I watched it a second time and I loved it even more. No heavy drama. Just a really nice simple storyabout friends…
Because of the time constraint, a lot of development has to be quick, but the overall tone of the episode felt good. I'm loving how there are no real toxic characters just for the sake of drama. Ryu could have become a stalker, but instead, let the puppy love pass. Shows that Wabi Sabi could do a good MF couple. Great acting all around the entire series too!
That was a nice way to get Liying to not be interested in Sato, and Bo Chun to know he's into guys. Why aren't these episodes longer? They are absolutely slaying the quarantine communications format! Hope Bo Chun is OK.
Has some amazing potential. Fresh new characters for a Thai BL. The setting is magnificent, the cinematography great, with just a few hiccups here and there, mainly in transitions. The incidental themes are wow quality. The acting is very good.
However: This slow-burn formula is not really working best. The main environment of the restaurant is so fast-paced. They convey that well by the sped-up kitchen scenes. The rest of the drama could have followed suit without missing a beat. If we needed filler there are more than enough characters for secondary stories. Those awkward pauses in the dialogue. Why? Is there no other way to show emotion and convey feelings? What's really going on with Chef? We are told he is 2nd place and Chef Eve came to taunt him, but why? He is the strong, silent type but that scene with him throwing a tantrum at night with the dishes means he has some anger issues?
Don't get me wrong: I'm enjoying the development, just hoping for some more speed and resolutions, not to mention more Thai and fusion recipies. Right now it feels like a better structured and slower My Day.
I think this was a great series. The first time actors did an excellent job. The flashbacks told the other protagonist's…
I find the flashbacks to be quite developing for the story. If it was linear with them in school then Nut finds out Phob is sick it wouldn't have the same effect. This way it looked like Phob just couldn't say goodbye, then we got the truth. It was quite well executed IMHO. Great for Mean's directorial debut. One question, though: will many of the young 'uns understand payphones, CDs, and Nokia cellphones with buttons? :D
Talk about subverting expectations! I thought this would be crap, but it was surprisingly refreshing.
Things that hit me: 1. I thought IG's mom would be the somewhat villain. She didn't look like mom of the year initially, allowing IG to take time off from school and how she seemed to be a busy mom at first. Boy was this wrong! They developed her amazingly! 2. The real villain started out being the good guy, Tunwa. 3. IG's grandmother! Just an epic character! 4. From the opening it looked more like some silly story like You Never Eat Alone, only to be good with nice threads. 5. The music is quite fitting: upbeat and positive. 6. Ohm and Champ are slightly darker than the normal, milky white Thai protagonist stereotype. 7. I'm a sucker for stories with the genesis of someone moving on in life, (Part Time is still my all-time favourite Asian drama) so the opening of this was just perfection. Seeing Ruk transition to Bangkok was just great! 8. Champ has such a confused confused look! Well put to use here! 8. The story had good pacing with not a dull moment. The secondary couple got good, organic development and sufficient screen time. 9. All the characters had chemistry in their interactions. The boys fighting was comedic and well-choreographed. The crying after was just perfect for comic effect (Ep.1). 10. Good to see not all the male characters "realise" they like other males as is so cliche in these dramas. Tong even makes a move on Noinei in Ep. 12.
Things that could have been better: 1. The conflict with Ruk's dad. Why do these dramas see it fit that the character most against the BL character just suddenly comes around? Come on! Make it at least a little challenging. Something like, "I really don't 100% agree, but if it makes you happy . . ." 2. The opening credits could be a little more serious. Yes, it's fun but does not really relate to how good the story is. Great opening song BTW. 3. The Cheerleading Club could have shown some more disdain for the Football Club. I get that they are all friends in their group and with IG, but that rivalry could have been a little more than it was. 4. We could have been introduced to IG's family being musically inclined a little earlier on.
All in all, this was a good, light story with no terrible, unnecessary drama nor really toxic characters. Too many dramas think they must include toxicity to gain good ratings. It's not all about that. We just have characters reacting to situations.
This was the ideal drama for the international market. Nine days and gr8digit could have gained a lot of positive exposure with this one.
Yatch really surprised me with his acting in Ep.2. So far we've seen him in some comical roles, but he has a good range. Maya joins the list of very pretty Thai actresses :) I hope Earth will not be typecast into this damsel in distress role. He was quite a good supporting character in Ep.2. Just like Gun, I want to see him in some strong roles.
Not being one really into rom-coms and just finding them funny for the usual plot-holes and tropes, this one was actually quite refreshing. The characters were developed well. The background characters remained that: background; and the story, while predictable, developed organically. Chemistry was on-point among all the actors. Paper was used quite well to move the plot forward without being overbearing, tiresome or a plot contrivance. I always liked Jenny's acting and here only proved it more. She is quite adaptable, from the badass in 3 Will be Free, to the more funny portrayal of Pang here. Hope to see her again in an even more leading role. It was epic how Wisa started out being the villain, but we saw her true motivations for what she did and she became a sympathetic character perfectly. All in all a good one for GMM TV!
So of all the potential couples, you expected a happy ending for EakPhob? Really? I mean, Eak was as straight…
That is the only thing that was good in the show! If Phob had chosen Eak in the end then it would have received a 1 rating from me! Phob finally has a chance to move on with someone else and get over his feeling for you and now you want him? As What? A pet?
Not a bad premier for Mean's directorial debut. He is quite competent as a director.
How did they manage to de-age Title so well? Nut looks different as his younger self than his older only by a haircut? He looks like 4 years had passed.
It's quite nice that the main characters are the actual focus. We see the support as just that, support. No mistaking who the mains are and we are not getting bogged down with too many side stories, nor are they going missing like in SOTUS.
Wasn't really expecting much from this, but it is good in the originality of the story and allround cinematogrophy.
Wow, wow, wow. The very best of the best of the best out of the Phillipines! I thought being in person rather than the internet would spoil the atmosphere, but...! One of the most tasteful sex scenes in a BL! Epic writing Ash Malanum! Salamat (thank you) Ivan Andrew Payawal for bringing it to life! Elijah, hats off to you, but Kokoy you really stole this one!
Whenever they allow international fans to pay I will be doing just that!
Apart from Gun hamming it up just a tad, it was, at least, a different story that wasn't too bad. 15 episodes may have brought a better conclusion. We could have seen Sun rebelling with his father a little more and the girls' reactions for some more time. For the very least it was good that the story didn't end with the gangsters' fight and Phupha just having an epiphany that Sky and Sun should be together.
Ryu could have become a stalker, but instead, let the puppy love pass.
Shows that Wabi Sabi could do a good MF couple.
Great acting all around the entire series too!
Why aren't these episodes longer? They are absolutely slaying the quarantine communications format!
Hope Bo Chun is OK.
However:
This slow-burn formula is not really working best. The main environment of the restaurant is so fast-paced. They convey that well by the sped-up kitchen scenes. The rest of the drama could have followed suit without missing a beat. If we needed filler there are more than enough characters for secondary stories.
Those awkward pauses in the dialogue. Why? Is there no other way to show emotion and convey feelings?
What's really going on with Chef? We are told he is 2nd place and Chef Eve came to taunt him, but why? He is the strong, silent type but that scene with him throwing a tantrum at night with the dishes means he has some anger issues?
Don't get me wrong: I'm enjoying the development, just hoping for some more speed and resolutions, not to mention more Thai and fusion recipies. Right now it feels like a better structured and slower My Day.
It was quite well executed IMHO.
Great for Mean's directorial debut.
One question, though: will many of the young 'uns understand payphones, CDs, and Nokia cellphones with buttons? :D
Things that hit me:
1. I thought IG's mom would be the somewhat villain. She didn't look like mom of the year initially, allowing IG to take time off from school and how she seemed to be a busy mom at first. Boy was this wrong! They developed her amazingly!
2. The real villain started out being the good guy, Tunwa.
3. IG's grandmother! Just an epic character!
4. From the opening it looked more like some silly story like You Never Eat Alone, only to be good with nice threads.
5. The music is quite fitting: upbeat and positive.
6. Ohm and Champ are slightly darker than the normal, milky white Thai protagonist stereotype.
7. I'm a sucker for stories with the genesis of someone moving on in life, (Part Time is still my all-time favourite Asian drama) so the opening of this was just perfection. Seeing Ruk transition to Bangkok was just great!
8. Champ has such a confused confused look! Well put to use here!
8. The story had good pacing with not a dull moment. The secondary couple got good, organic development and sufficient screen time.
9. All the characters had chemistry in their interactions. The boys fighting was comedic and well-choreographed. The crying after was just perfect for comic effect (Ep.1).
10. Good to see not all the male characters "realise" they like other males as is so cliche in these dramas. Tong even makes a move on Noinei in Ep. 12.
Things that could have been better:
1. The conflict with Ruk's dad. Why do these dramas see it fit that the character most against the BL character just suddenly comes around? Come on! Make it at least a little challenging. Something like, "I really don't 100% agree, but if it makes you happy . . ."
2. The opening credits could be a little more serious. Yes, it's fun but does not really relate to how good the story is. Great opening song BTW.
3. The Cheerleading Club could have shown some more disdain for the Football Club. I get that they are all friends in their group and with IG, but that rivalry could have been a little more than it was.
4. We could have been introduced to IG's family being musically inclined a little earlier on.
All in all, this was a good, light story with no terrible, unnecessary drama nor really toxic characters. Too many dramas think they must include toxicity to gain good ratings. It's not all about that. We just have characters reacting to situations.
This was the ideal drama for the international market. Nine days and gr8digit could have gained a lot of positive exposure with this one.
Maya joins the list of very pretty Thai actresses :)
I hope Earth will not be typecast into this damsel in distress role. He was quite a good supporting character in Ep.2. Just like Gun, I want to see him in some strong roles.
The characters were developed well. The background characters remained that: background; and the story, while predictable, developed organically. Chemistry was on-point among all the actors.
Paper was used quite well to move the plot forward without being overbearing, tiresome or a plot contrivance.
I always liked Jenny's acting and here only proved it more. She is quite adaptable, from the badass in 3 Will be Free, to the more funny portrayal of Pang here. Hope to see her again in an even more leading role.
It was epic how Wisa started out being the villain, but we saw her true motivations for what she did and she became a sympathetic character perfectly.
All in all a good one for GMM TV!
How did they manage to de-age Title so well? Nut looks different as his younger self than his older only by a haircut? He looks like 4 years had passed.
It's quite nice that the main characters are the actual focus. We see the support as just that, support. No mistaking who the mains are and we are not getting bogged down with too many side stories, nor are they going missing like in SOTUS.
Wasn't really expecting much from this, but it is good in the originality of the story and allround cinematogrophy.
Hoping for a non Grey Rainbow ending . . .
The very best of the best of the best out of the Phillipines!
I thought being in person rather than the internet would spoil the atmosphere, but...!
One of the most tasteful sex scenes in a BL!
Epic writing Ash Malanum! Salamat (thank you) Ivan Andrew Payawal for bringing it to life!
Elijah, hats off to you, but Kokoy you really stole this one!
Whenever they allow international fans to pay I will be doing just that!
For the very least it was good that the story didn't end with the gangsters' fight and Phupha just having an epiphany that Sky and Sun should be together.
Interesting plot and resolution!