Foreigner

When are we going to see some progress with Blue and Dew? I mean, they only have 5 episodes to go from arch enemies to lovers now. I'm actually curious to see what will make them change their minds.

Their chemistry is no joke, their scenes have become my favorites in the show!

I still have a problem with this series and at this point I'm pretty sure that my impression won't change -- I mean, it's far too late to suddently start liking the series.
That being said, the pace in this episode was SO MUCH BETTER. I still think that the direction and editing of the show need some polishing, but for me this is the best episode among the latest ones in terms of plot, progress and screentime ratio. We also got a lot of JapanTanthai, so my heart can be happy.

P.S. I like the fact that Tutor's sister included age and status as well in her speech about the freedom to love (https://imgur.com/a/qX4e3ln).

Exactly, I agree with every single word you said. You expressed my point of view wonderfully. I'm glad we had the same experience through this drama.

P.S. You said this drama transcends its genre. I also think it does. This is not a BL, it's a universal love story that has nothing to do with gender. It's pure love.

"Like I know people always say "consistency is key" but consistent bad editing and fast pacing just won't do it for this series": I literally laughed while reading this, but you are so right. I totally agree with you.

I agree. I really don't think they will close this series with a bad ending since the whole mood is so parodic and comical.

At this point I don't care about what other people say because reading so many negative reviews and comments only hurts me.

For me this drama is a milestone in the history of Thai BLs. The approach of P'New is revolutionary compared to the standard BLs -- it was preceded only by He's Coming To Me -- in that it doesn't center only around the love affair, but there's also a dramatic sub-plot. It's a pity that some people couldn't grasp that. The story was interesting, moving and deep and it tackled important subjects, such as homophobia, domestic violence, suicide, friendship and forgiveness; the mystery was complex, compelling and thoroughly developed; the emotions of the characters were raw and relatable. I've cried my eyes out in the last episodes and that proves how engaged I was at that point.
As Lady Musashi has wrote in her review, this drama "transcends its genre", in fact it's hard to call it a BL. For me it's a universal love story and it has nothing to do with gender. Because love is love, it's the same no matter who you are.
Also, this is hands down the best production by P'New so far: good filming quality, wonderful close-ups, beautiful lighting and color-grading, meticoulous attention to every detail (e.g. the color of the furniture in the locker room).

I just want to say that I've binge-watched it in 3 days and my experience was probably different from the one of those who have followed it week by week. I believe it's better to watch it in one sitting.

Maybe you are right. I've also checked out the online diagrams about MAME's fictional universe (https://imgur.com/a/rIKH64v) and this thorough post about MAME's LBC-related novels (https://www.wattpad.com/amp/631216157), but there's no sign of Champ.

Edit: from the reactions online it seems that Champ's novel still hasn't been released. I guess that either MAME is in the process of writing it or she will only add it to the script of the tv series.

"I can't speak Thai, but I can speak emotions". I'm going to add this to my list of cheesy quotes I like.

I honestly prefer waiting 2 days and getting quality subs to having messy subs earlier. To each his own, though.

This series has a ridiculous amount of flaws, but I've fallen in love with JapanTanthai. Their part was my favourite in episode 6. Beautiful set, wonderful light and colour-grading, great editing, perfect music and strong chemistry between the two actors. That scene alone is a 10/10 for me.

Exactly. People keep defending the series by saying that this show is supposed to be a parody and shouldn't be taken too seriously, but its poor quality has nothing to do with the genre. If it's meant to be a parody, then it's a bad one.

I am grateful for their hardwork, but if the subtitles are not good -- or worse, don't make sense --, we have all the right to complain. First, our feedbacks are important for them to improve, in fact they have recently said that they are looking for new translators. Second, apparently the views on LINE TV generate revenues, so they ARE making money while releasing a poor-quality product. Third, be it free or not, that doesn't excuse the bad or missing subs. There are TONS of fans out there who translate movies, series or books FOR FREE and they do a wonderful job, using the right words, giving insights and adding explanations when it's needed (e.g. for puns, word plays or culture-related things). They are dedicated and their translations are accurate... and it's not even their job! Now, probably these people get paid for their translations, but they can't seem to be doing it right. I AM grateful that they think about international fans and provide official links and subtitles (even if we should remember that they do it for money, for themselves and the Thai BL market, not only for us), but they can still improve and, as I said before, they need feedbacks in order to do that. Negative comments are actually good for them if that means getting better.

I also think they could have handled the release of the subs better. If the subs weren't ready, they shouldn't have put them in the first place. Instead, they should have written a notice on their official account apologising for the delay, and return when everything was okay. This is my opinion anyway.

Honestly, the screentime ratio in the latest episode is ridiculous. We got 16 mins of Zon and Saifah and 37 mins of SaintZee.

I don't understand why everyone is bashing this show.

I started watching Dark Blue Kiss with very low expectations because of all the negative reviews I had read before. I had even heard someone saying that this show doesn't stand a chance against the great releases of 2019, but after finishing it I must disagree: Dark Blue Kiss has every right to be considered one of the best and like a fine wine, it gets better with age. The more I think about what I've seen in this series, the more I appreciate it.

What I enjoyed the most was Tay and New's acting. It felt so natural -- the most natural I've ever witnessed in a BL -- and their interactions were credible and realistic. Since Pete and Kao have been in a relationship for three years, we shouldn't expect them to be still all lovey-dovey and passionate -- but believe me when I say that despite the lack of skinship, you can clearly feel the love, real love -- and their daily lives to be super exciting -- rather, they are as boring and routine-driven as everyone's; but in the end it's exactly that mundanity that makes this drama special. Of course, there's also some drama and its name is Non. Non is the perfect antagonist: arrogant, confident, cheecky and persistent. AJ fits that role perfectly and brings his characters to life, spicing up Pete and Kao's storyline.
I can't move onto the other couple without mentioning Pete's father. The relationship between Pete and his father is really beautiful. They are so open to each other, they talk about everything and they have no secrets. Pete's father is very cool, he helps and supports his son and he even asks him about his relationship with Kao. He wants to be a good father for Pete and so he tries to understand him and know more about his sexuality and what or who he loves. He's definitely the best parental figure I've ever seen in a BL.

SunMork was also an interesting pair. The way they develop feelings for each other is very natural, you almost don't notice it. I'd compare it to having a child: you don't realize they are growing up because you constantly have them before your eyes and the changes happen too slowly and subtly to be able to grasp them; then, one day you look back and see the difference. Overall, I found their storyline enjoyable.

That being said, I'd recommend this drama to everyone. If you are hesitant, just go for it. You could be surprised.

I totally agree with you, you summed up my thoughts very well. It's so disheartening. Honestly, this episode put me in a bad mood and I think I will have to take a little break from this series and other BLs for a few days :/

I've collected various comments I agree with:

"Scenes just happen, Zon's personality changes every 5 minutes"

"It's all about humor and fanservice. Argh...It could be so much more than this..."

"The script is sooo weak... too much fan service... If they don't start providing better stories, I'm out. This is just not fun anymore when you feel like losing brain cells watching a series. Just make it a bit smarter for once! Is there really no capable writer out there? Is it that hard?"

"With every episode I was more and more confused why the focus is so much on Fighter and Tutur while Zon and Saifah lost so much screen time" and "it's frustrating watching Saifah and Zon be pushed to the side"

"So... how many bathrooms does Tutor have and why?" and "I wish I was struggling with money too if that means having such a nice place with a bathroom this size..." -- this shows how inconsistent this series is.

"I didn’t like how they cut off some scenes"

"WTH IS WRONG WITH THE SUBTITLES?"

"STOP the annoying sound effects !!!"

Whose acting would you consider the best, then? I'm genuinly interested in your opinion.

I'm so disappointed in this series. This drama is pure, rambling, groundless fanservice and I... sometimes I do find myself enjoying that, but most of the time I can't stand it. It's just too much. Apart from the fanservice, there's little more. The story doesn't seem to progress a lot, the pace is completely off, the ratio of ZonSaifah to TutorFighter is always unequal, sometimes the editing isn't accurate and the scenes aren't sewn together well. Honestly, what saves this show is Zee. His acting is solid (I like to say that he acts with his eyes; they always tell us exactly what he is feeling or thinking) and his character is the only interesting one: he is gay and apparently he is starting to open up about his sexuality. Since they are going to introduce his father, my guess is that they are going to talk about family issues and acceptance as well. That confirms my theory: Fighter's storyline is the only worth-watching one.
Also, sometimes I slightly get offended by their parodies. It feels like they are making fun of BL fans... I'm not a trash bin, I won't take any fanservice you throw at me, you know? And Natee and Junior's overacting isn't getting any better. There are people who like it, but I don't, it's just not my style.
Oh, and what about the missing subtitles? I was so confused.

Now I don't know what to do. The only reason that keeps me going is Zee.

LOL