Started off beautifully, but didn't really pull through
I'm not really one to write reviews, so this is my first one ever, but I just really felt the need to get a few things off my chest regarding this one.The series started out really really good. I do have a soft spot for the whole "childhood friends growing up together, slice of life" sort of genre. And for the first half of the series I was thinking this could be a potential 10 star drama i my book, making me very invested in both the characters, the plot and the series as a whole. I laughed, I cried, and the nostalgia hit me hard. I swear, every time I heard the MSN notification sound was like an arrow shot through my heart, bringing me back to my own memories of growing up. I loved it!
This series also tackles topics like loss, grief, trauma and different types of pain, so it's meant to be emotional and make you feel things. It's supposed to be slow paced, something I often really like. But after a while I felt the episodes just started dragging out the emotional scenes a bit too much, even for me. A lot of what was supposed to make me feel sorry of hurt on behalf for the characters started to feel more like fillers, than actual plot or progress. Which again made me lose interest. Also the frequent time skips really made me lose track towards the end.
I don't really mind that they've kept it a bit low on the romance, but I do feel like we missed out a bit on what could have been valuable development between the characters and made it lack a bit of depth.
I wish I could give this show a top rating, as it started of beautifully, however I just don't think they managed to pull it through all the way to the end. I still liked it though, and I do think this is an underrated series, and that it's worth watching, I'm just really sad about losing the initial spark and enthusiasm I had for this show as the weeks went by. Oh, and don't even get me started on the wigs..
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Friendships, family and love
First off, this is not a classic BL series. This series is about a group of friends and their relationships with each other and their families. So if you're not into that, don't watch it.That said, don't just dismiss this because it's not your normal fluffy BL series.
I really liked it, 'Remember me' has a nostalgic feel and it tackled some interesting storylines.
It's sweet, emotional, funny too, it shows different types of relationships. It's quite a slow series, it has a bit of the same vibe as My only 12%. I'd say if you liked that one, you'll probably like this one too.
I absolutely recommend it.
Good music, good character development.
Plus a good ending. :)
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It's not perfect but it does have a lot of value...
It's not perfect but has a lot of watch and rewatch value. It's not a typical BL but it does have a long term romance story and another two that doesn't really develope but does happen in the last episode. There are many life messages that are beautifully done in this series. The young boys and how they accepted Name and treated him as he wanted to be treated. I never had any relationship with my grand parents and it was wonderful to see. Yes there are issues with Champs story but it does work out for him. Granted you have to really want to try and make it ok but it is there. I do wish they would have developed him and let us get to know what was really going on with Champ more. I beleive he was very lonely and was in denial of it. I thought for sure when he was crying over the pickled fish he would say that he was lonely. It would have been very powerful if he did. Anyway, the break up of Gun and Golf was not genuine and not done well. Name and Em never had thier time in the sun either. That was also a scripting issue. Regrdless, I felt that the messaging was very strong and something that is very much needed in the world in 2022-23. There is too much hate, anger in the world and not enough compassion understanding, tolerance and unconditional love displayed in the media. We are what we watch and humans by nature imitate what we see. I wish it was better. It could have been an awesome series but wound up being a very good series. The rating is is way too low. Eeven wiht the teriible wigs... LOLWas this review helpful to you?
Well Known Ships
This show capitalizes on well known and likable ships. That's fine. It has some good actors in it with good chemistry. For me, I can't seem to call Leo and Fiat anything but Leo and Fiat whenever I see them. They are Leo and Fiat and that's on that.The music irks my soul. A lot of BLs use repetitive soundtracks and I have to deal with it. But if the music is annoying it can become unbearable. And when the music drastically switches moods like you're trying to sway the viewer's emotions it's even more annoying. Also, playing the same music on repeat for like 8 minutes is highly unnecessary...
The story moves slowly. I kind of expected that. I don't mind a slow burn but there needs to be actual content happening. If I can fast forward minutes at a time and not be confused, then vital time is being wasted in lieu of more story-advancing content.
Anyways... This is okay lol. I haven't dropped it so that's something.
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EMOTIONS...
I've read the reviews and there are lots of em and you see I understand why there are so many reviews with low ratings...they might have expected for the series to be entirely a BL series but if you'll look at it on a different perspective, you'll come to realize the beauty of the series.NOSTALGIC. In the sense that, the timeline of the story is parallel to my personal timeline. And as an Asian I was able to relate to the story on a different level. The passing of time is so nostalgic that's why I understand the slow pacing of the story given the long timeline and number of casts with different stories. With so many stories to share building it up would really take some time but I like parts of it. Just some less satisfying parts but it is fine.
CASTING. Fair enough. Not a big fan of Ja and First but they did great. The one who played Champ really did well. The emotion that he conveyed on his scenes are so realistic. Among all casts the one who played Em portrayed a remarkable charisma for me. He's pleasing to watch.
OST is a LULLABY. I spent so much time listening to the OST of this series. I don't understand Thai but I felt the "music has no boundaries" impact while listening to it. I'm closing my eyes while I listen to the song everytime it is played and it feels like I'm traveling to the past and it would make me cry.
More than BL. This is more like a coming of age life journey story of not just members of LGBTQ but of all sexes. If you'll watch this series with this kind of attitude you will surely like it the way how I liked it.
Overall, great series. So relatable and heartwarming.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Drama Is Actually A Heartfelt Slice-of-Life Coming of Age Story
This is an unexpected one. Despite the timeline being confusing at times and choppy in places, some plot holes/continuity issues and slight sound issues; the story is quite heartfelt. I fell in love with the character portrayals and the homely (I don’t know if that is the right word - maybe nostalgic) feel of the cinematography.The acting capabilities were a bit of everything but each character portrayal felt genuine. So much so that the less polished acting was never an issue. It even had a slight charm to it.
I especially liked the sister character, Name’s mother, Em’s mother and Champ’s grandfather. Additionally, each of the main leads had moments throughout the series where they shone. I was taken with Gun’s character especially when he started interacting with Golf at university. His acting seemed to step up in those scenes. The actor who played Name did some powerful acting with just his face and nothing else in the first half of the series but they under-utilised him in the second half imo. I’m surprised I haven’t seen him around much in other BLs.
All the child actors did well but I particularly liked Nan’s child version. The turmoil his older self had when he found out the girl he liked was in a wheelchair, was his character’s shining moment for me. He showed a lot of sensitivity, and seeing him grapple with that stigma vs his genuine feelings for her was portrayed quite well.
I’m not sure if I liked or disliked that they only revealed what Champ’s issue was towards the end of the series, in regards to why he always pressured himself to succeed when no one else was pressuring him. I did have a few guesses as to why he was that way but since it could have been any one of those reasons, I was waiting for them to shed some light on it.
The way they portrayed the two queer relationships was also one of the series' strengths. When Golf asked Gun to marry him as he was getting the last of his stuff post break-up and Gun immediately said yes, I was getting ready to curse at how quickly they glossed over the reason they broke up but thankfully; they had the much needed conversation straight after and it made my heart so happy. I also found Em and Name’s romantic dynamic so refreshing. As we neared the last couple of episodes, I was getting worried they wouldn’t give us a satisfying enough conclusion for their love story but I was worried for nothing. The conclusion suited their dynamic and the kiss was very satisfying for me.
This is one of those odd dramas where even though it had as much things that needed improvement as things that were good; the good still carried it ahead as opposed to the bad dragging it down. Any other drama and this would be squarely a 6/10 or a 7/10 drama, but with such a good story with a slice of life/coming of age feel; it’s easily an 8/10 drama. It’s got heart (you’ll tear up at the emotional and heartwarming bits), you’ll fall hook line and sinker for the characters' lives and you’ll actually be taken in by the charming cinematography - even with the low budget feel and the slight sound and editing issues. It has the makings of a Thai classic and if not for the mentioned issues, this would be a 9/10 or a 10/10 drama.
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In defense of remember me
I made an account just so I could defend this drama. Going in I wasn’t expecting much I was just bored and looking for a bl to watch on Viki, but I was moved a lot while watching it. There’s a lot happening but each storyline made me feel so much. It’s true that remember me is not a romance drama but it just has romance in it. But I kind of like that for a change. Most dramas especially bls the relationship is the main plot which is fun but sometimes I want to see more growth outside of romance. This drama gives room for us to watch the ensemble grow as individuals and a group.Yes there were some pacing and script issues that were hard to get past at first, but as I went along I felt like I was watching things sink in emotionally for the character. Where the script lacked the actors really made it feel real. Each character goes through something different that can be relatable to anyone watching. Personally I related to champ a lot through his story.
It’s a story of growth first and a gay romance just so happened to be in it.
I also loved the representation of people with 2 different disabilities/ hindrances.
Please give this drama a chance!
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Relationship between Em and Name
This series is about a group of 4 friends and shows the progression of their lives from Childhood through College. it starts out with Gun, Em and Champ. One day they decide they want to expand their group and Em is charged with getting the new kid in the neighborhood, Name, to join them. Name had a traumatic event years ago abd as a result he does not speak and is home schooled. The Actor that portrays him steals every scene he is in! He gives an outstanding performance. He conveys so much without ever speaking. The series starts with Em, Gun and Champs teacher giving them an assignnent where they have to write a letter to a kid in another school wuth the same ID #. Gun begins writing to Golf. Golf and Gun keep exchanging letters and they refer to each other by their ID #, #8. Golf decides to tell Gun his name and sends him a picture. Eventually it seems like Gun and Golf are the only ones from the original project that still communicate. As the years go by and technology advances they start messaging each other on the computer.Em us a great friend to name he never tries to force Name to talk. He always finds ways to communicate with Name and lets Name feel comfortable. One day while in High School, Em and Name whent to see a movie together on the ride home Em asks Name something and when his head is turned Name whispers "Yes"! The look on Em's face is priceless. He has a huge smile, but so as not to put any pressure on name he pretends not to hear it. Later on as Gun and Em are getting on the Bus to go to College Em says a complete sentence. He says "Come back, please"! You can see all of names emotions on his face. He is so sad, it breaks your heart! You can see how much his friendship with Em has influenced him.
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Sweet slive of life, emotions and nostalgy...
I was surprised by this drama, because I really appreciated these kids growing up and the portraying of their parents. Music was magical, except that some transitions between emotional scenes to funny scenes were very bad.The actors are good, some are perfect.
I loved Em's mother character, strong and affectionate; and who cannot love the caring grand-father?
How to define this drama? Including different sort of couples, at different steps of relationship was more realistic that specific genre as BL or classical romance. Adding a character with disability was great, and the story not too simple about it.
I read a lot about wigs in the comments... honestly, it was not such a big deal for me? because in thai drama, I often find the hair styles totally strange and not good-looking for the actors; so in this show, it was not so shocking...
A funny detail : there is a lot of nostalgy about the previous decade, with new technologies creating new modes of communication; but for me, being in a relationship for about 25 years, I haven't this background; so I wasn't emotionnaly connected at any of these "first uses"... so it was like a documentary for me, "how was living the younger generation who is now 20-30 years! " ah ah ...
But as a mother, this drama was sweet about the parenting moments... and being a very romantic person, I was touched by the freshness of the different couples and the little moments of their evolution.
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This review may contain spoilers
A slice of life
Some may not have liked this, but I did. It is a more realistic view of life than a lot of dramas, and some of it is almost too realistic. This series takes the boys from young kids (grade school) to college age, then working adults. This isn't a pure romantic novel, but there are relationships and love throughout the series. Every one of the main characters has their own flaw, and their own weakness. It was neat to see (and remember) all the technology changes, the various apps, devices, and so on. I grew up in this era that they would have, so when they said stuff like Messenger, or Blackberry it was like a flashback to all the changes I have seen in my lifetime.There was one odd thing I noticed. According to the cities they named, they appear to have grown up maybe 50 miles (80 km) from Bangkok, not too far from the BKK airport. Yet they never seem to visit home once they go to college. They act like it is thousands of miles (or km) away when it it should be maybe a couple hour drive at worst if you were to run into traffic. Maybe we are the odd ones here in my part of the USA, but we drive longer than that to work or to go grocery shopping in many cases. I know many people who have a summer cottage that is 3-4 hours away, and they drive there every weekend.
*Potential Spoilers Below* The characters like I mention above all had their issues. Just like everyday life.
Gun has a huge crush on Golf, and has since they were young. But he is afraid Golf won't like him for who he is. So he lies to Golf about his history and who he is. Later, after Golf is working full time Gun feels neglected. So that causes a bunch of drama. Meanwhile, Golf has also liked Gun since they were young, but has never officially met him. He is suspicious that Gun is his boyhood crush, but isn't sure of it due to what Gun told Golf when they do eventually meet in college. Golf does neglect Gun, however Golf has a reason to do so -but hasn't discussed it with Gun.
Name saw a traumatic event as a kid, and stopped talking to everyone. It wasn't until a second traumatic event happened that he had the courage to speak. It was hard on everyone around him, and even Name was so stressed out about not talking that he was thinking of doing the unthinkable. When Em was away at college, it was very stressful on Name, he didn't have any other friends. Name's Mom meant well, but did some things that weren't so nice. Name's friend Em didn't realize what he meant to Name. Eventually, they both resolve their feelings, and things are much more clear to both.
The playboy Nan falls in love with Chompu, but she has a secret. Nan thinks he is being helpful, but it is too much for Chompu, she thinks Nan is pitying her rather than loving her. Later they reconnect, and attempt to resolve their differences. It is a rough road to get to that point.
Poor Champ is so stressed out about everything. He worries about pleasing Grandpa, he worries about work, school, and everything in between. On top of the stress, he lets anger get the best of him. He won't even take time to visit family, friends, or have a lover because he is too busy and too angry to do so. Eventually he softens his views, but it takes him decades to do so. It seems he might be happier at the end of this series, but unless there is a follow up, we may never know.
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Better than you think...Very well done.
I really liked this series. And, I scored it higher than other reviews basically, because I went into it without expectations. After watching Be Mine Superstar, I have been searching out the First/Ja titles to see how they work together. I loved finding the audition scenes posted on TikTok. And, I noticed after finishing the series this evening - the Viki viewers averaged a higher score than, the MyDrama reviewers. Curious as to why.This is a down to earth series showing a group of friends from elementary school age through college and beyond. Done well enough to keep your interest and they take the time to develop the characters just enough so, you care. With so many cast members and the usual stumbles in the writing/directing department - we always wish for more. Give us the beautiful work of Our Dating Sims where the extra characters are there just to balance the story and never take your focus on the main characters.
This director held the camera on the characters far too long in too many scenes. Okay...we get it...he's sad...move on! But, it is forgivable. Time passing is handled so badly. Em and Name spend the night in the same bedroom and as they fall to sleep - they are awkwardly holding hands. The next scene has them in the same bed together - Em waiting for Name to wake up. Okay. But, wait! This is a completely different day. What the H E double hockey sticks happened? This happens often during the series. Pay attention - you can catch the timeline - though, frustratingly handled by bad editing.
Agree with most of the other reviews. Spend another $1.98 and have another song added to the OST. There were some scenes where the words fit in an almost comical way - not intended - the lazy sound person would just press play and leave the room. REALLY hate the preschool background music they use for most of the production. Just awful. I had to turn the volume down to 4 and thank the gods for subtitles in too many scenes.
Name's arc was satisfying. I loved that they showed his near attempt at suicide when he thought his only friend had abandoned him. When you live in fear and only have people around you tell you to get over it - nothing changes. You really feel lost. When he thought Em had just used him and grown tired of him - what else could he do? And, then - to deal with his Mom collapsing - that scene where he lays on the ground and just gives up is near perfect. And, I love how their little group - parents and all stay together and support each other.
I like that this is just a normal BL. People get together - their friends love that they are happy - life goes on. Golf's parents are wonderful. When the dad wanted them to hold hands was so cute. They were just happy their son found someone to love. And, I love their shyness. So real. And, I thought how they handled Golf's issues were so well done. I know that look when someone does wrong and then, comes into the room being overly happy to conceal what an ass they have been. Evading looking at people, the smile, talking about everything but, being late...handled really well. And, while I thought it was lazy - I didn't mind how quickly they got back together. It should have gone on for a few days longer of Golf being a bit more sorry and tormented at what he had done over the course of many months.
Em's arc was a bit of a mystery. Was he fighting his feelings while in school? Was he feeling overwhelmed? Why he did the things he did seemed more mean than to help. So, I held my breath in many scenes with Name because I felt he was going to hurt him again. It was hard to believe his sincerity when he came to offer support when Name's mother collapsed. But, after that moment - his character never waivered. I grew to appreciate that and his character.
Champ - boy - that was hard to watch. You really hurt with him and thank goodness - he finally let go. What a great way to handle the whole wedding day. Appreciated that detail as well.
Give this one a chance and be patient - it is worth the wait. And, one little tidbit I want you to notice - you never see a straight couple kiss. I can't even remember a hug. They save those kisses and embraces for the BL couples. Cute.
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This review may contain spoilers
I gave it that review because of JaFirst and ManTitle
I (kind of) liked this one because of the plots/storiesGolf/Gun: the plot being about them keeping in contact by writing letters to eachother everyday through the years was really sweet and how they ended up meeting in person by mistake only to find out that they had already suspected one another of being the ones writing the
lettters to eachother. One thing that made me sad tho was that Guns reason for never approaching Golf was that he didnt think golf liked him because of the way he
looked, that made me sad.
Em/Name: this one was a cute one because Em was the only other person besides his mom that Name truly
trusted (yeah he had the friend group but he was closer to Em then the rest of them) i kind of feel like they robbed us on this one because we barely had any context on how their relationship had went from friends-Lovers since they had only been lovers for like 2 eps (the last ones). I didnt like that Em had only talked to Name because Names mom had asked him to tho and the fact that he disappeared/ reappeared from Names life because his mom asked him to and how he completely disappeared from Names life when he went off to college.
Nan-Chumpo: i dont really know how to feel about this one because Nan gave up his future for Chumpo (also didnt know how to feel about Mean directing and staring in a BL/Y drama after everything that happened/ came out about him)
Champ: my poor Champ suffered throughout the whole series from having to move away from his family to his
family hiding the fact that his grandpa was sick THEN
hiding the fact that he passed away and also hiding the
fact that the family dog had passed away plus his sister not visiting him for 2 years only to visit him 1 time and
telling him that she is pregnant, getting married and
needs to move away (im pretty sure she only visited him because she felt guilty)
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