Duang with You

Frustrating fluff

Okay, let me start by saying that I wanted to like this. I started off liking it. Golden retriever and black cat characters? Excellent. I found the cringe to be endearing at first. It seemed like the show understood that it was silly, and was having fun. About episode 9 is where I feel like it lost its way. Introducing Qin's backstory at that late stage was like a slap in the face. It was around the same time that the characters finally became boyfriends and were intimate. Off screen. Don't be fooled, there's zero NC scenes in this show. They build sexual tension and then do very conservative fade-to-black cuts. (even the actors seemed surprised by the cuts when watching) ANYway. That episode was the death knell for me, but I kept watching to see if it could recover.

There are many, many singing scenes. Probably the actors are also singers so I guess this is required. As usual, I skip through the songs. What made me give up entirely is how the plot line with the parents was resolved. It was just so bad. Totally unbelievable. All those years of staying silent, and in one scene it's all fixed.

The redeeming quality is the lead actors. Even through all the ridiculous doggy panting, Tee managed to seem genuine. And Por somehow made Qin to be likeable despite how cold his character is supposed to be. I hope that the next show they're in has a better script.

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DUANG Really Said "TO BE CRINGE IS TO BE FREE"

Not The Best, but Still Good -->> Lives upto the novel's name.
To be honest, I had no hope in starting this series because I knew this would one of those cute-cute series again. But as someone who desperately wanted to see Por's acting onscreen again, i gave it a go. This series is mostly eye candy as the acting isn't that great to which I'm not blaming as they are new to industry. But they have somehow managed to bring emotions to it via
• Qin's past
• his traumas
• his complicated relationship with his parents • his reserved nature (to which I mostly resonate with)
• of how Qin views duang's family
Some scenes were jumpy, abrupt character development with reckless bits of story in between.
Hope to see more of NorthOtto (JamieMarvis) and ThiWave (TongPae). Overall lowkey my fav characters were Jamie , Tong and Pae. (& obvi, Duang's parents)

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The Plot and the "Cringe" Factor

Great Cast, Too Much Cringe:
The biggest hurdle of the series is its script and comedic timing. The show frequently relies on over-the-top tropes, cartoonish sound effects, and highly exaggerated reactions. For many viewers, the sheer amount of second-hand embarrassment is overwhelming. There are multiple scenes where the dialogue and behavior of the characters feel so forced that it genuinely makes you cringe and want to look away from the screen. Instead of feeling sweet or funny, the romance often crosses into exhausting territory due to how childishly it is written.

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Love Beyond Walls: The Golden Retriever and the Closed Heart

Duang with You is a thoughtfully crafted series that maintains a strong sense of balance throughout its storytelling. The introduction of Duang and Qin is charming and lighthearted, but their subsequent interactions quickly shift in tone, adding emotional depth and complexity. Duang embodies the archetype of a warm and devoted partner, falling in love with Qin at first sight, while Qin is initially guarded, having built emotional walls to keep others at a distance. Through Duang’s persistence, those defenses gradually begin to soften, allowing for meaningful character development.

The supporting characters, Jamie and Pae, play an engaging role in the background, subtly encouraging the progression of Duang and Qin’s relationship. Qin’s initially cold and distant behavior may feel frustrating at first, but as the narrative unfolds and his past is revealed, his reluctance to open up becomes more understandable and grounded in his experiences. But the resolution of Qin’s past could have been handled more effectively, as that part of the story felt somewhat rushed compared to the emotional buildup leading to it.

The contrast between the two leads is one of the show’s strongest elements. Duang is expressive, unapologetically affectionate, and unafraid to show his love, while Qin is emotionally restrained, socially distant, and protective of his vulnerability. This dynamic creates a compelling balance that drives the story forward.

While some viewers may find Duang overly energetic or occasionally irritating, I personally found his character very endearing. He reminded me of a friend I used to have in school. As for Qin, I have seen many people criticize or misunderstand his behavior, but I could relate to him to a certain extent. Balancing the desire to distance yourself emotionally while still maintaining friendships can be incredibly difficult. I still struggle with opening up and fully trusting people myself, which made Qin’s character feel particularly realistic to me. I appreciated Qin’s dynamic with his friends as it’s very similar to my friend’s group. They know him on a surface level, but there is still a deeper part of himself that he keeps hidden. That emotional distance, despite being surrounded by people who care about you, was depicted in a very authentic and relatable way.

One aspect I wish had been explored a bit more is Thiu’s role in the story. His initial persistence suggested a stronger emotional stake, which adds an interesting layer of tension. However, his arc feels like it wraps up too quickly, without fully exploring his emotional motivations or the weight of his involvement. I also would have liked to see a slightly more aggressive response from Duang during this period. While some may interpret Duang’s reactions as jealousy, they are more accurately rooted in fear, specifically the fear of losing Qin. But his restraint aligns with his character, as he consistently shows respect for Qin’s boundaries, even when it comes at the cost of his own feelings.

One of the most memorable scenes occurs when Qin finally begins to open up to Duang about his past, and Duang responds with a deeply heartfelt reassurance: “I don’t know if it’d work for you, but if your past memories hurt you, it’s time to let go of your younger self’s hands… and hold mine. I’ll take it from here”. The moment stands out for its emotional sincerity and marks a powerful turning point in their connection, capturing the essence of trust, healing, and emotional support that the series builds toward.

Overall, the series presents a cohesive and well-paced narrative that allows its events to unfold naturally. Combined with a strong soundtrack and visually appealing cinematography, Duang with You delivers a compelling and emotionally resonant viewing experience.

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Forget Seinfeld — this show is really about nothing

I’ll start by saying this: Duang With You is a show I genuinely enjoyed (excluding the last episode).

Which is confusing, because on paper, it checks off almost all of my pet peeves:

1. First, the fillers. So many fillers. For a 12-episode series where each episode runs over an hour, there’s really no justification for how padded this felt. We get Duang sitting solemnly. Qin sitting solemnly. Duang and Qin sitting solemnly together. Entire sequences of a basketball game, a gym lesson, multiple meals (ramen, shrimp and rice, shrimp and rice again and again), and even full songs played out in their entirety.

2. Instead of a cohesive arc, the show operates on a chain of “and then” storytelling. One thing happens, and then another thing happens, and then another without much connective tissue. The final episode is where this becomes impossible to ignore. With most of the already-thin plot wrapped up, it turns into a string of loosely connected scenes rather than a conclusion.

3. Side characters don’t help. It’s clear there’s an attempt to give as many DMD artists as possible screen time, but many characters appear once and add absolutely nothing to the story (or what little there is of it).

4. Unnecessary side couple (?) The Jaime–Marvis side story is particularly baffling.
If North–Otto are supposed to function as a couple, the show doesn’t really commit to it—
there’s virtually no intimacy shown. And if characters are going to switch to English because that's their mother tongue , it would help if the delivery felt natural. As it stands, the English dialogue is awkward at best and completely unnecessary at worst. It would have been better to have just dropped that part (from the novel, i guess?) all together.

5. infantilization. I can tolerate a certain level of childish charm (it’s part of the genre) but Duang With You pushes it past the breaking point. At times, it feels less like watching adults and more like watching animated characters in human form.

And yet, I still had fun.

A big part of that comes down to Teetee, who absolutely steals the show. His character could have easily been unbearable, a walking red flag with no nuance, but instead, he’s magnetic. Even at his worst, you’re rooting for him. That kind of charisma isn’t something you can manufacture.
The “fearsome threesome” (Duang, Jaime, Pae) is another highlight. Their dynamic is exactly the kind of friendship representation I wish we saw more often: messy, loyal, and genuinely entertaining. I could have watched an entire series centered just on them.

TeeTeePor also bring something special. Their chemistry, both physical and emotional, feels natural and grounded in a way that cuts through the show’s more artificial elements. There’s real potential there, and I’m excited to see where they go next.

And while the musical numbers can feel forced, they’re undeniably well done. When the show leans into them, it actually works.

Overall, Duang With You is a fun, frustrating, oddly charming series that desperately needed tighter editing and a clearer narrative focus.

It’s a show about nothing, but sometimes, that nothing is still enjoyable to watch.

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Holy snoozefest

I saw edits of this and wanted to watch it. Episode one was nice, characters funny. Then it went downhill from there. The whole plot is Duang chasing after his crush, then a ton of useless dialogue which doesn't even move the plot forward. You could definitely tell that they didn't have a huge budget, often showing them in the same three places. If you don't like fluff just skip this. Another typical college romance where they sing and try too hard to make the mc seem like a "puppy" by the way he constantly whines and grabs onto the ml. I recommend skipping over the first 5 episodes all together. I had it on 2x speed and I STILL skipped over. Boring and unoriginal. The actors did a terrific job tho so I hope they'd act in a more interesting bl!

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A Perfect (Almost) Story Well Acted By A Perfect Ground Breaking BL Ship

This BL was fantastic and though it got a slow start it seemingly at first had a lot of similarities to Your Sky. TeeTee was very Teerak. Over The Top in all the good ways.

Meanwhile Qin was very Muenfah the way people saw him. Straight Faced with unapproachable demeanor.

And that is where rhe similarities end because Muenfah already loved Teerak and he was softened just by the name Teerak and in his presence he was all smiles and lovey dovey.

Qin was damaged by a childhood that almost seemed parentless and it hardened him mostly because of the child abuse he faced and that's what took the perfectness out of this series. The abusive nanny or babysitter. I've seen this on other social media from some fans and I have to agree.

These parents, Qin's parents find out their child is being abused and they confront the babysitter and at first she's all apologies but then she turns demon nanny and they just kick her out more or less. No police no reporting her. Essentially allowing a woman like this to work with and abuse other children. That was selfish. Think about people that could know before hiring her that she has a record to prevent another child from what destroyed Qin's childhood.

The story was great and well acted and deserves all the accolades it is getting but that babysitter being let off the hook just didn't sit right me. Child Abuse in any form should not be excused or go unreported. Period

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If you like lighthearted stories with cute couples and awesome chemistry, this one if for you!

I really enjoyed this one! Main leads relationship is soooo cute and they really feel like a couple. They were always kissing, hugging...their intimacy level was high. We had cute AND hot scenes of them and it didn’t feel forced at all, their chemistry is just natural. The main story is nothing new tho, just like any college rom-com, but I believe the couple can carry everything with their chemistry.

Duang is sooo cute!! A little over the top, yes, and maybe you’ll find him annoying but it wasn’t my case. To me he was easily likeable. Teetee did a great job here because Duang has some really cringe scenes but it felt naturally with Teetee’s acting. He matched the character vibes perfectly. Qin is more reserved and introverted but he opens up more later and becomes a cute character as well. In general DuangQin couple the definition of a cat and dog relationship. I enjoyed Duang’s friends too, their friendship was really cute!

One thing I didn’t like that much was the secondary couple. I felt their dynamics was a little weird and they had potential to bring more to the table. They almost didn’t have screentime too and it looked like they were only there to fill the gap.

In general it’s a lighthearted drama with cute characters, awesome chemistry and very few problems to get in the way of the couple. When the couple gets together, they're REALLY together, and everything is resolved through dialogue. Definitely a good start for the year!

PS: I’m already excited for the next projects of TeeteePor couple! I’m seeing some clips of them on Twitter and they’re so lovely 😭

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Shocked by all the 10 star reviews

I have watched a lot of BL's and this doesn't even make my top 100. I was hopeful since it had a 8.9 star average rating. There was nothing new or original with this show. Duang was very childish, was whiney and screamed WAY to much. Qin was emotionless and for saying how much he liked Duang there was zero emotion or anything for that matter to show that. There was no depth to the writing so couldn't even feel the trauma that Qin was suppose to have. I was going to stop watching after Ep 6 (and wish I would have) but I thought surely it must get better with that high of a rating. Sadly it does not. I am truly baffled by the ratings and reviews on this one.

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