I Promised You the Moon

A lot of series out there has sequels. And, unfortunately, most times they aren't good and they are unnecesssary. I promised you the moon isn't completely necessary to complete the story or to resolve isssues left from the 1st season. But, actually, is a really good sequel which compliments I Told Sunset about You. The 2nd season lets us to explore more the characters and their story more, their journey of growing up, finding and understanding themselves. Their relationship is a realistic relationship betweem to young people who are starting to discover and see the reallity of the world and sometimes the people change. Nothing stays the same and we have to understand that.
In reallity, I enjoyed more the 2nd season (maybe because my age is nearer to the age of Teh and Oh-aew in the 2nd season), even if I think is a lot more heavy in angst.

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Officially my N.1 BL

I came to this season with very high expectations. I was afraid to be disappointed because, you know, "second seasons" often feel like a let down. There's this saying that the first is always the best and then what comes after might even be pointless.
Well, I came prepared, but ended it with a big smile on my face.

At first I wasn't too excited to see what would happen after, their new lives and all the possible changes that might occur.
But I found myself attracted to each event or incident and of course I would have never stopped. This season deserved attention regardless, considering the masterpiece that the first was. Giving it a chance felt like due.
I enjoyed seeing their uni lives and the way their relationship proceeded. As always the filming was great and the music too. Everything was perfect again, so I enjoyed it pretty much the same as the other one.

The sudden couple problems didn't feel forced at all to me, it seemed human and realistic. And I can understand what happens, this season was very very personal to me, the dynamics and the environment meant a lot to me. So I really think the script was good once again and the way they made all the events, insecurities, reasoning of the protagonists flow, just felt fluid. It made perfect sense to me, everything happened for a reason and the characters really showed effort. It wasn't all thrown there without a process. And that's what impressed me the most. This drama is seriously God tier for a long list of reasons.

I'm gonna keep it shorter this time because my impressions are the same as the first season. I found the same amazing quality in every detail and it still leaves me speechless for how beautiful and well built the scenes are.
From the soundtrack, the music in general, to the ambient sounds and the visual effects, the lighting, the compositing, the choice of perspective, it was all amazing. A true masterpiece. I kept admiring all of these details and was literally captivated. Also, I will never forget the soudtracks, they are so beautiful I will never stop listening to them and remisce every time. And the moment they inserted here the songs from first season...damn that hit me hard! It brought back so many feelings!

In the end, overall, this season is another work of art, both for the storytelling and the filming. I'm so so happy for the ending and the path that Oh-Aew and Teh had to walk to reach it! It's so much of a spiritual journey that it pushes you to introspection.
Last thing: I cried at the theatre scene with Teh's thesis. It was so emotional, thinking back to their growing process. Pure bliss.

I would erase my mind just to see it for the first time and feel the same emotions again. Even though, to be honest, one day when I rewatch it, I'm sure I'm going to ride this rollercoaster again.

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SHANGXIN.....

I only watched I Told Sunset about You and I Promised You the Moon in January 2023, when I found the series were on Netflix. I already knew about these two series, but was not able to find them. So how glad I was to know I could binge-watch all 10 episodes earlier this week. I have read other reviews which compared ITSAY and IPYTM (most favoured the first one), but for me I see IPYTM as a continuation. So these were just likes episodes 6 to 10 of the same series, especially because I watched them all at once.

I used "shangxin" as the title of my review because I find that being sad and heartbroken still seemed to be the dominant feelings of these two boys, despite being in a relationship at the beginning. If episode 1-5 (ITSAY) portrayed the growing pains of young teenage boys, episode 6-10 (IPYTM) definitely shows how people change. Yes, people do change, especially during the first years of university. You have a new network of friends, meet new people who for better or worse, would influence your life. Your dreams may become stronger, or weaker, or may change overall. This is the fact that Teh could not yet accept. He wanted people to remain the same, to be true to their dreams (or what he thinks are their dreams). He could not take it when Oh decided to change his major, and he just didnt get it when Khim, who was like a mentor to him, decided to become a flight attendant. When Khim said "Not everyone has the same condition as you" (these may not be the exact words), this should have been an insightful moment for Teh. But, no, he still thought that people should be true to their initial dreams.

I liked the way the two lead characters were shown to change, although Oh seemed to be more mature than Teh. He knew what he wanted in life, when he failed after his first casting. Although it might still hurt, he just accepted the fact that people said he was not manly enough. He found his passion in advertising now, and achieved in getting a job as he wanted. Teh, on the other hand, became a successful actor, but then came to realize that something was missing in his life. These reflective moments are what make people grow and develop, and I love the way it was shown.

There are three particular scenes I loved in IPYTM. None of them were really emotional ones, but for some reason these were the scenes which touched me most. First, when Teh moved to the dormitory, his mom gave him two lucky charms. The other one was for Oh. This was so sweet. So, yes, you just can't deny that a loving mother's intuition is always strong. She knew about Teh and Oh, and made no issue about that.

The next touching moment for me was the scene was when both Teh and Oh were strolling on the streets of Bangkok at night time, and saw a poster ofTop, an actor Teh idolised, and shared his dream of becoming a great actor and win the Oscar, together with Oh. I really loved the way Billkin and PP playd this scene. The last scene which touched me a lot was the rooftop conversation, after Teh told Oh that his dog Tuty has died. There was no crying or saying "I'm sorry", or flirting, let alone kissing, among the two. There was just a casual conversation asking each other how they both were, what they were doing now, and whether they had new relationships or not. But you can just tell that they both still loved each other and I sensed the "shangxin" feelings of both Teh and Oh. In fact, this was a scene which brought mist to my eyes, even though it was not a sad scene,

Overall I think this is a very well-made BL series. I already rewatched ITSAY last night and I am going to rewatch IPYTM after this.

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IPYTM: From Teen Love to Adult Struggles

I Promised You the Moon continues the story of Teh and Oh-aew from I Told Sunset About You, and wow, it really takes their journey to a more mature and emotional level. I loved seeing their character growth as they transitioned from high school to university life. There’s something really special about watching characters grow up, and this series handles that beautifully.

It’s a bit sad that they’re no longer in the same university, and that distance definitely adds tension to their relationship. As their love deepens, they also face more complex issues, especially with Teh's confusion about his feelings and the heartbreaking moment when he cheats. As painful as it is to watch, I found that part of the story very realistic. Relationships in real life are messy, and this series doesn't shy away from showing that.

What really stands out is how the show portrays the struggles of adult relationships—uncertainty, temptation, regret. It's raw and emotional in a way that's rare in BLs. Teh may have made a huge mistake, but I appreciated that the series let him feel the weight of his actions and try to make amends. That regret felt honest, not just scripted.

Also, let’s talk about the acting, phenomenal. Bilkin especially gave such a heartfelt performance, and PP was incredible as always. You can really feel their emotions in every scene.

Overall, I Promised You the Moon is a bit painful, but beautifully done. It’s not just a love story, it’s a story about growing up, making mistakes, and learning from them. Definitely worth watching if you want something more emotionally deep and realistic.

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FAILED TO MATCH IT'S PREDECESSOR, BUT GOOD ON IT'S OWN

The 1st Season was impeccable in every aspect, from the production, acting, storyline, cinematography, music, and etc. I think one should treat this as a separate show away from it's masterpiece predecessor.

There are still good things about the show that might interest you:
• Polished and excellent production.
• Great soundtrack.
• Stunning cinematography and camerawork.
• Impeccable acting.
• Hyper realistic plot.

In my personal perspective, Teh became so unlikeable to the point that what he did is no longer tolerable. I can appreciate a flawed and complex character, but his action is exasperating as the show goes on. I would say, his character is irredeemable. However, objectively speaking, if we dig-deep into his character from Season 1, Teh is just being Teh. Messing things up, messing Oh-Aew, messing his life and other people's life as well. Still pretty accurate to his character right? I have to commend the writer for in that one.

Oh-Aew I must say has the a better character development. He was able to figure things out in his life and where he really wants to go. I just don't agree with his decision on the finale, but then, objectively, I think that decision that he made is what is always true to his heart.

Overall a decent BL Drama, still better than most series.

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A Masterpiece

I watched ITSAY last year and I told myself I wouldn't watch the sequel because I got spoilers that Teh cheated and I hated infidelity as a theme. As I was browsing YouTube, I stumbled upon a video about PPBK and later on, I realized I was watching the documentary of IPYTM and I told myself I have to watch this right now and I did. 5 hrs straight.

First of all, I would like to point out the production design and the cinematography. The locations, the shots, the fx, the mood, the lighting- everything was beautiful and high quality. I especially love the city lights and the bokeh of lights on the background. Just like I Told Sunset About You, I loved the title of this one. Because they moved to the city, they don't have sunsets anymore so they all had is the moon to tell their story.

For the characters, I felt like this sequel focused more on Oh-aew while the ITSAY was for Teh. And because of that, PP Krit shone here while Billkin on ITSAY. I would say that heart-wretching scenes were not as great as in ITSAY. Although PP Krit really did great, I felt that he could've given more emotions to emotional scenes. Unlike Billkin, when he cries, there's just something about his crying face. My most favorite part was when Oh was reading the messages of Teh; PP Krit was able to project heavy emotions plus the background music matched the scene. Also, please don't come at me but the kissing scene of Teh and Jai was really good. In fact, I kind of liked how they kissed than when Teh and Oh kiss. I don't know why. Another is Q and company, they're really great people. It may seem as they are "bad" influences since they like to party and all but they just know how to enjoy and have fun. They're pretty solid.

I was able to relate more in IPYTM than in ITSAY because it's what the reality in college. You will really open your eyes to the actual world: the things you once loved or liked won't be anymore. Teh's problem was he liked constant. He already planned and envisioned his life without thinking that the things and people around him have their own minds. He created his own world where everything revolves around him. Oh-aew, on the other hand, initially didn't appear to get a hold of things unlike Teh who had a more positive and enthusiastic approach. His life stopped for a moment because of the new environment they were in. However, he gradually learns and adjusts resulting to him shifting courses, getting a tattoo, dyeing his hair, being more independent, and all.

When he told Teh about changing courses, I understood why Teh reacted like that. He willingly gave up his place to enter Oh's University because he saw how determined and passionate Oh when it comes to acting. They studied together, planned their future careers, promised to stand by each other's side as actors. So imagine how painful it must have been to hear that. However, no matter how painful it is, we can't do anything about it because change is inevitable. He promised to love Oh and that would never change but he really couldn't detach himself to the idea that everything revolves around him.

When they broke up, I wasn't as devastated because they really need to grow apart. Teh especially. He needed to sort what he really wanted. When Oh-aew was reading the messages, it was the time when it hit me their conversation in the parking lot, the day of Teh's play. He actually fulfilled his promise to Oh-aew that he wouldn't disappear. He was consistent in messaging him, updating him and all. I thought that it was, somehow, beautiful. Like of course, it's the least he could do after all what he's done but still.

For the music, I'm kind of bummed that the songs they used didn't affect me as much as Skyline did in ITSAY. Skyline, both Thai and Chinese versions, was freaking great. I absolutely loved it. It's what sold me to watch ITSAY, to be honest. I was really looking forward to the soundtrack but none matched Skyline. Still, I'll try to listen to it.

To close this lengthy review, I Promised You The Moon is just as brilliant as I Told Sunset About You. It's not about two guys finding love and happiness. It's beyond. It's about finding and accepting yourselves, learning to grow and outgrowing your past selves, embracing changes, letting go, finding solace within yourselves, and ultimately, realizing that the person who knows you best is yourself.

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I loved loved loved this, and yet

This will be short and probably not sweet regarding almost pure aestheticism, about how I have no qualms about the story or the acting which were - once again - spectacular, but rather how what suffered in this for me was the cinematography.
This all will be in comparison to I Told Sunset About You, obviously, because in my head there’s no way to treat these as completely separate entities.
Not to be dramatic but I feel like this continuation is a massive drop in photography quality compared to ITSAY when he first part was the most visually stunning Thai series I’ve ever seen, and this one is—just a series.
The writing is still very very good but with the change in DP it lost the extremely distinct character the first series had; that one felt almost like a gritty oversaturated 90s arthouse Hong Kong film with the colours and the shots and the filters, and here none of this remains and it looks just like your average TV series. And that is a massive shame for a sequel to the best Thai series I’ve ever seen; this just feels common and unimaginative. Sure, the charm of the beaches and narrow streets of Phuket is gone, but Bangkok neons would still work perfectly well, if not better, in the grittiness the first season had. Maybe it works for other people and that’s fine; for me it spoiled my enjoyment of the show.

I love the more mature themes and the realities of adult relationships as I’m not particularly a fan of high school stories but that first story had airiness and freshness to it, whereas here I feel it is fluctuating and sometimes almost liveless, most often extremely raw and satisfying.
Still, I enjoyed massively the study of relationship in decay and I long for more stories like this. It was really refreshing to root for the main couple to break up.

Then again, I don’t appreciate trying to force comedic elements (and the awful on-the-nose comedic music), where there almost weren’t any before, to make it more like a typical TV series.

Don’t get me wrong, I still loved it, but if you watch it after ITSAY it just falls flat in places, especially in terms of photography. Having watched the first part, I expected another indie masterpiece, I suppose, although the production value was again shockingly high and the story was immensely engaging and compelling.

At the end of the day, I cried, twice, and then I sat looking at the wall for ten minutes after I finished, so make of this what you will.

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This review covers both parts ITSAY and IPYtM.
This is such a down to earth series. It is one of the most realistic BL I’ve watched. I binged all of it in one day.
The chemistry is great. And the visuals are absolutely beautiful.
I really like that this BL was not romanticized like others. It had some real problems, dirty break-ups, jealousy, cheating, trust issues, but at the end of the day they found their own way. Not everyone liked the second part - but it totally worked for me. I think it was just as good as the first one. I loved the ending. There is a saying that life gives you 3 loves: first love - the innocent love, then the passionate love - that’s driven by attraction, and at last the 3rd - the unconditional love. In this show we get to see the couple go through all 3! It was so worth the watch.

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A wonderful follow up to "I Told Sunset About You."

The story format is different, showing us the evolution of the characters and their relationship through their different years in college.

The sequel wasn't an immediate 10 to me. It had a slow start, but my rating increased for it every episode, until ultimately becoming a 10 by the end of the series. The situations and relationships feel real. You see the struggles of a long term relationship unfold in little ways. Most of it is nobody's fault. Life just moves forward and doesn't turn out the way you thought.

Teh and Oh truly felt like a real relationship you might hear about happening between your friends. There's no outlandish drama, and no unbelievable circumstances. It's just everyday life and how they navigate it, together or apart.

You can see how the characters have evolved since their high school days. Their mistakes are different. Teh takes more of the focus, though I suppose he's been the primary main character since the beginning. But all of his realistic struggles and changes you can sympathize with. He's trying his best but he's not very self aware, and I think that describes a lot of people. His chemistry with Oh sings on the screen, and so does his chemistry with another character.

Nobody makes malicious choices, so even when characters unthinkingly hurt each other, you can't hate either of them because it wasn't on purpose. They're scared, and growing up, and learning.

In the first series a focus was put on school learning and tutoring. It's how they got so close. But now they spend time in a relationship but apart, where the learning is about navigating relationships with people.

Another beautiful series. The actors play their parts perfectly.

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So

So first of all, I really liked the first season, and this one didn't disappoint, as expected.
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The story is amazing, I think it's like a real one. That's what happens in real life. So it hits different. I obviously didn't enjoy the cheating, but in the end they ended up together. I don’t think I would've return with someone who cheated on me... but in real life many people do, and that's what Oh-aew did as well.
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I really loved their chemistry, you could feel their emotions everytime. I guess that being friends in real life helped as well.
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I'd definitely enjoy re-watching this, obviously skipping the cheating part, so the last two episodes... the first three episodes are perfect. 💕💕

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