Enchanté

Not the magical fairytale it thought it was...

My rating would have been much higher if this show's plotline had ended where it was at episode 8 or had episodes 9-10 explored the character's relationship now that they were finally together rather than going the direction it did.

I didn't mind the guessing game of Enchanté as it kept me engaged and interested to keep watching. I didn't even mind who it was revealed to be and found the reveal quite interesting because it was not who I had expected.

However, what I disliked the most about this show, especially in the last two episodes, was the main character, Theo. He was unbearably selfish the entire way through and seemed to make absolutely everything about himself, even things that shouldn't have been about him like his parent's relationship. He was extremely hypocritical with Akk, as he had been lying and playing with Akk's emotions through the Enchanté ordeal and then is upset that Akk had not told him something that was not his secret to tell.

I would have been happier with a more bittersweet ending where Theo left and Akk realised his own self-worth and how much better he deserved and Theo had more time to mature and learn that the world doesn't revolve around him.

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Exceeded my expectations

I am not quite sure why I see such negative reviews for this series. Admittedly, I had rather low expectations for it and even considered not watching it at all; but one week before the finale I got curious and watched it. My expectations were definitely exceeded! I will explain why I felt like this was an above-average GMMTV production.

First, aspects I didn’t like:
- Even though it only had 10 episodes, the series felt lengthy throughout. Fewer or at least shorter episodes could have helped to avoid some repetitive and just overly slow moments. I like moments of calm, but the story should not get boring because of them. In contrast, the last part of the finale in Paris went way too quick and should have been extended significantly, to make the ending more believable.
- The supposed main plot, the search for Enchanté, didn’t manage to pique my curiosity. I must say that I was surprised by the revelation and did think it was quite a clever twist, but the build-up to that moment just didn’t work the way it should have.
- The main character remained a bit too shallow. While I do not agree that Theo was being overly manipulative and therefore didn’t deserve a happy ending, he should have been given more depth. His character shone through in some rare actually emotional moments, but overall he didn’t leave much of an impression on me. Still, I find it somewhat believable that a rich and overprotected boy like him would be as naive and awkward and make use of unconventional methods, while also relying on others a lot.

But the positive aspects to me were much more prominent:
- The French theme was taken seriously. I imagined they would use the French connection as a mere gimmick to give an otherwise bland story a hint of originality. But they successfully integrated French elements into the soundtrack, some essential dialogues and central symbols (the fox and the rose), and even went for a finish in front of the Eiffel Tower. Sure, this is all pretty cliché, but it worked very well.
- The locations were beautiful. The campus of Assumption University looks stunning, and the scenes in France made up for the lack of the usual mandatory beach scenes. The shots at the democracy monument at night and Theo’s home also contributed to a coherent visual concept.
- The storytelling was surprisingly clever with its use of short flashbacks and changes of perspective, significantly upgrading an otherwise often boring story. The revelation of Enchanté and the background stories of the four admirers were clearly enhanced through the skillful storytelling. The good cinematography played its part as well, the colours and camera angles always fit very well with the story.
- Whenever the series got into emotional territory, it hit all the right notes. Acting-wise, it was Force who carried those moments. For the rest, music, symbols (rose and fox) and several moments of unspoken, but very noticeable thought processes contributed to some truly touching and even tear-jerking moments.

Therefore, all things considered, I will admit that this is not an outstanding and flawless series, not at all. But visual excellence, clever storytelling and a good use of the main theme made up for an unexciting story and some weak characters. Especially for its emotional moments, I will definitely keep a fond memory of Enchanté!

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I Enjoyed Watching This!

I'm not sure what's with the shade thrown by the audience into this drama :p I enjoyed watching the series. And I had to rewatch it because the-characters-acting-a-certain-way made more sense the second time around! I actually find the story quite unique. It's not the typical "commercial" plot. I had to take a pause in some of the episodes to fully digest what was going on because, in hindsight, I was also making some analogies with The Little Prince :p. The unlocking of who Enchante is kept me glued to the screen. I enjoyed looking for clues and taking guesses while analyzing each character's personality and thought process. Lastly, I REALLY appreciate the cast here. This includes the side characters. They actually did a good job portraying their roles. So I really hope to see them all together in another show. This is my first ForceBook series, and I must say, I can't help but ask for more of them cus I'm telling you, they're amazing! Segue: Good thing there's "A Boss & A Babe" airing right now, which left an impression on me because ForceBook's characters are quite the opposite of their characters in Enchante.

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Amazingly cute, but a lot of missed potential

A story about a mysterious love interest found in a book, who is Enchanté? Side note; the actual identity of Enchanté completely surprised me tbh. Anyway here are my thoughts.

The cast of Akk and Theo is brilliant, Force and Book did an amazing job and their chemistry is beautiful, they are friends since childhood after all. The characters are well-acted and believable. However, I did massively dislike that most of the love interests were liars and opportunists. It's a realistic scenario, but it's not super fun to watch and you just feel bad for Theo and Akk.

Akk is lovely and perfect. The series tells you he isn't but like... look at him! Always ready to help, super handsome, funny, serious, like there is literally no flaw. Theo is likable, but he is naive. There are times that I am surprised by his wariness however lol, he doesn't let someone take advantage of him so easily. Besides this, Theo makes some questionable decisions, especially in episodes 9 and 10, but he is a cutie at the end. Still should have treated Akk better throughout though.

The music is absolutely gorgeous, both "Je t'aime à la folie" as well as "Enchanté" are beautiful songs, some of the best I have heard in a BL ever. The music helps to bring the mood together and to feel invested.

I enjoyed this BL but compared to other GMM TV BLs such as Bad Buddy, 2gether, Fish upon the sky, 1000 stars etcetera, this one feels inferior. Perhaps because of the story and annoying plot points, as the scenes that focus on Akk and Theo are lovely. The parts involving the four Enchanté's are curious at times and boring or annoying at others. It would have been a better series if there was less Enchanté's and there was more of Akk and Theo. Not that there are few moments of theirs, but it feels too long until they take each other seriously. I am excited to see more of ForceBook, and hope that their next series is only great.

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Entertaining watch

I honestly don't understand all the hate this series gets. It was highly entertaining and I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery aspect of it in the search for Enchanté's identity. It filled the time of the series really well (especially since we already know who Theo is going to end up with anyway) by creating the drama somewhere else rather than constantly throwing things at the MC like other dramas do. Yes there was a little bit of potential crushes looking to get with Theo but I personally liked how all the 4 Enchanté's had different reasons for claiming to be him.

The fact that Akk was willing to help, despite his surfacing feelings for Theo, also made us wonder if perhaps Akk was in fact Enchanté and hoping to prove to Theo that he was there all along. It helps showcase the care and investment Theo and Akk have in each other while teaming up to solve the mystery while also realizing their feelings along the way. And, personally, I didn't see a hint of it coming when they finally revealed who the real Enchanté was. I was even going so far as to guess it could be his father trying to anonymously befriend him to sway his feelings on trying to keep the literature program going. (Spoiler alert: it's not the father.)

I thought the acting was well done, especially by the supporting cast. I felt like everyone bounced off each other really well and all the clashes of personalities and motives made for an entertaining watch. In truth, I think they probably could have gone on with the different stories from all 4 Enchanté's a little longer, which is rare for me. Normally, I'm thinking a series could have been a lot shorter because most of the "filler" is unnecessary or boring or repetitive or a combination thereof. But here, I was so curious in all of their reasons and would have been just as happy to see more of it explained. I feel like out of the 4, Saifa got the least amount of explanation but it kind of makes sense once you find out his involvement.

(Can you tell I'm trying really hard not to say who Enchanté is?)

Speaking of which, I would suggest, if possible, watch the series without finding out who Enchanté beforehand. I admit, normally I am one to check spoilers and such but with this series, I managed to hold myself off and I think that really lent itself to the enjoyment of the watch. That being said, I'm actually looking forward to watching this series again in the near future to see if I can spot extra hints, now knowing what I know.

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This series is actually really good if you’d ask me. People don’t talk enough about Enchanté The Series…

I am slightly sad that many watchers find this series a waste of time.
But of course, people have their own opinions and I respect it so I’m not gonna argue.

For me, this series is wonderful and underrated.
The story was not interesting at first but it kept getting more better in each episode.

The actors did very well and I admit that their performance is great!
They acted out their character very well and worked hard.

Everyone did a good job filming the series.

Enchanté might be my new favorite.

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fairytale and mystery

Great plot, split in two parts: before and after Enchanté.

From episode one to eight there’s the fairytale, the searching of Enchanté. Well, great work. I like the mystery and the continue flirting. The ‘Enchanté’ thing is captivating, I’m genuinely curious about who they are, why, when, how. It’s handled fabulously. Different side stories are also well linked together, led to the right ending. The background parable is also amusing to see, the literature major problem.

The main couple is good. The ‘friends to lovers’ trope is in my top three. They flirt every single episode, a lot of times, in every possible situation. Their faces are always so near to each other, the physical contact is crazy. It’s clear from the beginning that they like each other, everything is so much credible it seems real. They kiss a correct number of times (for me), the kisses are well done and are another proof of the great chemistry of the main characters (this is their first series together but they have known each other since childhood, so I’m not surprised).

In the last two episodes we’re back to reality. There’s the usual ending rush: the big news, the ‘breaking up’ of the main couple after few days of relationship, the arriving of another character, Theo’s decision, Akk isn’t doing anything. Only God knows what is happening. The big news is ‘in the air’ since the first episode so Theo could have known and it could have happened before the end, to leave some space in the last episode. I’m talking about early episode nine, not so far behind. We could have just skipped the ‘popularity problem’ that came out as nothing in the end.

The acting is generally good. Except for the main couple, I know and appreciate, in particular, Gawin, Force, Fluke, Aou, Boom and JJ’s abilities and also Theo’s parents’. Book’s acting left some doubts. I don’t know if it’s him or his character (so, the script) but Theo seems lost and dumb. Feeling amplified by the fact that his face is constantly flooded with a beauty effect. It matches the ‘fairytale’ environment but idk.

Let’s talk about music and production. There were just few mistakes in the editing, for example some cuts and the ‘fake Paris background’ in the last episode, the Eiffel Tower and the sun are so unreal that I can’t stay silent about it. The music fits the show: the opening is nice, nothing I’d download but it is well merged with the general vibe. Saifa’s song is so gentile and romantic.

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Maybe the ONLY BL that doesn't deserve a happy ending.

I went into this with low expectations and I'm glad I did. Because seriously, what the fuck was this? It started out so great with the whole who is Enchante plot, then the reveal and episodes 8-10 ruined the entire drama for me,

What I loved:

Akk.
NO ONE deserves this man. He was loyal, loving, cute, looked like he carried the entire weight of the world on his shoulders but still had time to be the best boyfriend in BL history. Just too bad he had to suffer with ending up with a terrible partner.
The funny moments.
I'll give this show a pass because its funny moments were great thanks to Akk. (see how it always circled back to him?)

And this is the end of what was likable about this drama.

What I hated:

That fucking soft toned filter.

Theo.
He's possibly the worse character. He never apologized to Akk. He blamed him for not telling him about his parents' divorce (which wasn't for him to tell), and then for ghosting him, then to freaking up and LEAVE him and then lastly not even introducing Akk as his boyfriend to Sun. And just overall treating him like shit even though he did nothing wrong. Then there's also him acting like a literal child and trying to force his parents back together. Akk told him to respect their decision and he didn't.
The Plot.
The entire premise of this drama was stupid. It's basically a story about a man who returned to Thailand, did the most elaborate plot to basically get a love confession out of his best friend, to then UP AND LEAVE HIM. Who does that??
The Harem
This was quite possibly the worst harem that had ever "harem-ed". Three out of the four guys were problematic as hell and only one, which was the singer, who had no ill intentions, got roped into joining forces with Theo to deceive Akk.
The Reveal
I mean, if you think about it, Natee told us who Enchante was from the very beginning with all the portraits he painted. What they SHOULD'VE done, was just make Akk as the reveal, even though we know it would be the obvious choice. Kinda like how Fish Upon A Sky went and scratch the entire lying thing OR just showed Theo coming back and courting the guy.
The Ending
Ain't no FUCKING WAY, the writers should've made Akk be the one to make the trip and apologize. THEO should have done that. Akk did NOTHING wrong but love this dumbass. Maybe the one time I wanted a sad ending for this drama.

In conclusion, this could've been better, but they ruined it by giving us a TERRIBLE male lead.

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Enchante No More

Enchanté would have been better if the premise was actually used instead of what was thrown in the series. I thought Akk would have been part of the four ENCHANTE's as what I had assumed but he wasn't. I was rooting for him to be the mystery guy because it was so obvious to whom Theo would end up with.

I like the construction of their relationship, their friendship were well established and I like how they really showed that they have a relationship instead of just being together because the script says so. The slow burn was there, the tension created by every chance they'd be an inch apart was so perfect that I overlook the red flags until it was all too late.

The entire plot about theo finding who enchante was pointless that it doesn't serve any purpose to the relationship of the main leads until the revelation in episode 8. There was no significant reason as to why theo was so adamant in finding out who enchante is. They didn't create scenes to build theo and enchante's relationship and the motivation where US viewers would also want to find who he really is. It was just a simple conversation over a book page and it took him 8 episodes.
The four guys were also useless, they serve no purpose whatsoever. When it was revealed that enchante was theo all along, I was disappointed. Even without that whole arc, Akk's attention would still be given to him.

"I'm waiting for you to say it". This line just pissed me so much. After finishing the series, it just made me despise theo. I hate how Akk is always the one to try to make up with theo. How he always has to put Theo's feelings first. How the characters around him pushes to Akk to prioritize Theo than him. How that football guy made Akk insecure when people's opinion about the lead's relationship where irrelevant. Akk's older sister telling Akk that "Theo might know that there is someone better than Akk for him" and making Akk's self esteem way way way lower is such a poor move.


Every single story were always made to for THEO. There is no them, only him. Theo tells Akk that he's selfish when He's the most SELF-ABSORB, SELF-CENTERED and selfish main character I have ever known. Even when they were still friends, he never asks about how Akk feels. He gets annoyed when Akk was playing with the dog in the book fair when the service was free, he never did anything for akk, he never showed understanding for akk, it's always about him. He knew that his lies about enchante were hurting akk along the way but when it was pretty reasonable how Akk never had the right to reveal about Theo's parents situation yet Theo put all the blame to Akk. He's such a hypocrite when all the drama for the whole 8 episodes where caused by him. Did he ever did something for akk that would make him swoon? No, it was always him waiting for akk to do everything. Was there a point where akk was able to lean on him? where he finds a way to lift akk's self-esteem and make him realize that other's opinion about them were not important?


Even in the end, it was still Akk who has to find ways to follow him in france and rebuild their relationship. Where was theo's efforts?
When they were young, he has no choice but to follow his parents decision about him living in france. He knows that it would hurt akk again when he plans to leave but now that he's an adult, he has every chance to just chose to be with akk but oh no, he chose to stay silent and left akk again. HE LEFT AKK AGAIN and HOPES THAT AKK WOULD CHASE HIM.

Seriously, who does that to their lovers? He lacks understanding, empathy, and connection. Like I can go on writing about how selfish he is and it still wouldn't change how unfair everyone has been towards akk. He deserves so much more. He deserves someone who's also there for him, someone who gives him assurance that Sun is just a Friend. Someone who doesn't deny their relationship infront of Sun. Someone who makes efforts and someone who isn't as manipulative and as narcisstic as theo.

If there's a chance, I hope akk would soon realize that he's inside a narcissistic relationship. Hope you'll find a way out bro.

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Not NEARLY as bad as I had been prepared for

Ya’ll had my expectations underground going into this, but it wasn’t bad.

Acting:

Pretty solid, we love a Force and a Book. They did their thing here. Not their best performances, but I still think they did a good job with the characters they were given to portray. There were a couple of scenes where I didn’t get as much from Book as I would have liked, though. The supporting cast was pretty good, all around. We ADORE a Jimmy moment. What a guy, 10/10 character and actor.

Writing:

So… I don’t like harem situations, but even I didn’t hate how they did it here. It was done pretty well, keeping you just frustrated enough to keep you on edge while offering plenty of interaction between the main couple to keep the frustration at bay, while also keeping you frustrated about the main couple. The whole mystery plot was truly horrendous, but I saw a spoiler on who it was before starting the show, so watching it was more funny and embarrassing than anything. The last couple of episodes definitely felt like a different show, but I still enjoyed them. The final conflict needed to be dragged out muuuch longer, though. I needed yearning, I needed longing, I needed “are you somewhere out there looking at the same moon” to make me enjoy the reunion. It was a fun little mindless watch in my opinion. Nothing big to say, but still entertaining as a story.

Chemistry/Romance/Kissing:

These boyysss of course they can play childhood friends they lived it. Love them forever and always. Childhood friends to lovers is a tried and true trope, so at its core, this works well as a romance. Now… there was a whole lot more than just that trope here so I can’t say everything worked great. But overall, it was an alrigh romance. The kissing was cute and loving, nothing was off. Thumbs up to the boys.

Music/SFX:

Music was good. I liked the song they wrote for it too. SFX were fine, didn’t notice anything off.

I’m glad I didn’t listen to all those super negative reviews and watched this for myself.

Now, for some highlights from my notes:

- I’ve heard nothing but TERRIBLE things, let’s get into it lmao
- BOOK MY LOVE
- Moms and grandmas everywhere hate to see a Thai drama coming fr
- FORCE MY LOVE
- Marriage, 2 cats, 1 dog, house by the water, condo in the city, talk of adoption
- My film student heart goes out to my film student
- Ugh, here comes the harem. I hate a harem frfr but here we gooo
- I’m already mad for no reason
- Everybody wants a piece of that Theo
- Phupha got some audacity to him I don’t like it
- I was spoiled on who it is so now I’m just more mad lmao
- This is gonna be an hours-long lesson in frustration when bro could have just told Akk he’s interested in him
- I would’ve run far away after this guy told me he knew everything about me but okay
- Akk and fam so cute
- I hate it here
- I’m pissed knowing who Enchante is shit is dumb don’t piss me off, little Theo
- JIIIMMYYYYYYYY THE LOVE OF MY LIFE THE LIGHT IN MY DARKEST DAYS
- All these boys embarrassing themselves left and right
- EEE was that REAL?? Did they KISS???
- So art boy knows the capital T TRUTH and he’s just enjoying the show here
- Sorry, bro. Didn’t mean for our lips to touch when we munched on that bread together. On a completely different note, what are we?
- NOT THE SAUSAGE POCKY GAME RIGHT AFTER THE BREAD INCIDENT
- It WASN’T a dream EEEEEE
- What if we held hands in the cooler teehee
- Playing your divorced parents’ their wedding video is WILD
- Sun 100000/10 best boy around
- I needed a longer period of separation shown before the reunion
- Is this the proposal that leads to the vice versa wedding cameo teehee

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