My Love Mix-Up! (2024)

most anticipated but most disappointing

I was excited to see that Gemini and Fourth were getting another project together, and ultimately knew it was inevitable. With the popularity of the pair from their recent (and best so far..) project which was My School President I was excited to see another imaginative and original drama from the pair. Unfortunately for me the originality wasn't coming because this drama is a remake of Keita Hatsukoi, and it is again.. unfortunately not anywhere near as good. What comes in the end is an adaptation I can neither recommend as a stand-alone drama, or to any fans of the original. This drama is just worse in every single way possible.. let me explain

I am not a hater of the fact it is a remake. I know remakes can be done well and have been before, I didn't expect for this to be better or worse, the least I expected was some effort.. and I didn't even get that. The acting is done well enough from the new faces I see, Gemini and Fourth I can't help but see that they are just acting out what was originally done.. and the depth behind their performances aren't there because of a simple reason. The direction and production shot them in the foot, and it isn't any of the acting at fault, it is the writing, the editing, directing, and everything but them. So the editing is extremely cheap and it tells me that whoever is in charge of this project simply didn't understand or care for the source. This drama was just a way to make a quick dollar, that is what it all tells me. They use shammy music and sound effects in ways that aren't effective and just a shame to be there in the first place.

With Fourth in particular. He is a fun person and is an amazing actor, and I know that from his leading role in My School President. The difference there is that he had room to act, instead here they shove sound effects to try and get an emotion of humor out of a scene. The original source material is a manga, and I can see this being done with animation, live action is completely different. The actor can stand alone by himself and I don't know.. act! Fourth is more than capable of holding a viewers attention in the humorous scenes, but instead they drag it out to its limit by stretching the camera and adding cheap sound effects which are what I said. They are cheap ways for the audience to go.. oh this is funny! It isn't, to me it is insulting. I know Thai dramas tend to do this, but they should've reeled it back. My School President was a fun show but also had its mellow moments, it was so well received and had heart because of the directing and care in every scene. In this drama there isn't any attention to detail other than call backs to any other source material. There is a whole lot of extra time in this drama, but it is wasted for cheap and phony reasons. This drama uses the leads and the source material as a way to market and doesn't do anything new by itself, it drowns the original concept to an abyss and I can't see it coming back from it.

Crucial parts that may seems small are taken out, with the Cinderella episode in particular being the worst and the point I realized this show just sucks. I really didn't want it to either. So Atom (who is played by Fourth) isn't even Cinderella, and that is fine by itself, but when you really think about it where is the logic? Originally he volunteered to do it, so the only reason I see that they didn't is because either Fourth didn't want to cross-dress (which is fine) or because this drama wanted to toss the coin in the pot of things they are progressing. That did the opposite, with Atom not being Cinderella it messes the whole identity of the stage itself as well as Atom's character. He does thing in spontaneous behavior, because it is just who he is. He is someone that thinks before he acts, and that is how it is in the original and not here. With Atom having time to think about it, get rejected, and then to do it again takes away a bit of that charm from him, and ultimately strips the dynamic between him and Kongthap (Ida). Ida is a guy who thinks carefully, and even too carefully. He doesn't even understand the concept of liking someone and it doesn't make much sense to him just based off a feeling alone, and Atom (Aoki) is the opposite. Aoki is the person who does things all of his feelings and without feeling, but just is a genuine person. So he subbed in for Cinderella not just because he liked her, but because it was just in his nature. His whole class had no problem and here? Well they refused until he had to and he did it by himself? He had no reinforcement and it made his behavior seem odd? Like Atom isn't the type of guy to do things off of a one moment decision, but they find it weird? So it was disingenuous even if they wanted to pull a homosexual relationship in the mix.

So the episode there became just the characters singing instead of developing their individual characters they sung songs for the play... If you want GemFouth to sing write another drama that has it make sense.. here it made no sense? It was another skip for me..

They screw up the main parts of the characters so badly and they seem a shell of themselves. Atom and Kongthap alike are stale and uninteresting. The ending of episode one wasn't nearly as impactful from the editing and because of the direction towards the portrayals. Kongthap is someone who in the end is also an extremely good person, and very thoughtful. Atom ended up actually liking him but not in any way that was serious or understandable, it was actually pretty confusing. I keep watching and hoping they just go to the source because that did nothing wrong, and if they change things then can they add? There is more than enough time to make this drama good or watchable, this drama just makes me think that I should just go back to watching the original. I really should, GMM shame on you. Shame on you for just shoving this out into the open for the money, where is the heart? Where is the passion? The comedic timing alone is enough to turn someone away from this, this isn't funny at all, not even in a so bad its good.

Taking away the little details.. especially the garbage scene.. oh boy.. that is just not needed. Taking those humor bits away show to me that whoever is in charge really doesn't understand the source material at all. It is just fan service and bad fanservie and is extremely dissapointing. Watch My School President again if you like Gem and Fourth, don't kid yourself into thinking this is good.

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WISH I COULD USE THAT ERASER

Yes, yes, Fourth is adorable as Atom. He's super cute, the babiest of the babiest. Give him a sippy cup and a blankie. Clouds, cotton candies, rainbows, poppies, whatever... cute!

But listen. For the life of me, I couldn't keep myself from going 'SHAKE YO BOOTY, SHAKE YO 'AS' whenever Gemini came on screen! I am embarrassed. I am ashamed. No really. In that one episode where the poor guy got bitten by a whole arse snake, I went. 'PUT YOUR HANDS UP IN THE AIR 2X.' Though, speaking of snakes, what in sorry arse reaction was that??? His reaction was literally like... oh...yeah....I guess a snake...bit me? CHILD???!

Anyway, this drama is not for people with rational thinking. I think it was made for a waay younger audience. Cuz like, Atom brought his blankie and plushie to a hotel! So yeah, that should tell you the audience this was made for. So if you are looking for something deep, my brother, go look elsewhere.

That being said, thanks to the many ads in this drama, (literally how many times did we have to see Kongthap poke himself in the eye to put in those lenses?) especially that yellow ice tea, which is in basically every drama, I finally went and ordered that yellow ice-tea, now tell me why it tasted like sawdust and cheap cargo shorts? It tasted like Wednesdays, don't hate it, don't like it. I supposed it's on me, should have known to stop ordering stuff in dramas when that seaweed snack tasted like chili and air condition.

Listen, I'm sure many people were frustrated with some of the decisions the characters made in this show. Like the nonsense misunderstandings , overreacting and miscommunications. Me personally, I wanted to reach into the screen and shake Kongthap in the last episode when he agreed with Atom that they should tell their parents about their relationship, but then immediately became a third party during the telling. Cuz how the eff you gonna sit there like a tree, blinking like a goddamn christmas light while Atom go through that alone? Mfer said and did nothing while Atom's self-esteem chipped away at the words his mother said. Arrggg.

As for Kongthap's mother, did she really need to be so vague and take those long arse pauses and make poor Atom cry like that? Damn woman made me yell at her and her son, while trying to wipe Atom's tears through the screen.

And yes, we can argue that Kongthap himself was nervous and scared, but literally he could have at least tried to say something instead of becoming a light pole with a flickering lightbulb. Even when it was Atom's turn to tell his mother, homeboy still went, 'ma'am Atom has something to tell you' This CHILD!!

PLOT:
Going in, I was afraid it wasn't going to live up to the hype and the wholesomeness of the Japanese version, which it sort of didn't. Because this version was much different. However Fourth held his own, orbit some over-the-top-scenes and Gemini had the whole clueless adorable house poppy look working for him, which frankly is his go to in all his characters, still, I think they did their best with what they were given.

As for the source material, they took the name of the Japanese series, a few similar scenes, then sort of threw the rest of the script in the rubbish, then did their own thing. Which gave us a fuller story, about first loves, the anxiety of getting into uni, and how hard it is to come to terms with your feelings and sexuality. It's sad that all those changes was packaged with over-acting, stiff kisses, awkwardness and childish behaviour. It would have been great otherwise. But personally, base on the changes, I think the writers did a good job adding something new so it doesn't just a repeat the original.

CHARACTERS:
First off, I'd like to give credit where it's due. Although the acting in this was nothing to write poems about, the finale showcased how far Fourth has come as an actor, and how far he can go! He did such an amazing job that I felt every bit of his emotions in those heavy scenes. I look forward to seeing him grow more in his acting, and to take on more serious roles, cuz I can tell he'd nail them.

Atom and Kongthap were frustrating at times with all the childish misunderstands and problems. Atom started the series with no dreams and in love with a girl, and ended up working endlessly to be a better version of himself. I liked that we got to see him struggle with what to study, it felt relatable. I cheered on him when he finally achieved his goals and grew as a character who didn't seem to have a care in the world, to a promising change man who had more hold on his future. I also liked how Kongthap opened himself to the idea of returning Atom's feelings and was supportive of Atom. I did like the relationship between Atom and Kongthap, although due to all that nonsenses problems, I came to enjoy the relationship with Half and Mudmee more at times. They felt so mature towards the end. Half knowing he wanted to be a better version of himself for her instead of following Mudmee's dream was great. I applauded that part, I was like yes, finally some grown-up decisions that doesn't come with overreacting and nonsense.

Also those kisses though. Damn. In the finally, I was like... Kongthap honey, at least move your neck, or lips, or head, do something child, you're in high-school. He gave Atom nothing, which makes me think Atom would have been better off making out with those chairs instead. But again, given the audience, I wasn't holding my breath that we'd get more than stiff kisses. They almost had me with the firework kiss though.

Half and Mudmee were such good supporting cast and made it enjoyable to watch them. Half is a whole mood on his own, he seemed so chill with everything most of the time, my kind of vibe. I look forward to more work from both the actors.

Anyway, although this wasn't deep, and came off mostly childish, I think GeminiFourth fans would really enjoy it. I'll recommend this to anyone who likes middle-high-school first love series. Watch it if you have time and looking for something light to watch. I look forward to GeminiFourth's next series.

SHAKE YO BOOTY SHAKE YO AS'... God, why am I like this? Wish I could use that eraser to erase that Gemini performance, cuz every time I come across him, it's the first thing that pops into my mind. ^^

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