We Are

Wasn't expecting to be hooked on this one

I waited a while after the series ended before writing this review because I wanted to be as objective as possible.

Went into this with very little expectation, seeing that it was yet another university-friends-enemies-to-lovers series by GMMTV. I was expecting a recycled plot (i mean it's engineering students again...) and lots of cliche but ended up falling in love with the entire cast. So much so that i didn't mind the cliche "everyone ends up as happy gay couples" ending.

Sure it was cute and fluffy, and the acting isn't quite IFYLITA or ITSAY standard, but some of the dialogue were well-written and tugged at the heartstrings. There were also great comic timing (kudos to JJ, Phuwin, Poon and Pond) and replay moments in the scenes between the MLs. Was pleasantly surprised by Phuwin's and Pond's natural acting and their amazing chemistry, and loved the scenes where the friends just gathered and were there for each other.

The script was well-written and although i did find the last 2 episodes a little draggy, i thought the series was overall well-paced with just the right amount of romantic tension. Overall this was a surprising feel good series (especially if you're in between other serious dramas) that didn't overdo the cliches, had well written characters (and bothered to develop these characters), good dialogue and a balanced focus on love and friendship. Peem is just such a wonderfully written character that you wished was real, cos everyone needs a Peem in their lives.

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Very Cutesy

Highly recommend for those who want to watch a cute university BL with little to no drama. BUT I do not recommend it if you are wanting a serious and drama-filled plot.

Amazing portrayal of healthy relationships, both romantic and platonic. I wish to see more bls like this in the future.

The acting was amazing, and I found the little animal sound effects fitting for the show.

My only real complaint is the screen time each couple gets. PhumPeem gets the most obviously, BUT my issue is that couples like TanFang and especially ChainPun, barley got any, didn't even kiss until the end which was a bit annoying, and imo the show should have either had a few more episodes to even out the screentime, or cut a few of PhumPeems scenes, or shortened them to fit the other couples.

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We Are Unequal the Series

I'm sorry this will be lengthy, but I'll get down to business. For anyone interested in watching this series for a certain pairing, let me start off by saying: only 2 pairings took the forefront in We Are while the rest got little to no screentime. It's even more painfully obvious when you omit all the friend group scenes where everyone was together. For couple screentime only, the ratio is similar to the following:

Phum/Peem: 45%
Q/Toey: 45%
Tan/Fang: 7%
Chain/Pun: 3%

STORY:

Enemies to lovers. Also, art students got to take the spotlight for a change and as an artist myself I was greatly entertained. I took it personal seeing the painting that started it all get ruined lol.. The friendship group was portrayed very well and was the focus of this series. I say this is where much of the cast shined as a whole. You can laugh and find enjoyment seeing all these boys spend time and be silly together despite their different personalities. This is not a dramatic series at all, it leans more towards a slice of life genre so there's nothing to really stress about. Ironically, the couples that they greatly ignored and didn't give much screentime to (Chain/Pun and Tan/Fang) were the ones who kept me interested in continuing the series to the end.

The negatives:

You can tell that the creators wanted to keep this story light-hearted and full of comedy. There's a slew of slapstick comedy scenes complete with sound effects at every turn to remind you that they won't ever give you a serious storyline. The first 2 episodes were difficult to watch mainly because of the overuse of sound effects, the gmmtv guitar riff bgms that they put in every bl series kept playing, and it was coming off a bit childish. Thankfully they changed things somewhat as the episodes continued but it was still disappointing that they never really gave us storylines for some of the pairings in the series. Tan/Fang and Chain/Pun storylines were practically non-existent since they were constantly robbed of screentime while Phum/Peem and Q/Toey had so much time and too many scenes that weren't needed and could've been used for the other pairings.

I read several excerpts of the novel along the way because there were scenes in the series that felt disjointed, or just moved on without addressing certain issues ever again. At times a character's behavior was confusing and there was no context. The parts I read cleared some of this, but made me question why such important details were omitted entirely from the drama itself. With 16 episodes, they had more than enough time to expand on everyone's stories or give more background to the characters that the novel clearly provided, but it never came. 16 episodes and yet we got only surface-level knowledge about the characters. An example of this: In episode 15, Tan tells Phum he can store all his cars at his garage. We never even knew that Tan owned a garage, we don't even know anything about his family, financial status, etc. 15 episodes and only learned about a garage.

So many things about these characters could've been explored and explained had they included the family conflicts, traumatic incidents, etc from the novel. Why call it an adaptation when you're only including the characters in name but little to nothing else about them? You don't need to follow the novel entirely, but add at least some details so we can know these characters and understand their thoughts/behavior. You can still make a light-hearted series while also giving proper depth to your characters. They poorly attemped to include the father-son conflict with Phum, but then seemed to just drop it and gave us nothing in the end. Too little and too late.

MUSIC:

The cast participated in creating the osts which were all great songs, I recommend them all. My only gripe with this series is that they had a habit of constantly using those few osts for EVERYTHING, to the point that it felt like overkill. Anytime a certain couple would come on their ost would start to play. Whenever they decided to do a slow-mo friendship moment montage, which there were a ton, they used the main ost. Then someone would perform a song in a scene and guess what they sang? the ost. They kept throwing them in every scene even when it didn't match. A good example of this was during an intimate scene in the final episode. Because it was a certain couple, they threw their ost in there but the upbeat song didn't even match the moment. It was very reminiscent to excessive product placement in some dramas.

ACTING/CAST:

My personal ranking for natural chemistry in this series:

Aou/Boom >> Pond/Phuwin > Marc/Poon (the dark horse) > Winny/Satang

[Aou/Boom]: Aou/Boom have been carrying in the chemistry department and deserve to have their own series at this point. You can tell they are comfortable working together, no awkwardness at any moment. Their improvised spaghetti kiss scene showed more character and chemistry than some others with scripted kisses. Neither of them ever looked uncomfortable and were always in character even when they were way in the back and cameras weren't focused on them. Being that Tan was the 'glue' that joined the two friend groups and was also the moodmaker, he was very important to the story as a whole. The way Aou portrayed Tan showed just how witty and talented he is as an actor. There were various scenes where he said a line that was likely ad-libbed and you could see Pond, Winny, Satang, and Boom either trying to hold in their laughter to keep themselves in character or actually genuinely laughing. MVP of the series.

[Pond/Phuwin]: I've been a fan since FUTS, but the one thing this series did show me throughout 16 episodes was the disparity between Pond and Phuwin's acting. While they have both made improvements over time, I felt like in this series Phuwin went a step backwards. There were several times where he looked uncomfortable during kissing or other intimate scenes which unfortunately takes viewers out of the story. If we are being told that two people are in love but then see one person looking like he really doesn't want to be close or even kiss the person then it's not convincing. It won't keep viewers invested in their story. What didn't help and made these special moments even more underwhelming was the constant back and forth between Phum and Peem for the majority of the series. All that waiting just to finally see a moment that looks like one person isn't feeling the same is disappointing. It felt like Pond was hard carrying these particular scenes and it's a shame because I was looking forward to seeing both of their growth in this series.

[Marc/Poon]: Having to reshoot everything and become close with a new partner isn't easy but these two pulled it off. I never saw Marc with Pawin, but even then I feel like they surely surpassed whatever that pairing gave. Their stares alone showed great chemistry and without spoiling, a certain moment really sold it. I hope they can work together again as a pairing because they clearly have the talent and seem to work very well together.

[Winny Satang]: While they can definitely pull off friendship roles or enemies, I am personally not seeing or feeling much in their scenes as Q/Toey. I think I'd have to see them in another series to fully make an opinion on their chemistry, but for now, it's giving stiff and awkward. Weirdly enough, I felt like I saw more between them in MSP than in this series. I feel they seem more comfortable together when romance is not involved and they're just bickering. I do applaud Satang for switching up roles though and not playing the same character over again in a series.

REWATCH VALUE:

This is not a series that needed to be 16 episodes and I wouldn't watch it entirely again as it seemed to drag over time. If anything, I would just rewatch some favorite scenes of my favorite characters. But I do think others might be happy to rewatch as it does show a nice friendship and many viewers are fans of the cast. Overall a decent series, great cast, just poor decisions and missed opportunities from the production team.

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Cute story with healthy relationships

I found this series really refreshing. No toxicity, little drama, and overall great, healthy relationships between both friends and couples; though a bit of unnecessary, cliché misunderstandings that made me want to hit peem and phum. But they talked and sorted it out within the episode so I think it's relatively forgiveable. I really enjoyed the series; however, I think it really depends on the person for how much someone else may like it.

Things I liked:
-The relationships: for friendship being the main point of the show, I think they did an absolutely amazing job with developing them. It genuinely seemed like everybody loved and felt safe with each other. Their friendships felt so real, like I was genuinely just watching 5 (or technically 11 by the end) friends go through university and fall in love. You can tell they support and care for one another. I like how the characters loved each other for themselves and never once asked their friends or S/O to change, and rather encouraged them to be themselves.
-Chemistry: I could absolutely feel the chemistry between the 4 couples, both before and after they confessed. Kinda similar to the friendships, but you could really tell that the couples genuinely liked one another. Even their "intimate" scenes seemed like real love rather than acting or lust.
-Acting: A little controversial as many people seem to disagree, but I think the cast was perfect for this show. The actors gave what their characters required of them and really brought them to life. Additionally, I think they made them feel real, as they act almost exactly like how I act with my own friends and people I feel comfortable with.
-Length: There was SO much content in the series, being 16 episodes, 45-60 minutes each, that I feel like there was nothing more you can ask for, unlike a lot of shows. I feel like it allowed for couples and characters to be fleshed out as they were supposed to and left no questions for the viewers.

Things I didn’t like:
-Length: It being so long was both a blessing and a curse. While there was so much fluffy content, a lot of it was technically unnecessary, and as much as I hate to admit it, I sped it up several times to get past some filler parts. I feel like they could've gotten the point across in 8, MAYBE 10 at the most, episodes, but then again, I did enjoy watching all the scenes.
-Cheek kisses?: I understand kissing your boyfriend on the cheek here and there as a cute, endearing thing, but 3/4 couples were always doing it and it's so odd. It was like watching middle schoolers who were too afraid to actually kiss. And if it was for privacy reasons, such as they were around a whole bunch of people, I understand, but even so, just a short peck on the lips or something would have just as much decorum as a cheek kiss, so it just felt unnatural.
Singing?: I don’t mind singing in dramas such as in like My School President where it makes sense, but there were several scenes where Q would pick up the guitar and I would just have to put it in x2 speed because it was unnecessary and almost cringey. Around a campfire or for an event, thats fine, expect even, but in the middle of a cafe? Cmon, now you're just pulling my leg.

Overall: I think it was a good show. If you just wanna watch something cute without a whole bunch of headaches and toxicity, then this is the show for you. There's 4 couples to root for and enjoy as well as an adorable friend grouo to follow. It's not complicated to watch, as everything is really laid out for you. I'd say it's a good show to take bites out of while watching another show, especially a heavier one, to take a break or lighten the mood, rather than a show to sit down and binge in a day as it can get boring in one large sitting.

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All comfort, no hurt

There is not much depth in this show, no fancy plotlines or heavy drama but there doesn't really need to be, this show is a good portrayal of healthy friendships and I think that is what makes it special far more than the 'bl' part of it.

Ngl I started off this show not caring about PhumPeem bc I'm not a particular fan of PondPhuwins acting skills but they grew on me, I think they benefited from not having heavy plotlines bc I'm not really sure if their acting skills could handle it.. the push-and-pull vibes in their relationship reminded me of my own college days and I like how they communicate, so it was fun to watch ❤️

I love love love Tan&Fang, every time they're on screen I wish they had more time, I would've loved to see more depth in their relationship. Fang is more of an introvert but he's sooo funny and he really tries to come out of his shell when he's with Tan. Also, Tan is like the glue that holds the group together and I really love him for that. Even though he acts a bit over the top, it fits his character and makes me appreciate him more ❤️ I also think AouBoom is an underrated ship (@gmmtv give them their own show NOW) and cannot wait for more of them in the future ❤️❤️

QToey I have a bit of a love-hate relationship, they have their cute moments and I really like WinnySatang, I also think Satang is a great actor but his character here is too childish for me personally as a 25yo, it gets a bit uncomfortable to watch at times I would've liked to see more serious scenes between the two of them, the whole cutesy, giggly and childish relationship doesn't do it for me, tbh they're my least favorite couple in the show even though I really like the actors

LASTLY ChainPun deserved more 😭😭 I could write an essay about how much I wish they got more screentime, I think the chemistry is there, and they have such beautiful subtle moments between them but there's just too little time to develop it, I know it's probably bc of the actor switch as well but it sucks that they only get crumbs. I've seen people comment on their acting skills but I don't think I can judge it fairly, we've just seen too little of them for me to have an opinion on it.

All in all, I liked this show, it had great moments. I absolutely love the scenery and the way they talk about their feelings between couples and between friends. I'll be sad to see it go after next wednesday, it was very comforting to watch and it made me really happy. It's not perfect but I don't think they intended that. It portrays the beauty of friendship and found family and I love it for that.

If you're looking for a show filled with drama/angst/ heavy plot-based I'd say this show is not for you, but if you need a break that feels like a long 16-hour hug, this is the one for you.

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Perfect show is perfect

I can’t say enough good things about We Are. So to try to organize my gushing and fangirling over this ultimate comfort show that is honestly perfect in every way, I’m breaking this review down into categories.

Casting:
While Phuwin, Pond, Aou, Boom, Winny, and Satang were all familiar names and faces to me at GMMTV, I was never a full-blown fan of theirs. I’ve watched every PondPhuwin show and loved it, and WinnySatang in My School President were adorable, as were AouBoom in Vice Verse and Hidden Agenda. But I didn’t really follow their socials, know much about them, or cheer them on in their current and future projects. THAT CHANGES NOW, and I’m adding Marc and Poon into the mix as well. This cast works effortlessly well together. Their comedic timing, their chemistry, their dynamic… I wish I could bow down and Wai to the casting director of this show, because their vision was perfection. I will happily support and cheer on this cast in all of their future endeavors and hope for GMMTV to continue to give them more and more projects. I have to especially commend PondPhuwin’s growth in this series. Their maturity and chemistry in their dynamic has grown so much from Fish Upon The Sky.

The tropes:
We have friends to lovers, enemies to lovers, enemies to friends to lovers, secret pen pals falling in love, falling in love with you best friend’s brother, and slow burn after slow burn. There is something in this show for everyone, and every single storyline and relationships gets great screentime and backstory!

The pacing:
SIXTEEN episodes!!! We were truly blessed with this one. Because there are more episodes, we are able to really build strong connections to the characters, learn about them in real time as their friends on the show, allow slow burns to take their time, deep dive into all the character’s stories, never leave room for plot holes, and we have officially spanned a whole year in this show without any major time jumps. Every week feels like coming home to your best friends and snuggling up in a warm blanket while laughing at their jokes, crying at their struggles, and smiling at their joy. I love the detail, pacing, and direction of all the incredible storylines in this show. Massive kudos to the director, writers, and editors.

The music:
We love it when actors who can sing well are featured on shows. I’ve loved Winny’s songs, as well as the OST featuring LITERALLY EVERYONE. Did I mention the TALENT of this cast? Great soundtrack that fits the vibe of the show. Comforting and uplifting.

No angst:
You guys. I know we all have our angsty comfort shows that we find ourselves rewatching over and over. But there’s something to be said for a happy and hopeful show that isn’t just fluff. I can’t remember the last time I saw a BL with these vibes- minimal angst that is quickly resolved, happiness and laughs, and deep storylines and character development. This coming-of-age show reminds me just how beautiful our youth can be and the precious memories we’ll carry with us all our lives. I have already rewatched multiple times and I know I’ll rewatch more in the future whenever I want to feel at home. I can not recommend this show enough.

GMMTV- more of this, please! Congratulations to the entire team of We Are, in front of the camera and behind the scenes, on a masterful production. 10/10 stars

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Outline of a Review here.

Plot: This is a feel-good story and I'm all for it. We all need something sweet & nice in our life.

Character(s): All of them are well balanced.
A mix of sweetness, comic timing, romantic, quirky and well built.


Acting: The chemistry between the couple's that have been formed till EP15 is really commendable.


To Be Continued.........


**Special Shout Out to Pond Naravit!**
They have, in my opinion, mastered the art of showing emotions brilliantly. Idk if it's the result of immense practice, method acting, skill or just straight-up talent from within but the way they have grown in their career so far is as 'aged like a fine wine' as it gets.

✔️Poom's birthday scene specifically where Peem leans in to kiss him after gifting him the flowers made me want to write this down so I don't forget to add this to my review, once the series is finished.
Closing your eyes while kissing is basic knowledge but there is this feeling one gets when they kiss their partner in the beginning of the relationship, the 'honeymoon phase' if you will. You get butterflies and when your lips touch, this overwhelming, butterflies in the stomach, the tension in the pit of your stomach, everything. And the need to just give in to your partner's embrace.

That face, as soon as their lips meet in the scene is everything I needed. I mean i don't generally feel the need to pause an episode I've been eagerly waiting for to write down stupid sh!t. This scene gave me goosebumps and there's a very valid reason why.

The exact moment is around 33:13 minutes into the series. Y'all NEED to check this exact moment out when they kiss, Pond's eyelids drop and close and goddamnit! They are good. 🖤




Bits I Hated (bit strong), Disliked:
The family reconciliation bit is so overrated in any genre. (EP15)

Whenever it's a kid that doesn't want to talk to their parent(s), we always hear everyone say -

"Oh but they're your parents."
"It's a shame for you not be talking to them."
"They are older. They have a right."
"Parents make mistakes."
"Taking care of them is your duty since they raised you."

Why is it that a child has to carry the burden of making up with the family or elders? Why not for a change an elder accepts their fault in any situation? If a child doesn't feel like they can get over something a parent did, when the child is a grown up, I don't see the need for them to reconcile. They are an adult and they can make their own decisions. If someone makes them feel bad about themselves, they have the right to not keep them in their life. I absolutely hate when this topic is discussed in a TV show or movie saying how the child should reconsider or give the parent a second chance.

Life is short, if we start giving second chances to everybody that did us wrong, a 20 something kid would have no life left to give those chances.

In my opinion, Phum doesn't need to talk to his father who seems be always makes snarky comments towards him. That in itself shouldn't be tolerated. I'd speak up, give them a dose of their own medicine. It's good enough he didn't talk back too much, there's absolutely zero need for Phum to reconcile if the idea was put in his mind by Peem, instead of it being Phum's choice and decision.

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Another Good One

I enjoyed this series throughout the beginning to about episode 12. While I did not come to dislike it, my interest started to wane a bit. However I was more than satisfied with how it concluded. The friendship among the group of friends is endearing and genuine. We saw how much they supported and comforted each other no matter what. This is seen especially through Q and Toey's romantic development; even though they were helping Toey they did not leave Q out and make him the enemy even when Q got upset at them; that is true friendship.

The Chain and Pun story-line was most definitely not all it could have been. I felt that some of the air time spent on Phum and Peem could have been reduced to facilitate Chain and Pun's story so as to give it a bit more body. It was hinted that there is a lot more to Pun than his silly personality; during the episodes where they went on the volunteer trip we saw him take charge as the leader of the volunteer programme and saw him step into a different shade of his personality. I would have loved to see more of his and Chain's friendship through flashback to see the developing feelings taking place on Chain's side. The kiss at the end between them was no doubt a game changer in how I thought of their story. No it did not negate my aforementioned thoughts but it did make for a makeup scene for them as a couple so that viewers at least got something to hang on to. It also created the possibility for me to think that, "Hey, these two obviously have some feelings toward each other and they may not have gotten the well needed time to develop as a couple but them diving in at the end is saying it is never too late to act upon feelings that are there and that it is okay because they can explore these feelings later." What is important is that the feelings between the two are strong enough for them to set the scene on fire with that kiss and so I am willing to let my imagination fill in the gaps. I really would have loved to see Pun's point of view on things though. Therefore me regarding their story as a 10 is really me giving that kiss a 10 because they stole the finale with their scene; they got one kiss scene and they delivered, so I can't argue with that especially when they out did some of the other couples' kisses.

Q and Toey's story-line was unique and cute. It was not really my preferred type of story-line and dynamic but even I can admit that their story is special. I loved how they had feelings for each other even before knowing each other's real identity; it provides for the idea of them being fated to fall in love. I did think that their story dragged a bit especially when Q knew that Toey was the boy he was passing messages to. Later on I considered that Q should be given the opportunity to really settle his feelings and come to terms with the revelation and while I think this should be permitted to Q, I still think it could have taken less air time that could have been given to Chain and Pun's story. However I love their interactions after becoming an official couple. Their playfulness may seem really childish but it is their love language which is unique to them; I loved that it showed that even though they had upgraded their relationship to a romantic one, they still remained friends and not just lovers. I still remember their heart melting kiss in the cafe and what better venue for it to take place than where it all began.

I will now be ranting!

Tan and Fan are definitely something; a special couple one might say. It takes great patience and tolerance to endure the sensory torture that is Tan's whole demeanour and voice. He is one of the most irritating characters I have ever had the displeasure of watching. I truly believe that Tan went to bed at night and thought of ways to torture those around him with not just his voice but also his incessant, annoying and repulsive co-dependency on Fang. He is like a parasitic vine and Fang was the unfortunate tree that had to endure the life being squeezed out of him. I am convinced that Fang did something horrible in a past life to warrant having fallen in love with this ever grinning leach of a lover; honestly Fang should buy a leash for Tan and keep him at bay from others; just because he willingly puts up his nauseating behaviour does not mean others should be forced to. Anyways I digress so let me continue the review. Tan and Fang have a very comforting relationship in terms of them finding a home in each other. We see this when Fang was having family woes and he found solace in Tan (as ironic as that is). They loved openly and shamelessly. Their spaghetti kiss will cause blushes on fans cheeks for sure. One issue or rather concern I have about their relationship, which I also have with Phum and Peem's, is the parents situation. Fang never introduced Tan to his family at all and Phum never introduced Peem as his boyfriend to their parents which leaves the uncertainty of why. I would have loved for this to have been delved into. Is it that they fear their parents would not accept them; I would have just loved some mention of it to fill that gap.

Phum and Peem are the couple that were a couple even before they started dating. Their many kisses and tender moments were heart warming to watch. Their relationship has a solid foundation of trust and care that was established prior to them becoming official and I think that serves them well in their relationship. Peem became that safe haven for Phum when he had his family issues and Phum was also there to assist Peem in his daily life. In the episode where Phum and Peem sat on the beach when Phum fought with his dad, we see Peem being a listening ear and a shoulder of comfort and if that was not romantic then I do not know what is. In the finale where they were thanking each other for coming in each other's life, it felt fulfilling to see these two, who started out not liking each other, become such a loving couple.

An issue I had with the finale is how the situation between Phum and his dad was handled. I will try to handle this as swiftly and carefully as possible as father issues can be a very sensitive topic for many. In the Caribbean society there is an abundance of matrifocal households largely due to father absenteeism. I say this to highlight my point that many children have complicated feelings towards their fathers because of abandonment or otherwise. Phum felt abandoned by his father when he was shipped off to a foreign country. He was an alien there and while his father may have had good intentions that does not negate or trivialize the fact that Phum felt abandoned and was entitled to at least a conversation regarding the matter. Seeing Phum "repairing" the relationship with his dad at the dinning table was like watching the hungry feed the satisfied because Phum made everyone at the table feel at peace but himself because forcing filiality and not having an open conversation about his feelings is avoiding the issue. It ultimately seemed to me as if he did it for Peem's sake rather than his own.

Anyways despite all my criticism, which i hope I delivered respectfully, I did enjoy the series while it aired and my 9 star rating reflects that.

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