07222023

Would re-watch earlier episodes but would never sit through the whole series twice.

Before “The Eclipse” I wasn’t a fan of First Kanaphan Puitrakul. Saw him in “Not Me” and “F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers”, and although I recognized his acting skills, there was something about the actor I just couldn’t bring myself to like. So when I saw that he was the lead of a series, I was skeptical if I should even check it out. However, after seeing positive reviews and high ratings, I decided to give it a shot, and man, was I in for a pleasant surprise! His head student prefect role was soooooo perfect for him! He really did an amazing job! And Khaotung! Their chemistry was so good I immediately shipped them! Khaotung’s opening ost too, is fire! The only song/music I liked from the whole series.

The Eclipse, like many BLs, had a strong opening and many good episodes. I particularly like the authenticity and dynamic of Akk’s friend group and the Jam gang. I love that Khan, Akk’s friend, brings a different perspective and challenges him when necessary, and does it in a respectful-prefect manner. I love that the Jam gang was passionate about their beliefs and protested in a civil manner; they were mindful of only protesting when students were on break, etc.

Ayan started as a very woke and rational character in the earlier episodes and his arc to find the truth behind his uncle’s death was extremely interesting. Though of course that’s swept under the rug when his uncle’s notebook gets stolen.

The plot, character chemistry, and script were brilliant, for the most part, but as we head toward the end, that's when things took a turn for the worst.

“The Eclipse” biggest pitfall is that it tried too hard with its plot twists and dropped too many hints that you could see the tropes they were going for coming episodes away. Thua’s PREDICTABLE arc in episode 11 needs to go. I know it was done for shock value but it was so out of character, out of place, and downright ridiculous. That scene alone is a 0/10. We’re only reviving it to 7.5/10 because of FirstKhaotung. And I’m sorry, Wat’s idea to save them from that madness stunk and made 0 sense! So people aren’t okay with two classmates dating in real life but are cool with said classmates putting on an act that they’re dating for a short film?? What??! And why did it matter if they filmed the short film when it was a made-up lie in the first place? The other students and teachers weren't going to see it anyway since it wasn't an in-school contest?? Besides, I doubt their homophobic school would want to see the film's end results anyway???

That teacher Chadok and teacher Dika's relationship was so obvious I was deadpanned the whole time it was revealed. My biggest question is what is Thua and his stepfather’s relationship truly like? What bad things happened when teacher Chadok was head student prefect? All we saw was that as a high schooler, Thua’s stepfather was locked inside a room. What kind of curse is that?? And if Thua and his stepfather didn't get along because he’s gay, then does that mean Thua’s stepfather hated Chadok too because he’s gay? Or was that not known back then?

Whoever edited Wat’s “The Eclipse” short film…why is it more of a trailer and why did they include clips from the series and thought we’d appreciate it? We know the characters themselves didn’t film some (all) of the shots when we’ve seen the positions of their camera. The whole scene was cringe.

All in all, I would definitely rewatch some of the earlier episodes but you couldn't pay me enough to sit through the whole thing again.

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Home school, no school

I initially liked the idea of this show and enjoyed the earlier episodes but halfway through, I couldn’t take it seriously. It became absurd and unreal and the order of how things were revealed was so, so ineffective.

For instances:
- Tibet being the son of one of the masters is actually an interesting idea, however, since we know nothing about this Master Phut or their relationship and bond as father and son, prior to Tibet attending Home School, we could care less. And so did Tibet; this was a father he didn’t remember or care about. A father he didn’t try to know or understand why he had to die or ‘kill himself’. Tibet only applied to Home School because his mom wanted it and he wanted to do it for her. So when Master Praset was revealed to have been the one behind Phut’s death, it was a well-duh no-brainer moment. Hence, Tibet’s reaction to everything Master Prasat disclosed felt over the top.
- The name Home School is self-explanatory but it was nice getting a flashback of where it originated from and how it came to be, however, it was revealed so late into the show that at that point it was… ‘Okay…good to know I guess?’.
- Run and Rin/Maki’s reunion is supposed to be the biggest angle but it was delivered so poorly that I watched them hug it out with a straight face. Gun and Film’s acting was good enough, I blame the camerawork and editing for the disappointment. Understand this is supposed to be a reunion after six long, desperate, and confusing years where the loving older brother suddenly fell off the face of the earth only to be discovered to have been locked up for years, and the production team couldn’t spend more time making it magical? Even the after-dialogue fell flat. They seriously reunited because Run recklessly ran out in front of an incoming large group of students and luckily his sister was among them and happened to recognize his backside in the dark. There was no suspense, no beautiful moment, no omgoodness yes they’ve finally met again! I swear, I can’t remember if they played any music but if they did it did nothing for me.

This series didn’t feel school-ry. The lessons were predictable and cliche. Besides, isn’t three years too freaking long to be learning about accepting your peers as your family…? There are no good direct callbacks, for example, why have the students run laps every morning? To build their stamina and make it easier for them to chase their parents later on? Or was it just to have a former professional runner as a PE teacher? What happened to the ducklings??? What was the long-term point for raising ducklings and how was that experience and learned skills applied to the later episodes or life in general? Why did the students have to learn to work together when the end goal is to have them kill their parents separately? I wished the ‘lessons’ had a bigger role than just a device used to torture the students. And how are we supposed to believe that GEN 6 is the only class in 15 years where students have fallen in love therefore the school had to invent a new rule to forbid it? You're letting teenage boys and girls run wild here, c'mon now.

Although I’ve listed a few above, I believe the show’s biggest downfall is that there were no decent builds and follow-ups, especially for a mystery/thriller. The suspense, if any, was short-lived. A lot of prominent revelations turned into background noises fairly quickly. The main villain was obvious from the opening in episode one. And much to my displeasure, this series really gave me Naruto vibes. In the ‘action’ scenes, all the characters do is talk each other’s ears off and/or reveal their sad backstory. I can’t count how many times I begged the characters to stop talking and just act. This could have ended at 14 episodes had they just cut out the filler (and if someone had just shot Master Prasat). I also don’t understand the students’ constant need to ask endless arbitrary questions when they obviously weren’t going to get straight answers. Some of the students are praised for their cleverness or for being outstanding but really all they’re doing is questioning the masters to death. I know Master Prasat has a gun but he was outnumbered 1:7 if we include one master. I kid you not, Prasat having a gun is the only reason the series has an additional three episodes. Once they saw that he had one gun that fired one bullet at a time, they immediately backed off and let him do him. Crazy story, I know.
The whole ‘don’t fight violence with violence’ has been tossed out the window by the ‘good’ characters so many times, I don’t know why the characters continued to shamelessly maintain that they weren’t using violence. I guess shooting someone is violent but punching, smacking, and assaulting with a deadly weapon aren’t?

I don’t mind a big cast, I actually like this one for its diversity but that’s when you run into common issues like poor character development or unfair screen time. Which is what we have here.
Run and Maki, respectively are smart characters and were held to high standards, so when they got together it wasn’t wrong to assume that they would do something amazing together. Two heads are better than one, right? Well, that wasn’t the case here. Instead of combining their higher intelligence and skills, Maki became a damsel in distress and was constantly used against Run.
I enjoyed the group of six: Maki, Tibet, White, Nai, Pennueng, and Phleng a lot. But I wish they’d put in more effort to search for their peers as they were fully aware of the danger around them. They’re a good group of friends but they’re also that good group of friends that don’t really care about anyone not part of their clique.
Given that the students have been through countless strange and dangerous scenarios, you’d expect them to grow some smarts or cautiousness about them but they remain relatively naive until the end. Not knowing who to trust is one issue. Trusting the same villain(s) is another.

I would definitely rewatch earlier scenes and interactions, but I’m not sitting through all 18 episodes again. Not even for Mek and Mok!

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Be My Favorite was definitely a favorite

Since I've only seen Krist in "The Jungle", and Fluke in "Dark Blue Kiss" and "Not Me" (where I skipped most of his parts) I wasn't sure how I'd feel about Krist x Fluke. To my surprise, they made a cute couple; they definitely had chemistry though the romance wasn't romantic. However, I'd say that was due to the pacing and direction of the show after Pisaeng and Kawi actually started dating.

For the most part, the earlier episodes were enjoyable. I found myself laughing a lot and really invested in Krist's character but halfway through the show Kawi sort of did a 180 and became unruly and unreasonable; presumably the anti-social in him. I don't mind the changes as he has his own reasons but I was let down that there were no real consequences for his rash conduct. Everyone, especially Pisaeng, tends to forgive him right away as long as Kawi says sorry or whines a little. And if that doesn’t work, Kawi would bring up his dad’s illness or his poor background and would then get a pass. I’m not blaming Kawi, I think the show actually did well in showcasing this aspect. Since Kawi is anti-social, he’s going to be indifferent, self-absorbed, and in this case a sympathy seeker. And well, who doesn’t love a flawed main character? Kawi also mentions working as a stress factor but we never got to see him work or know what he did...? Maybe I missed it but not sure how he supported himself before his future self traveled to the past.

As for Pisaeng, I only feel three ways about him: I like him, I feel bad for him, and I don’t understand him. Pisaeng is nice, kind, loyal, honorable, and personable. All good traits that made him perfect as Kawi’s punching bag. In regards to his character, I only wish the show dived more into why he believes or thinks his mother leans towards homophobia and/or is unaccepting of his orientation. Since it was never hinted and instead she’s only denied him so many times and revealed to have a lot of employees in the LGBTQ+ community. She also doesn’t love her son any more or less for being gay. Plus we saw that Max, who’s part of the community, really admires Pisaeng’s mother. Pisaeng only exudes negativity when he’s with his mother and I truly want to know why.
I'm not a fan of Pisaeng painting his mother as homophobic when she was only doing what she thought a good mother would do for her child. I, however, did like that Pisaeng called his mother out on what she ‘thinks is best for him’ while never considering ‘what makes him happy’. I mean THAT was beautiful!

I like Max. He’s the kind of character that is a voice of reason for the leads and audience. I just wished his friendship with Kawi wasn’t as one-sided as it was (I can’t remember one thing or time Kawi did Max a favor or helped him with his cause. Even in their 30s and Kawi as a celebrity, Max took care of him. Kawi recognized the giver-taker relationship with Pisaeng but somehow didn’t notice it in his friendship with Max).

Even though I’m a bit disappointed that Kawi got away with some things, I’m more disappointed that Not/Knot got away with A LOT. However, these disappointments don’t affect the overall rating because once again it’s a good reflection of the real world.

Overall the show gets a 9.5 from me because although I was annoyed towards the middle, lost interest in the last two episodes, and wasn’t satisfied with how certain situations were handled (i.e. Krist not wanting to have s*x but never expressing it to Pisaeng and they just ended up doing it), I took a lot away from this series. I had fun and loved that it was slightly different. I especially like that Kawi, towards the end, said they should live their lives where they would never want to go back [to the past] and fix it. I thought that was clever and eye-opening. This was definitely one of those light-hearted and feel-good series and I’m glad I checked it out!

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Why Khemjira and not PeemKhem or just Khem?

It’s been a minute since I’ve seen anything outside of GMMTV, and thanks to GMMTV, I’ve become accustomed to criticizing everything about a show. However, Khemjira was a good change of pace and a reminder of what a good Thai BL is capable of.

What I enjoyed about the show:

1. The visuals, cinematography, sound, and writing.
- Visually, the color palette, theme, and filler used were all nice and go hand-in-hand with the horror theme. The actors are also visually pleasing, to a degree. Companies tend to find talents with similarities, so we got FirstOne, who looks like a mix of GMMTV’s Mix, Sea Talay, and Domundi’s Jamessu, and gave strong Yim vibes. Tle (Charn) is a mix of Bible and Mark Tuan. And Namping gave me Nunew vibes. I’m assuming all of this is intentional. I’m a big fan of the supernatural and love me a good horror show now and then. When it comes to ghosts, no one does it better than Thailand and Japan. The ghosts in here were well done, from the makeup to the CGI. Sure, I’d catch shadows here and there, but they weren’t enough to distract me from the ghosts’ appearances.
- I appreciate the cinematography here. I enjoyed the variety of camera angles, though I wish we got more zoom-ins. Overall, not much to complain about. Given that it’s a horror series, I expected good angles, and good angles were present.
- I have to say, every OST piqued my interest, and I found myself searching for the BGMs used throughout the show. The sound effects were nice, pleasant, and reflected the mood of what was going on on the screen. Although I appreciated the sound, I noticed that either there was an audio issue in ep9 or they had added Namping’s (Khem) breathing/hyperventilating over the original audio, so Khem was echoing, which was a sloppy moment.
- The writing was self-aware, and the call-backs were satisfying. At times when a character does or says something, I’d ask myself why he/she does/says that. Then, not even a few seconds later, another character will clock it, and we’ll get a reason why. This makes characters less one-dimensional and more lifelike. Some characters even held grudges over time, and this again amplifies the realistic aspect of the characters and the show.

2. I particularly enjoyed Jet, Thong, and Ake. Jet was the most consistent character, and I love a good comedy relief character. I thought this series did a good job expanding on its side and supporting characters’ lives, desires, and goals, too. No character is truly flat or useless to the plot. Domundi is superior when casting older and younger actors who can pass as the same person.

3. For the longest time, I was begging for the details of Ramphueng’s past. What was her grudge about? Why did she curse a whole bloodline? What exactly happened to her that she’ll put innocent people through hell before their 21st birthday? Admittedly, I became team Ramphueng halfway through ep9. Her backstory had me in tears, and it was the only time I cried. In my eyes, her hatred is justified. We also got to learn that she was a mother earlier on and is against killing babies, despite having been slaying other people’s adult children for nearly 260 years. I have to admit, I was rooting for Ramphueng to get her revenge and got a little too excited when Khem was willing to step outside the ring. I’d love a side story of just Ramphueng and her next life, where she reunites with her son.

4. I love that, unlike other series, it took a while to defeat Ramphueng. Showing just how truly powerful she is. I’m tired of "powerful" villains being wiped out within 10-20 minutes of screentime.

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What I didn’t enjoy about the show (in no particular order):

1. I’m going to get heat for this, but I did not like Khem. Be it Namping's limited acting or bad direction, Khem was capable of five facial expressions. Trying to cry, on the verge of crying, trying to look worried, staring, and smiling. Namping’s cries piss me off. I hate that Khem is coddled, the damsel in distress, slow, and can’t sympathize with other people. He saw the Madam throw Ramphueng’s baby into the water, and dared to act like he was the ultimate victim. I hated that Ramphueng genuinely apologized to Khem and offered to make up for her actions, whereas Khem couldn’t understand that her actions up until then were because of what was done to her baby and her being flogged to death. Khem really thought Ramphueng was just seeking revenge for herself, even after the fact. He seriously didn’t realize this until after it was over and they got to ask the monk questions. This further pissed me off. But seriously, I stopped liking and caring for Khem earlier on when he was going back and forth with Peem about lifting his curse. Peem made it clear he wouldn't help because he promised his grandfather that he wouldn’t intervene with others’ karma. Which makes sense because if he interferes with Khem’s karma, others would expect him to help them as well. Every time Khem pushes it, Peem always asks, “Do you want me to break my promise to my grandfather?”. Khem would never say yes, but would keep begging, basically asking Peem to break the promise so that Khem could live past 21. Not only did Khem want Peem to break his promise, Khem also decided to low-key gaslight and manipulate Peem by cooking and cleaning up Peem’s place. Like boi, you’re asking to stay at his place and don’t pay any bills, the least you can do is cook and clean. When Peem said Khem had ulterior motives for becoming Peem’s student, Khem acted oblivious when it was clear as day that he did have selfish motives. Khem’s selfishness doesn’t stop there; the guy constantly tries to make Peem jealous just because Khem himself liked Peem. Khem didn’t act like a 20-year-old who’s on the verge of being horrendously killed. He’s worried about love and was pouting when Peem, who has a long life ahead of him, didn’t reciprocate right away. I can’t root for a manipulative, selfish, and weak character. I refuse to. Khem's relationship with his mom was sweet when he was a kid, but as he got older, it felt forced. He'd forget about his mom until she shows up to protect him.

2. The chemistry between Keng/Peem and Namping/Khem wasn’t chemistrying. The romance was painfully dry, bitter, and confusing. Their past lives were constantly a factor in how they SHOULDN’T and AREN’T currently into each other. The show tries in more ways than once to convey that they love each other, but not because of their feelings from the past. Since it came up so much, I started to wonder if the show even believed Peem and Khem’s love was genuine. Peem and Khem’s romance was a slow burn and not worth the burn. They should have bypassed the romance or at least developed it more naturally.

3. The timeline was a mess, and the math wasn’t mathing. About 20 minutes into ep1, Khem said in 6 months he’ll be 21. And not even 10 minutes of screen time later, they go on their volunteer camp, which supposedly happened one month before Khem’s 21st birthday, per Charn's claim in ep11 of how long since he’s met/known Jet. So, within 10 minutes, there was a 5-month skip without superimposition? Also, Ramphueng was 21 in 1767/1768, so how has she, to quote Peem in ep11, “been growing her power for over 400 years”…? That’s less than 260 years, sir. The loophole of Khem being born at 6 AM was a nice touch, though predictable. Also, appreciate Peem for letting us know what exactly will happen if Khem doesn’t die before 21.

4. School and the volunteer camp were afterthoughts. Other than doing it for Khem, why did Jet suggest bringing a whole group of students to a dangerous place where possessions and spirits are common? And besides the painting, what was ‘volunteering’ about the camp? The whole time they were there, it didn’t feel like a club trip for students. We never found out what happened to those three bullies, and the girlfriend of one of the bullies didn't seem to care all that much about him on multiple occasions.

5. Just me nitpicking, but when Charn and Jet were being pursued, Charn turned the wheel left, but the car went right…

6. Another serious confusion is, was Ramphueng chasing both Khem’s soul and Khem’s bloodline? Or how was Khem and his mom so unlucky as to be born into the same cursed line twice/thrice?

7. What angers me the most was the revelation in ep10. You mean to tell me, these characters spent a whole lot of their break at this shaman’s house when the curse could have been lifted if Khem had just survived past turning 21..? WHAT!? Then what help did Khem really need from the Master? Peem’s place itself was relatively safe as long as Khem wasn’t dumb enough to fall for all the red flags, so why not just stay there until his birthday? Is it really a curse if Ramphueng was responsible for most of the incidents? Also, why did Khem run away instead of taking responsibility for falling for Ramphueng's tricks? I get that Grandma Si wasn't Khem's fault, but Thong and Ake, too? Peem really concocted that BS so that nothing's Khem's fault.

8. I understand why there were fewer ghosts as the story progresses, but the cutback was very abrupt. Except for the forest scene where Ramphueng jumped in front and mind-controlled one of the purer spirits, all of the jump scares were predictable. They were given away either by the music, utter silence, or camera placement/angles. I don’t mind it, but I wish there were more ghosts and jump scares.

9. The fact that their past lives seem to have an impact on their current ones is concerning. But also not worth diving into.

10. I didn’t care for the latter half of the final episode. Sorry, not sorry.

All in all, if Khemjira were 2-4 episodes shorter, it would have gotten a 10 from me. But because of how lengthy it is, including some episodes ranging from 1 to 2 hours, it became draggy and boring at times. Still, it’s a good watch and I’d recommend it to anyone who can handle dark and horror.

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Double Savage, more like double jinx

Double Savage, more like double jinx

I originally watched episode one and then began episode two but found it boring so I put the whole series on hold for a while. After watching more shows with Film in it, and gaining more appreciation for her as an actress I decided to revisit this series and ended up binging episodes 2-12.

Pros:
- The whole cast is amazing and their chemistry is what you’d expect in real life
- The characters’ personalities, interests, hobbies, and dreams are pretty diverse
- Ohm, Perth, and Baitoel are the perfect siblings—the oldest sister with two loving, respectful younger brothers. Their relationship and intimacy were something to envy.
- The plot is intriguing, thought-provoking, and entertainingly messy. A criminal and cop as brothers, it’s like having two siblings who support different sports teams.
- The story of Korn being a jinx was consistent throughout the whole show so viewers were able to sympathize with his frustration of being blamed for anything and everything that goes wrong.
- Ah and Li’s loveline, and their child
- The order in how certain twists were revealed and parts were filmed was satisfying.
- The twist on Rung’s revenge. She was trying to avenge both her and her parents and not just herself.
- The revelation of Uncle Wit and Ah’s father-and-son relationship was the biggest plot twist the show saved for the finale and though I had a notion they were father and son, the hints that led up to it were subtle yet beautifully done. I.e. Ah always wins when he plays chess against Mek, then when he plays with Korn he’s defeated by a move that was taught to Korn by Uncle Wit, Ah’s father. In the finale, we see Uncle Wit and his grandson playing chess. Uncle Wit mentioned having a son twice.
- The instrumentals in serious and emotional scenes were great!
- I love that whenever Korn or Win fight or grab each other’s collars, it’s slightly awkward and not neat/rehearsed. There was authenticity there and it truly showed how inexperienced Win is and it added into his character as the adorable younger brother who had nothing but affection for his older brother.
- I was just complaining in another review about GMMTV’s misuage of guns. In this series, it was watchable. It’s not the best but by far it’s better than a lot of the other series that had guns in them.

Cons:
- If it’s true that you can get out on temporary bail, flee, and return after your charge has expired after committing a crime then that's extremely worrisome and needs to change. I mean, with that kind of loophole, how is it that more people aren’t committing crimes?
- The timeline--there’s a lack of exposition. In the beginning, we know Win and Rung were in their first year of high school. Then after some time, they were accepted into the colleges/universities of their choice. There was mention of Korn being a few years older than 20 and then Ah and Li’s kid came along in the end. It’s nice to show rather than tell but sometimes a timeline is necessary, especially in the case of Ah and Li’s relationship and Korn claiming to have completed school. And how long before everyone's charges expire?
- As mentioned above, Ah and Li’s relationship. Although the show was building attraction, we never got to see them being lovey-dovey until Ah was dying and in flashbacks. Mek’s death was similar, the show dumped flashbacks on us. I assume it’s to indicate that when people are dying, they tend to see images of all the happy moments in their lives but the flashbacks weren't necessarily theirs as they all involved the main characters and didn’t give us insight into their own past lives. I would assume Mek’s most memorable times would be with his mom and not just with his current gang members.
- Ah, Mek, and Korn tend to practice hand-to-hand combat but most of the time they used guns so we never got to see them apply their training.
- For a drug dealing den, the security sucks. How is Li able to waltz right in on multiple occasions unsuspected? And Win, who I would assume took precaution sneaking in, was easily detained? Is Li really a witch???
- Korn’s line “I only shoot those who deserve to die” was so out of character. Did he not learn from his first mistake? Dude shot a cop thinking it was the criminal who needed help. Besides, who’s to say who deserves to die and who doesn’t deserve to? Korn was a righteous character and that line was a major disappointment.
- Korn is the cliche main character who appears to have flaws and/or made mistakes but in the end, is revealed to not be at fault for anything.
- Kriangkrai’s commander never got what was coming to him
- The relationship Rung has with Korn and Win is plausible on camera but in real life, it would be extremely awkward how anyone could maintain a brother-sister relationship after all that's happened
- Except for Win, no one seemed to take Rung’s future being ruined seriously. Even her parents were lukewarm and very accepting, approving of her being a fugitive on the run. Given their closeness, I thought they would drop everything and move with her.
- How did Korn know Win caused the accident with Rung’s parents? Although I don’t condone Win running from the scene, I don’t see it as him ‘killing’ Rung’s parents. He cut in front of them, people do that when driving, but because Rung’s father wasn’t paying attention to the road he panicked and swerved. I would consider that an accident, not manslaughter.
- I hate that after Win asks to take back the promise he made about Rung and confesses his feelings AND asks Rung’s parents for permission to date Rung (while Korn was also a witness to this), Korn takes Rung to a room and proceeds to pet and kiss her. That part just boiled my blood, primarily when Korn’s romantic feelings for Rung are nowhere as strong as Win’s. Rung demanded an answer for her feelings but what about Win's?
- I don’t know why, I mean I know why because we wouldn’t have a series otherwise but why Korn or Li never bothered to tell Win the truth lost me. “The gang used Rung as a scapegoat, it wasn’t Korn’s doing or decision”. “I’m staying here because dad doesn’t want me home and though I’m a criminal, I’m refusing to do anything illegal.” Win’s hatred towards Korn was justified when Korn refused to tell Win anything and cut him off first.

The bottom line is, there wouldn't be a series if Rung's family never moved into the neighborhood. Their families were each other's jinxes.

This is for sure a highly recommended watch and rewatch.

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We are never getting back 2gether

I’ve seen mixed thoughts on this series but due to its high rating and it being considered one of the more popular Thai BLs, I figure why not check it out? Big mistake. It took me roughly three months to complete this series. Episodes 1-6 were tolerable at best but afterwards, I had to finish the series on 2x and even then I was still fast-forwarding through them. This series was passable in 2020 but not so much in 2023.

I share a lot of other reviewers’ sentiments so I won’t go into detail but whether it was the acting or storyline, I cannot feel the romance let alone bromance between the leads, Tine and Sarawat. They’re both attractive but their characters are not. Other than looks, I can’t confidently say they like anything else about each other. Tine and Green had more chemistry than Tine and Sarawat, then again everyone seemed to have chemistry until you throw Sarawat into the mix. For a very popular guy, the show really gave him nothing. No charisma, no personality. Except for throwing cheesy lines around, he doesn’t change at all for someone who’s finally got with the guy he’s been crushing on for a while.

The leads’ brothers are a good twist and addition but rather than having them engage naturally with the leads, they’re mostly used for shock value and then pushed aside to live their very limited lives. Mil and Phukong’s relationship was a waste of screen time as their relationship basically went from 0 for the longest time to suddenly 100 in the finale.

The only cute relationship was between Man and Type. Despite getting little screen time to develop their romance, I thought they really stole the show as the best couple. However, like all the other couples, the biggest issue with this series is the lack of communication and poor character development. Initially, Type was introduced as this calm and composed guy that Man ran into and has a crush on. But once he was revealed to be Tine’s ruthless brother, you really see a cold and mean side to him. So for someone who seems peaceful yet tough, I wished he had stood up for Man or had an explanation why he chose to go with Beam over Man given that Man was clearly teased and insulted at the celebratory party he was invited to as a guest. When Man confronted Type about it, he basically dismissed it and said he never wanted the luxurious life Beam was trying to sell him…okay, then why leave with him? Why save the jerk’s face? Perhaps you wanted to talk to him in the car and scold him for his behavior towards Man? But nope…nothing. Kind of disappointed but they are still the best couple either way.

The music was unmemorable so that’s usually either good enough or not bad enough, even the ones sung by the characters. I’m aware of a season 2 or sequel but I’m saving it for last resort. The bottom line is 2gether started out fun but by the end of it, there’s really no direction for it. It was just checking all the tropes and creating conflict for the heck of wanting to make more money and hitting 13 episodes.

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I guess encouraging one to cheat can be considered 'director's style' now???

*rant incoming*

Ever since ITSAY, I've never really liked Teh. Always thought he was too fixed in his ways and was a complete jerk and coward. So when I watched IPYTM, I was not surprised he cheated on Oh-aew. I always thought Oh-aew was too good for him anyways. But what I hate the most is how despite being caught cheating, Teh had the nerve to gas-lit and avoid answering detailed questions by saying stuff like "I don't know. I don't want you to think about this". You don't want your boyfriend to think about your growing feelings for your senior/director? What?! Then Teh proceeded to try to lessen his guilt by saying he wouldn't see Jai again after their play if that'll help but the thing is...it's not like he had a choice? Jai was planning to move to New York once he was accepted there anyway...? And didn't you say if Oh had any questions about the play then to ask you..? Instead Oh knows better than Teh that there was no actual kiss scene because he was there! Teh really undermines Oh and all because Oh never had a lifelong dream career.
And Jai, the senior/director, knew what he was doing, admitted to planning everything where Teh would develop feelings for him, and he then had the audacity to call it 'director's styling' when confessed to and confronted. I'm sorry, but if this is your directing styling, you're not going to get far as a director without catching cases! And was this May's way of handling things and she's just passing it down to Jai?? I don't understand. We know deep down Jai has feelings for Teh, because when Teh and Dream were practicing/rehearsing/working on their 'about to kiss' scene, Jai broke it up. Knowing it's his own jealousy, he then projects that feeling onto Oh when Oh is going to confront him about the kiss between Teh and Jai. Jai's initial reaction, seriously, was "Teh is an actor and will have to kiss other people so don't be jelly". You're talking to a former acting student Jai.

I have to say the first episode was borderline fun to watch but as the show progresses to this year by year every new episode, this season started losing its charm (if it had any to begin with). And as our timeline gets farther and farther away from ITSAY (with the exception of ep 5) there were fewer and fewer callbacks to the first series. We don't hear about their families and colleagues were acting like Teh and Oh met and only started dating freshman year of uni., after three years of dating and knowing each other even longer than that, Teh still can't be truthful to Oh unless he needs to roast Oh in front of friends and colleagues. I'm so done with this man. Teh's arc was also hard to get through, he looked depressed and pouty 90% of the time.

I also hate that since ITSAY, the characters would try to confirm if their crushes were mutual by touching thighs even when their crushes were in relationships or pursuing someone else. Oh did it to Teh after Oh and Bas were closer to being a thing than ever and after Teh admitted to kissing Tan. Teh did it to Oh when Oh was in an established relationship with Bas. Then Teh did it to Jai when he was in a 3-year relationship with Oh.

I would have given this sequel a higher rating had it focused more on Oh and his four friends but..that wasn't the case so.

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In between the GAP was madness

GAP was a waste of time. I watched episodes 1-3 normally, 2x episodes 4-6, 3x 7-9, and skimmed episodes 10-12 so basically I’m dropping this at episode 9 though I saw the ending. I understand that this is one of, if not the biggest GL series from Thailand right now but the show did not need 12 episodes to tell its story. The plot was interesting but the delivery was unhinged.

Pros:
- The plot
- Some of the outfits were cute. Sam’s outfits, house, and car fitted her lavish lifestyle.
- Ampere Suttatip Wutchaipradit & Yo Tassawan Seneewongse

Cons:
- The actresses. Rebecca is a good “Mon” but I cannot invest in Freen as “Sam”. Nothing about Freen screams ‘I’m a hardass, rich b*tch that everyone fears’. Even Freen’s RBF (resting b*tch face) is NOT intimidating. Instead, she looks as if she’s always pouting. Her speech and voice color is also not terrifying. I have nothing against the actress as I simply don’t know her but she did not make a good ‘Sam’.
- The characters. I hated all of them but Tee, Yuki, Noi, and Kirk. Nop is okay but that’s kind of it. He has no life outside of Mon’s story. Then again, no one really did. Mon’s stepfather was cool but the way they kept pushing Mon towards Sam was just odd. Mon’s mom is the show’s scapegoat, in order for Mon and Sam to be together, Mon’s mom makes poor decisions after poor decisions that would force them to be together.
- I detest that Sam was coined as someone who always says the opposite of what she means because WTF was all that firing and work-related things in the beginning about then? When does it begin and when does it end? Does her indirectness apply to work, too? If that's the case then all those employees who got fired need to come back. How is anyone supposed to take her seriously when she’s an indirect person? Do you just get to decide what she means depending on your relationship with her and hope for the best? I don’t get it. I mean, no wonder Grandma and Kirk didn’t take her seriously when she wanted to call off the engagement. You can’t take her for her word. Stupid.
- Sam is friends with the trio that bullied Mon when they were younger. Okay, small world.
- Sam and Mon don’t consider biting lips, making out, and having sex cheating on Kirk. Oh, okay…I guess it’s not cheating if it’s same-sex or as Sam liked to claim ‘girl friends do this’. I don’t remember suckling on my friends’ lips but whatever you say Sam. Because of course, we’re also supposed to take everything you say at face value, right? Righttttt.
- Sam appears to care about her business but does absolutely nothing to expand or grow it. We don’t even see her applying her talent or skills. She rejects Kirk’s idea of a joint business just because. She threatens to fire employees who do not bring her and her company good or successful work ideas. She hands out tasks that we never see come into play. I’m shocked her company lasted five years when the employees are clearly the brain of the company but they’re being fired left and right for anything and everything. The work environment she’s built is purely toxic and she didn’t get enough shit for being a horrible boss.
- There are always talks of working but we never see them work. Sam clearly doesn’t care about work once she’s got a taste of Mon’s lips.
- Mon is frustrating to watch. She’s like a little robot with pretty privilege. The girl has three, maybe four, expressions at most. She forgives everything right away after some late nights crying. I don’t know why she’s seen as someone amazing or great. She completed one project and never kept up with it; her co-workers had to update the audience and her of her finished work. Make it make sense.
- Mon and Yuki both are sucky friends though Yuki at least seems to care about Mon. Mon is painted as kind and gentle but she always belittles or scoffs at Yuki’s problems. It beats me why Mon has friends at all.
- Sam is the biggest hypocrite. She made the rule that fired two employees at the beginning about dating (and why did Mon act like a kid who didn’t understand the concept of office romance? She asked even after she was told and warned about it three times!) then she started dating when she hasn’t called off the engagement with Kirk yet. Kirk can’t keep secrets from her but she has no problems stringing him along. She calls Yai and Chin’s cheating ‘immoral’ but sees her cheating on Kirk as fiction because she ‘doesn’t love him’. Guess I missed the part where it’s only cheating if you have romantic feelings for more than one person even if you’re engaged or married. I thought the show and characters said Sam was clever. Clever, where?
- Yai, clear as day, condoned cheating twice (and it's not just Yai. All of Sam and Mon's friends and families did. Not a one told them they were cheating on Kirk. All of them suck. All of them are horrible.). “You can’t help who you fall in love with” might be true but you can always control your actions. Being a homewrecker because of a crush isn’t an excuse. It’s a crime, thank yew very much.
- This part bugged me the most. Sam slut-shamed Mon, loud and clear. In public, in front of Nop, and how was this cleared up? Sam who was clearly angry and jealous at the time twisted it later on to say that she wasn’t done talking. That it was meant as a compliment because the slut Sam shamed Mon with is a pretty, clever, and hard-working individual just like Mon. Gee, thanks? There are plenty of pretty, clever, and hard-working women out there that aren't cheaters or sluts but I guess if the only one you could think of was a slut then we’re taking it. It’s not like you were mad when you said it, you were just jealous. Though I personally might have said Oprah, Mrs. Obama, Reese Witherspoon, Tokiko Shimizu, Tam Debhakam, or my favorite actress Yaya to avoid misunderstandings. The best part is, Mon forgave Sam right away because Sam said she was ‘jealous’. Oh, my freakin…I couldn’t deal. I had to pause the show before I punched my computer screen.
- The dinner scene in episode 9 was borderline unnecessary. One, Sam had it set up by the housemaid as per Sam’s apology to Mon. Why couldn’t Sam just pull out three placemats and one 1800s candlestick to showcase her sincerity was beyond me. Two, the production team refused to and purposely chose not to shoot the table itself and it gave low-budget reasoning. Three, the revelation was so poor I almost choked on air. Mon’s ‘wow’ was giving fake energy. Nothing about the table was wow but the 1800s candlestick.
- The GAP between Sam and Mon in terms of age and social status is interesting but we never felt it. I never feel that there is a gap of eight years because they’re both emotionally and mentally 12.
- This is just me nitpicking but Sam was holding the photo album of Mon in episode 9 and while talking to Mon’s parents, it vanished into thin air…? Where did it go? It was nowhere in her proximity when the camera zoomed out. Continuity error.
- The music wasn’t terrible but wasn't memorable either.
- This show should have been about Tee and Yuki. With Tee’s senses and logic, and Yuki’s communication skills, we would have gotten GL series of the year that wasn't this but I digress.

Had the series focused on Sam and Mon working together, building their relationship in a natural way, and less on their childish love life, I think the balance would have kept the show more realistic, less repetitive, and enjoyable to watch. The build-up of their relationship was no fun at all and they failed to show us just how important the company is to Sam. This was a big miss and one I’ll never want to see again.

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Moonlight Chicken is a hidden gem

You know the acting will be phenomenal based on the cast alone, but Khaotung (Gaipa) was my favorite of them all. His scenes were just purely fun, sweet, and/or very emotional. Man made me cry like a baby twice. Of the eight episodes, 5-7 did get a bit draggy because of the repetitiveness in the main arc, nonetheless, it was still an enjoyable watch and I love the order in which certain things were revealed i.e. Alan’s entrance, the identity of Wen’s stepfather, and Ms. Hong’s death. I also like that the timeline was clear and that all eight episodes happened within a six-month to ten-month period.

What I liked/enjoyed:
- The reality and hardship economically post-COVID. It’s a no-brainer that everyone was heavily affected by COVID-19 in one way or another. But what made Jim’s Chicken diner different was despite Jim being poor and a single guardian of an 18-year-old teenager himself, he was able to empathize, sympathize, and cater to the unfortunate out of the kindness of his heart. Not only is his chicken rice recipe simple, but it’s also affordable, convenient, and fulfilling for the middle and lower class. His kindness spoke volumes throughout the whole show.
- I love the entire cast but Mark and View’s coupling takes the cake. Salaeng and Praew are naturally fun to be around and are very supportive when they, themselves are struggling; set to be first-time parents with a baby on the way. I also love Saleng’s relationship with everyone, he was the perfect friend, employee, boyfriend, and support everyone needed. Probably would have been a good son like Gaipa had his parents been alive. He also seemed like a really great dad from the one scene of him playing with his baby in episode 8. I love that although he had to be put out of his job at the diner, he didn’t forget to pay Jim back and still kept in contact with everyone. It truly showed that Moonlight Chicken wasn’t just a workplace but a home away from home.
- Gaipa and his mother’s backstory was both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Normally, funerals for side characters are rushed but in this case, the show highlighted the impact that Ms. Hong, a side character, had on not just Jim, his family, and the diner but the whole community. While Gaipa mourned, you can feel just how much the Hongs were loved and respected by all.
- I know some find it weird or unrealistic, but Wen rooming with Alan after they’ve broken up is probably the one thing I like most about this series. During lockdown and quarantine, it wasn’t uncommon to hear that couples who lived together do and did break up. I thought Wen living paycheck to paycheck was a reasonable enough reason to keep living with his ex; especially when his ex is the breadwinner and they’ve agreed to be friends. The only problem was Alan took this as a possibility of them getting back together despite being told it wouldn’t happen countless times. To be fair, it was completely understandable because, in Alan’s case, he was still in love and actions do speak louder than words. If Wen hasn’t moved out by now then obviously it wasn’t really about Wen falling out of love but something else. Like another man (Jim) for instance. The reality is Alan can afford to think this way because he isn’t financially restrained like Wen is. If Wen leaves, Alan’s capable of paying all of his bills just fine but if Alan leaves, Wen will have to look for another roommate or cheaper condo. We got a glimpse of that when Wen had to ask their friend, Gong, for help and ended up renting a condo (hello Ohm’s room in ‘Bad Buddy’ xD)
- All of the characters’ growth was noticeable and lovely but Li Ming’s growth is the most impressive. Once he knew what he wanted, his confidence and responsibility surfaced and he was able to sell his future plans to his mother and uncle despite their doubt. Li Ming really showed them that he wasn’t as unprepared or unmotivated as they were led to believe. Not only did Li Ming plan the next four to six years of his life, but he’s been working towards it. He was dedicated and ready to walk his own path and his family couldn’t be more proud and supportive.
- Jim and Li Ming fight as any uncle and nephew would but I had so much respect for Li Ming when Jim said ‘Don’t raise your voice at me’ and Li Ming instantly piped down and apologized. That scene was beautifully done and showed that deep down Li Ming has a lot of respect, love, and gratitude for his uncle. He’s just frustrated because of the lack of communication and the pushing and projecting from flawed adults. It was brilliant of Li Ming to recognize that what Jim was projecting onto him was in fact Jim’s dreams and Li Ming calling his uncle out for that was great.
- The fact that Heart was deaf. I love the representation here and I thought Gemini did an excellent job. He was really convincing. I loved that the show stressed the fact that people tend to think deaf people are also mute when that’s not always true. I love that not only was Heart finally understood by his family but also accepted by Li Ming’s friends and family. His parents learning and becoming pros at signing, Wen communicating with him through sign, and Li Ming’s mother's openness to learn and attempt sign were all very wholesome.
- The communication between some characters was great whilst others were realistic.
- I love it when characters drop names without telling us who they are right away. It keeps the audience guessing and gives the characters some history and substance. Or when children are introduced and you have to do some connecting the dots. i.e. Beam’s ex-girlfriend’s daughter and Jam’s stepdaughter/Li Ming’s stepsister.
- The portrayal of Jim’s stubbornness that stems from age and fear. Jim being set in his ways as an older, more traditional guy is so lifelike. Although Jim isn’t as expressive and agreeable as Li Ming would like, it’s clear that Jim is trying his best to build a good reputation and connections for Li Ming’s sake.
- The reality of being able to accept gays as friends, co-workers, or neighbors but wouldn’t come around to it when it’s family. Although it sounded homophobic, Jam made it clear that her concern was about how her son would be viewed and mistreated by others if they found out his orientation, and not that she was repulsed by it. I did like that she had at least three conversations about it with Jim and Li Ming. It showed how much she was bothered by it.
- The revelation of Ms. Hong’s death. From the marketplace to the hospital and finally temple/funeral. The transition from Gaipa and Saleng walking, talking, and joking around to the discovery of Ms Hong was so well done. Khaotung’s acting in the hospital scene, it was clear that he’d been given the bad news and his crying was so heartwrenching!
- The cinematography and setting were aesthetically pleasing. I love the color palette and it was really giving Hainanese. (I love Li Ming’s little lion dance too!)
- Aof’s cameo! xD

What I disliked/wished was different/included, and noticed:
- Jim and Beam had more chemistry than Jim and Wen.
- Gaipa pursuing Jim is cute but surprisingly for someone who's really into Jim, Gaipa doesn't come around a lot. Yeah, he's busy helping his mom and keeping her company but he mostly, if not always, drops by only at his mom's requests and not because he misses Uncle Jim's face.
- Some events in episodes 5-7 could have been shortened or cut out entirely to focus, explore, and revisit older scenes.
- Jim consistently saying ‘no’ and bringing up what he said before their one-night stand was great, a man of his word, however; there were way too many back and forths about it on screen. They could have cut out one or two rejection scenes and implied it in a passing conversation with another character.
- It’s clear that Jim likes Wen and even misses him at the diner. However, whenever there’s an opportunity for Jim to initiate contact first, out of desperation, Wen would call or show up and we’d get the same rejection scene but in different clothes. If viewers enjoyed the mains together then sometimes a separation would do everyone some good and make a reunion 10 times better. It’s boring that Wen was the only one trying to make them work.
- The comedy was present but not emphasized enough to be memorable
- I wish there was a scene where Heart confessed to his parents that he was the one who broke the bottle OR there’s a short scene of his father drinking from the same bottle he and Li Ming secretly drank out of and wondering why it’s somewhat watery. That would have been a good callback.
- The reporter clearly said they were moving into 2023 on New Year's Eve, however, when Ms. Hong passed away, a couple of months later, she was written to have passed in February 2022. I suppose they filmed in 2022 and forgot to change the year on the printout.

This was a slice of life and I for one enjoyed them immensely. This is a definite watch and rewatch.

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The Gifted is a gift

When you have Nanon, Chimon, Jane, Gun, and Sing as main actors, the acting can’t get better than this. From the main to the guest actors, everyone delivered.

I love all the powers and potentials. I have to admit the ending, particularly Pang vs Supot the Director, was predictable but in a fantastic way! It was reasonable and possible despite this being a thriller, supernatural. In a way, there wasn’t anything unrealistic about the way the Director took down Pang. If Mr. Pom said the Director was smarter than everyone then the Director had to be smarter than everyone. I love it when credit is given where it’s due, even if it’s the villain we’re talking about.

I love that depending on the characters’ arcs, we aren’t overwhelmed with the whole cast but get to see their relationships with other certain characters. The only complaint I have is that I wished there were more to Jack and Jo other than they excelled in chemistry and had a psychic connection. They never got their own episode and disappeared for a while so I seriously didn’t remember their names until episode 11 or so on.

Pang is the optimal main character. He’s the first of the lowest class in history to make it into the Gifted program. And he fights for equality despite receiving the best treatment as one of the Gifteds. Using his power only for good makes him a lovable character.

My favorite arc is Punn's. Not only did Gun play five different personalities beautifully, but his whole episode was super well done and written. I loved the artwork of five trees that represented each personality and that internal fighting! Wow!

My favorite character had to be Ohm. He was adorably hilarious and his potential was both fascinating and interesting! Mon is also one of my favorites and her action scenes are admiringly enjoyable.

Wave’s backstory was a nice twist and plentiful explanation for his present self at Ritdha Wittayakom High School. Although I don’t condone a romantic relationship between a teacher and a high school student, I’m glad it wasn’t all romance but actually about an abusive teacher using a student’s intelligence for personal gain. Wave outing his teacher was so satisfying!

Pang and Wave teaming up was something I expected but not as a duo. I thought Wave would be included in the Pang-Namtarn-Ohm gang but I understood why the other two were omitted. It was made clear that Namtarn was always for the Gifted program and Ohm just couldn’t be trusted due to his forgetfulness. In the end, Pang cited this as it was just him believing he was smarter than everyone else but I wholeheartedly believed he had really good reasons to leave Namtarn and Ohm out.

Namtarn and Claire’s potentials are super cool and Claire's episode was just fun. From her sassiness to acceptance and friend-zoning Korn. Initially, I felt bad for Korn but after Korn's episode, I was happy Claire chose Punn. Punn can be so smooth when he wants to be!

People tend to complain that there’s not enough time in a day (and I agree) but I liked that Korn found his power burdensome. His wanting to just sleep was so relatable and realistic, I loved it.

I highly enjoyed this one and am definitely looking forward to also binging season two. This is a must-watch, rewatch, and gift to viewers!

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Love in the Moonlight with a lot of tears

I’m glad the series got a high rating because it deserves it, to an extent. I only checked this out because I loved Peak’s performance in My Only 12% and was so excited to discover that he’s the lead of his own BL! Boy can act; actually, the whole cast didn’t disappoint in that domain. I’ll start with what I liked about the series, then why I wouldn’t rewatch it.

Pros:
- Eye candies EVERYWHERE. The men are handsome. The women are beautiful. The gays are gays!
- Very bingeable: If I weren’t so tired from a long day of work, I would have finished the series in a day, not two. The series is easy on the eyes and easy to follow (for the most part).
- The music is AMAZING. They mostly utilize two songs, but the two songs never got annoying or old. Actor Act also has one hell of a voice!
- I didn’t expect comedy gold when I walked into this series, but they were random but brilliant; they weren’t excessive, but smartly sprinkled throughout the series. They caught me off guard, and I spat out my coffee multiple times, yet I enjoyed every bit of it. Not so much the spitting and cleaning, but the funny moments were great!
- The characters and power dynamics. This series recognized that both men and women can be powerful figures in different ways, and no one character is completely useless. A lot of the women in the series were respected and fair opponents for the men. Saenkaew and Songsawat’s relationship, for one, was refreshing.
- Perth Veerinsara, the actress who played Pin, did a PHENOMENAL job. Not only did the actress play her part, but the character, Pin, was also both endearing and beautiful. Pin is a mature and sweet girl who doesn’t rely on her cuteness or prettiness to have things her way. And when everyone is against her, she understands and acknowledges that she had to be the one in the wrong, because why else would everyone, who’s also smart and intelligent, not take her side? Pin had the best growth.
- Good or bad guys, I enjoyed every one of them. I’m team Prince Kamfa and Khamsu. Kamfa, Saenkraew’s father, is a badass. I applaud him for sticking to his guns and making sure things work out the way he planned despite sabotage. Kamfa might be a villain to some, but he’s always put his people first, and I respect that. Although he knew what true love looked like, he tried to change his son because he believed all homos go to hell, and for that, I can’t fault him. Khamsu, too, had great qualities. He was very loyal to Kamfa and tried his best to keep the peace between the father-son duo when he could.
- Unpopular opinion, but I enjoyed Prince Inthra, Saenkaew’s uncle, a lot. The guy might be a coward, greedy, gambler, and a traitor to his family, but he was hilarious and a good husband to his wife. Hence, why her avenging him was even more satisfying.
- The villains kept me on my toes. Every time they found out something, true or not, it's always interesting to see what they do with those informations.
- The chemistry all around was great. The actors and actresses really embodied their characters.

Cons:
- Timing. The storyline’s timeline was a mess, though evidently, it spans within two years. The series starts in 1963. In the beginning, we learn that the people of Chansaeng had six months before it was lost to the Republic of Nanta. However, since Nanta’s hardass General Kalong is keen on murdering Royalties, repossessing their properties, and redistributing them to the nation, princes had to band together to protect their wealth, so Saenkaew and Pin’s fathers arranged a marriage for them to later on transfer Saenkaew’s family assets safely and legally from Pin back to Saenkaew’s family. In return, the dowry will be more than what Pin’s father and stepmother owe to creditors. While spending some time in Bangkok, Saenkaew said that in the next six months, Chansaeng will be lost, so it’s unclear how long he’s been in Bangkok, although it seemed at least a month had passed. After his father finished selling their properties and items, he joined Saenkaew and the others in Bangkok and moved the marriage to an earlier date. After the wedding, when they were in Chiang Mai, we see that it’s been six months because Chansaeng had been handed over to Nanta. Shortly after six months, Saenkaew runs away with Sasin, and we’re given a one-year leap. However, it didn’t feel like one year had passed because in the letter Saenkaew wrote to Pin, he expressed being sad about the news of her father’s passing; however, her father would have already passed before the one year passed, so why bother mentioning that? Especially after witnessing her money-hungry father say she was worthless to him. At certain points, it seemed like one episode was 1-2 days, so it was very slow-burning.
- There were audio issues now and then and choppy cuts. For the music, they either start or end abruptly. It’s like no one’s ever heard of ‘fade in’ ‘fade out’...
- I want to root for Saenkaew and Sasin’s love, but I couldn’t because they were way too selfish with it. Because they’re the main characters, we and the supporting characters have to prioritize their happiness; however, I can’t root for a cousin stealing another cousin’s fiancé. Especially when Sasin was always extremely upset on Pin’s behalf regarding Saenkaew and Songsawat. Sasin went from being Pin’s protective older cousin to dismissing her feelings, needs, and existence with one switch of hearing the truth from Saenkaew. Pin expressed to Sasin over and over again that she loved Saenkaew, but the moment Saenkaew said he didn’t want to marry Pin, Sasin jumped ship and was more than ready to make sure they didn’t get married, including stealing Saenkaew from Pin.
- No one sided with Pin except the parents, who wanted something else. I thought Sanya would have her back, but he immediately backed Sasin and even said Sasin didn’t do anything wrong. Did he have a crush on Pin or Sasin? I thought at least one person would side with Pin, but no, instead, Sasin constantly threw it in her face that Saenkaew loves him and him Saenkaew. If my cousin ever came between my relationship, even if I have no feelings for my fiancé, I’d rather she not until we’ve got things situated. But alas, Pin is forced to be the bad guy, the bigger person who has to accept her cousin and fiancé. I’m even more mad that Grandma Sridara easily accepted their relationship and didn’t see that it was infidelity or adultery since Saenkaew and Pin are legally married.
- Sasin is charismatic, but his continuous misunderstanding of Saenkaew was irritating. There was no evidence of Saenkaew ‘breaking’ into his place to ‘steal’, so labelling Saenkaew a thief on multiple occasions was annoying. Sasin was a headstrong guy willing to do anything, but took a hard backseat the second he couldn’t be around Saenkaew. He and Saenkaew running away was a common theme. I don’t know why they didn’t just try to solve their problems instead of always running away from and with them.
- Saenkaew. Either. Cries. Or. Is. Teary. Eyed. In. Every. Scene.
- Why in the altercation with Pin’s dad did the trio not seize his gun??? Sasin comes in, hits the gun out of Prince Bodin’s hand, then goes straight to Saenkaew. When they disarmed him again, they didn’t think to grab the gun and decided to make a run for it. If Duangkamol didn’t stab Prince Bodin, he would have easily shot one of them. Saenkaew and Sasin prove again that they don’t care for Pin when they know her crazy dad was after them, but jumped on the train without caring about her safety.
- Who was the first guy who wrote Saenkaew a love letter?
- What happened to the uncle’s spy? The family never tried to solve that mystery.
- Except for Inthra’s wife, did anyone else care that a prince was murdered in cold blood and mysteriously disappeared? What happened to Inthra’s body? Did Bodin come back to take and hide it? Did Duangkamol wander the streets looking for her husband because she didn’t know what happened to her husband’s body?
- Uh what happened to hardcore Gen. Kalong? He started acting like a wounded puppy in front of Kamfa towards the end. I mean, Kamfa is a savage, but come on!
- Did Saenkaew and Pin ever get a divorce? Who’s running the timber business if not Saenkaew and Pin?
- I wish we saw Saenkaew be more hands-on with others, especially as a prince and businessman. He was always all about his happiness and romance that I started to wonder if he had any other thoughts or ambitions.
- The ending. Everyone who wouldn’t have accepted their relationship was killed off, and those who lived were forced to accept their relationship, but I don’t believe Saenkaew and Sasin’s love deserved a happy ending just yet. Something is missing, and it’s not lust.

All in all, I wouldn’t rewatch the whole series again, but I do recommend everyone watch it.

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I'm not watching season 2 because season 1 was a major disappointment

Admittedly, Blank had an interesting storyline, and is the second GL I’ve seen in full. Well, at least one season. “Yes or No” raised the bar for me, and that’s insane because that aired in 2010. I’ve yet to see a 2020s GL that can top it. Anyway, back to “Blank”: I do have to give it credit because, despite leaving a trail of mess, headaches, and me pausing every few seconds to roll my eyes, it did hold my attention, and I managed to binge all 6 episodes in 2 days.

What I enjoyed:
- The 16-year age gap. I don’t mind age gaps as long as both characters are of age. I also find that a large age gap can sometimes make stories more interesting. This was one of them.
- The plot twist was interesting; Anueng being the daughter of Phiangfah, Nueng’s old high school friend. On top of that, Nueng also gave Phiangfah a mixture that would cause Phiangfah to miscarry Anueng. The show called it a miscarriage, but let’s call it what it is, an abortion*. When I saw that there was a 16-year age gap, I figured Nueng would be tied to Anueng’s parent(s) somehow, but I never saw the attempted abortion coming. That had my jaw on the ground.
- Sam and Mon are the only voices of reason throughout this entire show. They are also the only healthy couple.

What I didn’t enjoy:
- Nueng and Anueng’s stupidity and meanness towards everyone but each other. Nueng and Anueng share one brain cell most time. Jealousy was also a toxic trait between them. Supposedly, Nueng is a smart character, but her way of thinking, acting, and decision-making is borderline stupid. She’s a very hypocritical character and not likable. For a 36-year-old, she lacks communication skills and the ability to understand other adults. She keeps blaming her grandmother for her sister’s death, yet, we don’t know how her sister died, except that the grandmother’s high expectations of Nueng somehow led to her sister’s death. If it really was that serious, how come Sam and their grandmother got along fine? Nueng is incredibly selfish. It’s all about her wants, needs, freedom, and life. Her grandmother brought up a great point when she said Nueng can’t say it’s her life when she’s relying on Sam for financial support. Then, a few scenes later, Nueng dared to criticize what their grandmother said when the only one who raised her voice at that surprise gathering was Nueng. Nueng has a habit of going from 0 to 100. She’ll be calm the next, yelling the next, sarcastic the next, then back to yelling. I hate Nueng around her grandmother, and I hope her grandmother left her nothing. Funny how Nueng thought their grandmother’s wealth would and should be split in half. No, all of it should go to Sam and Mon. Whether Nueng was joking about it or not, her saying that goes against her wanting to live a normal life away from her upbringing and bloodline. Also, Phiangfah was right when she said her mother only took Nueng’s side because she learned of Nueng’s background. Because why else would you entrust your granddaughter, whom you were so strict about, to someone whose educational successes were false and exaggerated? Apparently, a Master’s Degree was so boring that Nueng dropped out. Nueng also didn’t speak as many languages as Anueng’s grandmother had heard. I despise Nueng for using her grandmother to fend off Anueng’s grandmother after having said she’d never go back home until her grandmother died. Which she did return to sneak around, then repeatedly said, “I’ll never set foot here until she dies”. Then, a few scenes later, Nueng said she always keeps her word. Uh…no girlfriend…ya don’t. Faye did well for Nueng, but Nueng is a very hard character to like. Nueng also used the beautiful doctor friend of hers to make Anueng jealous just because Anueng was with friends..? Girl, grow up.

Women acting cute is part of a lot of Asian’s culture, and as a long-time K-pop and K-drama fan, it didn’t bug me that Anueng was cute, child-like, and even immature at times. But when you mix immaturity with stupidity and jealousy, it becomes a recipe for disaster and gets annoying fast. I could stand Anueng’s clinginess (although I wish she had respected Nueng’s space), but when she was being mean to everyone but Nueng, that’s when I quit giving her immaturity grace. If she were 12, her temper tantrums and hatred towards her parents may be understandable, but she’s 20, turning 21. Her being born prematurely won’t help her here. Anueng is incredibly unreasonable and spoiled. She backtalks, doesn’t consider others’ feelings, has no manners, and is blinded by her obsession with Nueng. The other characters telling us Anueng is a good girl over and over again didn't stick because she really wasn't a good girl. When she opened the door and hit Folk’s face, her reaction to him was slow and terrible. Why did he like her? Beats me. Anueng doesn’t have many friends, not only because her grandmother prevents it, but Anueng herself doesn’t seem to care about the "friends she has". And when Folk wanted to be friends, her reaction was odd and full of hate. Mind you, she doesn’t know he stalked her. Folk appeared a maximum of 5 times, and his relationship with Anueng was nonexistent. I thought we would get moments of Anueng and Folk building a solid friendship to showcase that Anueng is likable, sociable, and easy to approach, even if she was older than the rest of her peers, but her bright smiles and energy were all fake and reserved for Nueng. Anueng is not willing to give her parents chances, but willingly and gladly using them was so annoying for a 21-year-old.

- The support characters are a bitter afterthought. Anueng’s mother, who hasn’t seen Anueng in person in 20 years, uttered Nueng’s name instead of her own daughter. At the party, Anueng was surprised to see her mother, but never interacted with her. Anueng hates her mother but has spoken to her over the phone over the years..? There wasn’t any tension there, but somehow meeting in person caused on-and-off tension..? Also, why did Nueng and Anueng ditch Anueng’s unconscious grandmother in the middle of a room filled with people who didn’t even react to the situation? People fainting at parties is normal in “Blank” or what?? Who was with Anueng’s grandmother if Anueng and Phiangfah were busy talking to Nueng? Chet and Phiangfah didn’t talk after Nueng revealed that Anueng is Chet’s daughter…? Anueng complained about Chet flirting with and almost marrying Nueng when girlie came after and is ‘dating’ her father’s former fiancée? Wtf? Am I in the Twilight Zone? I was also 100% for Chet getting a DNA test. If Nueng didn't care about Chet, why wouldn't she agree on one? After all, Chet never knew he had an offspring.

Nueng, who knew nothing about Anueng and Folk’s relationship other than Folk being Anueng’s stalker and having a crush on her, was comfortable letting him tag along on the trip. Nueng’s not-so-good reason was that Anueng would be bored with three adults, when, mind you, this was supposed to be about Anueng spending time and bonding with her parents. Instead, Nueng let Folk join just so he could go through the haunted house and rides with Anueng. If the point of Folk was just to prove that Anueng isn’t afraid of ghosts like her mother, then they could have done that with her and her parents instead. I don’t understand why the show insisted on keeping Anueng separated and building a solid relationship with her parents.

Can I complain about Phiangfah a little bit? So she named her daughter after her frenemy because she wanted to remember who her enemy was. Sorry, come again? You gave your daughter a similar name to the very person who wanted you to abort her…? Are you trying to remember the name of your enemy or trying to traumatize your kid? She said it was fate that Nueng and Anueng met…? If you ask me, I’d say it’s karma but okie. Phiangfah is a walking contradiction, one moment she hates Nueng, one moment she admires and is smiling sweetly at Nueng. Boy… these characters are messed up in the head. Also, everyone swept it under the rug that Nueng gave Phiangfah a mixture to kill her child. Whether you’re pro-life or pro-choice, this idea went against both of them!

Nueng complained about being the go-to when it came to Anueng's family's disarray, but she's also the one who constantly inserts herself and has made Anueng 100% reliant on her. Nueng's lack of self-awareness is baffling for her age.

- The constant use of flashbacks of moments we just saw. Flashbacks, if done and used properly, can be a very powerful tool and entertaining moments in series with 6-16 episodes of film. But Istg, flashbacks took up a lot of screentime in the earlier episodes. If Nueng can’t act like she’s falling for Anueng without support from flashbacks, then throw the idea of it away.

- The acting was a hit and a miss. The lead actresses have range, but they’re also very restricted and can be stiff at times. They don’t always play off of each other, and that could be chalked up to inconsistent direction or poor editing. But the scene at the amusement park, for instance, was odd because although the main and support characters were supposedly facing each other, their dialogues and expressions didn’t play off of what the other had just said. Chet clearly said he was Nueng’s father, but apparently Anueng, who was just standing across, didn't hear that. Then, when Nueng said Chet was Aneung’s father, there was a brief moment of shock. Chet said something, then Nueng ignored him and went on to talk about Folk instead. It seemed like they filmed the lead and support characters separately and tried to sew the scenes together, but it didn’t flow naturally. There were also moments when the actors/characters were shocked by something they'd already heard. For example, Anueng being told that Nueng almost married Chet. When that came up again, she had a bigger reaction and although she did say it just kicked in for her, it still didn't justify the reaction. Second example, when Nueng told Chet that Folk had a crush on Anueng before inviting him to the 'family' and Anueng's birthday trip, Chet reacted. Then at the park, when Nueng told Phiangfah Folk has a crush on Anueng, Chet gave another big reaction. Small things like that lessen the enjoyment of the show because it's not natural and realistic.

- There was no real character growth. Nueng never acknowledged her relationship status with Anueng, even after they consummated it, and Anueng won’t respect Nueng’s space. I find it funny that Nueng is so stubborn about living her life and fighting her grandmother on a woman-woman relationship, but she’s the one constantly pushing Anueng away. They are toxic, masked with makeup. The side characters aren't acknowledged and show no growth as well.

- Transitions between some scenes were choppy. I don’t remember if I liked any of the songs or even the opening and closing OSTs. BGMs were abruptly cut off, too, instead of fading out as the next scene kicks in. Establishing shots got annoying, like the parking lot of Nueng’s place and Anueng’s house.

- Nueng, being of royal blood, didn't mean much or come to fruition. The only one who lets her status get in her way of relationships is herself. Her constant "you're not worthy" isn't her grandmother talking, but Nueng herself.

- The plot twists were horribly executed. Since the series’ plot and storyline took a backseat and the show became heavily character-driven, it would have been nice to see some good character growth. Unfortunately, the second half of season 1 proved to be more and more annoying, with the characters getting dumber. If you shut off your brain, this might be a decent watch, but otherwise, 2x will save you a long way.

Sam and Mon are the reason I’m upping my rating to a 4 from a 3.

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Stepsiblings though???

Story: The story made sense sometimes and didn't other times. Before I dive in...clearly evil stepmother was a flight risk??? The twists were interesting, but the executions and revelations were weaker than I'd like. Shinji being Kiichi was nice. I do have one big complaint and it's that they reused multiple 'flashbacks' so much that they started to lose meaning, and it felt like the show was just trying to meet their screentime quota. How many times are we going to get the 'park' moment with Kiichi and Anzu? Makiko's family came over so often but that's the only scene Kiichi and Anzu shared? The pacing was unbalanced towards the end. Maybe someone who read the manga can explain this part to me, but why did he make her edit his stuff? What about her gave off 'experienced and good editor'? I do LOVE the message that the series sent from both sides, family will defend and do things out of consideration for family. Anzu would read at the park so Yuzu could play, Yuzu would play longer so Anzu could read longer. Makiko was protecting Kiichi (from arsonist accusations), Kiichi was protecting Makiko and Shinji from it, and Shinji vowed to work harder than he ever has to make up to Satsuki, who was like family to him.

Acting/Cast: The acting was stiff and exaggerated from the whole cast in terms of expressions. I think Claire was probably the most natural one. I think Kudo (Kiichi) did his 'violent' scenes well, but Nagano (Anzu) happened to be the opposite of him. I thought the 'fork' bit was a nice touch BUT when Kiichi's hand was shaking, showing he was putting strength into hurting Anzu, she effortlessly stopped him with one hand. Kiichi doesn't look malnourished, so what was up with that? I wonder what happened to Anzu's knife, too? Makiko's acting was great in the beginning, but towards the end, they were conflicting and unnatural. Yuzu... Don't get me wrong, I like happy and go-lucky characters, but she was way too dumb for my liking. She heard something in Shinji's jacket and, knowing it was Makiko's doing, doesn't say anything to him...? What was the point of Makiko catching Shinji and Yuzu on the bridge when nothing came out of it? Osamu has to be the most useless father I've ever seen. How he managed to have two daughters is beyond me.

Music: I don't think I enjoyed any music from the show, but I questioned a lot of the sound choices. The part where the nurse saw Yuzu leave the record room, the sound was whatever, but I did like the green lighting on Yuzu and the nurse. If I had to pick one song I like, it's probably the intro, and even that isn't saying a lot.

The tension between Kiichi and Anzu was real, but I don't know how I feel about their romance. They are, after all, stepsiblings when they fell for each other. Makiko and Osamu getting a divorce doesn't relieve me of that knowledge. Granted, Anzu liked Kiichi before they became step-siblings but the attraction couldn't have been there as adults and stepsiblings. What's weird is no one, not even the characters, seemed to have caught that or wanted to bring it up. I thought at one point Shinji was going to tell Nanami that Yuzu is just his stepsister, but when he didn't and said she was not into him, I vomited a little in my mouth.

As one can tell, I had more questions than answers. I don't think this series is bad, at least not the first couple of episodes, but would I rewatch or recommend it to friends and family? No.

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The Middleman’s Love was a deal breaker

As a fan of ‘Bed Friend’ and the character Jade, I wanted to love this. In fact, I did for a little while.

Episode one was not a strong opener but I have a soft spot for cringy and slapstick comedy so it was bearable. I highly enjoyed episodes two to four, five started falling off but it was still tolerable. My biggest complaint would be the introduction of the second or even third couple if we count KingUea. This was a sequel/spin-off of the second couple from ‘Bed Friend’ so why introduce a new couple? It might be nitpicking and introducing new couples isn’t a crime but the new couple got so much screen time (I skipped most of their later parts because it was so repetitive and unattractive to watch). Their romantic relationship was also poorly developed and executed.

What the show did well:
- The comedy. It was my cup of tea and I enjoyed Yim as Jade. Some of the better execution would be when Jade was standing in front and middle while they were deciding what to eat as a group. He told everyone to come closer like he was ready to whisper, but he ended up shouting. I laughed so hard
- The consistency between Jade’s relationship with King and Uea. Jade and Uea being the lovey-dovey giggly besties is one of the better parts of the show. Jade’s constant butting heads with King was also great. I only wished his friendship with Gun was more apparent like in Bed Friends. They were inseparable at one point and in Middleman’s Love, they hardly hung out together unless it was a group/company hangout.
- Jade’s family is so precious. The introduction of his brother was funny and his sister is just a ray of sunshine.
- The shot of Jade’s family having dinner in episode 3. They shot it through the door to make it look like a live picture-perfect family. That was brilliant.
- Tutor covering Nunew’s song…OMG, can we get an official cover?

What the show didn’t do so well:
- As comedy was the baseline of this series, continuity errors and bad editing are bound to happen. But there’s only so much you can do before it becomes unforgivable. When Jade introduced the dog to Mai, there was a time when he was supposed to be squatting down beside the dog, but an editor decided to insert a blur, close up of the dog, and in the back, you can see Yim’s shoes as he walked by before they cut back to Jade still being next to the dog. That part stuck out like a sore thumb.
- I don’t know if perhaps Tutor can’t drive in real life or it was a lack of budget but every time Mai and Jade are in the car, they never move. Even when Tutor was ‘driving’ the scenery through the windows remained the same. That was awkward.
- The timeline wasn’t clear and the pacing didn’t seem to match it whatsoever
Jade’s fear of flickering lights in the daytime was never explained…
- Tong and Gus’ relationship shouldn’t have happened. Their amount of screen time didn’t contribute to the main storyline. Their personalities were also swapped halfway through the show. Gus went from a nice, friendly guy to a pouty kid who isn’t easily pleased. Tong wasn’t easily pleased or expressive but was all of a sudden very intimate and clingy. Gus’ relationship with his mother came out of nowhere and went nowhere.
- The NC scenes. Once Mai and Jade got together, they lost their spark and sweetness. The sexual tension heightened and the show attempted to become Bed Friend 2.0.
- Mai’s relationship with his family gave me mixed signals. Sometimes he'd be sweet on the phone with his mom. Other times, he seems annoyed with her. For some time it sounded like he had a falling out with his father and even brother but it was never clear. They also seemed like fine people by the finale episode.
- I'm not going to talk about Jade's uncalled-for, unexpected outburst at his family's lunch gathering because what was that? There was no build-up for that as far as I'm aware.

Though I’m happy to see Uea again, I’m glad this series only has eight episodes.
Unless you’re a fan of the actors, MaiJade, or clumsy comedy, I can’t imagine you’d enjoy this one very much.

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Night in Paradise was a dark place

This one came highly recommended by my brother who hardly goes out of his way to watch Korean shows/films so I said why not? I have loved Tagoo since Inspiring Generation anyway and Cha Seungwon has always been a favorite. Glad I watched it, it didn't disappoint.

This movie was dark, graphic, and violent, yet artistic and a great watch. The action and dark humor were right up my alley and a great reflection of the movie's overall atmosphere. I presume everyone who's seen this film knew or had a clue that Yang was behind the accident that killed Taegoo's sister and niece; however, I didn't expect the main characters' deaths. It was a nice twist as it made it different and realistic. The ending was satisfying and one of those rare moments where the cycle of revenge has come to a complete stop as all parties involved are deceased.

I loved the cast and characters. They were all different and distinctive in their own ways. Taegoo seemed like a fun, considerate, and kind boss, only wished there was more of him and his gang. Jaeyeon is an intriguing and badass character. At first, I thought she was the cliche Korean heroine type who sees herself as an equal to men but in truth, she adapted quickly and realistically and simply didn't give a flip because she was dying. I mean, with her gun skills, I'm surprised she's not more arrogant. I only wish we knew what she was dying of. I like Taegoo and Jaeyeon together, I think they would have made great friends if not an understanding and passionate power couple. In the short amount of time that they've known each other, they cared and put their lives at risk for each other. Since Jaeyeon was destined to die shortly anyway, Taegoo could have saved himself and skipped town but he went to her anyway because she once told him she didn't want to be alone. And Jaeyeon brought all of Taegoo's villains to justice before ending her own life. She could have ended her life sooner but she endured her pain just a bit longer to fully avenge Taegoo.

The action was great and the angle they were shot in was perfect. I genuinely felt every knife wound Taegoo got. When he struggled to free himself out of the car, that was an intense and satisfying scene.

If you like mafia, gang, action, and crime films then this one is a must-watch.

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