I Feel You Linger in the Air

The most beautiful period Thai Queer series of the decade

It is only September as I'm writing this review but I believe it's safe to say I Feel You Linger In The Air (IFYLITA) is the BEST Thai series of 2023 for me. Everything from story, plot, pacing, acting/cast, music, rewatch value. 10/10. IFYLITA deserves all the hype in the world and it was absolute worth the wait of over a year since the cast announcement back in March 2022, the actual production period spanning over 8 months from November 2022 to July 2023.

STORY
Being transported back in time isn't an unfamiliar fantasy trope but this is the first time I've seen Dee Hup House pulled out all the stops for their production. Based on the popular novel "The Fragrance of Love" (หอมกลิ่นความรัก) by Violet Rain, IFYLITA tells the story of Jom finding the true destined love of his life in the most unexpected circumstance and after being heartbroken by a cheating ex. Even though I've been a fan of the novel, I think the series is outdoing the original work because it's been able to adapt the novel to fit with the pacing of a series without losing the spirit of the novel. The supporting characters who pretty much disappear by the time Khun Yai and Jom get together in the novel are all now given their own background stories and subplots. The team has done so much world building to create an immersive experience but still shows respect for the original work (especially the iconic dialogues between Khun Yai and Jom have been adapted exactly as is). So far, everything has been perfect. The drama in each episode just gets better and better as the plot starts to unfold for every single characters.

ACTING/CAST
Nonkul and Bright are absolutely phenomenal in their respective roles of Jom and Khun Yai. Nonkul has been playing mostly "alpha" brooding male roles in his more recent works so it was refreshing to see him in a completely new light as a shy, heartbroken, gay little architecture who just wants to find love. Bright is bringing Jane Austen Male Lead A-GAME for his FIRST ML ROLE EVER. You can tell Bright practiced a lot to portrayed Khun Yai as close to the novel as possible (the way Khun Yai walks with hands behind his back, his posture, him speaking in the different local dialect but at times speak in the dialect that Jom can understand...). From their acting alone,one could tell how much love Nonkul and Bright have for the original novel and the amount "homework", care and dedication they have to crafting their characters to be as close as possible. It is not easy to act with so little dialogues but their lingering gazes, the subtle touches, the micro-facial expressions... absolutely immaculate acting to make their characters come alive so vividly. I won't go into details about the supporting characters but I do want to point out how incredibly detailed the production team is in the casting to have everyone speaking in that old local dialect to accurately portray Chiangmai in 2023.

MUSIC
IFYLITA has some of the most beautiful OST songs. I love how every time Khun Yai and Jom has their cute, lovey dovey moment, the OST 'Jom Kwan' by Asia7 starts playing! The lyrics are so lovely because it's written from the perspective of the lovesick Khun Yai who's so endeared by Jom that I just melt into a puddle every time. As the Plumeria/Frangipani flower is a huge symbol of the show, I love that the most important moments are accompanied by the OST 'Plumeria' by Cocktail. In addition to the OST, the scoring and sound editing is excellent as well. IFYLITA has very dramatic score and I can honestly say some thrilling scenes are hard-carried by the horror-movie type score and sound effects.

REWATCH VALUE
I think I will come back to watch this series every year. It's the perfect series for autumn weather and it's one where you can fully immerse yourself to be transported back to Thailand in the 1920s. There's just so much cultural, historical lessons one can get from this series. IFYLITA feels really authentic and invested. Honestly speaking, IFYLITA is like the famous time-traveling Thai lakorn Love Destiny but make it BL, get rid of the CH3 lakorn editing and infinitely better cinematography. Like they are COUSINS to me.

PRODUCTION
Gorgeous, beautiful cinematography, color grading, brilliant writing. There are so many things to praise about the production of this series but if I had to choose one thing, it would be the excellent details of this production. Making this queer period series is an ambitious project for Dee Hup House. Nonkul mentioned in an interview that one of his biggest worries for this series was the visual effects because in order for this book to come alive, it would have to be much invested for everything to look nice and Dee Hup House DID IT! Every shot is dazzling, cinematic like watching a Netflix-level budgeted period series. Small details like props, outfits, cultural events are also paid great attention with a view to craft Thailand in 1927 as close as possible.

OVERALL
While IFYLITA is enjoying moderate popularity in Thailand, I still think it's an underrated gem for a queer series that deserves much more international recognition. I think anyone who is looking for a well produced, invested period series with two eye candy for the leads, should give I Feel You Linger In The Air a chance. If you're looking for a fast-paced, plot-driven queer series, IFYLITA may not be the series you're looking for but it is the perfect one if you're in need of a refreshing multiple queer romances plot with decent pacing and looking to be transported back to Thailand in 1920s with our protagonist, Jom.

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A Romantic Tale That Gave Birth To A Masterpiece.

I have a lot of things that I want to say about this phenomenal show, but I’ll try my best to make it as concise and spoiler-free as possible.

The majestic cinematography is one of the strongest points in the series, be it in the modern day or the 1927 era. The filter or the soft bokeh effect that they put in the 1927 era gave the show an ethereal feel as if we were watching a movie set in a dreamworld, which in my opinion is a smart decision since it is told mostly from Jom’s perspective, cause literally, everyone in that time is already a ghost in the present day except Jom. It’s like putting the character’s lenses through our screen. This alone is already a brilliant way of visual storytelling!

The characters are all interesting and well-written. The acting? Outstanding! Nonkul and Bright did an astonishing job as Jom and Yai. In the first episode, we can already see Nonkul’s spectacular acting chops! His eyes alone speak of those devastating emotions that he is experiencing. In the succeeding episodes, you can feel those tantalizing romantic shivers that he feels every time Yai speaks poetry of his love to him. I would not be surprised if he wins an award for his performance as Jom. Bright’s big moments were in the later part of the story. But what amazes me is his versatility in portraying different versions of Yai. The non-verbal and verbal that he did is distinct from the other versions of the character. He did his homework excellently.

I also have to commend the supporting actors for a splendid performance! It’s great that the supporting cast had their own moments and was not left behind by the amazing leads. And did I mention that aside from the main gay couple, we also have a lesbian and straight couple? Yes, this series shows all kinds of love.

The series holds no bars in showing the ruthless treatment of the servants and women in that period. Its fearless portrayal of what happened in the past makes me realize that the series that I’m watching is a bold, unfiltered, and fiercely beautiful work of art. Despite that, it also shows that the abused and the oppressed CAN claim their power and stand up for themselves! Which makes it one of the most powerful scenes in the show.

The music and original soundtrack are magical. For some, it might not be radio-friendly, but the way the music was arranged fits the drama perfectly! Even the lyrics of the four songs featured in the show voiced the perspective and emotions of our main leads. Each note and instrument was meticulously placed to fit the scenes of the drama.

The show as a whole is heartfelt and hopeful. Especially the last few episodes which are excruciatingly beautiful, it made me dehydrated from wailing. Each second that goes by is a slow agony of the inevitable separation. The last scene makes some people confused, unless you read the novel, you will understand it. But I think it was left that way in the series to open the possibility of a 2nd Season, after all, there is so much more to tell.

The love story of Yai and Jom can be considered a one-of-a-kind timeless, classic, romantic tale that gave birth to a masterpiece.

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It's Not For Everyone But Who Cares?

This review is coming from someone who previously worked in the film industry. I have plenty of things to say but I’ll make it brief and neutral as possible, without throwing industry jargons so everyone will understand.

Cinematography, lights, editing, and music, are all remarkable. It is obvious that the drama has sumptuous amount of budget allotted in the production. The blurry technique they did in the shots is clever, it’s as if we are watching a historic event right in front of us. The consistency use of old Thai language in the show is makes me feel that we are indeed in that period.

Though it is already predictable that Jom will eventually leave that period and return to the present day, it didn’t stop me from watching. As someone who loves heavy drama, I like that they slowly burn and agonized the viewers of the impending doom of their relationship. Yes, their romance is fluffy, and alluring as if I’m watching a classic love story, but it is also depressing to think that at the end of everything, they will be separated. The discomfort of the impending doom is felt throughout the show and it makes the overall tone of the drama serious and melancholic.

When Jom was literally dispersing into the thin air, I have to commend the visual FX, the sorrowful emotions of the separation transcends through the screen. And Yai’s mourning aftermath really solidifies the heart wrenching drama that I’m looking for.
The series proves that magic happens when you cast actors who know how to act in the exemplary level. The eye-works of Nonkul and Bright showcases that they are indeed great actors and gave justice to their roles. I read online that few people cringe with their acting and I don’t understand why. But who cares? As someone who worked in film industry, I would say that they deserve an acting award in their performance.

My only concern was the ending as it left us with too many unanswered questions. It is confusing for people who didn’t read the novel. ((THIS PART IS SPOILER)) I have to check online the explanation for me to understand that it was the present day incarnation of Yai that Jom meets in the old house, he's not Jom's imagination and definitely not a ghost. The reunion is sweet, but I hope they spend at least a minute to explain what is happening. It appears that they are planning to adapt the second part of the novel for the second season, but the production company is uncertain about it due to budget constrains that’s why they fast-track the last scene similar to the end of the second novel.

Regardless, the show is excellent in all levels. As much as I’m looking forward in seeing a second season, I won’t expect that it will happen anytime soon. As I’ve said this was an expensive show to begin with. It also doesn't have those cringe product placement that we usually see in Thai series so I have no idea where they will get money in funding the sequel.

Do I recommend watching the drama? ABSOLUTELY YES! Rewatch Value I have to give 10/10 especially it is the type of heavy romantic drama that I prefer.

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I loved this show and hated the ending, but not for the reason you think.

This is pulled from a bit meta analysis post I put on tumblr, I'm usign this as my back up so I'll be covering lots of stuff. Historical context, language stuff, filming techniques, and finally a full review including all my issues with the ending. Here's th equick review first:

I truly loved this time travel romance. IFYLITA is an exquisite BL, from filming techniques to narrative framework (much like Until We Meet Again). Steeped in history and family drama it edges into lakorn (but no as much as To Sir With Love and with way less scenery chewing). This is an elegant and classy BL... from Thailand which normally doesn't even try for classy. The main couple (both as a pair and individuals) were excellent, particularly Bright (Yai) whose eye-work acting style is a personal favorite of mine. Pity about the ending. Oh it wasn’t that sad but it wasn’t good either. This show should easily have earned a 10 from me except that it fumbled the… erm… balls. Argh. Whatever. 9/10

Some Historical Context for I Feel You Linger In The Air - Thailand 1925-1932

I love history and so here's some info that any Thai watcher would likely know, but the rest of us might not... ready?

The Historical Stage:

Burma (now Myanmar) to the west is occupied by the British. The French hold Vietnam to the east. Everyone is bickering over what would become Cambodia & Laos. China occasionally gets involved from the North (also, lots of immigrants from China at this time accounting for a large percentage of the merchant/middle class) Eventually, Japan would invade during WWII. In part, The Kingdom of Siam was kept a "neutral" party because none of the surrounding colonial powers wanted to risk offending any of the other players in the area. Siam re-negotiated sovereignty in 1920 (from USA) and in 1925 (from France & Britain). But during the time of this show (late 1929) it was back to it's customary type-rope balancing act of extreme diplomacy with the allied western colonial powers that surrounded it.

Recognizing that Thailand was never colonized (although it was invaded), it's boarders were constantly nibbled at and it was "ambassador-occupied" off and on by westerners whose military backing and exploitive business concerns simply outmatched the monarchy, especially in the technology department (as well as by reputation on the global stage at the time).

In other words, the farang in this show (James & Robert) were always gonna be both the baddies and the power players of the narrative. (Farang is the Thai word for non-Thai's of European descent, the word means guava.)

The king of Siam at the time (Vajiravudh AKA Rama VI) was initially somewhat popular but also regarded as overly extravagant since Siam had been hit by a major postwar recession in 1919. It should also be noted that King Vajiravudh had no son because he was most likely gay (which at the time did not much concern the Siamese popular opinion, except that it undermined the stability of the monarchy leaving it without an heir).

He "died suddenly" in 1925 (age 44) with the monarchy weakened and succession handed off to his younger brother.

In 1932 a small circle of the rising bourgeoisie (all of whom had studied in Europe, mostly Paris), supported by some military, seized power from the monarchy in a practically nonviolent Siamese Revolution installing a constitutional monarchy. This is mentioned in IFYLITA in the last few episodes but did not (apparently) appear in the original novel.

Siam would then go through:

dictatorship, WWII, Japanese invasion, Allied occupation, democratic elections, military junta, the Indochina wars, communist insurgency, more democracy and popularization movements, multiple coups, more junta, more monarchy,

eventually leading us to the somewhat chaotic insanity of Thai politics we have today. (Which is, frankly, a mix of monarchy, junta, democracy, egocentric popularism, and bribery.)

The Filming of I Fell You Linger in the Air

The director if this show, Tee Bundit (Hidden Agenda, Step by Step, Lovely Writer, TharnType), has never particularly impressed or offended me as a director. I would have called him simply "workmanlike" in execution: not offensive, serviceable.

So much so that I spent some time hunting for info on IFYLITA's cinematographer (who remains uncredited on MDL) because this one, of all Tee pantheon, is ultra stylish. It, frankly, felt too good for him.

Specifically, there is a repeated visual motif in intimacy scenes of either Yai or Jom being filmed from behind a screen/drape/curtain making them seem more translucent, like a ghost or spirit. While the other half of the pair is filmed with sharp clarity. In the first half of the series this is more likely to be Yai (an unknown and mysterious element), as the show progresses, it's more likely to be Jom (the person outside of place and time, destined to vanish all together). This cleverly conveys story, tension, and foreshadow (future shadow?)

Occasionally we shift over so they both become obscured and then clear again.

This stylized version of dirty framing and filters is used to foreshadow and then constantly remind us about that Jom slipped (and is slipping) through time and the disconnect that causes to his sense of reality and purpose, and to his burgeoning relationship.

For example, the scene where Yai is drunk and asleep in his bed. The first time Jom is sitting in a chair drawing him. Yai is blurry behind the screen while Jom is solid and sharp.

This filming technique combined with dirty framing is being used to give the watchers the impression of looking at something we maybe shouldn't, like we are being creepy and intruding on their private time. After all, they can see EACH OTHER clearly, it's only us who have the visual impairment.

This gives us a sense of doom and discomfort and slight sensation that we shouldn't be there. We shouldn't be watching. But ALSO that we too are outside of time, filtered by the future.

In other words his sense of displacement is being used to trigger ours visually.

It's all quite clever.

It's both beautiful and atmospheric and discomforting and touch stressful. Meaning that it is ALSO a visual vehicle to drive narrative tension. As effective as scary music, perhaps more so in this show (since I personally found the musical motifs and refrains somewhat overused.)

Linguistic corner

The word for reflection and shadow is the same in Thai.

Note on the por/phor/phô honorific in Thai

I have not encountered it before in BL. I am indebted to @embraceyourfandom for the following information;

Phô is a paternal honorific, luang phô is used for respected monks. It basically means father. And is oft seen as male honorific for village elders. It's also used as a male prefix in the names of several occupations like:

พ่อครัว phô khrua (khrúa= kitchen -> chef) พ่อค้า phô khá (khá= trade -> merchant) พ่อมด phô mót (mót= person of occult knowledge -> wizard) พ่อบ้าน phô bân (bân =house -> butler) - most relevant

So, Yai's use is probubly foreshadowing that Jom will be a butler for his house, and is primitively referring to him with this title.

All that said, phô can also be used by a "man who is older/higher on hierarchy to refer to a younger/lower on hierarchy man with intimacy and/or affection."

I think all this has to do with Jom's demonstration of education. Yai figured out early on that one of the reasons Jom doesn't belong and cannot fit in with the servants is that he is more educated than a peasant (of this time period), which for Yai adds up to him being originally from a higher status and possibly wealthy family, especially since Jom speaks English and has travelled (he has a non-northern accent).

There is very little Thai middle class at the beginning of the 1920s since trade is being dominated/dictated by the West, or Chinese merchant operations, and Siam is a monarchy. So for a nationalize Thai citizen educated means military, landed gentry with trade operations (like Yai), royal/political/diplomatic connections, or... none of the above. This changes, especially in the south, throughout this decade (as it did in other parts of the world). So there is a rising bourgeoisie going on in the background but it's not that obvious in Chang Mai at this time.

What Jom's educated lack of status means to Yai is that Jom's family either got wiped out or politically disenfranchised possibly as part of the 1912 attempted coups (or even WWI)? This would be mystifying for Yai because Jom doesn't act like he comes from a military family at all. So his background and status is very confusing for Yai, but Yai does know one thing...

Jom is NOT lower class by the standards of Yai's temporal worldview and existence.

For a young man to be educated and yet entirely alone is very dangerous and suspicious. Also, let's be clear, Jom doesn't look or act like a laborer. He red flags "cultured" all over the place.

Yai is paternalistic and caring towards Jom out the gate because Yai has a big ol'crush but also because he recognizes "his own" is trying to survive while isolated and scared.

Yai wants to rescue Jom. Yai is an ineffectual 20 year old gay intellectual. But poor thing sure tries.

Let's Talk About How I Felt About I Feel You Linger in the Air

The historical aspect was great.

I adore historical romances and we almost never get them in BL. I was always gonna be biased towards this show. (As indeed I am towards Nobleman Ryu's Wedding, Tinted with You, and To Sir With Love.) Aside from some classic Thai BL production issues (less than normal, this is very high production value for Thailand) and my issues around the sound track and repetitive repriens (which frankly were more noticeable because I binged the last half) I have no complaints on that score (heh heh).

The surrounding support cast were all quite good and we even got us some lesbians!

The emotional and narrative tensions were excellent.

Any issues I had with pacing came from focus on characters that didn't interest me, but probubly did interest others. I wasn’t wild or particularly interested in the family drama or the side characters/couples, but they were necessary to make this a fully fleshed story with historical context and to give Yai much needed characterization. Also this use of a ensemble cast is very close to Thailand's lakorn heart, even thought this one had way less scenery chewing ludicrous soapy drama (thank heavens).

I was delighted that external threat, stressors, and conflict drove this plot. That's refreshing in BL.

I have no arguments with the chemistry and kisses and sex scenes were tasteful and lovely, occasionally even heart-wrenching, and it's nice to see Thailand especially use physical intimacy to drive plot, and not the other way around.

I love historicals partly because every tiny touch can have such lingering significance, they're very elegant in their chaste physicality. This show didn't need to move into higher heat, but I'm grateful it did because even that was very well done. Thai BLs can often feel clumsy around intimacy, but not this one.

The final sex scene before Jom and Yai separate forever utilizes the ubiquitous director's-favorite-romantic-moments-flashbacks (required of all Asian romance dramas) but with acceleration and tension driven by the noises of sex, which I've never seen/heard done before. In other words: climax of sex = climax of the romance story, I see what you did there, Tee. Clever. Very clever. Bit on the nose… erm… on the… well you know what I mean.

Like all Thai BLs this wasn’t perfect, but for me this is as close as Thai BL gets to high quality romance and that’s what I want the most from my drama watching experience (if not necessarily my Thai BL experience).

But... and you knew the but was coming didn't you?

I absolutely hated the ending.

It wasn't sad, don't worry, but it also wasn't good. SPOILERS HERE ON OUT

There is a long drawn out separations sequence and then Jom returns to the present, drowning from a car accident. Jom is "rescued" by an moustachioed iteration of Yai from the distant past (who we met once before) and then wakes in hospital. Some time later, Jom returns to the house in Chang Mai where Yai turns up and they reunite.
The end.

There is a stinger featuring Jom once more hurled back in time, only further, meeting the warrior mustache Yai once more.

Okay, that's all I knew and all I saw.

Confused? So was I.

If this had been a regular time travel romance: Yai would have been the EMT or doctor attending Jom when he woke up and their "this time period" romance would commence. With either shared memories, or not.

Had this been set up for audience comprehension in line with the original novel, we should have had flashbacks from both Present Yai (he's not the same one, as it turns out) and deep-past Moustache Yai interwoven throughout the series. Preferably with some focus on Present Yai's quest for reunion with Present Jom AND Present Yai's own experience with visions and memory of his past lives.

A full explanation of the ending is here. This explanation of the 3 different Yais makes me like our ending more. But I shouldn't need to read Cliff's notes from some random y-novel reading fan on Tumblr to understand what's going on in a series!

There is supposedly a special happening with Jom + Present Yai.

There was unquestionably a failure in adaptation in the finale of this show.

As a fan and watcher, what I actually felt was deeply confused and hurt.

I also felt that this was a disingenuous un-earned throw away happy ending, since I had no idea who this new Present Yai was and no investment in his character. I simply didn't believe he was the same Yai (Bright is too good an actor, he was clearly a different older personality).

So the fact remains that past Yai, our Yai, the 20 year old boy we grew to understand and love, is abandoned in the past to suffer alone for the rest of his life. And THAT is an unhappy ending for one half of my beloved pair. Yes Jom gets a new Yai in the present day, but it's not the same Yai. They have no developed relationship, and Jom is doomed to leave even this new Yai and slide into the past once more. That's barely even happy for now for Jom's character.

As a result of my deep sadness for 20-year-old Yai in particular, I'm not going to be able to rewatch this show. The whole thing was rendered not just confusing but the opposite of comforting by the final 15 minutes. I'm tempted to dock it two whole points - one for the ending and the other for the lack of rewatch potential.

But the first 11.5 eps were SO GOOD.

This is one of the only times where I am actually hoping for a second season, while simultaneously being wary of the screen writing and production team's capacity to give us a satisfying one.

Industry wise? I honestly don't think we can hope too hard for a full season 2. This was an expensive show with flawed/limited distribution and little sponsorship. I don't see how they'll get funding for a second season. Unless we see this show up on like Netflix or Viki, I urge you not to hope too hard and be disappointed.

In all honestly?

I started typing up this blog post thinking Thailand was finally, after 5 years, going to earn another 10/10 from me but I just can't in good conscious give it that. It's been days and I'm still upset about that last episode.

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historical masterpiece (uncut version is better though)

Overall: I applaud the writers for giving us this series. I read the book but reviewed the series on its own merits. Aired on YouKu app, GagaOOLala (uncut), YYDS YT channel https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoqdmwJPCU35AqHWHKLdr5RWqQhBiVl61 (depending on your country) Check out these 2 official movie cuts which center on Yai & Jom
Part 1 of Jom & Yai’s Epic Love Story https://youtu.be/Tt5-Wa5z3RE
Part 2 of Jom & Yai’s Epic Love Story https://youtu.be/vT-HG57Nt7w

Content Warnings: (there were major content warnings that I will put under a spoiler), manhandling

What I Liked
- sweet moments and excellent chemistry
- finally we had well written female characters instead of cliche stereotypes, these women acted/felt/reacted how real women would
- strong messages without being corny, they showed the unfairness of wealth disparities, they addressed something that happened in episode 3 as traumatic and not romantic, we almost never see this between a married couple in fiction though it sadly happens in real life and then they showed the trauma of what can result from that circumstance
- unique premise
- that Jom had agency
- intimate scenes were done extremely well
- the cut version still made sense though the uncut did give additional context that I liked (I've the uncut only since ep 2 and watched both versions of ep 12)
- production value

Room For Improvement
- Jom was a bit frustrating in the first half though he really went thru a lot, I blame the editing for unnecessary long pauses
- the ending was extremely rushed and not really clear of what exactly happened, they could have condensed some of the side plots/scenes in the first half of the series to more fully show the ending
- that mustache was awful and not needed in ep 1
- Jom should have said quietly what the year was when he learned who that ruler was as international fans don't know the date (but it's in the series summary)

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UNDOUBTEDLY THE BEST BL OF 2023!

When you cast the right actors and put them with the right director and writers, YOU WILL GET A MASTERPIECE!

Highly recommend this show if you are looking for the following:
• Impeccable Period Drama.
• Impressive characters development.
• All types of couple (Has BL, GL, and even Straight).
• Complex and unpredictable storyline.
• Excellent acting of the cast.
• Amazing chemistry of the three couples and the whole cast.
• Realistic and un-sugarcoated life during the 1920's.
• Angsty and heavy drama.
• Right amount and right timing of comedy.
• Excellent songs and background music that fits a period drama.

Anyone who loves BL and Period Drama should watch this show. Nonkul and Bright are both spectacular in giving life to their characters.

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A little bit too ambitious…

Here’s the thing, I refuse to give brownie points for a good idea that was not quite well executed. Time travel romance is hard, because if you want to do it well, it won’t be easily digestible. Why? Because old times were awful. And that’s where I Fell You Linger In The Air fails - the realism of the setting.

Did I enjoy Jom and Yai’s love story? Yes. But did I feel emotionally affected by it? No. Because I felt like all the issues were presented in an extremely simplistic manner I just did not feel the pain and the angst at all. At the end of the day the time period became a plot device to deliver some mild angst, rather than a proper setting. Even the truly awful and traumatic moments were presented with not enough care to make a real impact.

The plot tackled some important issues like inequality of genders, abuse, exploitation, and the generation gap, but the solutions and conclusions were laughable with little depth and meaning behind them.

It’s hard for me to take this epic time defying love story seriously, when everything else about this show was juvenile in terms of writing. I honestly feel like I would appreciate the connection between Jom and Yai more if I only saw their clips on youtube, because everything that surrounded it made it seem less valuable and worth the watch.

That said, I did enjoy quite a few characters. The main duo obviously being part of the approved group. Except for the, I also loved James who was the true MVP of the whole show and Fongkaew who was the one to take matters into her own hands. Great characters and great performances.

At the end of the day, I feel like it was simply too careful and too focused on being more approachable.

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Maybe every single BL series will suck from now on

I started watching this series when it got released, ever since the first ep, I have never read the novel and neither watched previous trailers, just started watching because I thought the title was very poetic. Because of that I wasn't caught up on the hype around this series, that made me watch it with pretty much zero expectations and it was an amazing and beautiful surprise.
99% of the series is set in the late 1920's and yet the discussions that were brought up are still relevant nowadays, such as homophobia, sexism and social inequalities, even though these topics were never directly named throughout the series.
Every episode is an emotional rollercoaster, with perfect balance between light and heavy scenes, and even the heavy ones are displayed with a tragically beautiful sensibility. The actors brought to life such complex feelings with their expressions, that most of the time no lines were necessary to makes us guess what's going on inside the characters' mind.
I fear it'll take a long time until another BL series tops I Feel You Linger in the Air's plot, acting, music, (the soundtrack goes accordingly to the historical moment the series is set and no one pulls out a guitar out of nowhere and starts singing out of tune), simply everything about this is beautiful!
Time travel and lovers in different lives are such a cliché plot, yet this series works with it in a very smart way and it's totally worth it to watch the one hour long episodes. I'm eagerly waiting for a second season!

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We will talk about this masterpiece for decades

I Feel You Linger In The Air is eternal, the years will pass and it will still be remembered, there is something here that is very different from everything I have seen to date, the richness in the details, you can have so many interpretations of the ending, the characters are captivating, the script is exquisite, I really hope for a second season, the novel is also one of the works I love most in life and what they did in the adaptation was superb, they added so many things but it didn't disappoint in any way. I think it's the bl that most approached Thai culture and it was in an extraordinary way.

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If you are into BL this is a must wast watch

I started watching it because of my friend going on about the aesthetics. I should thank the Bl angels for leading me to it. A beautiful drama with an unique and amazing storyline although there were some loopholes it can be ignored as it has been covered up by the aesthetics, music and acting. I loved everything starring from the time travel troupe to the Soulmate concept. The only complain I have is the lack of explanation in the last episode of how Yai is there in the current timeline, he just shows up . There’s no explanation how he comes here or is it the Yai of this timeline or Yai from the 90s

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I Feel You Linger in the Air was almost a horror

I Feel You Linger in the Air is the first Thai BL I waited for all 12 episodes to air before binging it and I have to say it left me with mixed emotions. I enjoyed episodes 1-5, no problem, but 6-12 took me longer than expected to finish. I also skipped around in episodes 10-12.

What I enjoyed/liked about the series:
- The acting and cinematography were equally aesthetically pleasing. The whole cast is new to me but I thought Nonkul did an exceptional job as Jom and Bright delivered. Everyone is talented but I especially love Guide as Ming. His voice color and tone…who wouldn’t fall for it? Kimmy (James) oh my gawd, someone give this guy a lead role.
- The English script was spot on. I don’t know if they hired a professional or Kimmy simply put his own twist to it but it was so fluid and fluent, and James really came across as a competent character.
- I already praised Nonkul but I have to say his and Typhoon/Ohm’s scenes were so rewarding. I haven’t seen the behinds but from the series alone I would assume they’re close based on their chemistry. I mean, they could just be good actors but I’d like to believe they’re friendly and comfortable with each other too.
- I love that the series included all kinds of love and relationships.
- Bright and Nonkul slayed every intimate scene!
- The costume design and styles were great here. They really convinced me that this was 1927-1928 Chiang Mai. The landscape was great. Though the forest scenery in episode 11 appears to be a greenscreen. I know they used the same location for Home School and didn’t do much with the outdoors but I appreciate the decor and furnishing indoors.
- The music was adequate, except, they used the same two(?) songs throughout the entire show. I love the opening song, it really captured the historical sound of Thai culture.

What I disliked or had me scratching my head:
- The timeline isn’t crystal clear until the end of episode 11. October 1928. Since we had Christmas, that meant Jom spent close to a year in the past. Maybe I missed it but was Jom’s age ever revealed?
- RIP to Jom’s architecture arc. Since he was renovating the main house in the present/future, it would have been nice if he studied its construction in the past and then returned to the present to give the workers some pointers but I guess that would have been a waste of screen time. I did like that the show maintained his artistic skills as an architect though.
- Khun Yai being soft-spoken was expected, given the timepiece, but it was a fresher breath of air that he had no mean bone in his body. However, this side of him didn’t do his character any favors. Diving into the series, he evidently holds some power as the oldest son of the homeowner but after some time, we see that he has no real authority (even Lek doesn’t listen to him). That’s when I began to question if bookworm Yai is intelligent or if his father’s influence is doing all his bidding. Whenever he rescues Jom from Robert, I'm always left with a lingering feeling of dissatisfaction. Everyone seems to be on edge due to his assigned position and not who he is as an individual. Yai also has a tendency to seclude himself to the small house, primarily to avoid his family’s high expectations, and to do his own thing. Early on, he reveals that he finds his brother-in-law offputting but except for one or two conversations, nothing comes of it. Yai also doesn’t have any friends and isn’t close to any of the servants except his nanny. We know Yai works with his father but we never see what he actually does except mentions of running errands and attending parties. Yai wasn’t even trusted to set up, plan, and host his father’s promotional ceremony as it was left to the servant Chan. Yai had no real growth throughout the entire show and the major conflict with his father was easily and single-handedly resolved by Jom (well, with the help of supporting characters but Jom orchestrated and led it). I wished Yai had more going for him other than jumping Jom, reading, and snacking. I know he was the healthy relationship Jom deserved but as an equal Jom could do better.
- I wish the show had a moment where Khun Yai really cared and helped the other servants besides Jom. Then again, even with Jom, he always gave up after one sour conversation with his parents. I.e. the two separate incidents with Prik and Ming.
- Why didn’t Yai ever tell Jom he had a dream about Jom? It gave me the impression that he only developed feelings quicker for Jom because he recognized Jom from his dream. As if the affectionate Jom in his dream shaped the real Jom for him.
- Yai and Jom spent about a year together but hardly knew each other on a personal level. Yai doesn't inquire if Jom regained any memories of his past or what Jom's hobbies, favorite food, desserts, etc are. Jom didn't really know that Yai's dream was to study Law. They always spoke of their love for each other but Yai doesn't seem to care for Jom's personal goals, wishes, etc. Their relationship is somewhat shallow and surfaced level.
- I like that Khun Luang, Yai’s father, knew about his son and daughter’s same-sex relationships but as someone who was painted as very judgemental, old-schooled, and strict, I’m shocked that the worst he can do is arrange marriages and had his son followed. Maybe I’m numb to the harshness some may see in it but I also don’t understand the accusation and treatment he received from his wife afterwards. Khun Ying’s 180 came out of nowhere when she's been supporting Luang’s decisions for 20 years. It’s bad that she condoned Luang’s strictness, but when shit hits the fan, she wants to dump all the ugly on him and plays the nice and accepting parent role? What gives?
- I don’t mind it when supporting characters get a lot of screen time but when there’s no crossover or cause and effect; the feeling of watching two different series in one negates the realism and logic of the entire show. For a while, Yai and Jom were stuck in this loop of mushy puppy love while the other house went through a whirlwind of crazies is crazy to me. What happened to “the walls have ears?” And I don’t understand the distance of the three houses. At times they all seem to be on one big lot, within walking distance of each other, other times you need a boat to get to the other house. The consistency isn’t consistent.
- Why Fongkaew feels the need to apologize to Ueangphueng is unclear. If it’s about her becoming Robert’s second wife then that wouldn’t be on her but him. In actuality, it was Ueangphueng and Mei who plotted and wanted Fongkaew as Robert’s second wife. Fongkaew’s arc is interesting but the arson was glossed over and only employed to stop an engagement. Except for getting Fongkaew to marry Robert, there wasn’t any transparent reason to burn down Kad Luang. We also never got to see Fongkaew ask James for a favor or what hole Ueangphueng dug Robert’s notebook out of. A lot of the investigations were done off-screen and then retched to the viewers at the ceremony. I had no appreciation for that, and again, Yai had no part in bringing the crime to light.
- A handful of the twists and conflicts were jaw-dropping but their executions fell flat. Some for example are a servant witnessing Yai and Jom’s about-to-kiss moment and spreading it like wildfire (though it eventually leads to the engagement) there’s no real consequence for it. Yai continued to jump Jom in broad daylight despite getting caught on multiple occasions. The last drawing is Yai’s, not Jom’s. Ueangphueung’s pregnancy and abortion. A warrior Khun Yai? Chan stalked Yai and Jom day and night but claimed they hadn’t crossed the line when they spent every night together?
- Why wasn’t this series about Jom and James? They would have made a more interesting couple.
- Ming’s problems aren’t taken seriously and that annoys me.
- My theory for the ending is that 1928 Khun Yai, some 3-5 years later is now in the present/future. Simply because in the letter he talked about studying in France and ended it there. There was no 'in my 30s, 40s, or 50s', 'I became a judge', 'I changed this and that', 'I've obtained power without my father's help, 'Ming is now my majordomo but he brings me bad desserts and gets crazy drunk'. I don’t know, something, anything that briefed us he lived past the age of 25, at least.

I regret waiting to binge this only because I might have enjoyed it more watching it once a week. Regardless I'm glad I checked it out because I do love historicals and this series not only introduced a talented cast but two very good songs to me. I also got to know of Nonkul’s music and “Won’t Tell You” is a banger!

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