Memoir of Rati

A 12-course meal, where every course is a dessert

If I had to describe this series in three words? I'd choose

saccharine
repetitive
inconsistent


Why saccarine and repetitive?

This show is basically a 12-course meal, where every single course is some kind of dessert, and sometimes you get the same dessert twice.
The thing is, when even the bitter-sweet moments are more sweet than bitter, then the sweetest moments don't taste as sweet as they should. A meal that is only desserts might fill our bellies, but we won't feel satisfied, nor it is nutritious.

To say it clearly: None of this is the actors' fault. They all did their best with what they were given, and there are many moments where the love between Rati and Thee shines -- it's only that there are too many of these sweet moments, and not enough of anything else.

Knowing that this is a GMMTV production, I didn't expect them to use the intriguing possibilities a setting like this provides: The backdrop of the first World War is only used as an excuse to have a French national teach his language to Siamese dignitaries -- while Rati expresses that he is subject to negative scrutiny from Siamese people, this is never actually shown.
That Rati is both of Siamese descent and a French citizen, and is part of two very different worlds, is never used to its potential: France was the only Republic in Europe, and one of the very few Republics worldwide, and with its basic idea of "liberté egalité fraternité" it was an egalitarian society by law, if not in practice, while Siam was still an absolute monarchy, and had only penalized slavery a few years prior to the story.

The subject of classism and also of homophobia in Siamese society is reduced to a personal conflict within the two families of Rati's and Thee's, marking two characters as the evil antagonists, while everybody else stays neutral to understanding or even supportive.

And this reduced potential for external pressure is overshadowed by the saccharine, at times kitschy, relationship between Rati and Thee. As a love story that starts with a "love at first sight" cliché, and then only slowly develops, it is not only overly sweet, with a lot of handholding and gazing into each others eyes, it is also very repetitive. We get at least three different declarations of love and devotion, and after a kiss in episode 5, the relationship regresses to handholding and loving stares again -- you cannot tell me that Rati or Thee, as young men with a sex drive, would not try to find a secluded place for more, and instead wait for months without even doing so much as kiss again, and only sleep together when they are at Rati's mother's place, several episodes later? (A place that is not exactly sound-proof, I might add.) Especially Rati's resistance doesn't make much sense here -- if he accepts that they are both in love and knows that they should try to use their time together, then he should, as a 24 year old man who grew up in cosmopolitan Paris, want to and know how to be physically intimate with another man, and not shy away from touch like a frightened virgin.

The potential disaster of separation and unwanted marriage hangs over the protagonists from the start, and since everything stalls for nine episodes, with Thee's grandmother occasionally popping up to say "MARRIAGE!!" -- the climactic eleventh episode, which should have been the emotional highlight of the drama, full of anxiety and with a feeling of impending doom -- this part feels much the same as everything that came before. To be honest, I was bored at that point, and that episode 12 glossed over Rati's and Thee's feelings of loss and betrayal with a time skip only to proceed with a 40 minutes long sugary ending, did not make anything more interesting.

The story would have profited from a tightening of the pace, and a reduction to maybe six or eight episodes, and if the script had allowed the angst to shine, then this could have been something very special.


Why inconsistent?

The most glaring inconsistencies are around Inn's character Rati. As a young man from Paris, and a man who presumably has been groomed to take on a diplomatic career, he should behave much differently.
Paris was (still is) a cosmopolitan city, it hosted the World Exhibition of 1900, it was a centre for cultural and artistic innovation -- and yet, Rati is excited at the prospect of owning a bicycle, one of the most widely used modes of transportation in the early 20th century? He has never bathed in a natural body of water? He is amazed at the sight and taste of cotton candy? It's just not believable.
Rati, who should have had an education in politics and diplomacy, who should be much more experienced in worldly matters, who, I assume, has studied at a prestigious university and has met people of different countries and classes before -- this Rati behaves more like a sheltered Khun Nhu in more than a few scenes, especially when it's about physical intimacy with Thee (see above). He also at times is very ignorant in matters of society and how it works -- and then he is the one who points out the risks of engaging in a homosexual relationship between a noble and a son of a servant. His character does not make any sense. (Thee, on the other hand, doesn't have much of a character at all.)

Also, some anachronisms: The most obvious one being Thee's car, which is a model that didn't even exist yet in 1915 -- this is what a modern car looked like: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hispano-Suiza_(F)_Type_26_Roadster_von_Flood_1914_(2).JPG. There are a few more minor things, like the telephone in the customs office, and the ubitiquous presence of electricity outside of homes. But the one that should not have happened is the mention of the Chulalangkorn University in 1915/16 -- it was only founded in 1917.



Was it good?
The scenery was nice to look at, both the landscape and the actors, and it was well-filmed and acted. But the overly saccharine relationship, and its non-existent development combined with inconsistencies and missed opportunities for depth, made it feel like I was being force-fed one piece of cotton candy after the other. The only liveliness was provided by the secondary couple's story, which has its own share of multiple issues of inconsistencies and anachronisms.

Did I like it?
I liked it enough to finish it, but that was probably only because I chose a time where my brain wanted to watch something sweet.

Woud I recommend it?
No. Die-hard fans of Inn, Great or the other couple's actors, Boom and Aou, might find enjoyment in watching.

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Bringing Back Yearning!

I was super excited to see a historical drama from GMM, and I'm so glad it turned out as amazing as it did! The romance was so soft and sweet, though not without its challenges. The directing was incredible, and the backdrop of the time period really tied it all together. While the show was sometimes a bit slow or the conflicts a bit repetitive, it was still an amazing watch!

Rati (Inn) was born in Siam/Thailand but grew up with his father in France, and now works as a translator. At the beginning of WWI, Rati travels to Siam to teach the nobles French as France attempts to recruit Siam's help in the war. While there, he meets Count Thee (Great), and the two quickly become friends, though it's clear from the beginning that there's more feelings than that. However, their love seems impossible with everyone against them.

Great and Inn really surprised me in these roles! I watched them before in Wandee Goodday and really enjoyed them together, but this was so different from that show that I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I ended up LOVING them as Rati and Thee! They did a great job portraying the longing and heartbreak of their characters. The conflicts were very predictable (of course there's an arranged marriage, parents finding out about their relationship, etc. etc.) but I still quite enjoyed them and thought they were done very well. I wish we got a little more on the issue of France and Siam - the biggest issues seemed to be that Rati would have to return to France, as opposed to the political issues of their relationship. Still, it was a great watch and I would definitely recommend it if you enjoy historical dramas!

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The Most Romantic Series of The Year!

That's what they promised in the trailer and they kept their word. From start till finish, this series, above anything else, is deeply romantic. It's the old-fashioned romance you'll find in novels, which may sound cliché or cheesy by modern standards, but it's also so charming and pure and very fitting for a period piece. The costumes, the cultural and political references along with the careful attention to detail, crafted a really strong and authentic world, successfully maintaining the illusion of a true period setting.

Despite the series' main focus being on the more serious themes, clever humour and light hearted moments have been naturally incorporated into the story, without feeling out of place. All the characters are multidimensional with their own goals and motives, as well as their own unique sense of humour, which makes them more charming and lovable. Great, Inn, Aou and Boom did an amazing job portraying their roles and delivering a wide range of emotions. Even the smaller characters contributed more to the plot than just being a comedic relief --like they usually are-- and gave heart to the series.

However, as good as this show was, it would have been amazing, had it had more episodes. It's among the few BL series that could have sustained multiple seasons, without getting tiresome. Many plotlines, close to the end, got a bit rushed to wrap up the series neatly with no loose ends, resulting in less depth and emotional impact than it could have achieved.

Overall, I definitely recommend this show to people who enjoy period dramas and romantic stories.

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Cinematically Wonderful But .....

Pretty quickly, however, we realize that this story is stilted and becomes astonishingly boring. I mean REALLY boring. Frankly, it is bland and exceedingly predicable; one could easily write the next dialogue long before it was going to happen. That is how predictable and trite this narrative unfolded. Nothing and I mean nothing surprised me. I almost fell asleep watching this series. With few exceptions, almost everyone is wooden, ostensibly and unfortunately, also cliché. This is a cinematic triumph. The cinematography transports you back to the early 20th century indeed. The costumes were some of the finest I have ever seen and are presented in exceptional detail. The sets were wonderfully detailed, and we were transported to a different era. It is so unfortunate that the action in the story did not match everything else. I kept waiting for something to happen and nothing ever did. Even the kissing scenes and love scenes were muted and sanitized and almost presented like two schoolboys on a camping trip. Certain aspects were not serious in nature. It was indeed so soft that if forgot to do something to my heart. Watching paint dry would have been more emotionally satisfying. Even the secondary couple, while better in terms of emotional fulfilment, was only slightly more engaging in relatability and depth. Neither couple honestly made my heart pitter-patter in any way, shape, or form. This series was flatly dull from an emotional fulfillment.

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Visually Beautiful with Zero Depth

For those looking for a short and sweet review, this show had beautiful cinematography and virtually no plot which unfortunately made it relatively boring to sit through.

The long version as to why can be found below.

Characters:
- Thee is an extremely one-dimensional character, despite being one of the main leads. We learn nothing about him throughout the entirety of the show, except for that fact that he's born of status, in love with Rati, and a man of conviction. And even the conviction part, given that it's only ever directed at his love for Rati and not duty to country for family is questionable since he fell in love with Rati at first sight. Cute in theory, but Rati could have been a terrible person, a hardened criminal, and even an axe murder and Thee would never have known or maybe even cared, because his love came first.
- Rati has a bit more depth, a solid two-dimensional character with motivations and history that does not revolve solely around his love for Thee.
- Mek & Dech - These two are the most flushed out characters of the main leads with Mek taking the gold in this regard. He has motivations, convictions, and goals for his life that don't center around his love for Dech (which is nearly unseen throughout the show and a driving point different/side character specific review).

Plot:
As mentioned before, there almost isn't one. Due to the fact that Thee's love for Rati is so strong the audience isn't ever prepared for an internal battle or will-he-won't-he plot. Given the time that this is set in that would have been the most appropriate plot to have, but assuming because the directors, writers, or producers wanted to keep this series safeguarded from that, it places the show in an unusual realm where there is drama but no conflict. A plot cannot survive without some sort of conflict, tension, or friction that must be overcome and without these things a story cannot have a climax either. Instead what we are given as viewers is drama. There is some family drama and "from two different worlds" drama, but because the conviction of the characters, specifically Thee, toward his love is so high it makes these dramas seem almost hollow, because you know that he will choose his heart over anything else. There is never a moment in this drama where one thinks, "Oh shoot, will they or won't they" because it's guaranteed that they will, so for maybe the last 3-4 episodes, you're basically going through the motions to get to their happy ending.

Cinematography:
The reason that this show wasn't a total waste and it's not (it may be slow and boring, but overall it's fine as a show - not great, but also not awful) is the cinematography. It's a beautifully filmed show with great scenery and a similarly great wardrobe. There are some parts that do look set-ish, but overall for a drama set in 1930s Thailand, they did a pretty good job setting things up.

So yea, overall I wanted to love this drama and while I walked away not hating it, I'm still partially baffled at how a show could be so middle of the road to the point that, "It's fine" is a true depiction of the show.

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mellow drama

A field of fluffy fairy floss and a historical lakorn of dubious accuracy took a walk in a river of chamomile tea and had a brood of handsome gay babies. This is their story.

Overall it's light fare, though it does have substance layered in. The villain is a lakorn trope, but rendered as a petulant child with outdated attitudes. It does the historical lakorn thing of using the past to dramatise and pour emotion into the need for current social change, with the younger ones leading the way out of homophobia and class inequality. The narrative pairing of those together, and how one allows certain characters to find empathy for the other, was a strength. And the matriarch's final scene.

I'm not keen on gentle-washing the past but recognise that here it's in service to the present, with crystal clear calls for equality and acceptance which need to be repeated and told in every way possible. The creators chose to make this a calm quiet sugar-spun fairy tale. As such, they and the actors did well.

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Lovely for what it was

Not the most riveting series, but still quite lovely.

Acting:

Pretty good stuff all around. I think the story called for a lot os subtlety from the actors and they did a good job executing that.

Writing:

For what it is, it’s well written. That being said, personally, I need a little more conflict, drama, passion, etc. from my entertainment. But it was a very specific and interesting plot overall. The years apart followed by the makeup was done very quickly and I think it would have been better the show more.

Chemistry/Romance/Kissing:

Decent chemistry within the bounds of the story. They went the soft, subtle, romantic direction and they worked well that way. This was a solid romance story. The kissing was mostly great from everyone.

Music/SFX:

Pretty darn good stuff. Fit the vibes and all that. SFX were solid.

My attention span is awful so I did need to pause a lot to go read or watch something else so I could get back into the story. But it was a pretty good show regardless.

Now, for some highlights from my notes:

- They didn’t start referring to the Great War as the First World War til around 1939, tho
- Thee is a sweetie what a guy
- Brb, gotta go read up on Siam-French relations in the late 1800s to the early 1900s
- So, not great…
- FOOOORD FORD IN THE HOUSE
- Just in, Great and Inn will not be continuing as an acting duo as of 9/19, weird timing
- Damn societal norms and pressures
- An almost cheek touch??? Ya’ll are WILD
- Have to keep taking breaks because ADHD, my attention span is shit during shows like this
- Baby is CONFLICTED
- AHHHHH they KISSEDDD in the water under the moonlighhttttt
- Oh dear, here comes trouble in a teal skirt
- But granny, I love him
- Ayyye reciprocationnn
- Things aren’t looking great out here
- *Think of me, think of me fondly when we've said goodbye. Remember me, once in a while. Please promise me you'll try. When you find that once again you long to take your heart back and be free. If you ever find a moment. Spare a thought for me*

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For GMMTV's first period costume drama it was good, Both GreatInn's and AouBoom's chemistry

did make up for the flaws in the story. I enjoyed the intent GMMTV did and I do feel for the most part they did do a good job even if the story did stall at times. Whoever said that it was disneyfied I do agree with that. At times it felt like I was watching a Disney channel movie. But hey that's not neccesirily bad since I did grow up watching those movies. It's true that some of the heaavier themes in the series could have been handled better but I could see why the writers didn't want to push it. Inn Sarin and Great Sapoldid a great job with their characters and I did feel the emotional moments heavy. It's true tho at times it did get boring but I'm glad that I powered thru because I didn't regret it. I'd say that AouBoom were the break out stars here that's why I'm glad that they are finally moving onto leads they more than deserve it.
All in all I give it an 8.5. Yes it could have been better in certain areas but for the most part i highly enjoyed it.

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A Soft Take on a Few Soft Boys

I don’t usually watch Period dramas, but I always enjoy BL dramas, and someone here on MDL recommended this to me, so I thought, why not?

I can positively say I’ve never seen anything like this before. This drama really drew me in from the very beginning. Like a cowboy that wrangles a rope around a horse, it held on tight and never let go.

The first thing I must commend this drama for was blending French and Thai languages and cultures. I don’t see this very often in dramas, and the act of bringing cultures together makes this drama more universal and it was executed in a beautiful and compelling way, with Rati coming from France and meeting Phi Thee in Thailand(in that era, it was known as Siam). Even though there was some resistance from both countries, they still did their best to work through their differences. Rati was eager to be in Siam to fulfill his duties, and Phi Thee eager to embrace someone from another country.

My second point I’d address would be the portrayal of respect in regard to social class and professional standing. I understand that your supposed to respect those that rank higher than you, but there were certain characters that would abuse that in this series, which I found to be rather ridiculous. If everyone is an adult, then surely someone can take a stand and speak against unjust criticism and outright discrimination, but that rarely happened until something extreme occurred like public physical assault. If everyone in this drama just stopped being so damn reluctant to speak up, a lot of the violence could’ve been prevented. I can’t really speak on if that’s what it was really like in that era in that country, but that bothered me.

The third thing I would touch on was the romance aspect of Rati and Phi Thee. Throughout the series, there was a lot of hidden promise for them. It was evident that Rati had never been in a relationship before, so it was all the more exciting to see Phi Thee pursue him in such a gentle and reassuring, and flirtatious way. I’ve never seen a man pinning for someone so innocently before, so those were my favorite scenes of the series. I can somewhat understand the direction the writers were trying to take with this relationship; letting their bond grow over time and creating a delicate sort of sophisticated romantic dynamic, but it was almost like this romance was one-sided sometimes.

This drama was thrilling, ambitious, and aspirational. I was really impressed that this drama really went the extra mile with its use of the French language and multiple cast members speaking French and Thai throughout, and made me appreciate it that much more.

If my hypothetical future relationship doesn’t look like this, I don’t want it. Overall, everyone in this series did such an incredible job bringing this series to life, watching it was a pleasure and an honor.
I would definitely rewatch this with a friend.

Memoir of Rati, I 💜 you

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A "secret" historical romance

Such a nice change for a gmmtv series. This historical approach was refreshing for me. The gentle love, all the yearning. My heart melted each time. Although I started it bc of AouBoom (wish we got more scenes of their couple, for me their story was more interesting) i enjoyed GreatInn enough as well. Their story was so sweet. Thee valued and loved Rati with his whole heart and he made it loud and clear. He has fallen so hard for him! They both waited for each other. Even after their separation they truly stood by the "my heart belongs to you and only you". Every scene was full of emotions that you had to read them in their eyes and gestures.

We got a glimpse for both economical statuses at the time. The wealthy ones and the ppl that worked for them. AouBooms couple was a great way to show how each one valued money. While Dech took part in muay matches for fun, Mek did it to get more money exposing his body in danger when he should be taking better care of it bc his strength was what was keeping him into work. I loved the fact that all Mek needed was a chance into education to get him do great stuff. He prooved that poor ppl are also intelligent when given the right tools.

My only complain is that we didnt get to see Thee's father relationship with his other son. I wanted to see them get even closer then just one dinner together. And also get a lityle more development on the brothers character too.

For me the rating isn't unfair. Having more subtle shows isn't bad. It was serious and romantic at the same time. While we also got some funny moments from MekDech (classic AouBoom that teases each other on their own way and we love that).

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Very beautifull, i loved it!

First of all, i really don't understand the ranting many people do about GMMTV, i love most of their drama's.

This was a very beautiful drama, very slow burn, but i really like a slow burn like this once in a while.
I loved the story and i like period drama's. The visuals were stunning!
I also liked it that they used actors who spoke French in a native tongue for the roles of the french men. It happens to much that they use actors who can't fluently speak the foreighn language they are supposed to portrait.

The acting was amazing, everyone did a great job.
Both couples have great dynamics and chemistry.

Definatly a must watch if you don't mind a very slow burn drama.

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Watch for Mek and Dech — the two absolute cuties!

Ok, at ep 7, the Thee x Rati story is getting to be mega repetitive. They are in love, but they are jealous of one person after another. Sometimes its Thee's fiance, sometimes its the prince, sometimes its the French guy Rati is friends with. I gotta say, the start was strong but the leads' storyline is getting hella repetitive and their relationship is boring to me.

HOWEVER, I am not ashamed to say that I am now watching Memoir of Rati almost ONLY for Mek and Dech. These two cuties have my heart omg. AouBoom are so cute together, and the storyline of a kind-hearted baronet and a sweet and scrappy peasant becoming friends and then eventually something more is an absolute delight. I love how their relationship is progressing, and the class divide (and the ultra A hole dad) is making it all the more delicious.

AouBoom absolutely NEED a series as leads, they are so cute together.

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