Dg457

My introduction to BL content occurred in middle school. I had my "wattpad phase" and I started reading doujinshi simultaneously. During the pandemic, I watched Yuri On Ice, my first queer anime and shortly after that, I watched Heartstopper, my first queer tv series. While I had consumed various types of LGBTQ media, I hadn't watched any other live action series so I decided to start with Bad Buddy, in order to dip my toes into the BL industry.

Nevertheless, instead of dipping my toes only, I threw my whole body into the water. And I don't plan leaving anytime soon.

Bad Buddy is a modern day "Romeo and Juliet", only this time, between two boys. Pran and Pat had been taught to dislike each other since they were children. Their families shared a history of mutual rivalry, always competing against each other and the parents passed it down to their sons. Aside from the rivalry between their families, Pran and Pat find themselves clashing at university too, since their faculties oppose one another. Amidst this chaos, Pran and Pat find themselves drawn to each other and soon, romance blooms.

It didn't take too long for me to become invested in the story. The series was lighthearted and fun and I enjoyed Pran and Pat's shenanigans. From the very first episode, I could feel the tension between them. The more I watched and the more Pran and Pat's relationship unfolded, the harder I rooted for them. Through flashbacks, it was revealed that they never truly hated each other but it was always their families who put them against each other, causing the downfall of their friendship in the tenth grade. Having another chance to rekindle their relationship, Pran and Pat become closer again - only this time, old feelings resurface and get involved.

The production of the series was simple but efficient. There were various scenes which encapsulated Pran and Pat's emotions and the close-ups added more intimacy. Although it took me some time to get used to some editing choices regarding the camera angles or scene cuts, overall Bad Buddy's production was well-made, portraying the charming nature of the story perfectly.

I'd like to applaud the writing team about how they incorporated the product placements in the story. They worked as a foil for Pran and Pat's relationship and I found it both funny and cute, since I associated all of these products with the boys. Now, every time I'll look at a make-up remover, I'll think of Pran and Pat slowly wiping the face of each other or when I'll look at an iced tea, I'll remember about Pran leaving some bottles outside Pat's dorm.

The soundtrack was one of the most notable aspects. Since music had brought Pran and Pat closer in high school, it also helped them become close again in university. "Just Friends" conveyed the longing of both Pran and Pat while "Our Song" became what the title indicates: a song for Pran and Pat only. The alternative versions of the latter one, throughout the series, played a fundamental role in establishing the right atmosphere between the characters. It could be cheerful, nostalgic or sad but its association to the boys was a constant reminder of their love and devotion.

Although I am not familiar with the common tropes of Thai BLs, even I could tell that Bad Buddy did some things differently. First and foremost, I appreciated that the series didn't fall into the trap of introducing "gender roles" in a gay relationship. Pran himself pointed out that it's ridiculous to call one another "husband and wife" while they're both males. While this can be playful between couples, it's understandable that it establishes harmful stereotypes, by labelling the more "docile" partner as the female counterpart and the "stronger" one as the husband.

Another positive surprise was how the sexualities of the boys were handled. Pran was comfortable with being gay and his friends and family supported that. As for Pat, he had to come to terms with him being attracted to girls AND boys but instead of stretching that for as many episodes as possible, the realization (and acceptance) came naturally.

What ultimately shapes Bad Buddy as one of the most enjoyable BLs out there, is the relationship between Pran and Pat. And that cannot be attributed to none others than Nanon and Ohm. Their chemistry was so natural, it was as if they had gotten lost in their roles, getting absorbed by their characters. I couldn't take my eyes off them, completely in awe by their interactions and the portrayal of Pran and Pat's emotions. I rewatched many of their scenes and even know, after being done with the series, I miss having Pran and Pat on my screen.

The gradual build-up of Pran and Pat's relationship was handled perfectly. Not too rushed but not too stretched either. They needed to learn how to get along with each other again, clear up their feelings and then become an official couple. Their relationship was so healthy and I appreciated how they communicated their problems with each other instead of having too many misunderstandings as a couple.

I cannot imagine other actors as Pran and Pat. Nanon, through his expressions and eyes conveyed Pran's vulnerability perfectly and the same goes for Ohm as Pat. Their performances, albeit lighthearted for the majority of time, still carried so many emotions and the heavier scenes showcased Nanon and Ohm's talent more than enough.

The rest of the characters were very compelling. I adored Pa and Ink, Pa's banters with her brother, Pat were always playful and funny while Ink was so kind and supportive of the boys. I appreciate that she wasn't used as a mere decoy and she wasn't reduced to a girl who got "between" Pran and Pat. She was her own person with her own feelings and eventually, her own relationship. I just loved Ink and Pa's development, it was very plausible how they went from friends to lovers and they have become one of my most favourite side couples. Let's go, lesbians!

Korn, Pat's friend, also caught my attention. He surprised me with his supportive attitude towards Pat once he discovered his relationship with Pran. I enjoyed Drake's acting too, he didn't come across as cringe as I feared and he encapsulated Korn 's immature and playful personality in a charming way.

Bad Buddy was truly an endearing series but be it as it may be, some aspects regarding the writing could have been handled better. The story had a good pacing but there were some scenes which dragged it quite a bit since they were unnecessarily long. In the latest episodes, this got better but in the earlier ones it was quite a problem for me. I was watching and at the same time, I kept thinking for how long this scene would last.

Regarding the conflict between the parents and Pran and Pat's secrecy around their relationship, what I wished would have happened is for the boys to had stood up for themselves even more. I would have preferred it if they had made it clear to their parents that they wanted to be together no matter what. The ending was very positive and cathartic but Pran and Pat's plan to make their parents slowly warm up to the idea of them being together didn't feel great for me. It was as if they cared about their parents feelings more than their own, I know that they found a way to balance this but still, no child should have to live in the shadows just to please their parents.

Characterization in general was good but some of the side characters could have been written in more depth, in order to compliment the main couple more. Wai, Pran's friend, was a character who, to tell the truth, made me conflicted. He came across as too pressuring at times and his behavior towards Pran could've been better. I like this type of flawed characters but the series barely called out his behavior or made him truly apologize. He did something unfathomable later on and although he kinda atoned for this, I still didn't find it enough. It would have been better if he hadn't been portrayed in such a negative way, he could have been a good friend who cared about Pran and still make mistakes but the writer overdid it, thus making his character hard to fully enjoy. Fear not, however, for Jimmy's performance more than made up for everything.

With all things considered, Bad Buddy has earned a soft spot in my heart. It was a well-rounded series which centered around a beautiful romance, one of my most favourites in the recent years. I'm very happy for getting introduced to Thai BLs through Bad Buddy and I'll certainly miss my chaotic couple. I cannot recommend this series enough and if anyone thinks of starting watching it, I say go for it!