Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan (2024)

The abridged version

I was optimistic about the Japanese remake when it was first announced, but was left disappointed. The Japanese are usually more comfortable with dealing with sensitive topics in shows and I hoped they would do justice to Kai's. (Sky from the Thai version) trauma. They did not. The actor did well attempting it, but the writing did not allow the story to come to fruition. There in lies my big. problem with this show. This is like reading the abridged version of a novel you really like; all of the major plot points are there, but none of the emotional stuff that made you fall in love with the characters. For me it really comes down to the writing of the show. They condensed 14 50 minute episodes into 8 25 minute episodes. There was no it could really compete with the original. The actors did a good job. I really though Arashi was closer to the book version.

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Expecting more from Japanese Love in the air

the Thai version. I’ve seen the Thai version first and I was hoping that they’ll add a new atmosphere for this.
Trying to be objective this series is not easy to be executed, because we need to feel
• the characters connection ( imo the Japanese BL’s do it just great with a few episodes,there’re objective,on the other side Thai BL focus on crescendo, it takes longer but we get that connection)
•Characters chemistry ( Arashi/Rei was ok , Fuma/Kai could be better, it missed the emotional tone
I’m actually surprised because normally on Japanese series they have this ability to capture the essence of the story.
For me … I wasn’t expecting a copy paste of the Thai series but an adaptation having in consideration the Japanese culture.
They started out well on the 2nd episode I had the impression that they’ve focused on the keys points , I liked how they demonstrated Kai emotional state,it was so well made…but somewhere they lost focus.
I hope that they could see constructives comments and next time leave us speechless.

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Very solid adaptation

I liked this version of LITA a lot, and thought the production made really smart choices in condensing the story down to half its runtime. It stayed true to the original story while moving through the important beats with no filler, and some of the choices actually improved upon the Thai version. In particular, I really like the way they resequenced the final conflicts to converge at the end. The cast was all great and I liked both couples a lot. I prefer this version of Fuma and Kai in particular, the tweaks they made to their characterizations and the details of Kai's story made it all land better for me. The whole cast is great and I hope to see them in more shows.

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WikiHow: How (Not) To Do A Remake

Step 1. Think hard. When was the last time people thought a remake was better than the original? If you are going to remake a show that is justly (or unjustly) famous (or notorious), know that people will always compare your show to the original. If it falls short, you have only yourself to blame.

Step 2. Know your audience. BL is a niche community, even in Japan. Many of us have heard of and seen the original LITA. We may love it, we may hate it, but we know of it. A lot of us will watch the remake just in order to see how it compares. If you forget this, again, you have only yourself to blame.

Step 3. Ask yourself why. I mean, why? For god’s sake, why? Why can’t you leave well enough — or bad enough — alone? What possible reason might you have, apart from a presumed reluctance on the part of the Japanese -- a reluctance that I don't think exists -- to read subtitles? Or if that isn’t the problem, what have you to offer us that’s different? If nothing, why waste time and money on this, when you could have given us something better?

Step 4. Consider the source material. Here, you potentially have two. The (cough) novel. And the TV show. If you did read... the novel… more power to you. If you just watched the TV show, welcome to our world. But don't forget. This is Mame. Storytelling isn’t her strength. Sexual… ummm… proclivities, I guess? are what gets her off. As, of course, does calling your dom top “Daddy”. Well done, Noeul.

Step 5. Rip the bodices. Isn’t that what got you into it in the first place? If you’re going to be coy around it, leave it alone. Some of us return to LITA not for the… story… but for something else. And that something else was *hot*. If you can’t handle the heat, stay out of the kitchen. Which, given the number of gastronomic BLs Japan puts out each year, is perhaps impossible.

Step 6. Speaking of cooking, test for chemistry. People who cared for LITA fall into two camps. They were either in it for the dom-bottom pair, or for the peat-bog -- I mean, peat-fort -- pair. Either way, it is the chemistry between them that sold the show. This one has all the chemistry of mildew on a damp cloth.

Step 7. Cast the right actors. In a bodice-ripper, they must be game, and willing to go all the way. The actors in the original did. That’s why we bought it — even those who hated it. You did well enough with Shoma here, and there is a reason why he did two segments of Kiss x Kiss x Kiss in one season. The man is hot, and he's comfortable lashing his tongue against another's. But you really oughtn’t have cast the rest of the gang here. Hamaya was certainly a bad choice. When one of the actors refuses to open his lips, while the other one licks them like a cat does the last drop of milk from a bowl, it is not sexy. It looks non-consensual, and makes us cringe. (While I’m not staying for the other couple, what I have seen so far hasn’t been encouraging. I doubt they’d even kiss.)

Step 8. Find the right size. For the series as a whole and for each episode. Here, the length and duration do not feel right. Sometimes, less is not more. Compression is not always a virtue. Size matters. The original… story… was narratively "challenged" as it was. Don’t make it incomprehensible. Remember: length contraction is the same as time dilation. Einstein taught us that.

Step 9. Identify areas for improvement. The "story" and the "writing" in the original weren’t exactly stellar. You could have made the story tighter (or, you know, exist), more coherent, and more integrated, especially given the limitations on time and length you have imposed upon yourself. Isn’t this what JBLs are supposed to be good at?

Step 10. 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?

This review is dedicated to Selbee, who had love enough to ask me for one.

Reader’s Digest:
DO SAY: There’s a new Love in the Air.
DON’T SAY: It's a hole in the ozone layer.

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A solid JBL

I'm clearly, and sadly, in the minority but I really liked it. While everyone keeps saying "I'm trying not to compare it to the original", everyone is doing exactly that imo.

As a stand alone JBL, it did a lot in only 8 short episodes. A fair amount of story, a lot of character development, and some really serious issues sensitively and sympathetically covered.

Arashi is obviously insanely hot and as such, some may say his love for Rei seemed unrealistic. However, Rei's innocent smile and dumb, adorable ways melted Arashi's cold heart and I loved them together. I also thought Rei's attitude when he was in trouble in the last ep really solidified what Arashi loved about him - this cute guy who's a total dork but also has the heart of a warrior and who'll battle fiercely for those he cares about. The guy's got balls and Arashi freaking loves that.

Kai's character is so well acted. The depiction of a poor, damaged boy whose misery is visible in every facial expression broke my heart a number of times. While I can admit that Fuma is probably the weakest character, I felt that the relationship between Kai and Fuma developed really well with lots of pathos and some real tear jerking moments, particularly in the last episode, which was superbly acted by both guys. It's at that point you realise that Fuma, as a slightly older guy with a fair amount of experience, clearly acted in a light, cheerful way as he knew that Fuma had suffered in his past and wanted to make it clear that Kai wouldn't suffer again in his hands. I want them to be happy together forever.

Concisely told with sweet and savage moments, I think this was a great show. If you like Japanese BL's, I suggest you give it a watch.

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What exactly is this??????

The only word that comes to mind whenever I watch an episode is CRINGE...….The casting is so wrong on all LEVELS, the only cast I would keep is Arashi and maybe Fuma, as for the other two leads, the acting lives so much to be desired. All the couples don't have any chemistry and Rei needs serious kissing lessons because, WOW just WOW. I understand that its a Japanese remake and that the "sexual" scenes must be censored but at least the characters SHOULD AND MUST have some sort of chemistry. Kai tries but is just to "stiff", I understand that the Thai version of Kai was also "stiff" but at least he was lively.

They really wasted time and resources on this, sorry not sorry but I will continue to watch just to kill time I guess.

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Shoma: like a rearing horse

Neti Suwanjinda, director of BL series such as 'Love Sea' and 'Wedding Plan', and editor of 'Only Friends', directed the Thai version of the novels "Love Storm" (พายุรักโถมใจ) and "Love Sky" in 2022. (พระพายหมายฟ้า), written by Orawan Vichayawannakul, or simply Mame, the prolific writer of boys' love stories at Dek-d.com, and co-founder of the production company Me Mind Y.
With the title 'Love Storm' ('Love in the Air'), this series, about two romantic relationships, taken one from each book, which will be sustained by the handsome friends of motorcycle racers and car mechanics Phayu and Prapai, with Rain and Sky, respectively, the shy, naive and cute college kids. The characters were played by Boss Chaikamon Sermsongwittaya, Noeul Nuttarat Tangwai, Fort Thitipong Setjai and Peat Wasuthorn Chaijindar, four young actors who have managed to win the hearts of genre lovers thanks to their appearances on screen.
A very popular series, it received diverse criticism, especially among those who disapproved of alleged toxic relationships and non-consensual sexual approaches, on the one hand, and those who did not spare praise and valued it for its effective display of intimacy, realistic representation of sex, stories of mental healing, overcoming trauma and developing the couple's relationship. In my opinion, a decent romantic drama that will keep you excited if you haven't skimmed the book. Even if you've read it, it's still a very good story.
Although specialized criticism does not contradict it, it was not that big of a deal. Just a fast-paced and sexy series, which gradually seasoned its plot with accessories of motorcycle racing, college drama, senior-junior relationship, and a strong erotic touch. Depending on the latter, Noeul and Peat were there: to inflame Boss and Fort, respectively, and to make them race on their motorcycles at more than a thousand kilometers per hour in a desperation not so much to win a race, but to return to each other's arms, and the bed, of his lovers.
Japanese television decided to revive the well-known plot, now in a series with the title 'Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan' (2024), one that also arouses mixed comments for the same reasons, but has even awakened the desire to watch it on many of those who ignored the Thai version.
The series deviates very little from the Thai television original. In addition to the logical adaptations of the environment, it softens the speeches, slightly redraws the profile of the characters, changes their names to Japanese patronyms, and incorporates a plot within the university classrooms, the automotive workshop and the race track. The light and slapsticky Japanese humor or physical comedy is to be celebrated, as a form of scandalous and simulated violence that it contributes to the remake.
But at the same time, it maintains the essence and vibrations of the characters, while capturing the Japanese aesthetic and enriching the actions with its beautiful photography and soundtrack.
With a slightly more agile pace than the Thai original, which like this one brings together two novels in a series, but unlike that one, the remake must cover in 10 episodes of about 26 minutes each the content of 14 chapters of 45 minutes approximately shown by its predecessor. Thus, creators must be vigilant to avoid filler and stay focused on the central story.
Now, the motorcycle racers and cunning saviors who raise storms in the hearts of the two best friends are composed of Nagumo Shoma and Suzuki Asahi, who play Hayase Arashi and Kawai Fuma, in that order; while the university students who will let the motorcyclists steal their kisses and burn with passion are Nagatsuma Reo and Hamaya Takuto, actors who play Sorano Kai and Amemiya Rei, respectively.
The latter is responsible for awakening Shoma's goat-like sexual fury.
Rei, although she may seem a little annoying and silly to many viewers, somewhat less than her counterpart Rain in 'Love Storm', reflects precisely the type of irritating, clumsy and even childish character written in the script and the novels. Despite not being the kind of character I like to appreciate, I have to admit that the Japanese version of Rain is better than the Thai version. In this sense, the Japanese actor gives me cuter vibes than Noeul.
Naguno Shoma forges here one of the most defined compositions of his career, after playing Naoki in 'Atelier Kiss', and Komine in 'Growth Kiss', stories that make up the BL drama 'Kiss x Kiss x Kiss: Love ii Shower' , a classmate of Akira in 'Minato Shouji Coin Laundry', and Yamase Kazuma in '25 Ji, Akasaka de', all recent Bl dramas, and looks much more captivating than usual: necessary faculty to compose a character who accepts the challenge of falling in love with Rei in less than a month, at the same time subjected to extreme emotional tensions, who goes through various emotional scenarios and complicated circumstances both within and off the race tracks.
His almost permanent presence before the camera creates an effectively constructed material; with very good supporting actors (especially Higuchi Hina, who plays Furuta Rinka, a student at the university where Rei and Kai study and who from a person who liked Rei becomes his rival for the love of Arashi; and Mochizuki Ayumu as Tomaru Taiga, a haughty lover of illegal speed racing; the latter character written with grit and precision regarding his arrogance as a daddy's son and connoisseur of the world of sports motorcycling.
And if the first story is happy, fun and sweet, that of Kai and Fuma is dark and sad, since the young university student suffers from sexual, physical and psychological harassment and abuse by Kurosaki Gan (Tajima Yusei), a violent man who Together with his henchmen, he pursues Rei's friend to make him suffer. Kai won't know how to deal with this situation. Why do you reject his approaches and flirtations? Will smoking be the same as your stalker? If I told you the truth, how would Fuma react? Will he be able to count on Fuma's help? Will Kai manage to overcome his trauma and be happy next to the handsome motorcycle racer?
This is the second, a story as beautiful and moving as the first.
In fact, praise must be given to its experienced creator, Tomori Atsuki, an all-rounder in Japanese commercial television fiction, who, in addition to being an actress (she does not intervene in the drama as such), is a screenwriter and director, and manages to effectively film the remake of the Thai original , introducing successful and slight changes.
With only two episodes viewed at the time of writing the review, I will wait for the series to progress a little further, or even conclude, to issue new evaluations.

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Japan made a remake for this title… Let’s watch…

As usual, let me start with the story…

Story about 2 couples, Hayase Arashi & Amemiya Rei, Kawai Fuma & Sorano Kai. Like the Thai version, they also separated both stories.

1st story, Rei & Arashi. One day, Rei met a handsome man who helped him with his car. Rei is quite obsessed with how handsome the helper is. By his surprise, the helper nonetheless is the university idol, Arashi Senpai. With some circumstances, when they meet again, Rei gets trapped by Arashi & the game begins… The game is to make Arashi fall in love with Rei and not make Rei just be another man in his life. Why game…? Well you must watch to understand it. Haha…

2nd story, Fuma & Kai. Kai is Rei’s friend. Fuma & Kai met when Kai helped Rei to get in the illegal street racing that involved Arashi. Fuma took advantage of the situation & made Kai have one night stand with him. But since that night, Fuma has been obsessed with Kai, he can’t forget him. So, Fuma asks Rei for Kai's number & address & the chasing begins…

For me overall the story is a little better than the Thai version. Some even less toxic than the Thai version. But unfortunately the Thai version has more handsome man… Hehe… So, if you ask me which one I like better? Without doubt, The Thai Version. Haha…

Below I’ll write the comparison between both dramas, but that also means SPOILER ALERT!!! Read it at ur own risk.












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SPOILER ALERT!!!
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The one that makes more sense than the Thai version:
* The first scene where Rey was chased by the security, Arashi saw him, and then Arashi saved Rey. In Thai, we only got to see Payu ask the boss for permission & then save Rain, I always wonder how Payu can know it's Rain that's been chased.
* The danger that Arashi must be facing in street racing. In the Thai version, they do the racing in the real race arena, so in my opinion no danger, especially since it’s only 2 motors that are involved in the race. In the Japan version, it is really illegal street racing, the street is uneven with the red soil kind of ground. So yeah… I understand the concern that Rei feels.
* The reason for Rei to get back at Arashi. In the Japan version at least Rei states that he will get back for the humiliation that Arashi gives him after Arashi teases him. I never understood the reason why Rain wanted to make Payu fall in love with him in the Thai version.

Better than Thai version:
+ The way Fuma asks Kai. Fuma isn't just so shamelessly harassing Kai like Prapai did to Sky.
+ Rei gives an explanation to Furuta Rinka about Rinka's request for help to set herself with Arashi.
+ The friendship between Kai & Rei. They show us how close Kai & Rei are.

Thai version better:
+ The chemistry between both couples. I don’t get the spark from Japan couples. For me they just like actors playing the role they get.
+ I don’t like how the Japan version portrays Kai, they made him look so old and the overall vibe from him is just not good, unlike Sky he gains no sympathy from me.
+ The crazy man that kidnapped Rei. Although I feel this version wants to make that crazy man seem to have more grudge against Arashi, but for me it makes less sense.

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Lukewarm

I have already watched the Thai version of Love In The Air and I like it a lot, just to put all my cards up front.

I went into this with no expectations. As I was watching, I was trying to respect it as it's own work, but that's hard when it's predecessor feels bounds more polished.

I'm not gonna say that this was horrible, because it was not. I enjoyed watching it and it had it's good moments. My biggest issue was the pacing of it.

I'm usually not a fan of slower paced series, but I think this would have benefited from using a full 10 episodes, at the same length, instead of 8 regular and 2 special episodes. Some of it felt rushed, especially the development of Fuma and Kai's relationship. While they captured all the important core details of the story, we get to spend way less time getting to know the characters and watching their dynamics develop. That's what made this a little lackluster for me.

Lastly, I wanna say I really enjoyed Nagatsuma Reo's performance in this. I think he did the original character justice with this performance considering the material he had to work with.

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