Multilicus

Seems that ep. 9 will repeat the macguffin hunt we know from ep. 3 (macguffin: Jack's ring) and ep. 5 (macguffin: Aran's necklace), with the macguffin this time being one of the Four Horsemen's rings (the one that belongs to Rose's father).

I think the 723.000 YouTube views of ep. 1 in less than 48 hours since the episode aired - that's what gives them (GMMTV) the confidence. Also the millions of views "We Are" got might have something to do with it - confirming that the uni-based BL subgenre is alive. TBH: I'm not a ForceBook fan and don't care about the other two ships, but I was a little fascinated by the decision to make a 24 episodes long BL show. Sure, it's seems this'll be more like three shows (8 eps each) stitched together, but still - from a production point of view - it's a big commitment, so it does take a lot of confidence. On the other hand: it's more of an assembly line production style by now, so maybe costs aren't that high (and partly covered by sponsors) and the risk (of the show flopping) is way more manageable than I think.

The official trailer shows Joker kissing Jack as well as both of them shirtless and hugging in Jack's bed. Apparently those two scenes (which presumably will be included in ep 9-12) are not enough to qualify this show as BL. Apparently the show's title consisting of two male names of the two main characters and the words "u steal my heart" doesn't qualify the show as a BL. Other things that don't make this show a BL are: Hope's and Save's relationship (basically a gay couple pre-existing the show's main events) nor Jack's and Joker's tangled mess of a relationship. Nope, it's not a BL cause it's ep. 8 (out of 12) and they didn't kiss yet. Hate to burst anyone's buble, but Earth and Mix didn't kiss in "A Tale of Thousand Stars" until the last moment of the last scene (post-credits scene not inluded) of the last episode - and it was still a BL; btw: even without that kiss "ATOTS" would be a BL.

Rewatched every episode a few times - except of ep. 7. Already rewatched ep. 8. Everything's cool again.

Apologies.

Footage released on IG and X includes one shot of Jack hugging Joker in bed - which does imply that at least on the love front there will be some badly needed development.

Seriously? What's the reason for the geoblock? Is it due to the "crime" aspect of the show? BTW: I'm watching it on YT from Poland, there doesn't seem to be any regional filter here,

It might be easier to steal one of those rings from the four horsemen than to marry into one of their families with a fake adopted son... I'm just saying that Boss should re-evaluate his so-called plan. If only he knew a master thief... Oh, wait.

I can't explain nor understand the views of "Kidnap" on YouTube - they seem very low for a GMMTV-made BL. I know that for most shows airing on YT ep 1 - or it's first section - gets a lot of views and that later eps get less and less views (with the number sometimes rising a little for series finale). This drop in views is one thing, but absolute number of views is another matter - and here's where "Kidnap" looks quite weak. I also know that YT BL shows seem to get less views than they used to, but this usually means that a show gets 3M views on its ep 1 instead of 4M which it would have gotten 1-2 years ago. To properly explain what bothers me below I listed views for the most recent GMMTV BLs that aired on YT; since GMMTV split every ep of those shows into 4 sections and the 1st section is usually the one that gets the most views, I focused on that section. The views are for the 1st, 7th and last ep of each show - I chose ep 1 as basis for comparison and calculating the drop of views, ep. 7 as this is the latest ep of "Kidnap" that aired, and the last ep of each show to see the total loss of views, both percentage-wise and in total numbers; I added airing date of each ep.
“Last Twilight”
ep. 1, 10.11.2023, 3.359.858 views
ep. 7, 22.12.2023, 1.842.199 views (loss of 45%)
ep. 12, 26.01.2024, 1.913.783 views (loss of 43%)
“Cooking Crush”
ep. 1, 26.11.2023, 2.629.004 views
ep. 7, 14.01.2024, 1.099.777 views (loss of 58%)
ep. 12, 18.02.2024, 566.794 views (loss of 78%)
“Only Boo”
ep. 1, 31.03.2024, 2.026.068 views
ep. 7, 19.05.2024, 912.219 views (loss of 55%)
ep. 12, 23.06.2024, 818.606 views (loss of 59%)
“We Are”
ep. 1, 03.04.2024, 4.230.273 views
ep. 7, 15.05.2024, 2.275.950 views (loss of 46%)
ep. 16, 17.07.2024, 1.738.881 views (loss of 59%)
“My Love Mix-Up!”
ep. 1, 07.06.2024, 2.167.892 views
ep. 7, 19.07.2024, 885.918 views (loss of 59%)
ep. 12, 23.08.2024, 519.514 views (loss of 76%)
“Wandee Goodday”
ep. 1, 04.05.2024, 2.686.026 views
ep. 7, 15.06.2024, 1.411.087 views (loss of 47%)
ep. 12, 20.07.2024, 1.021.867 views (loss of 62%)
“The Trainee”
ep. 1, 30.06.2024, 1.115.028 views
ep. 7, 11.08.2024, 539.284 views (loss of 52%)
ep. 12, 15.09.2024, 421.940 views (loss of 62%)
“Summer Night”
ep. 1, 05.08.2024, 558.604 views
ep. 7, 16.09.2024, 198.926 views (loss of 64%)
ep. 10, 07.10.2024, 115.717 views (loss of 79%)
“Kidnap”
ep. 1, 06.09.2024, 528.147 views
ep. 7, 18.10.2024, 205.964 views (loss of 61%)
For reference, here are the numbers for "ON SALE" (aka "Peaceful Property"), a non-BL show with TayNew, which runs simultaneously to "Kidnap".
ep. 1, 28.08.2024, 504.495 views
ep. 7, 09.10.2024, 150.287 views (loss of 70%)
Am I seeing things or is there really something wrong with the views of "Kidnap"? It started low for a BL and its views drop faster than of most BL; when it comes to views, it's more like a non-BL.
What gives?

I enjoyed the "Jack and Joker" reference as well as the "We Are" reference.

Can a Thai-speaking person clarify this for me: is "Alice" (or something that sounds like that) the actual name of Boss? In ep. 5, just before the auction, Nang asks Aran if he's "Alice's child" and comments that he has grown - at least that was in English subs. Since in the West "Alice" is usually a feminine first name, I assumed "Alice" was the first name of Aran's mother (and that "Morakot" was her surname/maiden name or her stage name). However, in ep. 7 Boss is referred to as "Alice" (or something that sounds like that) during the meeting with the four horsemen. What confused me even more, in English subs Boss was referred to (by Rose's father) using the pronoun "her". Was that a translation mistake coming from the name "Alice"? And what's with this name?

I know that they used to sell merch online (through https://shop.line.me/@ywpbstore) but the store doesn't sell anything at the moment.

Yes, it's true - it's co-produced by YWPB (as indicated in the opening credits), a company founded by Yin, War, Prom and Bonz (hence the name of the company). YWPB YouTube channels contain some series-related content: you can find reaction videos (by the cast and crew) on YWPB HOUSE and the OST on YWPB Records. Some earlier YWPB content, related to their MVs (released by YWPB Records) or simply them spending time together, can be found on YWPB HOUSE as well as at Yin's and War's YT channels.

I'd say the rating indicates whether people like a show - not necessarily how good it is in other terms. It's a vote on a piece of entertainment, not an assesment of an artwork based on merit, artistry, cultural or social importance etc. And when the number of people voting goes into thousands and the rating remains high - it just means a lot of people find the show entertaining (for whatever reasons); it doesn't mean the show is "objectively" good nor that everybody should like and enjoy it.

Tattoo needs a sort-of redemption arc (or coming clean) too - if it wasn't for him, the whole necklace problem wouldn't exist. I guess Joke doesn't hold a grudge against Tattoo, Jack kinda has no clear reason to do it, but Aran and Hoy both do.

You wrote "The one star I gave this show is...". I'm gonna nitpick a little, but is it even possible to rate a show lower than with 1.0 in each category (on MDL)?
I agree with a lot in your review (although I disliked the opening credits theme right away), probably won't write my own on this show, watched it (technically still am, as ep. 12 is yet to air) for Krismon Thanawat Sutthijaroen (whom I enjoyed in "Love in the air" - even though it was the smallest possible role), didn't enjoy it too much, but still gave it a 6.0 (so slightly above the average on a scale from 1.0 to 10.0).

I liked that at the end of ep. 5 Rose got something of her own theme - a slower, darker, foreboding version of the opening credits theme.

YinWar scenes in ep. 5 were awesome - the silly, the serious, the touching and the freaking parking lot one that got me all teary. Though it's the onions from my sandwich (it's supper time in my time zone), but no - YinWar. Bastards.

I think it's mutual - that's why in ep. 1 they were so drawn to each other and that's why Jack felt so bad. He felt betrayed, but not by a random stranger, by some criminal who crossed his path and decided to rob the bank on the same day he came to ask for a loan - he felt like he was betrayed by someone he knew and wanted to know more/better.

They could use that in one of their ads. Their reaction videos on YWPB House channel on YT include funny, improvised ads.