ariel alba

Between fiction and reality

Seung Woo Park (played by Jeon Yu Bin) is dragged by Sangyoon Park (played by Minjin Kim) to a corner of the room and, cornered, listens, annoyed, as he is accused of having had sex with someone else.
Sangyoon attacks him and hurts him with his words. Both young people argue heatedly. At any moment they could come to blows. They are not a couple. They are just two friends who…
The victim cannot understand why he is treated that way. That's why he asks her insistently: "What does that have to do with you? Why do you keep interfering in my life? Are we lovers? Are you jealous of other people? Do you like me?" The response he receives from Sangyoon is a kiss on the lips. But when he realizes his act, he nervously turns away and asks for forgiveness.
Thoughtful, Seung Woo Park lowers his head and sighs. He feels a shudder run through his entire body. The question still hangs in the air: "Do you like me?" He looks at him again, and understands that he was not wrong: his partner loves him, most likely with the same strength that he loves him.
Looking up, Seung Woo Park meets his eyes and holds his gaze. Only then, for the first time, he sees Sangyoon Park. He sees it not only with his eyes, but with that inner gaze, through which one is able to see what is deep inside each person, and understands that both are drawn to each other like an abyss to the suicidal person. Yes, he loves the person who has been standing in front of him for months, when they met at the beginning of filming. But the most happy thing he is to discover is... that it is reciprocated.
What intoxicating delight to feel for the first time in one's life the pulsation of the blood in the veins and the pulsation of all the fibers of the body. I was learning what it is to love and be loved.
The order: "Cut!" brings Seung Woo Park back to reality.
It may be that, carried away by emotions, he has strayed from the script. That's why he looks, surreptitiously, at the director of the romantic drama in which both he and Sangyoon Park are protagonists. But she, a few centimeters away from them, camera in hand, does not correct them and has let them do it, understanding that improvisation could allow the characters to flow freely, resulting in genuine, organic, authentic performances.
By then, they were no longer two actors performing a love scene in a romantic drama while being filmed. They have become two people who, through gestures, silence and words, many of them coming from a written text to be interpreted by them, have expressed their true feelings during filming... without anyone on the crew noticing. of it.
And Jui Kim, the director of 'Actor: eal' ('Act or Real'), the two-episode South Korean miniseries from 2024, is aware that love can surprise us anywhere. The same on an ocean liner about to sink, on a desolate mountain where two cowboys discover their sexuality... or on a film set.
The direction and cinematography contribute to the artistic and visually attractive quality of the audiovisual. This work, whose centrality is its love plot, grows around love and the evident desire between its characters.
As it progresses, the miniseries captures the tender moments of their interaction. Through silence, abstract soundscapes and textured cuts, the discovery, acceptance of sexuality and the birth of love between the two young people are conveyed in a visually striking way.
Jeon Yu Bin, the actor who plays Seung Woo Park, and previously known for his leading roles in the series 'Blue of Winter', and the short film 'His, Ice Cream', both from 2022, manages, together with his co-star, to infect us that sexual tension, palpable during the almost 9 minutes of footage.
It's nice to see how in such a short time, the love between the two characters develops honestly, authentic and tender. And together they discover their own homosexuality and give themselves over to it freely, although with obvious shyness, perhaps because other people are present... or perhaps because of the obvious: they are two boys, and South Korean society would not accept them. But they take risks. Love is much stronger.
Music makes everything much more romantic.
Both the director and Jihye Woo, the screenwriter, are aware that one of the most important aspects of an audiovisual is to ensure that the trust and connection between the characters—especially those in love—is very good. That is why they selected two very convincing actors as a couple who acted together in several intense scenes..., like the one with the fast-paced kiss almost at the end, and it surprises us, not because it was not expected by the viewer, but because of its unusual nature. to see the passion represented in it in Asian BL series.
The chemistry between the actors is palpable, allowing the depth of their relationship to shine on screen.
Full of emotions, 'Actor: eal' is a work with love as the central theme, with a kiss and a happy ending. Another added value is that the heteronormative nuclear family (boy-girl) is also questioned on this occasion.
And the creators are also consistent with the logic that few feelings are more universal than love. Any human being could have their own definition and all of them would be valid, even more so if we understand that there are many types of love. The fraternal one, the one you consider a friend, the one you profess to your family... But of course, few things are equal to romantic love, whether between a boy and a girl, between a girl and a girl or a boy and a boy.
They also understand that if there is something that comes close to the authentic perception of romance, it is its representation in literature, theater and, of course, in film and television.
Both one and the other, since their invention, have been much more than simple entertainment. They have been a window to the world, a door to the imagination and an inexhaustible source of emotions. Movies, television series and short films are not only a way to escape from reality, but a way to connect with the stories, characters and emotions that touch our hearts.

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Joker, the antihero we didn't know we wanted has become someone we need.
The world has always been a place full of light and shadows. Regardless of the stage in human history, crises have often led us to think that we are living in the worst times. However, the economic situation, racial tensions, the resurgence of fascism, genocide on defenseless peoples, hunger and hopelessness have always been present in our history.
In a world where money and power guarantee that athletes, some without deserving it, take a place on the national team of their sport..., in a world where the poor, including children and the elderly, live in misery and have to work sun to sun to try, without success, to pay their debts and be able to put a crust of bread in their mouth..., in a world where being rich certifies that you cannot go out on the streets at the wrong time, because they can kidnap you for ransom..., in a world that shows the most cynical face of economic power and the amorality of the media, political and economic universe..., in a world where the oppression of the individual prevails at the hands of an alienating system, inhabit the characters of 'Jack & Joker U Steal My Heart!'.
It is in this world where Joker, a master of disguise and a skilled conman, emerges as a rebellious political and social subject. This is how he decides to lead a double life. Boastful and gifted at conversation, he is secretly a notorious thief wanted by the police. Using his exceptional disguise skills, he steals from wealthy oppressors and redistributes their wealth to help the weak and needy.
Joker is, in short, an antihero. The figure of the antihero has reigned in cinema and television series since modernity. Far from the stereotypes of good and bad, these multi-dimensional characters are more attractive to the public than heroes and villains. The antihero presents more humanity, therefore more contradictions, and this can make viewers come to love them in a matter of seconds. And this precisely happens in this 12 episode drama produced by Dee Hup House.
We are facing a transgressive series that distances itself from the bombastic epic and expansive narrative of superhero stories. We are facing a series whose main character reminds us at times of Walter White from 'Breaking Bad', an antihero who represents criticism of the American dream, who brings to light the limitations of the American middle class and the neoliberal health system; Jack Sparrow, the famous pirate who brought chaos with him and was not afraid to lie and take advantage of others, while trying to help his friends; Loki, the well-known "God of lies", who has a tendency to betray his family, but at the same time provokes laughter with his actions and phrases full of egocentrism and who was finally able to redeem himself and become the favorite antihero of the Marvel films; or Deadpool, a popular antihero thanks to his black sense of humor, high-sounding language and sarcasm who, due to his originality and lack of fear of saying what he thinks, breaks the mold of those who were considered a Marvel hero and, for this reason, everyone likes him wants.
The main character of 'Jack & Joker U Steal My Heart!' It reminds us, without a doubt, of Joker, the character created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane and Jerry Robinson, and introduced in the first issue of the comic book "Batman", in April 1940, published by DC Comics, becoming one of the favorite characters for their originality, and, he is equally, or more popular than his archenemy Batman. Let us remember that his cruel past causes him to explode violently and, in the end, he manages to accept himself as he is, with all the evil, thirst for power and tireless fight with the Batman.
The chain of suffering and melancholy that drags the Joker of the Thai series by director Tee Bundit Sintanaparadee, recognized for directing the BL dramas 'I Saw You in My Dream' (2024), 'I Feel You Linger in the Air' (2023) , 'Hidden Agenda' (2023), 'Step by Step' (2023), 'Lovely Writer' (2021), and 'TharnType' (2019 – 2020), among others, is so palpable and shocking that the viewer has no other choice. The only way out is to identify both his family and society as the true villains of the show, in addition to allowing us to empathize with him.
But it will not be in a Gotham City inspired by New York in the 70s, for many, the darkest stage of the American city and where hope seemed to be lost, but in Bangkok in 2024, just as dark, violent and corrupt than that.
This is the perfect setting to tell a story that deviates somewhat from the original and twists its path of explaining how evil arises in the world, to reflect a beautiful love story between two boys, with which many people can feel curiously identified.
In this way, the sordid world of Joker, a high school student who is pressured by his parents to enroll in medical school, will turn upside down when he meets Jack, an 18-year-old taekwondo player who decides to leave the sport when he becomes discouraged the road, all in the effort to help his elderly grandmother, the only living relative he has left. The dreamy, reasonable and kind Jack, who likes to help others, will be forced to become a debt collector.
His and Joker's lives will change abruptly and unexpectedly when they find themselves involved in a complicated situation, giving way to a love-hate relationship.
The Joker of the audiovisual of the Southeast Asian country is liked and exudes a controversial charm for the population in general and the LGBT+ community in particular. And this is basically due to two things, the first is that as a viewer we manage to empathize with the human being and not just with the character. In this series, and due above all to the sublime performance of the actor who brings Joker to life, we are presented with a very human and sensitive person, despite the dramatic events that have led him to be who he is.
Second, one thing is obvious: their misdeeds are not fueled by the desire for money, personal ambitions, or other material goals. Their motivations are ideological and philosophical. It is the darkness rebelled after a dark childhood and adolescence, despite living in a wealthy family; it is the Shadow that emerges after the impact of a society that attacks and excludes, that ignores the weak, that feeds itself on its own corruption.
The character represents the Shadow that is in us. His actions remind us, without a doubt, of the concept of Shadow that Carl Jung told us about. Adverse impulses live within us that we must accept and bring to light to heal them and proceed to healing. The psychological profile of the Joker shows us, as can be deduced from the trailers, that the character lets his Shadow escape to give way to a healing process thanks to love.
What will happen when Joker's actions affect the needy and vulnerable he aims to help? What will happen when the innocent are punished for their actions?
It is not the first time that Joker, who perhaps represents that part of us that longs to break the rules and react, is represented on screen. We remember the character played by Jack Nicholson ('Batman', 1989 - Tim Burton), who brings us a gangster, that of Heath Ledger ('The Dark Knight', 2008 - Christopher Nolan), who gives us an agent of chaos, that of Jared Leto ('Suicide Squad', 2016 - David Ayer), a true sociopath, or that of Joaquin Phoenix ('Guazón', 2019 - Todd Phillips), who draws a famous crime clown and the most villainous multifaceted character of the world of comics, which transcends even the limits of his own personality and offers us a clear warning sign and a direct invitation to reflect on current societies.
However, the cunning Joker, played by the young Thai actor and musician War Wanarat Ratsameerat, remembered for playing Than in the short film 'Because I Love You' from the series 'The Right Man', in 2016, which marked his debut acting, he is a very human and vulnerable character, which is why we empathize so intensely with him. It is impossible not to put yourself in his shoes when you see how, upon discovering that his actions affect others, he without hesitation tries to correct them, even if this means admitting to his family his failure and true identity, as well as paying with years in prison.
Very plausible solution is how we can feel sympathy for a character who tries to outwit his authoritarian parents and a brother who seems to enjoy his failures as a student, and reveals himself to the shortcomings of a society incapable of assisting and giving an effective response to those who need it.
Despite coming from a privileged family, Joker suffers from a lack of affection. Unlike Jack, he does not find affection in his family life, and this has turned him into a lonely being, hungry and thirsty for love. However, we are not dealing with a person with antisocial or sociopathic personality disorder characterized by committing violent and bloodthirsty acts.
For his part, although he comes from a cosmos in which poverty, lack of material goods and the absence of his deceased parents prevail, Jack has a sweet and generous grandmother who understands and supports the young man in his daily conflicts. Much of Jack's sweetness and nobility, undoubtedly, comes from the upbringing given to him by this noble being.
Adrift from their lives, trying to find their place in the world, both of them, with such different and contrasting personalities, meet and their universes collide. And this serves to address other topics, such as memory, absence, maturity, the process of growing up, self-esteem, family expectations, the feeling of never being enough in the face of the complexity of life, discovery, acceptance, recognition…
'Jack & Joker U Steal My Heart!' It also stands out for reflecting the pressure cooker state of urban centers, and is an undisputed daughter of its time. That a stranger in a collar and tie robs a bank after being previously considered its manager, or that a young woman is chased by three violent thieves, portrays the convulsive city and its suffocating system.
The series also works in its effort to make queer people visible. Its creators know that the LGBT+ community is growing rapidly: one in six members of Generation Z in the United States identifies as part of this human group. The data also shows that LGBT+ audiences have an increasing need to see LGBT+ characters in series and films with which they feel identified.
In all this endeavor, War, in a monumental role, does not carry all the dramatic weight of the series. From the first minute, "Yin" Anan Wong, the Thai-Hong Kong actor who plays Jack, stands out in his role as a reasonable man who believes in solving problems without the use of force and has the conviction that "The strength one possesses should be used only to protect the weak," but as a debt collector he will have to impose an intimidating presence, far removed from his personality.
The chemistry between the two main actors goes beyond the physical realm, but is emotional, psychological and completely satisfying. It turns out that these two actors know each other well. They have been lovers in 'En of Love: Love Mechanics', 'En of Love: Tossara', 'En of Love: This is Love Story', all from 2020, and 'Love Mechanics' and 'Love Mechanics: Director's Cut', 2022, BL series in which War plays Mark and Yin plays Vee. They are also the protagonists of 'The Best Story' (2021), in which the former plays Best and the latter plays Dew.
Their performances, authentic, vivid, intense, are sublime as they masterfully embody the raw emotions and internal struggles of their characters through words, silences, looks...
Screenwriters Myminorh Sarun Kaensap ('Peaceful Property', 2024), Pacharawan Chaipuwarat ('Shadow', 2023), Yui Athima Iamathikhom ('Wannabe', 2022), and Anawat Kitchawengkul ('GGEZ', 2018), combine perfectly the genres of action, romance, crime and drama, to deliver a coherent, complex and uncomfortable story that works as a great mirror of contemporary society.
On a technical level, it is important to highlight that the series has an impeccable setting, raw photography and a beautiful soundtrack that take the viewer through sensations and moments that make this a journey into the depths of human despair and the need to stay afloat, especially thanks to love and nobility.
With a masterful performance, a forceful script and a clear social discourse, 'Jack & Joker U Steal My Heart!' it's not just a boy's love story. It is a necessary work to understand that today there are issues that cannot be ignored. Violence, political corruption, social class contradictions, poverty, and evil have origins that must be faced and despite how dark the present may seem, crises do not last forever. Better times will always come, if people like Jack and Joker come together to do the right thing.

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Two Unrelated Brothers, Older Uke and Younger Seme

Who said love was easy? Just ask the protagonists of 'Moon and Dust'.
The queer Chinese miniseries delves into possessiveness, toxic relationships, frenzy, and the mental effervescence of two individuals who are highly dependent on each other.
Song Qi was taken in by Song Li as a child. They grew up together, dependent on each other. Song Qi's dependence on his older brother gradually turned into paranoid love and possessiveness, even going so far as to protect him by any means from those who bully him. However, for fear of hurting him, Song Qi has refused the idea of confessing his feelings to Song Li.
In this play, young actors Zhang Yongbo and Liu Xuan Cheng play Song Li and Song Qi, respectively, the gay couple conceived by writer 1 Bite, the author of Bugoo Reading, creator of the literary phenomenon on which it is based, and which goes by the title "Bad Dog".
The relationship between Song Li and Song Qi captivates many viewers with its passionate component, the stormy and problematic, complicated and fiery —in every sense— love relationship between these two boys.
Those behind "Moon and Dust" care little or nothing about the motivations of the possessive and paranoid character. On the contrary, they go all out to highlight his physical beauty, sense of freedom, easy-going nature, people skills, melancholic character, caring spirit, selflessness, loyalty to his partner, and love for the boy he's been linked to for almost his entire life. In short, one doesn't know whether to reject him or want to be his friend.
Its six episodes, each approximately 15 minutes long, tell the story of the complex and deep emotional bond between the cute, shy, insecure, and gentle Song Li and the handsome, obsessive, and affectionate Song Qi, two brothers who met as children and whose friendship evolves over the years into something much deeper.
The story reveals its creator's interest in characters full of complexities, insecurities, and anxieties who must face sad and dramatic moments in their lives in the pursuit of their dreams, which he observes, essentially, through the sensations that accompany their actions.
Much more than studying them from a psychological perspective, 1 Bite is drawn to catching a glimpse of the world of emotions upon which Song Li and Song Qi build the vibrant, stormy, and unstoppable story of their adventures. All this without realizing that what they were looking for was right under their noses all along.
On the other hand, those behind the miniseries are more interested in telling a true story, even though these are often more scandalous than anything you'd see in a work of fiction.
Subjugated by such environments, figures, and sensory states, the creators of Chinese miniseries often walk a —sometimes dangerous— fine line of complicity with their subjects of analysis. This undoubtedly reminds me of other queer series, such as the Chinese "Addicted" and the Taiwanese "Unknown", with which "Moon and Dust" shares its interest in depicting tropes: two brothers not related by blood, one possessive and the other timid, one more open to acknowledging his sexuality and the other afraid to admit his sexual identity, uke older and seme younger.
While the bar is set too high, this new approach to the story of relationships in which one of the two boys in the couple shows toxic, paranoid, and possessive qualities, yet nevertheless possesses a good heart, falls short of the aforementioned series. But this doesn't mean it's not worth appreciating.
Remember that in China, "brother" or "sister" doesn't just mean "sibling", it also means a term of respect or an expression of intimacy and flirtation.
With solid performances by Zhang Yongbo and Liu Xuan Cheng, the series showcases the maturity and subtlety of Chinese BL production, capable of creating a very different impact from similar Taiwanese, Filipino, South Korean, Thai, and other similar products.
'Moon and Dust' will also remind us of other Chinese dramas, such as 'Uncle Unknown' and the Taiwanese 'History 4' and 'The Only One', among others.
With well-chosen music that validates feelings of joy and euphoria, as well as loneliness and melancholy, the series boasts beautiful cinematography and a lack of the overused, overly embarrassing sound effects typically found in most BL dramas.
With only two episodes aired so far, we still have to find out the ending. In case you haven't started watching it yet, we just advise you to have a handful of tissues nearby. Believe me, you'll need them.
I'll come back later to complete the review.

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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.

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Judge by your own successes and errors

The Thai actor Mos Panuwat Sopradit in his acting debut and the Thai-American singer ISBANKY (Bank Mondop Heamtan), in his first leading role, gave us in 2022 a series that from its premise raised a question: Can love be born from hate?
To answer this question, in this romantic comedy-drama with an LGBTIQ+ theme, its creators, the director and screenwriter Puwadon Naosopa and the writer Boy Mitpracha Outtaros, tell a story whose narrative arc describes how the protagonists begin as declared enemies or adversaries, only to discover gradually a deeper connection that transcends the initial animosity.
Taking a common pretext in romantic films and series in which the initial enmity between the protagonists leads them to an enviable love story, 'Big Dragon' presents us with Mangkorn (Mos) and Yai (ISBANKY), two young people who appear to be opposite poles and end up attracted by a chemistry produced throughout the series.
What began as a natural dislike between the two little by little leads to romance, which is complicated because, first of all, because the series is set in a society in which even today, in the 21st century, it is illegal to marriage between people of the same sex or in which members of the LGBTIQ+ community are equally discriminated against due to the impossibility of starting a family, adopting a child or changing their name and new identity after undergoing sex change, and other injustices that are not suffered by the heterosexual people.
In this context, which we cannot ignore, Mangkorn and Yai live, separately and in different ways, the process of accepting homosexuality, denying that they like a person of the same sex, stating that what happened between them was motivated by alcohol and drugs, asking friends for guidance, looking for women as a way to confirm heterosexuality, or even getting into fist fights.
On the other hand, Mangkorn's father pressures his son to marry his friend's daughter, and Yai suffers family pressure with a dead mother and an absent father for work reasons and now in a new love relationship to which the protagonist objects.
Despite social pressures, jealousy, the presence of a new love interest who will try to come between the two, the need to separate due to student issues, Mangkorn and Yai will reach a happy port after starting a journey that will lead them to experience a true individual transformation after falling in love.
I first saw 'Big Dragon' and was interested to see what else Puwadon Naosopa had done or would do in the future. That was a highly produced, incredible, but ultimately conventional series. However, his muse about things was a curious thread that persisted.
In 2023, Mos and Bank starred in one of the 'Y Journey (Stay Like A Local') stories, specifically episode 5, titled 'Let's Say a Lover', in which they represent one of the six young couples that lead the viewer on a trip to various tourist attractions in the eastern region of Thailand.
Both would also act in 'Club Friday Season 15: Moments & Memories', but with Bank as a supporting actor.
Surely someone is wondering if I am reviewing the 'Big Dragon' series here or remembering the filmography of these actors. And no, those are not my goals.
My purpose is to introduce the interested reader to 'SunsetxVibes', a series that brings us back to the MosBank ship in a romantic comedy-drama that shines with its own light in the BL universe like the name of the company where the protagonists work.
On this occasion, Puwadon Naosopa, who wrote the script and directed the actors in 'Big Dragon', convened a team of writers, composed of, in addition to himself, his colleague Somchai Tidsanawoot, known for writing 'Lovely Writer', 'Hidden Agenda', 'I Feel You Linger in the Air', and newcomers Nunt Thongngamkham and Baifern Ataya Sawatdee, to adapt the web novel "Sunsetxvibes", by Rosesarin, and place, in the competitive business world, this suggestive variation of the theme of two young people who meet by chance one night and the next day discover that one of them, Sun (Mos), is the newly appointed director of a large fine jewelry company, and the other, Salin (Bank) is his new employee.
'Sunset x Vibes' is a romance somewhere between comedy and drama. The first thing we know about Salin is the strange and recurring dream he has about a mysterious man dressed in traditional Thai clothes. This aspect, although it seems that it will be important in the series, in the first chapters they deal with it in broad strokes, since the series focuses much more on her relationship with the boy with whom she is flirting through a dating app, who does not It is another who is the owner of the company in which he has started his internship.
The acting traits that many MDL users have criticized here are actually the same aspects that make the two actors fit their roles.
However, despite its powerful cast, made up of renowned actors and actresses, the undeniable chemistry between the protagonists, the beautiful cinematography, its contemporary style, the brilliant visual effects, its majestic soundtrack, the clarity with which the story is conceived on paper, the pulse with which the direction guides her through the setting, and the way Mos and Bank defend her, as well as the beautiful love story that Yotha (Pete Wacharanon Seeduan), the friend of Salin, and Sam (Tenon Teachapat Pinrat), Sun's younger brother, both interns at the company, the series, like its predecessors, does not enjoy the approval of the public, and I fear that the cause does not exactly have to do with the audiovisual product , but with the "trauma" that 'Big Dragon' left in many BL fans, as many of the MDL users recognize.
For their part, the couple formed by Chan (Fong Bovorn Kongnawdee) and Juldis (JJ Rathasat Butwong) provide us with fun antics to relieve tension. Maybe there is another couple, lesbian in that case.
Someone could tell me that the problem lies in the fact that they do not accept that one of the protagonists hides their identity from the other (since both boys have been knowing each other through chat for six months, but they have never seen each other), but, although the series should generate a conflict to be resolved with a consequent personal growth, in my view, the problem does not come from there, since the low ratings are observed from episode 1 itself, when the young people had not yet met personally. In other words, no one could know what would happen between them. The comments make it clear.
They have not given the series the benefit of the doubt and without thinking they have sent it to the slaughterhouse for reminding them of the disappointment that some had with 'Big Dragon', I think for not understanding its objectives.
I believe it is time to grow as we demand of our narrative heroes. It is not logical, fair or ethical to judge an audiovisual product because it reminds us of a frustration.
The series tells an explosive, mature, healthy romance. I identify with the feelings and emotions of the characters.
The romantic plot that entertains and at the same time invites debate and reflection is irresistible. 'SunsetxVibes' has captivated me for the warm atmospheres created with which the audience can identify and for making us empathize with the story, allowing us to see ourselves reflected in the protagonists.
The charisma, tenderness, attractiveness of its protagonists and its irresistible romantic plot make ''SunsetxVibes'' a charming love series made for BL fans. It doesn't break much of the mold in terms of its structure, but its characters and conflicts are unique enough to avoid falling into stereotypes.
The drama brings a full love story, without red flags, and makes the most of the proposed premise, the intellectual potential and good intentions of the team behind the camera, the cinematographic resources available to the creators and the undeniable artistic abilities of the cast.
'SunsetxVibes' surprises us with intrigue and satisfies the expectations of the most demanding audience, by allowing us to believe that love can change the course of a story, a relationship, even the universe, and allowing us to feel that magic and passion can exist even if it is in television series.
It has some sound problems that are sometimes obvious but that doesn't stop me from enjoying the series.
The story is told concisely, never strays from its focus, and is tightly edited. I've watched each episode several times and I didn't get bored at all. All in all, a better than average entry in the world of Thai BL series.
I, for the moment, say my YES for 'SunsetxVibes' and I hope, as on other occasions, that MDL allows me to return to this review to update it.

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If you saw 'Blue Boys' you can skip this one: you won't miss anything new

On May 12, 2024, he published a review in MDL in which he praised the South Korean miniseries 'Blue Boys' (블루보이즈/Beulru Boijeu).
In this series, Kim Nam Yi (Lee Hoo Rim) and Choi Jae Min are two young workers in the publishing industry, one of them rich and the other who needs the job to be able to survive day to day. In a heteronormative, conservative and patriarchal society like South Korea, both are forced to hide their romantic relationship.
In the aforementioned review I stated: "After overcoming conflicts and misunderstandings, the love and happiness of Nam Yi and Jae Min can only be defeated by a single monster: the fear that South Koreans experience of being exposed as homosexuals, the fear of being excluded and discriminated against. So Ri (Lee Soo Ha), a girl jealous of Jae Min for not having been able to conquer Nam Yi, will be in charge of inoculating Jae Min with the poison: "If a man dates another man and there are rumors about that, can you continue working in the company as if nothing had happened?". Nam Yi wouldn't have these problems because he comes from a wealthy family, but..."what would happen to you?” So Ri will remind him. In this way, the happy ending expected by everyone does not arrive. "Reality prevails".
I remember a second season had to be filmed so that Jae Min and Nam Yi could eat partridges.

Someone will surely wonder why I'm talking about this series.
Because precisely in 'Two Some Boys' we have an identical story, copy and tracing.
I imagine the creators meeting to "brainstorm" (yes, to get them right) and from there the idea arose, pardon the redundancy, that the cast, the name of the characters and the industry in the film would have to be changed that these develop. Add some more unimportant detail, add one or two new characters, and then mix the ingredients with two or three bottles of soju in a gigantic blender and... serve in a huge cocktail shaker, we have a new series.
Luckily for the public, we were favored by adding new characters, being able to enjoy the performance of Kim Yo Ho, protagonist of the BL series 'Only for Fans' (2024), and one of the season's participants 3 of "His Man", the first dating reality show for men in South Korea, and who plays the Idol trainee in 'Two Some Boys' in episode 1.
On this occasion, we have the couple in love, made up of Lee Su Ho and Kang Min. Everything seems to go so wrong in the filming process, that while the character of Lee Su Ho is played by actor Shin Joon Hyung (known for to play Uncle's junior in episode 9 of the South Korean series 'Choco Milk Shake' (2022), the character of Kang Min must be played by two actors: Kim Bit ('My Idol', 2024) in the first three episodes, and then Ki Myoung Je ('Love Is Right', 2022), who will replace him from the fourth to the sixth and last episode.
This change of protagonist further deepens the breakdown of the miniseries. Through a vague explanation the public will learn that Kim Bit had to leave filming due to personal matters. A low-budget production wouldn't have the luxury of restarting a shoot with replacement Ki Myoung Je from the beginning.
Despite the applause that the production team should receive for facing a disruption with this decision, the substitute does not feel comfortable being a "designated hitter", to use a term used in a very popular sport in South Korea, such as baseball is.
The logical comparisons between the substitute and the original actor (the latter much more charismatic, in my opinion) leave those who arrive at the last minute to take on an already established character in a bad position.
By having to accept that the new Kang Min is the same character, but with a different actor, it breaks expectations and the emotional journey. If the series was saved until then by the chemistry between Shin Joon Hyung and Kim Bit, the new couple does not have a single drop of that special connection that must occur between two actors in front of the cameras and should transfer to the screen.
Its story, poorly written and short, does not allow it to explore its themes or characters in a meaningful way, leaving us with a superficial and weak plot.
It will no longer be in the publishing industry, but in the entertainment industry, since one of the boys dreams of being idols, while the other has already debuted.
A timely flashback takes us to a happy relationship between the two protagonists, with a playful kiss and happy interactions in which there is no shortage of laughter. Although the romantic content is superficial, it represents a promising atmosphere, which is helped by the chemistry between the protagonists.
We then find out that Su Ho broke up with Kang Min for some reason unknown to him, but now they are caught in a bitter feud.
At this moment, while Kang Min comes to declare that he would prefer to leave the industry before working with his former partner again, he offers a mysterious conflict that awakens the public's interest in the reason that led them to distance themselves.
After meeting again, the hidden truth of why the two lovers became estranged came to light. After clearing up the misunderstanding, Su Ho and Kang Min were finally able to find their way back to each other and renew their broken romance.
However, it is disappointing how after so much intrigue and accumulation of tensions, the central conflict is resolved with just a few sentences between the manager and the two boys.
This is exactly where the negative character intervenes, who is now called Min Jeong, but his actions remind me of So Ri, because full of jealousy and meanness, he will tell Kang Min almost verbatim the same words said by So Ri to Jae Min in ' Blue Boys': "I heard that you and Su Ho are preparing for a unity group. I'm trying to tell you to leave the unity group (...). I was the one who reported you in the past about your relationship with Su Ho to the executive representative of the company. That was me. That means I can report you this time too. My father recently received a quick promotion at a broadcasting station. Well, if you make a good decision I won't report you..."
Let us conclude by saying that both series have only three spaces as the dramatic epicenter: the young people's bedroom, the publisher's office in one example or the ballroom in the other, and the cafeteria, which cannot be missed as it is the place where the girl threatens boy.
I understand that the objective of the series, as in 'Blue Boys', is to denounce the discrimination that exists in South Korea against LGBTIQ+ people, but they could have been much more original. Don't you think?
And as if the creators heard the criticism and were going to correct the plagiarism, or at least not having been original, in the final two episodes they ignore everything narrated so far, and the series introduces a trope many times before addressed with greater depth and emotional impact in BL series, by incorporating a parallel story of a young man and his drunk and abusive father with whom he has to deal.
I allow myself spoilers to explain my point of view.

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Weak conflict that does not serve as a solid argument for a story of false courtship

Weak conflict that does not serve as a solid argument for a story of false courtship
'Single All the Way' (2021) is an American film directed by Michael Mayer and starring a couple of two gay boys – Peter (Michael Urie) and Nick (Philemon Chambers). Peter, desperately seeking to avoid his family's judgment given his eternally single status, convinces his best friend Nick to pretend that they are in a relationship and accompany him during the Christmas festivities.
For its part, 'The Proposal' (2009), an American film directed by Anne Fletcher and scripted by Peter Chiarelli, tells the story of Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock), a Canadian editor-in-chief of a large publishing house in New York, who that no one at work can stand her. A problem that grows because you need to have a VISA to remain in the United States. For this reason, she decides to ask her assistant Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) to marry her to achieve this (manipulating him with the idea that she will publish the book he wants).
In the South Korean BL series 'Nobleman Ryu's Wedding' there is not a courtship, but a fake marriage. In place of the beautiful bride, who disappeared the day before the wedding due to her hatred for political marriages, Ryu Ho Seon marries Choi Hwa Jin, her brother. The deceived nobleman tries to reverse the marriage, but ends up accepting his "wife's" proposal to wait a few days until the lost young woman reappears and she takes her place without anyone suspecting, thereby avoiding a scandal that could be the ruin of the two families.
Of course, in these two films and the series, farce will give way to true love.
These are solid arguments why these people have to, at their convenience, fake a fake romance. These are three of the many examples of stories that share this premise. They are valid to present my points of view that I will explain later.
After directing 'Battle of the Writers', 'To Be Continued', 'Naughty Babe' and 'Friend Forever', Klaryder Nathawat Piyanonpong, a Thai director with more mistakes than successes in his work, returns to the screens with the series 'Your Sky', the adaptation of a romantic comedy of the same name that, with a script by Wannapa Lertkultanon ('Bed Friend'), and Jungjing Wanna Kortunyavat ('I Feel You Linger in the Air'), tells us a story of false courtship.
The premise of 'Your Sky' isn't really original. Teerak Rak Niran, played by Kong Kongpob Jirojmontri, in his first leading role, and known for appearing in a supporting role in 'Naughty Babe', is a naive first-year university student. Oh (Mike Chinnarat Siriphongchawalit) pursues Teerak with the hope that he will agree to be her boyfriend and will not hesitate to use even deception to achieve it.
To prevent this from happening, Teerak relies on his inseparable friends Type (Patji Jirachart Buspavanich), PunLee (By Suppakarn Jirachotikul) and Joy (In Inthira Sae-sieo).
But through a ruse, Oh manages to deceive Teerak and two of his loyal followers. Then, to the viewer's delight, fate intervenes, and Muenfah, a character played by Thomas Teetut Chungmanirat, comes into action, also in his first leading role after playing secondary characters in several BL, such as 'Bed Friend' and 'The Middleman's Love'. The actor plays PunLee's older brother and a popular senior on campus.
The two young people will make the decision to pretend to be a couple to stop Oh's machinations. Teerak and Muenfah will live a story about a fake love that could lead to something real and genuine between two opposites who, although they don't want it, attract each other. Does it sound familiar to you?
What begins as a fake love could become a great couple when they have to pretend in front of family, friends and, above all, Oh, until they realize that they have more in common than they thought, as reflected in the synopsis.
Time together will make them see that, although it may not seem like it, they are made for each other.
I must confess that, while I did not advance more than 10 minutes into the first episode of 'Battle of the Writers', 'Naughty Babe' and 'Friend Forever', and 'To Be Continued' was a great disappointment for me as the series avoids addressing the internalized homophobia suffered by one of its protagonists and in this way resorts to an easy way to avoid the problems of self-understanding and self-acceptance of the character's homosexuality, I enjoy 'Your Sky', even being too simple to make a lasting impression.
Now, there are some issues that do not convince me about the premise of the series.
Oh is shown to be a gallant and kind young college student to both Teerak and the rest of the students. Apparently, he enjoys prestige, has the respect and admiration of friends and fellow students. He has public meetings with Teerak and in spaces where only the two of them meet, such as the locker room in the university bathrooms. At no time does he show signs of being possessive, violent, irritable... He smiles friendly while looking into the eyes of his interlocutor. Evidence empathy and kindness. So,
-What reasons do Teerak's sister and friends have for demonizing Oh, declaring him "untrustworthy" and trying to prevent them from even talking to each other in public places?
- Could you foresee that Oh has a hidden agenda to cause harm to Teerak?
-If they have prior knowledge of machinations on Oh's part to deceive Teerak and cause him harm, why have they not reported it to the relevant authorities?
- How can an attentive, gallant young man who gives flowers and chocolates to his lover in a plan of conquest in one scene, in the next scene, be able to use deception to get Teerak and two of his friends drunk to offend him?
- And now, after knowing that Teerak and Muenfah are dating, will Oh deny it and continue her attempts to conquer him?
- On the other hand, everything seems to indicate, from his actions/reactions, that Muenfah is in love. If so, why not confess your feelings? Why use a false courtship to approach him?
- This weak conflict could very well be solved not with a false courtship, but with Teerak telling Oh that he sees him as a friend and not a boyfriend. If, because you are so naive and shy, you don't dare to tell him face to face, you can very well use a text message, smoke signals, and even carrier pigeons. But I suggest you do it like anyone does today: looking him in the eyes and saying it at point-blank range.
True or not, dear reader?
Something just doesn't convince me here. The reason why the two protagonists have to fake a romance is forced. The creators could have been more coherent and designed another scenario and other reasons to justify the procedure.
Although it is full of clichés and does not present great incentives, the first episode showed that the public can expect candid moments from the story of Teerak and Muenfah that manage to bring a knowing smile to the viewer. The series is worth watching if only to see Teerak's silly, naive laugh and the attractive actors who play Muenfah, Real and PunLee.
The forced plot does not take away from the magic of a leading couple, which has good chemistry.
Furthermore, the series tries to provide an easy answer to the most hackneyed question of all time: Can love be born from lies?
In parallel, the series tells the story of a second BL couple, that of Real (Auau Thanaphum Sestasittikul) and Hia (Save Worapong Walor). Both also rock the role of secondary couple. They really catch my attention. Very good chemistry. The dynamic of a boy in love with his best friend and a boy who doesn't know anything is cute. It is a relationship that begins to form and flourish along with the main one. The production company should give the actors the opportunity to be the main couple in another dramatized boys love in the future.
And while the story of Real and Hia the second was developing, a new secondary couple belatedly appears, made up of Punlee and Chlaijai (TeeTee Wanpichit Nimitparkpoon), his college classmate. In fact, everything indicates that this couple was not initially conceived, since this last actor, in his artistic debut, but known as a competitor in the role model contest for young people "To Be Number One Idol 12" does not appear in the credits until the fifth episode, and does not appear on screen until episode 8.
These secondary stories are important: while the main protagonists will be chaotic, carry the weight of the plot and have the maximum focus of the viewer's attention, the secondary ones will give us some calm with their cute and passionate romance.
But I personally think Auau and Save, and Punlee and Chlaijai having less screen time than the main couple benefits the series as a whole more, because they get the most out of their scenes. Especially this last couple for emerging almost at the end of the series. Sometimes showing less will make one pay more attention to the few scenes shown, if they are carefully thought out and executed. Their performances make me love the series in general.
Something that also catches my attention, both in this and other Thai BL series, is that most of the characters are either queer or allies. That in a Thai university, a country that despite its growing openness towards LGBT+ issues in recent years continues to deny the right to equal marriage and does not yet have a government policy to protect gays, lesbians and other people from said community of harassment and discrimination, and there is not a single harassing student or teacher, nor a single homophobe (who serves as a denunciation of discrimination and homophobia), is something truly suspicious.
Seeing Teerak's father watching a BL series on his mobile phone, even ignoring that his son is a queer young man, and investigating these types of television products, is something illusory, beyond a truth: in the Thai, as in In any other heteronormative and patriarchal society, there are parents who respect their children's right to love whoever they want.
In this sense, as I enjoyed series like the British 'Heartstopper', based on the four-volume graphic novel by Alice Oseman, for its realism, in which Charlie Spring (Joe Lock) and Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), who have a beautiful and supportive group of queer friends, they fight homophobes daily, even if they are members of their own family. And this is happening in Britain, a country much more open to LGBT+ relationships than Thailand.
Surely some will say that this is a BL and they are not interested in it being realistic or lacking the truth, and its light and sweet tone is enough that if I want to watch dramas I would go somewhere else.
The tone of the story is rounded out by a luxury cast that elevates the dramatic and comic moments of 'Your Sky'.
Duu Sanya Kunakorn ('Good Doctor', 2024) plays Teerak's father, a man who intensely loves his son and his sister, Babe (Morakot Liu). Chumpanee Sopitnapa ('Luead Khon Kon Jang', 2018) is Teerak's mother here, a woman who pampers her youngest son. Tanthasatien Pol ('Lord Lai Mungkorn', 2006), and Koy Narumon Phongsupap ('Only Boo!', 2024), play Muenfah's parents; Phiao Duangjai Hiransri ('#HATETAG', 2021) steps into the shoes of Oh's mother, a manipulative woman who will take advantage of her social position and influence to ally herself with her son and try to take revenge on Muenfah for "having stolen her boyfriend." Oh", and Tonnam Piamchon Damrongsunthornchai ('Make Money', 2020), plays Dom, Babe's loving boyfriend.
All of them, and other talented actors and actresses, seek, together with the protagonists, to develop an imperfect story that continues an important path in favor of representation and diversity.

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Weak conflict that does not serve as a solid argument for a story of false courtship

'Single All the Way' (2021) is an American film directed by Michael Mayer and starring a couple of two gay boys – Peter (Michael Urie) and Nick (Philemon Chambers). Peter, desperately seeking to avoid his family's judgment given his eternally single status, convinces his best friend Nick to pretend that they are in a relationship and accompany him during the Christmas festivities.
For its part, 'The Proposal' (2009), an American film directed by Anne Fletcher and scripted by Peter Chiarelli, tells the story of Margaret Tate (Sandra Bullock), a Canadian editor-in-chief of a large publishing house in New York, who that no one at work can stand her. A problem that grows because you need to have a VISA to remain in the United States. For this reason, she decides to ask her assistant Andrew Paxton (Ryan Reynolds) to marry her to achieve this (manipulating him with the idea that she will publish the book he wants).
In the South Korean BL series 'Nobleman Ryu's Wedding' there is not a courtship, but a fake marriage. In place of the beautiful bride, who disappeared the day before the wedding due to her hatred for political marriages, Ryu Ho Seon marries Choi Hwa Jin, her brother. The deceived nobleman tries to reverse the marriage, but ends up accepting his "wife's" proposal to wait a few days until the lost young woman reappears and she takes her place without anyone suspecting, thereby avoiding a scandal that could be the ruin of the two families.
Of course, in these two films and the series, farce will give way to true love.
These are solid arguments why these people have to, at their convenience, fake a fake romance. These are three of the many examples of stories that share this premise. They are valid to present my points of view that I will explain later.
After directing 'Battle of the Writers', 'To Be Continued', 'Naughty Babe' and 'Friend Forever', Klaryder Nathawat Piyanonpong, a Thai director with more mistakes than successes in his work, returns to the screens with the series 'Your Sky', the adaptation of a romantic comedy of the same name that, with a script by Wannapa Lertkultanon ('Bed Friend'), and Jungjing Wanna Kortunyavat ('I Feel You Linger in the Air'), tells us a story of false courtship.
The premise of 'Your Sky' isn't really original. Teerak Rak Niran, played by Kong Kongpob Jirojmontri, in his first leading role, and known for appearing in a supporting role in 'Naughty Babe', is a naive first-year university student. Oh (Mike Chinnarat Siriphongchawalit) pursues Teerak with the hope that he will agree to be her boyfriend and will not hesitate to use even deception to achieve it.
To prevent this from happening, Teerak relies on his inseparable friends Type (Patji Jirachart Buspavanich), PunLee (By Suppakarn Jirachotikul) and Joy (In Inthira Sae-sieo).
But through a ruse, Oh manages to deceive Teerak and two of his loyal followers. Then, to the viewer's delight, fate intervenes, and Muenfah, a character played by Thomas Teetut Chungmanirat, comes into action, also in his first leading role after playing secondary characters in several BL, such as 'Bed Friend' and 'The Middleman's Love'. The actor plays PunLee's older brother and a popular senior on campus.
The two young people will make the decision to pretend to be a couple to stop Oh's machinations. Teerak and Muenfah will live a story about a fake love that could lead to something real and genuine between two opposites who, although they don't want it, attract each other. Does it sound familiar to you?
What begins as a fake love could become a great couple when they have to pretend in front of family, friends and, above all, Oh, until they realize that they have more in common than they thought, as reflected in the synopsis.
Time together will make them see that, although it may not seem like it, they are made for each other.
I must confess that, while I did not advance more than 10 minutes into the first episode of 'Battle of the Writers', 'Naughty Babe' and 'Friend Forever', and 'To Be Continued' was a great disappointment for me as the series avoids addressing the internalized homophobia suffered by one of its protagonists and in this way resorts to an easy way to avoid the problems of self-understanding and self-acceptance of the character's homosexuality, I enjoy 'Your Sky', even being too simple to make a lasting impression.
Now, there are some issues that do not convince me about the premise of the series.
Oh is shown to be a gallant and kind young college student to both Teerak and the rest of the students. Apparently, he enjoys prestige, has the respect and admiration of friends and fellow students. He has public meetings with Teerak and in spaces where only the two of them meet, such as the locker room in the university bathrooms. At no time does he show signs of being possessive, violent, irritable... He smiles friendly while looking into the eyes of his interlocutor. Evidence empathy and kindness. So,
-What reasons do Teerak's sister and friends have for demonizing Oh, declaring him "untrustworthy" and trying to prevent them from even talking to each other in public places?
- Could you foresee that Oh has a hidden agenda to cause harm to Teerak?
-If they have prior knowledge of machinations on Oh's part to deceive Teerak and cause him harm, why have they not reported it to the relevant authorities?
- How can an attentive, gallant young man who gives flowers and chocolates to his lover in a plan of conquest in one scene, in the next scene, be able to use deception to get Teerak and two of his friends drunk to offend him?
- And now, after knowing that Teerak and Muenfah are dating, will Oh deny it and continue her attempts to conquer him?
- On the other hand, everything seems to indicate, from his actions/reactions, that Muenfah is in love. If so, why not confess your feelings? Why use a false courtship to approach him?
- This weak conflict could very well be solved not with a false courtship, but with Teerak telling Oh that he sees him as a friend and not a boyfriend. If, because you are so naive and shy, you don't dare to tell him face to face, you can very well use a text message, smoke signals, and even carrier pigeons. But I suggest you do it like anyone does today: looking him in the eyes and saying it at point-blank range.
True or not, dear reader?
Something just doesn't convince me here. The reason why the two protagonists have to fake a romance is forced. The creators could have been more coherent and designed another scenario and other reasons to justify the procedure.
Although it is full of clichés and does not present great incentives, the first episode showed that the public can expect candid moments from the story of Teerak and Muenfah that manage to bring a knowing smile to the viewer. The series is worth watching if only to see Teerak's silly, naive laugh and the attractive actors who play Muenfah, Real and PunLee.
The forced plot does not take away from the magic of a leading couple, which has good chemistry.
Furthermore, the series tries to provide an easy answer to the most hackneyed question of all time: Can love be born from lies?
In parallel, the series tells the story of a second BL couple, that of Real (Auau Thanaphum Sestasittikul) and Hia (Save Worapong Walor). Both also rock the role of secondary couple. They really catch my attention. Very good chemistry. The dynamic of a boy in love with his best friend and a boy who doesn't know anything is cute. It is a relationship that begins to form and flourish along with the main one. The production company should give the actors the opportunity to be the main couple in another dramatized boys love in the future.
And while the story of Real and Hia the second was developing, a new secondary couple belatedly appears, made up of Punlee and Chlaijai (TeeTee Wanpichit Nimitparkpoon), his college classmate. In fact, everything indicates that this couple was not initially conceived, since this last actor, in his artistic debut, but known as a competitor in the role model contest for young people "To Be Number One Idol 12" does not appear in the credits until the fifth episode, and does not appear on screen until episode 8.
These secondary stories are important: while the main protagonists will be chaotic, carry the weight of the plot and have the maximum focus of the viewer's attention, the secondary ones will give us some calm with their cute and passionate romance.
But I personally think Auau and Save, and Punlee and Chlaijai having less screen time than the main couple benefits the series as a whole more, because they get the most out of their scenes. Especially this last couple for emerging almost at the end of the series. Sometimes showing less will make one pay more attention to the few scenes shown, if they are carefully thought out and executed. Their performances make me love the series in general.
Something that also catches my attention, both in this and other Thai BL series, is that most of the characters are either queer or allies. That in a Thai university, a country that, despite its growing openness towards LGBT+ issues in recent years, continues to deny the right to equal marriage at a time when the series was filmed, and does not yet have a government policy to protect homosexuals, lesbians and other people from said community of harassment and discrimination, and there is not a single harassing student or teacher, nor a single homophobe (who serves as a denunciation of discrimination and homophobia), is something truly suspicious.
Seeing Teerak's father watching a BL series on his mobile phone, even ignoring that his son is a queer young man, inquiring about these types of television products and then rejecting his son's homosexual relationship, is something illusory, beyond a truth: in Thailand, as in any other heteronormative and patriarchal society, there are parents who respect their children's right to love whoever they want.
In this sense, as I enjoyed series like the British 'Heartstopper', based on the four-volume graphic novel by Alice Oseman, for its realism, in which Charlie Spring (Joe Lock) and Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), who have a beautiful and supportive group of queer friends, they fight homophobes daily, even if they are members of their own family. And this is happening in Britain, a country much more open to LGBT+ relationships than Thailand.
Surely some will say that this is a BL and they are not interested in it being realistic or lacking the truth, and its light and sweet tone is enough that if I want to watch dramas I would go somewhere else.
The tone of the story is rounded out by a luxury cast that elevates the dramatic and comic moments of 'Your Sky'.
Duu Sanya Kunakorn ('Good Doctor', 2024) plays Teerak's father, a man who intensely loves his son and his sister, Babe (Morakot Liu). Chumpanee Sopitnapa ('Luead Khon Kon Jang', 2018) is Teerak's mother here, a woman who pampers her youngest son. Tanthasatien Pol ('Lord Lai Mungkorn', 2006), and Koy Narumon Phongsupap ('Only Boo!', 2024), play Muenfah's parents; Phiao Duangjai Hiransri ('#HATETAG', 2021) steps into the shoes of Oh's mother, a manipulative woman who will take advantage of her social position and influence to ally herself with her son and try to take revenge on Muenfah for "having stolen her boyfriend." Oh", and Tonnam Piamchon Damrongsunthornchai ('Make Money', 2020), plays Dom, Babe's loving boyfriend.
All of them, and other talented actors and actresses, seek, together with the protagonists, to develop an imperfect story that continues an important path in favor of representation and diversity.

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The Japanese actor Okuno So is marked in the memory of the universal spectator, not only for his beauty and the splendor of his black eyes or beautiful smile, but, above all, for his extensive command of the stage, for his extensive filmography despite of being only 25 years old.
Of the dozens of titles to which it has given a face, there are several that are sacred pieces of audiovisual heritage, especially for BL lovers. Shibata Keisuke ('Sahara Sensei to Toki-kun', 2024) and Takahashi Yuya ('Blue Birthday', 2023), two of the most exceptional Japanese directors of all time, caught their eye, very early, and summoned him to take part in 'Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka', from 2024, in the role of Nakatsu Mizuki, the ex-boyfriend of Sakae, one of its protagonists.
This series, together, fundamentally, with the film 'The Novelist: Playback' and the drama 'Given', both from 2021, placed it at the forefront of global attention, both from the viewer and the most significant Japanese directors.
His brilliant career as an actor gains strength through the three works included and, furthermore, through the miniseries 'High-Speed ​​Parahero Gandeen', directed by director Tsujimoto Takanori, in 2021.
The young actor's on-screen respectability increases after his collaboration with Japanese director Yamaguchi Junta in the 2022 series 'Koi ni Mudaguchi', in the drama 'Boys! Please Kiss Him, Instead of Me', by writer and director Hiranuma Nohirisa, and in many other series, such as 'Say Goodbye If You Love Me' (2022), 'Joshikosei, So ni Naru', (2023), 'Shufu Maison ', by director Ueda Hisashi, in many of them as the protagonist, or in films such as 'The Setting Sun', directed in 2022 by Kondo Akio and 'Gray Wall Gear', from the same year or 'High&Low: The Movie', from 2016 .
The performer has been pragmatic in balancing his interests on screen. He earned his aura as a magnetic actor, capable of moving on the sets of several demanding filmmakers. Let's not forget his starring role in films such as 'Kamen Rider: Reiwa the First Generation', by Sugihara Teruaki (2019), 'Kamen Rider Zi-O: Over Quartzer', by Tasaki Ryuta (2019), and the series 'Kamen Rider Heisei Generations FOREVER', by director Yamaguchi Kyohei, (2018), 'Kamen Rider Zi-O' (2018 – 2019), directed by a group of filmmakers.
For his part, actor Toyoda Yudai means sure success and a full box office, and the public has supported him since he put a face to so many iconic characters in Japanese film and television, in the feature films 'Red Bridge', 2022, 'Youkai Sharehouse: The Movie (2022), directed by Toyoshima Keisuke, 'Father of the Milky Way Railroad' (2023), by Narushima Izuru, and in the series 'Saiko no Seito: Yomei Ichinen no Last Dance' (2023), 'Fufu no Himitsu ', 2024, 'Renai Battle Royale', releasing in August 2024, 'Sorette Pakuri Janai Desu ka?' (2023), from directors Nakajima Satoru and Uchida Hidemi, 'Numaru. Minato-ku Joshikosei, by director Goto Yosuke, from the same year.
The participation of Okuno So and Toyoda Yudai in 'Cosmetic Playlover' increased the fascination for the two. From director Shindo Takehiro, who has films with LGBT+ themes such as 'Closet' (2020) among his work, he gives us a story that revolves around Mamiya Natsume, a diligent, kind and serious young man who keeps all his problems to himself. She has managed to make her childhood dreams come true, and today, as a beauty assistant, she performs hygiene, care, maintenance and beautification tasks on clients' skin, face and body.
Her great understanding of products, brands and services in the area of ​​cosmetology has earned her fame among Japanese women, who have as one of their main goals to have firm, radiant and extra white skin, based on the ancient tradition of paint their faces with a white powder called oshiroi.
In a microuniverse dominated by women, Natsume (Okuno So) is self-confident in his work life, but not so in his personal life. Her world is turned upside down with the arrival of junior Sahashi Toma (Toyoda Yudai) at the cosmetics store where she works. His new partner, who relies on his beauty to attract clients but does not take his job or Natsume's pertinent advice seriously, manages to outsell and annoys Natsume because he tries to act like a good superior.
But from animosity to love there is only one step. The senpai's feelings of love for his junior appear when Natsume discovers that his heart beats fast, although it irritates him, while Toma recognizes Natsume as the only person who admires him for his skills and efforts in the effort to provide happiness to his clients.
Natsume will soon forget that since he was a child, when he discovered his passion for the work he currently does, he has been secretly in love with Tanouchi (Nakamura Yuichi), his senpai, a heterosexual man, father of a family.
However, the lovers' happiness will be put in danger with the arrival of Nanjo Atsushi (Sono Shunta) at the store where they work, or the constant trips they must make abroad for work reasons. While Natsume's parents and sister come to terms with his sexuality, Sahashi lives away from his family, and will see Natsume as his only family member and the person with whom he wants to share his life.
The conjunction of that pair of faces captured by the camera represents, for some, absolute physical perfection on Earth.
Kanasugi Hiroko, one of the most significant Japanese screenwriters, author of 'Takumi-kun Series 1: And The Spring Breeze Whispers' (2007), 'Takumi-kun Series 2: Rainbow Colored Glass' (2009), 'Takumi-kun Series 3: The Beauty of Detail' (2010), 'Takumi-kun Series 5: That, Sunny Blue Sky' (2011), 'Killing Curriculum: Jinroh Shokei Game - Prologue', 'Udagawachou de Matteteyo', 'Sukitomo' (2007 ), and the series 'Fukou-kun wa Kiss Suru Shikanai!' (2022), among many other films and dramas, adapts the manga series "Cosmetic Playlover" (コスメティック・プレイラバー) by Narashima Sachi, to tell us about this gay relationship between coworkers, against the background of the competitive cosmetics industry.
I am struck by the idea of ​​putting two men to work together to attract female clients, as well as making Japanese aesthetics visible, related to the standards of what is considered taste or beauty in Japanese culture. Considered a philosophy in Western societies, the concept of aesthetics in Japan is seen as an integral part of daily life.
Beyond recounting the romantic and work experiences of Toma and Natsume, 'Cosmetic Playlover' serves as a portrait of Japanese aesthetics as a variety of ideals; some of these traditional and others modern or influenced by other cultures, especially Western ones.
The series undoubtedly succeeds in showing the most fascinating face of Japanese male beauty assistants, who, in this case, are not united only by their delicate work in the tasks of beautifying the skin, face and body of Japanese women.
The sensitivity with which it is narrated is evident in the most moving scenes, capable of showing with great honesty and with complete naturalness the relationship between the two protagonists, their evolution throughout the time shared in the workplace and in the Toma's house, where Natsume will move to live the romance with the person he loves.
Despite being a series that seems aimed at a very specific audience, the truth is that its intrinsic quality deserves good consideration by the public and specialized critics.
Okuno So's performance is one of his best works to date and has served to demonstrate that his fame is very well achieved.
For his part, Toyoda Yudai's role in 'Cosmetic Playlover' is undoubtedly a challenge, giving life to a young homosexual for the first time in his already extensive filmography. The young actor manages to successfully overcome the challenge thanks to his fantastic performance, which he gives with the vitality, romanticism and desire to grow professionally and personally that characterize his character.
The chemistry between the two actors on screen gives rise to beautiful scenes of physical interaction that audiences who love romance in general and BL in particular will appreciate and appreciate.
'Cosmetic Playlover' exudes subtlety and good taste. The costumes, both the modern one and the yukata, the traditional Japanese clothing made of cotton that we see worn by the characters at the summer festivals where they come to enjoy the show, are taken care of down to the smallest detail.
Another strong point to highlight is the excellent photography, while the soundtrack has some really beautiful songs with very suggestive melodic themes.
In summary, the series is recommended for several reasons: for its faithful reflection of a reality that is absolutely fascinating for Japanese women and beauty consultants, for its sharp and elegant sense of combining humor and drama, for the strong performances, especially from the two protagonists, and for the honesty of their approach.

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From BL as a social and cultural phenomenon to Thai series and their hidden meaning

With dozens of productions each year, Asian BL dramas have skyrocketed international audiences, winning the hearts of global audiences.
From the bustling streets of Taipei to the no less noisy universities of Bangkok, passing through El Nido beach, on the Philippine island of Palawan; bordering the Han River, on foot or by bicycle, before flowing into the Yellow Sea, or exploring the luminous avenues of Shanghai or Hanoi, the series from that distant continent transport us to a world full of drama, romance and intense emotions.
But what is it that makes these television productions have captured the attention and obsession of people from all over the world?
Convincing performances that touch the heart, acting talent as a strong attraction, ingenious scripts that combine romance with other genres, actors and actresses recognized for their convincing and emotional performances that manage to connect deeply with the public; The use of popular idols, the skills to transmit emotions, whether love, hate, rage, joy or sadness, make viewers feel part of the story and become emotionally involved in each chapter.
High quality works that rival the best produced in other latitudes, Asian BLs have raised quality standards in the television industry. With high budgets in most cases, and a passionate dedication to excellence, these productions manage to compete with European, Australian, Latin American, North American and Canadian homosexual-themed series.
From the stunning cinematography to the detailed sets and impeccable production techniques, each episode can be a visually stunning experience. On the other hand, they also stand out for their focus on cultural diversity and the representation of different ethnic groups and religions.
The visual aesthetics and attention to detail in each scene transport the viewer to a fascinating world, presenting characters and plots that reflect the rich diversity of Asian societies, connecting with audiences from different backgrounds.
For many, perhaps, it may seem like something totally new and strange, but it is not for millions of young consumers of these series around the world. With production companies in charge of creating and adapting literature in live action, BL series emphasize the not-too-distant cliché scenes of love between heterosexuals seen in novels and television series from any country.
The contrast arises when on this occasion the story is transferred to a different social context. One, due to its geographical and cultural position distant from many of the spectators. And two, because it deals with romantic relationships between young men (particularly high school or college students).
The representation of lesbian love is practically non-existent on the television screens of BL-producing countries. There has not been the same interest and dedication on the part of manga and anime authors, as well as television screenwriters and directors, to reflect these stories, as there has been with the romance between boys.
However, GL series (i.e. Girls Love), which feature romance between women, have slowly made their way in recent times. To do this, first a couple of loving girls were inserted as friends or study partners of the male protagonists, within a BL series. We can now count on dramatizations where they are the true protagonists.
The interesting thing about these works is that they address a theme as universal as love, which resonates with a global audience. Very everyday themes that show youth, disappointments in love, fictitious loves, the bad boy, the family, interest in sports or the arts, studies in secondary schools or universities, entry into the world of work after graduation, office work or love, friendship, cooking and typical dishes, fantasy, the supernatural, the dynamics of youth, first loves, the discovery of sexuality, power, political and administrative corruption, and fight for justice are just some of the recurring themes that run through these productions.
With their universal stories, people from different cultures and nationalities make us identify with the characters and immerse ourselves in the complexities of their lives, no matter how foreign they may seem to us at first glance.
There is no doubt that the Asian BL drama fever is a social and cultural phenomenon that was born at the beginning of this century.
The BL inside
At the beginning of the 1970s, BL content could only be found in Japanese anime, manga, or novels. At an accelerated pace, this genre spread to other Asian countries, mainly South Korea, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, China and Taiwan, and has led to new formats and fashions.
Its objective is to represent the romantic relationship between two male characters. Generally, the profiles of the main character are that of the high school student, university student, or young heterosexual professional who meets love for the first time in a boy of the same sex. On many occasions, they exhibit social differences.
With the premiere of a weekly episode, lasting approximately half an hour to an hour, Japanese, Thai and Taiwanese television has broadcast popular BL dramas. Other countries spread the word through online platforms, as this phenomenon also comes to life on social networks, when millions of followers from all over the world share their opinion on X, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook, adding new followers as these discover the works.
Most BL are written from a female perspective. They reflect everyday problems, such as the stereotypes that exist in society about homosexuals, the complexities of gay men when coming out of the closet, the fear of rejection from family and society, the representation of women (familiar or close to the protagonist). in the sad role of decorative object in the home, in the role of being a mother or dedicated to domestic tasks.
Due to the conservative social atmosphere, the discrimination that still exists towards the LGBT+ community, the series rarely mention the problems and conflicts of its members and the struggles for their rights. However, the popularity of these dramas has promoted society's openness to BL culture and understanding of the situation of the LGBT+ community.
Despite BL being mostly known for content created in Japan, it is in Thailand that it has had the greatest boom. While in many nations it remains taboo, in the Thai kingdom it is quite normalized and consumed. This is mainly due to the fact that a very significant sector of the LGBTI+ community resides or is passing through this nation.
The reality is that, despite homosexuality appearing to be such a normalized issue in audiovisual media and in everyday life, legally it is not. Issues such as same-sex marriage or adoption between people of the same gender are not legalized in Thailand. On the other hand, these programs serve to promote sales of items from companies, such as those dedicated to the cosmetics and beverage business, responsible for providing money for serial productions, thus imposing their interests, as well as promoting the country as a destination. paradise tourist.
Its plots do not escape a certain homophobia or misogyny. The above is confirmed when one of the protagonists believes he is heterosexual until he meets the other and realizes that only with that male character does he feel happy and fulfilled. It is also very common to find characters who justify their sexual orientation based on their dislike of women after having been deceived by them.
On the other hand, it is extremely common to encounter clichés that also occur in series and movies whose main characters are a heterosexual couple, only, for some reason, this predictable plot is mostly accepted by the public when the genre is BL. For example, the romanticization of violence between partners.

Cooking Crush
Unlike audiovisuals from other latitudes in which the acting couple rarely meets again in another program in the same role, Thai BL series usually pair the actors, especially when there is chemistry and they are popular with the public.
This is the case of Jumpol Adulkittiporn (Off) and Atthaphan Poonsawas (Gun). With the formation of OffGun, both have participated in numerous projects, from the first of them in 'Senior Secret Love: Puppy Honey' (2016) and 'Senior Secret Love: Puppy Honey 2' (2017), 'Theory of love' ( 2019) and the critically and fan-acclaimed 'Not Me' (2021), and in the special anthology of couples boys love titled 'Our Skyy', from 2018.
With the drama 'Cooking Crush', of the romantic comedy, food and BL genre, released in November 2023 on the GMM25 network, the two reappear. Like good wine, both actors, now 33 and 30 years old, respectively, underpin their artistic talent and consolidate themselves as ships within the BL universe.
The series reminds me of one of the most famous romantic comedies in history, 'Pretty Woman', from 1990 and directed by the American Garry Marshall. In it, the protagonist (Richard Gere) hires a prostitute (Julia Roberts) to accompany him for a few days, and they end up loving each other.
In 'Cooking Crush' the characters also come from two different social strata: Ten (Off), a rich medical student, hires Prem (Gun), a humble cooking student, to teach him how to prepare exquisite food dishes.
Prem dreams of becoming a chef who revolutionizes the culinary art. Determined to compete in a reality show that will choose the best chef in the nation, he must improve his culinary skills. That is the reason why he accepts Ten's proposal. Prem uses this as an opportunity to make money. The clash between both worlds will end up causing both of them to end up deeply in love.
A skilful script written by Pong Pattarawalai Wongsinwises, Noolek Sureechay Kaewses, M Rittikrai Kanjanawiphu and an effective staging, in addition to the good work of the two protagonists, allows us to find ourselves before a sentimental and romantic comedy with a lot of fairy tale and little of everyday reality.
The main characters add depth and emotion to the plot. The series promises a mix of touching moments and immersive drama, as both boys navigate between Ten's causes of stress and Prem's desire to overcome challenges.
The Thai setting adds a unique cultural backdrop to the seductive love story between medical consultation rooms and kitchens, offering viewers a captivating journey through the complexities of discovering sexuality and romance. While the information provided provides insight into the series, watching it will certainly offer a more complete and immersive experience.
'Cooking Crush' stands out with its tone of sentimental and romantic comedy and a talented cast, also composed of Pakin Kunaanuwit (Mark) as Dynamite, and Jaruwat Cheawaram (Dome) as Samsi. These two, along with Prem, will make a trio of friends. It also features Trai Nimtawat (Neo) as Fire and Warawut Poyim (Tum) as Metha, who make up the other friendly shortlist.
The members of these groups, who are not united by anything at the beginning, will not only find love in each other's members, but also strong ties of friendship and companionship. Together they will contribute humor to the program.
Rounding out the cast are Chatchawit Techarukpong (Victor) as Changma, Bhasidi Petchsutee (Lookjun) as Jane, Sukhapat Lohwacharin (Suam) as Bun, Pimwalee Phunsawat (Pim) as Paeng, and Lapisara Intarasut (Apple).
The trust in the ability of each of the members of the main couple in the other, and the way in which they promote each other, is striking. An example of this can be seen in the fact that Ten does not believe he has what it takes to succeed as a doctor and Prem encourages him. Prem, for his part, operates in a very competitive world such as culinary art, and if he has any doubt or circumstance, Ten supports him. Ten's love for Prem's cooking is what finally convinces him to sign up for Super Monster Chef.
Without being the best in the filmography of this acting duo, 'Cooking Crush' is a visual delight and fulfills its purpose as a romantic comedy, showing Off and Gun's undeniable chemistry while Ten and Prem flirt adorably in every interaction. . Theirs is a charming, beautiful, fun, natural and wonderful couple.
Although dynamite is so stable that generally new dynamite cartridges in good condition do not explode even if exposed to fire, Dynamite will not need a detonator and detonator to explode as soon as he meets Fire and encourages a fun game of cat between the two. and the mouse with a slight and subtle harassment on the part of the former at the beginning of the plot.
Without a doubt, 'Cooking Crush' is guaranteed to be popular for various reasons. The breadth of social media, such as YouTube and others, allows more people to connect with this and other BL series. The Western mentality is today much more open to viewing (without prejudice or hatred) content that is part of the LGTBIQ+ community. And finally, a growing need for the viewer to have the possibility that all sexual diversities can be expressed through the artistic formats within their reach.
Just as 'Cooking Crush' is another successful Thai BL by being a media product with an undeniable communication effect, we, as viewers, must be able to appreciate the content without ignoring its hidden meaning.
However, I must add the following criticism: throughout the history of film and television, homosexuals have been portrayed in a stereotypical way or in roles of ruthless killers, disturbed suicides, caricatures of human beings. On many occasions their effeminacy was exaggerated so that an audience could distinguish the gay characters without words. In this way, the audience could easily identify them as homosexuals because they reflected the clichés that still existed in society towards them. These consisted of portraying them as extremely mannered, prim characters, with thin mustaches and often grotesquely made up. In addition to repudiating this “perverted behavior,” filmmakers and television channels or film companies seek to provoke laughter in the viewer, since in comparison to them, men could feel more masculine and women more feminine.
This has been the case since the short film 'Lot in Sodom', by James Sibley Watson and Melville Webber, produced in 1933, which treated homosexuals as depraved sex-hungry satyrs. A film like 'Brokeback Mountain', by Ang Lee, from 2005, had to arrive, already in the 21st century, to present homosexuals to the general public as "common" men, with traditionally masculine appearance and without any type of pathology. that justified the presence of the character himself in the film.
This situation has been gradually transforming to the present day in which the major film and television production companies, especially European ones, pioneers in this subject, make films and series aimed almost exclusively at the LGBTIQ+ audience, showing more realistic characters and settings, films that are shown in commercial theaters or in the numerous film festivals on this theme that are held on all continents, or series broadcast on television channels in much of the world.
Although these current audiovisuals show how difficult it is to “come out of the closet” and project to the viewer the reality in which homosexuals find themselves, series like 'Cooking Crush' do not escape from reveling in stereotyping queer characters. Thus we see how Prem's three fellow students and also participants in the culinary contest, only with competitive, malicious objectives, are able to constantly harass and mock another member of that human collective.

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From 'The Hidden Moon', Thailand and its BL dramatic universe

From 'The Hidden Moon', Thailand and its BL dramatic universe
Everything seems to indicate that the Thai series 'The Hidden Moon' does unequivocal justice to its name. In its frames there are many mysteries and secrets hidden in the light of the moon and the viewer must unravel them as the episodes go by.
Many like the exciting journey full of visual elegance provided by this series directed by Intorn Lokaew, director of 'Low Frequency' (2023) and producer of the romantic comedy and musical 'Hug Jao ​​E Lee', from 2022. The first episode, the only one broadcast so far, shows a drama that is carefully detailed and has all the shots and frames perfected for an elegant audiovisual presentation.
It is no secret that the BL (Boys' Love) genre productions of the Southeast Asian nation have, for more than a decade, stolen popularity in the market, and have become an international cultural phenomenon thanks to their plots that show attractive couples, in bucolic landscapes and with a message about being true to oneself.
When and how did it all start? Why so many followers? One might also wonder about the "magic" exerted by production companies like GMM25 or Dee Hup House. However, in the face of so many doubts, a great certainty delivers a blow of reality: with lovers or detractors, the world does not remain indifferent to the consumption of a solid and intelligent industry.
For example, the number of BL produced in Thailand increased from 19 between 2014 and 2018 to 75 in 2022. And it continues to grow at present. These television series are popular even in more conservative countries, such as India, Indonesia and Malaysia, although their followers must hide it, because if they say so publicly they may suffer sociocultural and religious pressures.
Thanks to these series, in Thailand the LGBT community enjoys more visibility and tolerance than in previous times, and it is expected that before the end of 2024, equal marriage will be legalized after being approved by the Senate of that country on June 18 of this year, with 130 votes in favor, 4 against and 18 abstentions, in its third and final reading.
Despite their popularity, these series do not realistically reflect the lives of people in this community in Thailand, where activists believe there is still work to be done to change mentalities. The life of gay men in Thailand can be quite tragic, as they still face discrimination and harassment.
Returning to the series: 'The Hidden Moon' demonstrates the television charms attributed to the Southeast Asian nation. As for the form, it is useless to deny the hypnotic effect of its image. The colors speak for themselves of a seductive Thailand, although sometimes greyish, always beautiful. The instrumental music penetrates the memory with an indescribable power, while the luxurious, but terrifying and mysterious old two-story house in the middle of the forest, at the foot of a mountain, welcomes the conflicts of its protagonists: Mas, the son of the owner of the place, and Khen, a writer who arrives in Chiang-Mai with the aim of writing about an old mansion.
However, his journey becomes a supernatural experience when, after suffering a car accident, he begins to experience inexplicable events. It is in this context that Khen meets Mas to tell us an exciting story, full of emotions and twists.
Said like that, it seems like the making of any Thai series of the BL genre. Precisely, these attractions that serve as eye drops are part of that group of characteristics that support the formula for success, but are only the visual and artistic components repeated? Although the exoticism of a distant country, populated by people with apparently perfect physiques, manages to connect with a vast audience, the classic plot lines of a romantic drama, in this case fantastic and supernatural period drama, are not left behind; that is, its content.
A production team featuring an energetic new copywriter travels to Chiang Mai to compose stories about two-story Thai houses in the country's northern region; a mysterious woman in a room at the end of the hall; an atmosphere that makes your hair stand on end; ghostly encounters on rainy days; terrifying events that surround those present in the mansion; the story of the two Moons at a different time orbiting together in the darkness of the night sky; the supernatural ability to see and hear things that should not be seen or heard, including the son of the owner of the house in the past, the person whose name means moon is just like him; bittersweet love, heartbreak, beautiful historical setting, a deep relationship wrapped between supernatural events and cruel secrets; A couple made up of a modern-day boy who, after a car accident, travels to the past, precisely to a time during the First World War, to have a romance with a ghost, come together in this period series "Duean Prang".
These are topics that scare us in our lives but that we love to see on the big screen or television. Supernatural mystery series, suspense, ghostly apparitions and disappearances without answers are engaging like no other, and if you add romance to this, the delicious dish is served.
A maxim of series is that they engage, and for that to happen there is nothing better than suspense, intrigue and a good mystery to solve. If there is a genre that we love, it is these that combine all of the above. What's more pleasurable than the feeling of that edge-of-your-couch tension interspersed with sequences of high-stakes action and romance?
Now we have so much to choose from that many go unnoticed without us knowing their existence.
Thailand resorts to these ingredients again and again, because ultimately they capture the taste and attention of a viewer rooted in the typical plots that, despite reinventions of the genre, will always be there.
It is worth remembering the different socio-historical context, conservative and inclined to patriarchal laws, as well as the role of women in society and the controversial emotional and family relationships. These situations can accompany an afternoon coffee, but we should not "enjoy" them uncritically.
Starring David Matthew Roberts (in his acting debut) and Kin Thanachai Sakchaicharoenkul ('Love Hurts', 2023), in the roles of Mas and Khen, respectively, the romantic, dramatic and fantasy genre series is an adaptation of the novel " The Hidden Moon" (เดือนพราง), by Violet Rain.
The series is produced by the renowned Dee Hup House, known for its success in series such as 'Step By Step' (2023), 'Something In My Room' (2022) and 'Lovely Writer' (2021).
In the series, Khen does not travel alone with Mas. The production team of which he is a part and who travels to Chiang Mai is made up of Bing (Santa Napakawat Kettreekorn), Toh (Tonkla Patittada Photajareon), Thaen (Jimmy Nuttapong Phaojinda) and Nanwha (Bam Panichada Kongsawanya), while Sompho Meme Kansuda Chanakeeree, Aisaeng (Pom Kamonpop Kaewdiao), all newcomers, and Khampuan (Tian Atcharee Buakhiao), an actress remembered for giving life to Mei in 'I Feel You Linger in the Air', join the journey in the mysterious house. They all defend their roles with conviction.
The script for this series is written by Kak Supicha Anantachat ('In Time with You').
Beyond the depth or intentions, the nuances of society or particular thematic moments are not completely ignored. Such is the case of 'I Feel You Linger in the Air', a series released in 2023 based on the novel of the same name by the same author of 'The Hidden Moon', and 'Dead Friend Forever - DFF' (2023 – 2024), two series coming from the powerful Thai BL industry. If you view them, you will find entertainment close to the novel dilemmas enjoyed in 'The Hidden Moon'.
I'll come back later to update the review.

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Yawn generator, its main feature

Again hugging a tree that draws attention because "my mom said." Again talking about photography. Again, agreeing on whether to let the two strange boys into the house when they are left without a hotel reservation. Once again imposing rules of coexistence. Again speaking badly about a person without realizing that they are listening to us. Once again the overwhelming fatigue of everyday life. Again the same formulas seen in… so many other times. But we have already seen this, in other scenarios and with other actors. Where did the magic and surprise travel? Where did they hide? Or are they scarce and exhausted goods?
I am not given to expressing opinions, much less in the form of a review, when it comes to a series, film or short film that does not catch my attention, but with 'Kiseki Chapter 2', the BL drama from 9NAA, a romantic comedy between four handsome men set in Tokyo, the Japanese capital, made me break with self-imposed things.
With this premise, to which is added the fact that it is a series with the protagonist of P Ekkapop Tata (P), Nanthakorn Sringenthap (Beboy), Jirachot Chotticomporn (Pan) and Chattrin Chotticomporn (Plai), the last three protagonists of 'Beyond the Star', I was curious.
I like the idea of ​​a romantic story (I prefer this term to the usual gay love or homosexual love or simply BL) that takes place "far from home" for the protagonists. But I immediately objected to being from the same company that produced 'Check Out' and 'My Blessing', so I was suspicious from the first moment.
And since I learned about the synopsis about a romance between Thai boys visiting Japan, it reminded me of that classic film that is 'Present Perfect (แค่นี้ก็ดีแล้ว / Khae ni k dilaew), from 2012 and its sequel , 'Present Still Perfect' (แค่นี้ก็ดีแล้ว Part 2 / Khae ni k dilaew Part 2), 2020.
As in the aforementioned films, the boys meet, accidentally, during a trip to Japan. And they will only have the few days (in this case 6) that their stay in the Land of the Rising Sun lasts for P and Beboy to meet and fall in love with the twins Pan and Plai, in that same order.
As they get closer and learn a lot about the meaning of life, their time in the country they visit runs out. Furthermore, one of them, P, has lived there for some years. What will happen then when they have to separate? Will they stay together? Will their feelings survive or will they only be content to store beautiful memories in their hearts?
I said to myself: "If it can be 1 percent as good as the films of Thai director Aaam Soisa-ngim, the series is worth watching. If the four protagonists can be 1 percent as good in their roles as they were Kritsana Maroukasonti as Oat and Tonawanik Adisorn as Toey in the aforementioned films, it would be worth seeing."
But soon my cry of euphoria was drowned in discouragement and dissatisfaction. Yes, we are faced with a BL audiovisual that escapes from those stories focused on teenage or school romance, which is not bad at all, but they can get tiring.
So far, and I doubt it will happen, there is no emotional and visual pleasure. I also don't think I managed to awaken other kinds of deeper feelings and emotions in the audience, despite being able to touch on topics such as self-acceptance, discovery, liberation and the way of seeing life. I don't think I'll find these and other themes mixed with deep messages in the plot.
Contrary to 'Present Perfect' and its sequel, it will not touch the human sensibilities of the spectators, nor will it transport us to a confusing journey full of questions about the essence of oneself, despite having, I do not doubt it either. , a very sweet ending. How I would like to be wrong!
Of course, 'Kiseki Chapter 2' will amaze us with the choice of landscapes, especially monuments, temples and sculptures in parks and streets, that we can enjoy in each scene. Hopefully these will contribute scenarios to the story in accordance with the moment of the series, the message or the emotions transmitted by its characters.
One more story of "strangers to friends" and... yes, I would like romance to break out between the characters, but with a solid script and good performances.
Neither the story nor the characters capture me. Between a lot of boredom and little fun, both in the characters and visually, I would like it, why not? May the instant friendship of the four boys become ever deeper into love.
Something positive is that so far nothing indicates to us that the boys are homosexual. So, it could be a good time for them to discover each other and get to know their sexualities. This could be a strong point of the series. Also, being able to enjoy the atmosphere of Tokyo, especially in the fall season.
The series is a slow story and on many occasions very boring. Everything is told without any emotion. The dialogues sometimes turn out to be absurd and unreal conversations where the thread of who is saying what is often lost. The four characters become unbearable and you cannot empathize with any of them.
No, on this occasion it is not boredom and daily problems that are the worst enemies for the couple's subsistence, as in other dramatized ones, but rather it is the couple's own subsistence, actually two, that promotes boredom without reaching solve everyday problems.
Giving a good rating to 'Kiseki Chapter 2' seems to me to be underestimating many very superior romantic dramas that have been ignored for years.

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It speaks to us about all the closets we create throughout our lives

A film transcends its entertainment dimension to become true art when, beyond its narrative anecdote, it reaches a universal magnitude, beyond the particular story it tells.
In 'At First Glance To See It With,' Chinese writer and director Wong Chun Wai embraces the essential through the intimate, which is why hi film connect with audiences so profoundly. This 2017 short film is much more than just another queer coming-of-age story.
The protagonist of this film is Gu Jinxuan, an athlete and instrumentalist who lives a stereotypical life denying his sexuality.
One day, Gu meets Huang Lin, a music lover and fellow university student, and they establish a connection. This moment ignites a spark within him that grows, and which has the power to open a door to achieving the emotional and physical satisfaction he longed for. However, Gu is unwilling to leave the closet and admit that he is actually gay.
In this short film, also known as "As Cheerful as Ever", from the first moment we see Yang Qinkai in this repressed, sad, and painful role, it's unimaginable that another actor could have done a better job.
Despite being a low-budget student production, Wong Chun Wai, in addition to writing the script and making a valid personal statement, is a master at directing actors. Equally exceptional are Luo Panpan as Huang Lin and Hao Ningbo as Ye Yuhan, a girl unfortunate enough to fall in love with a gay man who refuses to acknowledge his sexual orientation or gender identity.
The ending is very sad: three years after breaking up, Gu Jinxuan and Huang Lin reunite on the streets of the city. And even though it is perceived that love still floats in the air between the two, the first one goes hand in hand with Ye Yuan, with whom he lives a lie, and the second one, despite having a boyfriend, he eyes and gestures denote the desire to hug and kiss he first love, the boy he has not yet forgotten.
Woody Allen said that his most faithful companion had been his fear, because she had never cheated on him and left him with another man. 'At First Glance To See It With' speaks to us of all those closets we create throughout our lives, of the impossibility of opening the closet doors and embracing our gender identity in the face of the fear or risk of being discriminated against, harassed, even of losing our lives, by dint of not living it, if we continue to think that the worst is on the other side. Without realizing that the enemy is very comfortably installed within us, which is ourselves.
The signs are there from the beginning, the clearest of them being Gu's need to pretend to his heteronormative and conservative sister that he has a girlfriend, and to deny being gay.
Ultimately, the film is not exactly original, but it is interesting as a critique of those who put fear and silence before their own happiness. The execution is quite good: the camerawork, all the technical parameters, the acting...
Also starring Huang Zhenwei, Guo Xubo, Wang Qi, and Ding Junyan.

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Feeling respected, recognized, and valued

'Open' tells a moment in the life of Kim Hando (played by Youngnam Cha, an actor known for his roles in 'Seoul Mates' (2014) and 'Summer' (2015), a young student who has a big secret that his family, friends, and all his classmates don't know: he's gay.
Hiding his identity hasn't been easy for him as he navigates between love, friendship, and authenticity in a heterosexist school environment and society, such as South Korea's.
The story follows his efforts to protect his identity when one night, while studying at home with Junjae (Yoonho Jo, in his acting debut), his friend and classmate, his boyfriend (played by newcomer Seon-Hyuk Kim) arrives. Our protagonist will experience a moment of gay panic, as he externalizes the shame caused by internalized homophobia.
The interesting thing about the short film directed by Jun Beom, a South Korean filmmaker who directed his second film, 'Secret Spectacles', in 2017, is the joy and freedom Kim feels (which he expresses with a smile and small gestures of satisfaction) when he discovers that his friend has accepted his sexuality.
Kim has won a real battle by feeling respected, acknowledged, and valued by his friend and classmate.
I have no doubt that a path now opens up for Kim where he feels he can be himself, without hiding who he loves or how he identifies, and can live his homosexuality completely naturally without perceiving it as inferior to heterosexuality.

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Between Metaphors and Symbols: Dreams and Death

In an unknown future, the introverted young man Ariyoshi Jun (Ryuhei Matsuda), who works at a gay bar, is one day arrested for killing one of the bar's customers after being sexually assaulted. What baffles the police is that he mutilated his rapist's corpse in a fit of absolute violence, and this reaction doesn't allow him to avail himself of the right to self-defense.
In prison, he meets Shiro (Masanobu Ando), a striking young man with unusual tattoos who has known violence since his earliest childhood and is now back in prison for murdering a young man, for no apparent reason.
In prison, Shiro, a strange young man with a dark past, who served time for raping the prison director's wife, quickly demonstrates his brute force and becomes the leader of the other inmates. The shy and defenseless Jun is drawn to everything his strange companion embodies. Jun is the only person Shiro opens up to, and they accept each other as they are. This situation leads them to understand that they cannot be without each other. Together, they will establish an intriguing and intimate relationship that will only be interrupted by a mysterious crime.
Imprisoned for murder, and despite their apparent differences, at the end of their empty and destructive lives, the two young men with exactly opposite personalities share only their instincts, but this is enough for them to discover the emotion of love.
However, at the end of their love lies another murder, with Jun as the accused and Shiro as the victim. 'Big Bang Love, Juvenile A' (Japanese: 46億年の恋, 46-okunen no koi?, literally translated in English: '4.6 Billion Years Of Love') is based on a posthumous manuscript by Ikki Kajiwara, titled "Shōnen A ereji (少年Aえれじぃ)" and written by his younger brother Hisao Maki under the joint pseudonym Ato Masaki.
The film, which has a script by Masa Nakamura, follows two detectives who attempt to uncover the culprit of the murder and the cause of the crime through interviews with inmates and prison employees about events in the lives of Jun and Shiro. Among the suspects in the crime is the prison director, who may be interested in wanting revenge for the rape of his wife and subsequent suicide.
The use of the technique of interspersing testimonies throughout the film is striking, as the viewer themselves can participate as an investigator.
Premiered at the 56th Berlin International Film Festival in February 2006, the film tells the story of how the two inmates form an intensely close bond, in which Shiro protects Jun with fanatical intensity and violence from the other inmates, although his intentions toward his fellow inmate are unclear.
The highly symbolic images and dialogue contrast with the routine nature of the police investigation, creating a somewhat surreal commentary on the nature of violence and salvation throughout the film.
Viewers and critics at various film festivals, such as the Hong Kong Film Festival and the Sitges Film Festival, were quick to praise its director, Takashi Miike, for exploring an experimental and poetic path with the film. There's nothing real in this film, but the truth of the human condition crawls and scratches at the surface, in this claustrophobic fever dream.
Takashi Miiki brings together a highly professional cast, including Shunsuke Kubozuka (as Yukimura Sumio), Kiyohiko Shibukawa (Tsuchiya Makoto), Ryo Ishibashi (Warden Tsuchiya, the Prison Warden), Kenichi Endo (Assistant Inspector), Renji Ishibashi and Jai West (Deranged Prisoner), Kanamori Jo (Hero), and Mitsuishi Ken (Prison Warden), among others, to create a cinematic spectacle.
Also noteworthy is the work of Matsukuma Shinichi as Lighting Technician, who collaborated on the creation of this strange and sad film, full of memorable visual images, in which Takashui Miike examines abuse, domination, violence, and determinism in an experimental style, in which all that remains is destruction and shattered lives.
The symbols anchor the viewer in their seat, the metaphors cloud the senses, the lighting is out of this world, and the visual design surprises us by being both theatrical and abstract.
"What kind of man do you want to be?" This is the big question and the impression the film leaves me with. The two protagonists are caught up in a cocktail of provocative generic influences, ultimately speaking about the impulses that keep us alive: love, the madness of desire, violence, jealousy, truth, and lies.
To help us understand what kind of people they are and the feelings they are experiencing, the director uses metaphorical symbols and eccentric external views, such as the butterfly in mid-flight around the protagonists, the image of an Art Nouveau CGI rocket about to launch into outer space, the gigantic and ancient Mayan pyramid, the colors, the tattoos, the ghosts, the timelessness, and the spatial minimalism, all serving to physically express Jun and Shiro's inner world.
While the rocket portrays the world of reason, science, and rationality, based on its use as a way to explore the stars beyond human reach, and as a clear proposal to leave this world together and move forward, the historical precedent of the Mayan temple points toward a more intuitive and contemplative realm of the heart and spirituality, the possibility of heaven, and the fact that this attraction they feel is neither new nor exclusive to them, but rather stems from an affection dating back to human origins. Hence the film's title, which is the approximate age of the Earth.
Takashi Miike carefully and intelligently intersperses these poetic and philosophical scenes throughout the narrative, once again breaking the formal expectations of what a cinematic narrative should be.
While deliberately cryptic and at times confusing, the film overcomes the self-imposed difficulties of its narrative thanks to brilliant staging, a disturbing dramatic pulse, and a cinematic conception that is entirely revolutionary within the context of its director's artistic proposal.

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