Didn't Really Knock Me but Noey is cute
I am a sucker for bad boys gone good... And this story truly had the potential to hit hust that right spot if only I wouldn’t have found the toutour a.k.a the lead annoying...As we meet Noey, a missunderstood gang leader teen, a boy who is just the sweetest guy ever whenever he is not beating someone up. A guy who also has this obsession with the temple, vitage stuff as well as a girl named Pam. Considering his obsession he may do some unapreciated gestures but he is actually pretty respectful towards the objects of his obsession and always asks may I... his acting is decent. His sister is adorable and his mom and gang are all lovely.
Then we meet toutor and his lovely friends, toutour is supposed to be a loy older than our gang leader but is portrayed as an immTure scardycat. Making that age gap completely feel irrelevant. I am sure there is something to love about this guy, I just couldn't really find it as I appreciated every single other character a lot more thus lowering the score for this drama.
That said the guy does have moments of interesting and portyrayes confusion pretty well... but I don't know who to blame either his acting, the directing and/or character writing was just off for me.
P.s the way umbrellas, shoes and flowers are used in this drama is completely outstanding!!!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Really Didn’t Like the Main Character
**Brief Synopsis**B (Student): Thi
T (Student): Noey
- Beginning: T is a gangster and B is an introvert student who catches the attention of the gangster. T wants to get close to B but he doesn’t know how to approach so comes off as aggressive, scaring B away. He wants to stay away but that plan fell through when his new tutoring student just happen to be T.
- Middle: Because of this tutoring, they start spending more time together and B starts to change, no longer seemingly afraid of T. T eventually confesses and B agrees to be with him.
- End: With B’s tutoring, T gets in to university and the show ends with them looking happy together.
**My Opinion**
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT IT:
- I liked the way B looked at the end of the show, with his hair cut and looking much more confident.
- The concept is pretty nice but just badly executed.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE ABOUT IT:
- I didn’t exactly like B’s personality and the way he acts. When he acts normal, he is actually pretty good looking, but when he acts in an exaggerated way, he looks really weird. I really can’t blame for talking to him like that at the beginning because seeing someone act like that I would want to yell at them as well. He constantly looks as if he was terrified for his life. This made the first few episodes unwatchable. It got better in the later episodes but not completely gone.
- Acting can be a little weird and unnatural, especially reacting to things. Some scenes are exaggerated for comedic effect but I found them rather cringey.
**Conclusion**
I really couldn’t watch all the episodes because I really didn’t like the main characters.
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
Tried It, Knocked It
I will be honest and say that I am still mystified by how high a rating this drama has. While certainly not the worst drama I've ever seen, it was far from one of the better ones. While it did gradually improve as it progressed, I didn't find anything noteworthy about it, other than I did very much like the dance sequence at the end of each episode. It's sort of cute at times, but more frustrating than anything, mostly due to Thi's character. I'll just say that I really don't get the hype.The story is pretty basic. Gangster kid clashes with older nerd type college student and they eventually fall in love. That's it, that's the story. There's nothing particularly special or unique about it that I found which could be part of why I had a hard time getting into it. The pacing was also quite slow in the beginning and there was a feeling of repetitiveness at times. The pacing did improve as it progressed and I found myself more invested as the relationship also progressed, but it never fully captured me. This wasn't one where I was concerned that I was going to miss something if I was doing something else. There were plot lines that were left unresolved or just ignored. For example, Thi's parents were introduced as an obstacle to their relationship and Noey talks about winning them over, but they're never seen afterward or even really mentioned. Noey and Thi continue their relationship apparently without any further issues which begs the question of, what was the point then other than unnecessary drama. If you're going to create a problem, then stick with it and solve it, don't just leave it hanging. Noey's father is also left dangling tantalizingly. He's mentioned multiple times and you think that eventually someone is going to talk about him, but they never do to any real extent.
Character-wise, I liked Noey. He was interesting to watch as his character developed and his development felt relatively steady. His struggle with wanting to continue being a gangster and being a better person for his mother, sister, and Thi was well done. The polarity of his character was also interesting, the way he vacillated between the tough gangster and dreamy romantic. The uniqueness of his style and the way he viewed the world added layers to his character that really brought him to life and made him stand out. As much as I liked Noey, I couldn't stand Thi. His over the top reactions, awkwardness, and constant reluctance quickly became grating. His character felt far more stagnant in terms of growth and I just didn't find him to be particularly interesting. I honestly don't know what Noey saw in him. While the age gap between them is somewhat concerning, their relationship is very PG. Not that it makes it okay, but I'm also viewing things as a Westerner, and underage relationships are frowned upon on principle. That being said, neither one pushes things physically and the innocence of their interactions does make it more palatable.
Of the actors, the two that stood out to me were Tar and Mild. Tar was just so suave in the role. He was engaging and his acting didn't feel forced at all. Considering his age, I was very impressed. Mild nailed Nid Nhoi's deadpan delivery, but also showed her range in the more emotional scenes. As much as I was not a fan of Thi, Bom actually did a decent job with the character, especially given this was his first role. He was expressive, though a bit limited, but it didn't feel forced. His chemistry with Tar was subtle, but present. It worked given the characters they were portraying.
All in all, it's not a bad drama, it just didn't live up to my expectations given its rating. I was expecting more from it and it simply didn't deliver. The acting is the one strong point of this drama, as is the music, which grew on me over the course of the series. The one part that I really enjoyed, like I mentioned before, was the dance scene at the end of each episode and the way it mirrored the tone of each episode. Unfortunately it was one of the only things I liked. Not salty like Noey's cooking, not delicious like Auntie Tim's, just bland. This isn't a drama that I would recommend.
Was this review helpful to you?
I assume Champ Weerachit (the director and screenwriter) did the same here as he would later do in "1000 Years Old", only there it was vampires, whose tropes and clichés I know well enough; namely that he played with the tropes, inverted/subverted them and combined them to build a new and surprising world. I suspect that I would have enjoyed it more if I knew the (pop) cultural tropes around the films referenced, Thai gangs, and เด็กวัด "temple kids". I am very sure that a lot of the scenes we saw were richer in meaning than I could possibly understand.
What both dramas have in common is a colourful design -- from the clothing and the accessories the characters wear to the sets, which are lovingly decorated. I like that "I Will Knock You" is set in a middle-to-lower-class area and both young men come from this background too -- it's unfortunately quite unusual till today in Thai BLs.
The bright colours and the way the script plays with tropes make this drama seem like it's set in a world that is a step to the side of ours, a world where fights don't really end in more than a few scrapes and temple kids and /or gangsters are not actually dangerous. Which is why the brief dip into the reality of classism and real-life consequences of knife violence felt like being doused in ice water. On the one hand, refreshing and finally something more than Thi's eternal waffling about, on the other a disruption in style. Whichever it was, the realism doesn't last too long, and in the end, we're back in Champ's fantasy world.
I do think if the script and the direction would have leaned even more into the absurd side of things, it would have made this world even more distinct and thus different from anything else in the BL industry.
I also loved the way music is used in the drama -- both as helpful characterization for Thi and Noey and as background music for setting the mood. I am a fan of Luk Krung anyway, and this was a delight.
Now, on to the two aspects that really should have been better.
One is the script, and Thi's character. He endlessly waffles about, and is never quite clear on his feelings for Noey. For the most part, it just seems as if he lets things happen around him, and never actually takes action or speaks out for himself. Even after he stopped being afraid, he never says outright "I don't like you like that, Noey" or "I like you, Noey". Not even in his own mind does he do that. And there are scenes where it seems like he has made up his mind by the way he acts -- and a few minutes later he goes "What is happening to me?" in his inner monologue. It's exhausting. It feels like Champ Weerachit didn't really want Ti to commit to being Noey's boyfriend.
The second thing, and this is even worse, is that there are quite a few scenes where Bom's ("Thi") and Tar's (Noey) acting is not good, but rather awkward. It's especially obvious in scenes where Thi is afraid, happy or feels any other intense emotion; I didn't feel his emotions at all. Maybe it was supposed to evoke second-hand embarrassment? But I didn't feel this one either. It was just ... awkward. Several of Tar's scenes felt similarly mis-acted. I wonder if this is due to the abilities of the actors or due to how they were directed by Champ?
Both of these aspects, especially the latter, are a problem throughout the series, and not even the fantasy world or the interesting premise could help. Overall, this feels like a beta version of an interesting drama (and "1000 Years Old" would be the release version 1.0) -- the main points are in place, but it doesn't quite get there.
Was it good?
I liked some aspectss of it, others were awkward and not quite polished enough to be good.
Did I like it?
I don't know. I want to like it more than I actually do, I think?
Who would I recommend it to?
Fans of fluff and plots that are different from the usual type of BL fare, who are able to tolerate rough acting.
Was this review helpful to you?
Give it a Chance
This series started out ridiculous. The gang, the fake fighting, and cheesy lines were all ridiculous. But, good grief, these characters totally grew on me. This is like nothing I have ever seen before.First off, no one can convince me that Bom is almost 30 years old. He looks at least 10 years younger. Tar’s character seemed older to me the way he had confidence and was the aggressor.
But it all worked. The main thing I liked was the overall story. Loved how they showed how even delinquents can turn their lives around.
I will look forward to more work from these guys.
Was this review helpful to you?
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
hot take, this is mid
I can't come up with a title, but I will think of something. After 18 days, I finished this show. The reviews I saw, called this the most groundbreaking drama they had ever watched and said they loved it so much. Yeah no. I don't know how or why, but the ground was not broken; thats all i have to say. I loved the characters to a certain extent, i will give them that. I came up with a title.And whatever that destiny song was, it plays in my nightmares. I wake up, and that song is just playing in my head, and I can't get it out, and I hate it. The song is just creepy and just fights the old-timey vibes that Noey wants to give off, and it haunts my day-to day life now.
The story, which I gave 8 out of 10 stars, was actually not that bad. I thought the whole trope of a nerd tutoring a bad boy was cute, and it is actually a trope I would like to see more of. However, it did not reach the level I wanted it too, especially with the high expectations that the first few reviews gave me. I think it is important to give most shows a chance. A chance was given, but never again.
The show was overall really lackluster, and I would go on my close friend's story to see what I posted there, but I actually posted like 4 things about it, and they were all today. I can go check and just see, because I don't really have a lot to say about this show. The average was exactly 8.5. More happened when the credits were rolling than in the 12 episodes of the show, and that says a lot because that was like 5 minutes. They should have used their time more wisely, I think, but they didn't, so what can I do? Nothing. Exactly like they were doing in this show. Sorry, that was rude.
Okay, I checked 18 days ago is when i started it. Okay, I was going to watch the show on gagaoolala, or whatever that site is called. They charge my account twice, and it doesn't even work, so I get mad, and my account gets frozen. So I cave and watch it on Kisskh, where I can't pause because if I do, I will get a virus. The actor who played Thi—I love his eyebrows. I love when their eyebrows are placed on their faces like that; it makes them look very innocent. That's not creepy at all.
Thi is actually so adorable; I was raving about him when I first started the show, and I still am. One thing this show did well is that I was so busy watching the episode that I didn't even know it was finished because I was so into it. While being lackluster as fuck, they kept me entertained, so I will give them that. Yeah, that's about it; I didn't post about it anymore after that.
The show is lackluster and mid, but it had enough filler content to keep me engaged like a toddler watching cartoons, so I respect it. The chemistry is definitely not there at all; Noey's hair is definitely going to fall out in the next 5 years without the amount of gel he put in there; Thi is a little cutie, and I love him; and they both can do no wrong because they are both adorable. I also loved the gang; they were fun. That's it. I wouldn't recommend it, but do what you want. I don't care; it's a Thai drama, and it's not that deep. Okay bye!
Was this review helpful to you?
The fluffiest and lightest story ever
I loved this series so much, since episode one till the last second.The main couple have such a great chemistry, they get a hold on you, the gang is such a goofy one, you find yourself wanting to be part of it and the plot doesn't get boring nor does it drag on many episodes.
There's so much positive energy, new ideas and creativity combined with excellent acting skills , the music and outfits...all perfectly executed.
I highly recommend watching it, if one wants to feel fluffy and have a good laugh.
Was this review helpful to you?
had potential but it was wasted
the reason why i started watching is because of the high rating in MDL, i should have known to not trust the rating...this serie look like its made in 2000 not in 2022, it feels old and full of clichey, now not gonna lie i liked the first few eps 1-2 , even tho i keep skipping unecessary scenes, later on in the middle it become nonsense, its like going non stop in a circle, i heard it get better in the latest eps but at this point im not in the mood to watch..
if you are looking for something light with barely any plot then go on, you will probably like it, but if you want a plot then nah.
in the first eps it kinda of worked out but barely any plot for how long, and im sorry but i think the character Noey carried the whole show,if it wasnt for him id drop this since ep 1, i didnt care about all side characters and i didnt care about Thi too, i only liked Noey because his character is interesting , Thi's character is so ... i cant with a ML character who is always in life crisis, always into panic mood all the time, i find the too much over exaggerations and overreactions a turn off, he is probably the reason of why im dropping this, the other reason is the plot...
Was this review helpful to you?
Don’t waste your time. Very poor screenplay and such shallow plot
What should i say1. Totally non-deserving rating, I started watching it bcz of high ratings, but i was a fool
2. Both the characters are so dull nd boring noey- a narcissistic, not so good looking, weakest yet shown as strongest,not even fit in the role, and another thi- who is always scared of noey no matter what, why bro why? Nd his overacting was killing me whole time, why can’t he just deny the fact that he doesn’t like noey in beginning episodes nd giving noey a false impression.
3. All the characters were so shallowly written, literally no character development at all
4. No story, no typical bl plots, no intriguing or unique plot, no cute actors, no skinship, not even good screenplay or direction then why the hell it has such high rating
Was this review helpful to you?
My Latest Comfort Series
I wish it continued airing till I die. From the first episode to the last episode, I never EVER got bored of watching it. I would wait my whole week excitedly to watch the new episode, it was a bit cringe and absurd but guys, it was cute funny and wholesome at the same time! There were times i had to stop and take a breath to decrease my embarrassment, but there were also times where I was kicking my feet like a teenage girl! It deserves 1000000 out of 10!It's LITERALLY my comfort series! Each and every episode made me giggle like crazy and left a very pleasant feeling after finishing each episode. I really hope seeing actors together in another series too!
Watch it, you are gonna be obsessed!
Was this review helpful to you?
A super BL story that is about love and uses comedy to touch our hearts.
I fell in love with this drama the story telling is top notch. The pacing is perfectly suited for the culture and age range.I felt a little embarrassed during the first episodes Noey soon won me over. His wannabe persona of glamorous, vintage, gangster, heartthrob is comedic genius. He switches demeanour in the blink of an eye. Bullying gangster always ready for a fight to crooning singer backed by his ever faithful gang singing and dancing to impress is crush, Pam.
His outrageous outfits, hair gel and cockiness overlay a teenage boy who wants his own 'special' person. Thi, initially, gets reluctantly roped in to assist him in his love quest mission and too attempt tutoring this wilful young student.
The joy of the production is watching the two protagonists change to realise they love one another.
There is a 5 year age gap that has Thi and his parents putting up barriers. Noey's sheer confident belief that Thi has fallen for him allows him to ignore all knock backs and keep forging forward towards his goal.
One of the most heartfelt scenes is in Chang-Mai when Noey displays his vulnerabilities and wins over Thi.
Watch the ending credits for the dance scenes and I dare you to not hum along. :>)
Was this review helpful to you?
