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Between Revenge and Love
Love, crime, homophobia, justice, street fights, revenge, forgiveness, struggles for control of the city, disputes between youth gangs of various nationalities, multiculturalism, sports-related gambling, immigration, and betrayal, 'The Bangkok Boys' is much more than a romance: it is the story of a young man's struggle to rebuild his shattered life and uncover the truth behind the murder of two loved ones.
Sun's sentence for the murder of Kong (Ball Peeratad Promted, remembered for playing Jay, X's brother in 'Every You, Every Me', 2024), his best friend, someone who was preparing to confess his love to him, ends after serving three years in a high-security prison.
Now Sun, who like his father enjoys combat sports, can start his life over, return to Thai boxing training, perhaps catch up on his interrupted studies, and finally mourn his father and his friend, killed in actions that have a dark connection to each other, right on his 18th birthday.
The young man, faithful to the teachings of his father, who recognizes himself as an old-fashioned gangster for refusing to put the inhabitants of his community at risk due to drugs, a source of disagreement with rival international gangs, dreams of becoming a professional MMA fighter.
Despite being the son of a second marriage, Sun had the perfect life: a loving father, "Chief" Songpoom (A Passin Reungwoot), beloved by his employees and the common people, but hated by those trying to smuggle drugs into Bangkok, such as the Thai Madame Yao (Russamee Thongsiripraisri), the South Korean Mr. Jo, and Aim (Akadech Jaroonsot), the latter's eldest son, who conspire to get rid of the community leader; the love of three siblings: Jack (Bodinphat Aphonsuthinan), the eldest, a young man very dedicated to his studies and also a lover of combat sports; Jinny (Khongkwan Woraphat) and Mei (Jaja Jinjutha Siripheng); and a boxing gym as a family business.
I'll briefly dwell on the character of Mr. Jo. Although the character is played by actor Ton Siradhanai Panthrap on camera, the AI dubbing of his voice seems empty, distant, and absent. This is perhaps my biggest negative criticism of the first episode.
Sun also has a group of loyal friends, including Tan (Paythai Ploymeeka, remembered for playing Phupha in 'The Outing', 2024), the gym's boxing instructor; Kawin (Top Piyawat Phongkanitanon, who played Jade in 'Every You, Every Me'); and Nap (Dom Petchtamrongchai), the latter two being excellent fighters. He was a spectator's dream.
These supporting characters, however small, are part of a larger harmony. Everyone assumes that every dramatic work is like a classical piece of music: every instrument must be in tune. If even one is out of tune, it shows. Even if a role seems insignificant, it's equal to all of them. Because if it isn't, the "sonata" won't sound as it should.
So when Kong dies in her arms murdered by Jun Ho (Shin), the leader of a South Korean gang who, along with Ji Hoon (Phee Phiangphor) and Chin Woo (Andrew Jaewon Choi), has the mission assigned by Mr. Jo to blend in as best as possible with the Thai people, which is why they even have to speak their language (Spoiler that I allow myself to explain why some characters mix several languages), Sun is accused of his death.
His imprisonment and, furthermore, the neutralization of the other members of the family clan are also the objectives of the people behind the two seemingly unrelated crimes.
Directed by Chankacha Prathuan, 'The Bangkok Boys' also tries to find the truth about this sinister crime, whether the murders are interconnected, or if they were just the result of chance, and whose real culprits may still be at large.
This is the story of a man who gets up and starts over, facing almost insurmountable obstacles. It's about what it feels like to be labeled a monster when you know you've done nothing wrong, but also how you can find love and inspiration in the most surprising places, with the most unexpected person, someone you're supposed to hate for being... precisely... Peach (Cho Si Hyeon, in his debut), the son of his father's murderer and his best friend. As Sun faces an impossible choice, the two will wage a battle between love and revenge.
Peach, a young man eager to renounce his father's wishes of succeeding him in the family business to pursue his dreams of returning to Britain and becoming his professor's assistant once he graduates from university and pursues a master's degree in Western Philosophy, is forced to travel to Thailand to fulfill Mr. Jo's order to teach his older brother Aim a lesson for causing trouble in the Southeast Asian country's capital.
Another of the series' strong points is its change of tone. At first, 'The Bangkok Boys' might make us believe we're watching a comedy, thanks to the performances of Tape, his father, brothers, and friends, but little by little we realize that this is anything but. The series effortlessly shifts toward drama without it being noticeable, making the result work so well that we can go from a moment of comedy to a moment of maximum violence, intrigue, and crime without it coming across as awkward or forced.
And 'The Bangkok Boys' is one of the best examples of all this, as from what could have been a simple comedy, they are able to create a dramatic thriller full of conspiracies, murders, suspense, prison drama, martial arts, and high-flying betrayals.
Here is a series that has everything you can (and should) expect from a production that seeks to entertain:
- A fluid, witty, coherent, and relatable script. It moves between comedy (in almost the entire first episode), drama, and tension with great skill.
- A staging and setting that vividly recreate the era in which the story takes place (the present), to the point that the landscapes, emotions, flavors, and aromas captured are "perceptible" to all the viewer's senses, in addition to hearing and sight.
- The photography and soundtrack are beautiful.
- Well-rounded characters: The protagonists are very endearing, so genuine that they inspire almost immediate empathy. The antagonists (especially Madame Yao, Mr. Jo, Aim, and the three young South Koreans in Thailand) inspire resentment and fear, but also condescension, as the origin of their flaws is explained and justified, making their actions understandable.
- Simply brilliant performances.
- Meticulous, demanding, and intelligent direction. Nothing is out of place.
TAPE AND THE DIFFICULT ART OF MOVING, THINKING, AND CREATING ON STAGE
What I like about the character created by Tape is that his external characterization must be closely connected to his internal one. That's quite a challenge for any actor.
I think the casting of Tape Worrachai Sirikongsuwan, best known for playing Sichol in the BL series 'The Tuxedo' (2022), is a very fitting choice. Who would have thought that at 32 years old, he could pass for an 18-year-old, dressed like a high school student in a school uniform. On the other hand, it's evident that he's trained hard to be able to portray a boxer.
This actor's film career began in 2013 with the supernatural horror comedy "Make Me Shudder" (followed by its 2014 and 2015 sequels), written by Poj Arnon, where he forged the foundations of a versatility that he later brought with equal intensity to television. Since then, he has consistently taken on memorable roles in films such as "Who" (2020), "Zombie Fighters" (2017), "Oh My Ghost 4" (2015), "Iron Ladies Roar!" (2014), and "Dangerous Boys" (2014), as well as unforgettable series such as "The Tuxedo" (2022), "Siew Sum Noi" (2021), and "Love Smart" (2015). His versatility has also led him to win over audiences in the theater. Possessing a keen sensitivity and an unwavering professional ethic, Tape has left his mark on works that are now part of the heritage of Thai BL and LGBT+ stories.
However, it will be 'The Bangkok Boys' that will demand the most from him as an actor, but also the one that allows him to contribute something more profound.
This actor has embraced the motto that to learn, you have to do it. If anyone interested looks at his filmography, they'll notice that more than two years pass between projects, and this works against things going well for him. However, he's aware that each project is an opportunity to learn, to improve, to grow. And Tape has made up for the lack of new projects by working and developing as an actor behind the camera.
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS (AT LEAST FOR THE MOMENT)
A use of emotional and intense fight scenes beautifully photographed through the lens of Kritsanut Seemanachaiyasit, and solid performances from the entire cast, characterize a series that uncompromisingly attacks the dark and perverse underworld of Thai and South Korean culture.
With a mix of languages, specifically Thai, Korean, and English, the series begins with the protagonist's release from prison and return to his childhood home. These images, that of Sun's release from prison, anticipate the fate of the entire story. The skilled fighter has been waiting for this day to exact revenge.
Through the chronological evocation of his memories of the day of the crime, Sun presents his relationship with his father and Kong in order to deconstruct the connections of violence and betrayal that led to the murder of both men.
Meanwhile, family and friend scenes overlap to show the viewer the normal life of a young Thai high school student and his connection with those around him.
With editing and montage that work with the precision of a Swiss watch, 'The Bangkok Boy' employs flashbacks as a dramatic device (one that develops an idea over several scenes) to recount the events that occurred before the story's opening sequence, show the viewer the character's past, and explain how the events that led to the deaths of his two loved ones and the cause of his prison sentence occurred. Ultimately, it serves to complete the characters' crucial history and the current plot.
This dramatic device not only satisfies the audience's need for the characters' lives before the crimes. It also allows for the construction of multifaceted characters, characters whose actions, as well as what they did, will be remembered. Furthermore, telling the story in a nonlinear manner, from Sun's perspective, establishes a connection between the audience and the characters. In other words, it's easier to connect with images from the past than with dialogue and exposition.
I'll come back later to update the review.
Sun's sentence for the murder of Kong (Ball Peeratad Promted, remembered for playing Jay, X's brother in 'Every You, Every Me', 2024), his best friend, someone who was preparing to confess his love to him, ends after serving three years in a high-security prison.
Now Sun, who like his father enjoys combat sports, can start his life over, return to Thai boxing training, perhaps catch up on his interrupted studies, and finally mourn his father and his friend, killed in actions that have a dark connection to each other, right on his 18th birthday.
The young man, faithful to the teachings of his father, who recognizes himself as an old-fashioned gangster for refusing to put the inhabitants of his community at risk due to drugs, a source of disagreement with rival international gangs, dreams of becoming a professional MMA fighter.
Despite being the son of a second marriage, Sun had the perfect life: a loving father, "Chief" Songpoom (A Passin Reungwoot), beloved by his employees and the common people, but hated by those trying to smuggle drugs into Bangkok, such as the Thai Madame Yao (Russamee Thongsiripraisri), the South Korean Mr. Jo, and Aim (Akadech Jaroonsot), the latter's eldest son, who conspire to get rid of the community leader; the love of three siblings: Jack (Bodinphat Aphonsuthinan), the eldest, a young man very dedicated to his studies and also a lover of combat sports; Jinny (Khongkwan Woraphat) and Mei (Jaja Jinjutha Siripheng); and a boxing gym as a family business.
I'll briefly dwell on the character of Mr. Jo. Although the character is played by actor Ton Siradhanai Panthrap on camera, the AI dubbing of his voice seems empty, distant, and absent. This is perhaps my biggest negative criticism of the first episode.
Sun also has a group of loyal friends, including Tan (Paythai Ploymeeka, remembered for playing Phupha in 'The Outing', 2024), the gym's boxing instructor; Kawin (Top Piyawat Phongkanitanon, who played Jade in 'Every You, Every Me'); and Nap (Dom Petchtamrongchai), the latter two being excellent fighters. He was a spectator's dream.
These supporting characters, however small, are part of a larger harmony. Everyone assumes that every dramatic work is like a classical piece of music: every instrument must be in tune. If even one is out of tune, it shows. Even if a role seems insignificant, it's equal to all of them. Because if it isn't, the "sonata" won't sound as it should.
So when Kong dies in her arms murdered by Jun Ho (Shin), the leader of a South Korean gang who, along with Ji Hoon (Phee Phiangphor) and Chin Woo (Andrew Jaewon Choi), has the mission assigned by Mr. Jo to blend in as best as possible with the Thai people, which is why they even have to speak their language (Spoiler that I allow myself to explain why some characters mix several languages), Sun is accused of his death.
His imprisonment and, furthermore, the neutralization of the other members of the family clan are also the objectives of the people behind the two seemingly unrelated crimes.
Directed by Chankacha Prathuan, 'The Bangkok Boys' also tries to find the truth about this sinister crime, whether the murders are interconnected, or if they were just the result of chance, and whose real culprits may still be at large.
This is the story of a man who gets up and starts over, facing almost insurmountable obstacles. It's about what it feels like to be labeled a monster when you know you've done nothing wrong, but also how you can find love and inspiration in the most surprising places, with the most unexpected person, someone you're supposed to hate for being... precisely... Peach (Cho Si Hyeon, in his debut), the son of his father's murderer and his best friend. As Sun faces an impossible choice, the two will wage a battle between love and revenge.
Peach, a young man eager to renounce his father's wishes of succeeding him in the family business to pursue his dreams of returning to Britain and becoming his professor's assistant once he graduates from university and pursues a master's degree in Western Philosophy, is forced to travel to Thailand to fulfill Mr. Jo's order to teach his older brother Aim a lesson for causing trouble in the Southeast Asian country's capital.
Another of the series' strong points is its change of tone. At first, 'The Bangkok Boys' might make us believe we're watching a comedy, thanks to the performances of Tape, his father, brothers, and friends, but little by little we realize that this is anything but. The series effortlessly shifts toward drama without it being noticeable, making the result work so well that we can go from a moment of comedy to a moment of maximum violence, intrigue, and crime without it coming across as awkward or forced.
And 'The Bangkok Boys' is one of the best examples of all this, as from what could have been a simple comedy, they are able to create a dramatic thriller full of conspiracies, murders, suspense, prison drama, martial arts, and high-flying betrayals.
Here is a series that has everything you can (and should) expect from a production that seeks to entertain:
- A fluid, witty, coherent, and relatable script. It moves between comedy (in almost the entire first episode), drama, and tension with great skill.
- A staging and setting that vividly recreate the era in which the story takes place (the present), to the point that the landscapes, emotions, flavors, and aromas captured are "perceptible" to all the viewer's senses, in addition to hearing and sight.
- The photography and soundtrack are beautiful.
- Well-rounded characters: The protagonists are very endearing, so genuine that they inspire almost immediate empathy. The antagonists (especially Madame Yao, Mr. Jo, Aim, and the three young South Koreans in Thailand) inspire resentment and fear, but also condescension, as the origin of their flaws is explained and justified, making their actions understandable.
- Simply brilliant performances.
- Meticulous, demanding, and intelligent direction. Nothing is out of place.
TAPE AND THE DIFFICULT ART OF MOVING, THINKING, AND CREATING ON STAGE
What I like about the character created by Tape is that his external characterization must be closely connected to his internal one. That's quite a challenge for any actor.
I think the casting of Tape Worrachai Sirikongsuwan, best known for playing Sichol in the BL series 'The Tuxedo' (2022), is a very fitting choice. Who would have thought that at 32 years old, he could pass for an 18-year-old, dressed like a high school student in a school uniform. On the other hand, it's evident that he's trained hard to be able to portray a boxer.
This actor's film career began in 2013 with the supernatural horror comedy "Make Me Shudder" (followed by its 2014 and 2015 sequels), written by Poj Arnon, where he forged the foundations of a versatility that he later brought with equal intensity to television. Since then, he has consistently taken on memorable roles in films such as "Who" (2020), "Zombie Fighters" (2017), "Oh My Ghost 4" (2015), "Iron Ladies Roar!" (2014), and "Dangerous Boys" (2014), as well as unforgettable series such as "The Tuxedo" (2022), "Siew Sum Noi" (2021), and "Love Smart" (2015). His versatility has also led him to win over audiences in the theater. Possessing a keen sensitivity and an unwavering professional ethic, Tape has left his mark on works that are now part of the heritage of Thai BL and LGBT+ stories.
However, it will be 'The Bangkok Boys' that will demand the most from him as an actor, but also the one that allows him to contribute something more profound.
This actor has embraced the motto that to learn, you have to do it. If anyone interested looks at his filmography, they'll notice that more than two years pass between projects, and this works against things going well for him. However, he's aware that each project is an opportunity to learn, to improve, to grow. And Tape has made up for the lack of new projects by working and developing as an actor behind the camera.
FINAL CONSIDERATIONS (AT LEAST FOR THE MOMENT)
A use of emotional and intense fight scenes beautifully photographed through the lens of Kritsanut Seemanachaiyasit, and solid performances from the entire cast, characterize a series that uncompromisingly attacks the dark and perverse underworld of Thai and South Korean culture.
With a mix of languages, specifically Thai, Korean, and English, the series begins with the protagonist's release from prison and return to his childhood home. These images, that of Sun's release from prison, anticipate the fate of the entire story. The skilled fighter has been waiting for this day to exact revenge.
Through the chronological evocation of his memories of the day of the crime, Sun presents his relationship with his father and Kong in order to deconstruct the connections of violence and betrayal that led to the murder of both men.
Meanwhile, family and friend scenes overlap to show the viewer the normal life of a young Thai high school student and his connection with those around him.
With editing and montage that work with the precision of a Swiss watch, 'The Bangkok Boy' employs flashbacks as a dramatic device (one that develops an idea over several scenes) to recount the events that occurred before the story's opening sequence, show the viewer the character's past, and explain how the events that led to the deaths of his two loved ones and the cause of his prison sentence occurred. Ultimately, it serves to complete the characters' crucial history and the current plot.
This dramatic device not only satisfies the audience's need for the characters' lives before the crimes. It also allows for the construction of multifaceted characters, characters whose actions, as well as what they did, will be remembered. Furthermore, telling the story in a nonlinear manner, from Sun's perspective, establishes a connection between the audience and the characters. In other words, it's easier to connect with images from the past than with dialogue and exposition.
I'll come back later to update the review.
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