J-atty

Who's smiling with me ....

I was ambivalent. Initially I wasn't going to write a review as there really wasn't anything to say. Boy meets boy. Boy falls in love with boy. Boy stays with boy forever. Then they did it. I was smiling like I've never smiled before, looping the moon and back. I loved watching Thame and Po together. I loved Thame and Po together bcuz Thame was the person that made Po realize his true worth. Po needed to be loved entirely, fiercelessly and deeply. Thame had the courage for everyone and more than enough for himself. Their magic had me smiling. Grinning, actually.

Acting, which we know needs work but forgiven as newbies, was much better than expected. What tied this entire show together was the soft way Thame loved Po. Gently, they took the steps together and held each other close. The all night phone call and THE walk to and from the bus stop set the standard for future romantic moments in any series. Yes, the usual mistakes and misunderstandings happened and I will say this, those 2 episodes fell flat. The light of the series was missing. Thame.

The moment he entered again, the world brightened considerably. The glow in his eyes made us believe again in their love. The Negative Nellys and Horrendous Horseface easily forgot as I was blinded by the brilliance of their soft sweet love. The connection between Thame and Po is palpable. It's felt. WilliamEst/EstWilliam have IT.

Lykn did well. Est, one of my favorites, did great. William shone. With more practice, they all will be better as time goes on. Special mention here of Nut and his role. He aced every moment he was on the screen and proved to be the strongest actor of the group. Jun's cunning smile fooled everyone but the audience. He gave up his chance for happiness for Thame to have his. Signs of true friendship. The level of ease amongst the entire cast was refreshing.

The empty script could have been much better. The repetitive convos, Po's one word answers - Huh, a timeline of events that did nothing to move the story from one position to the next. Thame started sadly owing Oner and ended happily owing Oner. Po started in the tailor shop depressed and ended in the tailor shop happy. Ok, well the perspectives changed but a little change in finances would have been nice. I would have loved to see the fire in Po that was ignited in episode 1 carried through but he had to dim a little for Thame / William to become the star. I was left with a good feeling at the end despite all the glaring errors. This definitely should be rewatched time and time again. If only to let your heart skip a beat . 💓

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When will they get it right .....

This is my main peeve about this show and by extension Gmmtv. Truthfully, BounPrem gets automatic grace just because they are BounPrem. Their differences are clear but the pairing is warm, loving, protective and true. In their pairing, I've never felt one being stifled or controlled by the other. So I've patiently waited to see them shine again. I'll be frank. I loved them until I needed the ff button. It's not them. It's the script, bad acting by some and poor production. The premise of a human unlocking a vampire trapped in a painting who comes back to gather his clan, to live peacefully among humans, who on the other hand, are hungry to eliminate them due to revenge. Finding love along the way is the bonus. I'm not saying the whole was bad, but the bad was evident.

The script was terrible. Lines being repeated as fillers to elongate a series. The conversations were banal and very unimaginative. No clear purpose other than Ramil has to spend eternity with Pun. Ramil's responsibility as the leader is lost to him as he dives head first into his relationship with Pun. How does that even happen? In all species self preservation is supreme. Here, he is forced to do what should have been an innate response. Jett commands a band to attack them. So where is Ramil's mind reading abilities? Why are humans allowed to have such a devastating effect on vampires? Why did Ramil have strength to shut Pun out for the night when he was at his weakest but the next morning, go on a mini marathon to catch Pun, who was right outside the opened door? The fact that a human had the speed on two occasions to run away from a vampire threatens all that was previously known. Ciar had the ability to see through a crow and project multiple crows but still got beat.

The acting was solid from a few but blatantly bad at times. Boun clueless moments were cute but only for a time. Prem drew heavily on his introverted nature. Mark and Aun delivered. Kay gave me flashbacks of Ken of HSF. One dimensional. Barcode was ok but didn't shine. Stamp had moments of really good and then not. Dunk, no comment. The twins were as they always are, just fillers.

Reflecting on the overall vibe of the series, it was ok. Better would have been a more cohesive script, consistent tone and more workshops to enhance the acting and the fighting scenes. My disappointment stems from them using this as their come back vehicle. The genre was good, the production was not so good. My disappointment comes from Gmmtv greenlighting scripts that are generic with some to the point of torturous. It is because we, the viewers, have love for the actors, that we keep coming back. Maybe, it's time to change. BounPrem, I still love you.

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Yes, it was okay

I'll make this as direct as possible.

They tried. Mostly delivered in script, acting, pacing and cohesiveness. They lacked in conciseness of ep, length of series, unnecessary moments, circular story patterns and there were some moments that gave pause for the purpose. Why? Like tone down Meng (voice) and LatteKim nc (rushed slightly non feeling performance and Kim's expression). Less is more.

Net, JJ, Tonnam, Kim and Latte in that order. Net gave a plausible and endearing performance which I loved. JJ comedic skills were nice but stretched on for too many episodes. Were there kinks still to be smoothened in their responses to each other? Yes. Are they beautiful and full of chemistry? Undeniable. There was not a moment that they did not light up the screen when they were together. Tonnam (Chuai) was a delight everytime he was on screen. Perfectly cast here. Kim did well for an effeminate male in the past and Latte, hopefully, with more experience would grow smoother in delivery. Though I did like his more pensive moments than the clownish.

Side note: Writers please retire any name that will be shortened to Thi/Tee. Enough of the Phi Thi, please.

Resolving a time travel plot would have issues if not handled correctly. Having a character re-appear in the past is more easily explained than him disappearing right before your eyes and from your grasp. That is grounds for a mental institution for life or constant care from Dr Jom. Their meet in the future was really cute tho. Then the resolution at the ruins solved the modern day ache.

I didn't expect much and it stayed in that scheme so I was not disappointed. Would I recommend to watch, yes.

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The Sexy Buttocks was not that sexy...at least for me.

This was well acted. The actors made their roles come to life and believable. Other than their actual meeting and getting together, the only other part that was fairly interesting was their immediate family's responses. There was no real reason to be invested in this. It puttered along with all the quirks and eccentricies of each partner and that was it. There was no spark that said, yes they were the it couple. Meant to be. Or maybe it just wasn't for me. Personally, the age difference was believably depicted. I will give it that but I've seen other age gap series that were more enjoyable and cuter. Another thing, the poster did this series no favors. Probably, it was Ainosuke's mouse like features that irked me. Anyway, it is what it is.

I will not dissuade anyone from at least one watch.

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Hoping for more...

Where does this leave us? If no one fights for the defenseless, who will?

This was done in a way to put a face to the evil, the reasons behind it and the advocate for justice for all. The never ending cycle of crime for the sole purpose of making money. The lawyer who fought the system regardless of the client.

I liked it for the steady portrayal of strength in the face of danger, from which ever side it came. I liked that there was a personal line he drew and never crossed it. The full circle from the first to last was a nice catch as well as how interconnected they all were.

There was a lag between ep 3 to 5, but it picks up as the characters are no longer isolated but linked through various means.

The main leads gave me what I wanted: evolving questions. It wasn’t straightforward, not always legal and differing views that didn't feel shallow. It was nice to see Keita as a gangster but personally didn't overshadow Yuya and Hokuto. They held their own.

If there is going to be S2, I'll be watching.

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Don't!

I can't help but wonder if they had replaced Cho Myeong Gyun with Jeong Ri U how much more entertaining this would have been even with rookie Hyun Woo. We know what these scripts are like at 7 min but this ......

The guy is terrible. His low voltage drops an already limiting script to comatose level. It's either he's working for free so they use him or he's related to the producer. One would think with more exposure he would get better, sadly no. Another irritating character, the bartender (Lee Jae Sung). My skin actually crawled. Not worth the effort. My 4.5 is for the rookie. Better but marginally.

Concensus: a resounding NO!

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Finally, success.

Checkered Shirt succeeded better where most in this area faltered, they delivered believable performances. Building on the open ending from S1, Han Gyeol and Jeong U, after making plans, lost touch with each other and it took five years to reconnect. Dong Ho and Yu Bin are great together. Visually they compliment each other and felt natural in all stages of their relationship.

The script at times was a little repetitive. The scenery in accordance with the budget and I will add, it was a bonus to see them outside enclosed spaces. This added a bit of reality to it.

Yu Bin has been building a catalogue with his performances, the last two I'm not a fan but he did show variety. With this I will say, he's back on top as finally we saw the depth of raw emotion he can tap into. Great.

Dong Ho, having only seen him in Blossom Campus, upgraded. Throughout this series, I was very intrigued by his reserved performance. What hid behind those silent eyes? He did better here. Would love to see more of him.

Sukfilm has returned to what they previously did well and that is hiring the best actors, building on their rapport and sticking to a formula that works. The scripts still needs some work to get there without unnecessary clutter and repetitions. They did well with S1 and S2 with this one.

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So Worth It

I am guilty as charged. I do complain A LOT about very short credit earned series. It's tedious. Watching so many ads to view about 15 min worth of a story. But...... this one was worth it. A simple story of bonding over basketball and a dislike for summer. Yet, this had me smiling more times than I thought I would. There were no crappy cringe scenes or unnecessary miscommunications that weren't solved as soon as it began. Thankfully not vertical.

The ml smiles automatically brightened the viewing experience and lifted the tone to not make it seem more dreary than intended. Light, introspective and concise. It's one of the good to better ones. Think Match Play. The overall vibe would leave the viewer enjoying every moment. If you don't want to spend funds to view, it will take about seven days to complete but so worth it.

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I wanted to but couldn't

What started as a very interesting plot eventually turned into a tolerated old uncle at a family gathering who overstayed his welcome reciting uninteresting dribble.

The premise and first omegaverse pregnancies were new. The manipulation by HY was unparalleled in any universe. You may hate his acts of deception but it is to be admired the skill and duplicity levels he delved to, to pull it off. Sheng stood no chance. Truthfully, after being manipulated from the get, who forgives that easily. Especially after the HY sexually abusing him, pretends that he's sacrificing himself with the infamous goodbye letter. Nope, sorry, not on board. They reconcile, lives happily with the most disrespectful 3yr old ever. One would think, Shen was the donor of that seed.

GT, suppressing his true self, doing all that to be with his crush. His life long love. Literally taking drugs that with every dose could kill him. Shen with all his connections couldn't connect the dots when it came to GT. Talk about a blind fool. How obtuse could one person be? Sorry, S Alpha. Like his braincells vanished every time he was in his presence. I blame GT for all of their drama. I did love how easily he kicked him out of the apt but like come clean. Either he loves you or not. Move on.

So what irked me:
About 10 ep of manipulation and a few kisses and a heat and all is forgiven.
15 ep or 10 yrs of GT lying about his true self just to be in the presence of his love. Mental.
Why didn't Shen not smell GT Omega scent when he stopped using the drugs to protect his baby?
Why did the script allow for a child to be like that to a parent? Repeatedly.
Sheng literally was like a king with no power. HY was the hand turning his neck before and after the reconciliation. Does he know the decisions he makes are the ones he's allowed to make.
Does HY's warmth only extend to Sheng? None felt for the child. The same child he begged to have. Visually, it felt like Shen had a better connection to Peanut than HY did.
HY seeking Shen to advise on what to do should Sheng die. Like is he for real. He would go where ever Sheng goes. He would leave Peanut behind. Again, the child he wanted.
3 yrs apart from GT and Shen and all they got is a hug and an honorable mention.
The fighting scenes? Nuff said.
Acting became monotonous. 16 ep was not warranted. 10 would have surficed and with a tighter script might have captured the real essence better.
The last ep felt like a drive tru. Collect an order and go. No place to sit and savor the meal.


I liked:
GT telling Shen to shut up.
GT evicting Shen from his apt. King in his own castle.
HY forcing Shen to face up to his feelings.
HY telling Shen he doesn't entertain conversations with stupid people.
Shen going psycho in his rut for GT. Cathartic.
HY ability to eliminate the evil people at will.
HY level of devotion, in his cold detached demeanor, to the people that mattered to him. Why else would he keep Shen around. He just doesn't say it.
HY revelation to Sheng's father when it only mattered.

So yeah, it was okay. Watchable and entertaining at various points. I do like D4 outside of the script. Will I watch again, no. Do I regret watching, no. Just hoped that it would have been better.

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The Best Interest of Everyone

What's right may not be legal and what's legal may not be right. The opposing views on euthanasia was discussed in great detail and according to the end, legality won. I want to say unfortunately but the other side of that coin would send a message of acceptable wanton killings.

It is legal to execute a prisoner by lethal injection but illegal to give someone peace who suffers daily from excruciating pain.

The plot was very interesting, thought provoking and with a few unexpected surprises. The acting was wonderfully done by everyone. A Thai production of this caliber done in 8 episodes is a miracle in itself. The pacing, flash backs and character development produced a drama worth watching and watching again.

The divide between Thiu and Kan was bridged for only a moment and what a beautiful moment it was. Their moment of intimacy was tastfully done as expected from mature individuals. Thiu, tho a bit hesitant due to Kan's wound, encouraged by Kan, gave in. I must admit I was not expecting this as the previous meetings would show desire alone. Truthfully, I would have preferred for it to have not happened due to the ending.

The only question that should have been asked of Thiu but it wasn't...

If his mother, in extreme pain, had begged him to end it, would he have stepped back and refused, leaving her to suffer. The morality of these situations are ambiguous from the both positions taken.

Boss, the pharmacist, gave a stellar performance. From lover, to psycho, to unrepentant murderer. The difference between him and Kan would be the matter of choice. The patients chose Kan. Boss forced his choice on them. His death was his choice and I was happy that he was not a hypocrite at the end. Rin, a surprise, kept her self righteousness to herself on hearing the truth but with conditions. Every story was not rushed and given enough time to be completed adequately.

The ending was as society would want but it did not hurt any less.

"Would you confess?"
"Only if it's you."
Painfully, they hug. Placing a petal in Kan's handcuffed hands, Thiu says, "I love you."

Both Kan and Thiu proved how much they loved each other.

Beautifull writing. It tugs at the emotions that are kept in check. Sammon, the author, and Sirilux Srisukon, the screenwriter, thank you. The dialogue was enhanced by every actor's performance and well worth the praise. I will look forward to seeing these actors in the future. I hope a S2 is made.

Go watch!

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Great show but not for me

I watched it because it was interesting. The revelations from both of them before and after reconnecting were different in such a way that Naoya, whichever social status he was at, always held the power. Takaaki was born to do his bidding, which he understood and willingly accepted. The eccentric portrayal by the father grated against the grain but was fully played to the max. The series ran along as expected and didn't go above or below the meter.

A few things put me off:
Naoya always looked disheveled and in need of a good wash. I said looked not was.
The unseemly mullet seemed to be his signature, an extension of himself. His internal growth happened, externally no.
Takaaki's devotion was single minded but came off at creepy at times.
The foot scene. While it was a power dynamic, for me it was the actual dragging of his tongue over it. The angle covers it from showing it really being done but like a dog with its tongue hanging out doing it was too much. The flashback repetition of numerous scenes didn't help.
The ending felt like an assembly line tying up the loose ends. Father. Next. Brother. Next. Restaurant. Next.
Naoya's face. Flash backs made him look like 25 when he should be 18. Now in present day, a struggling druggie. His walk alone was interesting. Was this the director's vision, could be.

It was very watchable and for the most part engaging to keep me to the end. I enjoyed listening to their internal conflicts and the end results. I loved that though they had some selfish thoughts they never let it get the better of them. For example, Takaaki enjoying Naoya's helplessness and his need of him. He put it aside to see Naoya happy and thriving.

I would recommend a watch because I cannot find any fault with their acting. They all can deliver.

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Trauma exists, living in it shouldn't be an excuse

I liked this series for the time it took to deconstruct their relationship. Not rushed, evenly paced and realistic. The actors did well and their failings realistically told. It was engaging and introspective to encourage thought but also reactive. One couldn't watch without seeing all their flaws and form opinions.

The both ml, Itsuki and Yuma, were hiding. Yuma from facing the reality of their relationship until the end. He still holds on to a memento, unable to throw it away. Itsuki living in his past trauma and being overly critical of other peoples views of the gay community. He refuses to be the poster boy of a successful gay union but lives freely and comfortably under the one who is fighting the cause.

I treasure Itsuki's honesty but it pops up at his convenience. He is very critical of Yuma and refuses to communicate beyond derision and in so doing fails even in his last interview to see how Yuma has changed. Even at the end it is selfish. Yes, their projected views are incompatible, but who goes along just existing? He knows Yuma types are the one to make the changes in the world but is content to live while they fight. I'm not advocating for him to be always on guard, and fight every pos out there but he seems apathetic and wants to be remembered. For existing? He disrespected him to the point of bringing a lover to their home. A home he contributes nothing financially to as he is unemployed and was offered a space even after they broke up initially. Yuma doing this alone should have stopped him.


Yuma on the other hand still struggles to let go of the ideal. He fights for the positive views of the gay community and would go to lengths to protect it. In so doing, perpetuates a lie and fails himself. He loves Itsuki but their incompatibility works against him. He pushes him but because they communicate ineffectively, or not at all as Itsuki ignores or is apathetic, he doesn't know how to understand where they went wrong. In the end, acceptance and understanding comes too late. I hope he does completely move on from Itsuki, he doesn't deserve it.

Shiho faces adversity on either side and understands at the end her true worth and not the perception. Her boss should be removed. His condescending attitude should not be dealt with. I felt the pain of Naomi and was grateful she apoligized to Shiho. She felt lost and lashed out at the wrong person.

I applaud this series for showing the reality of relationships. Not all work. Not all are balanced. It's okay to move on. It's not okay to be used.

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Nicely Surprised

This is a okay piece of work. The perception that without known actors and a large budget it would not be enjoyable is false. The shift between past and present was handled well. From mdl's profiles they appear to not have much experience, but they did well, bringing both time jumps to life.

I like period pieces as it operates within boundaries to create a believable story. The costuming and dance sequences were nice. The acting was good enough. Fone a little more at ease than Tar. Tar/Rak's autocratic biased father to the point that a few slaps was needed but not given. A bit too much, but the authoritative indignation fitting for the period. It's a pity, that death always brings wisdom.

There are some flaws with the script.
It could have been better without expected moments eg the great escape, the bitter intended bride, the banished son living in the same town but the father doesn't care to know. Some unrealistic as Tan, of low birth, is allowed to keep casting spiteful words towards Rak of high nobility, without serious repercussions. Still, it was used as a tool to create conflict in a world that didn’t have any other. They could have cut down on the shrieking. Too much at times from Rak's father and Sandy. Lastly, they are in love but vow to stay by each other's side until death without the physical aspects. Their love for the art is enough. Hmmmm

The changes that occurred were rushed in the last episode but needed to bring it to an end. I would have preferred a more realistic ending but it is what it is. Thankfully they didn't rush Lucky and Sandy's relationship to make it cute.

Despite all the irregularities, this it was okay.

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Society or Cowardice?

The selfishness of one destroys the life of two. The reason behind their pain is a cowardly excuse as it doesn't hold up at the end. Azusa worked hard to fit in and worked even harder to hurt Yusuke more after they broke up by asking him to take his wedding photos, love someone else and to add not him. Yet, clearly he did this to still see him. Turning the knife slowly and deeper with every word.

I was left angry not with the decision to get married but by including Yusuke like that and giving directives like it's an easy thing to pick up or put down at will. People will do what they choose to do but to tag someone along, especially knowing the pain he previously created, was cruel.

Kenya is a very good actor. In 30 minutes we experienced the binding pain of a refused and controlled love. Even his movements, his walking pace felt painful.

The director did a great job speaking without verbalizing much. The body movements, the still moments, the convo between them is very effective.

Definitely worth the watch.

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Than and His Nine Lives or A Guide To Stupidity, Chet 101

This is what this should be called. Either one would fit cause no way common sense or brain cells were used in this entire series. The sequence of events proved no one cared for their lives at all. The reach for power and revenge was vicious and relentless. Even if most of it was nonsensical.

Than has been injured so many times and still survived that it became laughable. The ring probably gave him the power of instant healing, who knows. Chet, like a petulant child, was giving tantrums left and right and was so crippled by his 'lovely' parents that he couldn't see truth. Pheem literally had to connect the dots like a pre school teacher for him to see what others could. Then, again, 6 feet of handsomeness was daily right infront of him and nothing happened. Pheem, rather than include Than in the final plan, does everything in silence and causes Than more unnecessary emotional pain. Everything else aside, that action was unforgiveable. Thanet, ping ponging between his children, was disgusting on every level. Like why were they all vying to be related to that? The shots fired at everything else but the real targets downgraded the credibilty of the series.

I enjoyed seeing a strong woman. Risa's bodyguard was worthy of her screen time. Daou stood out a little more as he can deliver an emotional sceen with true sincerity. The acting was ok but while I expected it to be dramatic, it was a bit much. Chet and Thanet both throwing their papers in the same frame, caused a few eye rolls and sighs. The plot was fine, even though the end was expected. Risa, plotting her way, without being caught until the end was good, also.

The predictability of every scene really didn't work in its favor but it was not unwatchable. There were a few decent moments. Just not enough to warrant a rewatch.

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