From the end, because this is less a revenge drama and more of a cry for change, and it is so easy to overlook words:
"Across the world, there are approximately 169 million migrant workers, making up nearly 5% of the global workforce. Thailand has over 3 million documented migrant workers, with many more undocumented. The issue of illegal migration leads to deaths and disappearances during the journey. ... All people deserve basic happiness and dignity as human beings. ... The simplest form of equality we can give each other is kindness as fellow humans. To every breath, every hope, striving for a better life to care for those they love."
This is less a revenge drama and more about justice. It's said clearly in dialogue - Thicha isn't seeking revenge for herself, but justice for others, that no one else has to suffer.
The end is so painful, so full of grief, because anything less weakens the drama's call for justice, for change, that no one else has to suffer. Every note in the story leads to that. It skilfully intensifies and wraps our emotions up in Thicha and Padchai, and then shatters our hearts, delivering all of that intensity into the call for change.
Anything less offers us a way out, a convenient distraction. Why should we act? The baddies died, Phu was rescued, Thicha is alright after all and so are we, so why should we do anything? It's just a story.
Consider what follows our last views of Thicha, swallowed up in overwhelming grief and unmitigated loss. Statistics about migrant workers and trafficking worldwide, then back into the story for those involved who are more than characters. Each one of them represents a strand in the problem - wealthy elites looking down on the law and everyone else, contractors, lawyers, police, doctors (and implicitly other workers) who have contact but look away. Real life news stories, lest we forget the reality underlying the drama. And finally, imploring us to recognise the humanity of all.
The doctor serves as a model for change. He was close enough to know something was up, but chose to look the other way for far too long. Thai series do this sometimes, usually to the anger of US viewers who require retribution and will only accept a change of heart in an abusive romantic lead. That's part of the conversation and challenge this series presents to its country, to those who will listen - if you are in a position to suspect something, act. Change is possible, it is necessary. and maybe this is something you can do.
Everything in this builds, heightens, intensifies our emotions and delivers them directly - without mitigation - into a call for change. That will be the solace, the ray of hope, but only if we act. It's on us to find our own roles and help create a happier ending.
"The simplest form of equality we can give each other is kindness as fellow humans." Even if you can't find anything else to do, you can do this. We all can.
May it be heard. May we act on this, whatever country we are in.
Still reeling from the ending of Thicha - brilliantly acted, written and directed - and I stand by every time I've disagreed with the MDL mainstream and found something deeper in Koo's work, from comedy to psychological lakorn, social issues to deep trauma. And always with calls for social change. So much respect for his work.
This isn't about revenge but about justice, and above all it's a call on all levels of society to address human trafficking.
A happy ending weakens that call. Our emotions are wrapped up with Thicha and Padchai of course and the ending takes us from the pain and horror of that to the reality of what is being done to migrant workers.
It transitions from Thicha's overwhelming grief to a review of who's involved in these sorts of networks (wealthy elite, contractors, lawyers, police, doctors) to statistics on migrant workers and trafficking worldwide alongside calls to recognise their humanity.
The ending is a challenge to us to do something. Any happiness in it would make it easier to shrug and look away.
This isn't something that's happening in other countries, although it is worse in some. It's everywhere, yours too, and mine.
Is this still on iwantTFC? i searched for it but could only find series 2 and some behind the scenes thing. Not familiar with Filipino sites and practices at all.
Fantastic film-making. The use of music and silence, of low-lighting and shadows. The political and sexual revolutions of the 1960s and their challenges of social norms used for coming of age centred around a young woman. The time and space it gives to emotion.
I see it differently - some Thai directors are very skilled at incorporating serious aspects like trauma into…
My mental health is best when my viewing is Thai lightly seasoned with Japanese =D I like melancholy, but the Thai ways of wrapping warmth around that sort of emotion help. I understand what you mean. The whole crime/corruption/police nonsense was a string of ungrounded lakorn tropes. In a lakorn they'll mix them up, rather than linear like your list, but it will work because it's all better developed and explored. But of course the majority of MDL BL watchers don't know those tropes and the how they usually work, so you're all left to try to find some structure or explanation for the mess instead of they tried to shoehorn 30 hours of drama into comedy-series flavoured 9 and (dare I say failed? I don't know how Thais saw it). I wrote a review looking at it in those terms, in case it helps anyone. It's near the top of my Recent if you want to have a look.
This has just come onto GagaOOLala - they have some excellent films to stream, many indie and not otherwise available, especially legally. This is one, recommend it highly.
I really enjoy the dynamic between the main pairing, if just the plot could decide if it wants to be silly or…
I see it differently - some Thai directors are very skilled at incorporating serious aspects like trauma into comedy. That's not how western directors do it though, so it can be jarring for some. My criticism of the series is how it didn't really follow through on its ideas, less would have been more. It would start to develop something, like the beautiful care/trauma around Q's sleepwalking, and then skitter on to something else.
Anyone have any idea if Gaga is likely to drop the entire series at once or will they string it out even though…
Yeah, it's like two episodes a day so it does work. Barely, but it does =D Thanks for the reply. Now I know to plan ahead and make sure I'm not in the middle of anything else. It was your early comments about the series which got me interested too. Looking forward to it.
MANDATE is coming to GagaOOLala on December 19th, 2025!!!https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/6093/mandate-2025
Anyone have any idea if Gaga is likely to drop the entire series at once or will they string it out even though it's finished airing? My sub expires the 24th and I had planned to take a break for other things. But Monomax is hard to find legally.
The quiet depth of emotion they layer in is what's most important, but there were moments where the cinematography or the editing of a transition were breath-takingly good.
2 
4 
1 
1 
1 
1 
"Across the world,
there are approximately 169 million migrant workers, making up nearly 5% of the global workforce.
Thailand has over 3 million documented migrant workers, with many more undocumented.
The issue of illegal migration leads to deaths and disappearances during the journey.
...
All people deserve basic happiness and dignity as human beings.
...
The simplest form of equality we can give each other is kindness as fellow humans.
To every breath, every hope, striving for a better life to care for those they love."
The end is so painful, so full of grief, because anything less weakens the drama's call for justice, for change, that no one else has to suffer. Every note in the story leads to that. It skilfully intensifies and wraps our emotions up in Thicha and Padchai, and then shatters our hearts, delivering all of that intensity into the call for change.
Anything less offers us a way out, a convenient distraction. Why should we act? The baddies died, Phu was rescued, Thicha is alright after all and so are we, so why should we do anything? It's just a story.
Consider what follows our last views of Thicha, swallowed up in overwhelming grief and unmitigated loss. Statistics about migrant workers and trafficking worldwide, then back into the story for those involved who are more than characters. Each one of them represents a strand in the problem - wealthy elites looking down on the law and everyone else, contractors, lawyers, police, doctors (and implicitly other workers) who have contact but look away. Real life news stories, lest we forget the reality underlying the drama. And finally, imploring us to recognise the humanity of all.
The doctor serves as a model for change. He was close enough to know something was up, but chose to look the other way for far too long. Thai series do this sometimes, usually to the anger of US viewers who require retribution and will only accept a change of heart in an abusive romantic lead. That's part of the conversation and challenge this series presents to its country, to those who will listen - if you are in a position to suspect something, act. Change is possible, it is necessary. and maybe this is something you can do.
Everything in this builds, heightens, intensifies our emotions and delivers them directly - without mitigation - into a call for change. That will be the solace, the ray of hope, but only if we act. It's on us to find our own roles and help create a happier ending.
"The simplest form of equality we can give each other is kindness as fellow humans." Even if you can't find anything else to do, you can do this. We all can.
May it be heard. May we act on this, whatever country we are in.
A happy ending weakens that call. Our emotions are wrapped up with Thicha and Padchai of course and the ending takes us from the pain and horror of that to the reality of what is being done to migrant workers.
It transitions from Thicha's overwhelming grief to a review of who's involved in these sorts of networks (wealthy elite, contractors, lawyers, police, doctors) to statistics on migrant workers and trafficking worldwide alongside calls to recognise their humanity.
The ending is a challenge to us to do something. Any happiness in it would make it easier to shrug and look away.
This isn't something that's happening in other countries, although it is worse in some. It's everywhere, yours too, and mine.
https://kisskh.at/765739-dearly-beloved
https://letterboxd.com/actor/rita-martinez-3/
I understand what you mean. The whole crime/corruption/police nonsense was a string of ungrounded lakorn tropes. In a lakorn they'll mix them up, rather than linear like your list, but it will work because it's all better developed and explored.
But of course the majority of MDL BL watchers don't know those tropes and the how they usually work, so you're all left to try to find some structure or explanation for the mess instead of they tried to shoehorn 30 hours of drama into comedy-series flavoured 9 and (dare I say failed? I don't know how Thais saw it).
I wrote a review looking at it in those terms, in case it helps anyone. It's near the top of my Recent if you want to have a look.
My criticism of the series is how it didn't really follow through on its ideas, less would have been more. It would start to develop something, like the beautiful care/trauma around Q's sleepwalking, and then skitter on to something else.
Thanks for the reply. Now I know to plan ahead and make sure I'm not in the middle of anything else.
It was your early comments about the series which got me interested too. Looking forward to it.