This review may contain spoilers
One of those you remember forever
I knew getting into this it was going to be emotional. I had seen some spoilers and I thought I was prepared. I was not. This drama reels you in with the charm of Wang, gets you hooked on the sweetness of In, chews you up with the selfishness of Mol and spits you out with the heartbreak of all 3 of them. I really don't mind emotions, sadness or even bad endings, but I dread them since watching MODC. This one is not THAT bad, fortunately, and the ending is fitting the mood and feel of the drama, but I still hated it. I so much wanted In to get over his hesitation and fear and for Mol to get over her selfishness and think more about her son's happiness. Mol has very narcissistic tendencies and this triggered me a lot. In never gets angry with her, he never calls her out. Probably because he feels so guilty, but there's therapy for that, people!Suffice to say I was really invested in this drama and I binged it in a day. The acing, cinematography, music, it was all on point. The fact that we are actually only dealing with these 3 people without real side characters is a great choice, we really get into their motivations, conversations and emotions.
There were some inconsistencies and unclear parts, but maybe that's just that I missed it because I was crying too much. I don't know.
I dare not hope for a 2nd season where Wang and In find their way back to each other, but, you know, just saying....
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Life unfiltered
First and foremost, this is not a literal review per se, more of a conclusion or final thoughts type of thing. Second, this is not for everyone, if you're looking solely for entertainment then I advise you to pack up and go. If I'm being honest, close to nothing about this is entertaining, it's a raw, brutal story that could happen anywhere in this world, so if you're going in expecting something light and fun, don't watch it, if you decide to watch it regardless, I advise you to keep an open mind, this is not pretty, at times you'll have to pause to just think and process what you had witnessed and heard, this has garnered mixed reviews, so I'll leave the final verdict to each person and their perspective. For me, I loved every single minute of this, it was painful, uncomfortable, ugly but so very beautiful at the same time. It's not something I'll ever rewatch easily or frequently, but I sure as hell won't forget about it, I honestly don't know what to write because no words can express what I'm feeling right now, it's very complicated, and you'll have to experience it firsthand to know what I mean, so for those interested, I hope you give it a chance and see for yourselves how the story of three people with nowhere to hide from life and it's reality unfolds.Was this review helpful to you?
Im glad I put aside my initial bias to give this drama a chance
I felt very uneasy watching this drama, but I know its supposed to be that way and part of me is glad that I set aside my hesitation to watch this drama. There is daddy and mommy issues all up on this thing. On the surface you see attraction between the male leads with a significant age gap among other taboos that is pretty messed up. Its hard to swallow. Its disturbing. But I put that aside in this case because this drama isnt about romance at all. If we were to follow the metaphor layed out, there is no doubt here. The leads would never be together. But underneath that it goes beyond the individual but the ideologies that Wang and In represents. You have these two very different people of differing generations sharing the same trauma. You watch as Wang and In get entangled in philosophical questioning. They lay out their statements and pick apart each other's arguments challenging each other's words. For Wang, he wholeheartedly fights without hesitation. He has conviction and passion and stands by his beliefs. He gets frustrated and angry and doesnt understand why loving a man is an issue. He wants to travel beyond his resting coordinates. Above all, he holds his truth and embodies it and lets the world see it. There is a beautiful scene that stuck out to me in the drama where Wang reaches out his hand over In's heart trying to will that belief into him. He so badly wants In to adopt his worldview, to accept his feelings and his identity . To me, I see this as Wang represented by his generation trying so hard to convince the prior generation to change. Wang gives the world he inhereted from his father to In. The globe now in his care, its up to In to decide on how to proceed forward. He responds to Wang by encouraging him to stick with his beliefs, follow his instincts, and use his talents for good.In's perspective is filled with trauma. His sees the world differently and explaining this here would be a big spoiler, so to put it simply you learn to understand why each character make their choices. In cant move on from the past and Wang accepts this. If In adopted this worldview earlier on. If society wasnt so messed up back then. If he felt safe enough to express his love for another man in the past, he wouldve led a happy life with the love of his life. If that happened, Wang probably wouldnt have been born. His existence came out of his In's heartbreak and his parent's broken relationships. The age gap has a purpose here. I dont think the messaging here is to accept the age gap which is why in this case Im putting that aside. It never comes to fruition. Its in the name of the title. They discuss parallel lines never meeting. The messaging is to examine the victims of this messed up society. That if we hold onto the past and if we dont let go of those ideologies, it hurts people. Therefore if we follow this metaphor... Wang accepts the failure. He is unable to convince the prior generation to adopt his worldview but it isnt defeat. After all given his age, time is on his side. His generation and the following will craft the future in the hopes that they can show them all what a better world could look like. An optimistic perspective for a very pessimistic outlook in that things might not change but at least its worth trying.
The acting in this is phenomenal. Im really looking forward to watching more from these actors. The drama is slow moving and introspective which might not be for everyone. But, overall I liked what i saw. The cinematography is gorgeous. Considering that In is an architect, the set design is very intentional. His house is very refelective of him to the smallest detail. Wide open windows to the isolated woods he lives in. Even the Rectangular and square geometric shapes in the background including glassware and lampshades. He is living in the safety of his own box scared to wander outside of it. The drama makes use of his room divider that mimics bars of a cell. The muted gray earthtone colors for his cave...the list goes on. Very well done but I would probably not rewatch it. Lol. Its very uncomfortable to watch the first time around and quite sad at the end. Anyway a solid drama for me that is unlike any other BL I have ever watched.
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Mature and Precise
The plot hit me big time. It's well written. Heavy yet meaningfull dialogs.The talents gave justice to their characters. You can really feel their emotions through their actions and eye contact.
There's no "intimate" explicit scene but you'll get it. I cant remember any unnecessary scene just to prolong the series.
Excellent cinematography. Simple but striking.
Different people, different perspective.
It's true that there's someone who always get what he/she want; and there's someone who always give way for what "should" be done.
Parents always want the best for their children but sometimes they should check if their children really like it. The more you control the person, the higher the probability that he/she will go against you. Disorder to more disorder- entropy... that's how nature works.
Highly recommended series, but not for those who prefer lovey-dovey type. 😊
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Heartbreakingly beautiful or beautifully heartbreaking
The series is a masterpiece. Considering the fact that it so extremely focused on conversations between the characters, one would expect to be bored easily. But the reality is different. I was kept on the edge of my seat through most of the conversations, especially when Wang finally let out everything he was feeling.The pace seems both slow and fast at the same time, but it is not something that bothered me. I actually think it fits the storyline very nicely. I really loved how nicely different metaphors were put into the dialogue. And even into the scenes themselves. The lines, the bridge, the divider in In’s room. They all made so much sense in relation to the story, the emotions and relations between the characters.
Death of a parent, or another loved one, is always hard. What we have in the series is three people who loved the same man (in different was) and are still mourning his loss. Each in their own way, but they are all still hurting, and there is so much left unsaid between them.
Sasiwimol, Wang’s mom, is a character I really wanted to hate. She comes across as someone who is very prejudiced towards LGBTQ+ community, who abandoned her child when he needed her most, and as someone who doesn’t really know how to be a mom but prefers to be a friend. But towards the end, we get to see just how much she really cares for Wang. She might not be the best mother out there and is quite manipulative, she still cares for Wang deep inside. She wants him to live a life of no pain, of happiness, something she didn’t necessarily have.
Inthawut, the 52-hertz whale, still feels incredible amounts of guilt for what has happened in the past. While there are certain parts of the story between In, Mol and Siam (Wang’s father) that are still unclear, his pain is. He hid himself away from his friends and most society, hoping to fix things that he didn’t even cause. He, I think, sees his loneliness as something he deserves for what has happened in the past.
Wang is lost. Not geographically, but definitely philosophically. He is unsure about who he is as he feels a big part of him was lost with his father’s death. His mom is not someone he can always have an honest conversation with as the two end up arguing. But he finds someone willing to talk in In. I don’t know if Wang’s love is actually real or if he is just interpreting it as such, but that is not really the main aspect of the series. It’s actually Wang’s journey of self-discovery. He learns a lot about his father, about his mother and about In, which in turn helps him learn a lot more about himself as well.
I expected the ending we got, and I think it was the right one. It doesn’t mean it wasn’t heartbreakingly beautiful. Wang had to completely break himself down before he was able to build himself up again. The same is true for In and even Mol. The three of them really went through a roller coaster of emotions.
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This review may contain spoilers
Facing your dark truths and secrets
WARNINGThis series is extremely heavy, it's emotionally taxing and draining for you. if you are not in the right frame of mind mentally and emotionally, I would suggest you skip this one entirely. There is triggering topics in this series (death of a loved one, grief, bullying, homophobia, alcoholism).
Overall Thoughts: This series was excellently produced; the acting was phenomenal. I felt every emotion and tension the actors was conveying. At episode 6, I considered dropping it because I felt my mood plummeting and I'm still not over the roller coaster ride of emotions this series took me through. This series is depressing and taxing on the viewer.
(Dislikes)
- How the series had cut breaks every 15 - 20 minutes to show you a preview of exactly what's going to happen in the next sense was annoying for me.
- I think it was unfair for Wang to blame In for his father's death in episode 8. Wang's dad got rejected by In when he expressed his love for him and because he could not handle the rejection, he killed himself. I think In has /had love for Wang's dad but just in a brotherly way nothing more, because he is not GAY, nor is he interested in being with a man in that way. I do think it was unfair to In. In has love for both Wang and his dad but not to be with them in a relationship.
I do agree with Mol when she and In was having a conversation in her room that Wang mistook the obsession and admiration he has for In into love. (I don't remember which episode that happened I think it was episode 8.)
(My Takeaways)
From episode 4-8. We have to deal with our deep-rooted problems, secrets and trauma. Pain is part of living this life, so we have to learn to accept, heal, let go and forgive ourselves. For if we don't, we will be forever having a heavy dark cloud on our shoulders. We will forever be stuck in the time we experience such pain. We have to integrate our dark side because it's a part of us, it's what makes us humans.
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i suppose this was the mom's, the son's, the uncle's and dad's "symposium" where they had to come together and discuss love from their point of view, "we all live in the same world, yet we all see it differently" not seeing eye to eye with your loved ones, I am well aware of how agonizing that is. i truly loved the discussions about love, philosophy, and politics and how they're all braided and intertwined. i felt so much for waeng, surrounded by these immature adults that he had to grow and show so much maturity that they overlooked his void and loneliness. god I wanted to give him a hug so bad.
such masterful work deserves so much praise. the scrip, cinematography and acting were truly splendid. i might need to recover but I will indeed go back to it.
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is this just a bl?
Answer: No, I would not call this series a BL. Don't get me wrong, it is about love between men, but it's also something more and I feel like it's more about love between friends and family. It's a story about unspoken stories, it's a story about people who have been through a lot but they fought to get over it. It's not "just about 2 men in love".The story is very beautiful and you can definitely feel the emotions.
It's not an easy story that you could binge wath in one sitting. I wouldn't be able to watch it just like that in my free time to chill. Not at all. It's complicated, painful but beautiful story. It didn't even feel like a series to me sometimes.
Very interesting and painful to watch.
I cannot say only good words about it though...
Everything was perfect, the chemistry, the cinematography, actors, vibe, emotions,...exept the mother. I don't know if it's only my issue, but I couldn't stand her. She was ruining that serious and beautiful vibe. Don't get me wrong, fun is great and people smiling and laughing too, but I feel like it would be even better for this series to just be serious. In last 2 episodes she was okey but in the previous ones, she was annoying. Maybe it's just me, maybe you agree. You can let me know in the comments under this review.
Anyways, I really recommend to watch this. It's something I've never seen in the BL world. I really wish something like that could air on TV, worldvide.
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This review may contain spoilers
It is good but slowly losing interest....
I never had any expectations for this show. I saw it and decided to watch it. BOY AM I GLAD I DID!!! EPISODE 1-3!!! THE TENSION IS SO THICK AND GOOD AND JUST UGH.Waeng is so hot and the actor is so good at acting. I love the complicated dynamic btween him and his mom.
In gives such hot dad bod vibes, loving it. The way he and Waeng interacts is so subtle and flirty. The tensionnn!!!!!
THE CINEMATOGRAPHY IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! SUPER HIGH QUALTITY!!!!! SO AMAZING WAYY BETTER THAN OTHER BLS!!!!
SO MANY GREAT THINGS, so why am i losing interest after the 5th episode?
Super SLOWW!! LIKE THE SLOW BURN IS KILLING!
I've zoned out watching it as if i listening to a lecture 40 mins at school. All i know is at this point is "dad gone..sumn about lines...architect...dad's past.. sum more things about lines... and that they wear the same clothes."
Every week i am excited for sumn good and every week im disappointed. hence, why im losing interest. hell even the previews for next week's episode aren't interesting anymore. Episode's 6 preview was literally about Waeng asking In to tell him about his dad. LIKE DIDNT WE JUST HEAR THAT IN EP 4 AND 5!!
It's boring. Is this even BL? Honestly this show is onLy good for a binging and dont be like me and wait for weekly episodes. :( this is how i feel but if i hear one morenthing about Waeng's dad, ima explode. And my reaction is valid cuz imagine ur waiting every week for some good forbidden age gap relationship, just for the next epsidoe to be like the last. Waeng and In or Siam crying over Waeng's dad.
I can't do it anymore. I'm not dropping the show yet cuz im waiting for sumn good to happen. if by ep 7 nothing happens, im done with this show.
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Impressive and Beautifully Executed
I am very thankful for this contribution to the genre and am glad I chose to watch it.I feel it is cerebral and poses deep questions. Although the topic is taboo, a lot of great works are and it really depends on what and how it is executed. 180 degrees is a superb example. It's beautiful, simple and complicated at the same time, true to life, full of action and inaction, demonstrates bravery and fear, and differences in dealing with significant decisions. I especially loved the mature way it incorporates diverse ideas, feelings, and decisions of both MLs, while trying to be respectful of opinions/actions that may not be satisfying to others. On top of that, it offers what I felt was compassionate insight as well as clever and amusing banter.
I agree with many that I don't understand why it has such a low rating.
Pond and Nike were simply amazing in their roles. It was very well written. I loved the monologue. Cinemtography was great. I highly recommend it.
** Although the actors are very attractive, this isn't an eye candy or skinship show.
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What a masterpiece!!! Rewatched again in 2025
After watching reset, I felt hungry for more Pond acting, even though I already watched this series, and my ambulance as well, I just rewatched both, and it made quite realize how smart Pond is in choosing his projects, and how fucking talented he is!!!I want to say that his acting really fit in any role proving what a good actor he is and how versatile he can be!!!
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One actor was amazing, one was good & one was too much.
This was an amazing display of Pond's talent. I enjoyed watching him so much! He gets 10/10, not so much for the other two main actors, IN needed more animation, more of a flow & a striking shirt or cardigan would have been good too. He could have been played by someone more suitable I think. Mother, OMG! I'm sorry Mam but I don't like this casting, I can't feel her at all as the character. She must have been exhausted after each scene, I was exhausted watching itSo the story, well it's a great idea, you had no clue where it would go but it was also predictable in places. The anticipation was rather good. The subject matter is a little controversial but it was very watchable & well, why not!? New stories are always welcome. Not many characters in this series but it's better like that I think. Pond nails it, the dialogue he had in long shots was impressive, his emotions were so relatable, it was like he was in a stage play & just aced every single scene. Wow!
Music was pleasant, Pond sings the title song I believe. There was fun, enlightenment, sadness, bitterness, rage-ish, happiness, fear, naked torso, no skinship including lips, crying, oh so much crying
The end of the story was disappointing, otherwise I would have scored higher. Nothing wrong with the conclusion, it was emotional, serious, sad & didn't drag on but I needed more. Wang put up with so much rubbish throughout (as you'll see) and I think I wanted more for him & I wanted some kind of forfeiture for Mother. They all have the same feelings in the end, why? I didn't like that
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