It probably couldn't get worse that this!!

Okay, so let me start with Ohm and Fluke. I watched them in Until We Meet Again, then in Close Friends 1 and 2 and finally in 609 Bedtime Stories. And now my fifth drama. I am appalled at the amount of tears Fluke spills. How much can one single person cry over a span of 5 series! Unappealing to say the least and disappointing to say the worst. Why everyone feels they are they an awesome pair is beyond me.

Acting: Ohm really needs to work on getting rid of his wooden face. He is easy on the eye, But definitely not actor material, because he cannot act. In UMWA, it was ok, because his role as Dean and the story required him to be a bit aloof from others but melt for Pharm, but by this time, I am kind of fed up of this flood of disaster.
Let's talk about Fluke. He is seriously coming into his own. He has been an actor for long enough that his skills are being honed well. But I am wondering, isn't he bored of the depressing roles that he is doing? For once, I want to see him in something happy.
I am not going to talk about other characters because there were too many to keep track and I kind of lost their threads after a while. I would have like to see more of Rain and Payu, but honestly, I am still under the LITA fever so, no other Rain and Payu for me except Noeul and Boss. Couple of the kissing scenes were great between them. But okay, nothing to write home about. The villain was undeservedly and unnecessarily pathetic. No meat on her, like she was there for some comedy under veiled threats.

Story: There was one, I think. I don't know. I got lost in the insane amount of plots and sub-plots and sub-sub-plots. In some places, I felt like there was no continuation and the story just skipped parts. I was appalled also at the lack of scientific knowledge of the script writers. How the hell does eating an apple keep heart failure away? They took 'An apple a day, keeps the doctor away' idiom to the bloody next level. And how could possibly someone with a bleeding brain do sports? There was nothing appealing about this story at all.

Music: Sucked big time, in the sense that, there was nothing entertaining about it. It was regular, run off the mill music that was disappointingly cheesy and lacklustre. No words.

Rewatch value: Will I watch this series again? Not even if you threaten me with possible death. I had rather die than watch such crappy work. I will need a dose of a happier drama if I need to get my head out of this one.

Recommendation: If you are a glutton for punishment, go ahead, but at your own peril. Don't say I didn't warn you. Good luck. Otherwise, walk away. Best decision possible. Don't be fooled by instagram videos.

Read More

Cute, cliched, yet cringy!

I am going to be very honest. I had no plans to watch this series, even though it was on my list. After reading some of the reviews, I was a bit disappointed. But then I got to know that it was produced by Saint Suppapong. What can I say? I am a sucker for Saint. Just love that guy! So I said, okay, maybe one time, let's do this. But I was in for a very pleasant surprise.

The 'main' characters in this story, a group of 4 friends. In a regular drama, the 4 of them would have been friends of the main couple, or sidekicks or used for comedic relief. But in this series? They are the leads. You have Toh, Jao, Daisy and Som (the only girl), all 2nd year students of Communication Arts. Their friendship is to die for. Toh crushes madly on one of the popular boys, Nuea, who has a clique of his own, consisting of Sky, Tor, Khongkwan and Fon. He ends up clicking Nuea's picture, which kind of brings him and his friends into Nuea and his group's lives. This is the basic premise of the story.

Nothing new, you say? I agree. Nothing new, except the way it has been treated. As I said before, Toh and his group are not your regualr 'lead' characters. But the way they have been built, the way they have been treated, is wonderful. I know a lot of people felt that Toh is a creepy stalker. But he is absolutely not. He has 0 stalkerish tendencies, because he never makes Nuea uncomfortable. On the contrary, it's actually Nuea who, if I may say this, uses the crush Toh has on him to turn a bit stalkerish and possessive. But in no way does any make anyone uncomfortable. Toh simply loves the attention that he gets from Nuea. Although he thinks nothing will come out of it, he still is happy he got a chance to be in the world of his crush. But much to his surprise, Nuea not only crushes back on him, he also wants to be his boyfriend.

Then we have Sky and Jao. Jao has body issues and is always conscious of that he may not be the perfect match for someone like Sky, so does everything to push him away. However, slowly and steadily, with lot of love, understanding and support, Sky wins Jao over. What really surprises me is how all a lot of issues have been handled. Jao's body shaming, Toh's apparent 'ugliness', Daisy being trans and In falling for that. The beauty of this series is the way in which Nuea and Sky handle their boyfriends' insecurities. The obvious and blatant public display of affection is so beautifully done, that there is no way in hell that anyone seeing them together will not be able to figure out that how head over heels in love Nuea and Sky are with Toh and Jao. They don't lose a single opportunity to tell their partners how beautiful and wonderful they are and how much they deserve their love.

This is why even I fell in love with this series. Because true love exists, but needs to be shown. The truth is, Toh and Jao are not the only ones like that in the world. We all face insecurities everyday because of the way we look, the way we are physically, intellectually, even mentally or emotionally different. We all have that one moment in life when we feel like we are the odd one out. And somewhere, we all want that one person who can just let us be ourselves, lets us dream of a better life, loves us without any boundaries, cares for us with their whole heart and makes us believe that we are perfect just the way we are. Finding someone like that is rare, but isn't it something we all dream of? So somewhere, SCOY makes you want to believe, believe that true love is there. Whatever look like, however you behave, whoever you are, love is waiting for you.

Things that I loved:
1. Acceptance of the families.
2. Blatant PDA!
3. The kisses between both the couples were hot and smouldering.
4. The 2 couples were given 2 distinct styles of NCs, depicting the nature of their relationship.
5. The three scenes in which Saint appeared.
6. The relationship, trust and love between the 2 sets of friends in their own groups and a group as a whole. I loved how they intermingled perfectly and fit together so well.

There are some things that did make me a bit frazzled.
1. There was a really weird and unnecessary fight scene depicted at the party Nuea took Toh to. Not impressive, and a sheer waste of time.
2. Daisy-Intouch and Som-Tor relationships were somewhat done outside of the screen. I would have liked to see a bit more of the development of their story arc.
3. Prao and her cronies. They were funny, but selfish and entitled. I especially did not like the fact that despite Nuea making his feelings perfectly clear, she could not take a 'NO'.

My opinion? Definitely a watch!!

Read More

Mindless fluff

Okay, let me start by saying that if you want to take a break from any kind of toxic series and watch something totally brainless, Ai Long Nhai is for you.
I quite enjoy such series, especially since I watched this just after I watched The Glory, so this was a welcome break. I liked it overall, mainly because it was soft and sweet, but I must admit that there are some glaring problems that really bugged me.
Cons:
- Ai Long Nhai is in the same universe as Tonhon Chonlatee, so there should have been some kind of continuity. if it was meant as a prequel, then too, it didn't make sense. in TC, Ai is in Food Sciences with Chon and Nhai in Civil Engineering with Ton. But in this (parallel) universe, all of them are in Aeronautical Science. It is too glaring an error to go away.
- Nhai is consistently idiotic and a bit brainless. His personality is adorable, but this kind of weirdness can be a bit putting off. And, to be honest, I have never seen anyone with such a weak constitution as Nhai. The amount of times he falls sick, it;s unbelievable. Ai is forever taking care of him. It's a bit too much to take in and takes away from the overall enjoyment of the series.
- Nhai's jealousy was petty and unnecessary. It made me feel that it was such a silly thing to be angry about. I did not appreciate his destruction of Ai's house. That was petty and immature, and unwarranted. He is a university student, not a 5 year old fighting over who has got more candy.
- A lot of unresolved issues. Jida, the love interests of the friends, Ton and Chon randomly shown together and suddenly dating, Ai's mom, all felt like unsnipped threads that kind of left the story hanging.

Pros:
- I must say, a real life couple may not necessarily be able to translate their chemistry on screen and this is true vice-versa. But Arm and Porch make such a beautiful couple that I was really hoping to see more of them. I really wish they had been given more screen time. However, whatever little time they had together, I loved it.
- I loved the amazing support from both sets of dads. Especially Nhai's dad. With Ai's dads being what they are, acceptance was never going to be an issue. But Nhai's dad's reaction was definitely something I cherished a lot.
- Nhai standing up to Ai's mom is seriously the most mature thing he has done. He was smart, steadfast and not once did he think of breaking up with Ai, which really made me respect him a bit.
- The friends... Another group of friends that I absolutely loved. Crazy, nosy and accepting, just the type of friends you need to brighten up your life

Overall , this is not too bad a series. I will definitely recommend a 'one time' watch. But if you really want to enjoy it to the fullest, watch it as an independent series from Tonhon Chonlatee!!

Read More

No, definitely not!

I have never actually been a fan of sequels, remixes and remakes. Whenever such a thing is announced, I feel like I will be disappointed. And this show just proved me right. While I will not say that it was terrible, but it definitely did not have the spark that the Thai version had.
There is the initial 'sister writing a BL', but that was it! Yugyeom is not Fighter and Sunwoo is not Tutor. The chemistry, the sexual tension, the teasing, everything is missing and in spades. The sight of Fighter walking into a space with that body, not afraid of showing his body at the drop of a hat, and the sheer steam when Zee and Saint are in a space together... I think I am officially out of words when it comes to describing them.
On the other hand, Yiwon and Ji-Oh are definitely not Zon and Saifah. While they are a bit of the redeeming factors of the show, I am not really impressed, and I am pretty sure it's not easy for any of us to be able to digest it directly.
Also, the coming together of both the couples seems too contrived and disjointed, and too fast, packing a lot of things into one last episode.
While I really liked the transition of Kim Ji-Oh's character (maybe he always like Yiwon), the rest of it didn't make sense. While I will never say that it's not a good show, it is not a great one either. It has it's good moments, the kisses are pretty decent, and the clingy Kim Ji-Oh is an adorable cutie. And all the four actors are pretty good looking. There is no manipulative female character, although some of the other classmates are a bit obnoxious.
Yiwon's sister is a good cast, and sweet to boot. I like the sister's character in the original too, but here her role is not as much.
A lot of people may feel that this is a better show, as it doesn't drag on like the original, but i beg to differ, with the caveat 'to each his own'.
As I said, I am not a fan of any kind of reboot, because comparisons to the original are inevitable, which is why I am not looking forward to the Thai versions of Kieta Hatsuoki (Gemini-Fourth) and 30 years of virginity (Tay-New). Not that I will not watch them (c'mon.. who can resist either of those couples??), but with a pinch of salt!

If you are missing a bit of fluff in life, go ahead and watch this at least once, but a rewatch will not be recommended by me for sure!!

Read More

The Day I loved it!

Let me begin with saying that this is my first Pinoy drama. So I didn't really go into it with any expectations. But this drama set my bar so high that others are going to have a tough time living up to it.

Story : The first half of this drama is all sweet dreams, beautiful, bright and bubbly. There is nothing new to it. A troublemaking high school senior Elijah, is caught playing a prank. Instead of suspension, he faces the challenge of being present at the school dance that's being taught by another, more serious and 'nerdy' senior, Nikko. Now Nikko is openly gay, loves to dance, and is generally the kindest and sweetest soul! And Eli, although hesitant and rebellious at first, falls totally in love with Nikko!
But like they say, happiness comes with a price. The price we paid for really enjoying the budding romance between Nikko and Eli is the day of the promprosal, when Eli gets to know that Nikko suffers from ALS or Lou Gherig's disease.
Eli is devastated but trying to stand strong for the boy he is falling in love with, he sets out to make all his dreams come true, including an incredible 2nd promprosal and a beautiful prom date done in Nikko's home.

Acting : I know a lot of people may not agree with me, but Raynold Tan is a far better actor than he is given credit for. As a first troubled, and then Ivy League entrant Eli, Raynold really has the gamut of emotions to carry it off. He is rude an irritable at first. But as the story progresses, we see his angst portrayed with great maturity. A lot of people have ended up making him into just a pretty face, but I beg to differ. He really deserves this role and he has done justice to it!
Rabin Josh as Justin is also great. As a friend, as a total confidante and someone who is very much in love with his best friend, is simply superb. He emotes well and is a sweet and pretty foil to Nikko's gregariousness and Eli's toughness.
There are other small, minor characters who carry their bit, but in my opinion, it's Tommy Alejandrino as Nikko who is the whole and soul of this series. He has been given a role of a lifetime and he surpasses every expectation and how! As the bright, cheerful and always smiling Nikko at first and then the ill, yet still trying to live his best Nikko in the second half, Tommy has really touched my heart and I am pretty sure I am going to be watching all his shows as and when they come up.

Music : While not startling or loud, the music in this show fits well into the series as a whole and the dances have been choreographed well. I loved it every time Eli and Nikko danced. It felt like they were floating away... :)

Re-watch value : very very high, but I am not really good with sad stories, and this one is definitely in the same league as History 3 Make Our Days Count. So those who are okay with those kinds of stories, you will enjoy yourself for sure.

Recommendation : 10 on 10... Go ahead and watch it at least once please :)

Read More

Love as a syndrome spells D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R!

If Unforgotten Night was so bad that it was actually decent, this one really put out the moves. Set somewhere after Kamol and Kim have become soulmates (I will talk about this later), there are four couples in this show. I will be the first to admit that my sole reason for watching this was Long, who I fell in love with as the despairing Pao in Tin Tem Jai and Frank, who will forever and ever be Sarawat's younger brother and Wat-Tine's biggest shipper Phukong in 2gether The Series. From the few random videos I had seen on Instagram, I could feel a good chemistry betwen the two, so I thought, why not? But very soon after, I can tell you, I was questioning my life choices!
Love Syndrome has nothing on Unforgotten Night(which also I want to forget by the way), except that it is filled with amazingly good looking guys, who all seem to be gay! What is it with any BL? I get that having a straight couple in a BL may look like it's defeating the purpose, but trust me, one good, healthy straight relationship can showcase the beauty of a BL couple also. I would really like to turn director one day, and tell a good story.
Let's start with the story. Well, the lack of one to be more exact. Because there is no story. If there is one, it is absolutely buried under layers of toxicity and abuse that every episode has in abundance. Initially, I felt that the storyline demanded it. But after a while, it just became harder and harder to bear. Although it did seem to lessen in the later episodes, it still didn't feel comfortable enough to merit a complete redemption.
Now let's talk about the couples.
1. DayxItt : 'Lead' couple and seriously too much. Day loses his memory in a freak accident. Retrograde Amnesia is such a tired and tested formula, it's hard to digest. He completely rejects Itt, who has been his boyfriend for three years now. Itt finds ways to remind Day of their past together, but in the meanwhile, Day ends up torturing Itt a lot. The supposed 'healing' process for Day is extremely hard to watch. I hate how Itt is forever trying to appease Day, no matter whose fault it is. It's also very hard to watch the almost negligent behaviour. Day has towards Itt. His own brother, his boss, his friends, everyone tells him that he and Itt are boyfriends, but he refuses to believe anyone!
2. NanxMac : Nan is literally holding Mac captive, in chains, in public on the basis of a video that doesn't even exist in the first place. When Mac comes back to Nan in the last episode, it is probably the best example of the Stockholm Syndrome after Pete going to Vegas in KinnPorche. And that's saying something, because that was absolutely mind-numbing in the first place. And once, just once, I wish Itt had punched the living daylights out of Nan!
3. NeilxNik : Nik is the son of a mistress, always looking for love, in the most abnormal of places, and Neil allows him anything he wants, even though he may be hurting in the process. Nik dances with bare chested male strippers at the most toxic party ever and Neil smiles indulgently on. Save me please!
4. GearxNight : Okay, while they are technically the 2nd couple in the show, I kept them in the last for a reason. They are the least toxic couple in the show. Although, they probably had a really bad start, that is only mentioned as a kind of back story that is not even completely fleshed out, in the current part, they are a solid couple, totally in love, and having excellent communication. They are evidently one force whenever it comes to their friends and family. The love, affection and devotion that this couple shares, is actually quite beautifully portrayed and well showcased, and is probably the one redeeming feature of the entire show.
Last but not the least, KamolxKim. I did not mention them as a couple with their own mention, because it's just guest appearances, but man oh man, what a let-down from Unforgotten Night The Series. Yoon and Ton, while probably not the ultimate couple, at least are pretty cute to look at on screen. But what the hell happened to the casting here? Pran's dad(from Bad Buddy The Series) as Kamol? Seriously? And Kim? What the hell was that? With this casting? There were a myriad other characters, like Ball, Peace and Pee, who did nothing for the story, except add more angst! (I am literally rolling my eyes by this point!)
But I can tell you one absolute redeeming feature from this entire pile of crap that this show was. Day and Itt's wedding. Beautiful Thai customs portrayed wonderfully! I just loved it. Even if you don't want to watch the whole show, watch the last part of the last episode! There was such love and beauty in those last 5 minutes, that it became the saving grace of the show!

No grand OST, pretty forgettable, and 0 rewatch value, says me, who is rewatching just the last 5 minutes of this show as I write this review! :)
But all in all, just as forgettable as its predecessor.

Read More

Still fluff, but misunderstood fluff!

In my review of the actual series, I had mentioned that while Ai Long Nhai has some glaring errors, it still can be considered a pretty sweet show all in all. Hardly any toxicity, miscommunication (except when Nhai sees Ai with Jom and destroys his room like a 5 yo), absolutely supportive friends and family (still majorly in love with Ai's dads Sib and Nan and Nhai's dad!).
However, this special episode is anti-sweet. I mean, it's still cute and fluffy, Nhai is still silly and sometimes brainless, I sort of got upset with Ai. He is pretending to be tsundere while in Ai Long Nhai, he was the sweetest seme. Don't get me wrong. It's not like doesn't love Nhai. He has just been told that he is not loved anymore. Coming back to faith from that kind of declaration would be hard for anyone. But no one knows better than him how childish and silly Nhai is. He has been taking care of him for more than an year. He should have learnt some lessons.
What annoyed me was the lack of communication. Ai has always made it a point to talk to Nhai about what he feels, even if he does it slowly. I do not understand the complete 180 degree turnaround. I know he explains himself later, but if he had been open from the beginning, we could have avoided a lot of unnecessary angst.
But I sort of am loving how childlike Nhai is. His shenanigans to win his guy back are actually quite sweet. I find him really innocent and guileless. Not many characters like Nhai like Thai Bls or in Thai series as a whole. The only one I have seen other than him is Jade, a totally pure soul)
And then there are Sib and Nan. I am so totally in love with that couple that I can't seem to get over them. They just exude chemistry and sweetness!
There is ample skinship. Both Ai and Nhai have never been able to keep their hands off each other, right from the first series. And Nhai is also become bolder, probably stemming from the fact that he is so sure in his relationship with his man!
So, while I am not really a big fan of sequels, prequels etc., this one, all in all, was a sweet end to Ai Long Nhai. You can definitely watch it once! :)

Read More

Unexpected Destiny

I have decided that this is a review I need to write. Why, you ask? Because after reading all the reviews here, I need to add my two bit. I can't resist. Maybe I am going to sound like a broken record, but I am more than willing to accept the flak that comes my way, because honest truth, I am biased!
Two separate reviews coming your way: PHAYU and RAIN, PRAPAI and SKY, and a combined one!

PHAYU and RAIN: Okay, not exactly the perfect start, but be honest. How many relationships in the world begin in the most perfect way? Rain is cute, and a completely clueless teenager. He has a breakdown in the middle of the road, during heavy rains, and is helped out by a handsome stranger, whom he totally enthralled by! He has just started college, and is besotted by a girl in his class. But to his dismay, the girl he likes, likes their super senior, Phayu, who has already graduated. So Rain sets out to do what every love-lorn teenager does(not)! Seduce this senior, so that he can get the girl!! But you know what they say about best-laid plans. Rain is pampered (not in a bad way) and foul-mouthed but something about him catches Phayu's attention. He decides that Rain needs to be taught a lesson (probably a moment which everyone felt that it was about dubious consent, although I would not completely agree, but I would like to not hurt anyone's feelings.) But Rain does the unthinkable, and throws the gauntlet at Phayu, declaring that he will seduce Phayu in 30 days. Phayu is all too happy to accept the challenge. And then starts a beautiful journey, where unhindered acceptance and total support from Phayu makes Rain want to be a better person, so that he can stand beside the man he is in falling in love with. You can see the depth of his love from the angst in his face when Phayu tells him that it's time to stop chasing him, and the happiness when his choice is always Phayu. Episode 5 is filled with beautiful moments of the two in their honeymoon and domestic phase, including a beautiful song that Phayu sings as a confession for Rain. And Rain's character growth is phenomenal. He becomes responsible and hard-working. But what set this whole thing apart? Rain turning kinky AF! Wow! That was some turnaround. From someone who is somewhat reluctant to be touched in the 1st episode, becomes the initiator by the 6th episode .(it was revealed in the BTS, that Noeul left an actual hickey on Boss's neck!) The 7th episode ties up their story, with them declaring that they are in a relationship and confessing to each other as well. They just seemed so destined to be together!!

PRAPAI and SKY: They had an even worse start than that of Phayu and Rain. But what can you expect when a relation starts with mind-blowing sex? Prapai is a playboy, sleeping around is a game to him. But then he finds Sky. A one night stand that he can't get out of his mind. So he decide to connect with the boy. However, Sky has a severe trauma hidden in his past. Something he doesn't tell anyone. Something he is ashamed of. But Pai is not deterred. He has decided that it's going to be Sky who is going to be his partner in life, and he does everything in the world to convince Sky of that. Although he is enamoured, he keeps his hands to himself, at Sky's behest, helps him in his homework, becomes his shoulder to lean on, takes care of Sky when he is sick, and most importantly, becomes his safe haven, where he can hide his past, and not feel dirty about it. I must say, episode 13 should have come with a trigger warning. Watching Sky grow happier and Pai fall more and more in love, is amazing and so peaceful. Sky deserves the world! I especially love Pai's expression when he sees Sky smile fully for the first time! Like what was that? It gave me butterflies in the stomach!! And Sky back hugging Pai is such a sign that there is complete trust now! They are so special! It takes a long time to overcome trauma. But Pai's efforts in helping Sky definitely go a long way!

Pluses:
- When Pai and Phayu go on a rampage, it is a sight to behold. The boys give such mafia feels that it's no wonder that people say that Pai is Kinn and Porche's son and Phayu is Vegas and Pete's son.
- How brilliantly the characters have grown. Each of them has a development arc. What is even cuter how the two daddies Phayu and Pai are such softies for their babies.
- The special episode is the icing on the cake. I think, Rain calling Phayu 'DADDY' is going to be etched in my mind for all eternity! No one can do that like Rain does. With that narak, narak and adorable face, saying that in that sexy tone, was an absolute delight, and no wonder Phayu can't keep his hands off him.
- The kissing scenes were simply fabulous. I have not seen these kind of kisses in any BL drama that has a university trope. Both the couples just blew the screen with their kisses. There was no hesitation at all. They just went all out. And moreover, the love and lust in each kiss was so visible!
- The NCs. Now here is a topic on which I can wax lyrical for like 5-10 pages. So I will keep it short, I mean I will try to do that. Let me warn you. None of them are passive lovers. Phayu and Prapai are totally 'I can't keep my hands of my baby' power 'tops' and Rain and Sky are absolutely 'I am so sassy and I know you love it' power 'bottoms! I have never seen such beautifully well-matched couples. Let me talk about it one by one.
Now Phayu and Rain, from the end of of episode 4 onwards, can't seem to keep their hands off each other. There is such phenomenal chemistry that it seriously was mind-blowing, mind-numbing... just boom!
Prapai and Sky started with sex, then there was a lull, but boy, not a dull moment with this couple also. They have 'back against the bed', 'back against the wall', 'back against any kind of surface' sex!
- Saifah's expressions: I think that Saifha is the most supportive and the cutest sibling! And constantly tortured by Phayu and Prapai's PDAs and out of nowhere declarations of love!
- Rain and Sky's, Phayu and Prapai's friendships.
- P'Chai.... OH DAMN! So handsome!

Minuses:
- I would have loved to see Rain's mom's reaction about her son with Phayu. It would have been really funny I feel.
- A little more development of P'Pakin and his power. Could have been an interesting arc.
- The sound editing. Something was seriously wrong at some points, but I must admit, the sound team did a fabulous job when it came to the kisses and the NCs. Not one sound was lost!

Music: Songs sung by the lead actors themselves? In one word? WOW! If you can find me a more talented bunch of guys, I will be surprised. I love 'My Strongest Love' by Boss Chaikamon and Noeul Nuttarat.

Rewatch value: For someone who has already seen this show more than 5-6 times, what can I say? It definitely has rewatch value! Absolutely! No question about it!

Overall, I love this drama, and no matter what anyone says, it is one of my top three comfort dramas (the other two being Love By Chance 1 and Secret Crush On You)... Much power to my loves Boss, Noeul, Fort and Peat!!

Read More

Hot dish, served cold

Excellent plot line, that started really well. I mean, a one night stand where one starts developing feelings for the other, the age gap, the gap in status, so many ways to make it really beautiful and fabulous. But does that happen? Sadly, no! After all, this is a Thai series. So you can't really expect too much in-depth analysis into the psyche of people, right?
*Spoilers follow! Please read at your own peril!*

I am going begin with the 'main' lead. I am going to probably invite the wrath of all EarthMix fans on my head right now, but if I can't say it here, where can I, right? Their casting is really not right! Earth is 29, Mix is 24. Casting them as someone is 40 and 30, really does no justice to either of them. Adding a slight fuzz to the upper lips and a bit to the chin does not make a person older for sure. And Mix is a real cutie. Putting him at 30 seems a little bit too much. If you want to show an age gap, maybe 5 years? Or maybe make Earth like 34 or something? Why the hell 40? It really kills the chemistry for me. And why do Earth and Mix always agree to such serious roles? They are both young, really good friends, give them something fun to do! And as I said in my review of Ai Long Nhai, onscreen chemistry doesn't mean chemistry in real life or vice versa. So, they are not the perfect pairing for me.

Jim (Earth) is a chicken rice seller, running a business that's most likely to be taken over by bigger businesses in the new upcoming mall, the designer of which is Wen (Mix), architect by profession. He is gotten out of a relationship and is not exactly looking for something new, but ends up having a one night, no strings attached stand with Jim. But unfortunately, the no strings becomes something totally different for him. Jim is still suffering from survivor's guilt about the death of his ex, who dies almost immediately after they get into a fight. And so the push and pull continues, with Wen taking every possible chance to express himself, but Jim keeps taking steps backwards. When Wen's ex makes a scene, there is more angst than actual possible love.

Next Khaotung as Gaipa and First as Alan. Don't get me wrong. They are both phenomenal actors, and have absolutely powerful chemistry. But to be honest, their talents are completely wasted in this series. Gaipa has been in love with Jim for the longest time, but instead of making things clear to him, Jim literally drags it on. Sometimes I felt that Jim really used Gaipa in a way! As for Alan, dude, your relationship is over. Get over it! Move on! As the angst ridden Alan, First is fantastic. But I don't get it. Why do you force a relationship? Isn't love mutual? If it's over, it's over! But the way Alan held on, it's almost pathetic. Wen made it clear he does not love him anymore. It was not very comfortable to watch.

Finally Gemini as Heart and Fourth as Li Ming. As warm as a hug, as soft as as clouds, as beautiful as the sunrise and as heartwarming as comfort. I could wax poetic about them the whole day. They are young boys, but the talent is just overflowing. Heart has been deaf and mute for 3 years because of an illness. But both his parents don't take the time to understand him, instead keeping him at home all the time, not even trying to learn sign language. It takes Li Ming less than a month, to not only start learning sign language, but also opens up the world for him, making him feel loved and important. Their story is wonderful, because there are no misunderstandings, no negativity, no stuttering around, nothing. The amount these two kids communicate, even though one is deaf and mute, should put grown-ass adults to shame. The way Li Ming translates when Heart talks to his mom was just phenomenal. He was the one feeling the pain that Heart was undergoing. The only thing that bothered me was the lack of subtitles for Gemini's sign language. That would not have made us feel that things were lost in translation.

I was thinking I am going to be annoyed with Li Ming's mom, and for a moment, I was really upset. You don't become gay because of heredity or surrounding factors. Just because Jim was gay, how could Li Ming? But I was glad she redeemed herself, accepting Jim and Wen and encouraging Li Ming and Heart.
I don't why we had Leng and Praew, unless it was for showing what an ideal friend, big brother, perfect man Jim is. It's a little hard to believe. I also find it really in poor taste that just to make Alan and Gaipa meet, they had to actually kill Gaipa's mom. Was their no other way? It would have been nice to see Heart and Li Ming actually going to America, a nice goodbye at the airport, instead of meeting in front of Jim's truck, making it a boring sort of an ending. Lots of unfinished feelings. It started with a bang, the first scene itself heating up the screens, but post that, 0% development, hardly any kisses, except in the last scene, kind of a vice versa of the first. GMM TV really needs to up their game, like most series are doing now. These fish kisses are not going to keep the viewers, but okay, I do agree, mostly the couples they come up with just mow down on sheer chemistry. Let's hope that at least continues.

I will recommend a one time watch, mainly because I fell in love with Fourth and Gemini. So if not for anyone else, watch it for them! Good luck!

Read More

Been there, done that!

So, I can safely say that, as far as MMY series, or MAME's stories are concerned, they are more or less plotless. Starting from TharnType(spectacularly redeemed by Mew and Gulf's scorching chemistry) to Don't Say No(JaFirst were so cutely enamoured with each other) to Love In The Air(Masterclass in kissing), Wedding Plan does not fail to keep up with it's brethren. However, Wedding Plan is the louder, cringier and more annoying version of the above mentioned series. I found it so hard to believe some parts of it that I almost gave up.
I understand parents, I understand traditions, I understand expectations, I also understand that it is sometimes tough to live up to all three, but a long, convoluted and unnecessary plan like this not only was likely to hurt the couple involved (Sailom and Yiwa), but also their partners (Nuea and Marine respectively).
Although the plan is originally Yiwa's the fact that Sailom went through with it, was absolutely ridiculous, especially since he had met Nuea, considering that Marine knew about the plan, but he did not.
Yiwa and Marine, both pushed and permitted Lom to tell Nuea the truth, but he chose to continually prank Nuea, which made them finally coming together quite unbelievable.
I will mention some of the things I liked.
1. Sunny and Pak have pretty decent chemistry, which comes across in the interactions between Som and Nuea.
2. I loved the relationship between Nuea and his family. I have always noticed that people in the provinces are more open and accepting of the LGBTQ+ community, unlike people from the capital.
3. It is the first time I have seen a boss who is so friendly as well as supportive, and I liked that very much, the way she stood upto Lom, when he came to look for Nuea. She defended her employee very well I must say.
4. I also liked the fact that most of MAME's series have such sassy 'bottoms', who never bqcked put of standing up for themseves.
5. The PrapaixSky wedding (although the English vows were a bit much) and the PhayuxRain proposal (the sparkling eyes, the quivering lips, the absolute trust and love that these two have for each other is worthy of a few pages worth of reviews)

What I did not like at all:
1. The crappiest plan of all . It was annoying and pointless.
2. The noisiest and the most horrible and most difficult mothers. If Type's father was a nuisance, then these two were out of orbit, with their screaming and childish tantrums.
3. Yiwa and Marine had sweet moments, but they were sadly not believable. I didn't feel any passion or chemistry.
4. After watching MAME's series, hot scenes are a thing, but LITA took them to another level (Boss and Noeul's tongue lick is one of my most vivid memories, that is going to live in my head rent-free forever!), so Wedding Plan falls a bit flat. I will not say, it's not hot, but....(I think you will understand)

So, all in all, while I will say you can watch it once, if not for anything else but the incredibly good looking people around. But if you are expecting a classic like TharnType, an emotional rollercoaster like Don't Say No or a masterpiece like LITA, then this one is definitely not for you. Move on and get a life... Or better, do what I did,. Read a LITA fanfic on Wattpad!! :D

Read More

Drunk on happiness :)

One hell of a cute watch. Love can change people and All the Liquors is probably the best example of that! I loved each and every character in this show. They were not afraid to show their weaknesses and neither were they afraid to be seen loving their partner. They are not closeted, and couldn't care less about what people think about them.

Story wise, there is not much new, but it's quite refreshing nonetheless. No triangles, no toxicity, no random past returns. Just a sweet love story that changes the world of two men in more ways that they could have imagined.
The two main leads are cute as hell and I am in love, in love with Won Do Hyun. He is seriously sexy and so very tall... Plus I am a sucker for height difference couples especially in BLs.. And this one definitely has that! :D

Can watch and then re-watch.. Quite a lovely story.. So go for it!!!!❤️

Read More

Too much cut behind!

Usually I really love Korean BLs. They are short, crisp and are able to present the story in an intelligent manner. However Behind Cut really fails to live upto expectations. What really bugs me is the fact that after watching stories like Cherry Blossoms After Winter and Semantic Error, the standards are set really high and therefore this one feels like such a let down.
Make no mistake, the story premise is fabulous. But I am not completely impressed with its execution. Disappointed would be a better word. The actors seem like they are just doing a bit of lip service in the name of a BL. What could have been a taut, appealing narrative turns into a flat, uninteresting trope.
So basically it's a love triangle. There are 2 friends living together. One is a designer, the other a model. The model is in love with the designer, and wants nothing more than to be the one who presents his clothes. But wonder of wonders, the designer falls in love with the delivery guy, who..more angst, was probably the model's ex. At least that what it looks like. I was very confused by this point. And wanted nothing more than this little travesty to get over!

Acting wise... No chops at all. Except both the designer and delivery guy are damn good looking. The model is not only not great looking, he definitely does not look he could be maybe just a couple of years older than the other two.

Points that were horrendously annoying.. What happened in the one year to the designer and model? Why did they separate? What was happening? I speak Korean fluently, but I still had to go back and watch with subtitles because I was completely lost as to what exactly what was happening.

Definitely not recommended for a re-watch... You can watch once if you like Korean BLs and cute guys. Other than that, this show was a complete disaster! So good luck!!

Read More

You have been E-C-L-I-P-S-E-D!!!!

I love supernatural stories. I love fantasy stories. For that reason alone, the Eclipse should have been on my top 5 favourite series. But it is not. Why you ask? Let me tell you. I am going to begin with what I did not like about it(which is considerable) and what I liked about(saving graces).

What I did not like:
The story : GMM TV took an absolute masterpiece of a story and ruined it with lackluster execution. I mean, imagine madness setting in during an eclipse? Stephen King level horror and tragedy could have been made possible. But the sheer arrogance of the director and the script writer, who thought that the viewers are dumb, how many actually read such stuff, annoyed the hell out of me. Viewers are more discerning than whatever the production house thinks, let me tell you that. I loved the premise, and I was super excited, but my excitement fell flat. First couple of episodes in, I was completely sure that this was the platform to present another romance drama in all its glory and angst.
I am not against a good romance drama, in fact I love them, but please, then call it romance, not the fantasy farce that your are palming on to us.

The 'romance' between the head of the Student Welfare committee and Aye's uncle was probably the saddest adult love story I have seen. Ayan goes in all angry lion, roaring and charging, and comes out looking like a drowned cat. One photograph is his proof that his uncle is depressed and that's why he committed suicide. Just because you are working in such a place, and gay romances are frowned upon, change your job, change the place. No one has any right to dictate terms to how you you live your life and so that was a bit unbelievable as well.

The character of Thuapa. I love Louis, make no mistake about it! Neo and his cute and fluffy love story in Fish Upon the Sky is the reason I sat and watched that show. But what the hell was this. He has been bullied all his life because he is gay. Ayan is the one person who stands up for him, and what does he do? For some weird, sadistic reason, that is not even clear to me till now, he outs Akk and Ayan in front of the whole school, inspite of being in a relationship himself with Kan. I was even more disgusted that no one, I repeat, no one called his out on his bizarre madness, not even Ayan or Kan ! Blaming the eclipse maybe?

The whole protests idea. There are 3 students sincerely protesting. To ban uniform. Look, I know, wearing uniforms are boring. I get it. But where I am from, and in most Asian dramas I have seen, uniforms are compulsory. There is a reason for that. It's not to demean the value of you as a human being. It is just to remove all differences between people, including that of class and social strata. Plus what irritated me further, was the fact that those three were actually in uniform when Akk and Ayan come back to school.

Ayan coming out in front of Akk's parents without letting him know first. I did not appreciate that. And also him constantly crossing the boundaries with Akk was also not something I enjoyed. But okay, as they say, everything is fair in love and war!

What I liked about it :
Parents. I must say. Khaotung is one lucky guy. Be it Tonhon Chonlatee, Midnight Chicken and the Eclipse, he always gets the best moms. I just love how supportive she is right from day 1, when Ayan (though not explicitly) tells her about Akk. I love how Akk's parents were completely supportive of his sexual orientation. For them, his happiness was their priority.

Neo as Kan long. Someone looking for their true self, I loved Neo as a teenager trying to come to terms with not only his sexuality, but also trying to stand up for what he felt was right and be positive towards his friends as well. Hard role, played with ease. I have always loved Neo... And I can't wait to see him as an antagonist is Only Friends!

Finally, the coup de grâce !! First as Akk and Khaotung as Ayan. What a powerful pairing! I have seen both of them in their individual projects, and they are both brillant actors, absolutely no doubt about it. But together? They are indescribable. What a connect they have with each other! Khao is a phenomenal actor and he just made me feel Ayan's pain as his own, his nightmares were so real. We all have lost someone close to us, and I could understand his pain. And how I love how Ayan makes Akk smile. First's smiles are so precious. Soft and slow to bloom, but seriously sexy after all! All in all, a couple that deserves a lot more shows together!

I will ask you to watch it at least once, so that you can see my darling First, Khao and Neo. But that's it. Just once... No re-watch value at all! :(
It's not boring, but not worthy of being a masterpiece, not like Not Me!

Read More

Who hated this show? Not Me!!!

Okay... For the life of me, I don't understand why I put off watching this show. I am not too much into political dramas, so I kept postponing this one for the same reason I delayed watching Vincenzo and Revenge of Others... I was not sure I will like it. Then I watched Senior Secret Love (both parts) and Theory of Love. Something about OffGun clicked, and Pride Month started, so I said okay.. How bad can it be?

That I was pleasantly surprised is an an understatement. I was completely mesmerised by the sheer storyline, the cinematography, the acting... Everything just blew me.

Story: usually GMM TV has the habit of ruining great premises with weak execution, but Not Me does not have that flaw. A brilliant story, designed to keep you on the edge of your seat, and keep you waiting for more. The director went all out to perfectly balance the glaring dystopia in our world with the utopian world that our leaders want to present. I think that was really well done. The story felt real because it was steeped in reality. All of us have faced discrimination at some point and there are many idealists as well as rebels amongst us, who wish to change the face of the society we live in.

Acting: Kudos, I mean seriously kudos to the person who decided the cast. Mond as Gram and First as Yok simply blew my mind. Both the girls were cast well, and for a change, were not cruel, manipulative bitches out for revenge! But in my honest opinion, it was Off as Sean and Gun as Black/White that made me just go crazy in love. What was completely unexpected was the actual change in Sean's eyes and behaviour as he started falling for White(who for him was Black at that point). I must talk here about the scenes with the trust falls, their kisses and that first time they had... How Gun talks about the beating heart made me feel like it was mine that was beating. I also have to talk about the scene where Sean confesses to who he thinks is his 'Black' but is actually the real one. The helplessness is Sean's eyes when the actual Black beats him up made me want to pick him up and tuck him in bed! And OffGun... Please come back with more, I beg of you!

Music: Everlast by Will van de Crommert is my Pride Anthem... It is now on loop in my Spotify and I keep listening to it. Other songs are also great... The closing thème by OffGun is definitely worth a listen. Songs are placed well and don't take away from the beauty of the show at all!

Re-watch value: 10000/10... Even more... I have already re-watched it like 3 or 4 times, and every time I find something new that catches my interest. So definitely go for it!!

Recommendation: strongly recommend you guys to watch this one... I think I can safely say that this one is one of the masterpieces of 2022!!

Read More

Do you get déjà vu ?

Okay, most important question! If you saw this first, okay ? If not, did no one get déjà vu if you have watched it after Together with me the series?
Two friends, drunken sex, the 'bottom' gets angry at 'top', 'top' feels guilty and avoids 'bottom', 'bottom' has girlfriend, girlfriend is cheating, but the one with the girlfriend keeps giving hope to the other, there is an 'ex' bf or friend whatever... I mean.. Since I plan to review MIR and MIR 2 together, let me tell you, the similarities between these two series and TWM the series is remarkable. And how come none of the reviews I read mention that?
Because this is a school drama? And the other is sort of adulting, college students.
The lives of teenagers is Thailand is really cool. Falling in lust, having sex in school, dating at that age... It's cute but a little weird, because they are making promises of marriage and forever. I am not saying you don't have true love in the world. And maybe you can find them in school. It's just a little hard to believe though.
The main couple were endearing and cute. But I saw 0 progression in terms of story and relationship. I really liked Tee in the 1st season, he is a green flag all the way. But in the 2nd season, I felt that he was such a pushover. I know he liked Fuse, but there is a limit to allowing them to push you around and play with your feelings.
I loved Frame and Book. Now Frame is the actual green flag in S2. The way he stood for and beside Book was unbelievable. I know they did not have the most perfect start, but the progression was fabulous. But somehow, I was not so convinced by Book's character. I know he was recorded against his will, and that is nothing less than abuse. But unfortunately, this was not treated well in the story. Tern just seemed to get away with everything. And he returns to Book's life as if nothing has happened. Book's parents are seriously monsters. Your son is a victim, for God's sake. But you made him worse than a victim. You drove him to an attempted suicide. If Frame had not come, Book would have died. But I really respect Frame for just being the biggest pillar of support for Book. Ohm is seriously a great actor.
Yok and Mo are my absolute darlings. I just loved their growth and development. I loved how Mo never shied away from accepting Yok the way he was. For a moment, it looked like they would not have a happy ending, but I was thrilled that Mo loved Yok and came back... And happily screamed out that Yok was it for him. I sincerely and truly hated Yok's mom in S1. But I think her acceptance of Yok and Mo at the end did redeem her a bit. But her story with Wit was a little creepy. And did Wit seriously end up with Cristina?
And Rodtang and Nine, Tern and Seed and some other characters did not have any conclusion.. Made it feel little too rushed! In fact the last episode of S2 was too much on the 2nd couple.

Maybe a one time watch, I actually wanted to know what happens next! So yeah.. And plus, if you are an Ohm Pawat fan, as I am, then definitely a watch! Have fun!!?

Read More