This review may contain spoilers
Very toxic but really cute
I have to admit. This is one of my first Thai BL dramas so I'm new to the concept but I really loved this drama.
It was recommended to me by a friend and when she sat me down to start this series, I was a little skeptical due to the high rate of toxicity that was supposed to be in this one. Tropes like that usually throw me off UNLESS there's a healthy slide of redemption that comes with it. And boy does this drama serve that redemption HOT.
The drama works with a time travel element that's been done quite well. It starts off with Joe, one of the mains, working at a filmset where he comes to his demise. He then wakes up in a different body with the same name and meets all the people he used to know before including Ming his ex boyfriend. The series then takes us back to a time before the accident (2-3 years) where Joe and Ming meet. Joe works as a stuntman/stand-in for a well known actor named Tong. He meets Ming at a filming location where Ming accidentily hugs him, thinking he's Tong. Ming is secretly in love with Tong and wants to be with him, but Tong is in a relationship with Ming's sister. And thus.. since Joe and Tong are so similar (especially their backside) Ming starts something with Joe so he can have some kind of kinship with Tong. And that's messed up. Joe, who is completely unaware of Ming's intentions, falls in love with Ming and wants to take things as far as living and sharing everything together.
At that point I didn't think there was every going to be a redemption for Ming. He manipulated everything and everyone to make it go his way not ever considering what it might do to Joe if things ever came to light but the worst had yet to come. Ming was about the worst character I had ever come across in dramaland in levels of toxicity (eventhough it's one of my first BL series) and I seriously considered dropping the drama if this continued.
But things got better and they were done really well. I absolutely love that the drama doesn't excuse the toxic behaviour but actually takes the time for its characters to learn from it and grow. At the end of it I came to really love Ming and root for him.
Likes:
- The acting was amazing! Especially the main leads! Up made me hate Ming through and through but also made me love him to death. Poom's portrayal of Joe was incredible!
- How they worked with the fact that Joe was in a new body. They reminded the audience of it a couple of times by having the new Joe appear in mirrors and some scenes every now and then. I was shook everytime it happened because it was a reminder of something the old Joe had lost but also gained.
- Ming's redemption arc. They could not have done it better. It really showed how much Ming was willing to change for the better and how much he was willing to put in for Joe. He learned from his mistakes and became a better person. I loved that.
Dislikes:
- Sol. I didn't really feel anything for his character. The actor was a bit motionless. He was supposed to be a K-pop star but the whole thing just felt a little off.
- The redemption for Ming's father and Tong. The series trying to put some good light on these two made me angry. The reasoning behind the dad's behaviour was truly insane and Tong, in my opinion, didn't deserve any forgiveness. He'd done too much evil at that point to be so easily forgiven by everyone.
- The series could have been a couple of episodes longer. They introduced another couple to the audience in episode 11 which threw me off a little. Also, I would have like to have a little more background about the Joe who's body was taken by our main lead Joe. Too bad they didn't really touch up on that side of the story.
Overal, I really loved this drama. It's a definite must-watch for everyone who likes BL's (with a little toxicity on the side).
It was recommended to me by a friend and when she sat me down to start this series, I was a little skeptical due to the high rate of toxicity that was supposed to be in this one. Tropes like that usually throw me off UNLESS there's a healthy slide of redemption that comes with it. And boy does this drama serve that redemption HOT.
The drama works with a time travel element that's been done quite well. It starts off with Joe, one of the mains, working at a filmset where he comes to his demise. He then wakes up in a different body with the same name and meets all the people he used to know before including Ming his ex boyfriend. The series then takes us back to a time before the accident (2-3 years) where Joe and Ming meet. Joe works as a stuntman/stand-in for a well known actor named Tong. He meets Ming at a filming location where Ming accidentily hugs him, thinking he's Tong. Ming is secretly in love with Tong and wants to be with him, but Tong is in a relationship with Ming's sister. And thus.. since Joe and Tong are so similar (especially their backside) Ming starts something with Joe so he can have some kind of kinship with Tong. And that's messed up. Joe, who is completely unaware of Ming's intentions, falls in love with Ming and wants to take things as far as living and sharing everything together.
At that point I didn't think there was every going to be a redemption for Ming. He manipulated everything and everyone to make it go his way not ever considering what it might do to Joe if things ever came to light but the worst had yet to come. Ming was about the worst character I had ever come across in dramaland in levels of toxicity (eventhough it's one of my first BL series) and I seriously considered dropping the drama if this continued.
But things got better and they were done really well. I absolutely love that the drama doesn't excuse the toxic behaviour but actually takes the time for its characters to learn from it and grow. At the end of it I came to really love Ming and root for him.
Likes:
- The acting was amazing! Especially the main leads! Up made me hate Ming through and through but also made me love him to death. Poom's portrayal of Joe was incredible!
- How they worked with the fact that Joe was in a new body. They reminded the audience of it a couple of times by having the new Joe appear in mirrors and some scenes every now and then. I was shook everytime it happened because it was a reminder of something the old Joe had lost but also gained.
- Ming's redemption arc. They could not have done it better. It really showed how much Ming was willing to change for the better and how much he was willing to put in for Joe. He learned from his mistakes and became a better person. I loved that.
Dislikes:
- Sol. I didn't really feel anything for his character. The actor was a bit motionless. He was supposed to be a K-pop star but the whole thing just felt a little off.
- The redemption for Ming's father and Tong. The series trying to put some good light on these two made me angry. The reasoning behind the dad's behaviour was truly insane and Tong, in my opinion, didn't deserve any forgiveness. He'd done too much evil at that point to be so easily forgiven by everyone.
- The series could have been a couple of episodes longer. They introduced another couple to the audience in episode 11 which threw me off a little. Also, I would have like to have a little more background about the Joe who's body was taken by our main lead Joe. Too bad they didn't really touch up on that side of the story.
Overal, I really loved this drama. It's a definite must-watch for everyone who likes BL's (with a little toxicity on the side).
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