Hidden Agenda

Nice Concept but plot can be develop even more!

I was so skeptical at this series because of the last JoongDunk series that I watched doesn't reach my expectation AT ALL. But this one is much better than the last one. The story started with Zo having a crush on Nita and asking for Joke's help to help him to date her. Though, I like the way they stopped the dating help halfway because of Zo realising his actual feeling towards Joke, I wish they shouldn't stop that way. I wish they could put more conflict like Joke suddenly back to being Nita's boyfriend because of the stalker thing. The concept is good but I wish the plot could have more conflict. The conflict of the series is just love triangle, family issues and thats it. I wish there is more.

I have no complain about the characters BUT I just wish that when Zo confront his mom about his feelings of never feel enough, I wish there is more passion, there is more anger. Yes, Zo is a nice person but he has been bottling up his feelings for a long time. I really wanted to see how Dunk's acting with explosion of anger and regret but it seems like that is not going to happen in this series. And both of them facing the same issues are a little bit.. hm.. how do I say... sound like plot is rushed to finish. They could have create conflict of Joke's father is being bias with his siblings more wide range. Like I said, there are no rage and not enough passion in this series that it makes them a little bit boring.

Joke's whole family except for his grandma is A WHOLE FUCKING RED FLAG. I am so mad that no one seems to care about him like ????? How heartless can yall be? Anyway, I still feel that this series have a good concept, moderately develop plot, amazing actors but very little conflict.

JoongDunk deserves better. There, I said it.

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Relationships Don't End at the Credits

Story: 9.0
I was a bit apprehensive about starting this drama because of how low the rating was when I first realized it was airing, but I forgot how harsh DramaList reviews tend to be for some reason~ I think the story is interesting, and there's some foreshadowing of Zo's reaction to Joke's plan, which made it a bit more suspenseful, but, overall, the story is a cute, straightforward tale with sprinkles of little issues here and there that the characters have faced and will have to face. It has a very big "Don't Judge What You Don't Know" vibe for several characters, specifically Nita, and there hasn't been any toxic women in this drama, so we automatically get an extra star for that lmao There are cute details in it (like Joke confessing his feelings to Zo in the SECOND episode in Chinese lol) that make it cute, but I don't think it's the most ground-breaking in terms of creativity, though I could definitely see this drama being a comfort show for many people. I will say that the second couple feels a lot like an after thought, so much so that I actually forgot to put them in this review at first, which is why I knocked a half star. They're cute, and they're relevant in certain parts, and I even love how they develop, but they still feel a bit more like background characters instead of a full blown main couple~ BONUS: most of the issues are solved in ONE EPISODE. Like, the characters TALK TO EACH OTHER. I fucking LOVE that shit lmaoo We stan healthy communication in this house~

EDIT AS OF 12th EPISODE: I will say that that final episode was a bit more rushed than I would've liked, and the problem in it involving Zo feels a bit thrown in, so I knocked another half star for that. It doesn't necessarily effect my overall feeling of the story, but it does feel like something worth mentioning here nonetheless~

WE INTERRUPT THIS REVIEW FOR A TANGENT: I'm not sure why most of the reviews are talking negatively about how "the show should've ended when they got together; I'm bored!" and "who cares about family issues!?" I want to just quickly throw in here that relationships don't end at the credits. Real relationships continue far past initially getting together, and I think that struggle isn't shown as much in BLs through Thailand as it should be (unless it's one of the main plot points). Of course, one reason could be the short episode count, but I love that about shows, so I'm not gonna complain too much~

This show, though, has managed to give us all of that without rushing, and too many people are too upset with it because they almost fetishize these relationships, and it's mildly infuriating to see such venom about such a cute show. Yes, there are problems, but aren't there always?

Anyway~

Acting/Cast: 10
This was my introduction to Joong (Joke) with someone other than Nine (Kitkat from 2Moons2), and the roll he plays here is such a stark difference from his role in 2Moons2 that I'm so impressed with him??? I knew he'd expand and do great things as an actor, but I think he might be one of my new favorites, and I love Ohm (Pat from Bad Buddy) and Nanon (Pran from Bad Buddy) so much that THAT in of itself should convince you to watch this~ I hadn't seen anything with Dunk (Zo) before, and he's also joining my boys up on the top. I mean, he does such a great job of playing a realistically insecure guy -- he's not over-the-top with it; just overthinks things a bit too much because he doesn't have confidence. Does he have Nanon's expressive eyes? Well, not entirely, but he's relatively new and does a great job for what this character needs. I've seen both JoongDunk dramas at this point, and I'm thoroughly in love with both of them~

The side characters are also great! They're actually relevant to the plotline instead of being simple comic relief, which is refreshing and nice and I love them, so be nice to them~

Music: 8.5
A bit harsh, but I've been so spoiled by Bad Buddy and 2together and even Not Me that I can't help itttt~ I base it purely on whether I add any songs to my playlist, and I haven't done that here yet~ I will say that the background music for the scenes of the show are well-done, though, and I didn't feel like it took me out of the storyline~

Rewatch Value: 10
Like I said, I think this show has the potential to be a comfort show to some people, myself included~ The problems are solved in a relatively healthy manner, the actors have great chemistry, and the storyline is linear without confusing detours.

Fun fact: I did, in fact, end up watching this cute little show several thousand times when I got sick lol

Overall: 9.5
This series is as straightforward as the synopsis says. It's got great actors, good chemistry, and a cute, easy plotline that might give you cavities in the same episode that it pinched your heart. JoongDunk are a relatively new couple in BL, but I hope they get as popular as OffGun or MaxTul or any of the OGs because they're so good, and they can only get better, you know? The side characters are nothing to scoff at. I've seen Louis (Pat, Zo's friend) and AJ (Kot, Zo's more reasonable friend lmao) in a few other dramas, and I love them to bits~

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Okay, but Not Incredible

There have been worse, there have been better. I feel like that sums up the story.

Overall, the story isn't bad. The cinematography is nice and JoongDunk do have nice chemistry with each other. Other than that, nothing to write home about. It wasn't overtly unique, but it was a decent watch.

I didn't regret watching it, but I think I would like to see how these MLs do with a more mature script. Maybe it's because the college/high school arc is getting old, but I'd love to see Thai dramas in general move forward out of the school era.

Overall: Decent watch, but not life-altering.

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It doesn't matter if some people hate me. And let me be alone here - but I enjoyed it. A series to have a good evening. I was really looking forward to the end of this series so I could watch it later. And I was not disappointed. I really liked it.
JoongDunk acting has improved. And this is noticeable in many episodes. For example, in the episode where Zo and Joke have their first time/first night. I really liked this scene. Zo's embarrassment, hesitation, awkwardness - how well Dunk portrayed it. You watch it and you rejoice that the writers added conversations and such a scene. In most of the series I've watched, the main characters are so experienced and active in their first time/first night. So this Zo and Joke scene appealed to me.
I also liked the scenes with aggressive Zo. It's probably funny, but it is. I think Dunk manages to portray aggression excellently.
The plot itself is filled with tenderness. It really seemed that way to me. Yes, the plot is not genius, but it's not as bad as many people write here. But I liked the idea of the writers about the plot. And I won't even mention the chemistry between the main characters. It's just unbelievable. The looks, the tenderness, the kisses. Haha

Again, I don't understand some people who obsess over these debates. What's the big deal with it? I don't understand comments like "I forgot that Zo is part of the debate club", "the plot is not consistent, I forgot about the debates". I am not in any way condemning these people. I know that everyone has different tastes. But some of them remain incomprehensible to me. The series' plot doesn't revolve around debates. Imagine if they talked about debates every 5 minutes for 12 episodes. People wouldn't have liked it, they would have said that apart from debates, there is no plot. It's the same thing.
I liked how they tried to show the problems between parents and children here, about unhappy first love. Especially in the 9th episode, they managed to show that relationships are not always perfect, any misunderstandings or attempts to hide the truth can have consequences. Zo and Joke showed us that. And yes, I understand that the reason for their fight may seem trivial/stupid to some. But as I already said, it's about relationships, where any small misunderstanding can have consequences. Furthermore, I can understand why Zo reacted that way. He had an unsuccessful experience with his first love. Moreover, I like such scenes in series, they are a kind of resemblance to real life, and about situations that can happen in real life.
Overall, I liked it. Yes, the plot may be banal, but I liked it. And honestly, I can't understand why everyone doesn't like Dunk's acting? Maybe it's because I liked the series, and I liked the main actors, and I just don't notice it. But after watching the series "Sky and Stars," I still don't understand what's wrong with Dunk's acting. I personally really like it. Especially his smile.

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It's alright

I will be honest, the storyline was so dumb and a little boring (for me, but I had good laughs). Aside from that, my real issue with the storyline was that troubles spawned out of nowhere, and when they were solved, they disappeared and were mostly never acknowledged. Still, whenever I'm bored, I watch this series, it has a special place in my heart and I cherish it with all its imperfections.

Going into positive things!

- JoongDunk chemistry was on point. Whenever they kissed I was like: "I also want to kiss a guy like that."
- The theme song was a banger, it is playing 24/7 inside my mind
- Can Dunk look prettier?
- Why is Joong so handsome?
- Kot was a real one for standing up for his friend.

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This Drama Is Overhated, Honestly

No, it’s not anything groundbreaking or super original, and yeah, it leans into clichés and familiar conflicts here and there, but that doesn’t make it bad. It’s actually a decent romcom with sweet moments and genuinely likable characters. Not a masterpiece, and I might not remember every detail a few months from now, but I liked it. It’s good enough, tbh.

The story follows Zo, a university student who has a crush on Nita. With some encouragement from his friends, he decides to ask Joke (Nita’s ex) for help getting closer to her. Of course, we as the audience already see what’s going on: Joke is clearly using this as an excuse to get closer to Zo, and it works. The two of them end up getting together, and it’s full of sweet energy that I enjoyed.

There were so many genuinely soft moments throughout, and they made the whole thing feel warm and worth watching.

I also really liked Jeng and Pok as the side couple. Their dynamic had a little more emotional tension. Jeng didn’t want to go public about their relationship, and Pok was dealing with some insecurity. That “Sorry that I’m a man” line? Yeah. That hit.

Pat and Kot, Zo’s friends, were fun and added some lightness to balance things out. Great side characters.

And Nita! She was honestly great, pretty, smart, kind, and just good at everything she did. Totally understandable why Zo admired and liked her so much. I really appreciated that the story let Zo acknowledge his feelings for Nita and have that clarity before he moved on to Joke. That part felt really thoughtful and well done.

Also, I liked the cousin/friendship between Jeng and Joke. A small touch, but it added some warmth and extra layers to their characters.

Not gonna lie, Zo and Joke are both so pretty. I couldn’t stop looking. They were just serving all the time. Especially Zo that hairstyle is his!

Oh, and just a random thought, but I honestly feel like Zo, Joke, and Nita had throuple potential. Not even kidding, the chemistry was there. Not taking anything away from Zo and Joke’s relationship (because that worked well on its own), but that trio had a vibe.

So yeah. It’s not a flawless show, but it’s not trying to be. It’s sweet, it’s fun, and it had more emotional depth than I expected. Overhated for sure.

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Coming of Age

This is a great series exploring coming of age. Who am I? And what is my goal in life? If you look at this as a stricktly romance series I can understand that you miss a lot of the interesting underlying plot lines. I personally love how strings and crumbs were given in episode 1 and with a red thread throughout the episodes became clear how each character had multiple hidden agendas with their actions and experiences.

The series explore self-awareness into adulthood, how ties to family changes from childhood into young adulthood and romantical connections. How past experiences are carried with us and impact our future decisions and reactions in various situations.

Personally I loved how Dunk’s acting showed parrallels in scenes from the beginning of the series to the same scenes happening at the end of the series and you can clearly see his character growth. (Zo is supposed to be an awkward character in the beginning before he grows into himself over the couse of the series. We see Joke grow and learn more about himself as a person and how to approach his friends, family and situations.

The side couple wasnt showed much, but Aou and Boom did amazing in the few scenes they were present. And gave the perfect counter-balance to Dunk and Joongs characters.

Also, we cannot deny that Joong and Dunks chemistry carried in the low plot parts of the series.

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realistic conflicts & great character dynamics

I can't believe it took me this long to find this series, but it's honestly become my favorite BL. My favorite part of it were the conflicts, and how realistic they were. The portrayal of homophobia with Jeng's team differs from other BLs, where homophobia is either seemingly nonexistent or is overly dramatized, instead showing the everyday normalized homophobia that gay men face. The relationship dynamics, both with Joke and Zo and Jeng and Pok were so well developed and allowed for great character development as well. The family dynamics in this series also hit close to home and left me bawling. Zo's mother doing too much and Joke's father not doing enough when it came to showing up for their sons left them both feeling like they weren't enough and reflecting their parent's efforts back at them. The series also did a great job in showing the theme of forgiveness all throughout it, even in the instance where it showed when forgiveness is not deserved in the case of James and Nita, a conflict which faithfully portrayed one of women's struggles in modern society. Overall, this series was full of angst, though it never seemed to be simply for entertainment, but rather as a reflection and portrayal of real-life struggles.

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Very Surprised

I love J & D, so i went into this wanting some cute fluff, but i have to say it was better than anticipated.
Very nuanced, lots of issues & topics covered, like internalized homophobia, bias, self awareness, great communication (eventually), say what!!!??
But as usual in BL, we have a great ramp up and then it drags a wee bit at the finish line, and both MMC's had fam misunderstandings, but on the whole if you love our boys, and let's face, so pretty to look at, then go for it.

Plus added AouBoom bonus, and Boom broke my heart with his acting, needed all the hugs.

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I do not know what other's are talking about

This was a great show. Honestly, it was simple, pacing was good, story line was straightforward, everything was suggested early enough to address later. This isn't a complicated show and that may be why I've seen so many negative reviews. One person said that star in my mind was better but that show brought an abuse plot and brushed over it and their conflict continued on until the last two episodes. Dunk's acting isn't perfect but he definitely improved and he made me feel the same nerves that his character felt during many scenes in the show. He played the "trying his best" character really well even if it wasn't always perfect. I can't criticize the bobble head comment because I know people in real life that move like that, so it genuinely didn't bother me. Joong's acting was perfect, their chemistry was so natural and it's one of the best potrayals of a dating couple I've seen in a show. The puppy love, the progression, the nerves, the true love (which joong nailed, he was acting incredible from face to body). And it's not fair to compare them to other high quality shows because a lot of those had the romance as the side plot and a bigger plot occurring. This show's main plot IS the romance and the obstacles they face during its progression. Joke explains he developed a crush on Zo because he was the first person to ask what he wants and respect it which made sense when we see how neglected he felt by his parents. Zo is the textbook nerdy boy with his walls up because his mom was strict and his friend lead him on and ridiculed him in the process. The debate club wasn't even that in your face but that was explained because Zo wanted to make his mom proud. They argued when they needed when Zo or Joke were being a unreasonable. The stalker story was explained to be occurring from years before and which didn't need to take up more time than it did and resolved in the most rational way you can instead of brushed over. The parents' effects on the boys were implied from the beginning and then things occurred for them to get closer (Zo's dad in the hospital, and Zo telling Joke's dad that he realized life is too short for him to mince his words and he should tell his son how he really feels). And the biggest criticism I've seen is the hidden agenda. One, the author can name the title whatever it may be, it really is not that serious but MOST IMPORTANTLY, Zo was absolutely valid in his hurt. Zo and Joke put so much importance in honesty and communication and it was mentioned SO MANY times so finding out he came to Zo with hidden intentions definitely made sense in the grand scheme of things especially after his past friend lied to his face and shut him down when Zo confessed. Zo was always upfront with Joke even with the Nita situation. And if someone were to find out that your partner lied to you, especially after being confronted, it makes you wonder what else they may be lying about. It wasn't stretched out too long either, Joke tried to make amends his way and then apologized and Zo stated all he was looking for was an apology. Everything was fleshed out as well as it can be for a cute show like this, so it makes me wonder if other critics and I were even watching the same show. I understand if this might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it felt that some of the critiques were not coming from a fair place. Not everything needs to be shown to be understood and they utilized their 12 episodes really well. There were some lagging moments in two episodes but not enough to turn me off. The side couple were there and cute and did not take too much time but enough to get their story across. There were honestly only about 1.5 NC scenes and the couple others were just kiss scenes and their chemistry was so natural and beautiful, I genuinely believed I was watching two people in love. If the show was as bad as people make it out to be then they deserve a chance to move up from here especially with how many veteran actors have been in worse shows and now are great in their craft. But my final thoughts, I truly thought every aspect of this show was amazing and the dynamics were natural. Watching it from the pov that this is a romance focused or almost slice of life type of drama, it hit the mark and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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JoongDunk chemistry never disappoints

Yes this was not perfect and the hidden agenda was not a big deal at all, I expected more. But I enjoyed this. It was a simple BL and I absolutely love JoongDunk, so I had to finish this. As always they look so good together with overflowing chemistry.

They improved a lot and the kissing scene were so much better than in star in my mind.

It was interesting the issues that were addressed with like the relationship with their families, the pressure…

I also like the second couple, wish we had seen more of them.

Don’t know why add this stupid problems in the last episode, Zo annoyed me here. Joke is such a good boyfriend, I didn’t like how Zo treated him sometimes. Also, it would have been interesting to explore more Joke story about his relationship with his family.

For me, it’s not as bad as people are saying it is, you don’t always need a big or complicated plot.

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