Hidden Agenda

A Good RomCom! Watch With An Open Mind!

I don’t understand why everyone seems to hate this show! I found the basis of the plot interesting and the main leads kept me coming back for more. Their dynamic was great and I had a lot of fun watching this show. Very cute and lots of funny moments!

It’s also pretty tame for a Thai BL, so maybe some reviewers who found it “boring” were just looking for something a bit more explicit.

To each their own, I do highly recommend this show if you’re looking for a lighter-hearted funny show with a cute main couple who has really good chemistry. I looked more into Joong and Dunk after I finished the show, their chemistry in real-life ABSOLUTELY translates onto the screen.

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A feel-good university romance with a lot of fluff

Hidden Agenda is a good BL with an interesting plot and a great cast.

The plot starts out strong and we are immediately swept up into getting to know the characters for around two episodes whilst the groundwork is set for the rest of the plot. I thought the pursuit was fun to watch and had some cute moments. The main couple is sweet, and I personally enjoy university plots with angsty and confused feelings.

Watch this drama if you enjoy the following genres: university, romance, fluff, sweet, pining, confused feelings, slight angst and a few steamy kiss scenes.

I’ve seen many other reviews of people hating on this drama for no reason. I’ve mainly seen people insult Dunk’s acting skills which are perfectly fine. Whilst I agree that Joong is slightly better, I do not think that Dunk’s acting skills are bad (or as bad as some people claim). Some people said the plot was boring which I disagree, I think they just prefer action-thrillers with heavy stakes and a fleshed-out plot rather than a simple watch with a lot of fluff.

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JoongDunk is a very cute couple, and this show's not boring.

Forewarning: I've started to discover that I don't like slice of life dramas. I want some intensity, maybe even supernatural events. This show is not a boring slice of life drama.

While it's grounded in reality, Hidden Agenda has some juicy storylines and emotional turmoil for their characters to go through. While it's not perfect at pacing and timing, I was very happy with every episode's plot. I felt that the characters acted reasonably, but there was also room for growth, and I love that.

There's stories about family, stories about criminals and danger, a blink-and-you-miss-it story about not being homophobic. It was really a solid meal, especially if you're just getting into BL.

But beyond the writing, I've gone and become a shipper of JoongDunk, our main couple. After watching them in The Heart Killers, I was smartly recommended Hidden Agenda, and I was not disappointed. I could watch them kiss for hours, and the show complied with a few wonderfully long scenes of them making out. You know the actors are good when they can really kiss in-character.

I'm especially into Joong, who manages to make being emotionally-constipated an interesting character trait. And he's so good to his fans! They're both wonderful, but I'll probably follow Joong in whatever he does for a while.

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Definite improvement over SIMM, easy fun watch

If you are expecting HIGH drama and complicated layered plot, this is not the show for you. What it has going for it is the undeniable appeal and chemistry of Joong and Dunk. Joong is his typical endearing, thoughtful, besotted self. He has more nuance and more moods to convey here than he did in SIMM, where mostly I think his character was a confusing asshole. Not sure why everyone is picking on Dunk, as he was notably improved here. His character starts out clueless and hostile and gradually falls for Joke in a way that feels natural and understandable, especially when a little of his relationship backstory comes in to play. Dunk does his best work reacting opposite Joong and this as true for their conflict scenes as it is for their love scenes.
The side couple feel like an afterthought, and the plot and the twists lose steam after episode 9, not gonna lie, but Joong and Dunk are what sold the show and it was still very enjoyable to watch their scenes and their little shout out to SIMM.
It was fun for what it was, it would have been better if it was a shorter series or had a tighter ending but it didn't ruin anything for me.

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Refreshingly Realistic Characters in a Character-Driven Story

This is my first review, but I felt I really needed to explain why this series is worth your time. Please give it a chance if anything I write about resonates with you below :)

SPOILER-FREE PORTION OF REVIEW :

PROS : You should watch this series if you are craving these items :

- realistic character portrayals (flaws, fears, trauma responses, etc.)
- healthy communication (unless it makes sense for a character’s struggle with expressing themselves due to past trauma)
- no over-the-top acting usually typical of GMMTV shows
- minimal sound effect usage beyond the few comedic beats
- JoongDunk & AouBoom’s acting is phenomenal and natural with incredible chemistry
- emotional intimacy over tons of NC scenes (there are definitely some hot kissing scenes, don’t worry, but the majority of the intimacy in this series comes from the emotional moments between characters or simple natural touches)
- a female supporting character that ISN’T the villain
- lack of a “true” villain character (except for one person, iykyk) - if we dislike a character, it’s usually because we don’t understand a character fully yet.
- character development that makes sense (mistake —> accountability —> apology —> honesty —> growth)
- character-driven story vs. plot-driven (the plot points take a back seat to the characters' relationships and personal growth)

I realize this series isn’t for everyone and that is perfectly fine, but if you are tired of overdramatic plot-lines with a frustrating lack of communication and overly-animated characters, I’d give this one a shot. Sure, there are things I’d change and there will always be critiques, but please don’t ignore this one because of the rating/reviews. It’s simple, yes, but it’s refreshingly realistic and grounded.

PRODUCTION --
The cinematography is GORGEOUS; it’s soft and dreamy, very cinematic and simple but beautiful. Pair that with a refreshing lack of sound effects and properly (but sparingly) placed music cues, and this show had me glued to the screen. Even the background music feels dreamy and relaxed. I'm happy they didn't over exhaust the GMMTV music library with the same music choices we hear over and over again. and used music that didn't overpower the emotional tone during JokeZo talks. Even the music for the NC scene was refreshingly intimate.
ACTING --
Everyone’s acting is refreshingly well-restrained. Don’t get me wrong, I love comedic relief as much as the next person, but I didn’t realize how much I was craving a soft drama storyline with natural comedy that doesn’t make them feel like over-the-top caricatures of normal people backed by sound effects.

MAY CONTAIN LOOSE SPOILERS BELOW :

DUNK (as Zo) --
After binge-watching all of JoongDunk’s projects, I feel I can credibly say that I think this is Dunk’s best-acted role. Style, from The Heart Killers was wonderfully chaotic and I’ll always love him for it, but Dunk feels so natural as Zo that I sometimes forgot he was acting. Many people don’t understand Dunk’s acting style or they expect him to be high-energy like many GMMTV leads. And when he doesn’t they blame his acting. But as someone who is OBSESSED with eye-acting and micro-expressions, I thoroughly appreciate Dunk’s acting, especially as Zo. He’s written as a character that is relatively closed-off when it comes to expressing his feelings and overthinks many situations. Maybe it's because I relate so heavily to Zo, but I was genuinely feeling everything he felt throughout the series: his anxiety with whether to trust his head or his heart first, needing time to understand his own emotions (end then not even trusting them fully when it adds something good to his life), never feeling like he lives up to standards he places on himself, being stuck in his head while blaming himself for everyone else's emotions, etc.
Dunk did wonderful playing this normal but complex character - perfect casting in my opinion.

STORY --
The dialogue doesn’t feel forced, the characters feel like genuinely real people, and the importance of good communication feels incredibly natural. After finishing the series, I can confidently say that I this series (in my opinion) is one of the most relatable and honest BL's I've seen so far. Every character is written so well; they don't feel like characters made to fill a quota for a specific plot, but like normal people with realistic character arcs, fears, and trauma responses. They structured the story to encourage us, the audience, to make snap judgements when a character made a questionable decision and then later, when they were ready, would reveal a truth that would help us understand their actions.

For example: while I would have loved for them to touch on Joke's family dynamic earlier in the series, it makes complete sense that we would only learn about it in the final episode. The writers set everything up perfectly for his character so that when we discover his family dynamic, we have an ""Ah-ha!"" moment. All of a sudden, everything made sense to me: Joke's need to help Zo feel appreciated (because Joke didn't in his own family), encouraging Zo to feel his emotions fully (while neglecting his own), and clinging hard to his relationships (for fear of losing the people closest to him). Even his ability to read emotions so well is a common trait of people who grow up in emotionally-closed-off households.

THIS is how you write realistic characters. This is how it is in real life relationships: we don't ever have all the information on those around us, we all have our limits, and nothing is black and white. These characters are so special to me because they weren't perfect. They made mistakes, sought forgiveness, and grew.

I've seen many reviews calling this series boring or lacking in plot, but honestly, I felt it was pretty much perfect. Maybe it's just where I'm at in my life, seeking comfort in knowing there are people in the world that also struggle with overthinking, masking emotions, and just wanting to make their loved ones proud, but I believe if more people approached this series with a more open mind and an empathetic heart, they'd get a lot out of it.

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Cute Rom Com With Great Chemistery!

If you are familiar with me, you may be aware that I frequently blog about the D/s element in various shows. However, I desired a break from that. I desired something that was cute, romantic, and amusing, which would serve as a distraction from the intense content that I am currently observing. This fit the bill perfectly, and I'm glad I gave it a shot despite the reviews. The fun parts made me giggle, and the romantic ones made me sigh. If you enjoy Rom Coms, then you will adore this hidden gem.

Please refrain from paying attention to other reviews on here that are comparing this show to other shows that aren't Rom Coms and making disparaging remarks. You're comparing it to genres it's not in, it's like comparing a horror movie to a dance show. It's a Rom Com! Maybe don't watch Rom Coms if you don't like them!

I found the chemistry in both pairs to be excellent, the acting felt comfortable and there was never a point in which it felt fake or forced. I didn't have moments where I was thrown out of the series, but in fact was immersed in it. Not only that, but I stayed up far too late to finish it. As far as the story line? I, personally, enjoyed it, it was realistic in a way and there was smooth delivery. Plus, the character communication was chief's kiss. Seriously, ignore these other people and listen to me! It's cute! It might not be Semantic Error cute, but it fits with My Love Mix Up cute.

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I don´t understand why so many don´t like it!

I know it is overwhelming to see all the negative comments!!!
But trust me it was a really sweet story!
First of all I understand that it´s the typical old school school romance BL love story so it can be boring for many,
because there are so many that exist already!!
Also they should have wrapped it up after 8 to 10 episodes .. 12 was to long!
Other than that for me it was a very sweet wholesome story of two people falling in love!!
Yes there was a bit of drama but nothing over the top.. they always managed to get back together
and the reasons why there was some drama was also Ok and nothing that people can´t understand!
I get that people want to get other story´s as the same old school classic stuff...
BUT IF u want a classic school love story this is completely fine!
There are many sweet moments and also really good kissing scene´s!
I completely recommend watching it until the end and not stooping halfway thru...
even if there are some parts that they should have made way shorter!
Over all I love Joong & Dunk As a couple and I think they really improved (especially the kissing)
also the second couple was very sweet as well!
I want to see more of Aou & Boom hopefully someday with an own story!
the only thing was that I did not like that there where to many episodes and that Zo´s (Dunk) mom was a bit aggressive in the way to teach her son...she put to much pressure to him! I didn´t liked that at all! But it ended all well!
So please really give it a try!!!!!

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