a somewhat more compelling story compared to usual Thai BLs
STORY: Intouch (Earth) and Korn (Kao) were deeply in love but their parents objected to their same-gender relationship. Unable to withstand the pressures, Korn committed suicide and Intouch seeing his boyfriend die in front of him, followed after. 30 years later, they were reborn as Pharm (Fluke) and Dean (Ohm), who still had vague memories of their past lives and the unforgettable love they had for each other.Liked:
1. This drama had one of the best Thai BL OSTs I have heard, very melodious songs and able to bring out the right emotions throughout the show.
2. Given the complexity of their characters whereby they had to deal with their past and present lives, especially Pharm, he and Dean’s acting were believable, except that some crying scenes of Pharm weren’t convincing enough. He seemed to have used lots of eye drops and once I felt that way, it was difficult to feel the sadness or happiness whichever the scenes intended to convey.
3. Rather than the usual BL in universities in most Thai BL dramas, this was a refreshing story on parents’ objection to same-gender relationship and reincarnation.
Disliked:
1. Episode 1 - when Intouch and Korn committed suicide. Their acting, including the crying looked fake, including the acting of their fathers - unconvincing and unnatural. And there were illogical parts like seeing Korn was going to commit suicide, nobody stepped forward to stop him, everyone around just stared at him…Intouch’s father only let his son go to Korn after the latter pulled the trigger…ridiculous…
2. A good number of slow motion and ‘doing nothing in silence’ in the main leads’ scenes, such as sitting down staring at each other in silence, listening to music together doing nothing in particular in silence. Maybe it was just me, but even I as the audience felt a little awkward at times seeing them doing nothing together in silence in the bedroom LOL I think 17 episodes could have been cut down from the ‘doing nothing’ scenes.
3. Sin’s father, Pharm’s uncle looked exactly the same - 19 years ago and 19 years later - the drama’s stylist should still make some effort in appearances, even if it was just a minor role.
4. I did feel cringey sometimes in Dean’s and Pharm’s love interactions, such as in their bed scenes, kissing scenes, etc. Their acting wasn't unnatural, but somehow I just felt cringey when I saw them kissing on the bed. Maybe it was Pharm who always appeared to be more reserved towards such interactions with Dean which led me to feeling that way.
Episode 16 - Pharm easily chanced upon the box containing the gun, which Korn used to shoot himself, and the latter’s belongings on a bookshelf in a room. Logically speaking, shouldn’t such a precious piece of item be locked away somewhere? It was supposed to be a sad revelation when Pharm found the items, but I was feeling unbelievable at the absurdity of the scene.
Then again, it was a drama, if the box was locked away, Pharm wouldn’t have found it and wouldn’t have the meltdown he had later and there wouldn’t have been a closure. Therefore, I would not consider this a flaw of the drama because I totally understand the need for this scene regardless of how illogical it may have seemed.
Overall, despite some of its flaws, I would say this drama was still worth watching because the story was different and compelling compared to other usual Thai BLs. The acting was commendable (apart from some of Pharm’s crying scenes) and the chemistry between Dean and Pharm was basically good (except for some of their love interactions).
It was also an easy watch, but then again…..how difficult could it be when there were a good number of scenes of them ‘doing nothing much’?
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Different type of BL drama
I just finished this drama and I think it just became one of my top BL dramas.Until We Meet Again has to be one of the top reincarnation drama ever, it was well done especially compared to other dramas not limited to BL ones. But a warning for those who are just looking for a light-hearted, fluffy drama this is not for you.
One thing that made UWMA stand out compared to other dramas for me, is that it covers more than the fluffy dramas and the ones where you go "WHY THE HECK ARE YOU STILL WITH THEM" (unhealthy relationship) dramas. UWMA brings up the aftermath of someone in your family who chose to end their life, the regrets, memories. Although there are not many external conflicts in Dean and Pharm relationship this lifetime, they still have inner conflicts between themselves and their memories, emotions that were carried on from their previous lives. They changed from their previous selves, In who was very forward with his feeling became Pharm who is more hesitant and Korn who was more conflicted/worried about his and In's relationship became Dean who is more straightforward and confident in his choices.
Actors- I think the actors played their roles perfectly, but I liked that there were different people for the role of In and Korn. At first, it was a little confusing since in my experience they are usually played by the same actors but it grew on me because it really showcased that while Dean and Pharm had the memories of Korn and In they are now inevitably different people.
PPL- In my opinion the product placement was a bit overkill but can't change that
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P'DEANNNNN
This was utter emotional damage from start to finish... the opening scene was so heartbreaking, then everything in between and then the intensity of the last episode! But it was all worth it.All the characters mean so much to me! My trio, god I love them. I just wanna put Pharm and Team in my pocket, and Manow... the LOML. In and Korn brought me to tears so many times and they were probably my favourite couple. Dean and Win, respectful kings. Everyone is just great!
God Fluke is such a good actor, I think about his breakdown in episode 17 at least three times a day. I think that scene literally changed me. Someone please give his tear ducts a break.
My only complaint would be that it was maybe a couple of episodes too long. There was a little bit too much filler and could get boring in places. Also, more WinTeam please.
This is series that left an emotional scare on my heart but I can't recommend it enough!
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ALL OF THE FEELS!!!!
Hands down my all time favorite Asian drama! Had no idea what I was in store for when I started watching but I was not disappointed. Even though this show is an emotional meat grinder of the highest order I loved every heartbreaking, sappy, cute, funny, adorable, gut wrenching moment of it!The story is incredibly and beautifully written and the actors make you feel as if your part of it. There are some very strong trigger points so I would recommend extreme caution to anyone who doesn't handle strong emotions well. Other than that grab your boxes (yes plural) of tissues and strap in for one amazing emotional rollercoaster!
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Good storyline, bad acting
I went into this drama not knowing what the plot was and I was pleasantly surprised. The concept of soulmates and reincarnation is unique and gave the show an added dimension of intrigue. The plot was nicely paced for the most part, but there were definitely times when it felt like progressing too slowly. Despite that, I always looked forward to watching the next episode to see what happened.One of the biggest issues I had with the show was the constant crying. Every single time Pharm had a dream or a flashback about Korn and Intouch, he would start crying. Of course it would be emotional to see his past life and the struggles he and Korn/Dean went through, but perhaps he didn't need to cry every time or could have even just teared up instead of crying some of the time. It happened so often that it became predictable and a bit annoying. If there were less flashbacks or he didn't cry every time, it would have been easier to sympathize and feel his emotions. Not only that, Pharm was practically in a constant state of surprise (if he was not crying of course). Every time Dean would say something about their relationship in front of other people, or make some sort of romantic advance, he would act surprised/shocked.
The other big issue I had was the acting. This is especially apparent when Pharm is surprised because he would dramatically gasp and say "P'Dean!!!!!" every single time, multiple times an episode. Not to mention that he looked like the surprised emoji with the wide eyes and open mouth. It got boring seeing him react that way all the time when theoretically he should be getting used to Dean's behavior and shouldn't be as surprised after a while. I also felt like Dean's emotions were not expressed very well. Around others it makes sense that he was unemotional since that's the vibe I presume he was supposed to have, but even when he clearly was feeling more emotional around Pharm, it was hard to tell if you looked at his facial expressions and the like. In the moments where viewers were supposed to tell what he was feeling and feel those emotions with him, it was hard to when the emotion of his words did not match his physical emotional expression. On top of all of that, it didn't feel like there was any real romantic tension between Dean and Pharm, almost like they were acquaintances who were forced to be together. The awkwardness between them did not go away as the show progressed and I felt awkward watching them when they were with each other. Korn also never really seemed like he truly loved In due to a lack of emotion in moments where emotion was present. Korn, like Dean, is an unemotional person, but only slightly, and not convincingly, showed emotion during the most emotional moments.
The biggest reason that I kept watching it and rated it so high was for the storyline. I also thought it was interesting (in a good way) that the show included such a heavy topic, but it was an important testament to Korn and In's love and their destiny as soulmates in their next life. Though I would recommend watching this show, I will admit that I am unlikely to ever watch it again. It was good the first time, but I can't foresee myself getting through it a second time.
I would also like to say that I recognize that I am possibly alone in thinking that the crying and surprise were annoying and boring. I've read some of the other reviews and haven't seen anyone else mention this. I am completely okay with scenes where characters act surprised or are crying, typically I am right there with them feeling the emotions, but I had a hard time getting through those scenes in this show because they were so repetitive and happened far too often in my opinion.
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Until I Sob Again
This drama was not what I was expecting. It was more than I could have ever imagined. I am not going to lie, I watched the "Between Us" series with BounPrem first before watching this. And I am actually glad I did, because I do not think I was ready at that point in my life to deal with such TRAUMA. With that being said I do not think this drama is for everyone. It can be incredibly triggering and it is a bit of a slow burn but with a really sweet pay off.For starters, this love story is centered around reincarnation. The first 5 minutes of the series opens with these two ill-fated lovers Korn and Intouch (Kao & Earth) fighting for their love against their parents where they inevitably...you know...*spoiler redacted*. I ugly sobbed for 20 minutes. Like...is this how we are going to start this drama? I'm strapped in. Let's ride this emotional roller coaster shall we? The story then proceeded to weave both past and present between Korn and Intouch and their reincarnations Dean and Pharm (Ohm & Fluke). The story in and of itself is so unique and well written. It showcased all the character's strengths and weaknesses while making sure that everyone had a part to play. The writing was truly a breath of fresh air, I love how it portrayed the real nuances of a relationship: the attraction, the annoyances, the grievances, the fun and the flirty. The script didn't shy away from making the characters feel real.
Which is a great segue to the acting. My god the acting in this? S L A Y E D. Especially Pharm (Fluke), his emotional performance throughout this entire series thawed my otherwise cold heart. But the real star....is Dean's Grandmother. GIVE. HER. AN. OSCAR. NOW. That woman had more emotion in her pinkie finger than I do in my entire body. Tears were falling from my face with every single one of her expressions. I docked a point for Dean (Ohm) cuz he was a little stoic and gave me the same face for half the show, BUT his chemistry with Pharm was EVERYTHING so I'll let it slide just a bit. Also, I just want to point out the support characters for a second, Win (Boun) was so distractingly gorgeous, I am so glad they gave him and Team (Prem) their own series because their relationship in this series left me starved for more. Team and Manow (Sammy) were the comic relief I was hoping for in this series, especially Manow, she was hilarious and made those cringy makeup product ad placements a little more bearable. Also, I know this isn't really a big deal but as a former hairdresser the first thing I notice is hair....and Pharm's cousin Sin (Ja Phachara) had one of the most distracting ugliest wigs in a BL. PLEASE save my man from that monstrosity on his head.
One thing that I had a love/hate relationship with was the music. The songs were great and I loved the OST....HOWEVER...did they really need to play the music so loudly during the most crucial parts of the dialogue??? Like we are getting an emotional moment then out of nowhere the instrumentals transition into a loud singing voice fighting for attention with the actors? Like I can hear you my guy, but right now I need to know why Dean is staring at Pharm so intently.
Overall, this was a semi-flawless BL. Chemistry on point. Screenwriting on point. Character Development on point. This series definitely has rewatch value, highly recommend if you are a fan of: slow burns, reincarnation stories, Oscar worthy crying, desserts, swimming?
Just watch it, you won't regret it.
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Just okay
I know some people really love this show, but I’m not sure why. Maybe if I were in a different mood (or still a teenager) then I would like it? It’s a bit slow moving and unfortunately instead of getting a falling-in-love story, it feels like the love hinges on the fantasy aspect of the plot. It’s too sudden. Unlike many other shows, I didn’t see any real messages or new perspectives (except don’t be homophobic, which I think is obvious already for anyone who is choosing to watch BL). The one thing I’ll say is that it got a bit more interesting towards the end. If you want to watch the most dramatic teen drama with lots of unexplained crying and mysterious stares that last forever, this is the one for you.Was this review helpful to you?
Heart-breaking tragedy turns into heart-warming love
*outline*Ever since I watched this for the first time I've never been able to get over the ships. I mentally kept cooing over OhmFluke (more about their real life personas than the characters they played, but same thing) and BounPrem (both WinTeam and BounPrem). Actually, now that we're on the topic have you noticed OhmFluke and KaoEarth don't get shipped much? At least, as compared to BounPrem... It's because they're too innocent. Sigh- Continuing, pay heed to my next words: it doesn't matter what I say next, or what other reviews you read... you have to watch this anyways because it's a classic Thai BL
(and it's a classic for a reason).
*analysis*
STORY : Right at the beginning, you're immediately hit with emotions (despite the calming and smooth intro). There is heartbreak in every episode, to be honest... and so, please do not wear makeup (especially around your eyes) when watching this or your eyes WILL sting. I would know. Overall, the story continues on with the perfect pace, nothing seems rushed and this even makes the time skips (between DeanPharm and KornIn) make sense throughout the story. The first meeting of the main couple was so touching, it's one of the best first meetings I've ever watched in any BL (including Korean, Taiwanese and/ Japanese BLs). There wasn't any unnecessary drama and there was a clear goal in the UWMA Crew/Staff during the making of this title because nothing was overdramatised as such. The first kiss was sweet and unexpected, despite the fact we could tell what was slowly cooking between the leads. This title also had a nice variation of moods throughout, there was comedy, romance and tragedy. There is one thing I didn't like though, and it was the unnecessary scenes where DeanPharm seem to be in their own world and some weird instrumental starts playing in the background... it just didn't fit and it sorta ruined the mood. It was cute at first, but then it just got too much and too long (a short waste of time, unfortunately). Another thing I didn't like was the fact we didn't get a complete story between Win and Team, their story wasn't clear (although we're supposed to be getting one soon so- I have high hopes) but that could be because the story was focused on Korn, In, Dean and Pharm. And who would've known the most shipped couple would be the one that shows up the least (sorta). Overall, everything about this drama is sentimental reincarnate. And yeah, there was a sweet and complete ending.
ACTING / CAST : My favourite character was Manaow - she was probably what made the drama a little lighter with her comedial lines. The fact such a mood-maker character was made for such a tragic love story was quite relieving and nice to watch and it really lightened the mood. The friendship that I liked the most was Manaow and Team's. They bickered like mother and son - absolute goals. The background actors also did quite well (including side actors who didn't play a very big role, or weren't so important). I also didn't feel any toxicity from the characters. However, I felt that Fluke came out of role sometimes as Pharm's character got too passive and didn't seem to reciprocate Dean's feelings. (Especially the kisses, passive kisses are just not it. It ruins the mood.) Usually characters like Win cause me to cringe so bad because of the 24/7 smirk they've got plastered to their face but Boun actually played it so well, it seemed like it was made for him. Any other actor, and the ship just wouldn't be the same, the drama just wouldn't be the same, and Win just wouldn't be the same. This also made me anticipate his appearances in the drama.
MUSIC : It was definitely perfect during the sad scenes, it helped set the mood. The intro was also quite nice and calming to listen to and I've also got to credit the singer for being able to portray a sad emotion within his singing too. There was this one instrumental (that sounds like a fairy tale) that repeatedly came on in some sweet scenes (especially during KornIn's scenes) and it's my favourite out of all the instrumental bgm's I've ever heard in any drama but I still couldn't find it after all... (Tip: if you're looking for any bgm just type in 'until we meet again instrumental bgm' on YT and some pop up.)
REWATCH VALUE : It's high in the sense you don't forget the characters and the more you watch it, the more you are hit with emotions (especially sadness). This is probably because you already know what's going to happen. Also, before I knew it I just ended up rewatching it without thinking too much (however the drama is very long, so rewatching is only a good idea if you know you can evenly space it out through some days or you know you have time to binge, etc) but the reason I did rewatch it is a little unknown to me... I feel an attachment to this drama more than anything.
Visit my Asian BLs Custom List to see some more of my watches and ratings !! ^.^ Including: Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese and Thai !
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A huge surprise
I can't express what I feel after having finished this series, except to say I felt everything. The story is just so well written, so well acted, directed and edited. The friendships, the relationships, the families, all of it was beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time. I really don't want to say I loved it, that's not enough, nor is it quite right. It touched me in a way I haven't felt in a very long time.There may be complaints about some of the more intimate scenes, but that for me was secondary to the story.
Please watch it.
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Wish I'd liked it more
Oh I really wish I liked this more, but it does exactly what I don't like about the soulmate trope.I like the idea of two people who get dreams about their past lives and feel like they've always been missing their other half, but it's much more interesting when two people fall in love with each other when they are reincarnated, rather than because of it. Dean and Pharm see each other from across the room and just know each other; from there, the romance seems to happen pretty quickly. I don't know, it all just felt...too easy? Dean/Pharm scenes overall got very repetitive to me. There are a lot of scenes where Pharm just ends up crying and I don't think any of it hit me emotionally, whether it was because of the acting or lack of development for the character himself.
Some other things about the drama also just feel like they jumped the gun, like all the students hyping up the Dean/Pharm ship when they haven't even met. The pacing of the second couple was also weird to me, and overall I think none of the acting was that immersive for me.
On the other hand, I think the past lives scenes with Intouch and Korn were the strongest scenes. I still wish there was a little more meat to how they fell in love (and not just how their story ended) but ultimately I still enjoyed their scenes the most.
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Glad I watched it.
At first I wasn't going to watch this series after reading the synopsis and a few reviews but I'm really glad I gave it a chance.The story was sad and tragic from the very beginning yet somehow managed to pull off a happy ending. It was the only series to date that actually brought me to tears and it wasn't because of any interactions between the couples but rather their interactions with their families. The goodbyes, the reunions, the revelations.. they were heartbreaking but necessary.
Starting with the lows, honestly, there wasn't a whole lot I didn't like. I remember reading one review that harped on the fact that Pharm cries in every episode and, while true, I didn't find it annoying or unnecessary. (I think the only thought I gave to it was wondering what the budget was for the eye-drops and tissues for this production and the crew.) Also, normally, I'm not a big fan of everything being connected as if it were one big coincidence; this person is related to this person who just happens to be related to this person and so on. Besides having to pause a few times to get the connections straight in my head, I think all the connections actually worked and made sense in this series, especially when you get to the ending episodes where both families come together to ensure Korn and In find their way to each other again. Fate just happened to decide to do it by way of family relations.
The part I really liked about the series was how everything that happens has purpose. I generally don't like a lot of filler, even if that filler is of the spicy nature. (This series lacked the spice but not the emotion so that was enough for me.)
Speaking of spice, this series is straight up "food porn" and I'm kind of upset that there isn't a cookbook out there with the recipes from throughout the series. That didn't effect my ratings, though.
Edited afterthoughts:
Another review I had seen brought to attention the fact that the flashback scenes were hard to follow since it didn't give a date or time stamp for them. While I will say that would have been a nice added touch, I personally didn't think it was necessary. You can clearly tell at what point in their relationship the scene is from just by Korn and In's interactions and that in itself was impressive.
Also, speaking of the flashback scenes, in one of the first ones where you see Perth as In's friend, I couldn't help but think of the phrase "Go for the Oscar, Perth." Which basically means they didn't necessarily have to go that hard in their acting. I'm not saying it's the actor's fault, a lot of times it's the monologue they are given, but still, that just stood out to me for some reason. There were a couple of times, actually, where I feel like they didn't need to dial it all the way to 11, but it wasn't enough to effect the rating of the show either. Even the cookbook is still more important to me.
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I like the story, but not the execution...
This one is a hard to rate. I've heard so much praise about this show ever since I started watching BLs and was curious, however, I must admit if it wasn't for me wanting to watch Between Us I would have watched UWMA much later.I really like the story. The idea of a couple who's love ended in a tragic way being reincarnated and finding their way to each other again, I mean, that is a hell of a story. Unfortunately, the execution didn't meet my expectations. If I'm being very honest, it was way below them. Some scenes were dragged unnecessarily long, unrealistic dialogues and way too many "dramatic moments" which weren't exactly dramatic... There were a lot of issues I had with this series production wise and let's just say I was glad ep 17 is finally over.
While I don't think any of the actors are bad, I failed to feel the chemistry most of the time. There definitely were moments that I highly enjoyed, but I just didn't "buy it" most of the time. The most natural and enjoyable characters for me were Korn and In (and Win with Team, although they didn't have that much screentime).
The story became more interesting towards the end (there were moments when I was really surprised, of even in shock) but still, it was dragged a lot for my taste and I do believe if it was written a bit differently, I would enjoy it much more. We see Dean and Pharm being drawn to each other and both of them having flashbacks to their past lives, but I feel like they didn't talk about it or try to solve the mystery that much. Early on, Pharm keeps crying randomly (well, after a flashback, but nobody around him knows that) yet nobody - especially Dean - ever asks him why? What's wrong? Why are you having a breakdown just cause our spoons touched? And after they confess to each other about having dreams about the same couple, why don't they try to find out who it is? What happened? I mean, Dead did a little bit of searching, but Pharm seemed to not give a damn about it for a good chunk of the show, and then was acting all shocked when he "found out the truth" when it was him who told Dean that he doesn't wanna hear what Dead had found out. I dunno..
Like I said, the story is really interesting, but I wish it was written or directed a bit differently.
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