ThamePo Heart That Skips a Beat

Solid Drama - Which could've been outstanding

The premise of ThamePo while focusing on the Main Couple wasn't just them but a critical Review of some Aspects of the whole Idol/Boygroup Industry in South-East Asia. I'm a K-Pop fan and to this day Korea hasn't made one good and compelling Drama around the Industry. But a Thai BL Drama managed to do a solid Job! I personally like this premise and they did a good Job on touching the Subject, how quite often the Companies prioritise Profit over Art & Artist.
And that is also one of the, mind you very few, negative Points in this Series. They made this the main narrative and focus subject around the whole "we wanna show the dark side of the Idol Industry". Did they touch some other Subjects? Yes but with far less weight to them. Here is were the courage seemed to have left the writers a bit.
We got the reminder that Idols should be allowed to have romantic relationships, tough without any real impact. Sadly they didn't touch the subject of mental health all to much. Nano's Solo Story, sort of, would've been the perfect setting but that was also the one with the least amount of actual focus on that Character. So in summary they tried and didn't really fail but also weren't brave enough to really dive into the dark sides of this Industry.

How was the acting? LYKN as more or less first time actors, did a really good Job! They definitely do have a solid acting Basics, which is something today's Idol's should have. Did they all show the same Level of acting Skills? No but that is also dependent on the fact, that not all Member's got equally time to shine or not shine.
Lego and Hong had the least Screen Time and its hard for me to really comment on their acting. While, apart from William, Nut and Tui had the most.
Nut's acting was a delight, he made me love his character and also wanna hit his character at the same time. Nut was easily able to keep up with Est's acting. Tui's Role wasn't an easy one to portray for someone with very limited experience in acting and it did show. He wasn't bad but parts of his character weren't really believable and sadly came across a bit weak.
Now for William, his acting grew right along side his characters own development. In the beginning there were quite a few weak points but one actually could see Williams own personal grow as an Actor together with the Growth of the character he portrayed. That shows he's got quite the potential as an actor in the future.
But the one that hit the nail right on its head was Est! I honestly never seen any other work from him, so i can't compare it to any older work but dang it he delivered. His acting was believable, sincere but not over the top. He portrayed Po's Journey from an agonizingly shy, none existent Self-esteem Character to a Self assured, cheeky and hopeful Person very very well. I'll for sure will watch any upcoming Projects of Est.
Now for the other Actors, I'm gonna be brutally honest. Except for the Main Adversary portrayed by Namfon, they didn't really leave that much of an impression. They were background noise mostly and the occasional comic relief. Namfon however did go the extra Mile. Her Pemika was an A-Grade A**hole! :) Without being over the top or being extremely dramatic. Pemika was a quite & composed A**hole, that at some point even made you believe she was actually a nice Person. She was scary really lol.

Production, Direction , Cinematography and Writing:
This was certainly no low Budget Production, might be one of the reason for only 13 Episodes. Did we get extremely flashy Sets? No! Which for this Series was spot on. For me part of this Series was a look behind the Curtain so to speak and the Sets represented that very well. While other Series feel almost "claustrophobic" with lack of Set variations, this Series simply had no need for many Sets. So they made a good decision to keep it confined and only go Big & Flashy for Key Scenes in the Series.
I applaud Mui and Job for the directing and the cinematography. I didn't really get to see much of the directing in the BTS, sadly. However, going by how smooth most of the Flow of the Series and most Scenes felt, Mui must have done an excellent job in directing. There really were only a miniscule few Scenes that felt a bit awkward and I forgot them all! So the directing did a proper and very good job.
This Series had beautiful Visuals and I don't mean just the Actors. I especially loved the use of Lighting in those Scenes were the mood was to be soft and intimate. Job made such, well, a good job. Especially one Scene got Stuck in my Memory, with their Shirts outside getting closer while they also physically did. Such a great Shot and smart Idea.
The writing for this Series was good albeit not perfect. I can't remember any cringe Dialogs at all. Where there Scenes which made me cringe? Sure but those Scenes were meant to made one cringe in a good way, which is a strange thing to say really. And Jun's U-Turn Line will forever be Stuck in my Brain, so good job there Writers! However as mentioned before, I really whished the Writers would've been a bit braver with certain Topics. That could've elevated it from a solid Drama, to an outstanding one.
Now for my Second big Complaint, which kept this Series from being outstanding: The at least two more Episodes it needed. The flow of this Series was amazing up until Ep. 8ish. That is when it began to rush because there were only 5 Episodes left. And sadly that also meant that some Storylines didn't get the proper amount of time, those would've needed to really make an impact. One was Per's Story which felt far to unfinished and the other was Nano's (Justice for Lego!). We got to know Jun and obviously Thames Story really well. Dylan and especially Pepper and Nano fell to the wayside!
While Jun's "Solo" Episode really focused on his Character and gave us some great Scenes, the other three Members sadly didn't get the same attention. We might have gotten one for Dylan which did Focus quite a lot on him but still less than Jun. While Pepper's Storyline should've had way more impact, the Focus was sadly more on Thame & Po there than on Pepper. And the Character that got the least attention was Nano. His "Solo" Episode, which should've given us an introduction and backstory, was mainly Focused on Jun's antic in making Thame jealous. Would they have added two or even three more Episodes, those other Characters would've gotten more time to shine and add to the overall Story.
However, the Ending was beautiful and satisfying. Its not an outstanding Series but its a good one and I do recommend it, even with some of its Flaws. I certainly enjoyed it and I'm sad it has ended.

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An Unexpected Binge-Worthy Ride!

Okay, so I accidentally ended up binge-watching this over the weekend, and honestly? No regrets at all. This drama follows T-pop group MARS, with their leader Thame getting ready to leave for Korea. Meanwhile, Po is given the job of filming their last concert footage. A setup that could’ve been predictable? Sure. But the execution? Absolutely nailed it.

The story itself might not be groundbreaking, but the way it unfolded kept me hooked. The pacing was just right—enough tension, enough emotional moments, and enough lighthearted fun to balance it all out. It took a very familiar storyline and made it feel fresh, which is not easy to do. I think what really pulled me in was how much I cared about the characters. It wasn’t just about the plot; it was about them. The dialogues were so well written.

So, the romance between Thame and Po? Look, I’ll be honest—it wasn’t my favorite part of the show, but I still enjoyed it. They had this awkward yet genuine chemistry that made them fun to watch. It wasn’t the most dramatic or swoon-worthy romance I’ve ever seen, but that kind of worked in its favor? They were so green together, and that made it oddly endearing. I could totally see why people would love them. Even though the romance was a major part of the plot, it never overshadowed the true heart of the story—friendship.

Now, this is where the drama shined. The relationships between the MARS members were EVERYTHING. The tension, the fights, the feeling of betrayal when Thame decided to leave—it all felt so raw. The anger from the other four members? Absolutely justified. But what made it so compelling was watching them all navigate their emotions, work through their issues, and ultimately find their way back to each other. I loved how Thame never stopped trying, even when it felt impossible. He wanted to bring them back together, and that effort really paid off.

Okay, let’s talk about Jun—easily my favorite character. He was that perfect mix of playful and annoying, but also weirdly mature when the moment called for it. Every time he was on screen, I knew I was in for a good scene. And listen, we can all pretend that his whole “pretending to like Po” thing was just a tactic to push Thame to confront his feelings… but are we really going to ignore the possibility that he might’ve had the tiniest crush on Po? Maybe! Who knows! But I loved every second of it.

Pepper was another standout for me. His relationship with Gam was one of those side plots that had so much potential. The fact that they had to break up for the sake of the group? PAIN. I wish they explored it a bit more, but even with what we got, it was heartbreaking.

And then we have Nano—oh man. His whole arc hit hard. Watching him struggle with his own insecurities, thinking that he was the only one in the group who wouldn’t be able to do anything outside of MARS? That was gut-wrenching. But seeing how the members helped him through it? Beautiful. I loved how his journey was about finding confidence in himself and realizing that he did have worth beyond just the group.

Dylan was another character I really liked. There were so many moments where I just got him. He didn't have a story as deep as others, but his presence was so important. His struggles, his emotions—they felt very real. He brought a certain grounding energy to the group, and I really appreciated that.

I can’t move on without mentioning Fern! She might have been a minor character, but I really liked her. Her being both a MARS fangirl and Po’s close friend was such a fun dynamic. She brought in some much-needed lightness at times, and I really enjoyed her scenes.

The Cast, Cinematography & Soundtrack—All So Good!
One thing that really impressed me? The cast. Considering that a lot of them were new, they did an amazing job. They made the characters feel real, and their chemistry was undeniable. You could tell they were genuinely having fun, and that energy made the show even more enjoyable.

The cinematography? Loved it. The colors were stunning, and the visuals really brought everything to life. And that final episode? The concert scene felt so real. It honestly looked like they used actual concert footage rather than filming something separately, which made it even more immersive.

And let’s not forget about the soundtrack. Absolute perfection. Every song fit the moment perfectly, and I can see myself listening to it on repeat.

Final Thoughts: A Drama That Sticks With You
Overall, this was such a great watch. I went in expecting a simple music drama, and I walked away completely invested in these characters. The fact that they got to stay together as a group in the end? SO satisfying.
The ending for both couples was happy and I'm so glad for them. And I'm really with Nano on shipping Jun Dylan, they were so good (Bickering) together!
Would I recommend ? Absolutely.

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Unexpectedly good

I really thought I wouldn't care for a boyband bl only to be pleasantly surprised by how solid and different this story was from what I've anticipated. The series mainly focuses on the challenges artists face in the music industry and realistically addresses the ugly side of the fame from every aspect. As for the romantic part, the show sets the standards high without following clichés and lines you usually see in bls, making the entire experience refreshing and unpredictable.

William and Est as a new pairing, worked magnificently. Both their acting and their chemistry were spot on and they shined in their roles. But they weren't the only ones. The series makes sure to give attention to all the members of LYKN and make them equally important to the story, with them doing justice to their roles. Nut, specifically, really impressed me and I would like to see him act more in the future.

Aside from the story, the cinematography was also really beautiful and well executed, contributing to the creation of the series' unique identity.

Overall, I recommend this series to people who enjoy gradual character development and slow burn romance.

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“Thamepo: A BL Masterpiece That Will Steal Your Heart ❤️”

Thamepo has easily secured a spot in my top three BL dramas—it was truly a masterpiece. 💖 William and Est delivered such an incredible performance, and their chemistry was absolutely off the charts! That one scene where they kept walking back and forth between Po’s apartment and the bus station? Absolute perfection. I could have watched 50 more minutes of just that! 😆

One of the things I loved most about this series was how it avoided the typical, predictable BL plotlines. So many times, I thought, Oh no, here comes the cliché moment—only to be completely surprised by how the story unfolded in such a fresh and natural way. It was so well-written and never felt forced or predictable, which made it even more enjoyable.

And can we talk about William? The fact that this was his first acting role and he absolutely nailed it is insane! His chemistry with Est was pure magic. 🥰 Just from the way they looked at each other, I could feel the sparks flying. The emotions they conveyed were so real that I was completely drawn into their story.

Even the classic guitar scene—which usually makes me cringe or skip—was handled so beautifully. The way Thame stayed on the phone with Po for so long, only to play Po’s favorite song the moment he woke up? My heart melted. 😍 Or when Thame remembered Po’s phone number by heart? (Seriously, I died at that moment! ☺️) Their first kiss, the moment Thame realized he had feelings for Po… I could go on and on! 😂

I also loved that we got to truly know all the characters, not just Thame and Po but also the members of Mars. Their stories added so much depth to the drama, making it even more special. Now that it’s over, I’m seriously going to miss waiting for a new episode every Friday. 😭

This series will forever hold a special place in my heart. If you haven’t watched it yet, do yourself a favor and start it now! 100% recommend. 💕✨

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Neat storyline.

What I like: the storyline is neat. I like the characterization of Thame and Po, it's really strong. Thame's decisions explain his age in my opinion hahaha. Then they were clear from the beginning about what they wanted. I also really like the tense between them, it's good, especially the tense in episode 9 🥵🥵 I was rolling around in excitement lol. Cursed episode 11 isn't too cursed, it's still understandable why they had to break up, it's not weird and forced like most GMM cursed episode 11s. The point is: neat.

What I don't like, I think the title should be changed because ThamePo's part is less than MARS's business drama lol like I expected more BL but it's forgivable because MARS's drama is neat and not forced. Btw I don't really like the ending but maybe the best things are not always the best for us lol.

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A bright future

When I tell you that this has been such a fresh of breath air to the BL media I mean it. Est and his sky rocketing chemistry with William is probably top 5 in the thai bl industry for me right now.
The story in itself was nothing revolutionary although very important topic about letting idols have their own private life should be a no brainer but the cast made it all the best. In my honest opinion I felt like the ending did fall short slightly only because they showcased more of a concert feel(which fits the story very well) when let’s be honest I was just wanting more of a ThamePo centered whole episode. Yes I know I was trying to be greedy lol.
I just adore them together very much and I have not ugly cried to a BL since To My Star 2.
Manifesting many more dramas with EstWliiam (no I really mean EstWilliam) and many years of work with them together!!!

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MORE LIKE HEART THAT SKIPS A FEW MINUTES 'CAUSE I WATCHED IT AT 1.5X SPEED

Okay, so I finished this series in like, what? FOUR DAYS?? And that’s me zooming at full 1.5x speed like I'm in Fast & Furious: BL Edition. 'Cause let’s be real, these characters be moving like we got all the time in the world. Babe, I do NOT. The moment I found out they were doing a series together, I had a whole Meh. reaction. Like, okay Est is cute and all, but lead material? IDK, bro. Feels like they picked him ‘cause no one else was free that day. And William? WHO??? Had to Google this man. Then I saw he’s from LYKN, so I was like, “Aight, maybe he’s special or whatever.” But did I even watch the trailer? HELL NO. Didn’t even click it. I was out here like, “Aight, another GMMTV fluff-fest, who cares.” But then my BL inner saboteur whispered, “What if it's actually good?” So I caved. And here we are.

Now, I got two VERY DIFFERENT opinions about this show, so let's get into it.

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1. Plot

So we start with Po getting played by his ex, Earn, who basically jacked his ideas, and babe, the BETRAYAL was real. Homeboy got dumped, scammed, and humiliated, all before the opening credits. Then, Po lands a job as a videographer for this MARS documentary (aka, the most disorganized K-pop wannabe boyband I’ve ever seen), and BOOM. He catches feelings for Thame, the main vocalist. Classic workplace romance, but make it trauma bonding. And then we find out MARS is basically on life support, about to disband, and Po’s out here acting like the Dr. Strange of music careers, tryna fix shit that ain’t even his business.

At first, I was kinda into it. Like, “Okay, cute, lil office romance mixed with boyband politics, we EATIN’.” But then… the pacing, BABY. I’m talking snail-on-a-bath-salt-high level slow. They hit us with conflict after conflict, but instead of shaking me to my core, I was just sitting there like, “So is something actually gonna happen or nah?”

Then comes EP 2, and this is where my left eyebrow started twitching. Thame suddenly drops the “I’m leaving for Korea” bomb, and I was like, “Sir, you just got here.” And I won’t lie, I was worried they were gonna drag this out into an unbearable mess, but surprise, they kinda handled it well. A lil dry, but well. HOWEVER. Let’s address the elephant in the room: the plot was giving real-life LYKN shade. LIKE. Did no one on the production team think, “Hmm, maybe having William’s character ditch his group isn’t the best look considering he's ACTUALLY in a boyband?” 💀💀💀 The way Dylan wrote ‘Thame and friends’ instead of ‘MARS’?? GIVING CHA EUN WOO AND ASTRO REALNESS, I NEARLY CHOKED.

And then, the biggest betrayal of the century: PEPPER. PEPPER, YOU DUMBASS. WE WERE ROOTING FOR YOU. WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU. AND THEN YOU TELL US YOU GOT A FAEN??? EXCUSE ME??? BABE, THIS IS A BL, NOT WE GOT MARRIED. Pack it up. That was so selfish of him, and I hated every second of it. Like, you’re an idol. You know the rules. You ain't supposed to be out here playing house. And don’t even get me started on the communication in this series. I have seen TOILETS with better communication skills than this group.

The ending? Meh. A lil cringe, but I ate it up anyway. It’s giving Hallmark BL. Nothing groundbreaking, just vibes.

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2. Characters

- Thame (played by William) – This man had me fighting for my life. He started off as this hot-headed, stubborn little brat, and I was already side-eyeing. And why does he randomly switch personalities like a malfunctioning AI??? One minute he's yelling, next minute he’s all soft and touchy with Po. WHICH IS IT, SIR??? Am I watching an actual human being or a badly written Wattpad OC??? The whiplash was REAL. And why does William lowkey look like JaFirst’s long-lost cousin??

- Po (played by Est) – Okay, first impression? BLAND AS HELL like my wallet after buying GMMTV merch. But then… HE GREW ON ME. He’s all shy and introverted, and at first, I was like, “Ugh, another wet paper towel MC,” but then we got THE SCENES. The one where he falls asleep while on the phone with Thame? BITCH. I SCREAMED. It was so cute I nearly threw my phone. And then THE KID SCENE???? THE WAY HE PICKED UP THAT KID SO THEY COULD SEE MARS BETTER??????? BABY, I WAS DEAD ON SIGHT. He’s literally the softest boy alive, I CANNOT. Also, CONGRATS TO EST FOR JOINING THE "PRETTY CRIER" CLUB. WE LOVE TO SEE IT.

- Jun (played by Nut) – Lemme tell you something. I did NOT expect to be sitting here thirsting over a T-POP idol, but… HI, SIR. 😳 Jun is giving leader energy, giving chaos, giving "I will throw hands for my friends." But then he turned into a Thame-Po love consultant, and I was like, “AWW.” And THEN. THEN. THEY MADE HIM LIKE PO TOO????? BABE, YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO BE CUPID, NOT THE OTHER MAN. SIR. SIR. STAY IN YOUR LANE. But no, turns out he was scheming all along. A MENACE. I LOVE HIM. Jun lowkey looks like Jimmy 2.0, tell me I’m wrong.

- Pepper (played by Tui) – At first, I was like, “Daddy energy.” And then he hit us with the “I got a faen” bullshit, and I had to spiritually escort myself out of the chat. BRUH. JAIL. But also… hi, new bias. Damn it.

- Dylan (played by Hong) – BRO. FUCK THIS GUY. Next. Could’ve been my new bias but his character is annoying as hell.

- Nano (played by Lego) – Baby boy. Pretty boy. He’s the youngest, and I just wanted to wrap him up in a blanket and protect him. But the writers did him dirty by not giving him more screentime. #JusticeForNano

- Earn (played by Pepper) – WHY IS PEPPER ALWAYS THE VILLAIN???? WHAT DID HE DO TO GMMTV??? MY MAN NEEDS JUSTICE.


Acting-wise? NO ISSUES. Everyone ate.

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3. OST

Bye. NEXT.

Okay, actually, ‘Would You Mind?’ kinda slaps, but Joong sang it better. BYE.

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4. Overall

Final thoughts? 7/10.

Why? Because it was ALMOST BORING. But the drama saved their asses. The chemistry? Mid. The plot? Dragged. The conflict? Saved the whole thing.

Let’s be clear: I DO NOT REWATCH SERIES UNLESS THEY’RE ICONIC.

This series? NAH, BYE.

It didn’t "make my heart skip a beat" or whatever they were going for. But still an okay watch.

Would I recommend? If you have time to waste, sure.

Would I sell my soul for a Season 2? ABSOLUTELY NOT.

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comfort show

Maybe I’m biased but this series has been one of the best I’ve watched so far… gmmtv really did such an amazing job with this project! Williamest easily became my favorite pairing in such a short time under gmmtv. The whole cast did such a good job I honestly don’t know if another series can top this one for me, it’s my new comfort show😭 amount of times I rewatched and cried omggg I’m obsessed with everything about it. Didn’t know lykn before watching and now I’m obsessed with them and their music. Anyways 10/10 recommend watching that’s all I can say…

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Had great potential & started off great, but ended up being terrible

My 10 biggest problems about this show are -
1. I liked Thame at the first, but his unnecessary jealousy & immaturity ruined the show.
2. Thame & Po never confessed to each other & never said 'I like you' properly. I know actions are more important than words but atleast say once, please.
3. I personally liked JunPo more than ThamePo & it was pretty obvious that Jun likes Po but he moved on so easily. I mean how? Teach me please.
4. Thame constantly needed Pepper's advice & couldn't even realize his own feelings; he took dating classes almost everyday.
5. MARS (especially Jun) literally shamed Thame for not having sex with Po that day. I mean what's the rush bro? Also everyone is a teenager.
6. MARS had almost one week to produce & film their second song while they struggled with their first song despite having more time. First song was definitely better than second one. Still they won. Unbelievable.
7. I didn't like ThamePo's sex scene. There was no need of including sex scene after all.
8. ThamePo have trouble with their communication. Their 'huh?' never fails to annoy me.
9. Thame was never concerned about Po's career & what he would do in future. He's just a normal boyfriend material, who can't be a good husband.
10. Thame needs acting classes. He's a brilliant idol but not actingwise unfortunately, especially when he twitches his eyebrows, so irritating God.

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A BL but not A BL????

When I first saw this series, It makes me excited since I want to know more about LYKN. I first know LYKN when they did some dance challenge or something and Lego dance to Drip by BabyMonster while William watch him and follow him from behind. So, I get a little bit interested in them and become happy that they act in a BL.

First, I got to say this BL is not BL. I mean, I could barely feel the chemistry between Thame and Po. The series focus more on LYKN which make me realizes, is the point of this series is too promote LYKN instead? I thought they are quite big in Thailand. I barely remember any sweet and romantic scene between Thame and Po. Yes, it is there, but the focus is more on Mars trying to get back together and achieve perfect all kill.

Even the breakup scene, I did not even feel sad because I don't think they have too many memorable scene together for me to be sad for their breakup.

KOREA
Seriously, I found it totally ridiculous that when artist or singer in drama or series get a chance to go to Korea but they did some very little research to make it happen.

The series keep push Thame to go to Korea alone. Me as a KPOP fan for like 20 years, known so well, it is not easy to build a name as a soloist in Korea. Unless, you are in a very successful group in KOREA not in Thailand or some other country. For example, let's take Lisa from BlackPink and Taeyeon from SNSD. In term of Global, Lisa is more successful than Taeyeon, but in Korea, Taeyeon is more successful. Korea will support their people more than foreigner. But still other members of Girls Generation also who has solo not as successful as Taeyeon. Because it is not easy to be a soloist in Korea.

But in this series, they keep pushing Thame to go alone which I found really ridiculous. No matter how great he is, no matter how big his potential is, his branding has always been with Mars. So, if a Korea Entertainment company really really really want to sign him, they will bring the group together. Unless, they will redebut Thame in another K-Pop group.

And this is my personal opinion, I admit that Thame has the look, has the talent, but if one person should go to Korea, it should be Lego. Lego has more star qualities that meet K-Pop, but like mentioned previously, unless he redebut in a group in Korea, it is not easy for him to achieve success in Korea. And obviously, if he is really really really lucky.


TOXIC FAN
I understand that fan will be upset if the idol they like date anyone or even get married. But what really upsetting is how Po's friends who claimed to be very big fan and even the admin of Mars's fanclub twitter or something, suddenly take a 'rest' when the scandal of Pepper dating blew up. Why would she bother become the admin if she only just want Pepper? Her action affect Mars as the whole group, not just Pepper. That is plain stupid.

Yes, she realizes her mistake by the final episode, but the damage already being done, Pepper is heartbroken and never seen happy again until he call his girlfriend with the help of Lego.

I know that, dating is a luxury that any idol want to have but hard to get. However, it is still so sad that how fan react and wants to boycott the person just because they 'fear' that the idol will not love the same once they have lover.


THE CEO
I seriously skip through wherever her scene come in. She is a manipulative b*tch, very annoying and I just want to throw anything I could reach for towards her. For this character, yes, the writers really did a good job on portraying CEO of Korea entertainment company.

OVERALL
The BL does not feel like BL. I am more sad and touch by the time the Mars members and Po play the video of them at the concert rather than the breakup scene. I feel like the BL's scene was just there to prove that this is BL. We get a very minimun scene for that but mostly, we get Mars or Lykn.

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JunPo Heart That Skips Ever Getting a Beat

I am usually not a fan of reviews that are made when barely half of a show has come out or when 3/4 is only out, because at that point you ought to just wait it out before making a review. My The Heart Killers review was an exception to this rule because that series has been dropped and is beyond repair. However, this time I feel compelled to make a premature review because I think I can say with certainty that this is not a show for me.

I'll start with my classic pros and cons list, then go into more detail afterward.

Pros:
- Production was pretty. I am a sucker for vibrant colors and this one used quite a few. And of course, a show with idols will make them look bedazzled and pleasing to the eyes. So, + Points for that.
- Not set in a high school or university as the setting. It is set in an actual workplace.
- Nontoxic couple that actually tries to have communication and my issue with miscommunication pet peeve was not being stepped on.
- Male comradery with the MARS group. While they could feel stiff at times, I still did laugh at some of their little group interactions quite a bit.
- Reinforces the idea that although Thame is from a popular group and is well loved in his company for his success he is still a coworker just like Po and there shouldn't be a power imbalance.
- Mini twist of Jun actually caring about Thame even though it was at first painted as him being an antagonist.
- A main character that can ACTUALLY help further the plot.
- It presents the idea of the pain the one that leaves could feel rather than just making the one(s) left behind an eternal victim.
- Pepper. I just liked him the most out of the entire cast of characters.
- No unnecessarily misogynistic portrayals of women nor are they treated as bitchy exes that can't take "no" as an answer.
- I get to see Sammy and Drake a moderate amount as side characters. I missed them.

Cons:
- The main two are kind of too simple relationship and character wise as the story goes on. I like my romances to be a bit chaotic or questionable, so this one was just not formulated for me evidently.
- This might be just a me thing, but I actually wanted the idea of sexuality to be brought up rather than just a one-off line of "he likes tiny girls" (in which that should probably be reworded because it sounds diddy coded). I am obviously not a fan of homophobia but I wanted his close friends to question if he had always liked guys, and especially wanted him to seem at least a little conflicted with himself about it.
- The bandmates join back a little too fast. I was hoping for more conflict between them about that. Somehow Pepper was the most believable about it than the others and he technically showed up with the least amount of effort required to drag his ass back to the squad house.
- The main romance is just too boring and takes up a big part of the show; especially after the gang is reunited again.
- The idol part of the story started to lose my interest the more it went on. I cared less and less for their future because only about half of the group has any real relevancy.
- Thame seems to lose any of his internal conflict that made me like him so much in ep 1 a little too fast.
- Thame's jealousy annoyed me.
- They teased JunPo, only to completely disregard it just as fast and it made me question if Jun even actually confirmed liked Po or not.
- Baifern seems to almost not exist past like the first two episodes and I feel like she shouldn't just exist to be the initial quest giver.
- Cringe rapping in ep like 4. I understand that Thame was meant to be wrecked verbally for the sake of the plot, but I just don't like rap all that much so I was only really enjoying the setting rather than the music. The mint haired person also pissed me off because the logic that idols can't be real musicians or even rappers is so fucking dumb that I cannot believe people actually think this in real life. Do they actually? I really have no idea personally at all.
- I agree with some others that some of the acting isn't that good. I see others saying that William is fantastic for a rookie, but I just don't quite see it. I think he did alright, just not beyond alright. Beautiful voice, though.


The characters:
Po: I mean I just think he is kind of lacking personality wise. He had a few moments that shined with cheekiness like when he laughed at Jun, but then he goes back to feeling like a self-insert in a Wattpad that coincidentally has two idols going after him (as someone in the comments on Youtube pointed out).
Thame: I liked him at first because you could tell he was a troubled soul and it indicated a more complex personality that contrasted with the expected idol persona everyone sees. But then he seems to actually just be this fantasy guy that is almost perfect and always thinking of the protagonist. His jealousy also felt misplaced because of how his writing past the first two episodes was. I usually don't like intense jealousy plots to begin with, so maybe I'm biased, but I really didn't like this one for the simple reason that it felt misplaced and reeeally unnecessary because it was obvious to the audience and literally every other character that Po would not choose literally anyone over Thame.
Baifern: I miss her. Bring her baaaack other than a damn phone call every once in 5 episodes. Seeing Ciize makes me nostalgic because I swear I see her in every other thai show that I watch.
Jun: I actually like him the second most because he adds the much needed drama to keep me somehow watching for 8 episodes, but now that it seems his motives are found out and he has conceded going after Po to Thame he will probably be sidelined unfortunately. And I like mischievous characters too. He was such a homewrecker.
Pepper: I liked him the most. He is gorgeous, kind, understanding, unproblematic, and the best of all: mature. I liked that he was the problem solver compared to Jun's problem amplifier. I also like that he is in a confirmed and steady relationship with a woman because you rarely get to see those that much in these kind of shows unless the woman or him are problem starters.
Dylan: started out kind of interesting with his love-hate relationship towards Thame, but then loses that the moment he switches up and joins his band suuuper fast. It would have made more sense if he marinated on the thought that maybe he abandoned Thame first by jumping to conclusions and not hearing him out before leaving. But no, he gives up on his goal of joining the rapper underground super fast. That diss track of his towards mint hair was satisfying af though because he annoyed me SO much.
Nano: I literally don't have anything to say about him other than he gives the vibes of those cliche BL bottom tropes that people love to write in manga and manhwa. His voice also felt far too cutesy for me. I think maybe his actor was trying too hard or something. I was messing around guessing Nano would be my bias in the first ep when Baifern asked Po and oh boy was I wrong because he is NO ONE's favorite because he is such a filler character for their band collection arc.

ThamePo romance: I seriously found them so bland. I understand that they are objectively a good pairing and that I should probably sense the chemistry that all those other commentors did, except I just didn't really vibe with them past like ep 2. I liked how human and multi-faceted Thame seemed in eps 1-2, especially his reactions to some of the weird things Po said/did. It felt surprisingly realistic of how someone would actually react in that situation if it took place in real life rather than romance land. I liked how their awkwardness suited each other in those two episodes. Then, it just seems they started like each other a ton more within the next few episodes and I could not see why. It definitely doesn't help that the pacing confused me because I swear this is all taking place in like two weeks or something. Now they feel like a Wattpad writer's attempt at "fluffy boyfriends UwU".

JunPo (lost potential) romance: I somehow have second lead syndrome on this one. There is no reason for me to like them more than ThamePo other than the facts that ThamePo is boring (to me), this is a bickering couple trope, semi-enemies to lovers, Po seems to show more expression in his scenes with Jun, and the fact that I'm messy af. This was probably the only time I ever wished for a love triangle to happen in order to spice a continually bland story up. They didn't have any physical chemistry at all either, but I just enjoyed their interactions more than any other character interactions. They definitely will work better as frenemies than lovers anyway.

The pacing: I am so confused of the time frame of this show. It all has to happen within 3 months because of the final concert, right? Yet, it feels like the first 8 episodes have only passed about two weeks tops. It would make the fact that two guys fell for Po within that time feel waaaay too forced in that case. Too Wattpad-esc.

Rewatch/Finish: I think I'll probably just skim the next 5 episodes. I've lost virtually all interest in the plot now that I have a gut feeling that Jun will become the next member to the "we got sidelined after like one semi-important plot point we starred in!" band this show is forming. If this show manages to magically change my perception of it by the end I'll make another review of it.



Conclusion: I understand how other people could appreciate this; I just wasn't one of them, unfortunately. Unlike some other reviews of mine, I actually believe that this one is not inherently bad nor should it be treated as bad (unless the remaining episodes have an identity crisis and proceed to crash out like *certain shows* do). I also never really had high expectations to like this one either because I had a gut feeling it wouldn't be what I wanted in the end, so my expectations weren't that crashed or anything like that.

Would I recommend? Only if you like idol plots and simple, healthier romance with no real drama or spice.

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The calling out of toxic fans

It was actually so amazing, I think the way it showed how toxic fan bases can be, and how that can have an effect on celebrities (especially idols) was so well done that I truly hope it'll change how some fans view their 'celebrity crush.' whenever they showed the female fan (I can't remember her name rn, Po's friend) and how frustrated she was when she found out that her bias had a girlfriend was actually so wild, but I'm so glad they showed it from the fans perspective because hopefully it'll give some of these fans a wake up call (especially seeing how many Thai BL fans are also K-pop fans) (and no this doesn't apply just to K-pop fans, I'm sure T-pop and all the other kind of pop fans can be just like this, but it is very prominent in the K-pop community) HOLY YAP SESH OK CONTINUING!
I am honestly loving this new theme of healthy relationships in BLs coming out recently, like I'm watching Your Sky right now (review coming soon) and just seeing these actually healthy relationships being shown in BL seems to be such a rare occurrence, I'm sure there are a lot, but it just seems like the most popular also tend to be toxic, so its nice seeing some health (tbh I do eat up the toxic ones too sometimes)
Anyways, continuing again, I think that the story itself is very good and well done, the whole "bringing the band back together" was like my favorite thing ever, I ate it upppp! also the acting, especially from William and Est was incredible, I truly hope they get to act together in the future because they play off of each other in a very nice way.
anyways, stunning, 10/10, loved it, binged it so hard. Shout out to healthy relationships. and please don't be a toxic fan, lol

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