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A double switch to brighten our lives
This 2013 Filipino screwball satirical comedy film, starring Zanjoe Marudo and Cristine Reyes, tells the story of twins Brando and Brandy. Despite the physical similarity, both are very different from each other. While the first is heterosexual and has no ambitions in life, the other is a friendly gay who has a career plan.Brandon is attracted to Erika, Brandy's best friend, but she breaks up with him after realizing that Brandon has no plans for the future.
The homophobic Brando cannot accept that his brother is gay, so he decides to distance himself from him and make his own life independently. To do this, he will plan to start a car repair business and become a mechanic. Brandy, for her part, sets out on her own path to try to make her dream come true.
Eight years later we see Brandy become a successful interior designer, while Brandon still struggles to make ends meet.
Based on real events, the plot delves into each person's journey along their respective paths. Everything seems to indicate that they will never unite again, until one day, their mother begs them to put aside their differences and reconcile. Moved by her mother's plea, Brandy goes out to find her brother to make peace, but suffers an unfortunate accident that leaves him in a coma.
While Brandy remains in the hospital, Brando learns that just before the accident occurred, his brother was putting the finishing touches on negotiating a multimillion-dollar design deal with a client.
Fearing that Brandy will lose the multimillion-dollar business, Brandy's two close friends convince Brando to pull a double switch and pose as his gay brother. Then he will make the second most important decision of his life: So Brando, the straight, homophobic, tough and sexist, becomes the gay Brandy!
This is where the fun begins with Brando juggling Brando and Brandy.
By usurping his gay brother's identity he will not only allow Brando to solve all of his financial problems. It comes with another surprise: It will also give him the chance to patch things up with Erika (Cristine Reyes), Brandy's good friend, who he's always been in love with!
But it doesn't all end here: pretending to be the gay twin will mean that while he tries to prevent a multimillion-dollar business from failing and, in the process, get the love of a girl, he will look at the person he has always hated with different eyes, and acquire a new appreciation for him. by living your life.
In this world gone crazy, with Brando taking on Brandy's cheerful personality, what real chance is there of life returning to normal for the twins? Will Brandy wake up in time, discover the switch her twin flipped, and save the situation?
With a script by Olivia M. Lamasan, Joel Mercado, Enrico C. Santos, Danno Kristoper Mariquit, Kriz G. Gazmen, Kathy Despa and Ays De Guzman, and direction by Wenn V. Deramas, the film features the now Filipino star Kokoy DeSantos will play the twins as teenagers, while Maliksi Morales will play the young Brando and Brandy, and finally Zanjoe Marudo will play the twins as adults.
Filled with comedic moments, 'Bromance: My Brother's Romance' is Skylight Films' first foray into the comedy genre. Even in serious situations, they look for hilarious and over-the-top reactions, which makes it fun to watch.
Zanjoe Marudo achieves a brilliant and natural performance by playing, interchangeably, Brando and Brandy in three different roles: gay man, straight man and straight man who pretends to be gay.
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This review may contain spoilers
Whirlwind of love and revenge on a tourist island
He works for a dolphin and sea lion show at Fantastic Ocean. He works at a karaoke bar on a beach on the Chinese island of Hainan, where they both live. He is a talented trainer of aquatic mammals. He succeeds in his traveling business, in part because he bears a striking resemblance to the late Chinese actor and singer Leslie Cheung. He waits for him with dinner ready and both of their underwear clean. He is a daring and handsome boy who also has sexual relations with women and walks around the beach, the streets and the house half-naked. He, in silence, awaits your return. He, drunk, comes home late after playing with other men. Both help in an illicit business, while committing petty robberies and other mischief, such as recovering their assets seized by the police.Li Qi (Shen Shiyu) and Ren Yu (Zhao Bingrui) are two young men who live a wonderfully simple life as a couple. Happy, between the two of them they have built their own earthly paradise.
However, things change when an attractive young woman, Bai Ling (Yue Yue), comes into their lives and drastically shakes their reality. When the daughter of the illegal beach food vendor joins the two men, a three-way relationship seems possible. Li Qi shines around him. She shines around Ren Yu ('Marriage Proposal Say Yes!', 2013 and 'Love in Late Autumn, 2016'). In this classic love triangle, does the girl know about Qi and Ren Yu? Does he know they are a couple? The truth is that the three of them intend to test the limitations of their own sexuality.
The lovers now face difficult decisions because they want to explore their sexuality further and include Bai Ling ('A Woman', 2022; 'Mother in the Mist', 2021), in their relationship. At times, the loving trio disappears to become a secret couple again, but now between Bai Ling and Ren Yu. But the latter will not accept his proposal to be her boyfriend and live in a distant city. Could love for Li Qi be the reason for his rejection? Don't you want to enter an uncertain, but promising future? Why then does he kiss her and while they are living their idyll, the tragedy occurs that will shake the three of them to the depths of their being?
The film, which begins at the end, initially tells us how one of the main characters commits a heinous crime motivated by revenge and then goes to the roots of the conflict to expose the reasons that motivated the revenge.
Also skillful is the location of the plot in one of the tropical and paradisiacal beach areas of Hainan (in Chinese, 海南; pinyin, Hǎinán; literally, 'South Sea'), the smallest and southern province of the People's Republic of China. The site surprises by becoming another protagonist, the fourth, of the film. Its streets and shops show the wounds of the passage of successive typhoons that hit what is now the largest Special Economic Zone of the Asian giant.
Like an island from which you can only leave by air or sea, our protagonists will also find themselves unable to escape their own destiny. This is marked from the very title of the film. The main reason to chew Asian betel nut or areca nut is for its stimulating and slightly euphoric effects. The person who consumes it obtains a greater feeling of alertness, a sensation of heat throughout the body.
Subtle and masterful use of metaphor to mark the destruction of the paradise in which Li Qi and Ren Yu have lived with the interweaving of the Chinese tradition of consuming betel nuts with the risks to human health associated with the prolonged use of these seeds. , since this practice has led thousands of people to an early death.
Released in April 2017, the film, by Chinese director and screenwriter Hu Jia, won the China Stard Best Film Award 2018. It was also presented at the Berlin International Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival and Hong Kong International Film Festival, in its 2017 editions.
The yaoi genre romantic drama 'The Taste of Betel Nut' (槟榔血) depicts a story of revenge and young love, a story about the growing desire for intimacy between two men and a woman.
Very cleverly, Hu Jia makes unique decisions in writing the script and developing the plot of the film. The choice to include few dialogues does not discourage the viewer. On the contrary, it awakens in us an interest in discovering where the film story will take us. This way, the audience will be able to appreciate the images and focus more on the characters' actions.
The writer and director creates a fractured storyboard that unfolds like a puzzle: fundamental pieces are missing to finish the work. Together, he and the viewer, we will have the task of, as the footage rolls, compare the fragments we have with those intentionally omitted, in order to advance through the incomplete scenes that have kept us in the dark until we reach the light. and with this the understanding of the narrated events.
The ending is open. The viewer, once again behind the cameras, has several pieces of the puzzle in their hands. According to his wishes, only one of them may be the right one to complete the puzzle: on the terrace of his house, between sheets swinging in the air, Ren Yu, with obvious scars on his shaved head and with a slow, hesitant step, has been able come out of the coma and now turns his face and smiles at someone who approaches. Is it Li Qi who has been able to escape the fury of the bullies? Has Ren Yu waited for him during his years in prison for the crime committed? Is it just Ren Yu's imagination? Like Ren Yu, Li Qi has also died at the hands of the gang and they both meet again in another paradise, but this time heavenly?
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The cliché of engineering students in BL series: from 'Sotus' to 'Secretly Love'
University environment? A university in Bangkok? Faculty of Engineering? Hazing boss? A secret love between two boys? A boy in love with a sundere, that is, a person whose initial behavior is cold and reserved, but who gradually transforms into someone warm, sensitive and friendly? One of them who, after a while, turns from hostile and unfriendly into an individual whose behavior is affectionate? Is one of them from a year older than the other? One called Khonprot, a name very similar to Kongphob? All this in a Thai BL?This is how I reflected while reading the synopsis of 'A Secretly Love'. Then, other recurring questions would arise: By some chance one of the boys gives the other a "gear", that small toothed wheel, symbol of the Faculty of Engineering? Are you sure it's not SOTUS?
With this idea I immersed myself in the first episode of the series that tells the romance between Khonprot, a role assumed by Kut-Thanawat Sukfuengfueng, a third-year hazing leader at the Faculty of Engineering, and Pluem, played by actor Kimmon-Warodom Khemmontha.
Since I started watching BL dramas, I have found that if you ask any fan of the genre what the biggest cliché is in this type of productions, they will undoubtedly answer that placing the plot in the Faculty of Engineering and its protagonists are future engineers. I don't consider it bad to repeat the same cliché over and over again, especially if it is developed well. But this requirement is rarely met, which undermines the success of the drama.
The main problem with these series is not the use of the much-questioned cliché ad nauseum, but the fact that it is not even made good use of, in addition to ignoring a cruel reality, such as the hegemonic masculinity prevailing in the faculties of Engineering.
Homosexual engineering students in Thailand suffer from violence perpetrated by homophobes, both inside and outside the University, as well as mockery and harassment from students in higher years. This affects their self-esteem and daily life, to the extent that many have been forced to leave their studies because they feel harassed, while others commit suicide.
Future engineers and other careers, especially the "effeminate" ones, describe psychological, physical and sexual violence against them, demonstrating the articulation of homophobia and misogyny in Thai universities. Much of his narratives describe the role of alcohol in strengthening masculine bonds, negotiating manhood before groups of peers, and evading feelings and frustrations. Others, to hide their homosexuality, are forced to seduce and have sex with several women and separate them from their true feelings and emotions.
Let us remember that Thailand is a sexist and conservative society in which marriage between people of the same gender is not yet legal and in which homosexuality is taboo and frowned upon by both family and religion.
Topics such as the need to seek new ways of “being human and free” in the university environment, or how boys construct new ways of being a man and being young in the society in which they live, as well as the other problems highlighted in this review. to 'A Scretly Love' are absent in the plots of BL series, which do not take into account the social and historical nature of masculinity. This is a social construction recreated, reproduced and reinvented daily by social actors differentiated by age, sexual orientation and other factors.
Whether it happens organically due to the environment in which they grew up, due to their desires for expression through physical appearance, due to experiences lived in the school environment or, on the contrary, due to their feeling of not aligning with the paradigm, the Engineering students assume the consciousness of being a male subject who develops daily in a sexist environment or environment, exalting masculinity and even homophobic, which expects from them strength and resistance, sporting inclination, independence, self-sufficiency, passion, determination, open mind and abruptness as concepts associated with them.
Thai BL dramas, and others, do not take into account the reasons why these situations and beliefs have arisen. They do not tell how homosexual engineering students (and other majors) are excited about the possibility of reimagining and deconstructing the reality that surrounds them. They do not reflect on how they expect to live in a community in which no one feels pressured to align with certain thoughts or be forced to act in a certain way that is foreign to their personalities and characters.
Given this reality, the series on this topic within the BL genre suffer from not addressing the necessary equality policies that must be established in Engineering faculties in Thailand and other places in the world, and for which so many members of the LGBT+ community have fought and still fight to make them a global reality.
These dramas are limited to reflecting a homosexual romance and leave aside everything related to equity, justice and equal opportunities as the benefits that everyone would receive as a result of actions being implemented for their benefit. These dramas ignore everything that has to do with the need to recognize problems, question behaviors and join the essential changes that do not come and do not focus their attention on something more rooted in the freedom with which each person experiences life. .
In this context, the interest of scriptwriters and directors in presenting engineering students in romances with other boys of the same sex is striking and, above all, if they all dream of training as engineers, ignoring everything else.
All of the above would change if the premise were better supported within the script. It can get tiring, due to oversaturation, that creators want us to believe over and over again, that engineers, so “masculine”, can also love other boys, especially when in most cases they represent to these not so masculine.
'A Secretly Love' shows that it is not necessary to place the protagonists as students of the Faculty of Engineering. In the series, as in other previous ones, this fact has no relevance within the plot. Apart from using the faculty as a setting for various scenes, the interest in demonstrating a supposed superiority of some students over others depending on the faculty in which they study, or the much-used gear as a symbol that represents the official acceptance of the student at the faculty, or the representation of the actors proudly wearing the blue shirt that becomes another emblem of future Thai engineers, do not seem to have greater importance than the role they play in the story.
The series repeats the same mistake of its predecessors determined to place the story and the characters in an Engineering faculty, by attempting to show the great importance that this career has, when this circumstance collides with the little value that it truly represents in the plot line.
As is the case in other Thai BL productions, 'A Secretly Love' confirms that it would not suffer any alteration in its plot if the protagonists were placed in any other faculty other than Engineering.
At the opposite extreme, stands SOTUS: The Series and SOTUS S: The Series (2016-2017), by director Pongpisit Sri, based on a BL novel by BitterSweet, a pioneering work par excellence within this type of series of this Thai genre.
Sotus is the perfect demonstration of the evolution and development of the main plot, subplots and characters, both main and secondary, in an environment of students from the Faculty of Engineering. The entire cast manages to cope and develop within this reality in such a deep and emotional way, as has never been seen before or since in a BL, by achieving a good balance between romance and the everyday life of engineering students.
It would be meritorious for Odd Ramet Ruangpratum, the director of the television adaptation of Avery Pie's novel of the same name, if he managed, without repeating Sotus, to show us in a more profound and convincing way than his predecessors within these BL-themed series, a romance between engineering students, renewing formulas and ignoring clichés.
I just hope that the fictional characters that represent one a noble boy who keeps his word and has leadership qualities, the one who tries to act strong all the time, although inside he is a very sensitive person, and the other a young athlete who speaks little, but hits hard and likes to be pretentious, but deep down he is a sensitive person with a fragile heart, easy to love and difficult to forget, so that the young Engineering students that they embody can live in freedom. , equality, equity and justice, and their human rights are respected.
I would like Khonprot and Pluem to be able to live up to Arthit and Kongphob, the two heroes of Sotus, by convincingly showing us situations such as hazing, the upper-year student-lower year hierarchy relationship, the effort involved in achieving the long-awaited gear, or achieve the title of engineer, while their romantic relationship matures, grows and becomes as strong as the metal from which the small cogwheel, symbol of the Faculty of Engineering, is made.
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In the darkest times, there is still room for joy and hope
'Love in the Big City' is one of those series that surprises you from the first images. Its greatest success lies in its power to enrich the panorama of South Korean television dramas with LGBT+ themes, widely represented in 2024 with other works of great value, while at the same time denouncing heteronormative and patriarchal society.Equally beautiful and moving, as bitter, harsh and disturbing, the LGBT+ drama, not of the BL genre, with the largest budget from South Korea touches on extremely important themes and moves something within each person from the first moment, while offering an anthropological approach to queer lives in Seoul in the 21st century.
Based on the 2019 novel of the same name by Park Sang Young, nominated for the Medicis Prize, the Booker Prize and the International Dublin Literary Prize, the romance series is adapted by BigStone Studio in collaboration with Merry Christmas Studio, along with the financial sponsorship of the Ministry of Culture of South Korea, and follows Go Yeong (played by Nam Yoon Su), a cheerful and sincere college student, who navigates life as a closeted gay man who goes through a journey of personal growth while encountering problems family members and different romantic partners, in Seoul's complex dating scene.
I am sure that many will not agree with me when I say that 'Love in the Big City' represents the possibility of entering, fully, on a promising path for South Korean BL series (and from other latitudes), by transcending this genre and going several steps further to tell us an LGBT+ story, since the series avoids falling into the typical and light stories of adolescent fantasy and excessive romantic love, by showing us sufficiently explicit sex scenes and not being created and oriented to an audience - especially - female, since its main budget is to reach the public of said community.
On the other hand, every time a television series project on these topics is outlined, the dilemma between repetition and innovation appears from the very beginning. 'Love in the Big City' has almost achieved the miraculous balance of alternating the constants and the invariables, in a set that cannot be denied, at least, the virtue of novelty.
I wish there were many dramas like this one that paid similar attention to the solid psychological outline of their characters, giving prominence to filial and everyday human conflicts for queer people in societies in which there is still no legal protection of gender identity and sexual orientation against discrimination, and to always delve into what is essential, in personal identity, in the realization of the dreams, desires, freedoms and aspirations of everyone equally, without forgetting a certain expressive distinction.
It seems to me to be a series conceived for a sensitive audience that loves subtleties, not for those who intend to build an impregnable fence of prejudices regarding LGBT+ people, because as the directors and scriptwriter affirm, the love between the members of this community is the same as that of Any other couple, while proposing a certain narrative cadence, takes its time to explain, and sticks to a certain elegance in the dialogues, sometimes colloquial, sometimes metaphorical, or epigrammatic.
As in other LGBT+ series, here appear the parents who do not accept their homosexual children, the young people who must hide their homosexuality from society, the secrets hidden for decades, and of course, the loves and heartbreaks. But what is not abundant in the LGBT+ production that we have seen are characters as nuanced, complex and contradictory as Go Yeong, Sim Gyu Ho, Kim Nam Gyu, No Yeong Su and Habibi, all of them Go Yeong's boyfriends, or Yeom Eun Suk and Choi Mi Ae, as the main protagonist's mother and best friend, respectively.
While Go Young's mother disapproves of her son's homosexuality, while being ashamed of having uterine cancer, as one of the many characters in the series who suffer from self-deception in trying to deny their various physical and mental conditions, Mi Ae is proof of how important chosen family is, especially in LGBT+ narratives.
In a country like South Korea, where traditional family values are so ingrained in the culture, acceptance does not always come from the biological family. Mi Ae and Go Yeong's relationship is that silent reminder that the people who truly have your back are not always the ones you share DNA with: they are the ones who choose to walk alongside you regardless of obstacles and prejudices. The friendship of these two characters is a challenge to the typical idea of family and manages to be shown on screen with total freshness.
'Love in the Big City' does not shy away from explicit language or images, which is rare in the Korean entertainment scene and brings an advantage to the BL scene. On the contrary, he takes care of every last detail and leaves nothing to chance.
He also exudes beauty, capturing picturesque moments with a well-thought-out, bulletproof script, in which at times, his autobiographical narrative becomes very obvious, but apart from that, it provides a new perspective on the life of a writer.
And we arrive at the space where the stars live: To translate the convoluted climate of loves and heartbreaks, secrets and hopes, desires and obsessions, longings and frustrations, an extraordinary cast was required. Despite accusations from a section of South Korean homophobic society that the series aims to "glorify and promote homosexuality", despite threats to Nam Yoon Su from conservative viewers, anti-LGBT+ groups and some of his followers, who claim to be disgusted with the actor for his decision to appear in a gay role, even though this could damage his future career and that of some others involved in the series, 'Love in the Big City' reached a histrionic level awesome.
Some exceeded expectations, surpassing the high levels of professionalism to which we are accustomed: Nam Yoon Su once again reveals himself to be exceptional playing a closeted young gay writer who is HIV positive and is drowning under his family's expectations, dealing with the constant judgment of society and also struggling with the kind of love that consumes you but may never be enough. He is convincing in playing a person who masks the sadness of existence with his innate vivacity. He is undeniably charming and conveys many emotions as the main protagonist.
This actor, recognized for his participation in the 2020 Netflix series 'Extracurricular', which earned him recognition both inside and outside South Korean borders and was nominated for Best New Television Actor at the 57th edition of the Baeksang Arts Awards, He plays Go Young with emotional restraint, reflecting, in addition to his happy and outgoing character, the nostalgia and conflict that his character carries and that he must hide from everyone. Her performance brings depth and authenticity to a character who challenges gender norms, in search of self-acceptance and in the midst of fighting for her place in the world as the central axis of her story.
For his part, Jin Ho Eun embraced unbridled histrionics already seen before, and took risks in an acting style where moderation and restraint prevail, to offer us Go Yeong's true first love.
Both this actor and Nam Yoon Su have obvious and compelling chemistry and are fascinating characters.
With the intensity of allegro vivace they pulsed with their characters Jung Chan Young, Byun Jun Seo and Lee Hyun So, as Jeon Eun Soo, Park Ji Tae and Han Ho Min, respectively, Go Yeong's three friends; while Kwon Hyuk, Na Hyun Woo and Kim Won Joong knew how to personify the first as an immature man in love who cannot distinguish between obsession and love, the second as a person who has difficulty accepting himself and makes even those who love him They love sit alone, and the last is the love that comes when pure love is gone, and must have the ability, or not, to serve as a balm to heal the wounds.
This series is one of two totally different productions of the novel (the other is a film version), also released in October 2024.
The eight-episode series is directed by four filmmakers, each directing two episodes respectively.
The four stories in the original novel: "Jaehee" (told in episodes 1 and 2, directed by Son Tae Gyum), "A Bite of Rockfish, Taste the Universe" (episodes 3 and 4, Hur Jin Ho), "Love in the Big City" (episodes 5 and 6, Hong Ji Young) and "Late Rainy Season Vacation" (episodes 7 and 8, Kim Se In), illustrate how the queer community, since the beginning of the century, has lived under a dual system of being "privately out and publicly in the closet," as South Korean society has not fully recognized LGBT+ rights.
As the social backdrop of 'Love in the Big City', this setting reflects the characters' constant tension between pride and shame. Taken together, the four stories offer a raw and detailed portrait of Seoul and the gay meeting places in the South Korean capital, where the tall buildings and wide, illuminated streets and alleys contrast with the turbulent inner lives of the characters. The scenes are meticulously crafted, with a balance between the poetic and the emotionally complex, adding layers of meaning to the plot.
As the narrative addresses these questions, it does so with an air of inquiry rather than sermon. This series is full of questions and leaves each of us to come to our own conclusions.
The series shows us that there is still a long way to go when it comes to fighting prejudice, stopping hate and fighting discrimination for being "different".
Go Yeong's growth is slow; sometimes frustrating. The pressure to fit into the "normality" imposed by society and family is always present, and the series keeps the tension alive. In his journey of self-improvement, the character expresses what many people are feeling right now and in many settings in the world: The struggle of trying to discover where you fit when the world rejects you for being who you are, and when who you are is in question. direct conflict with who everyone expects you to be. But the beauty of it all is at stake.
'Love in the Big City' manages to be introspective and deep without falling into melodrama, and leaves us with small moments of humor like flashes of light that remind you that even in the darkest times, there is still room for joy and hope.
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From friends to lovers, an unsatisfactory ending and the use of multilingualism
Cinema and television have told many stories that show that it is possible to conquer love through friendship and achieve happiness. One of these stories is undoubtedly 'Eccentric Romance'.Produced by Hanyang Studio, the series is part of an international audiovisual project that unites South Korea and Thailand, both in story and cast, as it did before with 'Peach of Time', 'Love Is Like a Cat', 'Why R.U?' ('Waialyu'), which should be added at some point, among other series, 'Wuju Bakery'. On this occasion, Studio Sky and Studio Target also participate.
If in the aforementioned series they combined romance with the supernatural, a plot of healing, love and the fusion of two opposite worlds; the stories of enemies to lovers; or how a novel becomes reality, this time it tells us a youth and university story that excellently mixes suspense, crime and police investigation, before becoming a story of self-discovery and acceptance.
Jagwan Gong, also known as Kong Ja Kwan, who spent his early career making adult films, such as 'Pornmaking for Dummies', 'Pizza Dare 1' and 'Pizza Dare 2', 'Buddy's Mom' and 'A Unique Movie ', before moving into the mainstream with his first theatrical feature film, 'The Sex Film', in 2006, he is the director of this LGBT+ themed romantic drama, which uses the quasi-thriller mechanism of a murder mystery in the that the two protagonists will involuntarily find themselves involved. But its narrative transforms into something much better and deeper. 'Eccentric Romance' is actually a story that rises about friendship and love.
Because as the background of a budding romance, the scriptwriter imagined a crime and tells its resolution, step by step, having as investigators some inept and even laughable protagonists and their closest group of friends, all so that the viewer is sometimes deceived, but putting the clues under our noses in such a way that we overlook them and suspect at times of one, at other times of other characters.
This series is the first of a three-level Hanyang Studio project Y Evolution 2023, and began life under the name 'PT is Love', however, shortly after the filming schedule was announced its title was changed to ' Eccentric Romance', although for a time it was also often called "Bizarre Romance".
In just six chapters, each divided into two, each lasting about 17 minutes, the series plans to tell us the story of how a boy does the impossible to be close to his best friend, and in the process, such At the same time, he also conquered something more than his heart, since from the beginning the main organ of the circulatory system of each of them is already in his power.
The story tells us about Jay, a young Thai man who travels to Seoul to meet Seong Hun, his best friend, to study the same degree as him at university. Both, who hide their feelings from each other, which are more than those of one friend can have for another, have built a solid friendship for 8 years, but the last four years they have been distanced, at least geographically, since each one has must attend secondary education in their native country.
With a vibe as dark as it is interesting, the series tells how the two friends are enrolled in the same college elective class called "Health and Happiness" and must submit a physical body assessment for their final project. Although Seong Hun already exercises regularly and has a well-developed physique, Jay does not believe he is in the best shape and wants to develop his physique in the gym.
For this reason, Jay convinces Seong Hun to take him to the gym where he usually goes and thus get in better physical shape to be able to complete the academic exercise.
At the gym, Jin Uk, a personal trainer, shows a special interest in Jay, much to Seong Hun's chagrin. However, there is something strange about Jin Uk. Despite his kindness towards the Thai boy, suspicions begin to arise that Jin Uk may be involved in the murder of a man named Jin Wook. Is there a happy ending in store for Jay and Seong Hun, or will Jay's budding relationship with Jin Uk cost him an untold price?
Will it happen, as in every beautiful suspense story, that nothing is exactly what it seems? I'm waiting for a delicious plot that will surprise me with its twists and turns.
Scripted by Yeon Joo Lee and Yong Ju Lee, 'Eccentric Romance' is based on a story by Keum Lim Lee.
IS IT WORTH IT OR NOT TO WATCH 'ECCENTRIC ROMANCE'?
In reference to the performances, Yoon Jun Won manages to give life in a credible and well-crafted way to a sports-loving boy who shows from the first shots that he has feelings for his Thai friend. It's one of those performances that hits the sweet spot of a friend-to-lovers relationship with the audience. The dynamic, chemistry and sexual tension created between this actor and the one who plays Jay is fascinating.
Yoon Jun Won, the actor and former member of the "multi-tainer" group THE MAN BLK, is known for participating in numerous films and series, such as the three seasons of 'Best Mistake'.
For his part, Save Saisawat, who plays Jay, steals the spotlight when he enters the frame, the happy and sincere way in which he relates to his friend, the laughter that flows from his lips, the secret glances at his friend, along with his facial gestures, he conveys to us from the first moment who we are in front of and what we should expect from him.
Save Saisawat has extensive experience in BL productions. In 2022 he starred in the series 'Why You... Y Me?', and that same year he played Chonlathee in the drama 'Ai Long Nhai', and in 2023 he appeared in the film 'Ai Long Nhai: The Endless Love'.
This main group of actors is missing Lee Geon U, who will play Seung Ju. This actor played the romantic interest of Mew Suppasit in the series and film 'Love is Like a Cat', by South Korean director Kwon Nam Ki, and Taeha, also known as Momoland, as 'Ji Won'.
Finally, after the interesting meeting between the two protagonist boys and Jin Uk, a character played by Go Byung Wan, known for participating in the dramas 'Love Returns' (2018), and 'Bad Thief, Good Thief' (2017), it ends to propose the main elements of the scenario, from which the series begins to take shape to know in the following episodes what the most interesting awaits us.
THE USE OF MULTILINGUALISM
There is one issue that seems to bother some viewers: each of the characters speak their native language instead of a single common language. However, this is not a problem for the development of the series.
The actors maintain a special dynamic even though some speak Korean and one of them speaks Thai, as they are perfectly synchronized, comfortable in their own languages, and give the idea of being able to understand each other fully and fluently, achieving a connection with the viewer.
In my opinion, South Korean director Jagwan Gong has been free to use the tool of multilingualism to provide characterization and establish tone, and also to entrench certain linguistic stereotypes.
This situation allows me to remember a brilliant and masterfully choreographed scene from the film 'Everything Everywhere All at Once', by directors Daniel Scheinert and Daniel Kwan, winner of awards in the categories of acting, editing and direction, as well as the coveted award for best film, at the 95th edition of the United States Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards.
I'm referring to the scene where three generations of a chaotic immigrant family speak three different languages at dinner.
This is a solid example of how screenwriters and directors use language in film to do much more than convey dialogue: language and subtitles also help characterization, set the tone of a scene, and anchor fictional stories to the story reality.
What is annoying for some when they watch 'Eccentric Romance', evokes in me the moment when the South Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho in his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes for 'Parasites', in 2019, when he stated: when the audience overcomes the "subtitle barrier, a richer cinematic world awaits."
Telling authentic stories in a modern, globalized and multicultural world means fairly portraying the languages spoken and adopted in our society. Hence, sometimes, the need for subtitles.
In some of the best scenes in Todd Field's 'Tár', its protagonist, Cate Blanchett, uses German only during orchestra rehearsals and completely dispenses with subtitles.
Non-German-speaking audiences may not understand the words Blanchett speaks, but are instead encouraged to focus on the visual aspects of the character's communication: her facial expressions, her physical tics and tremors, and the mounting tension, both visible as audible, between her and everyone around her.
Another example of the use of multilingualism in audiovisuals can be found in the Japanese film 'Drive my Car' ('Doraibu mai kâ, Ryûsuke Hamaguchi', 2021), one of the most interesting and stimulating films, and, why not say it, most awarded, of 2022. In it, a Japanese playwright, Yusuke Kafuku, a character played by Nishijima Hidetoshi, intends to stage a new version of the play "Uncle Vania" by the Russian playwright Anton Chekhov. Except for a long forty-minute introduction, the entire film takes place between the rehearsals prior to the premiere and the car trips that the stage director makes daily between his hotel and the theater driven by a laconic woman, Misaki, a role assumed by Miura Toko, that they have assigned him as a driver.
A peculiarity of this new update of Chekhov's text is that the cast of actresses and actors who are going to participate in the production belong to different countries and that they each recite their sentences in a different language (Korean, Mandarin, Japanese and even French. of Korean signs) that is not understood by others. It seems as if gestures and body language were enough for the interpreters to be able to transcend their linguistic particularisms and elevate us to the universality of emotions.
The relationship between Kafuku and Misaki will also strengthen despite the silence, the absence of words, that presides over a good part of their trips. Hence it is no coincidence that the play to be performed is "Uncle Vania." Because the same inability that human beings seem to have, and that Chekhov points out in Russia at the end of the 19th century, to face change, taking refuge in melancholic loss, to assume our desires, abandoning ourselves to guilt, resentment and frustration, of getting out of boredom, routine and boredom, letting ourselves be carried away by a kind of moral inertia, is what Hamaguchi observes in 21st century Japan. And also, and of course, the lack of communication, the insufficiency of language to account for the deepest layers of the human soul. Because both Chekhov's characters and those of the Japanese filmmaker express themselves more in what is not said than in what they really say.
UNSATISFACTORY ENDING
But the series ruins everything towards the end. On the one hand, it fails to engage with the expected increase in tension or an explosive and surprising closure regarding the crime expected by the viewer: the criminal investigation falls into the hands of some inexperienced university students. Although several police officers at one point began the investigations, they were never seen with their investigations again. Will the South Korean Police be so inefficient?
I can't find a real motive to commit a crime, kidnappings and multiple attempted murders. Instead of great villains, the murderers are laughable at most, while the central mystery stops being gripping, if it ever was. The characters never go through dark, dramatic and complicated situations.
The criminal investigation carried out by Jin Uk, Jay, Seong Hun and Ji Won (Kim Tae Ha) also compromises the development of the romance between the two main characters, as they will find themselves lost in the midst of the labyrinth of suspicions and persecutions instead of strengthening the loving bond.
In the last episodes, once the two protagonists have recognized their feelings for each other, instead of increasing the romance and sexual tension between the two lovers, the romantic approaches and physical interactions evaporate.
Bottom line: the ending is lackluster and doesn't live up to expectations, it's like a bad dessert after a good meal, and it leaves the viewer with a bad taste in their mouth.
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This situation gives rise to a public opinion formed based on untrue information, giving rise to hyperreality. This favors fake news, as there is no proper selection, verification and construction of information.
Since becoming a public figure, FueangNakhon (Job Krisz Ahandrik), the protagonist of the Thai BL series 'City of Stars', has mastered the pressure from journalists and the persecution of his fans. Being a well-known face has not been easy for him. If you ever thought that being recognized on the streets would be a dream, reality proved you wrong. The pressure of always having the press watching his every move is exhausting. The emergence of his followers on social networks doesn't help either. After the latest “scandal” in which you have been involved, how to proceed on your social media profiles? Is it appropriate to take a season off to “detox”? Would it be preferable to abandon social networks permanently?
His “mistake” was to register and publish on “Zendaya” a first message that said: "let's transmit positive energy to each other." Due to the condition that each publication contains only positive content, the platform, whose offices are located in Silicon Valley, California, is not popular among Thai users. However, the message from the self-proclaimed “Thailand's most popular villain” will provoke an avalanche of attacks from Internet users in the Asian country. In response, Zendaya's managers intend to "monitor" FueangNakhon.
Who better to fulfill this task than Krommatha (Porsche Sitha Kanchana-alongkorn), Zendaya's only Thai programmer. Shouldn't he take his vacation in Thailand? Wouldn't he then be the right one to keep a close eye on “provocateurs” like FueangNakhon? How to protect the digital application from villains like this, if not by acting energetically so that situations like this are not repeated?
Who would have thought that Krommatha wouldn't have to work hard to track down the cause of the chaos, as he would take a seat at the same table occupied by Zendaya's programmer upon her arrival at the Bangkok airport? Who would think that the villain is called son by Krommatha's mother? Does Krommatha wish to pursue the “infamous” one or rest with his parents? What will happen between the two boys when they start dating?
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Love, like life, is a series of steps, and we must start with the first one
Imagine 'Hotel del Luna' (2019), by South Korean Oh Choong Hwanm without ghosts walking through the rooms, 'Meet Me Outside' (2020), by Filipino JP Habac, without dating apps, or 'Hit Bite Love' 2023, by Thai Yuan Tin Tun Danop, with two lovers enjoying the pleasures and dangers of BDSM (something that breaks the tone of the series towards the end), and you will get 'The Renovation'.If this setup sounds generic, that's because it is. However, the Thai miniseries of the romantic genre by Nob Sathanapong Limwongtong, director of numerous BL series, such as 'La Cuisine' (2022), 'Ai Long Nhai' (2022), 'Gen Y' (2021) and 'Gen Y Season 2' (2022), among others, manages to find some new angles and emotionally effective ways to examine those turbulent feelings that arise when two people fall in love.
There are many much more urgent and exciting Asian BL miniseries with similar plots, but 'The Renovation' more or less falls into the above-average range of this crowded genre due in large part to the authentic and nuanced performances of its young actors.
Scripted by Wittavat Sungsakijha, the short drama of two episodes lasting one hour each, revolves around Manu (Kunavut Jirattikorn), a young architect unlucky in love who seeks to heal his heart, and P (Peter Paratthakorn Duangsawang), a nerd who recently graduated abroad, who dreams of being a writer and is looking for both a plot for his first novel and true love.
Their lives intersect when P arrives at a hotel complex under renovation owned by Manu, located on Hua Hin beach, one of the most famous tourist destinations among Thais thanks to its proximity to Bangkok, with a reservation confirmation and previously paid stay via social networks, waiting to find inspiration for his first novel.
While Manu assures that there could have been an error in the reservation system and that, as a solution, he could disburse his money through the same payment mechanism, but it could take around fifteen days, P will claim that he likes the atmosphere of the hotel, even being under renovation, so it doesn't bother you to stay in those conditions.
Without staff to attend to him, P will demand that Manu himself, as the owner of the resort, be the one who receives and cares for him during the days of his stay.
And although that is a perfect and quiet place to vacation or wait for the muses, it will also be a place for a palpable romantic tension to arise between Manu and P, and they develop an emotional evolution quickly, making it possible for one to find that person in the other. May it heal your heart, and the other that first true love that you were waiting for, and maybe, maybe, the inspiration for your novel.
I like the quotes of song lyrics, poems and phrases from musicians, poets and businessmen, such as Bob Marley, Ralph Ransom and Sam Walton, visible on the walls of the hotel.
I like how Manu begins to laugh and gains affability after the night in which he drinks with P and then takes him, when he is in a state of intoxication, to the guest room, gives him a dry bath and, with great modesty, He changes his clothes so that he can sleep peacefully. His distant and cold personality gradually transforms once he comes into contact with P and they begin to get closer.
Peter recreates P's open, frank and expressive personality with great success. The young actor is a pleasure to watch for his portrayal of the flirtatious visitor, eager to realize his dreams as a writer and find love.
Some other scenes establish flirtation and obvious sexual tension between the two: invitations to eat the food prepared by one of them in the absence of service personnel, that one visits the other in his room, worried, to make sure he is well, that Manu offers P a strong black coffee for a hangover, the way in which one takes care of the other, the games in the pool or those in which one paints the other's body, their dates for ice cream, on the edge of the pool or among lit candles at the Moonlight to eat squid…
Where did these two debut actors come from who, with their presence, fill the screen and demonstrate a chemistry that goes beyond the physical realm, being emotional, psychological and fully satisfying. I would like to see them in other projects with a better budget and script, in more complex characters.
Simple and direct, the romantic comedy emits refreshing and relaxing vibes, about two boys who, due to the circumstances described above, live together in a beach resort one summer and little by little open to love.
Filmed at the Paskani Hun Hin Resort, the beautiful photography by Nattapong Pakdeesri ('Gen Y 2, 2022), also shows the beach town that is 3 hours from Bangkok (200 km), and the 3 kilometers of little beach busy Hua Hin, a place famous for being a family-friendly and friendly destination, also thanks to its relationship with the Thai monarchy, since several kings have frequented this beach city usual.
The interest is not in the narrative arc as presented, but in the understanding of what they think and feel: the resort owner who heals the wounds of a recent breakup and feels confused, uncomfortable, in the presence of P, and the visitor who raises suspicions as a person interested in discovering the secrets of the hotel and its owner.
I'm looking forward to the second and final episode.
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It is worth trusting and believing in destiny: original in its structure of connecting stories
Does destiny exist? Everyone has their point of view, there are those who say that everything happens for a reason, there are those who say that destiny exists and that we cannot escape its designs. Therefore, if so: are we directed? Does our life have meaning if we are already anchored to a future that, whether we want it or not, we cannot avoid? I, personally, do not believe so, I am a little more scientific, to put it somewhat, and I believe that each person takes the reins of their life, and that there is no destiny, but rather cause and effect... However, This already remains within each person.Whether you believe in destiny or not, soul mates are a myth about love that has remained alive for centuries, perhaps because we are all searching for it, because we know a story that reinforces it or, possibly, we have seen many movies and romantic television series.
Film and television have delved into the search for perfect, magical and lasting love, and have shown more than once that soul mates exist and are in the places you least imagine.
If destiny wants two boys to remain united in an indissoluble bond, so it will be, regardless of whether they both live more than a thousand lives, and in each of them they somehow manage to fall in love with each other. This is the premise of the Thai LGBT+-themed romantic drama 'Every You, Every Me', from director Sutida Singharach, university professor and director of the Film and Creative Media Arts program at the Faculty of Communication Arts (International Programme) Bangkok in his official debut behind the cameras, based on the script by Saipirun Chaichiangpin, renowned author of BL series such as 'Love Sick: The Series Season 2' (2015) and 'Reminders' (2019), and also debutant Jeong Thunyathorn.
However, this is not a story of reincarnation or time travel. So the viewer will find it interesting to discover how the characters will live the more than a thousand lives indicated in the synopsis. Through independent plots, without a visible thread that unites them, without a tie that connects each of the stories, we will sometimes see stories with happy endings, at other times with closures that will make us cry; often with performances by part of the well-known supporting cast, occasionally with supporting actors who have recently entered the series. But yes: always with the presence of the two stars who dress in luxury and touch the sky with their performances..., always to tell us a better story than the previous one, which will keep us intrigued and expectant.
The truth is that with complete naturalness the two protagonists exchange personalities, characters, attitudes and characters from one chapter to another, since each story is completely different and if they have a connecting thread it is the performance of the same actors in each episode. The series is perfect for giving Mick and Top the opportunity to showcase all facets of their acting skills, something they achieve superbly.
Without spoilers, following what is narrated in the trailers, I will give my impression of the first episode, so that the reader can assess what awaits them:
It's raining heavily in Bangkok. The weather forecasts have been accurate: while people return home after the work or student day and seek shelter from the rain at a bus stop, a female voice on the radio alerts us that the effects of warming global warming has caused it to rain every night of November in the Thai capital for 30 consecutive days. But at the same time, the same voice gives hope to certain people: "If this can mean bad luck for many, it could also be the opportunity for singles to find their soul mate in the rain thanks to being able to see all the bright colors".
And in this situation our heroes find themselves, one selling umbrellas and raincoats to people in his path, and the other returning home after an exhausting day of work.
'Every You, Every Me' is discussing these topics, through a magical and fortunate encounter, and this encounter occurs between the characters played by two handsome and talented actors with meteoric growth within the BL industry in the Southeast Asian country: Mick Monthon Viseshsin and Top Piyawat Phongkanitanon.
The first, known for playing Lukchup in 'La Cuisine' (2022), plays Dol, a young worker at a company who does not believe in soul mates and denotes a certain coldness in his actions. In his opinion, there are many people who love each other without being soulmates, while for others, even if they are, their relationship does not work.
Mick proves that there is no series that cannot stand out for its presence, being the type that BL lovers find attractive and intelligent; in other words, pine for him.
He is the common man for fans of the genre. Mick's Dol is a serious, restrained, self-deprecating and attractive protagonist whose charisma the series conveys.
For his part, Top plays Sun, a messenger, food delivery man and motorcycle taxi driver, who has an eccentrically adorable belief in destiny and everything related to the Rain Color Verse and other beliefs related to this topic.
Sun, the object of Dol's love, is a boy who brings sweetness, joy and genuine concern for his soulmate, even if the other does not believe in this. Fun and sexy, he would gladly make any guy jump through all the crazy hoops he places in front of him for a chance to show his affection.
All of this looks good on paper, particularly the casting of Mick, who brings an elegant touch of romantic drama class to everything he touches. And if you add to this a good script, a haircut and custom-made clothes, you have everything in your favor.
For its part, Top is the one that promotes mischief, humor, and laughter, without lacking dramatic and tense moments, as well as those of tenderness.
This is not the first time that both actors have met on the filming set, nor is this their inaugural performance as a couple in an audiovisual production. Already in 2023 the first plays Korn in 'My Universe', specifically in the story 'You Are My So(ul) Mate' Korn, while the second got into the shoes of Butr, his partner in this BL series.
On this occasion, they play two city dwellers who meet by chance and fall in love after "each one getting wet in the rain and seeing the other in full color". This is the sign: you are soul mates. Sun has just broken up with Au, a toxic and violent boyfriend, while Dol seems like he hasn't known love yet. Without a doubt, I was waiting for him in a downpour.
The first episode of 'Every You, Every Me' keeps the audience's heart in its hands from the first to the last scene and, although it squeezes it at times and leaves a bitter taste when learning about unhappy childhoods due to the death of one of the parents and the mother's interest in finding a new boyfriend, on the one hand; or a dysfunctional family and the suffering of a child in the midst of his parents' constant arguments, on the other hand, the series provokes a delicious catharsis in the viewer's brain in the inevitable reflection "Do you love me for who I am or just because I am your soulmate?" That is, "Would you still love me, even if we weren't soulmates?"
But 'Every You, Every Me' goes much further, as she reflects on how much of love is destiny and how much is a choice.
The life stories of the protagonists, which we will learn about through flashbacks and conversations between the characters, serve as the necessary emotional burden for a plot that deals with so much baggage.
The main reason this series works where other romantic dramas fail is the casting. Mick and Top are affable leads with solid chemistry that meshes well enough and quickly enough for the audience to become reasonably invested in their activities and their budding romance.
Sun's best friend, Heung, the Minimart worker, is an enthusiastic and friendly character who brings a good dose of joy to the series. As much chemistry as Top Added to the mix is Meen Nattakrit Hamontri ('On Cloud Nine', 2022), although his work is uncredited, who steals every scene in which he appears as Dol's work senior; and Fiat Patchata Janngeon ('Shadow', 2023), who plays the bartender or clerk at the cafeteria where Sun and Dol frequently go.
The beautiful photography of Danupat Thananurak, a skilled craftsman in his craft, helps the series take off with the growing closeness between the two young people, physically and emotionally, and the way it unites the changes that both go through in their lives once they know each other. The back and forth between the protagonists makes it clear: this is a love story. And each reunion, usually at night and in the middle of a downpour, is the apotheosis.
There are sad, boring, dull series... But that is not the case with 'Every You, Every Me'. And there are also those that make you laugh, make you sing, make you cry, make you have a pleasant time, make you feel emotional. And this is useful for all that, but it can also be used to identify yourself.
Or even to extract reflections, for example about destiny. Which is behind everything. When decisions are made, perhaps it sends signals, it will depend on how we interpret them to be happy or not. Or if that assertion, practically shattered today, is true, that if a single person appears in your life that you really want to be with, don't hesitate, this is your series.
Philosophical disquisitions aside, this television delight of romanticism and the BL genre is a breath of fresh air, of legitimately sentimental and enveloping audiovisual production.
The protagonists, the always elegant and serious Dol and the joking and lively Sun, in maintaining balance, are irresistibly charming, adorable, one follows them in their smallest and largest gestures with great delight.
It's one of those beautiful series, really really beautiful. And although it exudes a certain bitter aftertaste, both bitterness and sadness, although it may sound strange, can generate a strange happiness, as is the case. And so, once the final credits roll it is easy to be overcome, as happens to me every time I reviewed the episode to write the review, with a feeling of lasting happiness and a tremendous desire that this couple can continue meeting in one and a thousand more lives.
In the line of Thai romantic dramas of the BL genre such as 'La Pluie', 'Century of Love', 'The Notebook' or the South Korean 'Color Rush', 'Every You, Every Me' joins the queue of scripts full of unlikely encounters and improbable disagreements to question or dismantle the initial theory held by one of its protagonists, Sun, for whom concepts such as "chance", "accident" or "destiny" are precisely the only way to know what is before him. soulmate. By chance he meets Dol and they both dedicate themselves to forcing fate to bring them together again, between "time lapse" and "time lapse", or what is the same, between life and life. Or is the script forcing them?
Of course, the soundtrack is in charge of doing its thing to recharge the cake even more and one ends up thinking that it is worth trusting and believing in destiny.
And although it tells us something implausible because it is unreal, sometimes it is nice to see stories like this.
I will not hesitate to return to update the review later.
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A series to sink our fangs and leave us bloodless
Vampires have been a fascination in both film and television. These beings have flooded literature and horror films and series, given the mystery and fascination that the public has felt for them. It is normal if we take into account that these mysterious and seductive subjects sleep in coffins, feed on the blood of their victims and cannot stand sunlight, among other attractive qualities for the public.Film and television have also witnessed various versions of vampires who have developed a homosexual love relationship, such as the one between Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt giving life to Lestat and Louis, respectively, in 'Interview with the Vampire' (1994). ), by Neil Jordan, based in turn on the 'Vampire Chronicles' saga (1976-2014) by Anne Rice, in which various characters alternate with intense homoerotic content.
As a symbol of transgressive and predatory sexuality, homosexuality in vampirism has been used as a cinematographic resource. Already in 19th century literature, it was present to show the vampire as a metaphor for homosexuality where "the undead" is a creature that appears human but must hide its true nature to avoid rejection and persecution from the society that surrounds it. . Television series have contributed to reconfiguring the figure of the vampire.
As a type of literature aimed at a homosexual audience developed during the 20th century, the vampire lost its transgressive sexuality as part of its predatory nature, and homosexuality became just another feature of it, without a clear difference from the homosexuality.
Male vampire homosexuality appears directly reflected for the first time as a comic element in 'The Fearless Vampire Killers' (1967), by Roman Polanski, where the first gay vampire on film appears, the effeminate son of Count Von Krolock.
On television, vampire homosexuality has appeared very occasionally. The main vampire and gay-themed television series is 'The Lair', produced by here! in 2007, a work that is aimed mainly at a homosexual audience.
For its part, the Chilean horror and romance soap opera 'Conde Vrolok', written by Pablo Illanes and produced by Televisión Nacional de Chile in 2009, shows one of its characters, Úrsula Donoso, having lesbian relationships with several women in the plot. .
The American dark fantasy horror television series 'True Blood', produced and created by Allan Ball and based on 'The Southern Vampire Mysteries', a series of novels by Charlaine Harris, features vampiric lesbianism in the figures of vampires Pam de Beaufort and Sophie-Anne Leclerq.
Along with GMMTV's 'My Golden Blood', 'My God! Vampire, Very Good' and 'The Vampire Project', from Studio Wabi Sabi, '1000 Years Old' tells a vampire-themed story.
Something in common that the aforementioned titles have with each other is that their premise is to intrigue and entertain the public with strong doses of mystery and action with a mix of a captivating supernatural plot and a love story between boys.
The series, which makes no apologies for its queerness with enough content of a homosexual vampire loving a boy, gives off strong homoerotic vibes to please all fans of the genre.
The drama, which depicts a blossoming romance between a vampire who has lived for almost a thousand years and a human, marks the return of Nutchapol Cheevapanyaroj (Shane) in a BL, now as the main protagonist, after 'My Engineer' (2020). He is joined by promising rookie actor Kritsapatorn Napawiwattanaku (Opal), who makes his debut in a drama and does so in a genre in which he can show off his artistic talent: BL.
From the first episode it can be seen that the series has proposed giving a supernatural twist to the traditional BL genre, by exploring an unlikely relationship between a vampire and a human.
The tone of comedy is very positive as a key element to expose the story between moments of humor and others of romance, while the characters face the unique challenges that this dynamic brings.
In this supernatural romance, what will be Yo's reaction when he discovers the truth behind Pun's identity? Will someone try to interfere with their romance? Can love materialize? Will a vampire and a human be able to love each other? Will this love end beautifully and be timeless like the longevity of vampires?
Pun, a mysterious and cool young man, has lived a simple life as an ordinary person. Around him, people are born, grow old and die, and he remains with a face similar to that of a 25-year-old young man. He lives alone in an apartment and rarely goes outside, only to go to a store near his house where he buys pig's blood soup. This is also the favorite restaurant of Yo, a third-year student who also enjoys Pun's favorite dish. This is where the two protagonists will meet.
From the first meeting, both feel a strong connection after introducing themselves with their respective names. From that moment on, they will deepen the bond. Yo begins to know the truth behind Pun: he was actually not a normal human being, but a vampire who had been living in this world for over a thousand years. He will be struck by the fact that his new friend uses the pronoun "I" to refer to himself and calls others by "sir", which is unusual for teenagers these days.
Only I know Pun's well-kept secret, with whom he has begun to open up and trust him with even his own life. Pun did not want to reveal it to anyone else, fearful of what might happen to him if the truth were revealed. Now, why does Pun agree to tell Yo everything? As his feelings for his friend grow stronger, Pun will understand that he wants to grow a love relationship between the two.
Unlike other series about vampires, Champ Weerachit Thongjil's “monster” is the most human and sensitive monster that any viewer will ever encounter. Its creator has let romance arise freely and spontaneously between these two beings totally opposite to each other.
The series does not shy away from intimate moments, both emotional and physical, between our two protagonists.
With this new BL romantic comedy by Champ Weerachit Thongjil, the same director of '2gether The Series', 'Kiss Me Again: Pete-Kao' and 'I Will Knock You', a collaboration project is established between the production companies Feel Good Bangkok and Study H8.
Since the very announcement of '1000 Years Old', fans have been extremely happy for the BL series and are shouting their joy on social media. “The love between the two will be eternal”, “They are both happy” or “This vampire will sink his teeth into you and leave you without blood”, are some of the most striking comments.
Also starring are Mind Sathittha Sinsakhan (as Kaemsai), Looktan Phusanisa Faichaipakdee (Yam), Boy YourMOOD (Chin), Jo Ployukon Rojanakatanyu (Phakwan), Mae Warisara Asawapattanakul (Bowie), Poon Mitphakdee (Chalui), Boss Natthakit Sangwankitruechai (Somchai), Jomjam Kanpitcha Phongphanit (Chanja).
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This review may contain spoilers
Sprite, the 'Trojan Horse' of the BL series or the debate around homosexuality in sports (I)
Sprite, the 'Trojan Horse' of the BL series or the debate around homosexuality in sports (I)INTRODUCTION
Produced by Lovemedia Thailand, “Twins”, also known as “Two Bodies, One Heart”, was released on November 3, 2023 and consists of 12 episodes. Starring Sprite and First (a couple formed by actors Frame Ritchanon Sriprasitdacha and Ryan Panya Mcshane, respectively), the series shows a love relationship between two young high-performance athletes who mutually discover their homosexuality and accept it as such.
Although innovative in many ways, “Twins” is actually a fairly conventional love story. However, its strength lies in its elegant simplicity and in making visible topics rarely covered in BL series.
Siwasit Phondongnok and Ball Kanathorn Tabvilai came on board this time to direct the series. Both are renowned Thai directors, the former also a screenwriter and assistant director. His creations include “Night Dream”, “Red Wine in the Dark Night”, “Club Friday Season 8: True Love… or Bond”, “Eclipse”, “609 Bedtime Story”, and the two seasons of “Our Skyy” and “Love Area”, among others.
The progression of the story is spot on. The transition from the protagonist's initial fear and uncertainty as he is forced to leave his comfort zone to have to face an unexpected reality to personal improvement is measured. In the new scenario, the protagonist must quickly connect with strangers and with an unknown sports universe, very demanding and competitive because it is a collective and very popular sport, with a high presence in the media, such as volleyball.
RELATIONSHIP OF THE SERIES WITH OTHER AUDIOVISUALS
Since I read the synopsis, before its premiere, “Twins” reminded me of “Not Me”, the famous 2021 GMMTV series, starring White (Gun Atthaphan Poonsawas) and Sean (Off Jumpol Adulkittiporn). In this BL, the story revolves around White, who receives a call from Tod, a childhood friend, to inform him that his twin, Black, whom he has not seen in years, has been betrayed by one of his companions and He is torn between life and death after receiving a severe beating. This is why White will disguise himself as Black and infiltrate the group of friends to find out who the traitor is, while avoiding being discovered.
The main difference between both series is that “Not Me” includes a political background, the fight for human rights and against discrimination, which still exists, towards LGBT+ people in Thailand, and focuses more on suspense and action, while “Twins” has sports as a background and focuses on romance.
INTERESTING
The interesting thing about the series, in addition to the multiple romances, between these three homosexuals and one heterosexual, is the fact that the protagonist has a twin and will try to prevent anyone from discovering his true identity while he impersonates him.
On the other hand, the audiovisual highlights sports espionage, a very common practice today, when one of the volleyball players will spy for an opposing team by gathering sports strategy data for obvious motivations as old as sport and espionage themselves: information, competitiveness, money. “Twins” also shows the communication and interpersonal relationships between athletes and between them and coaches and managers.
It is also striking that the series aims to make visible harassment in sport, the use of violence, blackmail, threats, verbal and physical aggression between athletes, all favored by social pressure, rivalry between players and teams, emotional stability, the type of competition and its importance and the interests that are involved, topics that are rarely addressed in audiovisual productions, much less in BL.
“Twins” also takes an approach to a health issue with little, if not no, treatment in BL, such as the loss of autonomy and temporary disability, as well as the necessary rehabilitation after an accident. That is to say, the series aims to, and succeeds in, making visible problems that help us raise awareness and rethink these realities.
In my opinion, the most significant thing about the series is the possibility of reopening the debate around the secrecy surrounding homosexuality in sports and the fear of discrimination suffered by athletes from the LGBT+ community if they came out of the closet. Since the first athlete to declare herself homosexual, a woman, the French car racer Hélène Van Zuylen, publicly confirmed having a lesbian relationship with the English poet Renée Vivien, in 1898, many others have followed in her footsteps.
Although homosexuality is illegal in Thailand and homosexual athletes are afraid to identify as such for fear of discrimination and social exclusion, among the international elite there are more and more athletes who have declared their homosexuality after several years of hiding it. However, it is a reality that today the commercial image of those who decide to come out of the closet is revalued by becoming icons for the LGTB+ community and symbols of progress in sport as a stage for the visibility of the group.
PLOT
Zee and Sprite are identical twins who were separated in childhood after their parents divorced. Zee has become the star of a university volleyball team with the support of her mother, while Sprite, a brilliant fighter in a jiu jitsu club, has the support of his father. The unfriendly separation of their parents would lead to the siblings being raised separately, not having a good relationship and each one not knowing about the other's life. The story is told from Sprite's point of view.
The relevant sporting results achieved by Sprite arouse the envy of several of his colleagues in the fight club, who conspire to cause him harm and keep him away from active sports. To do this, they will hire some thugs. Unaware that Sprite has a twin, they confuse the brothers and beat up Zee thinking he is Sprite. Under these circumstances, feeling guilty for having caused collateral damage to his brother, who is in a coma in the hospital, and in response to a request from his mother, who perceives that Zee's life is threatened, Sprite is forced to impersonate his identity until he recovers his health and resumes his place.
His secret mission is to preserve Zee's starting position on the volleyball team with a view to becoming part of the Thai national team, and in the process solve the crime for which his brother's life hangs in the balance. Contributing to the deception will be Salmon (Mimi Ruethaiphat Phatthananapaphangkorn), the coach's assistant, a friend of the twins since childhood and Zee's future love interest.
Zee is a self-centered and antisocial character, lacking ties to others, including his own mother. Self-titled “the key to the team,” he despises everyone equally and is rude to his teammates. The arrival of Sprite, with a completely opposite personality, will initially generate friction. Sprite will immediately sense that his brother enjoys prestige for being a good player, but not popularity. Then, your priority will be to gain everyone's trust, while mastering a sport you have never practiced.
Your primary steps will be aimed at gaining First's friendship, since this is your roommate, and will be the person you will spend the most time with. Being friends with the relevant volleyball player and son of the coach would open the way for him to be friends with others. Also needing to master the dynamics of the game and the rules of volleyball, Sprite understands the need to have someone by his side to train with, but without raising suspicions that he has never actually hit volleyball. His life will change when he falls in love with First.
For his part, First, willing not to interact with an insensitive and arrogant person like Zee, whom he has known since when he was taken by his mother for the first time to a volleyball court, when they were both children, will raise a barrier around him that is difficult to overcome penetrate.
SENTIMENTAL HISTORY
As if it were surrendering a fortified city, in an undeclared war, Sprite would first lay siege to it and then launch all its firepower from the catapults and trebuchets until destroying the strong walls that it could not overcome with kindness and good intentions. Like the Achaean army at the siege of Troy, Sprite would employ battering rams and assault towers in a long-awaited attempt to take the besieged city.
Could the creators have intentionally conceived Sprite as the horse-shaped device used by the Achaeans to enter the Troy of the Homeric poems? I would like to think that they designed the character taking into consideration this mythical creation or, if it existed, the war machine transfigured by the chroniclers' fantasy, introducing an important variation in the myth for the conception of our hero: it would not be a destructive deception.
It would be Jack, Mike, Sam, Deddeaw, Tom, Ko and other talented athletes who would take the spirited wooden steed as a sign of their victory, introduce it inside the walls about to be demolished and take it to the volleyball courts without knowing that inside was hidden a boy willing to love another boy, without foreseeing that instead of a fierce warrior prepared to kill, a young man capable of dying of love would emerge from the hollow ambush.
Thus begins a sexy game of cat and mouse with increasing sexual tension. Sprite would never suspect that his feelings would soon change and that friendship would turn into love. In this way, the old and classic trope of “enemies to friends and friends to lovers” is gradually woven.
Sprite has to alternate volleyball training with his combat sport practices, which he does not give up. Exercising volleyball during the day and jiu jitsu at night exhausts him physically and mentally. On and off the field of play, Zee's coldness and arrogance are quickly overcome by Sprite's simplicity and sociability. Little by little the twin will create strong bonds of friendship, loyalty and camaraderie with the young athletes.
The best moment of each day for Sprite is when he arrives at his bedroom at night. Despite being tired after endless training sessions, he seeks to create a deep connection with First. He always receives a cordial and friendly “Zee” with suspicion. This will make him doubt why his roommate is acting so strange. “Has Zee gone crazy or have they changed people?” First would surely think on more than one occasion.
Step by step, Sprite will get closer to First, break the ice and end up falling in love with him. Both will discover love for the first time in their short lives. Although Sprite was always the one to initiate the flirting, it will be First who first confesses to being in love when he assures him that he didn't know when he started having feelings for him, but it bothered him when Sprite was around other people. “Is it jealousy? “Does this mean I like you?” he will ask you point-blank.
However, First will frequently be plagued by uncertainty as to whether Sprite really loves him or is playing with his feelings, since on several occasions he observes him in a romantic attitude with Salmon, unaware that the person who is interacting with the girl at that time is the real Zee. This will cause jealousy and misunderstandings, fueled by Sprite's inability to still recognize who he really is. Their relationship becomes tense, suffocating at times. The love between them will also be put to the test, towards the end, with the arrival of a friend of First, who has secretly been in love and intends to win him over.
Once Zee has recovered, Sprite will ask him to allow him to continue impersonating him for a while longer. When asked why, Sprite will confess to his brother and Salmon that the reason is having fallen in love with First and wanting to stay by her side to get to know each other better.
What many BL fans will like about the sexy series that doesn't shy away from showing passion and bare torsos, are the sizzling relationship scenes. You will be pleased to know that the two main actors, with well-sculpted bodies, have numerous passionate exchanges whether in the bedroom, on the volleyball court, the dining room or the hallways of the building, secretly, although in view of others.
Their kisses and looks are passionate; and their sexy interactions are highlighted with a refined cinematic style. Every time they kiss, look into each other's eyes, touch each other's bodies or make love, there is an elegant atmosphere that creates an intimate and pleasant atmosphere. The stage is not broken even in the moments of greatest hostility. The sexual tension that surrounds the boys is vivid, palpable, and demonstrates the chemistry between the characters.
These performers feel very comfortable with each other, immersing themselves in the physical relationship in a sensual and aggressive way. The artists do a convincing job and make their attraction seem authentic.
Frame does a plausible job of showing multiple emotions from the first to the last scene, from a contemplative look to one of surprise, from suppressed anguish to the euphoric cry of triumph, from hesitation to complete self-confidence, from a cute sulking to an expression of placidity, from the pose of an innocent person to that of an aggressive appearance, from the confusion of a frightened fawn to the attitude of a lion ready to devour its prey. That says a lot about his acting ability.
However, in my opinion, the character played by Ryan is the most adorable of all. Behind his taciturn, doubtful, desolate appearance most of the time, first because he cannot understand the behavior of the boy he believes is Zee, and then because he thinks that the person he loves is playing with his feelings, there is an immense honest human being, loving, hopeful, principled, true to himself and others, especially Zee.
OTHER HOMOSEXUAL RELATIONSHIPS
Sam (Team Tatchanon Thongpao), the team's libero, has been secretly in love with Zee for years. The Zee now before him disturbs and confuses him. He can't understand it. He will soon understand that he has no hope, as he is the only one to realize that Sprite loves First. Pursuing him, Sam will meet Thun (Pooh Phiangphor), Sprite's best friend and fight club partner. Thun will fall in love at first sight with Sam and his feelings will end up being reciprocated. Consoling Sam from his disappointment in love is the strategy used to get closer to him. The couple provides humor. Will the couple be able to reach port happily? Will Thurn manage to get out of the pedestrian accident? Will the traffic incident catch Sprite's attention and make him return to find his friends?
Another homosexual relationship is that of Jack and Mike (played by Tuss Thotsawat Sing-uppo and Ten Apivit Ueamahasopa, respectively). This is the only romantic couple on the team upon Sprite's arrival. The romance they live is not exploited to the fullest. There is constant tension between the two boys without the reason for this being clearly explained, and their characters lack development and time on screen. Their love affair is only shown in sporadic sexual dalliances. Will Jack's dreams of deepening the relationship come true or, on the contrary, will it remain the same as it has been until now, as Mike suggests?
AS AN EPILOGUE
Towards the conclusion of the series, the viewer's fatigue is noticeable due to the delay in Sprite revealing his true identity to First and putting an end to mistrust once and for all. The creators overlong the suspense caused by the crime and the resulting lie, since it is assumed that the deception will be revealed once it is discovered who hit Zee and the danger is then eliminated, but he fails to advance the investigation for much of the story. series, dedicated at the last minute to pursuing Salmon. She will be in charge of discovering how to unmask the culprits.
Perhaps two fewer episodes would have given the possibility of reaching the climax sooner and would have been useful to round out the story with more nuances, add depth to the events and the development of the characters.
However, I commend Sprite for sticking to his moral convictions and keeping the fraud a secret until the right time to reveal it. His character would have seemed pathetic if, out of love for First or a quick return to his favorite sport or fear of the ruse being discovered, he had unmasked himself when his mission was not yet finished. I'm glad Sprite stood up for his principles, even when it could ruin his love relationship and inner peace. I respect and admire the never-die spirit of his character.
The truth will cause the wall that previously separated the two to rise once again in front of Sprite and First, who were always positioned on the same side of the playing field.
Will Sprite manage to accomplish his secret mission? What will happen to Sprite and First's relationship when the latter discovers that the person he loves has cheated on him? Will the two be able to stand again on the same side of the volleyball field or will they have to content themselves with looking at each other, as rivals, each from the opposite area, through a rectangular mesh one meter wide by 9.50 meters long located 2 10 meters high? Will the 'Trojan Horse' manage to penetrate and conquer the fortified wall again?
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The multifaceted nature of queer relationships in the tone of romantic tragedy
The multifaceted nature of queer relationships in the tone of romantic tragedy"When your adventure is an adventure with everyone around you"
Experiencing fun and warmth is the proposal of the daring and heartbreaking 'The Outing', the Thai LGBTQIA+ romantic tragedy that will present the different dynamics of 22 people from three families who attend the annual excursion of a major advertising agency in a resort.
The drama is about three families - those of Anan, Phupha and Taurus - founders of a successful advertising agency, who meet at a resort to participate in an annual excursion. All members of each family and their employees must bring a partner to this holiday without knowing that their relationship will change forever.
From the first moment, several questions will arise: who organized an annual company trip? Could there be hidden agendas in inviting 22 strangers to a party over a weekend? Is this a trip to cover up an affair? What will happen when the true intentions of each of the guests are known?
At the party at which these characters, unknown to each other, will be present and against the backdrop of the many interests at stake, as those gathered intend to raise an enormous amount of capital before their company is listed on the stock market, the complexities in the relationships will be revealed. human like never before, by showing the multifaceted nature of queer relationships.
Very innovative to include 22 main actors from the Thai entertainment industry.
The script by Pete Kasidej Sundararjun, Three Supawith Utama and Rose Chanasorn Makhiew, which skillfully mixes suspense, thriller, mystery, romance and drama, will entrust us with the darkest secrets of the private lives of those involved in 12 episodes, kept safe from their closest family and friends. In this way, human relationships are filled with the wounds of love and the taste of betrayal.
The camera, skillfully manipulated by Pai Ekkapop Paiaree, will follow each of the 22 characters to reveal their different points of view on love and sexual and romantic relationships, in the midst of jealousy, greed, envy, strong sex scenes, misunderstandings. and marital instability. The love, greed, madness and ferocity of human relationships will be revealed through the bond of those present at this outing. A bitter conflict will affect everyone in one way or another.
In these circumstances, in which suspense, mystery, romance and drama are mixed, everyone will choose to betray their lovers, no matter if the person they are married to or their boyfriends. The annual outing will never be the same.
By presenting a cast full of famous Thai stars who manage to show an unusual dynamic in LGBTIQ+ series, revealing the dark secrets of 22 people while they navigate different points of view on love, fans of the genre have been waiting since its announcement for the series in which Nothing is out of the ordinary, from secret adventures to occasional bloodshed, from apparent naivety to the most complex human emotions that ultimately lead some to betray their loved ones.
I liked that the show also includes 14 expert artists in the Thai music industry, who will present 13 songs that make up the Original Soundtrack, to tell the characters' feelings in their entirety. Tul and Vaidun are some of the guest singers.
For his part, M.R. Chalermchatri Yukol or Khun Chai Adam, the leader of "Bison Idea", presents the topic of infidelity between couples.
In this work by Viu Original, its director, whom we know from 'Remember 15' (2022), and as producer of 'Nha Harn' (2019), seems to have taken the pulse of telling complex stories, with striking underlines and highlights , in which each character will have their own plot, to convey a secret love story, which is both spicy and will attract the attention of the most demanding fans.
If the successful BL series 'KinnPorsche' (2022) opened the appetite of Thai drama fans for thrillers, 'The Outing' proposes not to disappoint them.
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Of tropes, high school romances, and sexual awakening
'Boys in Love' is a Thai BL high school romance series centered on four love stories, three of which are portrayed during the teenage years, highlighting the emotional intensity of first love, self-discovery, and social interaction. It also explores themes such as crushes, friendships, peer pressure, and the excitement and drama of young romance.Set in a Bangkok high school, today turned into a real chaos with disobedient students since its teaching staff decided to implement a policy of canceling the school uniform, the series portrays several romances that explore the challenges and joys of growing up.
Waa Waasuthep Ketpetch, the award-winning writer and director of the LGBT+-themed films 'Malila: The Farewell Flower' (2017), 'The Blue Hour', and the series 'Be My Favorite' (2023), writes and directs a lighthearted and very funny drama that perfectly captures the rollercoaster ride of first love.
Renowned screenwriters PingPong Suwanun Pohgudsai, Yui Kanokphan Ornrattanasakul, and Issaraporn Kuntisuk, who have collaborated on the scripts for the BL series 'ThamePo Heart That Skips a Beat' (2024-2025), 'Kidnap' (2024), 'Cherry Magic' (2024), 'My Golden Blood' (2025), 'The Heart Killers' (2024-2025), and 'This Love Doesn't Have Long Beans', among others, team up once again to tell a story that narrates the excitement of newness, the awkwardness of that first love filled with awkward moments, and the emotional intensity of those first loves and relationships. What strikes me most about this series is that it goes all out on the romance front, and very quickly for its 12 episodes, so we'll have to hold on tight to our seats for the twists and turns that await us: in other words, the sweet moments and the sad ones that are sure to come.
I love how much the series extols the value of friendship and how beautiful relationships beyond romance can be.
Likewise, I like how it reflects the importance of forging bonds based on trust and having people to lean on and look out for you no matter what. Watching Shane, Kit, Kim, Mon, Ken, Paul, Nat, and Tan form these kinds of connections with each other is very heartwarming. As they open up and we get to know them better, we'll realize the power of high school romances that explore the challenges and joys of growing up, making them accessible to both teen and adult viewers, whether they're members of the LGBT+ community or not.
'Boys in Love' has just the right amount of drama, as we can't forget that we're watching several teenagers discovering their sexuality, but this doesn't overshadow the show's lighthearted, fun, joyful, and humorous tone.
First Romance:
The first romance stars Kit (Luke Peemsan Sotangkur) and Shane (Mick Metas Opas-iamkajorn). This relationship explores the tropes "The popular kid and the outcast (nerd)" and "Opposites attract".
Kit is a very popular boy and… a real clown. He has a group of friends in a class of bad students. Cheerful, mischievous, outgoing, with a sense of humor, a perpetually disconcerting smile on his face, a fan of electronic games, and the youngest son of a wealthy family, this boy is doing poorly in school.
On the other hand, Shane is totally different. This shy, artistic, absent-minded, and unsociable person is achievement-oriented, and focuses its efforts on acquiring knowledge and skills that guarantee a promising future.
The son of divorced, absent parents, he has two sisters: Jin (Ciize Rutricha Phapakithi), older than him, and Cheese, younger, so his house is rarely quiet. Helping to ensure the chaos at home is Name (Aun Napat Patcharachavalit), the fourth child in this family, and Kaiju, the recently adopted cat. Although he locks himself in his room, he is always interrupted when all he wants is some peace and quiet so he can study.
When one of his teachers asks him to help a notoriously troubled student pass his exams, the self-proclaimed bore sees it as his chance to earn the money he needs to achieve his dream of studying abroad. That's how he meets Kit, but despite their two very different personalities—one with a bad reputation as a student and the other considered a bookworm—they soon hit it off.
For Shane, the character played by the younger brother of actor "Win" Metawin Opas-iamkajorn, Kit will be his escape from all the academic pressures, showing him that there is life beyond school.
Two completely different characters—one loud and confident, the other quiet and introverted—Shane and Kit's differences will create challenges. I have no doubt they'll ultimately balance each other out.
One, descendant of a ruined and dysfunctional family, manages to become a professional thanks to his talent and dedication. The other, from a wealthy background and with parents who are role models in society, sees himself as the black sheep of the family.
This romance will break social barriers, as the two boys realize that status doesn't matter as much as they thought.
Second romance:
The romance between Kim, "The Lovestruck Boy" or "The Smiley Boy," and Mon, "The Adorable Boy" or "The Dimple Boy," explores the trope known as the "new kid in school".
Kim (Chokun Puttipong Jitbut) is Shane's best friend. Less intelligent than his friend, Kim has suffered several heartbreaks and dreams of meeting the right boy.
The boy of her dreams enters Kim's life on the very first day of sophomore year, when Mon (Aston Ratiphat Luengvoraphan) arrives at school. While trying to fit in with the school's various cliques and rules, "The Dimple Boy" revolutionizes the school's social dynamics... and attracts Kim's full attention, turning he personal and academic life upside down. Will Mon be able to find his place—and perhaps love—in a new environment?
The character known for playing Half in 'My Love Mix-Up!' (2024) he speaks truthfully and doesn't hesitate to say whatever's on his mind, but always with respect. We love that he's so outgoing when he meets Mon, and that he doesn't care what others think!
Third Romance:
At high school, which often feels like a miniature version of the real world, there's the social group that, in addition to Shane and Kim, includes Per (Ken Kanthee Limpitikranon) and Tar (Paul Tanan Lohawatanakul).
Both have a cheerful and fun attitude. Despite being in the "Smart Group", Shane and Kim's two friends don't take their studies seriously and enjoy copying Shane's homework. In addition, the two make a big deal out of the things that happen to them.
Everything seems to indicate that Per and Tar's romance explores the "friends to lovers" trope. If so, these two best friends will slowly realize they have romantic feelings for each other. In that case, the tension will arise from not wanting to ruin the friendship. It's a slow process as the two navigate the transition from friends to something more. The first two episodes, the only ones aired so far, don't tell us whether or not this third romance will happen, but GMTTV teases it. So, I'm hoping for it.
Per and Tar are two somewhat clumsy and carefree teenagers whose outings, comings and goings, make this series stand out among its genre, providing memorable scenes as friends with each other and with the other members of the group.
Fourth Romance:
Teachers Nat (Pod Suphakorn Sriphothong) and Tan (Papang Phromphiriya Thongputtaruk) play a supporting couple while exploring various tropes, such as "Enemies to Lovers", "Opposites Attract", and the adult version of "New Kid in School".
Tan, the serious, quiet math teacher, one of those who doesn't like to speak at faculty meetings, but who opens up early with Nat, the new literature teacher, is captivated by the elegance, haughtiness, good manners, and self-confidence of Nat, the teacher who has just arrived at the school.
They aren't exactly two characters who can't stand each other. In fact, they're rivals because they're simply too different.
When Tan and Nat are forced to share a storage room due to the lack of desks in their respective staff rooms, they clash. Tan, feeling that he's lost his privacy and the unique advantage of being the sole occupant of the space, develops a tension between them that must transform into attraction. It's all about serious, adult conversations, heated moments, and finding common ground.
Why watch 'Boys in Love'?:
Thai director Waa Waasuthep Ketpetc has tackled LGBTQ+ themes many times throughout his career, and as in his previous works, in this romantic comedy, which is a pure delight for the viewer, he once again delves into the questions that six young homosexual teenagers ask themselves regarding their emotional and sexual awakening. Elegant, cheerful, funny, with an adorable artistic design, a pleasant aesthetic, precise and beautiful writing, solid performances, some 'Heartstopper' vibes, a great directorial exercise, this series about sexual awakening that coincides with the passage to adulthood and that is surrounded by complicated components, such as the portrait of several romantic relationships, the exploration of various tropes and problems at school, has a soundtrack performed by Barcode Tinnasit ('Kinnporsche' and 'DFF').
I'll come back to the review later.
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Conveying an emotion or generating an experience without resorting to words
Is it possible to forget that 'Romancing Art' is characterized by its lack of dialogue, in which the actors' voices are not heard in the few spoken lines and are only subtitled, and simply focus on the Filipino miniseries itself? No? That's what some people seem to focus on. They can't imagine two young people expressing their love for the first time in this way. They can't imagine watching something like this.The fact that it has these characteristics reminded me of the time a reader called me to ask about 'Crashing Waves', a 2018 British short film in which writer-director Emma Gilbertson explores the tension between kissing and fighting, which two young strangers who have just met for the first time in a housing estate in the middle of London are involved in, through a masterfully choreographed dance in the most unexpected settings. (https://vimeo.com/289044294).
And what about the queer animated short film "In a Heartbeat", which tells the story of a gay boy who decides to come out to pursue the man of his dreams? (https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2REkk9SCRn0)
"I think it's one of the best things I've seen this year", I said, referring to the British short film. "Oh," he said, "it doesn't sound like we'd want to see that". And he hung up on me.
Here are three episodes, each about seven minutes long, the freshest, most captivating, and most intriguing I've seen in a long time; a miniseries that captivates with its story, its performances, and its subtle play with silence. 'Romancing Art' knows you're aware of its silence and builds on this idea. It's not that there's absolute silence. It's accompanied by music. And "Lihim", Eric Borromeo's theme song, is the best choice.
Set in a city-themed garden park, newcomer Art Turla, as Art, the "extroverted soccer player", and Axl Romeo, as Axl, the boy who loves to draw, have a good command of dramatic rhythm and body language. Both convey much more than words can say. Both guide the viewer on a beautiful journey through gestures and emotions. Both stand out for their solid performances and a chemistry that explodes on camera.
"In a world of noise and silence, of enchantment and stillness, a story unfolds. A story not told with words... but drawn between glances, laughter, and what's left behind." A story between Art, the striking, athletic, and impossible-to-ignore jock, and Axl, the quiet, artistic boy who simply tries to try to go unnoticed.
Axl Romeo is well known to Filipino BL fans for starring in several series directed by Mayumi Layne Villar, such as 'Where I Found You' (2024), 'Beautiful Scars' (2023), and 'Love Is' (2021). I must admit that I haven't been able to get past the first few minutes on either occasion. However, I enjoy his performance in 'Romancing Art'. He manages to portray his role in this miniseries with subtlety and breadth.
Produced by Windsor Creatives Production, this story stands out not only for its visual beauty but also for its ability to reflect on universal themes such as gay love, the passion for drawing, and how a chance encounter can lead to love.
One of the highlights of 'Romancing Art' is its ability to communicate complex emotions and narratives without resorting to dialogue. RB, its writer and director, noted that this decision reflects his preference for telling stories through images. "Dialogue doesn't feel natural to me. My favorite films aren't based on words, but on images and experiences", he expressed on social media while presenting the play.
RB achieves so much with so little in his miniseries: the metaphorical space it occupies, a kind of refuge for lovers to meet on Sundays, is enchanting. But the important thing is that what differentiates this type of audiovisual work, with little or no dialogue, from others is the need to tell a story, convey an emotion, or generate an experience without resorting to words.
On the other hand, the photography is stunning. I also love how the light enters the camera lens and creates rainbow-like multi-colored points of light. These flashes add a pleasing visual touch or an otherworldly feel to the images.
Don't miss it.
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A touching portrait of two identities: that of deaf people and that of queer people
The touching story of a 17-year-old boy who must fight against the stereotypes and prejudices of a narrow-minded mother, under the symbol of fingers moving to the beat of music he can't even hear.Xia Qing is different from the others. He is different from the others in that he wears hearing aids due to a hearing loss, that he loves to dance, and that he also likes to paint his pinky finger with red nail polish just for that glimpse of beauty; and, even more different from the others, in that he implicitly reveals a queer identity. But he has the same power to pursue his dreams and is subject to the oppression of a widowed, deaf, and overprotective mother, who feels trapped in the noise, fears, and insecurities of her homophobic prejudices.
Our protagonist, who dreams of auditioning for his favorite dance company, seeks the approval of a mother who associates dancers with homosexuality or "girls only", and yearns to overcome this dark identity crisis through the silent language hidden in his fingers.
The short film, written and directed by Yiru Chen (also known for directing 'Paulo and Ripo' (2019) and 'Pizza, Believe It or Not' (2020), tells a story set in contemporary Shanghai, China, where a boy, instead of fulfilling his mother's wishes to be like other children, study and go to university, wants to dance.
Starring Zhengyu Tang as Xia Qing (a real-life boy with hearing difficulties), 'Handscape' addresses two identities: that of deaf people and that of queer people, that is, it reflects two minority groups at the same time. Likewise, the film is linked to adolescence, social constructs, social mandates, the role of family, education, and more.
Premiered at the 2020 Shanghai Queer Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize, it was awarded Best Student Short Film at the 2020 Sydney International Women's Film Festival, an award that went to director female Yiru Chen.
The story is told with sensitivity and musical flair, with memorable moments like the scene, beautifully photographed by Huang Yichuan, in which Xia Qing dances alone on the most mundane of Shanghai streets in the middle of the night with no one around—undoubtedly the dream of many.
'Handscape' portrays the triumph of perseverance and dedication in a believable way, with just two characters, very human, not archetypal. The role of her mother is presented with restraint, in the setting of a house where they miss their father, who died at a young age.
I find this short film interesting to analyze because it highlights Xia Qing's to builde their identity, far removed from stereotypes, prejudices, and family mandates.
'Handscape' is a film about the need to be who one wants to be, self-esteem, acceptance, facing and overcoming prejudices, while narrating a process of personal self-affirmation and confronting homophobia and social resistance.
Finally, this is an experimental short film about the inner voice of a human being struggling to connect with their physical self using dance and a universal sign language.
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The story, rife with many BL clichés, will soon give way to an LGBT+ narrative
A lover of horror, supernatural thrillers, and comedy, Thai director Mike Phontharis Chotkijsadarsopon also enjoys telling boys' love stories. From 'Still 2' (2014), 'Ghost Ship' (2015), 'Haunted' (2016), 'Bangkok Ghost Stories: Rescuer' (2018), 'Pee Nak' (2019), and 'Pee Nak 2' (2020), the art director and actor, as a keen observer and expert in dissecting emotions, gives audiences his intimate exploration of human relationships and affections.In his next work, the television series 'Siew Sum Noi' (2021), Mike tells a story about the complexity of fully entering adulthood, love after faking a fake courtship, discovery, self-acceptance, homosexuality and acceptance by parents and society, homophobia and internalized homophobia, gay shame, the ways in which a few couples relate to each other in which at least two are still in adolescence and face their dreams to fulfill, having in common that they fight to change their reality and the desire to escape loneliness, prejudices towards people from northeast Thailand, identity and culture shock, played by a cast of new actors or with little artistic experience, while others have seen their acting careers stopped after the premiere of the audiovisual.
A few glimpses into the portrait of teenagers and young adults who have decided to come out of the closet and refuse to give up on finding some happiness, as well as a generational discussion, given that most of the characters are of a similar age.
THE BEST
The director touched on several profound themes in what was his most ambitious audiovisual offering to date, and in which Mike successfully pursued a story that, despite featuring a trope already explored on various occasions —the story of two boys falling in love after pretending to be dating— resonates with audiences for its amusing dialogue, the chemistry its protagonists inspire, its status as the first bilingual Thai/Isan (a variant of Laotian) BL series, its approach to social issues, and its cast featuring actors from the Isan population, with their distinctive skin tones and hair types, among other physical features and facial structures, different from those of the people from central or southern Thailand that fans of dramas in the genre are accustomed to seeing.
On the other hand, the series, which combines sports, music, and romance, showcases the musical film format with the use of dance songs and themes in the style of country music from northeast Thailand to tell a story from a much more subjective and intimate point of view. This allows the audience to have a much more personal relationship with the series and its protagonists.
'Siew Sum Noi' is also an example of how, with limited resources, it is possible to tell stories that audiences can connect with.
Another aspect worth highlighting is the fact that while the series begins as a story filled with many BL clichés, it soon gives way to an LGBT+ narrative, moving away from romance and delving into personal and family issues.
While its first three episodes are forgettable, with one-dimensional characters and chaotic, pointless drama, the series that follows Ruk (Champ Chenrach Sumonwat ruk - 'Past-Senger', 2023), and IG (Nakharin Phanwong - 'Love Poison', 2019, who answers to both the nicknames Virgo and Gun), picks up momentum when it changes scenery from the boring school center in the Thai capital to a cozy rural town in the Isan province.
Despite mediocre writing at times and characters lacking depth, the following episodes manage to captivate audiences, among other virtues, with their cheerful and wacky humor, fun musical and dance numbers, hidden romances between the family and the townspeople, homophobia, gay shame, popular festivals, the clash of cultures between the big city and the countryside, parents accepting their children's homosexuality, and complex family relationships, come together to revive the series.
The gang made up of Kaengsom (Garto Pannawit Phattanasiri), Mes (Fam Pornpawit Putthisethakul), Tong (Fluk Pisith Nimitsamanjit), and Kui (Bomp Premsama Punn), IG and Ruk's friends, provide the comedy and exaggerated humor.
The arrival of the two protagonists and the remaining members of the school soccer team to this rural area of Thailand will introduce new characters and subplots that enrich the narrative.
Here we find the villain Tunwa (Tao Phichairak Phimonmat), Petch (Got Sarun Kanyamoon), who, along with the character played by Bomp, will embody the second couple, while Grateen (Moo Yong Yukhondet Patchim) and Nakrob (Ohm Pracha), Ruk's brother, will bring to life the third youthful romance.
But there are three other characters who are very interesting: Kaewdtah (Candy Rakkaen – 'Brothers', 2021) and Yoi, IG's mother and grandmother, respectively, and Yinrod, Ruk and Nakrob's father. These two women represent maternal love and grandparenthood, the kind of love that grandparents offer their grandchildren, which is distinct from that of fathers.
Both, especially the mother, an icon of the series, will make us laugh and feel proud for accepting her offspring and for her unconditional support of the romance the two protagonist’s experience. Furthermore, their figures play a very important role during IG and Ruk's introspective journey.
Yinrod, for his part, is a character who appears upon the young people's arrival in the northeastern province of Thailand. While he represents the other side of the coin to Ruk and Nakrob, he, a conservative man with strong patriarchal characteristics, experiences a family drama as he has to deal with his offspring's liking for boys. The village leader, he personifies a homophobic figure who opposes his two sons' same-sex relationships. From the first moment I met the character, I tried to answer one question: will the father undergo a radical change in his stance toward queer people?
All three will make the viewer reflect.
THE WORST
The gang's antics become tiresome and repetitive. A better distribution of their screen time could have served to better develop the main plots, especially the three romances.
IG's return, already in the final moments, to his abandoned pursuit of his ex-girlfriend, despite knowing she had been unfaithful and that he didn't love her.
MAIN CHARACTERS AND THEIR ROMANCES
Originally from Isan, Ruk arrives in Bangkok after transferring to a new school on a sports scholarship. A very popular boy among his childhood friends, the feelings of confusion and nervousness he suffers after leaving a familiar culture to live in a new and different one lead him to distance himself from his teammates. Not having friends irritates those around him, especially IG.
Ruk is unaware that, like him, IG is originally from Isan. After tense and conflicting encounters, Ruk receives an invitation from IG to go to a party masked. In a plan of revenge, IG seeks to embarrass the newcomer to Bangkok. However, during the party, Ruk is kissed by a nervous IG, who is unable to deal with his ex-girlfriend Fangkao and her secret relationship with his teammate Kim (Tape Worrachai Sirikongsuwan). While a surprised Ruk resists participating in a fake relationship, photos of the two boys kissing circulate on social media, to everyone's amazement. However, this fake relationship will bring him even closer on IG.
IG, the attractive internet idol, is the latest heir to the family business. Coming from a wealthy family, the popular student returns to school after taking two years off. During this period of self-discovery and rethinking his passions and dreams, he became a popular influencer and has a large following on social media.
Upon learning that the family business is in trouble, the teenager, who maintains a close relationship with his mother and grandmother, decides to help the company move forward, even though the steps involved don't fit his idol image.
Faced with the prejudices that rural people experience in big cities, especially if they are from another province with significant cultural differences, IG hides his origins as a child from northeast Thailand. I quickly understood why he has to hide his origins and even fake his accent to gain sympathy.
IG and Ruk
During a party, in an attempt to make his ex-girlfriend jealous, IG accidentally kisses Ruk on the lips and claims the two are in a relationship.
During mid-term break, the two boys return to their hometown. One to visit his father and older brother, while the other follows his mother to respond to his grandmother's request claiming to be ill. It's then that they both discover they share the same cultural identity and live in the same village.
The first thing that strikes me is the skin color of the two protagonists: olive, something rarely seen in Thai dramas of any genre.
Both IG and Ruk have similar vibes. Their characters blend many of the typical "seme" and "uke" clichés. Mike's decision to cast two very masculine characters as gay protagonists—two soccer players, one of whom is popular with girls and going through a breakup with a girlfriend, and the other a heterosexual with a homophobic father who, before falling in love with another boy, paints a picture of rejection of LGBT+ people, no less—reflects the constant tension in Thai drama regarding queer representation.
While exploring their sexuality, IG and Ruk will deal with the band's problems and their responsibilities to their family and their village, while also dealing with the homophobic father of one of them, who opposes their relationship.
The relationship between the two protagonists will be jeopardized by the appearance of Tunwa, a con man who is secretly in love with Ruk, his childhood friend. The character's evil nature will be exposed when the gang members discover that the criminal has appropriated the funds they had honestly earned for the soccer team's activities during their school holidays in the village of Isan.
Nakrob and Grateen
Nakrob is a teacher at the village's primary school. He lives alone with his father after his younger brother left to study in Bangkok. Very close to Yinrod and Ruk, the man who struggles with decades of gay shame, he maintains a secret relationship with Grateen and struggles to keep it hidden, worried about his homophobic father's reaction.
Grateen is a professional singer and lead vocalist of a band that has lost popularity in recent months and is struggling financially, causing the character to doubt his future. Adopted by Yoi after the death of his parents, he struggles to keep his romance with Nakrob a secret. I would have liked to see more development for this character. I left wanted to learn about his close relationship with his adoptive mother, or his commitment to a musical career in a fading band.
Delving deeper into these stories would allow for a better characterization of the character, one that transcends the cliché of a one-dimensional love interest who only sings and smiles.
The audience will enjoy Moo Yong's performances as he sings, dances, and smiles from the stage at each of the band's shows.
Kui and Petch
Kui is a member of the soccer team and a friend of IG, Mes, Kaengsom, Tong, and Katty, the members of the school group dubbed "The God Boys" due to their immense popularity. He later befriends Ruk after the latter arrives at the school. Very popular with the girls, he comes to discover his sexuality when he meets Petch. Curious about Petch's same-sex attraction, Kui kisses him and experiences sensations, emotions, and feelings never before known.
Petch has been Ruk's friend since childhood. Openly gay, he feels attracted to Kui from the moment Ruk introduces them. According to the main character, Petch is a quiet and unassuming boy, but tends to withdraw when he falls in love.
The two experience a tender and simple romance, the least profound of the three romances, which faces the main difficulty of each living in two distant provinces. Petch ends the long-distance relationship by transferring to the same school Kui attends.
UNFORGETTABLE SCENES
There are several enduring scenes: Grateen in episode 4 singing the series' soundtrack; the one of Ruk and IG, who unwittingly end up naked together in a bathtub; every time Kaewdtah stumbles upon her son and his boyfriend in a compromising situation; and in episode 5 when Kui spills water on his shirt, immediately strips naked and asks Petch to clean it up, looking at him with provocative eyes.
While the funny scenes and absurd, over-the-top entertainment outweigh the narrative, the scene of physical intimacy and sex between IG and Ruk in episode 11 is one of the most homoerotic, exciting, enjoyable, and artistic in the BL universe.
The intimate camera angle, which slowly but precisely pans over the eroticized bodies of the two young men inch by inch, manages to showcase the beauty of the male physique like rarely seen in audiovisual works of the genre.
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