RoseQ

Showing the toxic sides of the industry

If there is one thing that made me really love this series, it was the critical approach to the BL industry and toxic fans. I never fully understood the whole idea of (especially) BL actors not dating or at least not being allowed to talk about it. A lot of them are in either their late teens or their twenties, the time when most people get to date and explore their options. But they can’t, because some fans cannot differentiate between fiction and reality, between characters and actors. The amount of hate an actor’s partner would get… I feel bad for them just thinking about it.

And that is something that was really shown well, especially towards the end of the series. We got to see so many different comments from many different fans. The sad part? Many of them are pretty similar to the comments we get to see online in reality.

The series didn’t shy away from showing some of the bad sides of the behind the scenes either. From the homophobic remarks in castings, to constant pressure for more NC scenes (even if they don’t fit the story), the romanticization of non-consent… There was a lot of digs to what we see in many other BLs.

Now, for the story. I really like how it was paced, I think it went great with the overall plot and everything that they included in the story. I am not a big fan of the whole childhood friends and how that was played into the story. I really disliked the secrets that were related to that.

Nubsib & Gene: Gene is so relatable, awkward, and adorable. But he is also someone who speaks up when is uncomfortable or when he needs to do things he doesn’t like. Does he still do them? Usually yes, because he is a people pleaser, but he makes it clear he doesn’t like it. Nubsib seems to be a bit more relaxed, but also very mature at the same time. I really liked how they never pressured one another to come out or do things that they were not okay with. They had some rough patches in their relationship, some of which could have been resolved quicker with some good communication. Both Kao and Up did an excellent job portraying the two characters, their emotions and the love the two had for one another. I really like how Nubsib seemed to light up whenever he got to talk to Gene. I think that was a really nice and well thought detail.

Aoey: He’s a character you want to hate, but at the same time, you find it hard to do so. He made a lot of poor choices and did a lot of bad things, yet he was hurting too. A lot. I don’t want to excuse his behavior nor his actions, but I can understand why he did things the way he did. Bruce did amazingly. Some of the scenes were so difficult to watch, yet he really shined in them.

I really liked Hin, Tum and Tiffy as well. They were really fun characters to have around, and while I wasn’t as interested in their stories as I was in the story of Nubsib and Gene, I still liked them. Hin and Tum really showed themselves as great friends to the two main characters, even if they were both kind of employed by them, as a manager and as an editor.

I think there are certain things that were left kind of open. I guess one could say that we saw how Aoey ended, but at the same time, I feel like that is not enough of a conclusion. I also think it would be nice to see how the public reacted to how it all ended. Another thing that I found a bit annoying was the amount of flashbacks to the events that happened earlier in the series. There were quite a few of them in the last few parts of the series.

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Not a trial run. I mean the real thing.

I can see why people say this is an absolute must-see BL series. I can’t believe I put off watching it for so long! Like sure, the plot is very typical – university based enemies to lovers plot – but it was really well executed. I really liked the overall cinematographic aspects of the series. They did great combining the colors, the lighting, the setting and the music.

Jang Jae Young & Chu Sang Woo: first of, I am in love with their height difference. I found it so incredibly cute throughout the series. The two actors have great on screen chemistry too. As for the characters, I love how different the two seemed to be. One is very extraverted, good in social situations but can sometimes forget his duties. The other one is introverted, likes things to be in order and hates slackers. They are so different, yet they make it work. Their relationship started from a (badly thought through) revenge plot. I do like that while they started as enemies, it never got to an abusive level as I have seen happen in other series. Jang Jae Young was quite quick to back off once he realized just how immature and stalkerish his actions were. Kudos to him for that. I also like that he respected Chu Sang Woo’s boundaries.

I am not sure if I am correct and I do not want to label anyone, but Chu Sang Woo did seem to be a neurodivergent person. He has a lot of OCD tendencies (e.g. rituals, how everything has it’s place, being on time). And I know he is supposed to be introverted, but at times it felt like there might be more than just that to it. He seemed very socially inapt; he also had a hard time understanding social clues. I actually really liked the comparisons between him (and events in his life) and a computer. I feel like it gave us a look at how he thinks.

I was ready to applaud Chu Sang Woo when he turned in the group project with only his name on it. Honestly, we have all been there at one point in our lives and wanted to do that too. And then saving them as freeloader 1, 2 and 3? Iconic!

It was a bit short, but it didn’t feel too rushed. The pacing was quite nice for the length of the series. I would love to see more..

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Mostly adorable, but not much development

Third and last instalment of En of Love series, even if it’s not the last one in the same universe. I found this one pretty enjoyable. It was, once again, too short to really fully develop the relationship and really show character growth.

Nuea & Praram: Nuea was one of my favourite characters in the previous series. He is very sweet and caring, and someone who can take no for an answer. Something many characters can’t. I know a lot of people were bothered by their age gap, but I don’t really mind it. Praram is a senior in high school, so he is around 18-19, and Nuea is probably 3-4 years older. It’s not a huge age gap and they are both aware of it. I did find their story cute, even if nothing much happened. They also kept things very PG friendly, probably due to the fact that Praram is still a high school student. I found them being shy with each other really adorable. Nuea makes a perfect boyfriend, I’m sure of it.

This one only had three episodes which really made the story feel rushed. I would really love to see their relationship develop more, or even see the two making it work once Praram makes it to the university.

And a quote to end it: “Brother that isn’t a brother, like a daddy that isn’t really a father.”

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More like a fanboy and a chatterbox

This is such a cute series from the start! I like that it is light and funny (actually, it wasn’t as light and funny as I expected), especially as I have been watching some quite dark and heavy stuff lately. While the main theme of the series is nothing new, I absolutely love what they did with the characters. I also think it’s very fun to have a game company and gaming competitions be a part of the series, even if I hoped to see more of it.

Gun & Cher: I find Cher absolutely adorable, both the way he acts and just how talkative he is. He is unapologetically himself. But he also shows a sense of maturity and understanding for those around him, which might be due to his past. He is not childish to the point of it being annoying, he is simply being himself. Or maybe that’s his way of hiding the pain. Boss Gun is an interesting character too; we learn pretty quickly that there are some events from his past that are still bothering him. And that not everyone in his life is supportive of him. And he’s Cher’s fan, how cute! Cher was first introduced as someone who brings out the more relaxed side of Gun, but I think Gun quickly became a safe person for Cher. Yet he never pressures him into sharing more than he is willing to, he simply lets him know he is there for him when he is ready to talk. Another thing that I absolutely love is the attention to details – even the way Gun and Cher sit while having breakfast really shows how their personalities are.

I also absolutely love the fact that whatever happens between Cher and Gun is always consensual. Gun is in a position of power and that is something he could easily use to get what he wants, yet he never really pressures Cher into anything. Cher can always refuse something, and Gun doesn’t get mad at him. If anything, Cher seems to be the more daring one between the two, erasing all the “normal” boundaries of boss-intern, even friend-friend, relationships. I feel that their excellent communication also helps with showing that Gun is not taking advantage of his position. They talk very openly about everything, and I find that very refreshing. It’s nice to see.

Another thing that I really want to praise is the way they talked about LGBTQ+ community. There is a lot of gossip happening around the office about boss and his preferences. The first time Cher put them in their place, I wanted to clap. Or adressing how rude it is to speculate about who is a top and who is a bottom - like you don't ask a straight couple in what position they do it, so why would you do that to a gay couple?

Force and Book have great chemistry on screen. I think they did great with portraying their characters. I also think their visuals really fit the characters well, so that was a great casting decision. Not sure how similar they are to their roles in real life, but I am sure that Cher’s constant chatting was a challenge for Book, but he pulled it off.

Zo & Three: They are adorable, especially for already being an established couple. I am living for the short, cute, and sweet moments between them. Three seems to have some anger issues, he is very quick to blow up. But Zo seems to be able to handle him pretty well. There’s probably a story behind this, but we didn’t really get to know it.

Jack is also a character I like a lot. He has a lot on his plate, including his depression, yet he is such a great friend to Cher. I do feel we are missing some backstory to Jack. And also how the whole friend group came to be. He might appear a bit rough on the edges sometimes, but I think his straight-to-the-point personality also helps to keep Cher grounded. Cher’s cheerfulness and slightly impulsive behavior keep Jack on his toes. I know some people don’t like him sticking his nose into Cher’s relationship with Gun, but Jack didn’t mean anything bad. He wanted to make sure his friend won’t get hurt in the end.

I have mixed feelings about Porsche. There are moments where I feel like his relationship with Gun is very weird and too close for someone who used to be a couple. But at the same time, it makes a lot of sense as Gun is not someone who opens easily. He finds it hard to let people in. It was nice to see how supportive the two were though, we usually get exes who are ready to do anything to either destroy each other's happiness or want to get back together.

Ah, Thoop. I knew there was going to be something more than just him being a brat. And while what Tian went through is heartbreaking, Thoop’s guilt is no less painful. I also understand why he acted the way he did. And his reaction when he saw Gun and Cher together makes a lot of sense.

The whole Thyme situation is one that didn’t really get a full closure. I guess one could say it did, but it still feels like there was still a lot unsaid and unfinished.

And I think it’s great that they don’t tend to drag conflicts through multiple episodes but get them resolved fairly quickly. It makes it more realistic, but it also doesn’t ruin the anticipation for new episodes.

The OST is really catchy as well. I really like it. I like the intro as well. And I found the boss and intern characters adorable!

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Win makes Team feel safe

The storyline is… I don’t really know how to describe it without giving away too much, but I really enjoyed it. It’s a slow burn romance that starts as a one-night stand. I had an approximate idea of how the story will progress as I have watched Until We Meet Again before, but I didn’t really know or expected anything relating to Team’s and Win’s stories. We were not given any clues to it in UWMA, so it was really kind of heartbreaking to see, especially Team’s story.

I think the best place to start is the “ABC gang” as Win calls them. I think the three of them are so funny and a complete chaotic mess when put together. They had me laughing pretty much every time all of them were put together.

We do get to see quite a few side couples, and I felt like they were kind of taking up too much screentime away from WinTeam. But at the same time, I absolutely loved WanTul and BeePrince. I am kind of meh on DeanPharm, but seeing I didn’t really like them in their own series… PrukManaow were a bit too much for me too.

Wan & Tul: They are probably my favorite side couple. I love a good age gap romance (even though they are only a few years apart), as well as hidden identity story. I could really feel Tul’s pain when he realized he is in love with Wan, yet he cannot reveal himself without losing Wan. I think that the two had great chemistry. As for Wan, all I can say is that it’s always the quiet ones that surprise us the most.

Bee & Prince: I think they were cute. They were both unsure and they took their time exploring the possibilities. I really liked how they portrayed the struggles of being gay in the world of acting – we don’t often hear about the struggles and everything a person needs to sacrifice or hide to stay in the spotlight. Fans do tend to ship actors together, but reality is often not nearly as idealistic.

Dean & Pharm: I find Pharm annoying. I don’t even know how else to put it or why I feel that way. Dean is a bit more tolerable, but having seen him in UWMA, I am not his biggest fan. This does not mean that the actors didn’t do a great playing out the characters.

Pruk & Manaow: I get it, she is into the theater and all that. But the over reacting made it kind of hard to really enjoy her character. Pruk seems to be very down to earth and a calm person. I do think the two of them match really well, even if they can be a bit too much at times.

Win & Team: finally the main couple. I think the chemistry that the two actors have is amazing, that’s not something that can be denied. I really loved them in UMWA, so seeing them have their own series was really exciting. Their relationship takes time to develop. Win is a middle child and I really like how that is played into the series. The order siblings are born in can really impact their personalities. And while Win has the oldest sibling energy, his fears mostly go back to him being the middle child. It seems that his way of showing his love for someone is through taking care of them. Team is someone who needs a lot of support. I did find him a bit too silly at times though (e.g. the coffee ordering). He is battling his inner demons and he finds it hard to open to others. I am not sure that Pharm and Manaow even know his story. A lot of Team’s emotions and actions are due to his guilt that dates back to his childhood. Forgiving yourself is often the hardest thing to do.

I like how the main conflict between Win and Team was not jealousy or a third person. I think they could have communicated things in a better way and earlier, but with both of them being the way they are, it also made a lot of sense due to their personalities. They were showing they care about the other through their acts, but failed to say so out loud.

I think that both Boun and Prem did an amazing job when it came to portraying emotions. They really know how to make you feel what their characters are feeling. The series explores some very difficult topics and the two of them were on point every time it came to playing those scenes out.

And I cannot skip the topic of consent. It is something that I often comment on when it comes to different series. I think it’s important for the BL industry to move from romanticizing non consent. And Between Us really put consent into the center of the show. Win is in a position of authority, and he recognizes that. I believe that is why he wanted Team to show full understanding of what is about to happen and to fully consent to it. Team had the chance to refuse him, multiple times, with no consequences to his spot in the club. Win never intended to use his power to force Team into anything. And I really liked that. From first episode to the last, if there was any intimacy, consent was always clearly given.

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To truly love a person for who they are

I’ve been on an EarthMix binge since Moonlight Chicken ended. My expectations for the series were not very high as I am usually not a fan of body swap storylines, but I decided to at least give it a try. I was honestly impressed by it! The story is okay, it’s not super exciting or something completely unexpected, it has some plot twists /plot holes (e.g. aunt and uncle, mom) that could have been handled differently, but it wasn’t bad. The OST is lovely as well, I think the longing is nicely portrayed through it.

I think Jan deserves a big shoutout for how on point were her actions and mannerism when she was playing as Win in Lin’s body. Her actions and reactions were so on point, it was absolutely brilliant! I especially loved the scenes in which it switched between Mix and Jan, I feel like those moments were when both really shined! And Mix acting as “Lin” showed just how talented he is as well, especially his struggles to adapt to what it really means to be a girl. It really was something different.

Another thing that I really loved is how whenever it was just Korn and “Lin”, it was always Mix we saw in her role. It really showed how Korn never thought of doing the mission with Lin, to him it was always Win that he went with. Win really struggled with the idea that Korn only cares because it’s Lin’s body that’s involved. The scenes when this really shows were absolutely heartbreaking and Mix did extremely well portraying that confusion, that struggle. So, I think this detail was really important for us viewers to really understand certain parts of the story.

I know many don’t agree, but I can see how Win’s anger and hate for Korn are justified. Win is short tempered, he just lost his father and the person he trusts the most has no explanation for what is going on. Emotions were running high, Win reacted (even over reacted) impulsively, but Korn not explaining anything was also a mistake on his part.

I think this is an amazing series to show how one can love a person for who they are, all their flaws and mistakes. Korn knows Win, maybe even better than Win knows himself, yet he never tries to change him. He accepts him for who he is and just goes with it – be it his tantrums, his love for food, and his tendency to tease Korn.

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More like house of drama

It is intriguing. And messy. I am here for that. I did find it hard to keep up with all the characters through, as there seems to be quite a lot of them, but it got easier after a few episodes and once we got to know each of them a bit more. The subtitles of the first two episodes were terrible, but it got much better after that. I mean, they were butchering the names – like Pitch aka Pete, Picci, Pizza… or Wayha aka Haha and Weha; also is it Sin or Shin? So or Zo? It seems to have gotten better from episode three forwards, so that’s something.

Now, for the plot. It’s a hot mess, but in a good way. I feared that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with everyone and that the plot would stop making sense. I was pleasantly surprised that no matter how messy things got, it all still followed a logical plot line and was headed into a clear direction. It didn’t left me confused at all. The storyline was really well written, meaning if you paid attention, you could predict or guess certain things would happen.

I do find Miss Suzy kind of creepy. I know they are trying to show her as someone who has all control, knows everything, but I still feel that it was a bit too much. Host is someone I don’t really know what to think about. She seems to be under her mother’s full control, but there is more to her. We just sadly don’t really get to see that side of her very often.

Toey might be the character we know the least about. He is there from episode 1 as one of the managers (like Host) and yet we don’t get to know a single thing about him. We know his name and we know that he works for Miss Suzy. That’s it. I found that a bit strange. I mean he is not an actor in the house, but we could still know at least something about him.

As for the actors in the House of Stars, they sure know how to keep us on our toes.

Pitch, So, Gun: Pitch and So are partners in a BL series, there might be more between them but neither of them acted on it. Once Pitch starts to follow Gun around, we get a love triangle. So seems to be jealous of his acting partner spending time with Gun, and Gun seems to be unhappy about Pitch and So being together. And Pitch is living his clueless life. I am living for the mind games that So and Gun are playing with each other. They are kind of fun. I wouldn’t mind if this love triangle turned into a three-way relationship. The breakfast scene between Gun and So made me think things. The ending made me rethink my throuple idea though.

Korn, Pawin, Mintra: Korn and Mintra are dating, but Korn is also interested in men, something Mintra doesn’t know or just doesn’t want to admit. Pawin is a BL actor, he is gay, and has a thing for Korn. It makes sense that Mintra and Pawin don’t get along at all. Korn and Pawin end up hooking up while Mintra is away, which ends up blowing up into everyone’s face. I am not really a fan of the whole cheating thing. I know the two have a contract in place that states they need to date, but there were still real feelings involved. The storyline and the mess that followed were interesting. Korn really got my nerves most of the time, because of him two-timing the other too. There were times that I absolutely hated Mintra but there were also moments where I absolutely loved her! The wy their story ended was perfect though, I think it was the best possible outcome they could have chosen.

Wayha & Wayu: Wayha is new to acting, but his pronunciation sucks. Wayu is tasked with helping him. The two of them are the only couple we pair for sure from the start. Wayu is one that fell first and Wayha is the one to fall harder. They are kind of cute together though. Most of their scenes are adorable, just the two of them being lovey-dovey with each other. They are the least dramatic couple in the whole series. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. It’s good to have a few no-drama moments.

There’s also Sin, So’s brother. He was in an accident some time ago, which caused a lot of damage. Sin’s accident is also why So decided to take up acting. I feel like there is a lot more to the story, even after we find out who was responsible for the accident.

Lalit is the last to join the House of Stars and there is something suspicious about her. She is apparently a fangirl, so her sharing things that the fans shouldn’t know yet, doesn’t seem that unreasonable. I am not sure if they are just trying to make it seem like she is the one causing trouble, or if she is behind it, but there is something going on with her. I do like how her story progressed and while her end isn't something I fully like or understand, it is one that I think fits the story. She kind of grew on me as the series progressed.

And then we also get to meet Sun, Suzy’s son and Host’s brother, who seems to scare both of them. I don’t fully get their dynamics, especially considering the fact that Suzy could easily kick him out and disown him. Sun has a lot of secrets, and we don’t really get to know that much about him. I think there is a lot more to him that we are told, especially with how the series ended.

Am I happy with how everyone ended? No. Do I get what happened? Yes, mostly. Did I enjoy the series? Yes. And the fact that they left the story unfished… it can only mean that they set everything up for S2. I ended up really enjoying the series, so the fact that we are very likely to get another season is exciting!

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Was very confusing most of the time

It got confusing quickly. We are thrown into the middle of this whole thing with a bunch of characters who we don’t know who they are, adding some flashbacks on top of it made it very hard to follow. There are obviously a lot of different connections between all characters, but the lack of explanations means we don’t really get familiar with those connections.

The premise is quite interesting, I’ll admit that, but things are rushed. And that makes it choppy and hard to follow. Pluem / Kim is an interesting character, but he’s not the smartest. Also, slightly creepy at times. Khunkhao is not my favorite, and while we know Pluem is the one in Kim’s body, he doesn’t know that. Yet he’s flirting with a man who broke her sister’s heart. I’m sure that would make family reunions interesting.

The ending though… I should have expected something like that. Am I happy with it? Not really. Could it have been worse? Yes. Could it have been better? Yes.

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It left me disappointed in many different ways

Having seen Cutie Pie before, I knew that the relationship between Yi and Khondiao was a mess. I am not sure how they managed it, but they made it even worse in Naughty Babe. There are a lot of things that make very little to no sense when it comes to the relationship between the main couple.

First thing first, what was up with that tiger? I hated how those scenes were done, the CGI was atrocious. And I am not sure why they decided to change what happened when the two were little from a dog attack to a tiger attack, but it was a bad decision. It negated some of the things that played a big part in their story before.

I did actually enjoy the relationship Yi and Khondiao had with Yi’s father. I found it funny how obvious he made it who he prefers between the two. He loves Yi, don’t get it twisted, but he also loves Khondiao. Maybe he is trying to make the boy feel loved, because it’s obvious that his family is lacking in that aspect. Yi and Lian together are as hilarious as before. But I really liked how Lian had some really good advice for Yi and wasn’t afraid to let him know when he was being an idiot. Kuea and Diao were two cuties together, even if they tend to be a bit dramatic at times.

I enjoyed the mystery element to the series. It added a layer to it that I didn’t expect. Even if things were a bit too obvious and dealt with fairly quickly (might be because the series is shorter), it felt like it wasn’t explored enough. The absurdity in which this whole thing ended in the last episode though… just why?

Yi & Khondiao: I thought their relationship can’t get worse, but I was proven wrong. The two still can’t communicate properly, don’t really trust each other, keep lying to one another and apparently don’t even know each other well enough. Yi is still very controlling, he just hides that better by having his guards spy on his boyfriend. I do like Khondiao’s sassy side, even if I think it wasn’t really utilized well or in the right places. They have a lot of problems, but they do not appear to be mature enough to solve them. Sometimes it feels like there has been no progress in character development from Cutie Pie to where we are now. Max and Nat have great chemistry and they know how to kiss. But the comedic aspect to their characters, the over-done personality traits were not really something I enjoyed. Even if I think they acted them out well.

And while on the topic of comedic aspect, I don’t like most of the wanna-be comedic scenes that we got. They just felt extremely immature and not really something that fit Yi’s character well. He’s supposed to be mature, cold, a workaholic… not an immature manipulator with the humor of a frat guy.

All in all, I was disappointed. I really expected more from it, especially as they had an already established couple, backstory, side characters, the world in general… only to go back on many things, continue with the toxicity of the relationship (only more hidden), with characters that act like they are in high school instead of adults.

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Started off great, but could use more work after

My expectations were high after the first two or three episodes. I loved the chemistry between the two actors, the not-so-subtle flirting undertones to their conversations and the little comedic inserts that came with Lee Jun not being sure of what to make of Choi Jun. I think the visuals (of everyone, not just the mains) are on point, the aesthetics and cinematography are stunning as well.

Sadly, things started to go downhill quickly after that. There was both a lot happening with the meetings and work-related stuff, but there was nothing happening when it came to the relationship and character development. We don’t get to know the motives of other characters, we don’t really see them change, we don’t see how Jun and Jun fall for each other. We got new characters and possible love interests that made it even harder to keep up with the plot. There was a lot of confusion.

Choi Jun & Lee Jun: the two look good together, I can’t argue with that, but there is absolutely no relationship development. We don’t know why Choi Jun (still) loves Lee Jun. We don’t get to see how Lee Jun falls for him. They don’t spend enough time together for them to get familiar with one another again, so they don’t know each other well enough to justify their present love. The actors were okay, but I feel like they didn’t really get the chance to show everything. I felt each Jun got a specific label and all of their personalities and actions were reduced to fitting that label. We had the hot director Choi Jun and adorable ex-idol Lee Jun. Both of their characters were not developed enough.

Actually, most of the characters were not developed enough. However, they were a nice addition to the series. I really enjoyed seeing both the old office workers and interns together. And Kim Yeong, she was such a cutie pie!

Another thing that lacked some development, some explanations was the love square between Lee Jun and the three men that were enamored with him – Choi Jun, Song Hyun Jae and Chim On. It was a mess. And one that left me mostly confused. The flashbacks related to the said love square left me mostly more confused as to what happened in the past.

I do admit the side couple was adorable once the two started to spend some more time together. I liked them paired together a lot more than seeing them pinning over someone else. I loved their dynamics and their playful bickering.

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Marriage is not just about two people

I have a love hate relationship with MAME and her works. Don’t get me wrong, the production value is amazing. The OSTs are catchy. The cast is perfect. But then we get into the characters and the script, and I start to find more and more flaws. Good looking cast is not enough to make me love a series.

Sailom & Namnuea: Sailom is an idiot. I don’t see how else to put it. He is caring and sweet, but his friendship with Prapai definitely shows. And not in a good way. A lot of his actions are not okay. From non-consent, to manipulating Nuea, to lying and deceiving him, pretty much stalking him at one point… To be honest, Namnuea is not innocent in all of this. Especially when he responds to Lom while knowing full well that the man is engaged to get married. Lom knows the wedding is arranged, but Nuea doesn’t know this. He is going after a taken man. One whose wedding he is planning. Which does give me an ick. I think their relationship development would have been much better if Lom was honest with Nuea and would have told him the truth sooner. But by not doing that, it shows Nuea in a very bad light. The two actors are great together and have great chemistry, that is not something I can deny.

Yiwa & Marine: I do find the two adorable, but also quite awkward with each other at times. I still really enjoyed seeing them together. Marine is such a sweet character; she cares way too much about others and often ends up getting hurt because of it. Yiwa does care about Marine, a lot, but she also feels some sense of duty towards her parents, her mother in particular, and wants to follow their wishes. Her reasons are also selfish – she wants to be free to do as she wants and stay on her family’s good side, and that is something she can achieve through marrying Lom.

I hate to admit it, but Lom’s and Yiwa’s marriage makes more sense than it should. I can see why they are going through it. As it is said in the last episode, marriage is not just about two people while love is just between two hearts. It means they will make their parents happy and keep the peace in the families, but it also gives them the freedom to be with who they love. However, how the two planned to stay married is something I don’t think was thought through. What happens when the parents visit unannounced? When they want grandkids? When they want the two home and together for every important event? Both Marine and Namnuea would soon start to feel like side pieces, which is something none of them wants.

The ending was expected but also exactly what I wanted. I am not exactly happy how Lom ended up using Yiwa for his benefit, but at the same time, I can understand why he did. It’s also what she wanted him to do. He didn’t have to go to the extent he went, but he can be dramatic, so it was very in line with how I saw him.

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Why R U so all over the place?

What did I even watch? It’s all over the place! The plot is a mess. There are too many characters to really keep up with all of them. And I feel like I watched the same two scenes about ten times each. The plot had a nice set up at first, maybe a bit too dramatic for my liking, but it was interesting. But then it went up in flames. The idea that all that happened is due to the bet between Zon and his sister quickly became a side thing. Instead, the series tried to keep with a bunch of couples and completely failed at that.

The cinematographic aspect was not the best. Some shots were very strange and with certain scenes constantly repeating, it felt like they did a lot of that just to fill in the time. The series could have easily been a few episodes shorter. Included less couples. The background sounds were all over the place too. I felt like they exaggerated with the comic sound effects.

Fighter & Tutor: they are both idiots. At first, I though only Fighter is an idiot who should just sit down with himself and decide on what the hell he wants. Or doesn’t want. His hot and cold attitude was not cute. The way he treated Tutor throughout the series (except for their cute and in love phase) was not okay. Tutor was doing okay at first. He was a bit confused, but he knew where he stood. And then he decided to keep secrets. To make decisions without his partner. To make an even bigger mess of things. That, however, does not excuse Fighter’s behavior or actions. It was how he handled things that made me absolutely hate him. I think both Zee and Saint are great actors, and they did good with intimate scenes and had great chemistry, I just don’t like the characters they played.

Saifah & Zon: I thought the two were supposed to be the main couple. But they got less screen time than the other main couple. At least it felt like that to me. They had me confused most of the time. Zon is dramatic. And Saifah is flirty. Together, they are a hot mess. I don’t think the switch in Saifah going from possibly hating Zon to being completely enamored by him makes sense. It happened in a second, which made me confused if he is simply messing with him or if actually likes Zon. There was a lot of back and forth between the two, but I also feel like nothing much happened. They sang, played the guitar, flirted and denied flirting. I don’t mind low-drama couples, but with everything else going on, they kind of faded into the background for me.

There were a few other couples – Japan and Thantai, Dew and Blue (with a sprinkle of Champ), Natee and Zen, Junior and Soda, Daw and Hwahwa. None of the mentioned (possible) couples got proper story development nor enough screen time to really round off their stories. I think they just added to the confusion.

There’s also Zol, Zon’s sister and the author. What happened with that plotline? I know it was supposed to be a way to start the story off, but it was never addressed if her writing came true or if it was just a coincidence. I feel like that just faded into the background. A similar thing happened to Zon’s parents and their role in what was going on.

To be honest, I did a lot of skipping. I also watched a lot of it on double speed just to get through it faster. I am just happy to be done with it.

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Kind of creepy

Before watching the 2022 Love Mechanics, I thought it would be a good idea to watch the En of Love series to get a grip on the characters and any backstories that might be good to know. That is a decision that TOSSARA made me regret. I like the other two instalments of En of Love much better.

Gun & Bar: Gun gave me creeps pretty much all the time. His interactions with Bar made me uncomfortable. I don’t really know what they were trying to do, but this was not cute, it was creepy. Bar was sweet, I liked his character. And him rejecting Mark is probably my favorite scene in the series. It shows that he can be assertive when needed. I think that the two actors playing Gun and Bar lacked chemistry, there was not a single moment where I thought that the two characters might like each other.

Here’s the thing. The plot and the idea behind it are not bad. It had a lot of potential to be great, but I think the execution was not good. It lacked in many aspects. Maybe things would have been better if the series was longer and the relationship between Gun and Bar actually had a chance to fully develop. Or not, Gun was creepy. I know I said that before, but that really stuck with me.

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“Unfuck it!” – that’s what I call good advice

I really like the premise of the series. I’m usually a bit meh on soulmate plots as they tend to be very cliché, I admit that, but I found this one really interesting. Probably because it’s something I haven’t heard of before. Also, the idea that both decided to not act upon the whole soulmate bond intrigued me.

Patt & Tai: Their first meeting was adorable. I did find Tai’s sudden interest in his soulmate a bit weird. Why did he suddenly decide to give him a chance when he ignored the man for over two years? I can understand his wariness on the subject, but the sudden change was a bit unexpected. Is it only because Patt is hot? I can understand Patt’s decision to defy his destiny. He seems like a dream man. He has his life together, is loving, honest. I found the two adorable. There are a lot of things that I don’t really like about the two either. Tai is too forgiving and too understanding at times, he doesn’t know how to communicate his feelings and his needs. Patt tends to keep secrets, he doesn’t always see his faults and tends to react quite aggressively and impulsively. Pee and Title have great on screen chemistry, I can’t deny that. I really enjoy seeing the two together. Their kiss scenes were amazing! Title has also done incredibly in the silent crying scene. My heart broke for him, I think we all felt it.

Lomfon & Tien: I find Tien a bit childish at times. He’s a brat, that’s what he is. But he also seems to be quite mature when it comes to giving advice to Tai. And I really like that, because it shows that just because he is quick to anger, he can show maturity when needed. Or when he feels like doing so. He and Lomfon have everything set for a good enemies to lovers kind of story. With some love triangle thrown into the mix. And I am here for it. Tien’s confusion is something I am really enjoying. He’s so cute, especially when drunk. Lomfon appears to be much more responsible and often ends up being as a not so happy babysitter. He is also someone who tends to think about everything which sometimes ends up backfiring on him. He doesn’t always act rationally, even if that is something he tries to do.

The whole situation between Phat, Tai and Lomfon is interesting. I like in how many different ways the situation can be interpreted. I wanted them all to find some sort of clarity while solving the mess. It might not be a perfect situation, but it is what it is. I just wish this would play a bigger role in the series. The climax to the situation happened fairly late into the series, I expected it to happen sooner and be more important part of the story, especially as it was shown in the trailer for the series.

There are some plot holes or things that make absolutely no sense. From how the boys (don’t) know each other, to why they are keeping secrets from one another, to the café scene, the whole hearing loss soulmates thing … And even why Tai’s parents felt the need to keep their mouths shut about how they are handling the divorce. The boys were all in their teens and older when the two separated, meaning they were all old enough to understand it.

And while on the topic of divorce, I really like the message they showed through the relationship of Tai’s parents. Being soulmates doesn’t necessarily guarantee a romantic compatibility. It might set things up for it, but it does not mean it will work. Love is not enough, there are many other factors that play a big role in maintaining a relationship. And seeing the two parents still be friends is another great message – they might not be right for one another, but they can still be friends and raise their children in a loving environment. Coming from someone with divorced parents who have great relationship even after everything, I can’t stress enough how important is for parents to be able to act like adults and not try to make their children hate the other parent.

One of my favorite advice in all of BLs I have seen, is definitely Tien’s love advice to Tai. When you fuck something up, you need to find a way to unfuck it. Simple and straight to the point. All in all, I really liked the relationship between all four brothers, but especially Tai’s and Tien’s. It’s very realistic love-hate relationship. Like we can annoy each other, but when you need me, you know I am always there for you.

I really liked the scenery and cinematography of it. The locations were beautiful, and the rain often made everything look even prettier. The OST is nice, the sound effects weren’t distracting and it all went nice with what was going on in the story.

The ending though… is that a set up for second season? I am honestly not sure how I feel about that. With this series starting great and ending meh, I don’t know how they could turn S2 better. Plus, I don’t think I like the love triangle they have in mind for possible season 2.

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Want to camp? Rent a mate!

It was slightly confusing. Pai gets dumped by his girlfriend, while Third and his girlfriend are on kind of a break. The thing is, Pai and Third’s girlfriend are travel companions while their partners are not. So, Third hires Pai to travel with him, saying he wishes to understand his profession more. The two end up at the same camp as their (ex)girlfriends. How unexpected! There was no passion between the two boys, I am not even sure if there was supposed to be. I found the girls cute though. But there are certain things that could have been done differently.

The plot is kind of lacking. Nothing much actually happens, and what does is not really well connected to other scenes. The acting was okay, but it also felt weak at times. The comedic aspect of it was not really done well either.

I don’t think we can say this is a two-part series. Why? Because the breakup scenes have been played like 3 times each! Instead of giving time for the story to develop, to maybe flow a bit more naturally without all the weird scene cuts, we get to watch the breakups (time apart) speeches and arguments again and again. With no changes. And the first few minutes of the second episode are the same as the last few minutes of the first episode. A waste of time.

Things were left pretty up in the air in the end. Certain things were hinted at, but if they actually used up their time wisely, things could have concluded a lot more nicely. And in a way that made sense with the story progression they could have included. Now, it just seems rushed and not really making much sense.

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