I Promised You the Moon (2021)

Relatable, Impactful and Realistic

I liked everything about this drama. It is well-written, the dialogues are well thought out, the OST is memorable, and most importantly, the moral of the story is so profound. Compared to other BL dramas whose sequels are usually all about fluff (with a bit of conflict and drama during the climax), this one dares to differ. No one could tell if it is going to be a happy ending (where the couple ends up together), or bittersweet (where the couple moves on and parts ways).

I am not an expert when it comes to technicalities. It is not as artsy as ITSAY, but I must say that I loved what I see, hear and feel. One should watch it with an open mind. And I guess it's intended for the mature audience? Anyway, since I'm no expert, let me share my insights about the storytelling instead. For me, this is what made the drama compelling. I liked how the audience got involved in the characters' growth. The story starts on a sunny note but turns mindfking when the dilemma comes in. It was a gradual attack on the emotions but it would make one think that what happened had to happen. Teh persists in his childhood dream, while Oh-aew finally finds his strong suit (advertising). I think this is the part where their ship begins to sink. Change is happening and it was inevitable for them.

Being in a long-term relationship could have its dull and lulling moments, and I could understand why Teh got attracted to Jai. But Jai, being another complicated character knows his limits and did not push further (who knows if he actually had feelings for Teh). Oftentimes, when you no longer share a common goal and interest, you tend to get less involved with your partner. But trying to make it work, and choosing that person all over again is what keeps a relationship going. In Oh-aew's instance, he tried for Teh, but one's heart could only take as much. Regaining trust is the most difficult part.

In the latter part, we could see that Teh finally achieves his dream. He gets exhausted from work to the point where he wants to give up and (maybe) finally understands why Khim and Oh-aew had to shift midway with their goals. He realizes that after all this, he still feels empty. Oh-aew on the other hand has moved on and has learned to love himself. Only when he talks to Bas would we see that there's still a silver lining in the Oh-aew and Teh's ship.

Bas' line struck me the most. It goes something like, "Being together once again could either go two ways -- the couple would be more in love with each other after a breakup, or would end up having a toxic relationship... If you want to know, the only way is to try (again). The only one who holds the answer is you." So realistic, right?

Finally, the writer decides to give us a "happy ending". Oh-aew and Teh ends up back together. However, it took me some time to absorb the mixed emotions. I had to take a pause and reflect on the story. The pain is still there because I know giving another chance is not that easy. But I liked what Oh-aew said. It goes something like, "We do not need to promise to love each other forever.. All I know is that I want to be with you."

So Teh, you ought to better make it up to Oh-aew a hundredfold! This is the only way to make me feel better hehe.

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Such a disappointment

Something is missing on this second part. Last year, "I Told Sunset About You" was a masterpiece, perfect timming direction, photography, costume design, edition, stunning OST. This time, everything is missing. They shouldn't have changed the director, or even the screenwritrer team had changes, the cinematography got lost without the old director of photography. It fall from the best series of decade last year to just another series, very shallow. Sometimes having a season 2 isn't a good idea. The guys are good actors but they can't do much without a good script. I think they should have kept Goy (she's a good actress, but even better writring), and Junior as screenwriters, Boss as director, Tang and Lin as cinematographers for obvious reasons. When your team is winning, you don't change the players.

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Through a Magical Tale of the Sun Lit Moon

This "sunsetty" tale to "moonish" change is one of the best I have ever seen. It is not an exaggeration and I am not that generous with words you know, just speaking from my heart. ITSAY had be in blues, and IPYTM is having me all yellow, despite the obvious change. The visuals, the setting, the camera work, the makeup, the cinematography and a wide range emotions these two artists are able to show is just marvelous and sublime work of art.

BL or not, LGBTQ or not, this series transcends into various aspects. It is surprising for people like me, who are accustomed to BL series for having poor productions values, and I have never considered production aspect when evaluating a BL series, knowing how hard it is for them to make a good content when people are not willing to invest. Over the years, from Love of Siam to this day, there is a tremendous growth in this industry especially 2016 to onwards. Japan used to make all kind of live action adaptations of their YA manga, but as we all know it takes century to get a sub for a Japanese series, so people interest eventually shifted when Thai join the game. Since then it just one after another surprise, and all of us have been critical towards it, that has actually helped the makers to produce and improve the content, and "I" series (as I say it) were able to born. This sequel to ITSAY is an example of a how work should never be compromised, even when the entire team that worked on its prequel changed.

With only 5 episodes, the content is solid, there is no filling in between season, and for the first time in Thai BL I am liking the supporting cast, their acting is not over the top, specially the girl troop who is not cheesy, like we are used to seeing where they gush over BL couple and go crazy. Seeing the acting of a girl, it was mature and actually looked like director really took care of it. The supporting cast however has not come up front yet, as it is vert layered as of yet. The group of friends Oh is having, there acting is acceptable and they are not typical boy troop tagging with leads.

What can I say about PP and BP they have absorbed their roles so well, that they actually looked like living a normal life off-camera. The rawness in their acting, specially BP gels so well with his nature that you can't tell it is bad or not, there are scenes, you will say cringeworthy if it were coming from some other actor, but BP looks absolutely breathtaking. His this natural way of acting is what makes this series eternal. Loving it, just loving it so far.

Regarding the story I am actually not concerned at all, happy or sad, they are way beyond their mere love. They only belong to each other, even they have loneliness keeping them apart. It is very much true, love alone can not fill the void, even if you have the person you longed for, with you, it is not a guarantee of your happiness. As happiness does not come from people. It comes from you. If you have little and you are content, that is what happiness is.

Oh needs to understand that having Teh all the time can not bring him happiness. I get that Oh is homesick, who doesn't? I was too, when I traveled at 18 into a completely alien country, so I can relate to Oh 100% but he is too sensitive to pull himself together. He is unwillingly making sacrifices for Teh, when clearly Teh told him he wants to be with him. I know Oh wants the best for Teh but he is hurting himself and this is going to put strain on their newly bloomed relationship. Now that there are people who gonna come between their relationships and the realistic "career and love" choice gonna play major role in their pain. But I am hopeful the tension won't last long and their separation (if any) is just another push for them towards each other.

This has managed to make a place into my top five BL series. Well it may not be the best of best, but it is actually a cream content one can make. Don't hesitate to watch if you are concerned about the sad ending, because some endings are not even important when the beginnings are significant enough to show how powerful the journey was.

Please join the official platform to watch the series, for those who can pay $6 per episode please pay. Initially I hesitated and expressed my grief, but eventually ended up paying because when you see such efforts being made, you won't feel sad paying it.

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Too hyped up but, yall need to watch it

Moving on to season 2, I still feel the same about Teh he seriously annoyed me! He would complain about Oh-aew’s lack of commitment to certain things, but he failed to realize that Oh-aew never gave up on his love for him. Maybe Oh-aew was unsure about his life and career path, but he was always certain of who he loved and wanted to be with. I also felt like Teh didn't understand that life is about growth and change. The fact that Oh-aew repeatedly expressed his hurt since season 1, while Teh continued to act clueless, was baffling to me.

While watching, I often had to remind myself that there were two protagonists, as the focus felt heavily skewed toward Teh’s perspective, leaving the viewer mostly hearing his side of the story. However, whenever Oh-aew did speak, it was powerful and deeply moving. I loved how open and honest he was, which made it all the more heartbreaking to see him hurt repeatedly. It felt fitting that the final scene and argument were left for him to speak.

Overall, the series was good, even if I expected a bit more, probably because of the hype. The ending could have offered a bit more closure, but I liked how they brought everyone together. In short, it's a story of great value that showcases real people and real struggles. At times, I was getting fed up with Oh-aew too, thinking, "Just leave him!" But then I remembered moments in my own life when I didn’t leave either, and that really resonated with me as a viewer.

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I promised you the earth

This is gonna be short. I rarely watch angst, but I felt the need to try out this one, and it turned out so well. I mean, this show got me screaming at my screen like an insane person every second. it's very grounded in reality that most people change from their high school relationships. We're not the same as we were few years back. Most series just tell us about happy endings, which isn't always like that. I mean, if it's to be reality, most of those couples would later break up. Teh, might have been a jerk for being attracted to his selfish senior Jai, because he only used him for his dream come true. But Teh and Jai's part made us understand what actors go through irl. it's not an easy task at all. Oh, change of interest is something that is common. it's helped a lot of people figure out what they want at the end of the day. The breakup wasn't need, but it made them realize that they couldn't live without each other and they're meant to be. Going through problems in relationships in totally normal, it makes the relationship stronger. IPYTM is a rare find, and I'm super happy I found it and able to learn from it. IPYTM is extremely beautifully laid down!!!

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Life changing experience....

5 years later..... After watching ITSAY almost 2 years before watching IPYTM (finished it literally today ) i have to say that it really deeply resonated with me.

EVERYONE WHO WORKED ON THIS DESERVES AN OSCAR IDC !!!!
THE PRODUCTION, STORY, VISUALS, ACTING, OST literally everything was done perfectly...this story will be remembered for years to come.

I still remember when I started watching ITSAY I was so confused...like it wasn't like any other BL and when I later discovered that that's literally how it was meant to be and trying to decipher all the metaphors( that I was literally shocked to know existed) it was all so fun! Mostly sad but also fun.

It was really an emotional rollercoaster..... When I finished ITSAY I didn't know that they'd be a second season and when I found out ..I kept procrastinating and being like "I'll just watch it later" I think part of me knew how heavy it was and was not ready to feel all that.
I really don't know why it took me so long to watch IPYTM BUT I THINK I WATCHED IT AT A SUITABLE TIME. My emotions were at their

Like I cried so much during IPYTM....this series has left so many lingering feelings....emptyness...sadness....hurt but of course hope and happiness.

Since it has depicted relationships in its most true and pure form without sugar coating... it's made me really excited for the future...because I am someone who's PETRIFIED of relationships and the whole thing about "finding my person" has always been a tabo but this series has made me look forward to it....I have learnt no matter how much pain and sorrow you go through..once you find YOUR person you will always go back to them and you will always find a way to work jt out ... I hope I can build a relationship as beautiful as oh-aew's and Teh's

This was literally amazing and it will forever be a standard. Thank you creating this masterpiece.

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Great continuation of the original story. *spoilers*

The relationship of Teh and Oh faced new hardships as they got older and they both dealt with them in their own way.
Throughout the series Oh behaved maturely, didn't want to jump into conclusions even after he saw Teh cheat with his own eyes. At the same time he maintained his pure and naive attitude, letting Teh hurt him over and over again. Teh on the other hand, although older, was just as immature and selfish as in the first series. His character was rather unlikable, making all the wrong choices and saying all the wrong things. I do see that he loves Oh, however he keeps messing up and continues hurting him, expecting to get yet another new chance, which to me is just cruel.
As a hopeless romantic and strong believer in destiny I am satisfied with how the series ended, but in real life, if I was one of Oh's friends, I would advise him strongly not to go back to Teh, because he clearly has some emotional issues to work through, and before he does, he's no material for a long term partner.
The acting was brilliant, the cast portrayed the characters and their emotions in a natural way. I also appreciate the visual aspect of the show, the shots and color grading deserve praise in my opinion.
I would definitely recommend it.

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TENGO MUCHO QUE DECIR -MEJOR QUE LA 1RA PARTE, SORRY

PARA EMPEZAR: He estado viendo todos los bls de mi lista y este es el más recomendado que tenía (el q más me decian que no viera), pense que luego de la 1ra parte esta iba a ser un desastre pero AMEE, senti que mostraron una relación distinta a las q se ven en las demas series porque es una situación tan real omg.
...
•1. Teh fue tan criticado aca por dudar de sus sentimientos pero es algo que sucede casi siempre en una relación porque imagina amar a una persona (Oh-aew) y que su relación empiece a cambiar porque las circunstancias son distintas: Van a la U, viven lejos, no tienen el mismo grupo de amigos, estan ocupados e IMAGINATE lo que los "unia" (la actuación) ya "no existe" porque Oh decidio tomar un camino diferente, entiendo tanto a Teh pero no me parecen bien sus accionesss :).
•2. Oh-aew hizo TAAN bien en darse cuenta que esa profesión no era lo que le apasionaba.
En 2da parte empieza el autoconocimiento de Oh porque sin darse cuenta empezó a tomar decisiones en base a Teh en vez de saber sus PROPIAS fortalezas (creo q era marketing), le agarre mucho cariño y adoré que fuera seguro de sus sentimientos hacia Teh (y que le terminara fue una decisión muy madura).
•3. El beso de Teh con el otro chico fue algo que estaba esperando desde que vi al Jai, me gusto mucho como retrataron lo que sentia Teh en ese momento (cuando enfocan los labios de Jai )mostrando la confusión y misterio de como se sentira besar a otra persona, Teh ya conoce a Oh-aew y lo ha besado muchas veces por lo tanto sentia misterio de que pasaria si besaba al Jai (si me enoje un buen cuando vi que Oh estaba viendo todo), mostraron a los personajes super humanos me encantó.
Pd:Super intensa esa escena quede asi 😦 admito q fue uno de los mejores besos sjsksj🥲
•4. Me gusto muchoo como no habian personajes malos ni buenos.
...
La recomiendo? Si
La volvería a ver? Obvio q si ejekwkekek

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you want to finish this journey

I can’t rember the last time I was this emotionally invested in a fictional relationship. ha

forget whatever you’ve spoilers you’ve read about cheating.( I’m not a cheating apologist. I hate cheaters. once a cheater, always a cheater.)that’s not what this is about. this is a realistic portrayal of youth and how they change and grow, and how that change effects relationships; sometimes for the worse, and sometimes for the better.

it would be a disservice to yourself, and to the story that’s being told, not to watch this second act. you would miss these characters becoming who they’re supposed to be. I would argue that without their separation, they never could’ve become those people. and it is only those people, who have changed and grew and become SEPERATELY, who will be able to now sustain a lasting healthy relationship.

(-.5 points because Teh really pissed me off)

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Better off without S2

Not going to sugarcoat this. Itsay was better off without season 2. Sure, the development of their relationship from Phuket to Bangkok was interesting, but due to the change in director who seem to not understand the characters, it was a huge impact to how season 2 played out.

Plot: My rating for S2's plot is lower than what I gave for S1, mainly because of how Teh was portrayed. The scriptwriters were drunk when writing this season's plot /s. It just wasn't it. I really hate how Teh looked at Jai exactly the way he did when he looked at Oh Aew in S1. Having Teh cheat in the relationship also adds to the stereotype for the gay community and is harmful. The ending where Bas and Q were left bittersweet because Oh Aew and Teh reconciled was not to my liking. They deserved more than being one sided lovers of the main character.

Cast: This season's cast was really good! I really love Oh Aew's new circle of friends, especially Ta (played as Q).

Music: As always, Nadao Music really is superior. I'm so thankful to then for making such great OSTs that conveyed the feelings of the characters.

Rewatch value: Gave the lowest score because it really isn't that good that I would d i e to watch it again.

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Non me l'aspettavo così..

Ho iniziato a guardarlo molto titubante un po' per il fatto che non ne avevo sentito parlare e un po' perché le puntate durano più di un'ora l'una.
Mi conosolavo dicendo che visto che le puntate sono solo 5, se non mi fosse piuciuto facevo presto a finirlo!
Invece devo dire che trovato la storia molto bella e realistica e non non mi é pesato affatto... anzi in meno di due giorni l'ho finito.
I due attori principali, che tra l'altro io non conoscevo, molto convincenti e perfetti nella parte.
Molto bello e ben sviluppato anche il fattore amicizia.
Tra le altre cose mi ha fatto piacere trovare, nel cast di supporto, attori anche conosciuti.
Il coniglio che posso dare é di guardarlo perchè ne vale la pena.

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