Only Boo!

Modern Love, Classic Charm

This GMMTV romcom takes the classic high school formula and injects it with fresh air. Exuding silliness, goofiness, and innocence, the show nevertheless portrays a mature relationship. The leads navigate personal struggles, nurturing a healthy dynamic through unwavering support and care for one another. Highlighting the modern perspective on queer love and relationships, it also delves into the hardships faced by aspiring artists in the demanding world of their dreams.
The second couple's slow burn wasn't for me (sorry!), but the overall show was my Sunday mood brightener...until episodes 10 and 11. Tears and angst replaced the usual fluff, making me question my choices and curse out Shone 😂

With a captivating plot, talented cast, catchy osts, and an adorable love story brimming with "orange cat x black cat chemistry," this series is a must-add to your watchlist!

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So simple and yet so memorable

This story mainly revolves around Moo, a boy at his last year of high school who dreams of becoming an idol. Since this dream is making him neglect his studies, however, his mother decides to make him go study in the countryside for his last few months of high school. She also forbids him from following his dream at least until he graduates and gets a place at a university.
In an unfamiliar place, lost and alone, Moo quickly grows attached to Kang, who works at a restaurant near his apartment building and is kind and helpful to him from the start.

I will never get tired of saying this: the content of the story matters, but the way it is told matters way more, and I believe that Only Boo is just another proof of that. The story is simple and it's mainly about Moo's crush for Kang and his continuous efforts to win his heart, all while he still chases his dream of becoming an idol and tries to keep up with his exams. While the details about Moo's new life are little, it's clear that they were crafted properly: I've never felt like anything during the story was useless or out of place. There were parts of the story that I wish were showed more, mainly Kang's passion for art and his trauma, which I've felt were introduced and then resolved too quickly and easily, but the story flows very nicely as it is and I can't say I missed that aspect too much while watching.

Among the cast members, Keen is with no doubt the one who shone the brightest from the beginning to the end. He portrayed a very cheerful and lively Moo and his facial expressions and body language were on point all the time. It was also a relief to notice that he's actually very good at singing and dancing, making him just perfect for the role. Unfortunately I can't bring myself to say the same for Sea: I don't know if it was just because of the character, because Keen looked so alive in comparison, or if it's just how Sea is; what I know is that he looked very stiff to me all the time. I had the impression that their couple worked so well because Keen did most of the work to make it believable on camera, rather than for their efforts combined.
The secondary characters all contributed to the general atmosphere of the series, making it a true delight to watch. Moo's new friends Potae and Payos, Kang's best friend Neth, even the principal created both hilarious and heartwarming moments that contributed to make me devour the show in less than three days. Big props to Aun and Ashi for their chemistry as the secondary couple of the story, although I didn't feel as captivated by them as I was by the main couple.

The OST is very good; it features multiple songs from different GMM artists in the first episodes, and then introduces new songs by Keen that I found very beautiful. Believe it or not, nobody plays the guitar in this series!
The production was very good as well. I really liked the bright colors and the bright environment, which definitely contributed to make the story feel warmer and cuter overall.

I highly recommend watching this. It's not a cinematic masterpiece, but it's so cute and heartwarming that I believe it will stay in my memory for a very long time.

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fluff was fluffing

I fell in love with Keen,, he could dance well, sing well, act well. everything about keen was amazing, he literally carried the ship, carried the series. he was simply amazing. ofc he can do much better, it is his first lead role but he did an amazing job as compared to everyone else.
sea was awkward in his acting but that makes sense since it is his first time acting, so i can put it past him.
the music wasn't bad,, there were a few songs that i really liked but the bg music wasn't that great at times,, so ig i did the OSTs, not the music overall.
Louis was so fucking handsome in this series omg, i want P'Jang. but it did feel like he was very old as compared to this members in GUMP. same with book and neth,, neth seemed so much older than sea and i just dont know why they added the character of Shone or made it that way,, it made me feel a little uncomfy with him hitting on kang, before and especially after they broke up.....idky book did this role, he deserves much better.
NOW TO GET TO THE FLUFF. the fluff was fluffing like never before. i was blushing, smiling, cringing, laughing. Keen did amazing here too, i was cooing so much. i love when a character is so loud about their love.
also, the side couple, i felt like they stretched it for too long,, the entire drama with Jang could have been solved earlier, Tae could have realized his feelings earlier, anything literally.
the series could do better with casting, storyline, music but overall they did a pretty decent job.

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Light and Fluffy

If you love romantic, fluffy and cute shows with cute characters without too much complexity, THIS IS THE SERIES FOR YOU! For all the romcom lovers out there, this is a must watch. Sea and Keen are amazing together and managed to make the show into a great show by showcasing their on-screen chemistry. They managed to take what obviously was a low-budget filler show that were meant to showcase singing and dancing ability of the aspiring musicians in GMMtv and turn it into the Young Adult Romance show it should have been from the start.

I gave this series overall a 9, but I struggled to keep watching it weekly. It was not a show that could keep my investment, but for what it is (cute, funny, fluffy and romance) it is amazing. I'm not usually someone who loved those kinds of series however the acting abilities and the chemistry between the characters made me love it anyway. For me this is definitively a show that is a binge-show when you need some comfort, cute vibes and an escape from you daily struggles.

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Cutie boos

The actors really lucked out twice in a row between this and their next projects that have a generally good writing that focuses on the characters. The leads are both charming, but the acting, particular for Kang's actor I hope will be much improved by their upcoming third project. Moo feels like a comic side relief character that got his lead role spin off, which isn't a bad thing, just an interesting vibe. The actual secondary characters Potae and Yos had a good friends to angst to romance arc and just the right amount of screen time for their story and being friends with Moo.

I don't love the no means yes thing dialogue that came out of the mouth of a woman character no less when Neth tells Moo to keep going after Kang. The two years age difference with Moo still in the last semester of high school is also really skirting the uncomfortable age lines, but the bar is in hell with these high school dramas, at least they are both in college soon. Kang's trauma regarding the tablet and his father was sad, I'm glad he was able to heal from it and re-enroll in university to major in art.

Moo's arc to learn independence is pretty messy, it started strong with him living on his own and wanting to help Kang out at work, but then he gets his way to date Kang, gets his way to go to the boyband audition, and tries to get his way secretly dating despite the contract stipulations, which of course does not work with Moo having zero chill in public even without another trainee intentionally out to get him. The show generally has the characters communicating with each other pretty well, but it gets stuck around the contract plot line that drags the pacing of the last couple eps down.

Everyone but Moo understands the stakes except for Moo. He doesn't really even deal with choosing either his job or having a relationship until it's time to renegotiate the contract when he already has built up enough popularity to renegotiate. He just keeps bothering and guilting Kang without settling the issue that kept them apart by Moo's own choosing for over a year. He wanted his cake and to have it too without a plan. In the end it worked out for him, but it's rather just the timing than his master plan.

The screen kisses is definitely another thing along with facial expressions that the actors need to work on to look more organic. There was one scene at the apartment Moo was staying at before the boyband auditions that they actually pulled off a good kiss scene that even ended up shockingly steamy. And then they completely lost the skill, which I will also blame the director. It doesn't need to always be steamy to be good, I'll take the scene not looking awkward. I think it would be good for them and other contractually obligated to only ever play same sex romance roles forever together actors to actually switch up getting romance pairings with other actors so they can learn from experiences acting with other acting styles and discover different types of chemistry, but alas it's really rare if not never.

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Aconchegante, Fofo e Simples Demais

Uma busca pelos sonhos, é uma obra cheia de energia juvenil contagiante. Ela não tentou criar dramas complexos; ela se concentrou na determinação de Khao e Moo em alcançar seus objetivos e no apoio mútuo que eles desenvolvem. Foi muito agradável, mas também foi muito simples. Com conflitos quase inexistentes ou resolvidos muito facilmente, entregou conforto, mas tirou a complexidade que existe em alcançar esses objetivos. Aqui, a dinâmica "sol" e "lua" funcionou bem. Um garoto da cidade que sonha em ser ídolo de K-pop e o outro, um garoto do interior determinado a ser um grande cozinheiro, foi uma receita inusitada, mas suficiente para um romance fofo.

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Cuter than expected!!

The main characters Moo and Kang come from different worlds but fate has brought them together in the random province of Nakhon Pathom, and showed them that home is a person, not a place.

Together, they have a relaxed but natural chemistry. My only complaint would be that this same chemistry could be said of close siblings. The romance aspect had to work a little harder for the story to be sold because the kisses seemed a little stiff and awkward.

Still, it’s a great effort from the two new actors, who currently still lack flourish and polish in their acting, but I’m certain they will get there given the right storyline and experiences.

It was a pleasant surprise that the storyline didn’t involve childish conflicts and misunderstandings, which are, sadly, all too common in high school and college BLs.

BUT. Special shoutout too to the side couple. I’m glad Aun got his time to shine with Only Boo. His relationship with co-star Ashi is a close-friends-turned-lovers type of arc, and truth be told, I’m a real sucker for it. Compared to the main couple, their moments felt more natural and romantic at some points.

Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2024/06/27/only-boo-2024-bl-review/

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Simply a wonderful story

General overview
This is a well written, almost classic BL and coming-of-age story, which stays consistent and focused on the plot and the main characters. With good pacing for almost the entire span of the series, proper presentation of the plot and solid performances of the main couple, the story flows nicely and is easy to follow. Despite apparent cuteness and occasional comedy it deals with serious issues like family relations, character growth, following one’s dreams, realizing and expressing one’s feelings, communication, love, relationship, breakup and longing for a loved one, making choices and accepting responsibility of those choices and – in the latter part of the series – reality of becoming and being an idol. The story is accompanied by a decent soundtrack performed exclusively by cast members.

Plot & script
The main plot line revolves around Moo and Kang’s love story; the secondary plotline is about Potae’s and Payos’ situationship. The two storylines are, at times, opposites or reflections of each other (when Moo and Kang are coming closer, Potae and Payos are friendzoned; when Moo and Kang separate, Potae and Payos are frozen in a relationship limbo), which seems to be a deliberate choice of the showrunners and it works well. The script is pretty tight, with no filler nor longueur. We get a good introduction of the main couple from the very start of the series and the scene gets set for episodes 1-8, which deal with events spread over about 6 months; each episode marks a step in developing of the main couple’s story, which progresses at a steady pace. Events accelerate in ep. 9-12, which cover about 14 months of in-show time. There’s a time skip in ep. 10 of 12 months, but – contrary to horrible GMMTV fashion – we do learn (through retrospection) a lot of what happened during that time; this is what “saved” the time jump for me. It’s noteworthy that up until ep. 10 the story develops without major drama, with mere hints at potential problems and some foreshadowing of trouble to come. The writers did a good job setting up the emotional cliffhanger of the series and building up the tension. The resolutions of both the main and secondary plotlines are okay, although predictable (as this is a BL show) and a bit rushed (especially the Potae-Payos part).

Cast & performances
Keen gives the strongest and most memorable performance of the whole cast. His portrayal of Moo is very genuine, and the character itself comes across as very likeable, bold, optimistic and wholesome, relatable in his dreams and a certain (almost childish) belief that those dreams will come true. Moo’s saddest moments – and there’s plenty of them, despite of the show’s general lightheartedness – is where Keen really shines. As far as I’m concerned he’s not just a performer (like many other GMMTV employees), but an actual actor. A good singer and dancer, he’s even better at acting – he can proudly follow the likes of Fourth, Gemini, Khaotung, Mix and Nanon (to name those on GMMTV’s payroll who can actually act and sing).
Compared to Keen, Sea’s performance is almost muted – which actually fits Kang perfectly. Reserved, sometimes defensive, Kang moves at his own pace – though pretty often he feels Moo’s pull and follows him. There were several instances where Kang was opening up, coming out of his shell (and literally coming out) – and I wasn’t sure if it was just the character or the actor as well. That blinding, radiant smile, which brightened Sea’s face was far too rare… And – despite of all his apparent acting shortcomings – Sea managed to pull off some of the most emotional and intense scenes of the series; the gut-punching delivery was on point.
Opposites attract – and that rule applied beautifully to Moo and Kang; the chemistry is there from the very first scene. It’s easy to form an emotional connection with the main couple played by Keen and Sea – which can’t be said about other currently running GMMTV-made BL series. When together on screen SeaKeen are in their element – the show relies heavily on those two and they carry it with ease.
The secondary couple of Payos, played by newcomer Ashi, and Potae, played by Aun, is a mixed bag. Ashi mostly does a decent job, while Aun struggles to go beyond 2-3 poses (making fun of something or someone, crying and pouting).
Three GMMTV “veterans” were cast in supporting roles: Book as Moo’s cousin Shone, Louis as band leader Jang and Milk as Neth, Kang’s best friend and confidant. Milk does a decent job while Book and Louis give lackluster performances – and it’s not due to the script nor direction; I’d argue that both of their roles were miscast. Shone should have been played by someone like Mark Pakin, who can actually act (which Book can't) and elevate even an underwritten character (see his performance in “Only Friends”); Jang – given this character’s respect for the rules – should have been played by First.

Music
The soundtrack consists of seven songs written for the show and released by GMMTV Records: the title song “แค่ที่แกง” by Keen, “เกินกว่า Friend (Situationship)” by Ashi, “Check Me” by Louis, “พี่(อย่า)แกง (Don’t be fooled)” by Keen and Sea, “ดังกว่าเก่า (Louder)” by Keen, “ติดกลางใจ (Gump)” by Aun, Ashi, Keen and Louis and finally “สถานีที่ศูนย์ (Station No. 0)” – which is the strongest part of the soundtrack, with heartbreaking lyrics and a very good delivery by Keen.

Final thoughts
While the show had its ups and downs, SeaKeen kept going strong - "Only Boo!" is worth watching and rewatching mostly for this new ship. Hope GMMTV can appreciate this new gem it got.

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Soft lil thang

A decent little fluffy watch.

Acting:

Keen was so lovable as Moo, what a love. Also, he’s not a bad crier, I think he did pretty well with the whole show. Sea on the other hand… He played a good tsundere, but other than that it was a bit rough. Love to see my girl Milk. The supporting cast did alright in their roles, nothing really noteworthy there. Also, a Book smile a day keeps the pain at bay. And a Force cameo is always a welcome sight.

Writing:

It was a pretty darn good story. I think they did a good job with the whole thing. Not a very intense drama by any means. But it was an interesting story and they executed it well. The big conflict was timed well and they did a good job at dragging it out as well.

Chemistry/Romance/Kissing:

It’s hard to gauge whether they had good chemistry or if Keen was just able to captivate me with his loving glances. I just didn’t get enough complex emotions from Sea. This story works as a romance, for sure. The kissing was not it, though. Sea was kissing like a teenager playing spin the bottle for the first time or something lmao. Very clumsy, but I guess it fits a character who has never dated before?

Music/SFX:

Catchy tunes all around here. Solid work with the music. SFX were alright. The cat meow SFX was… a choice.

This was a sweet little watch. I enjoyed it.

Now, for some highlights from my notes:

- I mean, you should for sure at least have a high school diploma
- MIIILLLKK<3
- Let baby do art
- BOOOOOOOOOOOK AAHHHHH EEEEEEE
- Kang being a bitch
- Cool boy superstar idol Louis ayyee
- Poor Tae
- Why is bro sleeping on the couch lmao give your dude a cuddle or two
- *But I see her in the back of my mind all the time. Like a fever, like I’m burning alive, like a sign. Did I cross the line?*
- If you can’t separate a celebrity's professional life from their personal life, you need some serious therapy and/or you’re a literal teenager who should have their access to social media limited
- Shone lost 5000 points with that attempt to take his beloved little cousin’s ex like that
- Don’t worry, there’s something out there. Some… Force or something that will push you in the right direction to love
- Gg to all
- THERE’S MY BOY BEHIND THAT CAMERA

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