Naomi_Klahn

You'll get sucked into this story...

Why do I - a rational human being - keep getting sucked into these implausable stories of time travel, ghosts, demons?
"My Demon" "Live Up to Your Name" "Miraculous Brothers" etc
A good script helps, but I guess it's because one can get lost in the story, away from the 'everyday' .
I am enjoying this programme for the script, the delivery (of the actors), and filmography.
I find the Silla costumes so much better-suited to gender - ie. the men look like men - and the costuming in this show is really well done.
The battle scene, in the beginning , was very realistic - even the extraordinary feats of Do Ha.

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Dark But hopeful

Wow! Just Wow! What a brilliant and poetic drama!
Kamimura Kenshin was outstanding as the battered and bruised young man, desperate to not turn out like his aggressive and brutal father. He was persistent in his pursuit of his first love - Minase Jin (Motojima Junsei), who played the quiet, but empathetic character, coming to terms with his sexuality.
I loved the way the theme of the drama - the sea - was woven into the plot and dialogue.
I expected a sad ending, but what I got was an ending full of hope.
There was no explicit sex in this drama (cue Thai BL), nothing beyond kissing and suggestion, but it was not necessary to show the audience how deeply they felt about each other.
I am hopeful that Kenshin can get over his public 'scandal', so we can see him again in future dramas.

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It's a Psychological Thriller People!

On reading the bad reviews, I think some people missed the theme of this movie. It wasn't just about same sex attraction, it was a psychological thriller, about when one man takes his role too much to heart - i.e. "Method" acting.
I was already a fan of Park Sung Woong, but now I am head over heals, because of this film!
And, Oh Seung-hoon - fabulous.
I was holding my breath in the last scene! Wonderful writing. Great acting!
As one of the 'good' MDL reviewers said - both actors were very brave to take on these roles. Their raw emotions were on show. The vulnerable "Singer" became the alpha, by taking his role on stage *off* the stage.
Yes, I would watch it again, but after watching a few fluffy romcoms first - I need to calm down a bit....

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Magnificent Epic Tale

An epic series, made all the more remarkable by the young age and inexperience of the MLs.
This was a magnificent production, beautifully filmed on larger than life sets. However, there were also moments of less-is-more, like the scene where ShuHe plays the zither under an autumnal Japanese Maple, which is shimmering in the sun.
The sumptuous costumes were worn with regal posture, adding to the already grand overall atmosphere.
It took me a while to complete this, as I found it confusing at first - ancient Chinese politics isn't my thing - but, when I understood this was a forbidden love story, I was roped into the intrigue and drama of it all. As a Fujoshi, I wasn't disappointed by the 'tame' BL moments - in fact they just increased the tension.
It also helped that all the MLs were stunning!
I liked the ending from the point of view that loves wins - if you believe in an afterlife.

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Surprising

Seeing Pond and Dew in such different roles was very interesting, but seeing Gun as an autistic young man - after watching him in Burnout Syndrome - was outstanding! He *became* that character! I like him in Burnout, but I loved him in Leap Day!
The story was a little confusing at times, but once you suspend reality enough, you can immerse yourself in the story.
Pond was his usual brilliant self, and Dew played the arrogant, yet tender other Leap Day victim, very well.
Pahn played Dew's girlfriend so well, that I forgot that I'd Dew as a gay man in Burnout. She had depth that wasn't
apparent at first, but she changed and became a nurturer, as opposed to a clingy girl.
I hated the ending, but I guess you can't have a happy ending every time.

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New appreciation

After watching this dramatic movie, which has no light moments, I have a new appreciation for the talents of Jeff Satur! The FL Enfa Waraha was outstanding! There were no winners - the script was beautifully-written, but dark, dark, dark!
I didn't realise, when I started the show, that "Keng" Harit Buayoi was also in this, showing a hint of the good things to come
in Khemjira. When I read that Srida Puapimol won an award for her role, I thought that it was only right - she was fabulous! (R.I.P.)
There was no glitz and glamour to this Thai movie - only evidence of hard work, and scraping by.

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Hit and Miss

This was a very short (!) show.
I liked seeing 'Tape' in action before Bangkok Boys, with a completely different role.
The MLs were good- especially Chap, who is not only gorgeous, but a fine actor.
For a series about tailoring, there were some glaring mistakes - the father's red suit was two sizes too small, and the blue tux that Green wore to the birthday 'party' was not a good fit. And the jacket that Green (Aiaoon) wore to the cafe, was too short for his body type. (Having said that, I often find that the Wardrobe people aren't doing their job properly, because the taller men are sent out wearing trousers that are 5cms too short.
This had potential to be a longer programme with better character development.
It was lovely to hear Jeff Satur in the OST

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The "Bad Boy"

I had only seen Lee Jun Ho as the polished, uptight hotelier in "King the Land" , where he played a very good part. However, in Rain or Shine (Just Between Lovers) he is superb as the "bad boy" , and classic "angry young man".
His "Granny" sees through the facade, and she, Na Moon Hee, is my second favourite actor in this programme.
Most of the main characters are complex - dealing with their own trauma from the past - and the actors portray their pain well.
I haven't finished this series, but, so far, it's been an emotional ride - with a little humour to balance out the tragedy.

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Triangle of Obsession

This series was all about Gun, and his uncanny ability to *become* he character he is portraying - having since seen him play an
autistic man in "Leap Day", I am fully onboard the Gun Train.
I related to Jira, because I am an artist, and understand his frustration with the AI concept of replacing artists.
However, this show was all about the dynamics between three men, and the obsessions of those men. It was very easy to feel sorry for 'Pheem' who became obsessed with Jira, and not easy to sympathize with Koh, who also became obsessed with Jira. However, the more we saw the lengths Koh went to to have Jira in his life, the more we understood the man.
Off Jumpol and Dew Jirawat were perfect for their roles - again, Dew played a completely different
character from his role in Leap Day.
Support actors - AJ Chayapol and Emi Thasorn - were excellent. I would like to see AJ in an ML role.
I would also like to see Thor Thinaphan in an ML BL role - those stunning eyes and great physique make him stand out.
The evocative and exotic artworks were a major star of this show - will have to search for who the real artist was.
I would love to see "The Trainee" where Gun and Off are paired again....hope it comes to iQIYI

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Second Time Around - Still 10/10

I watched Shine (Orchestrated) twice - big screen and small – hoping that I would be able to write a review that could show the excellence of this drama, as a straight-out drama, and not just a BL drama.
I did not succeed. Shine will go down, in the annals of Thai tv drama, as the best script, acting, cinematography, OST (who else listens to the OST on Spotify) and authenticity of the era in which it was shot. I was 10yo (in Australia) when the Americans landed on the moon, so the whole hippie era was all around me.
Let’s look at the BL side of this show, as that is the overriding theme–
Miles and Apo had their roles reversed from those in KinnPorche, and how amazing were they? There was a real depth to their characters that was only hinted at in KP. Miles, as the free-wheeling hippie, was both attractive and funny, but later on showed his deep side. Apo, as the clean freak, buttoned-up academic made the viewer want to call out to the screen “take off your tie”. In fact, that first scene in the back yard of ‘Tanwa’s’ shop, where ‘Tanwa’ got him down to rolled up trousers and shirt, was ‘Trin’s’ awakening. In contrast with KP, they only had one sex scene, and a cheeky skinny dip, but, even as a Yaoi, I didn’t find that a problem. The scene was so tastefully done, that it was worth the wait.
SonEuro – wow! Just Wow! They were so well-suited to their roles -so different, yet perfectly-matched. How explosive were their sex scenes?! The piano scene, where they switched roles! I hated the ending of this pair, and the character that instigated their separation – ‘Dhevi’! Someone else, who hated the ending, an amateur BL writer, Esther Down, has written an alternate story of ‘Krailert’ and ‘Naran’, but changed the names, and most of the background – although the era is the same. (You can find her story on Wattpad, under Esther Down, “Ballan and the Colonel”)
The script writing – I am in awe of the writers – Ning, Pond, Den, and Bua – their collaboration alone on this complex script is legendary. The way they wove storylines together – Tanwa’s mother’s novel, the letters between Sarasawadee and Krai lung, the student protest content and Trin’s diary – was perfect. Who wrote the humourous lines and scenes? – so funny! However, it was the poignant, heart-wrenching lines that really made this show the epic tale that it is.
I held off watching ep8 again for as long as possible – it still had me in floods of tears, though! Why did ‘Dhevi’ have to be so cruel?! The wrenching scene where ‘Trin’ gives his uncle the letter from ‘Sarasawadee’, and after, when ‘Lert’ cries uncontrollably! ‘Tanwa’ in the depths of despair, in a continual drug-induced fog, being brought back to life by his father, whom we all thought was a cold-hearted man. ‘Lert’ writing a beautiful song to his beloved, who is miles away from him, and probably never to return. ‘Tiva’ kneeling down to ‘Victor’s’ parents, blaming himself for his death!
This show also had three brilliant – and beautiful - actresses!
‘Moira’ (Nok Sinjai Plengpanich) who could believe that this amazing woman is 60 years old?! She *was* Moira – a strong, independent woman of her time.
‘Dhevi’ – as much as I hated the vindictive person that she became – I mean, how can you say you “love” someone, when you treat them like that? – I found her acting magnificent. Didn’t we all want her to hook up with the sweet ‘Veera’, at least once?
And ‘Dao’ ("Punpun" Sutatta Udomsilp) – she owned that shoe “bitch slap” in the café after ‘Naran’ told her he loved a man! (seems the actress has bounced back from a bit of controversy, perhaps with maturity?– so, good on her)
I have only one thing to point out to the Production Designer - "Tum" Pawas Sawatchaiyamet, - who did a phenomenal job in reproducing 1969 Bangkok – the type of plastic bags (“freezer” bags) that ‘Victor’ used to bring ‘Trin’ his meal, were not around at that time. An absolutely miniscule error, that this pedant picked up on – sorry.
This is a 10/10 show, that I will probably revisit in years to come.

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