My Marvellous Dream Is You

it had potential and can't deliver until too late

i was so stoked when i heard about the premise and saw some teaser or trailer for the show. i am 5 episodes in at the writing of this review.
waste of time. i have started scrubbing through the episodes so the 50 minute ordeal takes maybe 10. after all time is the most precious resource any of us have. why am i even still watching? i wanna be kind and give it a chance. a generous one cause some GL are just cursed and can't find their footing until later. here's the list of problems: wooden acting, no chemistry, no story progression, no cohesion, the mother traumas so far don't add anything but slow things down, the main characters have no compelling motivation. shouldn't halfway through be any love established between the leads?

UPDATE: somehow for some reason i watched more episodes. overall not much better but there were a total of 3 out 10 episodes where i didn't fast forward most of it. so i increased the rating. the main character actress has good acting moments later in the show

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Earlier this year I decided that I'm going to watch every major Thai GL because, thanks to the unexpected success of GAP, wlw dramas have been popping up from every corner of Thai entertainment industry and I want to support it as much as I can. But damn, this one was a struggle to go through.

As soon as I've read the synopsis this drama piqued my attention because the premise sounds...well, dreamy. Like some oneiric fairytale. And you can do so much with dreams as the recurring motif of the romance story. After all, dreams are messages from the unconscious, they are signaling things that are hidden deep withing ourselves, feelings that are not fully realized. Unfortunately, this drama turns this concept into some gimmick that is shown a couple of times and doesn't really mean anything. Allegedly, the main characters have been meeting each other in their dreams since they were little kids but we never see any of that. Later they meet in real life and there is absolutely no reaction from both of them. I mean, you met this person who you thought was just a product of your imagination and you don't have any kind of emotional response to that? Then they fall in love but cannot be together, yet they still meet in their dreams, which seems important plot-wise, as enhancement of yearning and angst. We see this maybe twice, as most of the time the girls have petty fight due to pent up frustration because they are stuck in the most brain rotting cycle of misunderstandings that could have been easily resolved with one honest reaction between the friends that they are suposedly are.
What's the point?

And then we have a huge pacing issue because for some reason the director decided that jumping straight into angst without any build up is a good idea. The thing is, you can't make me care about emotional turmoil these girls are going through without giving any context for the character's feelings or motivations. For the good 5 episodes (of 12 episodes long drama!) it was just a constant rehash of the same vague confilct. It wasn't until halfway through the show when the characters finally started to make sense. However, the reasoning for their behaviour was often rather weak or rather not satisfying. Mental health issues are used as an explanation for some character's actions and attitude and while I appreciate unprejudiced approach to this topic, it is still very simplified. The severity of depression that one of the characters was going throught was never talked about in more depth, while in fact it affected literally everyone in this drama. Once that character stopped being emotionally stunted, most issues disappeared. As everything, it needed a little more build up to make it more believeable.

One thing I actually found good was the chemistry. Not like the main couple had a lot of chances to show it off because most of the time they were separated or put into dumbass conflict, but in more relaxed or intimate scenes they shined. The highschool flashback was easilly good, my favourite episode. Fay and May deserved a better show.

Overall, I'm not recommending it to anyone. It's a prime example of wasted potential, bizarre direction and awful writing. 12 hours of boredom mixed with exhausting frustration. It doesn't make sense, right? Exactly.

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Underrated, don't care the rating yet. Short review.

I've learnt that to like or dislike Thai GL series is very "Subjective" but I really like this MUCH more than Affair and GAP.... I compared to this two because Affair is very beloved and GAP is from the same company.
What I really like this series more than other is
- Cinematography
- Camera angle
- Chemistry
- Second Couple (Dokrak and Pam) surprising that I like this version more than upcoming US but will see further
- Dream scene + reality
- VERY GOOD acting of support characters
- not boring conflict like other series, at least it makes sense except they don't tell how they feel.
- Very good love scene, it's in my top 3 right now (1.Mate 2.Marvallous Dream 3.Apple) how they shoot, the ost during kiss scene, I love it.

I watched the whole 12 EPs in ONE day, while GAP is like 1 week and Affair.... I skip a lot. I don't know what low-rating voter like.... what they complain is what I like. This series will be on top of my list for sure and I will recommend to other as well. I really like how they tie-in GAP in the series LOL

Well, it's very subjective so if your favorite list similar to mine, you might love this series as well. Mine is:
1. Pluto
2. Mate
3. Dream
4. TSOU
5. Apple
6. 23.5
7. GAP
8. The Loyal Pin
9. Affair

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Not the best in what I call the "Planoy's Verse" but not as bad as the ratings might make seem

I just finished the drama and whan can I say....

In terms of story, and I mean just the premise of the drama, is better that GAP or Blank (at least for me), the two mains romance only truly starts on episdoe starts on the 1st part of the 9th episode. Now compare it with the other two Planoy works we watched...
I know we shoulodn't compare on this but, being a part of the "Planoy's Verse" and with two other works already adapted is normal that we do...

This drama has it's flaws, of course, the acting of the two mains is a bit shaky at times, some plot points would have benefited from a better and calmer resolution and they should have had a clearer way to differentiate between the dreams and reallity, a a blurred halo around the scene or something like that as it gets confusing at times for us, the watcher, to know which is which.

Other than that is a pretty decent drama with some rewatchable value, mostly for when you are in a drama draught, have nothing to watch and want to pass some time...

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Not that really dreamish

Well.. This is really rare that I'm writing a rather negative review and I'm quite sad it's a GL one as there's no many and I support all the work related to LGBTQIA community but this one, sadly failed to deliver a great serie.

I think I'm going to talk about what I disliked, the problem is the plot, it was quite messy and the slow-burn that I usually like becomes so frustrating. In addition, it was a bit hard to connect with the characters and when it comes to even main characters (Dawan), it's not that great! It's really a pity!

Honestly, they did have some interesting ideas but it was not that very engaging to me...And the acting has definitely a room for improvement although I'm not that harsh like others, I would say it was ok but the girls could do better, especially Fay who played Dawan and I was already prepared as her support role in The Sign was..Worse than this?

But the cinematography, the production and the OST were really nice. it's such a huge contrast.

I would also add that, despite the flaws, I low key liked it a bit and I was even entertaining and cute but it failed to be one of my favorite and I would not rewatch it.

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All Tension, No Payoff

⚠️ GL Grading Disclaimer
My ratings are “for a GL,” focusing on the love story, chemistry, and plot. I grade on a curve, recognizing the production context and genre norms. A 10 means it fully delivers in one or more of these: undeniable chemistry, high enjoyability, or a standout storyline.

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Review
This one just wasn’t it for me. My Marvelous Dream Is You felt like a long, drawn-out will-they-won’t-they that leaned too hard into tension without delivering the emotional or romantic payoff.

The chemistry was lacking—really lacking. The kissing was stiff and awkward, and it completely undercut the romantic build-up. Yes, there was plenty of tension (you’d expect that in a slow burn), but not enough spark to make the payoff worth it. And honestly, the setup was ridiculous: these two women live together, work together, share dreams—and yet somehow never talk about their feelings for years? Not believable. The shy, overly cautious dynamic didn’t match how close they were in every other way.

Kim’s constant self-sacrifice was another sticking point. It wasn’t endearing—it was frustrating. She kept putting everyone else’s needs ahead of her own, even when no one asked her to. It came off less like kindness and more like a flaw that kept dragging the story down. And Wan? Kind of an asshole. It felt like she didn’t want Kim until someone else did, which made her hard to root for.

The “dream” element didn’t hold much weight in the story either. The idea had potential, but it never really mattered—at least not in a meaningful way. They see each other in dreams but barely acknowledge it until the end. It just felt like an underused gimmick.

Final Thoughts
My Marvelous Dream Is You had a slow burn that never really caught fire. Weak chemistry, frustrating character choices, and a dream plot that didn’t deliver left this one feeling more like a missed opportunity than a love story.

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Hard to watch but still ended up loving them

It started bad, I hated Dawan at first. Kim was nice, I felt bad for her. I was trying too hard to keep watching this and I remember starting to like it at the sixth episode, when they show us flashbacks and they were so much cuter in school times. But when it was back to the present I remembered I was dealing with a super weird and possessive relationship again. They were so bad for each other that I lowkey wanted them to be with the MEN who hit on them. They were nicer. (this is extreme for me, because I never want that)
As time flew by, Dawan got a lot better and I started realizing she wasn't to blame for everything. Kim would be so passive waiting for Wan to do everything and confess her feelings as if she wasn't able to that herself. She would marry a guy she didn't love just because "Dawan didn't tell her not to". The whole time their friends were throwing all the relationship responsibility over Wan.
The whole thing with the moms were a bit weird 'cause like 10 years had passed and they still hadn't gotten over with the gay dads thing. Like, I know it was traumatic and shit, you may need a lot of time to recover but Wan's mom would literally spend 10 years of her life without even contacting her ex-husband and be drinking, crying and drowning in a tub almost everyday. Isn't that a bit too much? And it's crazy how they meet after a long time, he apologizes and she quickly forgives him and moves on. She only needed an apology, I guess... lol
At the end of the day I didn't quite like what they did to Marwin. He wasn't a bad guy, he really loved Kim and would never hurt her. They turned him into a villain, maybe because he was a man trying to "steal" a girl from another girl. But I don't think he or Pat were bad. They just were nice guys who were into girls who were lesbians. Marwin did a lot of terrible things at the end but I think it was very random in the script.

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an interesting story lost in the wreckage of terrible writing

I'm back from IdolFactory's ever-confusing two week break, trying to remember what the experience of this story was, and think my final answer is: it's fine. In comparison to GAP, I think Dream GL does a better job of crafting meaningful conflict and motivations... but that's about all the improvement I can give IdolFactory here. The actors are charming with good chemistry, but stilted by fumbled pacing that drags. The story is complex and mature, but the magic of the dream world is fairly scarce which diminishes the girls bond. Production quality is about equal to GAP, with perhaps some more interesting cinematography to match the dreamy setting (as opposed to an office romance). I didn't hate watching this, but IdolFactory will have to make some changes if they want to continue to stand out.

-The Full Review-
STORY:
For the positives, I genuinely enjoyed the story of Kim and Wan and their families. I liked how their relationship to their father's complicated their way to falling in love without relying on (as egregious of) miscommunication tropes. Their bond with their school friends was quite cute and brought a very lively energy to an otherwise sad story. While I really could use a break from lesbian-bride Heng, I don't think the marriage plot was awful... though the resolution was fairly melodramatic and rushed.
Unfortunately, the rest of the story was all over the place. So much time is invested into the acting competition plot-line, only to dissolve without fanfare. Likewise the couple-pair plot creates a huge mess before melting away into nothing. The mother's illness overlapped oddly, denying each of them a true moment to shine and bogging down the second half of the show with too much trauma... and so on. It badly needed another edit to restructure the story for this episode count/timeline.
Additionally, I think IdolFactory has gotten a little carried away with their episode lengths. The extra runtime allowed for frequent slow-mo and dead air as well as so many scenes of people traveling places (with no real reason to include the trip). Cutting back to a true 45 or 1 hour runtime would vastly improve the drag on some of these episode and force the screenwriters to cut some of their darlings.

ACTING:
I've seen some pretty harsh commentary, but I didn't find the acting all that grating. Fay, rather held back by the poor pacing of her character arc, did quite well once Dawan was allowed to grow and show all the sides of her character. I enjoyed the stubborn ferocity of her character and the more playful side that only Kim gets to see. I think she did well navigating the realities of depression, especially for a character who has been navigating these struggles for quite some time.
May, likewise, delivered a very competent performance. Her character was quite subdued, held back by the frustrations of so many things in her life going wrong, and I think she portrayed that exhaustion quite well. While some of the crying scenes were not the most natural, she truly started to shine while navigating Marwin, her mother's illness, and Dawan's tempestuous nature. I really enjoy her as an actress and look forward to seeing her grow.
I wish the female ensemble would have... swapped. I loved Frung, Pear, and Ploy and would have loved to see more of them. They're characters were charming and brought out interesting new sides of the leads. I found Looknam and Songjet.... quite overwhelming. I enjoyed their characters, but wish the director would have pulled them back more often. The friendships were very, very sweet but rarely allowed to develop any kind of emotion.

PRODUCTION:
In general, I think Marvellous Dream was a pretty standard IdolFactory production. Competent production choices informing a quality product with very few technical glitches. Like most IdolFactory shows, the OST was pretty limited and repetitive (I really wish the would expand their music), but the lighting was quite beautiful. Unfortunately, with a fashion-plot show, I have to say the costumes kind of... fell apart. While the actual clothing was quite quirky and enjoyable, Kim's designs were completely heinous. I wish the costumes had taken more of an opportunity to be informed by the story, rather than feeling like a child's Lisa Frank Fashion Design game.

INTIMACY:
I genuinely applaud IdolFactory for continuing to insist on allowing women to be sexual in shows. That said, some of the choreography here was... pretty awkward. I don't quite think we're there yet. Obviously, as they post to YouTube, there is no intention of any upper nudity. But the shots over backs and strategic pillow/blanket placement was not always the most natural. I think this director needs to study some GL to get new ideas on how to keep everyone covered while still delivering a good performance. That said, Fay and May did a wonderful job bringing chemistry and believable passion to the scenes! I hope to see this pair again soon, hopefully with better writing!

In all, I don't think Chao Planoy is for me, nor adaptations of her work. While I enjoyed my time with Marvellous Dream... I started watching several better GLs in the two-week break. I could be convinced to watch it again, but I probably won't do so on my own. Baby steps... baby steps... we're getting there...

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It’s bad but I like it

The setup in the first episode was entertaining and did a good job of setting the scene. It really seemed like the main character’s dream was going to be a central theme, and at first, it was treated as something important… but then it completely disappears, like it suddenly doesn’t matter anymore. You’re just left wondering: what happened?

Even though at first I found it a bit odd and didn’t pay much attention to it, I ended up enjoying the couple and the friendships. Orntara Poolsak, by the way, is always a yes. She makes any series more fun and watchable. Because of all this, I decided to keep watching, and eventually got used to the new, simpler storyline, where everything revolves around the “friendship” between the main characters (though, to be fair, some problems do come up along the way).

The leads, played by Fay and May, had good chemistry. I enjoyed watching their story, although I have to say there were huge jumps between episodes, and at no point is it clearly explained how or why they fall in love. We only get small flashbacks of their teenage years, but that’s not enough to build their whole relationship.

The music was fine, but nothing special. It didn’t surprise me — it just did its job.

Despite all its flaws, yes, I’d watch it again. I found it entertaining, and that doesn’t always happen, even with better-structured shows. This one has that “something” that keeps you hooked, even if you know it’s not perfect. It’s exactly that type of show you sum up by saying: “It’s bad but I like it.”
And I’ll say it again: if Orntara Poolsak is in it, I’m already on board.

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Deserve better

When you read the synopsis and watch the pilot, the story seems promising and you're full of hope for its development. Unfortunately, the execution leaves much to be desired. It's unfortunate, because there's real potential, but the writers seem to have lost their way, which has also led to a loss of audience.

I find the original series, featuring two friends who can communicate by dream, to be quite unique. However, this idea has not been fully exploited, which sometimes makes it feel a little lost.

I've noticed that some Internet users find the acting unsatisfactory, but personally, I have no problem with their performance. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Fay and May, and their interactions with their groups of friends.

The conclusion could have been better, but I'm happy.

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