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Akk Deserves Better
Recap: Theo moves back to the Thailand after his Grandmother passed in an accident. He is reunited with his childhood best friend, Akk. His new life back home bores him so he writes in a french book in the library, Enchanté, and magically he comes back and someone wrote a message back in the book. After the search for the mysterious Enchanté, comes up with 4 possible people the story begins to unfold.⚠️Tread lightly spoilers ahead⚠️
First off Akk is the embodiment of perfect man imo. It was a running joke between the friend I watched this with and myself that Nubsib from Lovely Writer was our previous standard for men and now Akk has stolen his crown. He's kind, respectful, and kind of oblivious.
The problem lies with Theo. He's spoiled and manipulative. There were a a lot of things he did that left a bad taste in my mouth. We attributed a lot of his earlier behavior as possibly still reeling from the loss of his grandmother but then things kept getting worse. After the Enchanté reveal, his already not great character went downhill. Theo got mad at Akk for not telling him his parents split up but it wasn't Akk's place to tell him and he wanted to keep Theo happy. Theo immediately turning around and calling Sun after he got mad at Akk while drunk and angry is very bothersome behavior.
Theo also seems to have a habit of going to extremes. Akk doesn't pay attention to you for a day? Pretend to be a love rival to get his attention and bribe a guy to pretend to be said love interest with the promise of furthering his career. You find out your parents split up and you don't know if you are holding your boyfriend back in life? Well, don't talk to him about the issue, move back to France, and tell him straight up that you leaving and don't leave room for negotiation. He just got more unlikeable as the show went on.
The rest of the cast was unremarkable outside of Saifa (love you Fluke Gawin?) and i saw some people say that the show should have ended after Episode 8 and I agree.
I recommend this show for a casual watch to fill the time. preferably after a drama that left a worse taste in your mouth. Props to the actors for their amazing acting tho. ?
Note this was written between 1am and 2am after a work day so pardon the weird phrasing.
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Ending not great, but watch it for Theo & Ak's relationship anyway
Enchante’s storyline may not have been revolutionary, but I think there was a solid effort put into crafting an interesting story beyond the typical college BL plot. They could have just slapped together a bunch of good-looking guys, hoping that the eye candy (aka Gawin and Force) would sell the series, but they didn’t.But the mystery of "who is Enchante???" was not what I stayed for.
As a friends-turned-lovers kind of story, the series devoted serious screentime to a blooming romance between friends. And for me, the relationship between Theo and Ak was everything.
Scenes with sexual tension were executed effortlessly – with Force and Book’s effortless on-screen dynamic, their relationship came off as both playful and genuine. Banter aside, they also captured the beauty of falling in love with a friend: Tender gazes that lingered, the breath catching in their throat after one person moves too close, the fear of taking a step closer.
Constantly worried about inconveniencing Theo or making him uncomfortable with his affection, Ak put Theo first even when it pained him to step back. He gave unconditionally and selflessly, even when Theo couldn’t do the same.
Some comments have railed against the ending, demanding to know why Theo stayed hopelessly immature without any character development. But I think this shows not the ugliness of Theo, but rather, with a character like Ak, how there is no way any (necessarily flawed) human being could ever deserve someone like him.
Read my full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2022/04/03/enchante-2022-review-above-all-a-story-about-friends-turned-lovers/
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It's messy but it's funny
It's actually bad, and messy, and the plot twist it's bullshit. But it's funny and ForceBook are sooo charismatic and has such good chemistry that they kinda make it work..? But I watched knowing that it was bad and that made the experience just fine, it was exactly what I was expecting, something funny and cool to watch after watching a tough series, and worked for me!It's kinda camp? I guess.. And my god the CGI was so fucking bad that I almost cried from laughing.
About the main character: Akk BEST BOY, he's lovely, caring and funny. Theo is fucking boring and I didn't like him at all...
Resuming: It's bad but it's funny and you can enjoy if you watch with low expectations like me.
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I DIDNT EXPECT THIS SERIES TO TURN OUT SO GOOD? WTF
Okay, so enchante might not be the best bl out there or a game-changer, but the plot gave me hope that gmmtv actually cares about their storyline lmao. I mean we can see that in their few bl series like not me, bad buddy or he's coming to me, but that's about it! Enchante is gonna enter that list if they wrap the final episode with the best resolution! I love the details and the hinted agendas happening here and there.> idk why yall mad at theo or akk and even siding one of them when they are actually both not wrong nor right! They both have reasons and i understand both of them. Theo was inebriated and dazed from the revelations. His parents didn't want to worry him because he had just returned from Thailand and his grandmother left .. Akk not telling theo becoz its not his business to tell. Everyone has their reasons, and you can't deny that or see things in black and white; there's always a gray area. WHY IS IT THAT EVERYONE ASSUMES THE SUN IS A BAD GUY? Is the goal to stir things up? What if he's there to convince Akk that he's deserving of Theo? Each ambassador served a certain role, so why can't Sun have one that isn't simply for show?
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Cute and Enjoyable
Oh wow, It's kinda new and I like the atmosphere watching this. It was so cute, no hardcore scene. I like this series tho, but I want more from the story (10 eps is not enough for me) I'm not complaining I just want to make it longer XD...Story: It's still a school bl story but it kinda new since no engineering course envolved here hahaha XD.. they are so cute to be honest. I can feel their chemistry together ( no cringyness watching them). The story, I kinda like it but I don't know I feel like there's still lacking when there's no reason for this series to be lack off ( I'm just can't believe it's already done T.T) but all in all Its a cute series to watch to.. 8.5/10
Acting: They are not cringy to watch but I want more emotion from them 8/10
Music: I also enjoyed their ost's and bgs... 9/10
Rewatch Value: Hmmm maybe sometimes? 7/10
Still a good series to watch tho. I Still recommend this to watch .
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A SKY PINK AND PURPLE
I feel like now with the end I lost the best part of my week, Enchanté was and IS a part of me that I will always remember, the story make you excited about everything, the actors are so fine, I'm really impressed, this is a story that I want more so bad that I will rewatch a thousand times, they litterally make the sky pink and purple for me in the lasts episodes, It's a story that I understand that are complete, but I want more and more and more. The soundtrack is AMAZING I always listen on spotify, the only weak point is the production on the last episode, just that. In general was amazing. I hope they release a season 2 or others story with the main roles because man they have CHEMISTRY.Was this review helpful to you?
Lost Potential ...
I was really excited for this one, mainly because of the two ML and of course Fluke ...Although it started off really well, it did fall short after the 3 episode for me, and the main reason for this is the whole I am going to look for Enchante, not sure how many people actually go searching for a total stranger but then end up being your self, I did find kind of strange, and bit a of attention seeking, I do get the reason why he did though, but I do feel there was a way to confess your love. The moment it was revealed who the mysterious Enchante guy is, it just started going down the drain. then the main 4 so called popular role modals that turned out to be greedy or just wanted to use theo to gain something was a little off for me. The whole Enchante concept, build up and payoff was extremely lacklustre and disappointing.
The actor for Theo was pretty flat imo. His acting was fine, but I wonder if it was just because the character was so dull that I wasn’t that interested in him. Akk on the other hand is beautiful and charismatic- I really hope we see him in other works soon. Honestly if he wasn’t one of the male leads in this series, I may have just dropped it- it was that boring.
Overall: I did struggle to watch this every week, and it basically came down to well lets just end it, since i did invest time in it from the start, that goodness it was a shortish drama, as I don't think I would have continued with it if it was longer.
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Honestly, Force and Book deserve better
I worry about Force and Book's careers if they don't get better scripts than this. It had SO much potential, it seems like it was either written poorly or it was butchered in the editing room. The hidden identity story went on wayyyyy too long and was boring. Theo's family stuff didn't come up until the end and was much more interesting and had way more potential. The side characters get story backgrounds and story resolutions, but they skipped the actual stories.That said, Force and Book are stellar together, they carried this mess on their own two backs. Without their charm and chemistry it would have utterly tanked. I will say that I really liked the theme song though.
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A mystery reveal so nonsensical it ruined the series for me
This series began at such a good note that it had me hooked and then there was the final unravelling of the mystery and you realise this is such a mish-mash of all the cliches that a good series was completely ruined.Let me start the rant by first summarizing the story. After a long stay in France, Theo returns to Thailand and meets with his childhood friend Akk. Theo decides to resume his studies and enrols in the university where is father is the dean. Out of boredom on his first day at the university, Theo writes about it in a book and puts it back in the library. On the next day, to his surprise someone has responded on his note and signed as “Enchanté”. Theo now desperately is searching for “Enchanté” with the help of Akk only to find 4 potential candidates.
This is a great story as it holds mystery about the true identity of “Enchanté” and Theo’s desperation to know who the writer is. Also, there is the friendship between Theo and Akk that is trying to develop into something more. The story has a right formula of being something memorable. We have mystery, angst, friendship to romance, multiple guys fighting over the main character with their own subplots.
But the series does nothing with these plot threads. Instead, it takes the route of being the same old. 2 boys who were separated at such a young age instantly have feelings for each other after their first reunion as adults. The teasing and staring in to each other’s eyes at every moment of them getting close to each other only to retract later and make light of the situation. Emotions soaring after a couple of drinks. Breaking up almost immediately after being in a relationship because hell with trying to talk to each other. Getting back together quickly without resolving the underlying issues. And an unnecessary misunderstanding of having a rival.
I won’t speak about what the reveal was lest I spoil this for others who genuinely want to give it a watch but I was frustrated when they revealed who “Enchanté” really was because in light of his identity a lot of the scenes prior do not make any sense.
Also, although the actors did a good job in the series, I felt they lacked chemistry.
In conclusion, a potentially great story with a nice mystery and motivations of all the characters involved was ruined in the last 2 episodes in order to settle for same old plots making this one a mediocre series.
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Not the magical fairytale it thought it was...
My rating would have been much higher if this show's plotline had ended where it was at episode 8 or had episodes 9-10 explored the character's relationship now that they were finally together rather than going the direction it did.I didn't mind the guessing game of Enchanté as it kept me engaged and interested to keep watching. I didn't even mind who it was revealed to be and found the reveal quite interesting because it was not who I had expected.
However, what I disliked the most about this show, especially in the last two episodes, was the main character, Theo. He was unbearably selfish the entire way through and seemed to make absolutely everything about himself, even things that shouldn't have been about him like his parent's relationship. He was extremely hypocritical with Akk, as he had been lying and playing with Akk's emotions through the Enchanté ordeal and then is upset that Akk had not told him something that was not his secret to tell.
I would have been happier with a more bittersweet ending where Theo left and Akk realised his own self-worth and how much better he deserved and Theo had more time to mature and learn that the world doesn't revolve around him.
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Exceeded my expectations
I am not quite sure why I see such negative reviews for this series. Admittedly, I had rather low expectations for it and even considered not watching it at all; but one week before the finale I got curious and watched it. My expectations were definitely exceeded! I will explain why I felt like this was an above-average GMMTV production.First, aspects I didn’t like:
- Even though it only had 10 episodes, the series felt lengthy throughout. Fewer or at least shorter episodes could have helped to avoid some repetitive and just overly slow moments. I like moments of calm, but the story should not get boring because of them. In contrast, the last part of the finale in Paris went way too quick and should have been extended significantly, to make the ending more believable.
- The supposed main plot, the search for Enchanté, didn’t manage to pique my curiosity. I must say that I was surprised by the revelation and did think it was quite a clever twist, but the build-up to that moment just didn’t work the way it should have.
- The main character remained a bit too shallow. While I do not agree that Theo was being overly manipulative and therefore didn’t deserve a happy ending, he should have been given more depth. His character shone through in some rare actually emotional moments, but overall he didn’t leave much of an impression on me. Still, I find it somewhat believable that a rich and overprotected boy like him would be as naive and awkward and make use of unconventional methods, while also relying on others a lot.
But the positive aspects to me were much more prominent:
- The French theme was taken seriously. I imagined they would use the French connection as a mere gimmick to give an otherwise bland story a hint of originality. But they successfully integrated French elements into the soundtrack, some essential dialogues and central symbols (the fox and the rose), and even went for a finish in front of the Eiffel Tower. Sure, this is all pretty cliché, but it worked very well.
- The locations were beautiful. The campus of Assumption University looks stunning, and the scenes in France made up for the lack of the usual mandatory beach scenes. The shots at the democracy monument at night and Theo’s home also contributed to a coherent visual concept.
- The storytelling was surprisingly clever with its use of short flashbacks and changes of perspective, significantly upgrading an otherwise often boring story. The revelation of Enchanté and the background stories of the four admirers were clearly enhanced through the skillful storytelling. The good cinematography played its part as well, the colours and camera angles always fit very well with the story.
- Whenever the series got into emotional territory, it hit all the right notes. Acting-wise, it was Force who carried those moments. For the rest, music, symbols (rose and fox) and several moments of unspoken, but very noticeable thought processes contributed to some truly touching and even tear-jerking moments.
Therefore, all things considered, I will admit that this is not an outstanding and flawless series, not at all. But visual excellence, clever storytelling and a good use of the main theme made up for an unexciting story and some weak characters. Especially for its emotional moments, I will definitely keep a fond memory of Enchanté!
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