This review may contain spoilers
A feel-good show that's mostly average on all fronts
I am a longtime BL watcher and know Saint from his own shows back in the day, as well as, the productions he leads as CEO of IdolFactory more recently. I must say, after The Sign with BillyBabe and GAP and The Loyal Pin with FreenBecky, I was expecting a higher quality of production in terms of the story and acting.
I will not harp on the suspension of disbelief required to believe Saint as Chief Jom (seriously, his skin glows with an irridescence that is IMPOSSIBLE if you spend even 5 mins a day in the sun). The entire village of Pho Chai is populated by actors who look like genuine villagers and then we have Yo and Jom, who look like they have walked off a Yves Saint Laurent photoshoot. lol
Even if you move past this initial hiccup 👀, the story is paper thin. MSJ is just episode after episode of a huge cast of characters interacting on and off. The characterization is shallower than a teaspoon and the plot is non-existent.
For example— Yo, by episode 8 or 9, suddenly comes to have a massive crush on Jom. He is a character whose shown to only have crushes on girls before this, so there needs to be a proper build-up for this relationship that is suddenly so important to him. Yes, Jom is kind to Yo, but he is kind to everyone. Also, its not like Yo is starved for kindness because of which Jom might seem super appealing to him. Yo has parents who love and coddle him and is generally a rich, spoiled kid who has had a pretty easy life. So why does Yo suddenly come to like Jom you ask? Because the show needs him to.
The "skinship" between Jom and Yo is pretty minimal, by today's Thai drama standards and I think I prefer that. I am not so hung up on the casts' real ages— they are legal adults who can make decisions for themselves. BUT, in the show, Chief Jom is AT LEAST in his late twenties, having finished college a while back and having served as chief of the village for 2-3 years. And Yo is still completing high school?? Da fuq are these showmakers smoking? Why couldn't Yo be a college student instead? It would have made their relationship a lot more palatable. The only reprieve is that Poom, who plays Yo, is built and really does not have the body of a highschooler, so it makes this otherwise disturbing relationship go down a bit easier.
The acting is pretty mediocre as well. Saint does an okay job as Chief Jom, but Poom is very limited in his range. His weak acting is especially evident in episodes where he needs to cry or show any intense emotions. The granny character is overacting in every scene and she grates my nerves. The supporting kiddy cast are all okay and are just enough for the limited side characters they are playing.
Overall, its not like MSJ promised us some worldbending storyline or anything, but this show is extremely mediocre. I was expecting a lot better from Saint and his production house, especially since good storytelling and quality productions are their specialty.
I will not harp on the suspension of disbelief required to believe Saint as Chief Jom (seriously, his skin glows with an irridescence that is IMPOSSIBLE if you spend even 5 mins a day in the sun). The entire village of Pho Chai is populated by actors who look like genuine villagers and then we have Yo and Jom, who look like they have walked off a Yves Saint Laurent photoshoot. lol
Even if you move past this initial hiccup 👀, the story is paper thin. MSJ is just episode after episode of a huge cast of characters interacting on and off. The characterization is shallower than a teaspoon and the plot is non-existent.
For example— Yo, by episode 8 or 9, suddenly comes to have a massive crush on Jom. He is a character whose shown to only have crushes on girls before this, so there needs to be a proper build-up for this relationship that is suddenly so important to him. Yes, Jom is kind to Yo, but he is kind to everyone. Also, its not like Yo is starved for kindness because of which Jom might seem super appealing to him. Yo has parents who love and coddle him and is generally a rich, spoiled kid who has had a pretty easy life. So why does Yo suddenly come to like Jom you ask? Because the show needs him to.
The "skinship" between Jom and Yo is pretty minimal, by today's Thai drama standards and I think I prefer that. I am not so hung up on the casts' real ages— they are legal adults who can make decisions for themselves. BUT, in the show, Chief Jom is AT LEAST in his late twenties, having finished college a while back and having served as chief of the village for 2-3 years. And Yo is still completing high school?? Da fuq are these showmakers smoking? Why couldn't Yo be a college student instead? It would have made their relationship a lot more palatable. The only reprieve is that Poom, who plays Yo, is built and really does not have the body of a highschooler, so it makes this otherwise disturbing relationship go down a bit easier.
The acting is pretty mediocre as well. Saint does an okay job as Chief Jom, but Poom is very limited in his range. His weak acting is especially evident in episodes where he needs to cry or show any intense emotions. The granny character is overacting in every scene and she grates my nerves. The supporting kiddy cast are all okay and are just enough for the limited side characters they are playing.
Overall, its not like MSJ promised us some worldbending storyline or anything, but this show is extremely mediocre. I was expecting a lot better from Saint and his production house, especially since good storytelling and quality productions are their specialty.
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