Ossan's Love Thailand (2025)

Ossan's Lost: A Dissent

The following is a FaceTime conversation between me and my friend Apichatpong, who prefers to go by Chat. We often watch BLs together.

CHAT: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!
ME: So you gave it a go then?
CHAT: Yes.
ME: And?
CHAT: I threw my laptop out of the window.
ME: That would have been impressive if you didn’t live on the ground floor.
CHAT: Well, you know me. This laptop means more to me than my own mother.
ME: Okay, let's pivot. You sound upset, my dear.
CHAT: I’m livid. So livid, in fact, that I want to go home to Bangkok and shut down GMMTV.
ME: Do you want to get us murdered? People have been doxxed for less.
CHAT: I don’t care any more. There’s no meaning to life.
ME (laughing): It wasn’t that bad, come on.
CHAT: I suppose you've forgotten the original. But then, you also have no taste.
ME: I can see what sort of mood you’re in. What are you so miffed about?

CHAT: What is there to be happy about? This show is an absolute trainwreck, one that leaves mutilated corpses in its wake. Just... why??????? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?
(CHAT opens the door to his garden dramatically and declaims.)
People of Thailand… Listen to me. Don’t let them get away with it. You are better than this. You are better than this abomination of a show.
ME (laughing): Melodramatic? You? Never!
CHAT (coming back in): Lou, you know how much I love the original. I resisted it for a long time, but I was so glad I watched it in the end. It was a wonderful (if uneven) show, genuinely funny, full of heart, and it had a huge impact on me. Hell, it had a huge impact in Japan. Haruko and Maki’s wedding was broadcast on the public squares of Shinjiku, and…
ME: Why are you talking to me as if you host a podcast with a weeb?
CHAT: At least it’s not a true crime podcast. But mate, this show... this show is the opposite. It is regressive, it is stupid, and it is not funny.
ME: Yes, you famously love your country's sense of humour.
CHAT: But I do! I watched all of RakDiao. Do I not deserve a fucking medal for that?
ME: You’re not making the compelling case you think you are.
CHAT: I don't care… I'm mad because this version takes everything that made the original tick, and jettisons it. And has left in its place a concoction that is at best bland, and at worst, tasteless.
ME: I know I shouldn't, but go on.
CHAT: Okay, TED Talk mode activated. (Clearing his throat.) The original worked because of three things. One, it is about an old man’s love. Hence the name. But the fact that he is old, or Haruta’s boss, is not the joke. Nor is his attractiveness. Unlike in this atrocity, Kurosawa is distinctly unattractive, something he is blissfully unaware of. The Japanese OL was all about what it means to start again, in middle age, as an Ossan, after being married to a woman for decades. Only this time he has to begin again with a man. Kurosawa was starting over twice, and he was clueless and hapless and hopeless at it. That’s what makes it funny, and poignant. But what do we have here? A very attractive older man, whose wife has already died: which removes all that inner conflict, and which leaves his character toothless by default. And a satire that has no bite can never be funny.
ME: Wait. Two points before you continue. One, a lot of people on MDL say that the last premise no longer works because Thailand has equal marriage…
CHAT: Oh bollocks. As if many, many older gay men in Britain and America are not still trapped in unhappy marriages or do not come out in their 50s. When did Phillip Schofield come out?
ME: True. But tell me this, why should the original OL should be the point of comparison here? After all, we adapt from books and plays, remake TV shows and films, all with little fidelity to the original, so why should you base your opinion now on the Japanese version?
CHAT: I don’t claim one *ought* to compare it to the original. I’m merely using the original as a point of departure to say why this version is insubstantial, or even awful, in a way that the original wasn't. And no, it does not come down to cultural differences either. It's not just a question of Thai humour being different. That's a lazy, and frankly objectionable, argument. You found Rak Diao funny, didn't you? Of what hindrance was “your” culture to its appreciation? To say something is enjoyable or not because of cultural relativism is as much an insult to your intelligence as it is to that culture on behalf of which these people purport to argue. Besides, your objection would be justified if I expected viewers to know the plot from the original. I don't. But comparing one adaptation with another is a legitimate enterprise — after all, one of the first questions many of us ask about an Austen adaptation is, does it do justice to the book? — because it enriches our understanding of a show, not detract from it.
ME: Hmmm. Go on. On to your second point.
CHAT: Yes. But before that, what I said about Ossan also applies to Haruta/Momo. Look at Earth. I know you don’t fancy him…
ME: Not with a bargepole.
CHAT: But I do. Most normal people do. He is very attractive. But Tanaka isn’t, you see. Not in the same sense. You do end up finding him attractive in the show, but he's not out there as a thirst trap from the get go.
ME: Well, at least they cast Mix, who is as unattractive as they get… You ought to be happy about that.
CHAT: I think I see a SWAT team outside your room. Anyway, what I’m even crosser about is how the women are portrayed in the show. In the original, the women were not mere fujoshis. They were not just there to scream ‘awww’ and ‘kawaiiiiiiii’. Nor were they the cock-blocking monsters we have come to expect in most BLs. No, they were fully realised characters. Kurosawa’s wife is allowed to grieve her marriage and find her own man, and Uchida and Haruta are given the chance to explore their feelings for each other… Half the humour and half the subversiveness of the original derived from its depiction of womanhood and female sexuality. And yes, the original *was* subversive. This one has all the subversiveness of a straight wedding on a crowded beach in Bali.
ME: But how do you know that the episodes to come in the Thai version won't have anything subversive, or a fuller exploration of its female characters?

CHAT: Mate? Be serious. The first three episodes are each an hour long. Guess how many minutes were devoted to the female characters in total? Less than 5.
ME: Ah.
CHAT: But worry not. Instead of giving the women their due, this version has more BL bloatware than anything you get with a Samsung phone. Including, in this instance, the appearance of First and Khaotung. With whom, for the record, I'm absolutely done.
ME: As am I with Earth and Mix. Sorry.
CHAT: I mean, I don’t disagree. I think both couples need to be retired and paired with other people for their own good.
ME: Yes! Thai BL really needs to stop with this whole tradition of pairing actors for life. They are not pink flamingos, you know.
CHAT: Which brings me to the third reason. The dynamics of the love triangle. In the original, you want to root for Maki, but, for all of Kurosawa’s flaws — and he is a deeply annoying, wonderfully flawed character — it is hard not to want him to be happy as well. The triangle held together because it was, if not equilateral, at least isosceles.
ME: Nerd.
CHAT: Said Prof. Pot to Prof. Kettle.
ME (laughing): Touché.
CHAT: But how can there be the space or scope for a true love triangle here, when there is already a pre-determined ship that has fixed the outcome in the viewer's mind, and when those of us who are tired of that coupling actively don’t want Earth to be Mix-ed.
ME: Yuck.
CHAT: Yup! Earth does do his best with his gesticulations, and Krit, having pedigree, has clearly studied the original. (For the record, I do like Krit.) But then, there’s Marble Face, who's proof positive that botulinum is as toxic to acting as it is to the face. And then throw in the wet blanket of a script. Which no amount of good acting can ignite.
ME: All fair enough. But to quote my nephew, “Why so salty, bruh?”
CHAT: Well, can I quote your own words?
ME: I wish you wouldn’t.
CHAT (imitating me): “Or, you know, just stop. The “market”, unlike colour in Japanese cinematography, is saturated enough as it is. We have the Thai BL meat factory releasing a bodice-ripper every other week, but at least there the actors know how to kiss. Taiwan releases a step-brother storyline once a month to titillate us, and KBL is ever at hand to give us the white-and-blue-jacket no-kiss-guaranteed school lunch once a season. We have enough to keep us going. If you have nothing original to offer, why bother?”
ME: I see your point.
CHAT: I’m angry, because it is just another product of the meat factory, as you call it. I’m angry, because it is an insult to the original. I’m angry, because all the things that were good about it are gone. I’m angry, because Thailand — even GMMTV, which is in desperate need of a hostile takeover — can do so much better. I'm angry, because time and energy and resources have been spent on this when there are better scripts and stories out there -- funnier, and richer, and livelier, and above all, about us -- that could have been told instead. Need I go on?
ME: No. Not least because it is very funny to me to see you so worked up about a BL. However, I’m absolutely certain that you have not endeared yourself to anyone on MDL. And I’m also certain that you’re going to bring me down with you. But then, I made a promise, and I have to keep it.
CHAT: Do. Can I just say one more thing?
ME: Yes.
CHAT: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!
ME (laughing): By the by, I worked out what the name of your Thai BL ship would be!
CHAT: What's that?
ME: ChatBot.
CHAT: Oh, fuck off!

**
This review is dedicated to Maggi64, one of my first friends on this website.

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Reader’s Digest:
DO SAY: Earth, Wind and Fire
DON’T SAY: Lost in Translation

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Gotta leave Heng hanging cause this is just too boring to continue watching

This is the loudest show GMM has ever produced next to their other loud shows. I need the interns to stop with the sound effects and adding music while they speak every single line. Anyways, I expected this to get better after the initial 2 episodes (iykyk for anyone who saw my comment), but it went downhill for me. It felt like someone (me) was torturing me to watch it. This is gonna be my final take on it.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 & 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
This adaptation of the Japanese version falls short of the story that was already established. Most scenes felt predictable so there wasn't any anticipation to make it through certain parts. While melodrama is a good part of comedic story telling, this felt cringe. Cringe isn't bad oftentimes, but whatever was being done here didn't bring grace to the cringe like it's supposed to. I felt as if there was a disconnect between the director's vision of who Heng were supposed to be vs what the actor could do for the character. I think Earth was trying to replicate who Haruta was instead of making his own version of Haruta. This made it so difficult to watch because I know Earth can do a lot better. Earth has the ability to make his characters his own, but this one felt like bad mimic of Haruta. Compared to how Earth played Heng, I have no notes for Mixx who plays Mo. He feels like what Mo should be. I also don't have any problems with the actor who plays the boss except the fact that he's too young looking. I'd rather see a old man. Though, I don't like how they approach showcasing the boss courting Heng. I know the story itself is about this whole thing mainly, but the Thai version keeps stretching it. Instead of spreading out how the boss courts Heng, it feels like every episodes, it's just one thing after the other to the point it's predictable what's going to happen. Boss pursues and Heng doesn't really explicitly say no nor does his discomfort gets noticed by the boss. Overall, considering there's 12 episodes, they could've made this fast paced instead of it feeling so repetitive.

Final thoughts:
- Still stupid that they took out the older woman wife role. The daughter added nothing to the story that the wife couldn't have added. To the folks who say having this older woman role is overdone and regressive, I say give me a break.
- I can't say that I enjoyed the comedy. It wasn't for me, but this isn't because I'm an international viewer. Comedy transcends language and culture and I have watched many Thai series/movies/programs that made me laugh. The type of comedy that this series was trying to do was a little bit too on the nose and didn't leave any space for wit. Any chuckles it got out of me was cause of how ridiculous some parts just feel.
- I hope EarthMix either separately or together get to be in a better series, maybe even a comedy series.

People who can watch badly done shows can watch this in its entirety. I usually can too, but this one is so loud to even put on in the background. I feel crazy cause of how much sound there is. There was nothing earth shattering about this series to really promote. Kudos to everyone who enjoyed it! Mad respect for y'all.

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This could have been so much better

I haven’t watched the original Japanese show nor would I compare “Ossan’s Love Thailand” to it if I had – the Thai version/adaptation is an independent work and needs to be judged as such. The show had a big potential, but only some of it was actually used.

The script isn’t terrible, I actually liked how it managed to navigate the main plot through a total of 12 episodes – even if it wasn’t smooth sailing all the way. I do, however, have several issues with it. First of all – why does anyone love Heng? He’s an unlikable character – dumb and clumsy, for a big part of the show also quite selfish, at the same time unable to say “no”. And when I say “dumb”, I don’t mean it as “dumb but cute” – I mean dumb in an obnoxious way. So many flaws in one person and no redeeming qualities; why would anyone fall for this guy remains a mystery to me. Mo is a far better character, but I did not understand his hesitation and self-doubt, him stepping back instead of going forward. Other script-related issues include: break-up of Heng and Mo (break-ups generally solve no problems and BL’s use them to generate drama – here the purpose of the break-up eludes me), time jump in ep. 11 (barely noticeable, which was strange on itself, but nevertheless pointless like almost all time jumps in GMMTV’s BLs) and Heng’s loss of memory in ep. 12.

Tonally the show was all over the place, which I did not appreciate. I liked it when the show was crazy, exaggerated, over the top, even absurd, when it did unexpected things – and contrasted it with some characters (usually Mo) getting thrown into that whirlwind. Heng’s and Mo’s “last date” and engagement in ep. 12 – with performance of the show’s title song, dancing and everything else was colorful, surreal and immensely enjoyable; if the show kept this tone consistently, it would be much better. Instead the writers decided to also include toned-down, more traditional BL elements – which made the show less satisfying to watch.

As for the performances, both Krit and Mix were great. Krit did a lot to make Kongdech human, likeable and relatable, showcasing proper acting rarely seen in BLs. Mix gave a solid performance, doing what I like a lot: elevating an underwritten character. The very few intense interactions of Kongdech and Mo, them arguing over Heng, were delightful. Earth’s performance was a mixed bag: I disliked it’s comedic, goofy side (which, unfortunately, made up a majority of Heng’s character), but every time Heng got serious or sad, Earth was doing a good job. Heng’s and Mo’s break-up scene, while unnecessary, gave Earth a rare opportunity to outperform Mix – a seldom feat indeed.

“Ossan’s Love Thailand” is not the strongest entry on the EarthMix list of accomplishments – inferior to both ATOTS and “Moonlight Chicken”. Still, it’s worth watching.

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An okay watch for some laughs (or if you're not a hypercritical fan of the JP og or EarthMix)

(This review was copy-pasted and edited from my comment on this page)

The og 2018 JP ver is a special show for me as it's one of the first BLs I've watched (tho I'm not sure if it was even intended to be a traditional "BL" in the first place, it's more of an office comedy slice of life that have LGBTQ+ main characters. Also there wasn't much BLs back when it was released so this show was kinda one of the firsts and a "classic" if you may among JP BLs) so i made this review and my first time doing so. I've also only recently knew EarthMix after watching ATOTS (wc im late to but really liked a lot btw) and seeing their cameo in the jp s2. So I was kinda looking forward to see this and finished it a while ago with mixed feelings. I'm only gonna share my views about this adaptation and if you're interested i think it's better to watch and judge for yourself.

POSITIVES (for me):
• I do commend the 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 esp. the leads and the chief. So far I only know of earthmix as Phupha and Tian so it was refreshing to see them playing different roles.
• It had 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗱𝘆 𝗯𝗶𝘁𝘀 and I had a good laugh. I was already expecting the silliness and cringe bc I've seen the og version. However some of comedic bits didn't hit as much (such as the zoom effects wc compared to the og kinda fit more) and I guess it's not easy to exactly pull off the slapstick/kinda absurd comedy of the jp ver but i can understand that this is a different version so it didn't bother me as much.
• I also thought they did 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀, 𝗲𝘁𝗰. from the og 2018 ver to fit the current time, also appreciate showing some of Thai culture.
- I like the chief's character here a little bit more than the jp s1 ver. I think they gave him more depth and showed his sort of "moving on" arc, wc is a bit similar to the s2 chief (that i prefered more).
- The ost is pretty catchy as well, i liked that opening theme lol (but it doesn't beat "Revival" by Sukima Switch).
- The VR rejection. I thought it was creative and more modern, i probably would have liked it less if they did it copy paste like the og and end up being less memorable.
- I also like how they 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗻𝗴/𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗼/𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽. If i remember correctly in the og they don't know each other prior to the main story, plus i think they communicated more here (wc is a bit lacking in og s1 but was more present in s2).
- It was 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗛𝗲𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 during the wedding arc and he actually tells Mo about it. It was one of the things that was frustrating in the og bc Haruta never cleared it to Maki during their "breakup" that he doesn't actually want to marry the chief.
- Mo's dad accepting Heng occurred much earlier (in the og he was more strict and only accepted Haruta in s2). Tho it might feel a bit too fast or simplistic how he accepted Heng but idk this is just my preference bc I like that they got Mo's parents blessing earlier.
• 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗸𝗮 𝗞𝗲𝗶-𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗸𝗮 𝗼𝗴 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗮'𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗼. Just like Earthmix cameo in olr s2, I just like it when crossovers happen lol. And it also felt like a nod/appreciation to the og version.
• 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳'𝘀 "𝗛𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗻𝗲𝘆". Just like "Haru-tan" in the og, it's as silly, over the top, and oddly adorable and cringey as ever lololol.

LESS POSITIVE/MIXED FEELINGS (and some personal gripes):
• 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳'𝘀 𝗲𝘅-𝘄𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗱𝗮𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗿. I can see how having the chief divorce his wife bc he's secretly gay and not even explaining it well to her can be questionable in today's standards, but Choko-san was one of the best characters in the og imho, I'm honestly not opposed to the daughter but her character felt a bit weaker. However i do think she was important in thai ver chief's self-love and moving on arc so maybe this is just my bias towards choko-san lol (also we didn't get an age gap couple representation like choko and maro/newyear in thai ver).
• Heng's character in this ver 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝟯𝟬+ 𝘆𝗿 𝗼𝗹𝗱. The og Haruta is a lazy, irresponsible and kinda dense character but he didn't feel innocent or "pure". Yeah he was pure and kind but not in a "baby-like" way? Idk if this even makes sense lol.
• 𝗠𝗼'𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗛𝗲𝗻𝗴. I can understand him being insecure about what Heng's mom said about Chi, but I'm a bit confused about him being worried about other people's views. In the og it was a bit more understandable bc as far as i know Japan is more conservative regarding lgbtq and it was set in 2018. Maki was also unsure if Haruta can even be in a relationship with a guy because he used to be "straight" (and i don't remember Heng being shown/suggested as a "straight guy who likes girls with big boobs" unlike Haruta lol). However in the thai ver, it was pretty clear to me that Heng was willing to be ina relationship with Mo depsite them both being guys and there wasn't homophobic characters if remember correctly, so i was just a bit ??? about Mo's reasons.
• 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘆 imo (i honestly don't mind dance numbers if it makes sense in the story, like for intance if the show is about idols). I do think it made sense during chief's proposal and the coworker's wedding but the one in the last ep felt like filler to extend the runtime. Preferably they could have made them shorter.
• The whole 𝗮𝗺𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗮 thingy (wc btw was also done in a similar way on the jp movie but instead of Heng/Haruta is was the chief and was also as weird and silly as it gets lol) as well as other questionable plot points that I won't go into detail (bc im not smart enough to analyze everything lol). I was honestly wondering how they will resolve the wedding arc and they did this. Idk, i know it's fictional and I'm generous in suspending my disbelief but it was just a bit too silly for me 😅

OVERALL THOUGHTS:
It wasn't a perfect show or adaptation, I actually didn't mind most of the changes and I quite enjoyed this ver, but if I watched it with no prior knowledge/bias about the og ver or the actors, there isn't much special about it and I feel it could have been improved more. Just like the og ver it's good to watch without thinking too much or if you want to have some laughs. I rated it an 8 considering my bias towards the og and familiarity with the actors, but without it this could have got a 7.5 from me.

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It was good, but then it wasn't, but lots of things to say!

So as I binged everything once it finished, it was actually pretty good. While I haven't seen any of EarthMix's other shows (because they were angsty) I knew it was completely different from the clips I've seen compared to this super fluffy (and surprisingly angsty towards the end) show!

So Earth completely nailed his character, I know he played serious characters before and this was a complete 180 of what I saw in 1000 Stars, I don't know much about Mix, but I'm sure this may be the same for him, too. I really like how Earth seemed so bottom-coded in this one, and I guess it may be why I didn't watch the other shows (because I liked this pairing better).

The story was good, but towards the end, it was pretty much going down the drain, even though thank God it was only around episode 10 where it started falling off.

The amnesia was really unnecessary, they should've just cut it and shown us instead what went around in the year of their break-up and maybe changed how things went to truly make it deeper, but I guess in the amnesia sense, it made sense to how things went down the way it did.

I also didn't really like the boss and how he acted, like girl this is crazy power imbalance, and the way it's made pretty clear (and everyone knows) that Heng can't say no. He practically pressured Heng into accepting his proposal, and I don't think neither Mo nor the boss ever even asked him about his opinion to get tgt with them (which made this whole mess [fun to watch, but also kind of red flag])

He did end up falling for Mo, and while that was good, the boss literally NEVER asked Heng and confirmed it with him

The emotional stuff was done pretty well, and I've never seen the original Ossan's Love, so I'm not sure if this was even done right, but I liked the stuff that went down except for the fact that no one ever listened to Heng and just budged in with their own opinions

Love the cuteness of it all! Some things could've been done better, but honestly, I really liked how cute it was.

Whoever wants to buy me the cute saturnworld t-shirt, you are welcome to :)

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Overview of the series & 10 overall but...

I am the audience means : I like EarthMix, and I like comedy series which are funny, doesn't hurt any community sentiment, culture, color. It's rare to find a good comedy bl series since people love "dark, edgy, moody, dramatic romance, 18+" plots and throw all comedy in a "cringe box". (I guess people don't want happiness lol). Sure there are some workplace issues but that's the whole point of the character, who doesn't know how to handle rejection & still tries to pursue, and the realisation.

In terms of acting I'll always praise EarthMix for trying out of the box characters and complete 180° change from the dramatic and less expression roles they usually get, which boxed them into mature, old characters and mistaking them as older actors, especially Earth, typecasted him hard as poor penniless guy working hard to make ends meet. Hope they always impress me with different out of box characters and roles and not stick to roles/characters that viewers usually demand from them.
The way Earth carried Heng as a character was so on point, as he said in an interview that he doesn't want to copy totally from the original but wanted to try giving a new essence to his character, and he did. Heng is not Haruta, Haruta is not Heng. People may think why would anyone love Heng, sure his IQ is low for adults but in terms of emotional intelligence he is mature, he is compassionate, full of empathy, no grudge, no bitter feelings for anyone, And when it comes to his feelings and love, he is more brave and expressive and will do anything to make his partner happy and loved.
But these kind and empathetic qualities are the reasons why Heng finds it hard to say "NO" even though he is uncomfortable at situations, also because of the huge respect he has for Boss and the workplace dynamics.

Mix as Mo did his part well as anxious, insecure, silent yearner who loves Heng for years and suddenly that feeling gets reciprocated. He was understanding, gave space to Heng and never forced him to accept Mo, even after he confessed first to Heng. He was cute throughout the series, gave us the painful scene with Heng, but I expected more from his character especially in the last episode, I wanted a change, bravery and growth in Mo fighting for his love in the last episode, like he did in episode 1 but 😮‍💨.

Shakrit Yamnam is the veteran, and the team selected him as Boss for a reason for his excellence in acting. To people out there saying they enjoyed the Boss more, you will obviously enjoy it since he's the central character of this series. Ossan Love literally means "old man's love" so Shakrit is the central character, of his journey finding love at old age and how he behaves on it. And he seriously brought so much fun, especially the scene fighting between his Heaven and Hell persona 😁.
Other characters also did justice to their roles. I have no complaints.
Cameos are brought just for fun and not for comparison though 😉

I like all the music of the series, each song's lyrics have aligned to the series plot and for people to know: the opening song of the series is a Thai traditional wedding call, sure you may find it annoying since it's unfamiliar to your culture, but they start "Hoo aew" that way.
The flash mob song "Until" is the cutest for me, I don't care if my partner can't dance like Michael Jackson, but he's dancing and doing things for me to propose and I'll just jump at him and cry and accept him right away.

In terms of story I will give 8.5 because I was enjoying the series till episode 11 last minute. Last minute of episode 11 and the final episode made me reduce the stars. I really expected something to change in the last episode and the amnesia plot was unnecessary. If they removed that part and followed the last episode completely same to the japanese version, it would have been better. Because that part made Heng in the worst situation + even his lover didn't fight for him. The last part of final episode covered up the mess of the first half of the final episode.

Certain series have a certain kind of audience which people find its comfort zone watching this, and this series is one of them for me.
Just like the Japanese original version I have given 10 since I enjoyed watching it. No one was expecting this series to be a groundbreaking, award farming series having the best plot, we need unserious mindless and carefree series and this is one of them.
Calling this series the worst of all bl is an overreach by many viewers here. It just means you are not the audience who enjoys comedy series. The trailers, vibes, posters, songs, everything is shown as comedy on the top. So getting fumed with anger and going pitchforks on HR violations, workplace violations, workplace harassment for this series is so out of place. Sure these are issues in reality, but pointing all these in the comedy series will instead change the mood and tone of the series & instead it'll be a horror/thriller.

I would still recommend Ossan's Love Thailand to people who want to watch comedy series as a break from the usual series that bls keep giving every time.
For the original Ossan's Love fans, you will not be able to enjoy watching if your mind will always have the comparison meter.
Hence try watching in an open mind.

And if you are a die hard of EarthMix and a part of fandom, you will surely enjoy this since you will be fed with things you were deprived from their previous series. Their cutest relationship dating phase + uncountable kisses + cute EarthMix + flash mob by Heng + the meta references of their previous series and their in real life relationship.

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A Little Too Silly

Honestly, I only watched this show for EarthMix. I'm not typically the biggest fan of this style of comedy, and I've found that Thai adaptations of Japanese BLs typically don't quite land for me. So it didn't surprise me when I found myself not super invested in this show. I LOVE Earth and Mix in their more serious and dramatic roles (Moonlight Chicken, ToTS), and I think their comedic characters in this one just didn't quite do it for me.

Heng (Earth) is the worst real estate consultant at his office. When Mo (Mix) transfers to his branch, the two move in together. However, when Heng learns that both Mo and his boss have feelings for him, he's stuck trying to figure out his own feelings (and why they would like someone like him).

This show was pure comedy. It was silly and goofy and pretty fun. However, it just felt like so much back and forth. I kept waiting for the show to have a little more depth, and instead they threw in a random amnesia plotline. If you're a big fan of EarthMix and want something lighter from them, give this a shot - but if you're like me and prefer their more serious characters, you could probably skip this one.

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Hit or miss? This series missed for me.

I've already watched 10 out of the 12 episodes, and honestly, it's not that bad, but it's not good either.

.ᐟ Liked
- EarthMix
- Cameos
- Boss finally loving himself
- Mr. Saturnworld (so cute!)
- Heng and Mo outing their relationship to comfort the idol couple.

.ᐟ Disliked
- Some of the comedy just doesn't hit for me, most of it comes out unfunny/cringe.
- Earth looks older in the flashback?
- So many things happening.
- Had too much focus on other love interests in the starting episodes.
- Boss was already rejected yet still kept going, same goes to Ten.
- There are some scenes/characters that are a bit unnecessary. (E.g. The Daughter; what did she even add to the plot aside from the motivation she gives her father?)

I'm quite sad because this series started out well, but after episode 2/3 things just went downhill for me. It felt like there were a lot of random filler scenes just so they could stretch out the series to 12 episodes when in fact all of that, without all the other unnecessary scenes, would be enough to fit 8. I'm still going to finish the series, but unfortunately, I think this is one of the first EM series that just missed.

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