High School Frenemy

SKYNANI CHEMISTRY IS INSANE!

What do you mean it’s not bl after all those cheesy and romantic than other romance bl series lines from Saint and Shin? They even said ‘I love yous’ with each other. And Saint asking “are we just friends or are we dating” to Shin, bro I was thinking the same. Saint definitely owned the song “I’d let the world burn for you” because he was crazy enough to sacrifice himself just for Shin’s sake. And when they went to fight Jeng together, that scene screams “if the world was ending I’d wanna be next to you” because they were both willing to die for each other. And them saying each other is the most important person to them and the only one they care about, I was like... bro what about your families? 5555 And Saint have said more sweet words to Shin that my partner did to me, and you’re telling me that they’re just FRIENDS?!

Anyway, I love this show so much. And skynani fandom is growing waving with their popularity. I didn't expect that they would get their next show so soon but who am I to complain? When I can spent all my life just watching their show? Skynani definitely became my favorite pair after watching this series. They are not even an official love team yet, nor hadn’t even acted in a bl concept, and yet their chemistry is INSANE! Can’t wait for Wu! And while waiting, I would definitely rewatch HSF a hundred times!

By the way, is Imina officially the name of the fandom? 🥲

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I didn’t want this to end

At first, the first 4 episodes were tiring for me to watch as I don’t really do well with extreme violence like that but I’m so glad I stuck with it.

This show further proves that you don’t need intimate scenes to establish a bond between lovers. Yes I call them lovers cos normal friendship cannot be like this. But if yours is like this, then kudos to you and your friend. hehe..

I love how they were able to break through. Not just the main leads, but the other characters too did well. They really defined what true friendship meant. The teachers were awesome as well. Really portrayed how amazing some teachers are irl.

The story is fantastic. They really did justice to the original version - School 2013. Love the OST and was really proud of SkyNani for singing the OST to the drama. Their vocals are truly wonderful.

Would highly recommend this drama. It’s really a masterpiece

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Enemies to.....Almost Lovers?

This show was honestly way better than I expected. When I initially watched the trailer, I didn't have much interest in a show that seemed to be about high schoolers fighting each other. However, this show was so much more enjoyable than I thought. While the beginning was kind of slow and missing the backstory for awhile, once it picked up it was fantastic. The chemistry between the main leads had me confused about whether or not this was BL (it's not) for the entire time.

When two rival schools merge into once, the students have a hard time getting along. This is especially true for the students of class 2, who are all the known troublemakers from both schools. With a brand new homeroom teacher who seems unable to control the class, the students' rivalry gets out of hand. Shin (Nani) used to be top dog at his school, but with the merge it seems he's competing with Ken's (Kay) gang for that spot. Saint (Sky) seems to always be getting in the way, as he's determined to rekindle his friendship with Shin even though Shin has made it clear he's not interested. Old problems in their past friendship resurface as tension continues to build between the students - and their business with a local drug dealing gang.

Sky and Nani were FANTASTIC together. While I may have been hoping for a kiss, the "bromance" of the series was still super great to watch. I did feel like they could have sped up some of the plot in the first couple episodes, but as I approached the end, this series just got better and better. I'm super excited to see what Sky and Nani do next!!

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Remake of School 2013 is remake of School 2013

Not going to lie, I went into this cold thinking it was a BL having been fooled by... literally everything about it. Within one episode I was side-eyeing its obvious similarities to kdrama School 2013. By episode 2, I was wondering if they knew it was the plot of School 2013. By episode 3, I was convinced it was, indeed, a remake of School 2013. Then I noticed the credits where they literally say it's a remake of School 2013.

All other issues aside, having seen the original (albeit a while ago), I had a few gripes about it as a remake. Firstly, the original's entry point was the teachers and how the school deals with a variety of modern adolescent difficulties. As a Thai drama, the writers obviously wanted to front and centre the wildly bromantic Shin/Saint relationship so they could fool everybody (including the characters, audience, and ultimately themselves) into this being a BL This is supposedly not a BL.

By front-ending Saint and Shin's relationship and burying the rest of the class and teachers in the background, they failed to set up the characters for the much more interesting second half and left us rolling our eyes as Saint and Shin have the same conversation 18 times until I wanted to throw something at the TV. Saint is worried about Shin and wants him to forgive him, Shin wants Saint to stay away from him. On the roof, in the street, outside Shin's house, at school... these are the various places in which they had exactly the same angsty conversation. almost word for word for literal hours until I also wanted Saint to leave Shin alone. Because if you get told the same thing in no uncertain terms well over 10 times (I was counting but then gave up), then ignoring it verges on harassment. All of this was done in a way that never accidentally revealed the reason for their separation, which was held back excruciating until the big reveal. The whole thing was just turning its wheels to fill the insane 16 hour screentime and it was only curiosity about the adaptation that kept me watching.

Finally, the teachers and my cutie-pie Chadjen step in and the plot is allowed to advance and we get thrown into the full plot of the Korean original but with secondary characters who simply don't feel sufficiently fleshed out after being ignored for 8 episodes. Of course, the original is at least one third school staff meetings so it's probably not bad that those got jettisoned in lieu of cute boys declaring their undying love for each other in a way that's definitely just a really great friendship between male humans who want to spend time with only each other for the rest of their lives and want to see each other's faces when they wake up every morning.

Which brings us to my second issue, which is that this particular intensely homoerotic bromance works a lot better in a Kdrama where it doesn't always come across as... well... really really really really gay.

Queer baiting aside - which is the only way I can characterise the final scene of Shin and Saint declaring their undying love while gazing lovingly into each other's eyes sharing an umbrella in the rain - the back half leans heavily into the themes of young adults needing to forge their own path in life but still needing caring and responsible adults to step in and help when necessary. The Thai version leans even more heavily into friendship and the importance of social support and relationships to get us through difficult times.

Well acted and emotional but with poorly choreographed fight scenes and a soundtrack that verges on intrusive and obvious, Highschool Frenemy is an enjoyable, if overly long, watch whose back half is much superior to its first and is worth persisting for.

And if you choose to imagine Shin and Saint's eventual wedding with a somewhat resigned mother-in-law and little sister Chingching as an adorable flower girl, well, that's up to you.

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Get ready to cry, scream, love - a rollercoaster ride of emotions that'll make you want more

Do you know of that feeling where you scream all through the show at the electric chemistry between the lead pair and desperately want them to confess their love to each other? Yes, this is that kind.

BL-needle Score: 10++. Needle broke !! Extremely high BL-ness.....yeah yeah, they insist it is (B)romance, but we know better

This show is the best thing since TharnType in terms of the intense romantic/sexual tensions between the lead pair.

Saint and Shin are childhood best buddies (my interpretation - more like boys in deep love, but clueless about it, like how only teenagers can be), who fall out due to an act of juvenile immaturity and violence, that halts Shin's soccer dreams...Saint initially runs away after the incident, unable to face the hurt he has caused to his best friend, and when he returns later, Shin's mom forbids him to see Shin ever again.....fast forward a few years, they meet since their school campuses are merged and they end up in the same Class 2 of their now merged campus, infamous for the violence and troubled lot of students....Shin apparently hates Saint, and no amount of apologies, convincing, and efforts from Saint are able to move him...or so he pretends.....but its all too plain that their love and all that pent-up hurt is just waiting to burst forth....the story then follows the meandering and frequently violent path of reconciliation between Saint and Shin, and also several of their troubled friends....with some of the friends and teachers acting as key enablers to that journey towards healing and hope

A special mention here for the character Chadjen, played by Mark...Chadjen is plain love ... he is an autistic friend of Saint and Shin, and, in my opinion, is the main thread of love and compassion that pulls everyone together towards the healing that we see at the end

Sky (Saint) and Nani (Shin) are outstanding as estranged childhood friends-turned-enemies, with Saint determined to get back to being the inseparable duo that they used to be...he refuses to give up and for a substantial part of the show, its an endless game of wooing and refusal between Saint and Shin, with a lot of help from Shin's adorable little (step)sister Chingching, who shares a special bond with both, and also from Chadjen, and the two teachers, Jan and Sung....Saint is almost like an adorable puppy who follows his master around to be forgiven for his mistakes, knowing full well that his life is pointless without Shin...the intense stares, electric chemistry, hurt-eyes and unmistakable yearning between Saint and Shin tells of a love that is undoubtedly beyond just best friends..

But the script will keep the bromance mask on, all through.....I think this is done deliberately, with the intent of keeping us salivating and yearning for that what almost everyone who has watched this show will want - Saint and Shin confessing their love to each other...and YES, even if for a fleeting moment, it does happen....so yes, it is going to make you very happy at the end.

Should you watch it? YES, YES, and YES :D

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Fights, Friendships, and Bromance Stuck in a Time Capsule

High School Frenemy is a refreshing Thai drama released this year, offering a mix of friendship dynamics, school life, and conflict resolution, all wrapped in a "troublemaker student" narrative. The show effectively balances its core friendship themes with moments of bromance, although the latter feels outdated and underdeveloped in today's context.

The drama's exploration of troubled youth and their relationships is commendable, but the bromance angle, while initially engaging, becomes off-putting due to its overly restrained portrayal. There are moments that clearly call for deeper romantic elements, but the show hesitates, giving the impression of a 2010-era production rather than a 2024 release. The chemistry between Shin and Saint holds potential and, if explored further, could elevate any future projects they undertake together.

While the storyline occasionally falls into predictable patterns, the characters' conflicts still provide a satisfying emotional payoff. Some situations feel exaggerated but are essential to the overall narrative. The fight scenes, integral to the plot, are decently executed, though still teetering on the edge of cringeworthy at times, they align with the premise and tone of the series.

One standout aspect is the character of Chatjen, who emerges as the glue holding the friendship and the story together. Without resorting to physical force, Chatjen's actions and quiet determination drive much of the plot. Seeing Mark take on this role after his performance in Only Friends is a treat; his acting versatility shines here.

The drama’s 12-episode format is a welcome change from the recent trend of shorter Thai BL series. However, the show suffers from unnecessary filler scenes, making some episodes feel drawn out, I found myself skipping nearly 40% of the content. Despite this, the series is still more engaging than recent releases like Sunset x Vibes and The Rebound, to name a few.

Overall, High School Frenemy is an enjoyable watch with a strong premise, albeit slightly bogged down by dated bromance tropes and cringe-worthy moments. Its solid plot and heartfelt exploration of friendship make it a worthwhile addition to this year’s Thai drama lineup.

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SKYNANI BEST ACTORS EVER

GUYS I'M IN ACTUAL TEARS THAT WAS THE BEST SERIES I HAVE EVER WATCHED I'M SO FOR REAL. FROM ACTING TO PLOTLINE. ALL THE CHARACTERS WERE SO WELL WRITTEN I'M IN ACTUAL SHOCK IT CAME FROM GMMTV. AND THE MUSIC WAS SO ON POINT AND SO GOOD. GUYS WATCH IT YOU WON'T REGRET. Actually I wasn't planning to watch it in the first place but im so glad I did bc that was the best experience of my life. I dare to say it was so much better then the original. Also no pointless ads, no pointles sound effects - just pure art. I might seem biased but I was waiting for AGES for gmm to make something like this.

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Ok, the ratings were too much exaggerated, the starting episodes were repetitive and same plot was overused.
But I thought that.. since the ratings are so high there must be a good reason, well..the later half of the episodes
(ep 9-16) Were better in comparison.
But I still think that the ratings were exaggerated (⁠￣⁠ヘ⁠￣⁠;⁠)

About acting skills, I really liked shin' character, acting and persona . Other actors also did a good job.

the drama was bl minus kissing because in every episode shin and saint would act like a couple and name it as friendship. In every episode they would say cheesy lines and I love yous but
as 'friends'. The only reason I started to watch the drama was due to its bromantic bl...( I know there is no word like that, but it's suitable for this drama→⁠_⁠→) And well...it was delivered, that and the character growth of the other side characters in later episodes was the only reason I finished the drama.
The drama was overall a good one but still not deserving the 8.9 ratings

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