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Messy but in a good way
I truly enjoyed this show, although I have to admit that for me as a couple First and Khao stole the show.The story is messy, the hookups, the break ups and makeups are a lot, but as incredible as it may be it does work. The script is quite good which made it not only easier to follow the mess that is the life of this group of characters but it also made it believable and entertaining.
Are there a lot of NC scenes yes there are but this series also found space in itself to touch on tough subjects, an example would be addiction which is very well dealt with.
The actors did an amazing job, for me First, Khao and Neo stood out in this, Neo's character in particular. He made it so easy for us to hate Boston but at the same time care for him, which just shows how good of an actor he is.
I didn't really care much for Mew's villain arc but it did add to the series interestingly.
The mess that was Bosto-Top-Mew-Ray-Mew-Sand-Boeing-Top-Sand-Ray, I'm sorry what?
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A Bold and Gritty Dive into the Messy Realities of Love and Friendship
"Only Friends" is a Thai BL series that dares to push boundaries with its mature themes and complex character dynamics. It's a refreshing departure from the overly idealized storytelling often seen in this genre, presenting a raw and gritty portrayal of relationships and personal struggles.The show tackles a range of compelling and thought-provoking themes, including trauma, addiction, self-love, infidelity, and even blackmail. These are not just surface-level mentions but integral parts of the characters' lives, making the story feel grounded and relatable.
The characters themselves are impressively multi-dimensional, each with a mix of good and bad traits. Unlike the perfect archetypes often seen in BL dramas, the characters in "Only Friends" are flawed, sometimes deeply so. Most of them could be described as "walking red flags," yet this adds to their relatability and keeps viewers invested in their journeys.
Unfortunately, the execution isn't without its flaws. Some of the acting performances occasionally fall flat, which can pull viewers out of emotionally charged scenes. Additionally, certain plotlines feel rushed, leaving some story arcs unresolved or lacking the depth they deserve.
Despite its imperfections, "Only Friends" stands out for its bold approach to storytelling and its willingness to delve into difficult, real-life issues. It's not a typical BL drama—it's messy, emotional, and unapologetically honest, making it a must-watch for those seeking something more than just lighthearted romance.
This series isn't for everyone, but if you enjoy morally gray characters and stories that make you think, "Only Friends" is definitely worth your time.
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Not what I was expecting
I hope this isn’t going to be the norm for GMMTV BL series now. Too mature. I love my sweet, cute, funny GMM actors. There was very little of that. The storylines for each couple was dark and intense. Lots of backstabbing and lies. Focused mainly on addiction. Alcoholism, Drug use, and Sex addiction. Some of it was resolved, some not. My heart broke for Nick and I was disappointed there was no happy ending for him. Hopefully he got together with his coworker. He seemed nice. I’m sure lots of people like this but I was too upset the whole time to enjoy it.Was this review helpful to you?
I loved it and I didn't
This was total mess.But.
I wanted to watch it for First and I am glad I did. He nailed the character so well. Once again his eyes and smile was everything. Sand is my most favourite character. Sweet, kind, knows what he wants but gets little confused once facing the feelings in front of his eyes. Guitar player as well - yeah you had me there 😁
Nick was also my favorite. I was rooting for his happiness.
Every other character was total mess. One big red flag after another on almost every step..
P.S.: I am not fan of smoking but that smoke kiss was something really hot. Great job guys.
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Imperfect, realistic take on modern love
I initially was drawn to watch this series via the trailer. The All Star cast excited me and the adult storylines seemed to be a “finally” moment for many BL fans of diverse ages and nationalities. As someone who identifies as a part of the LGBTQ+ community, I felt that this series has something for everyone. Character development is a true strong suit of this series, and I was impressed by the writing and each character we are given. From the innocent, naive virgin who has his perspective shifted from heartbreak (Mew) to the one sided, slightly obsessed guy in love with a toxic f***boy (Nick), there was character development to appreciate from all. (Even Boston got a tiny, TINY change of perspective or introspection, albeit not enough).I found myself identifying with Nick (Mark) the most, and it was impressive to see him and Boston (Neo) act out their toxic characters and situationship in a mature way. The writing for them was spot on nailing the essence of a situationship that many of us in the LGBTQ community can identify with all too well. Likewise, the evolution of Sand (First) and Ray (Khaotung) is a roller coaster that most viewers will find that they can’t help but root for. While Mew (Book) and Top (Force) did well and the acting was great, I found myself less invested in their story.
My only wishes for this series is that the trans and lesbian characters had more development and screen time, and a scrapping of the Boeing plot twist/character introduction, but enjoyed the mature writing of the overall series and felt it truly nailed many aspects of the often messy and drama filled romantic tropes that exist for some of us in 2024.
Watch this series if you want some drama, plot twists, character development and growth, a great OST and playlist, mature characters, and someone to root for or identify with.
Don’t watch this is you want a cookie cutter GMMTV BL with nothing but happiness, no conflict, and a perfect romance! (also you will get plenty of fansevice fluff in Only Friends, you just have to wade through a pool of sometimes toxic behavior to get there).
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One of the Best "Gay BLs' Ever Made
One can argue until the cow comes home as to whether it is a BL, but it is without doubt a solid and outstanding gay series, surprisingly. The whole series belabored the negative issues with each couple without concentrating on the thing that would have taken this series to greatness. It lacked human warmth. It tried to do too much to show us the issues that it lost sight of its humanity. What humanity it showed was ugly. What I did greatly admire about this series is that it is GAY. This represents the gay world. This is how the gay world is in reality. I am not sure if this series recognized what it had on its hands. I wish it would have gone just a bit deeper into what motivates these characters.You can read my full review of this interesting and raw gay BL series at BLBliss.com.
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Bagunça!
Apesar da história ter como foco principal a história dos amigos que administram um hotel, ela não conta realmente a história deles. Isso pq logo de EP 2 o conteúdo se espalha e cada vez aquilo que deveria ser o foco se torna apenas pano de fundo.Todos os personagens compartilham da falta de desenvolvimento, a série tem vários arcos importantes mas não traz impacto o suficiente pq os personagens não tem intimida com o público, não são apresentados da maneira correta para o público.
O casal protagonista (Mew e Top) também é apagado, não tendo química ou qualquer tipo de brilho eles acabam sendo ofuscado toda a série pelo casal secundário (Ray e Sand)
Apesar de ser um personagem que claramente foi feito pra movimentar o enredo, Boston ao decorrer dos episódios se torna o melhor personagem da série pois mantém sua veracidade, história e personalidade.
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This feels like a real series! And it is!
It's so refreshing to see behavior like Boston's, that is usually forgiven or completly overlooked in a lot of BL's, actually have consequences. Truly the way Boston's storyline ended IS the true sign of how unique this series is.Khaotung is so good at crying I love him. Also I really appreciate Boston’s capacity to cause literally every single conflict in this series. Also a Thai bl that spent money on actual costumes for a costume party?? This is so absurdly different from everything else, it’s not the best romance obviously but it’s so charming and so worth the watch.
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only grindr fans who hate romance
Firstly, this is a very watchable departure from the standard BL mode. This is both bad and good...bad that it wasted the actors on a hook-up culture that leaves little room for anything that resembles love or intimacy. And good in the sense that you have good-looking couples with chemistry stepping on and crushing the BL mode. It's great to experiment and change things up..this goes a little too far in the direction of only-fans or the opposite of a romantic comedy.The story is basically each character getting out of their underwear to pass the time on conquests and cruel mind games with others. Toss in drama drama drama and you have a recipe for a hot mess. But, strangely if you get past episode two you can't stop watching. Like with most trainwrecks or messy characters, you root for them to redeem themselves or have fun yelling at the screen when characters do unnecessary bad things to other people.
In the end, I hope this opens conversations and expands future BL shows to show the many different sides of relationships. I tend to connect more with romance, and less trashy characters but maybe there's a way to do both or watch create watchable variations like is show...
but also that can give viewers hope that love exists.
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Entertainingly Messy
This show can be summed up by just one word...mess. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because it was very enjoyable. I binged this series so quickly and most episodes didn't disappoint me. The only episode that truly made me think "was this necessary" was episode 12/the finale. I think some choices on the production side took me out at times (esp audio). I wholeheartedly believe this show would have never been as good if it wasn't for the actor's performances. I'm pretty new to Thai bls and quickly fell for some actors. One of these included Khaotung's portrayal of Ray. He portrayed this complicated character who people could either love or hate and not many could have pulled off this character the way he did. Overall enjoyed the show and will probably rewatch it, especially for the growing and complicated relationship between Sand and Ray who were honestly the only couple out of the main 3 I was rooting for.Was this review helpful to you?
unexpectedly, it’s really good
I just started watching bl so I came across this, without knowing any of them I fell in love with sandray, firstkhao really executed their emotions into their characters really well and now I can proudly say I became a fan of them. the plot was a bit messy at first but I love how it ended, I really can’t wait for the second season. I’m not a big fan of topmew story, idk I dislike top even tho he had a character development there’s still something abt him that I dislike but their chemistry is top tier, mew is THAT character, he really came from 🌸💕to 🖤🔪. I hate boston but neo is a really good actor, he acts so well and surprisingly neo and mark is not an official cp when their scenes are so intense and the chemistry is out of the world.Was this review helpful to you?
Only friends who kiss every other friend!!
As my heading suggests, this drama is one crazy kind where all characters are busy kissing or f***ing each other... Like literally!!Don't expect moral values like honesty, commitment, loyalty etc while watching this show, you will be highly disappointed.
The star cast is too good and you will find all GMMTV actors here playing small to micro second roles which are amusing to watch.
The chemistry of all actors are great especially Sand and Ray.. they both are fire in this.
I didn't personally like Top.. I find him too stiff as an actor with limited expressions and dead face.
Boston's character was actually sl*tty and he played it too well, so much that you will literally hate him.
Rest all characters were also good.
WARNING:
Every episode has a kissing scene or s*x scene with great sounds so better watch it with your earbuds plugged in.
Enjoy this messed up show and learn how not to be "only friends" with your friends :D 😂
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