A heart-felt celebration of love and growth
I think this is one of the best shows I've ever watched.
But first, I'd like to touch on a point I keep seeing about Duang's character; he is not "cringey" lol. I've seen people dismiss his character as childish because of his exaggerated declarations of love and his light-hearted design. But I think that reaction says more about our discomfort with emotional openness than about the character himself. He is unapologetically transparent about his feelings: he admits his affection towards Qin openly, shows up consistently, and never hides his devotion. Not only that, but he himself acknowledges that his behavior is heightened because of love. He exaggerates not out of immaturity, but as a deliberate choice to pursue and support the person he cares about. I want people to look beyond the surface when talking about him, because he is the one who never fails to show up, who provides stability and encouragement when it matters most. In a culture that often prizes stoicism and romanticizes "cold" characters, Duang, who wears his heart on his sleeve, can feel uncomfortable to watch. But that discomfort doesn’t mean he lacks depth. It's more your issue than his.
MOVING ON, this series had me giddy and kicking my feet the entire time. Watching Duang pursue Qin was both hilarious and heartwarming because his love is pure, but also so determined that giving up simply isn’t an option (and importantly, Qin’s consent is always respected). Their dynamic has you rooting for Duang all the time amongst the nervous anticipation, the joy of small gestures, the humor of awkward moments, and the tenderness of genuine connection. From a broader perspective I think this series depicts the FEELING of first love and the romance of youth.
Both leads undergo meaningful growth throughout the series. Duang learns to express his love in ways that Qin can accept, but also, his journey isn’t about BECOMING consistent, it’s about showing that his consistency has depth beyond romance. What evolves is how others, especially his father, come to see that commitment. Duang’s simplicity, following his heart without elaborate reasoning, can be misunderstood as a lack of seriousness. But he learns to show up in more ways than one. Qin, meanwhile, discovers that love isn’t something that holds you back, it’s something that propels you forward and makes you a braver version of yourself. He is able to take the decision to solve his conflict with his own parents, but he is able to do so at Duang's insistence and he is able to do so because he trusts Duang wholeheartedly. Initially he remains wary of Duang's affections, but slowly comes to fall for him, and also learns to showcase his own love in reciprocal ways.
Duang's friendship trio with Jamie and Pae is remarkably well written, and remarkably well acted by North and Wave. They're so supportive, never scared to poke fun at him in funny moments, but also never fail to call him out if he does something that he shouldn't have. They're as open as him at loving him and consistently show up, and their bond reinforces the idea that love shows up in many forms. Their presence really adds depth to the story.
I did deduct one point from the story because I wish Duang’s relationship with his family had been explored more fully, as Qin’s was. His struggles with consistency and the tension with his father, who clearly had certain concerns about Duang's choices in uni, could have added another layer to his character arc. Similarly, revisiting Qin’s parents toward the end, perhaps showing them at his performance, would have been a good touch.
Finally, TeeTee and Por have given INCREDIBLE performances, and their ability to depict properly the character's growth was so well-done. I will go so far as to say a character like Duang worked only because of how brilliantly TeeTee brought his personality and traits to life. I also think that Por was able to capture the shift from hesitance to acceptance to devotion REALLY WELL. I'm looking forward to seeing both of them in future projects.
But first, I'd like to touch on a point I keep seeing about Duang's character; he is not "cringey" lol. I've seen people dismiss his character as childish because of his exaggerated declarations of love and his light-hearted design. But I think that reaction says more about our discomfort with emotional openness than about the character himself. He is unapologetically transparent about his feelings: he admits his affection towards Qin openly, shows up consistently, and never hides his devotion. Not only that, but he himself acknowledges that his behavior is heightened because of love. He exaggerates not out of immaturity, but as a deliberate choice to pursue and support the person he cares about. I want people to look beyond the surface when talking about him, because he is the one who never fails to show up, who provides stability and encouragement when it matters most. In a culture that often prizes stoicism and romanticizes "cold" characters, Duang, who wears his heart on his sleeve, can feel uncomfortable to watch. But that discomfort doesn’t mean he lacks depth. It's more your issue than his.
MOVING ON, this series had me giddy and kicking my feet the entire time. Watching Duang pursue Qin was both hilarious and heartwarming because his love is pure, but also so determined that giving up simply isn’t an option (and importantly, Qin’s consent is always respected). Their dynamic has you rooting for Duang all the time amongst the nervous anticipation, the joy of small gestures, the humor of awkward moments, and the tenderness of genuine connection. From a broader perspective I think this series depicts the FEELING of first love and the romance of youth.
Both leads undergo meaningful growth throughout the series. Duang learns to express his love in ways that Qin can accept, but also, his journey isn’t about BECOMING consistent, it’s about showing that his consistency has depth beyond romance. What evolves is how others, especially his father, come to see that commitment. Duang’s simplicity, following his heart without elaborate reasoning, can be misunderstood as a lack of seriousness. But he learns to show up in more ways than one. Qin, meanwhile, discovers that love isn’t something that holds you back, it’s something that propels you forward and makes you a braver version of yourself. He is able to take the decision to solve his conflict with his own parents, but he is able to do so at Duang's insistence and he is able to do so because he trusts Duang wholeheartedly. Initially he remains wary of Duang's affections, but slowly comes to fall for him, and also learns to showcase his own love in reciprocal ways.
Duang's friendship trio with Jamie and Pae is remarkably well written, and remarkably well acted by North and Wave. They're so supportive, never scared to poke fun at him in funny moments, but also never fail to call him out if he does something that he shouldn't have. They're as open as him at loving him and consistently show up, and their bond reinforces the idea that love shows up in many forms. Their presence really adds depth to the story.
I did deduct one point from the story because I wish Duang’s relationship with his family had been explored more fully, as Qin’s was. His struggles with consistency and the tension with his father, who clearly had certain concerns about Duang's choices in uni, could have added another layer to his character arc. Similarly, revisiting Qin’s parents toward the end, perhaps showing them at his performance, would have been a good touch.
Finally, TeeTee and Por have given INCREDIBLE performances, and their ability to depict properly the character's growth was so well-done. I will go so far as to say a character like Duang worked only because of how brilliantly TeeTee brought his personality and traits to life. I also think that Por was able to capture the shift from hesitance to acceptance to devotion REALLY WELL. I'm looking forward to seeing both of them in future projects.
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