I came back bc I went to the TP comment section to reminisce and found your review! Something that stood out to me was that you said "The plot didn’t feel particularly strong to me at first" referring to the first two ep then you binged the rest and liked it... maybe you'll enjoy You Maniac more if you binge it later? I'm joking but I just found it interesting that you too were not into ThamePo at first
The comparison with ThamePo made laugh bc I remember back then ppl saying ThamePo was boring, predictable, complaining about actor screen time... Personally, I don't call any show a masterpiece but I feel like it is a word that is very common in fandom space so I wouldn't give it to much weight. I will give you the reason why I have enjoyed the first 3 eps of You maniac a bit more than the first three of ThampPo ( I really liked TP too, I think I rated it a 9)
- ThamePo was story driven, it was mainly about getting the band together and the romance was kind of a side plot. Thame and Po were mainly nice guy who were really to sacrifice fr their friends and love one. Then you have Dean and Moth who are not black and white. They are not red flag in the sense that they are abusers but they have some traits that someone could consider as a red flag if they were interested romantically.
- In ep 1, I perceived the characters a certain way: Dean the smug playboy who doesn't hesitate to cut ppl off when they get too clingy, Moth the beauty who just doesn't want to date. Then ep 2 made me realized that Dean is actually a very caring boy, which probably explain why he is able to remain "friend" with his exes. Moth, who I thought was an ice queen is the one reaching out to Dean not once but twice? Then we realized that they are actually a lot more similar than expected in the sense that they are both lonely ppl but they face their loneliness differently. Finally ep 3, my fav so far bc to me it was a rollercoaster, the beginning had me wondering if I thought wrong of Dean, is he just a playboy with veery good game after all or does he really care? The whole dates debacle, they both hated it yet none of them is calling it quit like we've seen them do in the first ep? The tension during their fight? Chef's kiss, it had my stomach in a knot. After all the back and forth, waiting for three hours hungry and being called dumb, Dean still had hope Moth will stop him when he said "I am leaving now", then Moth who has to win every time and has to have the last word replies with a cold "what are you waiting for" just to look back at Dean leaving. Then again, after the talk with Pun, Moth is the one reaching out to Dean first. Why can't he let it go, he is like Moth to a flame with Dean. I have so much more to say about those two, theirs layers and the contradictions that make them so human but let me stop here lol.
- Ten and Pun, two peas in a pod. I don't mind them not telling us how Ten knows all this about Pun (maybe they will in future ep, maybe they won't) just how they are not literally spelling how Pun knows that Moth unfollowed Dean. They are both snoopers probably checking social media and eavesdropping (in Ten's case). I love Ten tho, another character that I feel is very human. He is selfish and inexperienced, he wants Pun and doesn't care about anything else, doesn't consider the feelings of anybody involve in his scheme even Pun's. That scene where he just casually drops that Dean and Moth are together on Moth's birthday and doesn't even register that Pun is hurting is an example.
After all this tho, taste is personal. You mentioned a few G4 show up there and out of all of them Moonlight Chicken is definitely my fav! MSP and my love mix up were not my cup of tea but I can appreciate that MSP was by far better and why ppl loved it so much. TTH had a few scene that really made me feel something, and I enjoyed watching it but it is not something that I would rewatch for example. Personally, those 3 eps were enough to make me interested into DeanMoth and their addicting personalities. I relate so much to much to Moth ( I felt so called out by Pun in that phone call) yet can emphasized with Dean. "Dean trying to win over the cold and hard to read Moth" is it really what's happening? Bc so far I feel like Moth is easier to read AND the one going to Dean.
yeah seems like it is the director stylistic choice and you can tell by how red their mouth were that they went at it for a while. i would be lying if i said it bothered me but i see your point!
i don’t think it’s fair to compare to thamepo who had their first kiss after their feelings were there/establish. i do like those kiss scene, i think they are hot, rushed driven more by lust than feelings and the background music kinda reflect that too.. also, isn’t it a good thing if all their characters kiss scenes feel different 👀
cant tell if the story is good or williamest's chemistry?
i think it is safe to say that it is both? the whole story is character driven so i feel like they go hand in hand? it’s not like thamepo for example where the main story was bringing the band back together and TP were kinda secondary
So they're trying to make everyone a good guy now? I guess in the final ep, Pemika will turn out to be a kind-hearted…
I don’t really think they are. Earn didn’t change and still trash. And with Mick, I feel they just added a layer to his character? Like Jun said ‘He let you keep going as long as it didn’t affect him’ so deep down he is still very much a lazy coward. But lazy coward can love too right? lol
To me this whole episode was more centered around the notion of success and value. Po had everything he wished…
I think they wanted to show how the fandoms can be toxic and affect their idol, I don't really think the show is trying to give us a solution on how to fix toxic fan behavior. They would probably need a whole dedicated series for that. The themes that I have picked up on: can the person leaving hurt too? What's your worth? Is your worth measured by what society deems as successful? Tpop industry: how groups can appear united but are not, how groups/idol have very little say in what goes on, how their creativity is owned by the companies, how sometimes when an idol is announced to be 'sick' he might no be, how Korea is seen as the st Graal but maybe should not ... I feel like toxic fandoms was just one of them not the main so it doesn't really make sense to me to have more episode dedicated to it.
And since you don't mind spoilers
In the end mars parts way with oner and the couple get back together, meaning that they get to be idol AND have a relationship and they will get to decide how to face any fandom backlash.
Don't get me wrong, it was a pretty good episode. I just feel like it was just stretched to make it a 13 episodes…
To me this whole episode was more centered around the notion of success and value. Po had everything he wished for yet he felt empty. Then with the conversation in the tailor shop he realises that success can be different to what society deems as successful and he has a clear example with the Uncle. Not only does the uncle tell him that he is fine with nkt having a dream but then he gets to see him being happy helping a customer. The episode also helps tying loose ends before the big finale, it showcase Po characters development with how he stands up to Earn and gives up a career he was one desperate to have without batting an eyelash. With the letter, he can now confidently claim his man with no fear of being an obstacle bc he now knows what success means to thame.
Now regarding the fandom issue, i don’t really know what more there is to say? they showcase the ugly truth of those fans going feral when their fav date but being ok with the grp separating since it’s for their ‘career’. We saw how the company dealt with it already and we know how mars wanted to deal with it but couldn’t. they built it up so far to show how MARS and oner’s vision on success and how to deal with fandom are different and we’ll get to see the end of it next week! Hope that helps
Ep 10, 11, and 12 each had their own msg and combining them for the sake of having less ep would have done a disservice to the storyline imo
I don’t know if it’s just me… but to me this episode was more about realizing what success was than “getting the band together” kinda thing.
Po is finally “successful” but feels empty. Last EP he got the answer to his question: ppl that do the leaving can be hurt too.. but now what?
After talking with the uncle and reading Thame’s letter, he finally realizes that although society deems him as successful, that is not the success that he want ( see how he did not hesitate to give the badge to Pemika? Did not try to give an explanation? When in EP1, when Thaame tried to get him fired he was pleading and holding onto it) and he knows now that it is not the kind of success that Thame wants as well. With this knowledge he can now go and get his man back without overthinking and fearing he will be the "downfall" of his career.
This ep in itself had a story to tell about success, and next ep will have a different story, so no, I don’t think they could have just been merged them together. One of the beauty of Thame Po, to me (read that again), is the storytelling. Even down to the way the YouTube ep are cut, you can tell the director had a certain way of telling her story in mind and she was not compromising just to fit the usual ep length, usual series length or somewhat equal part length. Might be slow to some people, but I am loving the pace and savoring every minute of it.
Its kinda disappointing this ep was all about reuniting the group once again instead of reuniting Thame and Po.…
idk, I saw it more as “gotta get my man back”. Po was really only looking for Thame, it’s Mars that came to Po bc them too want Thame back 😭. And now Thame that used to “save” everybody is the one being “saved”
When did he act clueless he was actually the one expecting things when Thame was thinking innocently bc it is…
Maybe he just didn’t think that he would happen so soon? And he had every reason to be panicked and flustered imo: having sex with a person after being in a relationship can be awkward, you’re used to doing it with one person and now you have to bare yourself to a new person - flustering. Then practicalities: is my place clean? Am I wearing good underwear? Did I shave? etc - can cause you to panic.
The morning after scene felt so real to me with that little push, like why are you looking at me while I’m sleeping. And Po is entitled to acting cute with his new bf, that part I don’t really understand but after seeing couples in their 50s doing aegyo in korea, I have accepted that it is just something that some ppl do 😂
All these were my opinions as an introvert myself which might be why it is easier for me to relate/understand Po’s actions. I don’t think there is a template on how ‘grown’ ppl shld act and while I agree that bl have a tendency to give us those naive character, I definetely don’t see it in Po.
I saw a few comment criticizing Po’s character and when I can agree that not every character can be to everyone’s taste, before you judge a character DECENTER yourself first. Don’t set yourself or your culture as the standard bc the world is vast with an array of different ppl.
“What kind of grown man gets flustered when..” a lot, a lot. Your crush coming to your place for the first time and seemingly wanting seggs is flustering imo. Is my place clean, am I wearing good underwear? Did I shave (don’t know if this applies to Po but you get the gist lol), lots of reasons to be flustered.
Also Po has given A LOT. To his ex, to mars, to Thame. So he deserves all the love he is receiving from Thame. Tbh, I am still salty abt ep 3 when Po stayed in that room for hours, putting together the lyrics just for Thame to be like “oh we don’t need it anymore”?!
K-Drama 
- ThamePo was story driven, it was mainly about getting the band together and the romance was kind of a side plot. Thame and Po were mainly nice guy who were really to sacrifice fr their friends and love one. Then you have Dean and Moth who are not black and white. They are not red flag in the sense that they are abusers but they have some traits that someone could consider as a red flag if they were interested romantically.
- In ep 1, I perceived the characters a certain way: Dean the smug playboy who doesn't hesitate to cut ppl off when they get too clingy, Moth the beauty who just doesn't want to date. Then ep 2 made me realized that Dean is actually a very caring boy, which probably explain why he is able to remain "friend" with his exes. Moth, who I thought was an ice queen is the one reaching out to Dean not once but twice? Then we realized that they are actually a lot more similar than expected in the sense that they are both lonely ppl but they face their loneliness differently. Finally ep 3, my fav so far bc to me it was a rollercoaster, the beginning had me wondering if I thought wrong of Dean, is he just a playboy with veery good game after all or does he really care? The whole dates debacle, they both hated it yet none of them is calling it quit like we've seen them do in the first ep? The tension during their fight? Chef's kiss, it had my stomach in a knot. After all the back and forth, waiting for three hours hungry and being called dumb, Dean still had hope Moth will stop him when he said "I am leaving now", then Moth who has to win every time and has to have the last word replies with a cold "what are you waiting for" just to look back at Dean leaving. Then again, after the talk with Pun, Moth is the one reaching out to Dean first. Why can't he let it go, he is like Moth to a flame with Dean. I have so much more to say about those two, theirs layers and the contradictions that make them so human but let me stop here lol.
- Ten and Pun, two peas in a pod. I don't mind them not telling us how Ten knows all this about Pun (maybe they will in future ep, maybe they won't) just how they are not literally spelling how Pun knows that Moth unfollowed Dean. They are both snoopers probably checking social media and eavesdropping (in Ten's case). I love Ten tho, another character that I feel is very human. He is selfish and inexperienced, he wants Pun and doesn't care about anything else, doesn't consider the feelings of anybody involve in his scheme even Pun's. That scene where he just casually drops that Dean and Moth are together on Moth's birthday and doesn't even register that Pun is hurting is an example.
After all this tho, taste is personal. You mentioned a few G4 show up there and out of all of them Moonlight Chicken is definitely my fav! MSP and my love mix up were not my cup of tea but I can appreciate that MSP was by far better and why ppl loved it so much. TTH had a few scene that really made me feel something, and I enjoyed watching it but it is not something that I would rewatch for example. Personally, those 3 eps were enough to make me interested into DeanMoth and their addicting personalities. I relate so much to much to Moth ( I felt so called out by Pun in that phone call) yet can emphasized with Dean. "Dean trying to win over the cold and hard to read Moth" is it really what's happening? Bc so far I feel like Moth is easier to read AND the one going to Dean.
And since you don't mind spoilers
In the end mars parts way with oner and the couple get back together, meaning that they get to be idol AND have a relationship and they will get to decide how to face any fandom backlash.
The episode also helps tying loose ends before the big finale, it showcase Po characters development with how he stands up to Earn and gives up a career he was one desperate to have without batting an eyelash.
With the letter, he can now confidently claim his man with no fear of being an obstacle bc he now knows what success means to thame.
Now regarding the fandom issue, i don’t really know what more there is to say? they showcase the ugly truth of those fans going feral when their fav date but being ok with the grp separating since it’s for their ‘career’. We saw how the company dealt with it already and we know how mars wanted to deal with it but couldn’t. they built it up so far to show how MARS and oner’s vision on success and how to deal with fandom are different and we’ll get to see the end of it next week! Hope that helps
Ep 10, 11, and 12 each had their own msg and combining them for the sake of having less ep would have done a disservice to the storyline imo
Po is finally “successful” but feels empty. Last EP he got the answer to his question: ppl that do the leaving can be hurt too.. but now what?
After talking with the uncle and reading Thame’s letter, he finally realizes that although society deems him as successful, that is not the success that he want ( see how he did not hesitate to give the badge to Pemika? Did not try to give an explanation? When in EP1, when Thaame tried to get him fired he was pleading and holding onto it) and he knows now that it is not the kind of success that Thame wants as well. With this knowledge he can now go and get his man back without overthinking and fearing he will be the "downfall" of his career.
This ep in itself had a story to tell about success, and next ep will have a different story, so no, I don’t think they could have just been merged them together. One of the beauty of Thame Po, to me (read that again), is the storytelling. Even down to the way the YouTube ep are cut, you can tell the director had a certain way of telling her story in mind and she was not compromising just to fit the usual ep length, usual series length or somewhat equal part length. Might be slow to some people, but I am loving the pace and savoring every minute of it.
The morning after scene felt so real to me with that little push, like why are you looking at me while I’m sleeping. And Po is entitled to acting cute with his new bf, that part I don’t really understand but after seeing couples in their 50s doing aegyo in korea, I have accepted that it is just something that some ppl do 😂
All these were my opinions as an introvert myself which might be why it is easier for me to relate/understand Po’s actions.
I don’t think there is a template on how ‘grown’ ppl shld act and while I agree that bl have a tendency to give us those naive character, I definetely don’t see it in Po.
“What kind of grown man gets flustered when..” a lot, a lot. Your crush coming to your place for the first time and seemingly wanting seggs is flustering imo. Is my place clean, am I wearing good underwear? Did I shave (don’t know if this applies to Po but you get the gist lol), lots of reasons to be flustered.
Also Po has given A LOT. To his ex, to mars, to Thame. So he deserves all the love he is receiving from Thame. Tbh, I am still salty abt ep 3 when Po stayed in that room for hours, putting together the lyrics just for Thame to be like “oh we don’t need it anymore”?!