Before we get into this, I just have to say, I've been watching Asian dramas (specifically Korean) for about 7 years now. I've seen my fair share of trash shows that are only carried by romance. I've only just recently begun watching Thai dramas. For the most part, I've been underwhelmed by some of the Thai dramas I have seen. However, 'Not Me' hits practically every mark and gave me nearly everything I wanted from it.

STORY:

Every Thai drama I have seen has had such a lacklustre story. I firmly believe a show or film cannot be entirely carried by romance. Though this show does a spectacular job of balancing both plot and romance. I know a lot of you watch Thai BL specifically for the romantic relationships. However, it's refreshing to be just as interested in the main lovers as the story they find themselves entangled in. 'Not Me' strives to give you more than just Asian twinks falling in love. It feels less like its profiting from the LGBT community and more like it's supporting it and adding to the overall conversation. The LGBT rally scene is easily in my top five favourite scenes from the show. As a queer person myself, I know what it feels like to stand with my community like that; it's euphoric. I know Sean and White felt the same. The show's activism doesn't stop there, though. 'Not Me' incorporates themes relating to corrupt justice systems, police brutality, and socio-political discourse within Thai communities.

If you want to actually engage with a show beyond frothing at the mouth over boy kissing, then this is definitely the show for you. If you just want to watch gay dudes making out, then this is also the show for you because there's a healthy amount of that too!

ACTING:

Hats off to Gun for convincingly playing twins. I think a close comparison would be Armie Hammer's performance as the Winklevoss twins in 'The Social Network'. You know it's just one actor, but they've done such a good job you honestly forget it's not real after a while. Seeing the twins together was always such a spectacle because Gun managed to create two completely different and independent characters. When White was impersonating his brother, he never managed to perfect Black's glare. He was obviously soft, not just in his actions but in how he spoke. He was only ever harsh when he realised he wasn't acting like his brother. Black is entirely different; you couldn't help but feel wary whenever he was on screen. Overall, every actor brought their A-game. I was never underwhelmed by an actor's performance. Off was exceptional in every scene he was in. Sean is no doubt my favourite character in the show.

I feel like everyone and their grandma has said this but the chemistry between Off and Gun is off the charts. Even before they started to like each other, I thoroughly enjoyed watching them clash. But their romantic relationship was definitely a standout performance from the two. The way they interacted as partners felt real; every touch, hug, and kiss didn't seem like carefully plotted actions from a script but rather real actions made my two people who love each other. The realness of their intimacy sometimes made me feel like I shouldn't be watching. It was beautiful and I'm sure Off and Gun's real-life friendship is just as beautiful.

MUSIC:

I won't say too much about music but in most Thai shows I tend to cringe at the dramatics whenever the music kicks in. However, I knew this show would be different barely 10 minutes in, during the scene where White comes home for the first time. He becomes immersed in a fond memory of his brother. In the memory, the soft acoustic guitar cuts out towards the end but then earnestly fades back in when we see White's fond smile, the words "where are you" being sung. It's a gorgeous scene and really set the tone for White and Black's relationship. This type of music prevails throughout the show, with the exception of occasional campy musical accompaniment. It's a Thai show, after all, they gotta be campy sometimes.

REWATCH VALUE:

I'll say one thing on the matter...I binged episodes 1-12 in one day, then rewatched the entire show not even a week later due to my impatience for the 14th episode. The likelihood of me rewatching this in the near future is high.

I feel like I may have gone overboard for this review but I was just so pleasantly surprised by this drama. By the end, I loved every character (some more than others...I'm looking at you, Sean). I tend not to care about the side characters in BL dramas but that was NOT the case here. The show never felt low quality, in terms of music, acting, set pieces, costuming, script, etc. It was a high-quality show that deserves neverending praise. The ending was satisfying but I definitely wouldn't say no to seeing these characters again.

Give it a watch! You won't regret it.