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This review may contain spoilers
an idol's relationships with faen, friends, and fans
It was very cute. The relationship between Thame and Po was very sweet. I also really liked the bonds built between the the members of Mars. This was a good introduction and starting point for me into LYKN and their music. There was also some thought-provoking commentary on the dynamic between idols and their fan, as well as other insights and messages throughout the series to think about. It was a fun and cute watch.
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● SHORT REVIEW
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[ --LIKES-- ]
✔ While I don't think it's a deep dive into the world of being an idol group, it does touch upon quite a few topic regarding the struggles and politics of an idol group. It may not be representative of all groups and their companies, but the series offers a glimpse into some.
✔ In general, there is also depth to the story with an important lesson about our value as individuals, no matter who we are.
✔ I like the chemistry of William and Est. It is sort, sweet ,and subtle. I enjoyed the progression of Thame and Po's relationship a lot. It was cute.
✔ There are a lot of cute moments that makes the heart feel kilig and a few moments that shatter your heart.
✔ The series show problems are resolved through sincere communication and discussion and through working together.
✔ I really liked the episode where Thame got jealous of Earn. In a lot of series, this would have turned into a bigger argument with Thame angrily storming off, but they didn't go that route.
✔ Leads are likable. Very selfless, considerate, understanding, caring, and patient with one another.
[ --DISLIKES-- ]
✖ I wasn't fully convinced by Oner's CEO's change of heart at the end. Pemika spent most of the series with a plan for Mars (mostly Thame), so her suddenly deciding to let them off the hook fells abrupt to me. I understand she might have either thought it was too much hassle to keep fighting them and/or she was moved by Mars' sincerity to stay together, but they could've have shown more of that process and her character development to get to that point.
✖ I also don't really think it was really necessary to bring Earn back at all towards the end. It didn't really add much, if anything at all. He was just a past relationship that we could probably draw lessons from but we could've just left it at that.
✖ One thing I really wish the story didn't do was have Pepper and Gam break up and then have Thame and Po also break up. Instead, I wish the story went the route of having them stay together and face the problem together, as originally planned by the characters. I think that could've been a great lesson. Breaking up isn't always necessary to solve issues. I understand this is how the story is, though. This is mostly just me wishing that we didn't need to have a breakup in order to learn a lesson, achieve a goal, or facilitate the plot.
-------------------------------------------
● IN-DEPTH REVIEW
-------------------------------------------
[ --STORY/PLOT-- ]
There are two major themes in the series that I'll use to talk about the plot in regards to. The first theme is selflessness and sacrifice. They're two ideas but they're related. It is used to set up the beginning and ending arcs of the series. In the beginning, we have Thame who appears to be very standoffish and distant from the other members of the group Mars. However, Po intervenes and unmasks Thame's true nature. We learn that Thame actually cares a lot about his group, but he was willing to sacrifice his hope and dream for the group to stay together to instead do what he thought was best for his group members. Thame isn't the only one being selfless and trying to sacrifice himself for the other members though. Jun, his best friend in Mars, is also doing the same thing. Jun thinks the group is holding Thame back, so Jun is willing to act like he doesn't care so that his friend can go to South Korea. Fortunately, Po enters the story and helps Thame fight for what he truly wants and reunite Mars. Ironically, this same person who help Thame realized that it's okay to want to be selfish sometimes is also someone who later makes a selfless sacrifice unnecessarily. However, it does help the story come full circle in the end with the group banding together to reach out to Thame in the same way Thame reached out to them at the start.
The other major theme explored is an individual's worth and value. This is something we is touched upon throughout the entire series via different relationships. The biggest example of this is how Oner's CEO viewed the members of Mars. Mars is merely an asset and product to the company. Their value is evaluated based on metrics such as ranking on top charts, awards received, the money they brings in, and other numbers. The CEO also values Thame more than the other members. A lot of the characters also reflect on their own self-worth. This is seen in the beginning when Thame and Po are trying to bring Mars back together. Pepper, for example, thought that as a jack of all trade, he was not that important as there is always another member that can do what he can. He didn't think his role was important. Nano is another great example. He contemplates his future and fears that he is not good at anything other than dancing, so he ends up trying different things so he doesn't have to be dependent on the the group's success.
We see a lot of different perspective on a person's value. We see Mars' value through the lens of the company. We see how some of the fans value Mars. We see how underground artists/rappers view Mars. We have characters reflect on their own values. We see the value of a person through the relationships of those closest to them. We see how Pepper and Gam value each other. We see how Thame and Po value each other. We see how Jun and Po value each other. We see how each member of Mars' value one another. In a letter to Po, Thame expresses his thoughts on this topic and I think there is a lot of draw from it.
[ --ACTING/CAST-- ]
Even disregarding that this is LYKN's full series debut, I think they did a great job. Whether it was the bonding moments or the ones where they bicker, they felt like a real group. I guess it helps that Mars is played by a real group so they are able to draw upon their own feelings and experiences to play their characters. And even for the parts outside of the idol experience and camaraderie, they delivered well on the humor, romance, and heartfelt scenes. Est also did a great job. This is also really my first time seeing Est's acting. I saw him a bit in "High School Frenemy", there wasn't much there for him to showcase, so I'm glad to see him now in a bigger role. The chemistry between William and Est was good. There wasn't anything intense or crazy, but it was subtle and sweet. The chemistry is portrayed in the small gestures and actions like smiles and glances. And their cute scenes definitely delivered the kilig.
[ --MUSIC/OST-- ]
Since Mars is played by a real music group and the plot revolved around the music industry, I started watching with the expectation I would find at least one or two songs to add to my Thai playlist. I liked a lot of the songs, so there was no disappointment there. It was definitely a good starting point for me to get into LYKN and its members' music.
[ --REWATCH VALUE-- ]
The series isn't that long, and the episodes were also engaging enough with some depth to them. Plus, the relationship of Thame and Po was very cute, so I think it's something I could re-watch again just for the cuteness alone. I don't know if I will by myself as I don't feel super strongly about it, but the potential is there. I'll more likely rewatch it if I'm watching it with someone else.
[ --FINAL THOUGHTS-- ]
While I admit there were some things in the series that felt unrealistic, inaccurate, or exaggerated, it didn't really detract from the overall story, lessons, and cuteness of this series. A lot of the good feelings I got came from the soft, subtle moments between Thame and Po. And there were a lot of those. Their romance was just very innocent for the most part. The members of Mars were also all interesting and fun to watch. I enjoyed their camaraderie. Ultimately, the series was very cute and left a good impression.
-------------------------------------------
● NOTE
-------------------------------------------
I'll always conclude my review by saying that ratings and reviews is not really a indicator of whether you may enjoy something. We all have different criteria and standards. Don't let a bad rating, review, or comment discourage you from watching something. My advice will always be to give something a chance if the premise interests you, and only use the ratings/reviews to determine priority if you have a list, or if you're deciding if you want to continue it due to time limitations.
♥ Thanks for reading my review! Feel free to comment or hit me up if you want to discuss anything ♥
-------------------------------------------
● SHORT REVIEW
-------------------------------------------
[ --LIKES-- ]
✔ While I don't think it's a deep dive into the world of being an idol group, it does touch upon quite a few topic regarding the struggles and politics of an idol group. It may not be representative of all groups and their companies, but the series offers a glimpse into some.
✔ In general, there is also depth to the story with an important lesson about our value as individuals, no matter who we are.
✔ I like the chemistry of William and Est. It is sort, sweet ,and subtle. I enjoyed the progression of Thame and Po's relationship a lot. It was cute.
✔ There are a lot of cute moments that makes the heart feel kilig and a few moments that shatter your heart.
✔ The series show problems are resolved through sincere communication and discussion and through working together.
✔ I really liked the episode where Thame got jealous of Earn. In a lot of series, this would have turned into a bigger argument with Thame angrily storming off, but they didn't go that route.
✔ Leads are likable. Very selfless, considerate, understanding, caring, and patient with one another.
[ --DISLIKES-- ]
✖ I wasn't fully convinced by Oner's CEO's change of heart at the end. Pemika spent most of the series with a plan for Mars (mostly Thame), so her suddenly deciding to let them off the hook fells abrupt to me. I understand she might have either thought it was too much hassle to keep fighting them and/or she was moved by Mars' sincerity to stay together, but they could've have shown more of that process and her character development to get to that point.
✖ I also don't really think it was really necessary to bring Earn back at all towards the end. It didn't really add much, if anything at all. He was just a past relationship that we could probably draw lessons from but we could've just left it at that.
✖ One thing I really wish the story didn't do was have Pepper and Gam break up and then have Thame and Po also break up. Instead, I wish the story went the route of having them stay together and face the problem together, as originally planned by the characters. I think that could've been a great lesson. Breaking up isn't always necessary to solve issues. I understand this is how the story is, though. This is mostly just me wishing that we didn't need to have a breakup in order to learn a lesson, achieve a goal, or facilitate the plot.
-------------------------------------------
● IN-DEPTH REVIEW
-------------------------------------------
[ --STORY/PLOT-- ]
There are two major themes in the series that I'll use to talk about the plot in regards to. The first theme is selflessness and sacrifice. They're two ideas but they're related. It is used to set up the beginning and ending arcs of the series. In the beginning, we have Thame who appears to be very standoffish and distant from the other members of the group Mars. However, Po intervenes and unmasks Thame's true nature. We learn that Thame actually cares a lot about his group, but he was willing to sacrifice his hope and dream for the group to stay together to instead do what he thought was best for his group members. Thame isn't the only one being selfless and trying to sacrifice himself for the other members though. Jun, his best friend in Mars, is also doing the same thing. Jun thinks the group is holding Thame back, so Jun is willing to act like he doesn't care so that his friend can go to South Korea. Fortunately, Po enters the story and helps Thame fight for what he truly wants and reunite Mars. Ironically, this same person who help Thame realized that it's okay to want to be selfish sometimes is also someone who later makes a selfless sacrifice unnecessarily. However, it does help the story come full circle in the end with the group banding together to reach out to Thame in the same way Thame reached out to them at the start.
The other major theme explored is an individual's worth and value. This is something we is touched upon throughout the entire series via different relationships. The biggest example of this is how Oner's CEO viewed the members of Mars. Mars is merely an asset and product to the company. Their value is evaluated based on metrics such as ranking on top charts, awards received, the money they brings in, and other numbers. The CEO also values Thame more than the other members. A lot of the characters also reflect on their own self-worth. This is seen in the beginning when Thame and Po are trying to bring Mars back together. Pepper, for example, thought that as a jack of all trade, he was not that important as there is always another member that can do what he can. He didn't think his role was important. Nano is another great example. He contemplates his future and fears that he is not good at anything other than dancing, so he ends up trying different things so he doesn't have to be dependent on the the group's success.
We see a lot of different perspective on a person's value. We see Mars' value through the lens of the company. We see how some of the fans value Mars. We see how underground artists/rappers view Mars. We have characters reflect on their own values. We see the value of a person through the relationships of those closest to them. We see how Pepper and Gam value each other. We see how Thame and Po value each other. We see how Jun and Po value each other. We see how each member of Mars' value one another. In a letter to Po, Thame expresses his thoughts on this topic and I think there is a lot of draw from it.
[ --ACTING/CAST-- ]
Even disregarding that this is LYKN's full series debut, I think they did a great job. Whether it was the bonding moments or the ones where they bicker, they felt like a real group. I guess it helps that Mars is played by a real group so they are able to draw upon their own feelings and experiences to play their characters. And even for the parts outside of the idol experience and camaraderie, they delivered well on the humor, romance, and heartfelt scenes. Est also did a great job. This is also really my first time seeing Est's acting. I saw him a bit in "High School Frenemy", there wasn't much there for him to showcase, so I'm glad to see him now in a bigger role. The chemistry between William and Est was good. There wasn't anything intense or crazy, but it was subtle and sweet. The chemistry is portrayed in the small gestures and actions like smiles and glances. And their cute scenes definitely delivered the kilig.
[ --MUSIC/OST-- ]
Since Mars is played by a real music group and the plot revolved around the music industry, I started watching with the expectation I would find at least one or two songs to add to my Thai playlist. I liked a lot of the songs, so there was no disappointment there. It was definitely a good starting point for me to get into LYKN and its members' music.
[ --REWATCH VALUE-- ]
The series isn't that long, and the episodes were also engaging enough with some depth to them. Plus, the relationship of Thame and Po was very cute, so I think it's something I could re-watch again just for the cuteness alone. I don't know if I will by myself as I don't feel super strongly about it, but the potential is there. I'll more likely rewatch it if I'm watching it with someone else.
[ --FINAL THOUGHTS-- ]
While I admit there were some things in the series that felt unrealistic, inaccurate, or exaggerated, it didn't really detract from the overall story, lessons, and cuteness of this series. A lot of the good feelings I got came from the soft, subtle moments between Thame and Po. And there were a lot of those. Their romance was just very innocent for the most part. The members of Mars were also all interesting and fun to watch. I enjoyed their camaraderie. Ultimately, the series was very cute and left a good impression.
-------------------------------------------
● NOTE
-------------------------------------------
I'll always conclude my review by saying that ratings and reviews is not really a indicator of whether you may enjoy something. We all have different criteria and standards. Don't let a bad rating, review, or comment discourage you from watching something. My advice will always be to give something a chance if the premise interests you, and only use the ratings/reviews to determine priority if you have a list, or if you're deciding if you want to continue it due to time limitations.
♥ Thanks for reading my review! Feel free to comment or hit me up if you want to discuss anything ♥
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