Excellent Production with amazing leads
I will have to edit this review for a more coherent thought because I am just so emotional right now but this series is an absolute gem . This reminds me of peak K-Drama eras but with BL which is my absolute jam. I'm just gonna outline my pros and cons with this drama so I don't lose my current train of thoughts, but I am highly biased so cons are little, with a lot of pros:1. Amazing production. I don't say this a lot with GMMTV series but I can't fault much production wise. Every scene feels full and purposeful, cinematography always on point. sound is also amazing. They don't shy away from utilizing silence to truly make a scene feel realistic and I highly appreciate this.
2. Soundtrack is on point. I still don't like the raps but I am not repulsed by the rap scenes as opposed to other BL series (or even songs with shit rapper). Using "Good Times" as one of the pivotal moment in their love story is genius writing and I will never get over that scene.
3. Thame and Po are perfectly cast. Holy shit. I can't believe these two actors - one a rookie and one is a first time male lead - outacted 90% of GMMTV actors. Est has one of the most expressive eyes I have had the pleasure to gaze upon. Every acting choice he made was great - he never attempted to perform beyond his current skill level but he truly managed to utilize what he excels in to make every scene great. William - I can't believe this is his first acting role. He is still green but holy shit, the potential that he has. His face acting is so good already. Honestly if he did slightly better than this I would be flying to thailand to BEG gmmtv to use whoever his acting coach is on literally all other actors.
4. ThamePo's chemistry - so I never base chemistry on things that happens off screen because some of the flirtiest BL couples do not translate their chemistry well on camera. I personally think ThamePo's excellent chemistry is because of the 10/10 direction and WilliamEst liking each other and them being so invested in their roles. I can't say the same for a lot of other dramas.
5. Love the storyline. But it's 2am and I have to wake up in 5 hours so I'll save this for tomorrow.
Now onto the bad:
1. Rest of the cast can improve on their acting. They're not horrible! But with such an excellent series, anything less than good is very jarring.
2. This is just a personal pet peeve of mine: I do like main characters who has more of a balance between career and romantic ambition. I absolutely love Po as a character and I do understand that not everyone's dream is to climb up the corporate ladder or whatever but I personally do prefer characters who has a passion for something that is not centralized around their lover.
I'll edit this when I'm less delirious but I adore this series and I will be patiently waiting for WilliamEst's next project!
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When a simple plot and an healthy and relatable relationship is all it takes.
This is only my second time writing a review, the majority of the time i might like a show but never to the extent to feel an attachment to the characters or the show itself. Well ThamePo is definitely an exception. I knew the show was going to be good since the very first mock trailer, but the final result is beyond my wildest expectations.I don't want to write a whole essay listing all the reasons why i think this is probably the best bl GMMTV has ever released, so i'll keep it short just talking about the characters and the plot.
CHARACTERS
Ok, so to begin with i want to call the Oscars and the Emmys for my man Est because i was speechless for his acting; wigs? Snatched. I'm not a crier but his performance was actually mind blowing and it resonated with me so much that tears were flowing down every time he cried too. I loved everything about Po's character, was he perfect No. And that's why i loved him so much. It's obvious he's a good person with a huge heart, and all those feeling were sometimes so overbearing that it was painful to watch. I love the character development, i love that he remained true to himself and hasn't changed in his goodness just because of what happened to him, and i love how Thame turned out to be the perfect match to give a stability to his life.
Speaking of Thame, what can i say? From what we have seen he's truly the perfect boyfriend, the one we all dream of and wish to meet irl. I loved the softness he had when he was with Po, i loved his attentiveness and the care he had regarding every aspect of Po's life. He is just too good to be real, and William did a very good job with it (i admit that Est was a stronger actor, but it was William first acting job so it was still remarkable and impressive).
The chemistry between William and Est is INSANE. Like i've never been one of those fan who gets obsessed with fake couples, until now. I love them, they are perfect, give me another show with them like now!
PLOT
Simple, straighforward, no unneccesary drama, every scene had its purpose, no filler episodes, no filler chracters or boring second couples without any development. I admit there were one or two things i would have made differently, especially in the last 2 episodes, but overall the ending was solid and heartwarming. No beach scene or forced break ups without any reason in a gmmtv show? Already outstanding. I can not recomment this show enough.
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An impactful meaning and plot
This has to be the best bl ever that I have seen.the story line,the acting and even the lessons from the plot is satisfying.The emotions being portrayed by the actors was amazing to watch,they portrayed it so well that I could feel it as well.
I am proud that I found and watched this because it's so meaningful and mature that I could rewatch a million times.
Credits to the script writer,the production team as well as the actors for the wonderful series.everyone did so well.
This is my first review ever on a series and it was because I am so impressed.
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100% well-executed
I may be biased, but I've never watched a show so well-done before. I'm often disappointed by at least one episode, usually the last, but as I just finished watching the last episode of thamepo, I can say this series is by far my all-time favorite. There was no disappointment. The characters are endearing, so much that when they're happy, we're happy, and when they're sad, we're sad. The acting didn't fail, it was just PERFECT, whether it be for the loveliest scenes or the hardest ones. And let's not talk about the songs (PERFECT too). I became a huge fan of LYKNest after thamepo and I'm in for a lifetime support for them. If you love slow burn and romantic scenes, but are ready to cry your eyes out with thamepo too, then this is for you, enjoy!Was this review helpful to you?
My Heart Really Skipped a Beat With This One
I don't know where to start from. Damn!! This was worth the 13 weeks I spent. I have dropped GMMTV dramas for a while now since 'Hidden Love's flop but this brought me back to GMMTV. Didn't even know about this sweet drama until episode 3 the phone call scene.Thame: I fell in love with Thame and William. His soft sooting voice almost killed me and how much of a green forest he is. I love his communication and the way he conveys his feelings about Po, he doesn't really need to say the conventional words but we feel and know exactly how he feels about Po and Mars.
Their break up scene was so emotional that I cried so much in such a long time.
His words are so poetic and he's the one I will miss the most.
Po: My big teddy bear. Looks like a tough guy but is so soft inside. He knew one thing and one thing alone, he liked Thame so much and Thame liked him. He was the only one that truly understood Mars and the bond the shared.
Pepper: The big brother of the group, he's so mature and my heart broke for him during the whole Gam issue. So happy they came back together.
Jun: The clown😂😂. He was so annoying at the beginning but he later grew on me. I'm so ready for JunDylan. ❤️
Dylan: Mr rapper and hot tantrums. He's so handsome and lyrically talented. Love his role and I can't wait for DylanJun. ❤️
Nano: Our baby. He's the one I want protected most in the group. He's so cute and talented. And most importantly he's the Captain of the DylanJun ship.
Pemika: She was so realistic and played her part of portraying what really goes on in the entertainment industry.
I hope we as fans pick one or two lessons from this. We love our Idols but they have a life too and deserve to be happy by loving whomever they want to love and being themselves.
I will miss ThamePo: Heart That Skips A Beat alot. ❤️
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The scorching slow burn we all needed!
This drama comes at a time when toxic fandom is causing a lot of harm to entertainers. The very People we claim to bring us joy and comfort.This slow burn depicted how idols struggle to attain success. Often forced to sacrifice love or living authentically in order not to get their “fans” mad. It has some powerful commentary on how capitalism’s choke hold on art and the entertainment industry hurts all of us from the consumer to the idol.
Social commentary aside its a beautiful love story. Po barely existing after the end of a toxic relationship in which his partner just took everything he could from him, then dropping him when he did not fit his new successful life. So many people can relate, supporting your partner financially and emotionally, while neglecting yourself only to be left behind when they reach new heights. Thame just wanting to make music with his band, but only being considered a commodity to his record label and isolated from those he loves. Thame and Po are perfect for each other. They see each other, they cherish each other and build each other up.
Let’s not forget the member of Mars! Often serving as our OTPs Greek chorus are adorable and hilarious! The supporting characters are fleshed out even those we hated.
This drama had me kicking my feet, giggling and waiting for Fridays to come. If you were waiting for the finale to hit play, don’t wait anymore. Happy Watching!
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Solid and enjoyable BL plotline, shame it wasn’t a bigger part of the show
Watching episode 1 of this show I realized William can act almost as good as he can sing – and that this single thing is reason enough to continue watching. That’s where the strength of “ThamePo” lies: in strong performances of William and Nut, both of whom have a very captivating on-screen presence. William radiates a calm dominance which makes the entire scene and all attention focus on him even if he stays quiet (there’s also a big load of cheerful playfulness in him, even though it is mostly unused in this show); this reminds me of Mix and Nanon, both perfectly capable of outshining other cast members with quiet, commanding presence. Nut is a very different beast, constantly provoking and challenging, almost aggressive – even when he’s quiet. When William’s Thame and Nut’s Jun clash – it’s a spectacle.I haven’t mentioned Est so far and that’s no coincidence: his performance – either due to the writing or his limits – seemed muted and withdrawn, at times bordering on bland. Make no mistake here: Est has very good chemistry with William, all intimate moments of Thame and Po were presented very well thanks to that chemistry. However on several occasions I found myself wondering how Po can be the main character of this show being so inactive or slow/unable to react/respond. I keep wondering whether that was due to (weird) writing or Est portraying Po this way. Compare Est’s Po with Sea’s Kang from “Only Boo!” – Po’s counterpart from another GMMTV BL series with a boyband. I’d argue that despite multiple similarities of both characters and despite of Sea’s performance being similarly muted to Est’s, Kang is not passive – like Po often is.
There’s another comparison between “ThamePo” and “Only Boo!” to be made: how much BL is in those shows. “Only Boo!” is first and foremost a BL, with part of its setting being the entertainment industry. “ThamePo” devotes a far smaller share of its running time to the BL aspect, with a lot of that time going to LYKN cast members and the MARS plotline. As a result “ThamePo” is a BL as much as it is a series about a boyband. This bothered me a lot, as I’m not a fan of BL shows that put the same emphasis on BL and other (like setting-related) aspects.
Speaking of which: the entertainment industry part of the show is not as crazy nor groundbreaking as it could have been and some key issues were presented in an unsatisfying way. “ThamePo” goes easy on fans and their entitlement while going quite hard on the industry itself. ONER is portrayed as an archetypical evil corporation exploiting MARS members and no attempt was made to show that the MARS-ONER (band/idol – company) relationship is more nuanced. MARS members are employed by ONER and can’t decide on their own – while under a contract they willingly signed – that they will do what they want and disobey their employer. Why doesn’t the show get this – quite obvious – point across? How come MARS members are allowed to act in a childish way (because love and because plot), fans are allowed to be entitled (as long as later they come to see the error of their ways), but an employer is the villain of the story for expecting MARS members to do what their contracts say?
The show is packed with decent music, mostly performed by LYKN as a group (“All I Need”, “I Know You Want Me”, “จีบได้มั้ย / Would You Mind?”, “หูดับ / Who Says” and "Fly High") or its individual members (“ไม่ใช่บังเอิญ / Destined” by Tui, “5cm” by William). The soundtrack also includes: “ไม่อยากเป็นรักแรก / Your Last” by Est, an alternate version of “จีบได้มั้ย / Would You Mind?” by Joong and “ระหว่างทาง / Good Time” by William and Est – the “cuteness overload” song of the series.
I was impressed with very good cinematography of “ThamePo”. Several scenes had this dreamy, almost unreal feel about them, something one could immerse oneself in, while several other scenes had a cinematic vibe and quality, which surprised me in a very positive way.
Favorite scene: reunion scene from episode 13; it’s well shot and scripted as well as a rare example of the main couple doing something new/different, something not related to work nor their relationship.
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Amazing
This show is so adorable and cute. I had super high expectations but I've been blown away already. Genuinely the most perfect show I've ever watched. Every single episode is filled with such depth and all the characters are such beautifully depicted. I was worried that LYKN might have a tough time with this show because this is their first time acting but not at all! The acting in this show feels so realistic and beautiful. Thame and Po's chemistry is out of this world. I can't wait until they get together. Can't wait for more!Was this review helpful to you?
JUST WATCH IT YALLL!!!
It’s probably going to be GMMTV’s best series yet!It’s probably going to be GMMTV’s best series yet!
It’s probably going to be GMMTV’s best series yet!
It’s probably going to be GMMTV’s best series yet!
It’s probably going to be GMMTV’s best series yet!
It’s probably going to be GMMTV’s best series yet!
It’s probably going to be GMMTV’s best series yet!
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A Drama That Stole My Heart
I don’t know why, but this is the first drama I’m so addicted to. Normally, I prefer to watch only after all the episodes are released, but this drama drives me crazy! As soon as the week starts, I’m just waiting for Friday. After watching the new episode, I find myself wondering what I’ll do for the rest of the week. I feel like I could watch this drama more than ten times! But despite all this excitement, I have one fear—please, GMMTV, don’t separate this couple!Was this review helpful to you?
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This review may contain spoilers
WILLIAMEST IS THAMEPO
First of all, wow! We all didn't expect ep1 this good, it's so good that you just want to watch the entire episodes now. People are also surprised that William is just 19 and it is his first acting gig, in shorter words it's his acting debut. He set his acting debut so high, coz HE CAN ACT!!! As for est, i don't have enough words how good he is, this is his first lead role and his killing it!Let's jump to ep1, the storytelling, i love it! The introduction to every characters, it's giving fanfiction i love it so much. It's not too much, you can bear it! What I love about it is that, their acting, like damn that confrontation scene where they need to let out every single frustrations they have. po, he was being left by his ex, not acknowledging the things he did for his ex — leaving him questioning his worth.
thame, who's about to leave and carrying a pain too. I'm sure he's hurt in so many aspects, the group is his family, and you'll understand where his coming from when he throws his line to po.
Overall, you can always watch the ep1 while waiting for the next eps. i have so high expectations in the next eps! I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT!
and, just a simple fact if u don't know, they kept thamepo for 4-5 years, and they started to work on it when they saw william's potential as thame in the survival show, project alpha. and as for est, when the director saw him, she knew that he's po. DESTINY BROUGHT THEM TOGETHER!
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