This review may contain spoilers
Near Perfect
Its hard to describe how I feel about this show. It is easily one of my favorite shows ever! This is such a high quality show. It stands out above the rest. This is one of the strongest and most compelling stories I've seen. This story has such substance. This is the definition of a social commentary and is very thought provoking. It is much more than just a love story. Its meaningful. They discuss things like social class, which is so refreshing in a BL. There was a wide range of representation present in the characters and conversations.The acting from Off and Gun is fantastic. Gun in both of his roles really impressed me. My brain can not compute him. His nonverbal communication is off the charts. These characters are more complex than you seen in most shows. I think this is one of the better twin representations I have seen. Its not depicted as a superpower but rather, love even when the brothers don't know each other. This soundtrack is also so well done and overall is my favorite. The female characters are actually written well and have standards. I love the discussions of class, morality and justice. These topics are not discussed enough in media. The level of dialogue in this show is fantastic! I wish I could watch it again for the first time. This is the kind of media that I want to support in the world. Just stunning!!
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If he's bravery, I must be fear
Every once in a while, a story or show comes along that far and above exceeds the genre and expectations. Not Me perfectly encapsulated that.The idea of twins and swapping roles has been around for ages (Parent Trap, anyone?), but to see it used in this context and as a BL was completely original and different. Then you take this brilliant idea for twins and you add issues around social justice, ones that two years after airing are still so prevalent around the world. Next, give yourself actors with undeniable chemistry and a cast that fits together seamlessly, and then you add a script worthy of awards. That's where you get Not Me.
Off and Gun have a casual intimacy to them that came across beautifully with their characters. It's the reason why for many they are a top couple, and hopefully will continue to be for years to come. Not only that, but the support roles all served a purpose. Too often there are characters thrown in just because, but that was not the case here. The side relationship involving Yok in particular felt very moving, and it took yet another angle to look at society, the demands it puts on us, and our roles as cogs within the machine -- and what you might do to disrupt that machine.
While not entirely unpredictable, I still found it enjoyable. I saw things coming, but it didn't deter from the overall message or heart of the show, one that has me continuing to think and grateful that a show was brave enough to put spotlight on what others make an effort to hide.
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great story line
As much as I prefer romance this story line is intriguing. Splitting up identical twins is not in and of itself unusual in divorced families, the connection they have is incredible. This drama kept me riveted to the screen waiting for the next episode. I wanted to fast forward , but if I did I would miss something.
All the actors did a great job. The fighting scenes were realistic, except for when black smacked his brother when they first reunited. It was a bit contrived compared to all the other people he beat up along the way.
It’s not quite 50/50 Romance to Suspence but they do a great job of keeping your interest.
As you get toward the end you can’t help wonder when they are going to find out about the twin. I love the way the first person found out. Very unique and appropriate for this story line
Two problems I noticed closer to the end is their day time and night time shots kept bouncing. It wasn’t obvious if it was a “thought/recall” or present time. It it just felt like a hiccup in editing. The second was. Once Black return why was he almost
never seen with the group? Where was he ?what was he doing?
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En un BL thaïlandais que j'ai aimé !
J'ai enfin fini et surtout apprécié un bl thaïlandais !Je ne m'attendais pas à ce qu'il y ait un réel propos, surtout social et qui résonne autant avec l'actualité, particulièrement en Thaïlande. Je pensais que c'était une histoire de gang et de petits criminel et ce n'est vraiment pas ça. C'est plus profond et bien plus intéressant.
Je suis vraiment dégoutée qu'il n'ait pas reçu la promo qu'il méritait, alors que tellement d'autres oeuvres creuses et basées uniquement sur du sexe reçoit un traitement royal. Je sais que tous les goûts sont dans la nature et je ne critique pas le succès de ces œuvres, simplement le fait qu'un drama bien écrit, avec un réel message, n'ait pas eu droit aux mêmes égards.
Partager ça avec ma meilleure amie a vraiment multiplié les feels et forcément rendue le moment encore plus magique, donc peut-être que le 10 est un peu trop mais c'est, dans tous les cas, la note que mérite ce super moment.
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Very interesting story and great acting
A favorite Thai series that I rewatched twice. Action drama with some romantic elements. Very good story and fantastic actors all of them. Especially Off & Gun, they fit so much better in these serious roles instead of the banal comedies they usually appear in. Not as shallow as many other BL series, this one covers many interesting topics such as class differences, poverty, social activism , identity, friendship and of course love. Hard not to binge watch, every episode was very exciting. Don't miss this one!Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
My Aesthetic Dream
Rated ~ 47.5/50 - Actual 9.5My new No.1 BL.
Grunge fashion, art, vigilantes, motorbikes, tattoos, truth to power, twins, parkour ~ this was my aesthetic dream and even if I didn't enjoy the plot, this a visually euphoric for me.
Thankfully, I enjoyed the hell out of the plot. I was addicted from the first episode, I couldn't stop. And I love when that happens.
White and Black are identical twins who can feel the other's pain. When their parent's divorce, they are separated and White is moved to Russia, with his diplomat father where he loses his connection to Black.
As a young adult, he moves back to Thailand to start a political career. One evening during a dinner with his father and his friends, he experiences what Black is feeling for the first time since childhood, and we see that Black is running for his life and being beaten up by a group of men in suits. When White is in the hospital after collapsing, he gets a call from his childhood friend to tell him that Black is in a coma and near death.
To find the truth for this brother, he disguises himself as Black and takes his identity in order to join the motorcycle vigilante gang that Black was a part of, to discover who it was that attacked him whilst developing feelings for one member of the group, Sean.
Thus begins the identity swap to unravel the secrets of Black's gang and his attackers. A plot that will get me every time. I can't help it.
Some criticisms though ~
First - The twins have really crappy parents. Who separates siblings to begin with. I mean, parents separate but for them to decide, hey, I'll take this kid, and you take that one, and we'll never see each other again, boggles my mind. Then when White walks out on his father, we never see him again. At least Black fell out with his mother. White's dad was just like, sigh. And that's it LOL OK?
2 ~ After the attack on the garage, did White and Sean just live in a tent? lol We never see them in a building or what they're doing with their lives afterwards. How are they surviving? We are told via news outlet that boys are out on probation, which will give them a record. We see one boy continues his art project so, he was able to go back to Uni. But I feel like the relationships took a little more precedence over how the boys are living. I mean, just a scene of them being back in their room at the garage, or living in Black's old place would have been fine for me. Just a small missing detail that had me questioning.
3 ~ Black was absolutely my favourite character and I would have loved to have gotten more info on him. I understand that he goes off to do his own thing but I would like to have known what that thing was. Like White, he deserved to be happy esp since he had the harder road to walk. I assume he didn't go back to Uni or White would have known where he was. He kind of becomes a symbol at the end of White's alter ego rather than being a separate character that just hides in the background. I feel like he deserved more understanding than he got.
Todd also gave off a slight homo erotic vibe towards Black as well but we never see Black's perspective. He clearly loved Eugene so obviously Todd wasnt going to be at the forefront but I would have liked to have seen a little more inside his head.
4 ~ The relationship between Eugene and Gram was kind of awkward and I actually found it a little sad for Black. Cant lie. His childhood friend uses him and then tries to kill him. And his other bestie is lusting over his girlfriend, whom he breaks up with to protect, and he moves in like a vulture. eww.
The music in this was awesome. I dont think I've ever given a show's bgm a 10. It fit with the story and my own tastes, without being intrusive or wrongly placed, which I find can happen in Thai bls.
Overall, I'm a little addicted to this one, and I know it will be on repeat. No questions.
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Relevant and important BL
I love when BLs dive into deeper issues and I feel like the philosophical and societal undertones of this story are way too important to simply categorize this show as a romance or a niche product. I’m unaware of how well this did with the GP in Thailand, but it was truly outstanding to have felt the love the people behind this project have for their home country.On a microscopic level, sure, I have issues with some aspects of the show: the acting wasn’t bad in the slightest but could have been way better in most instances (though call me impressed at Gun for portraying the twins) and there were some usual BL elements in Thai productions that I’m not a huge fan of (the romantic slow-mo shot, the tackiness of some dialogue, the annoying misunderstandings) BUT…
On a macroscopic level, the value here is immense. Not only did I enjoy the romantic side of things in the end, like I do believe the painting scene with Yok and Dan to be one of the most beautiful and meaningful imagery I’ve seen in any BL ever), but moreso where the story shines is with its politics exploration of power and violence. On one hand, it shows how problematic capitalistic societies are when they are based on principles of hierarchy, which usually lead to nepotism, individualism and ultimately to the corruptible illusion that money is power, and power is what you need to survive in this world. But then, power you’re either born with (= you’re born in the upper class) or, since power is not for the masses but for the few, it must be obtained by the rules of competition. But then again, fair play is only for the sports, so the way it usually goes is for people to reach a position of power either by deception, manipulation or exploitation and violence. Power DOES get you corrupt in the end. You WILL be forced to succumb to malice when you’re thrown in with the wolves that are the higher ups, who are all struggling to hold onto the privileges that they have, ‘cause why on Earth would the working class WANT to go up the social ladder if they were content where they are? They aren’t, and the powerful are obviously afraid of stepping down. It’s a whole inescapable cycle and, unfortunately, these are usually the people that rule our countries. No matter what good of a constitution you have and no matter how good your laws, there’s ALWAYS a way to bend the rules… for those in positions of power, of course. Power, hower, does not only deceive the rich, and is a danger to all, and we see that with our cast of people when they burn that house down: if you’re using violence to gain something, you’ll end up losing something. It could have been Dan, but it most certainly was Yok’s mom in that situation. So, not only the people are put in outright bad positions, but if they try to act against injustice, often that will backfire on themselves. Then there were talks about gun violence and human rights and how difficult it is for outcasts, for the disabled, and how a bunch of youngesters can’t even enjoy their education and youth ‘cause the world’s such a fucked up place and the older generations are all just either completely disenchanted, afraid or utterly enamored with corrupt ideals. And THAT’s what I love about this: the fact that they managed to stir an uprising with peaceful acts and protests. They painted a whole new form of power, that of democracy, which we seriously take for granted in most parts of the world. Even when people have it, they still don’t practice it their rights enough to have a voice and have it heard. I know I may seem naive, but we the younger generation should AT LEAST acknowledge that this is an ideal we should uphold and act by. Protests, activisism, the courage to go up against the currents. I truly felt uplifted by this show and I’m so grateful to have watched and have it inspire me to look forward and fight for the kind of society we want to live in.
9.5/10 AND IT COULD HAVE BEEN A TEN IF THEY DIDN’T BULLSHIT US WITH THAT GRAM/EUGENE PAIRING WHEN I KNOW!!! I KNOW!!! I JUST FOUND OUT!!!! That Gram was originally supposed to have it HARD for Black. Shame on y’all!!!!!!!
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This review may contain spoilers
One of my favs!
Not me is one of the bls where I enjoyed every single ep.Not only the actors were nice,but also the story and action scenes!
First I wanted to drop Not me in the beginning,but im SO glad I didn't!
It was my first bl with OffGun and also I didn't even notice Black and White were played from the same person!
He played them so different..Huge respect for that!
It's worth watching!
I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did:)
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Not Me, one of the Best bls till now
I've watched this series when it dropped and rewatched it since then often.I have to say some jumping effects were a little wel ridiculous but that's such a minor thing to criticis beside anything else.
sometimes I forgot that I was watching a bl, the story was that well made.
it wasn't just a bl for the bl industry sake of it, It was even more a really good and really needed story with great plot line, wonderful acting, gorgeous BGM and more.
the topic that we're talked about within the story we're so important for the LGBTQ+ Community in Thailand and tbh even for other countries, they weren't shy about to say what needed to be said. I am truly impressed with that masterpiece and I think even now that long after I think more people should watch it bl watcher and non bl watcher.
on the bl side of things OffGun did a really amazing job here.
I truly believed both of them in there Charakters they got the characters really well.
and a big standing ovation for Gun in his role, to play 2 characters which were such opposites was really well played.
I just freaking love this series from the bottom of my heart until now.
Please go watch this Masterpiece! ♡
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This review may contain spoilers
Are we all okay after seeing this masterpiece? Not me
I’m always a bit picky and love analyzing the details, but for the first time, all I’m going to do here is give praise and applause to every single person involved in the production. From the cast to the writers, directors, and cinematographers—hats off to all of them.This has easily become my favorite series. What can I say about Not Me? It’s such a real, cruel, and moving story that truly opens your eyes. Especially when seeing the situation in a country I’m not even in—I think I can get a good idea thanks to this series. Let’s quickly talk about everything because I simply adore this, and anyone who hasn’t seen it should stop reading silly reviews and go watch it right away without hesitation. I wish I could erase my memory and watch it again, haha.
The cast was chef’s kiss. While everyone did an impeccable job, I’d like to highlight Gun’s performance in portraying twins with different personalities. He has me at his feet with his interpretation of Black and White. He’s a gem in acting, and his talent was well used. I’d also like to mention Off and his incredible portrayal of Sean, as well as First with his amazing work as Yok. Very well done!
The cinematography, camera work, frames, lighting, and filming locations—SPECTACULAR. And I say this as an audiovisual student; it’s the kind of cinematography that you DON’T FORGET. It feels like the best fever dream you could ever have. Some frames completely blew me away. Examples: Tawee’s house burning in the forest, that damn kiss on the rooftop, SeanWhite making out in the tent, and the intense scene of them being kidnapped. Pure excellence.
Let’s not even talk about the script—it never gets boring. It says what’s necessary, when it’s necessary, and builds and connects the plot for the future. What a masterpiece.
Finally, Not Me felt like a masterpiece to me—not just because of the technical aspects (which are very well crafted) but because of the emotions and the message it conveys. Politics and ideologies of justice are vast topics that can be seen from many perspectives. There’s no absolute good or bad here. Everyone is different, and Not Me explores these different viewpoints in a very well-executed way. It raises awareness and reminds us of the many issues in the world that we ignore and how so many people out there are fighting them alone.
Scenes like the LGBTQ+ march in episode 7, the fire at Tawee’s house at the beginning, Sean’s rage toward Tawee and the police, White’s dilemma between honesty and protecting the nation, the relationships of SeanWhite and DanYok—all of these are absolutely worthy of deep analysis, which a simple review couldn’t do justice to.
So, if we keep talking about this series, you have to watch Not Me. You won’t regret it.
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This series is amazing.
I've watched this series three times already and I'm still in love. The visuals are amazing, the acting is amazing and the storyline is beyond amazing. I cannot find anything to hate in this series, the people they wanted us to hate, we hated. The people they wanted us to like, we liked. Everyone's acting is just so good and if there's a crying scene or something of the sort, we just feel what they feel and I find that so cool.Was this review helpful to you?
Masterpiece !!!!
I mean this was the first BL where they showed something more than campus love and from her the BL ideas started changing.I don't want to be rude but GMMTV simply wasted their money on remake drama like F4 Thailand where as this drama had more way potential.
But apart this drama was simply good, with perfect storyline, great actors and beautiful romantic sequences 😊
A good thai drama with different story and different concepts.
If haven't watched yet please do watch you will simply mesmerized.
All the Best 😉
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