this one. It wasn't overly done and didn't overwhelm or take away from the show. I appreciate that toning down from what we're generally used to

🍓Wayu's & Tai's Friendship - Somebody once left a comment saying that these two gave off the vibe of 'two idiots sitting together telling each other 'exactly!'' and I couldn't have put it better if I tried. They are so idiotic. Great friends, but both are dumbasses. I still cannot believe that Wayu's police spy finsta was never discovered by the bad guys they were trying to catch and used against him/Krit.

🍓The Plot - It is different, and I appreciate that. While some aspects could've been explored further, I appreciate that we ventured outside the box. While Wayu was still in uni, this is not a university-based series. It is also more grounded in real-life issues that both characters face, including familial, financial, career, and societal concerns.

🍓The pole dancing - I liked most of the dance scenes in the Moonlight bar. However, the pole scene... that takes the entire cake. I have always had (and still have) a deep respect for people who can do pole. While I do agree that the dance is sexy, I think what always wows me more is the balance, as well as core and upper body strength needed for pole tricks. By God, I too shall learn how to do pole b4 I exit this earth.

🍓Rose - The actress is talented and beautiful. The character she played was a good friend and offered good comedic relief. We should've seen more of her

What Could've Been Better

🍓The Plot - I think romantic shows that explore serious topics often have a problem balancing both sides.
For example, I loved the investigation side of 'Goddess Bless You From Death,' but I felt that the romance took a back seat. In this one, I loved seeing their feelings grow, their individual struggles with both families, Wayu's financial matters, both characters' relationship with Singto, etc., but felt disappointed by the investigative side.

The police plotline had some potential. Things like
a. Krit navigating being a superior at work while simultaneously being looked down upon since he likely got his title due to nepotism

b. The sex trafficking and human organ trafficking thing - We could have gone deeper with this. Imagine all the corrupt politicians and likely police officers who also benefited from the lives lost due to the organ and sex trafficking ring

c. Ice and his creepy darkweb sex, p🌽rn, and murder business. That likely could've been tied to point 'b' above
I think they'd have been really interesting had we seen more of these things. Could've also tied up the loose ends of the investigation plot better. The bad guy storyline just up and disappeared ater the arrest.

🍓The fight scenes - They could've been directed better TBH. They don't look realistic/convincing, and some feats were outright impossible

🍓 Krit's Parents - Just thinking about them makes me mad all over again. Episode 9 really hurt me. Unless I'm mistaken, this is the episode in which they break up because of the threat that Krit's dad made. The same episode where Krit's mother heard her son breaking down and weeping in his room, and simply walked away, doing nothing. Changing nothing. Just chose to stand behind her husband as he once again forced his son to get married. This time it's even worse coz they know what his sexual orientation is, but their wants and position in society matter more than their kid.

The mum makes me livid. She just sat there doing nothing, but it's framed as though she's the better parent because she didn't abuse her son or actively push him to get married. Yeah, she didn't do all that, but she sat passively while her husband did it. She turned a blind eye to it all, and that makes her just as bad, if not lowkey worse IMO. And let's not forget how she never even knew that her son hated potatoes!!

As for the dad.... Man, I'm tired of this man. Idk about the actor IRL. He's probably a great man. I wouldn't know. But, like..., why is this man a horrible dad in every universe I see him in? He was shit in this drama, he is shit in the currently airing 'Ticket to Heaven', and I'm currently on EP 6 of 'The Evil Lawyer' and guess what....he's a crappy dad and husband in there too!!!! Does the entire Thai industry have this man on speed dial when they need someone to play a homophobic dad and shitty husband? My God!

Now back to the show. After all the shit they put their son through for (I'm assuming) 30 years of his life, all that gets sorted (read swept under the rug) in point 5 seconds because the mum sees Wayu take care of Krit at the hospital and the dad hears that Wayu is a talented and award-winning interior designer? This once again shows how uncaring and classist Krit's parents were. Horrible people.

I do love that Krit got to be happy and accepted by his family, and they accepted the man he loved and his poorer family, too. I think he deserved to feel that familial love from his family after being denied it for so long. But still... I'd have liked a better resolution than what we got.

🍓Wait...now that I think of it, wasn't Wayu in school to be an architect? How did that change to interior design?

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I could watch them in any and every universe

Please skip this if you're looking 4 an actual review. This isn't quite that. It's largely just me gushing about my love for this show.

Hagiwara Riku and Yagi Yusei make me wish that Japan did official ships like Thailand does (and that their TV BL industry was just as big). Ever since I stumbled upon the series about 3 years ago, I have made time to rewatch it at least once a year.

I'm not a show rewatcher like that. 9.9 times out of 10, I fill in the rewatch value rating coz MDL demands it; otherwise, I cannot publish my little drama reviews. So, yes, this story holds a very special place in my heart. No matter how many times I watch it, and know what will happen next, I still find myself craving a rewatch and end up glued to my screen.

Not only are the two actors phenomenal, but their chemistry... Holy Jesus🔥🔥. I like how complex the characters in this story are. What you think is at first, isn't, and the more you peel off the layers of these people, the more you uncover their flaws, their vulnerabilities, and start to fall in love with their complicated love story.

Now on to my thoughts about this Special Edit Version:

💓I think it's edited rather well to fit the movie's length. Some scenes were cut while others were added, likely to make the story flow better. Some of those extended parts (scenes and extra narrations) also allowed you to get a better glimpse of what these characters are thinking. I believe this helps you understand them and their motivations better than in the series

💓The cinematography and subtitles - I think this is what I enjoyed most about this version. Both were a lot better, actually leagues above those of the 1st seaon of the drama.

If you do not have the time to spend on the series, I say you can just watch this version, and you will understand the story just as well. However, if you have the time, watch both. Start with the 6 episodes of the 1st season, then come watch this.

Now, allow me to go daydream, yet again, about the magic that Hagiwara Riku and Yagi Yusei would weave together if they were an official pair and were handed some good scripts with beautifully complex characters

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I understand the hype

Tbh, had this show not turned up on Netflix, I probably wouldn't have watched it.

When the show 1st aired and the people were talking about it, I chalked up the conversations and excitement to fandom hype. I thought the people were lying because
a. I had tried watching Pit Babe before. A show that till date, somehow trickles its edits to my Twitter algorithm, and let's just say that it wasn't a good base to start from.

b. The show was unfortunately airing alongside another drama that I was watching/preoccupied with. One with a huge ship fandom who kept hyping and praising the drama when in truth, -and my opinion is truth in this case-, had a really bad plot and very mediocre acting.

Because of this, I unfortunately judged too soon, and perhaps too harshly, and chose not to watch it.

But then, I finished rewatching 'Khemjira' on Netflix and watched both seasons of 'The Believers' on the same platform. That sent me down a mini spiral where I wanted to explore more thrilling Thai stories based on religion. Thus, I gave this a chance. I am very glad that I did

What I Liked
1. The horror aspect - They said it was scary and meant it. Don't tell anyone, but I watched all the episodes during the day😅.

2. Religion/Folk Tradition/Occultism - I've recently learned that I find other religions fascinating. Not in a 'dig up the tombs in Egypt' type of fascination, but something more along the lines of 'what do they do in this religion, folk tradition, mythic, etc., that's different from what I know or have been exposed to in my religion and culture?

I know what Christianity says, I know Catholicism, and I know things from my culture's traditional beliefs. But how about Buddhism? Taoism? Hinduism? Korean shamanic practices? Chinese mythology? etc. I wanna know. And shows like this one give me a glimpse into it all. It's all so interesting. Scary, as all religions lowkey are, but oh so interesting.

3. Production Quality - *A hand of applause for everyone involved in the absolute masterpiece that was the cinematography*

4. Chemistry - So, when this aired, I saw on my feed fans complaining about how little NC was in this show. Especially considering the previous two BLs that this ship had been in. From those comments, I thought that that'd be to the detriment of the drama, but... I actually liked it. I feel like the fade-to-black scenes allowed them to build and show the sexual tension in this couple beautifully. I would like to highlight Pavel, especially in this one. He knows how to portray desire in his eyes really well.

PS. I am officially a fan of the Muscular Uke Association ( I always was, actually). Pavel and Poom (My Stand In & Love of Silom), for the win. Somebody direct me to more muscular Ukes. Actually, you know what, give me all the ships that go against the standard we are used to. Muscular ukes, shorter tops, age gaps with older ukes, etc. Give them all to me

What Could've Been Better/I Didn't Enjoy

1. All the doubts surrounding the occult angle of the murders - I made sense for Singha and Sey (they are the biggest culprits) to be doubtful of the ghosts in the beginning. I'd be doubtful too. However, after multiple episodes and run-ins with things they could not explain or see, straight-up evidence that there was something otherworldly connected to this case, their doubts felt annoying and frustrating. Especially with Sey constantly basically gaslighting Darin that he was imagining being haunted.

2. The plot from ep 9 - Things started getting shaky, and logic started leaving the building the minute Darin goes to pray in the very house that their team was investigating. With so many temples in Thailand, why choose the one place that's directly connected to an ongoing murder?

Why did the team members suddenly start doing things without informing at least one other person? Why go out by themselves? Why separate when tailing a suspect in abandoned areas? So many decisions did not make logical sense as we started heading to the climax of this story, which was more than a little disappointing.

The plot also felt slower from ep 11. The pacing till ep 10 had been fine, but something fell off after that.

3. King's characterization - It was so very inconsistent that I could not understand who he was supposed to be. A corrupt cop like his dad? An arrogant ex partner come to steal glory once more from the people he fucked over before? A jilted lover who wanted his ex back and was willing to do anything to get him back (even fram current ex's lover over trumped-up drug charges)? A good cop with an overbearing butthole of a dad? A misunderstood good guy? A combination of all? The man had so many switches in personality and end goals that I got whiplash.

4. Some of the acting could be better, especially in the more emotionally intense scenes.

Conclusion: While the show isn't perfect, it is far better than some of what we are exposed to out here. The romance, while not the focal point of the show, is very sweet. The show shines in its production quality, pacing in the 1st 8-10 episodes, and portrayal of the horror of occult practices.

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