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If in 'Find You in the Crowd', a 2017 short film, which marked the debut of Chinese screenwriter and film director Zhang Yun He ('Until the Autumn Wind Start', 'Love Ever After'), he explored homophobia, homophobia internalized, the love triangle and unrequited love, in 'Find You In The Dream' he returns to his thematic obsessions and addresses sexual repression, the relationships of close friends and the school environment, always having homosexual characters as protagonists.
In this latest short film, also from 2017, the Chinese filmmaker exposes repressions as the worst punishment that a person can receive or promote, by portraying a young man who lives sexually tied and repressed.
During the film, Zhang Yun He explores themes such as internalized homophobia and the repressed desire to live sexuality freely.
Seeing the wishing bottle shattered, Qiao Ke feels that his heart was broken and that both he and his lover had lost their lives.
Starring Wang Qinhua, Jiang Yuqi and Zhang Caili as Qiao Ke and Jiang Yunan, respectively, in just over 21 minutes, this sad film tells us about the memories of Qiao Ke, a young repressed homosexual who does not accept his true nature, and Today, eight years later, he still regrets not having been able to express his true feelings to Anan, his classmate in high school, with whom he has always been in love, but he will no longer have the opportunity to confess his love.
Also known as 'Hu Meng Shaonian Shì', 'Sudden Dream' and 'A Dream of Youth', the short film, written by Xie Wanrong, Baggio and Zhang Yunhe, guides us through the memories and thoughts of the protagonist, who expresses his pain and sadness for being a young man repressed by the fear of being who he really is, and for living a double life by hiding his true sexuality and refusing to recognize that he is in love with his dear friend.
Qiao Ke will believe at some point that Chen Donger, played by actress Zhang Caili, is also in love with Nam, but she is the supportive friend that every gay should have by their side.
Since its public release, it has received good reviews, especially from specialists in this type of American cinema themes, since its presentation at film festivals in New York and Los Angeles, for the coldness and rawness with which the story is told. However, others maintain that it is a reality that in many cases is worse.
The cinematography, color palette and music as a whole reflect the tone of the film and expose the moods of the characters.
Also worth highlighting is the use of monologue. Qiao Ke guides the viewer on an introspective journey, revealing the relationship he has with his best friend, the boy he is in love with. Along the way, the protagonist discovers himself and questions himself for not having been sincere.In short, it is one of those films that talks about feelings, the passage of time and regrets. It is a story that shows a very everyday intrinsic truth in the lives of many homosexuals in the world, which manages to captivate the viewer. It is based on a creation that is far from great artifice, but that wins with that minimalist aspect.
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This review may contain spoilers
An exciting and sexy story that portrays sexual awakening in adolescence
Yang Yong Ning enjoys the last days of summer alone before returning to classes for the upcoming new school year. Suddenly, he best friend Ji Yijie, who has not seen him for a long time, calls him and invites him to have fun and walk through the streets of Taipei at midnight, the only witness of the love and sexual awakening of the two teenagers.From the dramatic and youth genre with LGBTIQ+ themes, 'Beats Per Minute' (午夜節拍 / Wu Ye Jie Pai, Wu Yeh Chieh Pai) asks us a question: can romantic love arise from friendship?
In his second short film, screenwriter, director and editor Lin Guan Chen portrays the queer perspective, the main trait that identifies today's youth.
As he did in 'Shift Gear' (2022), the Taiwanese filmmaker focuses on the LGBTQ+ community and how Generation Z can face their confusion in this chaotic world, in the effort to contribute to overcoming the heteronormative paradigm, leaving a priori behind binary according to which one is by default a boy or a girl, homosexual or heterosexual; in short, to understand sexuality as a broad spectrum.
'Beats Per Minute' tries to capture these new ways of conceiving identities and transmitting the processes that the protagonists experience when assuming, expressing and experiencing them.
In its almost 20 minutes, the short film exposes the obvious physical attraction between the two young men, while they talk about girls and making love with them, perhaps in an attempt to deny their true feelings.
Yang Yong Ning makes it very clear right away: he is in love with Ma Ji Yijie. That's why he secretly steals photos of him while he pretends to take snapshots of the stars, dances for him, plays constant pranks on him and suffers in silence when he discovers that they could separate when his friend has to leave to live in Canada, as is his mother's wish.
On the other hand, for the young man who, from his words, appears to be heterosexual, this feeling towards his friend is a new and unexpected experience. However, he does not hesitate to be the first to kiss him.
And yes, the attraction between the two protagonists will end up crystallizing when Yang Yong Ming also kisses his friend.
Tung Wang's cinematography helps to successfully portray the charming sparks between the two young actors and the beauty of the Taiwanese capital.
Although at the beginning of the century, queer fiction was defined by transgression and reaffirmation, as a form of resistance in a very hostile environment, this short film reclaims adolescence as the period of doubts and fears. Instead of associating it with transgression, the queer attitude is associated with vulnerability, tenderness and the willingness to get closer to the other.
Without ignoring fears, insecurities and vulnerabilities, the short film builds from fiction a warm, optimistic and luminous universe to embrace the queer experience of the two protagonists.
Produced by Yi Juyng Lin, 'Beats Per Minute' is a film that manages to portray what it is like to live in the closet during adolescence and that reminds us that LGBT+ people also deserve to live a love story. It is, in short, an exciting and sexy story that portrays the sexual awakening in that period of a person's life that lies between childhood and adulthood.
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A story of healing, love and the fusion of two opposite worlds
No one can resist the charm and cuteness of pets; Regardless of whether it is a parrot, rabbit, dog or kitten, they win your heart and little by little they end up being part of the family. Most human beings enjoy spending time with their pet, which is not surprising since while you indulge in the moment, your brain feels happy and secretes "the happiness hormone."'Love is Like a Cat' (사랑은 고양이처럼), also known as 'Sarangeun Goyang Icheoleom', the romantic comedy from South Korean director Kwon Nam Ki ((권남기), revolves around Piuno (Mew Suppasit - 'What The Duck ', 'TharnType' and 'TharnType2: 7 Years Of Love'), a well-known Thai star who doesn't like animals, and her romance with Lee Dae Byeol (Chu Jimin, known as JM, from the South Korean idol group JUST B), the director of a pet daycare.
Every time he crosses paths with an animal, Piuno remembers a traumatic episode he experienced in his childhood that makes him not want them around. Pets do not awaken that feeling of love or tenderness in him. He suffers from zoophobia. He is aware that this phobia is considered an irrational act of human beings, but he cannot help it.
It has been suggested to him that his "illness" can be treated with professional help, since he can find the necessary support to overcome the trauma and gradually manage to coexist with the animals. But he has not paid interest to the matter, thinking that it would not be of much use to him, and he has moved on with his life.
However, when he finds himself threatened by those who wish to see him brought down, there is only one thing he can do to save his reputation and his career: work at a pet daycare in South Korea.
Putting aside his severe dislike for animals, Piuno begins working alongside Dae Byeol, who will help him find ways to overcome the trauma that first inspired his hatred of animals. This is how he will end up appearing in a reality show set in a pet cafe in Seoul.
But these will not be the only surprises that the protagonist encounters: as his heart begins to soften, unexpected feelings begin to arise for the young owner of the daycare center. What will happen between the cold and enigmatic actor who doesn't believe in love, and the outgoing and romantic pet daycare owner when their lives intersect?
Lovers of the BL genre in general, and of Mew Suppasit, in particular, will be pleased with the reappearance of the renowned Thai actor, singer and producer in a romance drama between two boys of the same sex. On the other hand, JM, his co-star, shows his youthful charms and the dreamy aura of the idol, as well as his talent as an actor, in this, his first appearance in a drama.
In addition to the aforementioned actors, on screen we will see GeonU, also a member of JUST B, also in his acting debut, playing Gi Min, one of the pet daycare workers; and Kim Kyoung Seok ('Hot And Sweet' and 'Someday Office'), as Jun Hyuk, a friend of Dae Byeol and one of his biggest followers. These secondary characters play a very important role and contribute intensity and complexity to the conflicts.
With a seductive cast, in addition to wonderful chemistry, the direction, cinematography, writing, music and staging transport the viewer to a dream and fairy tale universe in which everyone involved, including the Animals, especially dogs, contribute their own, to achieve a series capable of marking a milestone within the genre, as it escapes stereotypes, and shows human beings with their nuances and in various circumstances. The narrative maintains a good rhythm that enhances the emotional closure of each episode and the series in general.
All these details give an idea of the story told to those who still do not know it, a narrative firmly based on the love stories between two young men of different personalities, countries, professions, languages and cultures, but determined to sustain their idyll against all obstacles. , prejudices and cultural, linguistic or temperament divergences. One looks like a dog, while the other looks like a cat.
What an actor lacks because he is new to these issues, the other provides, due to his extensive experience. It's fascinating to watch the couple navigate their uncertain feelings. One of the main reasons audiences will admire the series is the simplicity and relatability of the story, as well as the good visuals.
Once the romance escalates, 'Love is Like a Cat' shows one of its greatest strengths. The series has the ability to create many tender moments between the two young people. We will see them flirting in the garden of the animal nursery and kissing in the sunny corner of the clinic room, under the knowing gaze of their friends, including the four-legged ones.
Every affectionate interaction is like a treat for BL fans, making these scenes even better thanks to the beautifully polished visuals. The public will witness the generous abundance of romantic images. The cinematographer captures every intimate look and every loving gesture with pinpoint precision.
Dae Byeol is a well-defined protagonist. He knows his work and loves animals. He is sincere, responsible and faithful to his friends, both those who bark and the others who accompany him on this journey of taking care of pets and falling in love with a famous television star. His qualities create a memorable character with nuances. His charm emerges once the performer gains confidence in the role he plays. Just then the couple's chemistry strengthens, going from being a little embarrassing at first to building a more comfortable and deeper relationship.
In comparison, Piuno's backstory will also draw the viewer's sympathy with high marks. He likes it more and more, especially when he overcomes the somewhat mysterious, reserved, fearful attitude when encountering the animals for which he has always felt rejection, when leaving behind the weight of the circumstances that forced him to move away from his comfort zone, and when you begin to adapt to the people, the language, the customs, the culture of a foreign country.
The series explores the couple's bond physically, emotionally and spiritually. When I think about how Piuno and Lee Dae Byeol started the story of "strangers to friends and friends to lovers", both of them, side by side, went on an eventful journey. They overcame personality clashes, misunderstandings, and even cultural and language differences. Best of all, there's a lot of cute BL content.
One of the strong and striking points of the series is the fusion of two worlds. Piuno and Dae Byeol come from two different countries and cultures. Their universes will collide when their paths cross. Everything that separates them will not be an impediment for the two main characters to get closer, fall in love and begin a journey in search of happiness.
Each episode aims to ensure that the viewer is not disappointed, that they remain hooked, that they have a closure that lives up to expectations. The technical and artistic teams worked to achieve it. The arc of the characters, their development, as well as the events and conflicts, are very coherent.
The script, the depth of the themes addressed, and the aesthetics with which they are presented, the attention to detail to be as realistic as possible, the convincing performances, with a cast made up of established and young actors and actresses, determine, among others , the elements that mark the success of 'Love is Like a Cat'.
'Love is Like a Cat' is a story of healing and love. In addition to the entertainment factor and the fun and tender interactions between Piuno and Lee Dae Byeol, the series tells a story about overcoming trauma, opening your heart, and falling in love.
The inclusion of the adorable animals will provoke a positive reaction from pet lovers and the general public.
This is one of the four joint Thai-Korean BL projects from Hanyang Studio, from the same WeTV Original production, 'Peach Of Time'. The remaining dramas are 'Eccentric Romance', 'Wuju Bakery' and 'The First Love Manual', scheduled to premiere in 2024.
This collaboration between the two countries demonstrates once again that BL series defend the correct formula to sustain and consolidate the genre with the aim of satisfying an audience that craves authentic and moving love stories.
Personally, I liked the way the plot was executed, subtly exploring the characters' personal stories.
This romantic comedy is designed and taken from the script to the images with the potential audience being fans of the romantic genre in general, since love is universal and knows no genres, as well as fans of romances between boys in particular, and makes it clear that its objective is to portray love, acceptance, self-discovery, sexual diversity, the search for happiness, the influence of reality shows on viewers, the perception of the image of actors and idols by the public. , the pressures of the entertainment industry on artists, the challenges that come with being a queer person in today's world, themes explored through the dynamics of the characters.
Conceived to move people and involve audiences, through the main story and secondary plots, the series proposes to generate controversy about other dominant, current and universal elements, such as the tumultuous relationship between father and son, the love of animals and how they influence children's behavior, workplace camaraderie, sexual exploration, positivity, self-validation, and maturation issues. There are cultural debates and topics related to veterinary medicine and animal adoption, which helps make all the stories relatable.
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Speaking in baseball terms... this is not your thing
Phukan (Akarawat Prathumthong), Paper (Natthaphak Witsiri) and Bell (Sasikarn Singsi) are students at the Faculty of Architecture, Art and Design. To complete an assigned task, they must join a team of three people to develop a school project together as part of the final evaluation of a subject.Phukan will confess to his friend Bell that he is attracted to Paper, but is not sure whether or not he should declare his love, but he will soon discover that the boy has also developed feelings for him.
The first question one must ask is why there are few students in a classroom at one of the Thai Colleges of Architecture, Art and Design. And from this question, others arise: how in this short, which has no great pretensions, are the two main boys, especially Paper, much more handsome and attractive than his study partner, not perceived as attractive people by their colleagues? feminine? Why aren't they popular with girls? How is it possible that there isn't a fight between the few females in the classroom to have them on their respective teams? Only Paper's table neighbor will invite him, very timidly, to join him, but most likely it will be for the comfort of sharing nearby seats. While Bell, obviously, is already a duo with his friend Phukan, so the only thing missing is the incorporation of another person to make up the required shortlist.
If they are already assigning tasks, it is assumed that the course, even if it is the first year of the degree, has already made some progress. Anyway, by now the students should know each other, at least by their names. How is it possible that they have to resort to text messages in a digital chat to know how to call each other and also serve as an introduction to the viewer?
While they visit museums, exhibitions and art galleries and write the assignment, without the viewer realizing it, which demonstrates the little connection achieved between him and the characters, Phukan's love for Paper blossoms, only to discover that the latter has been loving him for some time. secret.
The actors in 'As Always', a short film by Thai filmmaker Patcharaporn Thiangsantia, do not achieve the necessary control of their bodies and voices to convey the emotions of their characters. Theirs are not empathetic characters, capable of allowing viewers to connect with them and their experiences. The audience does not feel and understand the emotions of the characters, so the emotional connection is null and void. This is where the failure of the audiovisual lies, in addition to its poor script.
Positive emotions such as joy at discovering love (another emotion), humor and happiness (as ways Bell reacts when learning about his friend's sexuality, or when the two boys mutually declare their love for each other), are not transmitted; nor negative emotions such as anxiety, sadness, insecurity, fear of rejection. Likewise, ambiguous emotions, such as surprise at being reciprocated, and hope, are not externalized.
In this minor work of the BL universe, repeated clichés, boring scenes, a non-existent chemistry between the lovers, and childish actions, are its main characteristics in a romance with little to prove to fans of the genre.
The short lacks a convincing plot and shows little imagination, contributing little to the genre, which has come a long way in recent years; If anything, the discovery of two new and potential talents within the BL, but with a lot to polish, as well as demonstrating the rich architectural and plastic arts culture of Thailand.
If what you are looking for is a declaration of love of fireworks and butterflies fluttering in the stomach, of those that are born under the influence of emotions, intoxicated with the nectar of the first months, those in which the loved one seems to be a perfect being and hormones awaken the most lively and intense passions... I repeat, if that is what you are looking for, speaking in baseball terms, pick up the bats and balls and turn off the television, this is not your thing.
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The harsh reality of Thailand without makeup
This audiovisual product represents the harsh social, economic and political reality experienced by the Thai population. It talks about its problems and contexts, generally adverse, and becomes a reflection of that Asian country.The film shows topics such as illegal immigration for political, religious, ethnic or sexual orientation reasons; political, administrative and police corruption; police violence and crime, physical elimination of activists and members of the LGBT+ community, border militarization, dysfunctional families, bisexuality, racism, racial discrimination, politically motivated murders, homosexuality, economic problems, prostitution, political activism, stripper , violation of Human Rights, phenomena all reflections of Thai society. I highly doubt that for one reason or another any member of Thai society escapes seeing themselves reflected on the screen.
And facing all these problems there is Sorn (Ud Awat Ratanapintha), a Burmese refugee who, with the hope of a better life, seeks refuge and forges a new identity as a sex worker in Thailand. The protagonist will end up involved in a client's risky plan that endangers his life and that of other people. The diversity of conflicts he faces, his psychological complexity and emotional evolution, add layers to the narrative and weave an intriguing web that keeps the viewer in suspense during its hour and 36 minutes of duration.
The artistic maturity of its main performer protects a remarkable wisdom forged through the experiences lived on the film set. His ability to convey emotions, in a genuine way, cements his position as a leading actor in the Thai film and television scene. Far from seeking grandiloquence, you immerse yourself in your characters with the simplicity that characterizes those who understand that true art lies in authenticity.
From her first appearance on the big screen with the feature film 'Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy' (2013) or as a girl with dramas such as 'Hormones 1' (2013) and 'Hormones 2', in 2014, to her participation in television productions such as 'Cat Radio TV Season 1 and 2', '#HATETAG' (2021), 'Bad Genius' (2022), 'Quarantine Stories' (2020), of which in addition to being an actor he is the director and screenwriter; or in the 2022 documentary JMJ: Lesson 25, in which you participate as an actor and director, you have shown how versatile and capable you are of connecting with the public.
With 'Doi Boy' it is not the first time that he has faced the challenge of playing a leading character. Also in the drama ThirTEEN Terrors (2014), and the special Project S Let's Say Goodbye, from 2018, he had already been placed in front of the responsibility of leading plots. However, taking on the lead role in a film like this involved new challenges, and for the actor, it was a crucial step in his career.
Pae Arak Amornsupasiri as Ji, and Aelm Bhumibhat Thavornsiri, who plays Wuth, are the other two main characters.
The way in which social criticism, border problems and issues related to sexual orientation and male prostitution are represented in the film is not coincidental. In his first work, the documentary 'Boundary' (2013), its director, Nontawat Numbenchapol, already addressed the reality of the local population on the border between Thailand and Cambodia never before recognized in Thai cinematography.
Interested in social issues, in his second documentary, 'By The River', he visualized the situation of the villagers of Klity affected by lead water contamination. With this documentary, for the first time a film of that nationality won the Special Mention at the Locarno International Film Festival.
'Doi Boy' is not the first film with which the filmmaker analyzes issues related to sexual or gender identity. With the hybrid docu-fiction #BKKY, from 2016, this renowned documentary filmmaker and cinematographer visualizes stories of 100 teenagers interviewed in Bangkok about their loves, their dreams, and their coming of age just after graduating from high school. With it, he won the Jury Prize for best feature film at Lesbisch Schwule Filmtage Hamburg, Germany.
Despite a solid premise and good performances and general direction, the film does not reach perfection because it is based on an underdeveloped script, with aspects that deserved further exploration.
Beyond its positive aspects, Doi Boy can be perfected, like any artistic creation. The absence of unique characters like Sorn, Ji and Wuth and the practically non-existent presence of stories like this in Thai and Asian cinematography in general could work in its favor. However, these same positive qualities cause the film to be undervalued by followers of the BL genre, but as a thriller and drama it works well.
'Doi Boy' is a forceful justification to talk about Thailand far beyond the false and illusory representation, both in cinema, television and other national media, of a country as a sexual paradise and freedoms for members of the LGBT+ community and the rest of its population, equally discriminated against for political, ethnic and racial reasons. The film is a reflection of what hurts millions of human beings both in that nation and in the world. That is why I am grateful that it does not have a made-up ending and shows reality as it is until its ultimate consequences: those gray areas of the existence of the Thais shown in 'Doi Boy' are not really reflected in the BL dramas from that region of the planet.
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Boy meets robot
Boy meets robotTechnology has entered the world of cinema and television for many years now with the presence of artificial intelligence (AI), defined as the ability of a machine or a computer program to think, learn and act like a human being. Although she has sometimes played villainous roles and sometimes played heroine roles, there is no doubt that she has always, or almost always, played a leading role.
Examples of the above are: 'Her' (2014), 'Ex Machina' (2015), '2001: A Space Odyssey' (1970), 'Ghost in the Shell' (1996), 'Minority Report' (2002) , 'Blade Runner' (1982), 'War Games' (1983), 'The Perfect Man' (2021), The Ultimate Boyfriend (2008), The Bicentennial Man (1999), among other films.
The human being and the machines... the machines and the human being. From the moment I read the synopsis I asked myself questions that I had already asked myself before and to which I have no answers: Will machines replace us one day? Will we end up 'humanizing' artificial intelligence? Will we have to live in fear of being subjugated in the future? Will humans be vulnerable in a context of total dependence on technology? Do robots have wants, dreams and needs?
The premise of the man-robot relationship is the impetus for directors and scriptwriters of BL series to take advantage of the opportunity to give their followers, for the first time, a drama that portrays a romance between a human being and an android.
From the Taiwanese production company Vidol, Anti Reset will not present us with AI on this occasion as villainous and alien robots determined to control and destroy humanity, as T-800 from 'Terminator' (Arnold Schwarzenegger) tried to achieve. Nor will it bring us wonderful C3PO and R2D2 or the endearing WALL-E to delight us.
It will show us a total antithesis of the "robots are coming to destroy us" thinking, as it will move away from the basic concept of AI to bring us closer to a more conventional narrative associated with another genre, romance. This interesting story portrays one of the many perspectives that exist on the relationship between a human and an android.
The creators of BL series have decided to up the ante. Only in this way is the production of a drama that will not be the classic 'boy meets boy' romance but 'boy meets robot' explainable.
One of the protagonists is a substitute for the human being. The robot and the person it cares for and with whom it will fall in love, will take us into a multitude of moral arguments that surround the series, while we see a futuristic narrative arc that, without a doubt, will end up conquering us.
The drama tells the story of Chu Yi Ping (Wu Ping Chen), a man without emotions and few social skills who, after dislocating his hand in an accident at school, accepts his uncle's proposal to be taken care of by Ever 9 (Huang Li Feng). While the experimental intelligent robot is being secretly evaluated to decide whether or not it is suitable for coexistence with humans for the purpose of curing the emotionally disabled, it keeps company with a reluctant Yi Ping, who will soon discover that Ever 9 complements its deficiencies.
At first, Yi Ping has a hard time interacting with the robot. Although at times he is almost convinced of his humanity, he always ends up remembering that he is nothing more than a programmed machine. Interacting with Ever 9 will allow you to break your prejudices about robots and at the same time better understand human needs.
While the robot's capabilities are being evaluated, the relationship between the two young people goes beyond “normal” and Ever 9's apparent humanity begins to attract Yi Ping. Thus, he will look for a way to help the android go out into the real world with him, to live a life together.
To pass the time, Yi Ping asks Ever 9 to make a wish and complete the wish list together, but before completing it, Ever 9 breaks down. The repair only takes a week. But when he returns, his attitude towards Yi-Ping has completely changed. After the reboot, Ever 9 rushes to complete the wishlist and pretends to be bored with Yi Ping and actively asks for a return. Yi Ping doesn't know what's wrong with Ever 9, because he has learned from him how to be human and experience love. Can't you learn to be together all your life? Is the promise to never separate void?
'Anti Reset' is a romantic perspective on the love between robots and humans, it is an incredible reflection on the scope of the growing robot and artificial intelligence industry. While man wonders what the dangers that technological advances represent, this BL arrives to make us think about the emotions and the relationship that robots will have with humans in the future beyond their practical usefulness.
This series is set in a world that could easily be our future reality. So, we must open our minds, since together with the two protagonists we will delve into what love really is and what it means, through an atypical relationship.
The script, while not perfect, benefits from the performances of Huang Li Feng (Stay by My Side, The Ambiguous Focus, Kinematics Theory, The End of Our Youth (2016) and Wu Ping Chen (Stay by My Side, One Afternoon, Komorebi), giving a subtle and different twist to the characters of a plot that, otherwise, would seem too familiar or trite.
The two main characters will go through the different phases of a relationship that, although it is not a typical romance, covers universal themes, but the biggest dilemma that Yi Ping will have to face is whether we are prepared to fulfill our most intimate desires. and fantasies or if, on the contrary, we prefer that a love that was born platonic remains that way.
I remember an Asian film close to this one for the introduction of artificial intelligence, 'Customized companion' (订制男友, Dingzhi nanyou), the Chinese BL and science fiction romantic drama directed by Kuo-Liang Fu in 2017, in which he talks about love between two boys, who use a phone app and summon a personalized virtual companion in the hopes of finding what they have lost in each other.
'My Heartless Boy', one of four stories in the 2023 Thai BL 'Moments of Love', starring Fort Thitipong Sangngey, as Fort, and Pie Saranvut Nittayasuthi, as Pie, addresses a love relationship between a human and a machine which must also be discontinued.
'Anti Reset' is undoubtedly a proposal that brings originality and freshness to the futuristic analysis of the relationships between human beings and artificial intelligence.
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The plot follows Neil, a singer with an extraordinary voice who, after losing his brother Matt (Chin Tai Yu), the keyboardist of the band "Magnet", in a tragic car accident, is devastated and announces his retirement from the stage. leaving his fans, including a young boy called Sea, with shattered dreams.
Six years later, Sea, who is now a virtuoso musician and a second-year college student majoring in Marketing and Digital Management, receives an invitation to work with none other than his idol Neil.
However, the time that has passed has not healed the wounds in the soul of the proud, extroverted and loud Neil, who now deals with problems of anxiety and stage fright, but neither has it managed to heal the spirit of the introverted and reserved Sea, who has not been able forget the young man who one day in the middle of the street, with the guitar in his hand, knew how to calm his heart in a moment of discouragement thanks to his emotional singing and melodious voice.
Will love be the force that helps them heal their wounds? Will music be the only vehicle that unites them? Can they make the world hear their new shared voice?
Screenwriters Ke Ying An, Huang Szu Mi and Zou Wan Zhen raise these questions as the guiding axis of the Taiwanese series, co-produced with Thailand, while giving some answers through the actions of their characters. And although Sea initially rejects being part of the band to relaunch Neil's career, he will discover that if he does not go on stage the record company will not renew his contract and "Magnet", the duo he has admired since adolescence, will be history.
When Neil and Sea meet again, they still don't know that an unforeseen romance is about to burn under the bright Taipei sun.
Although it is not free of clichés and conventions, the Taiwanese version of 'Begin Again' manages to keep the viewer's attention due to its authentic emotional outline supported by its credible characters and situations.
'First Note of Love' is an effective romance series, as it is accompanied by an interesting topic such as fame and music. In addition, the soundtrack is unmissable due to the powerful lyrics of each of the songs.
Yes, it is true that the two main actors are not musicians by profession, and the series lets us see their few musical skills, but for the filmmakers the main focus is not the music, but the story they tell. Therefore, they put plot before details.
Solid television drama, it achieves what many series barely dream of: palpitate, live. Of course, a large part of his success was forged before he started filming: he couldn't have chosen better co-stars.
That is to say, one of its greatest successes is the efficient choice of actors and the work in the musical section. The protagonist, Tu Shancun, who plays Neil, not only gives a memorable performance, but also performs some of the songs from the captivating soundtrack produced by Warner Music, which enriches the narrative in an energetic and dynamic way, like the songs "Broken Sun", "Shatter of the Sun" and "Ain't Gonna Stop", alongside TAIYO, and Kaia Lee will delight us with "Sleepless Night", among others.
This is not the first time that his powerful and deep voice has been heard performing a song in a BL. He already did it in 'History4: Closet o You', a series in which he sings "Be with me", a song he wrote.
Tu Shancun puts on the suit that suits him best and gives a very credible performance, and manages to convey the passion and internal struggle of his character with conviction and charisma. His interpretation in both the musical and dramatic scenes contributes to the authenticity of the story.
However, the musical skills of the protagonist will not be the only thing that stands out, because Tu Shancun is an actor who says everything with his eyes, with his gestures, with his entire body.
For his part, Michael Chang, the actor who plays Sea, also succeeds in facing his insecurities, fears and past traumas, and constantly testing himself. This, while strengthening the ties that will unite him inextricably with the street singer that one day by chance he meets as a teenager.
Michael Chang's Sea is something worth seeing: his face, his expressiveness, his ability to unforcefully reveal a wide spectrum of feelings, from his initial insecurity to the most infinite joy on stage and in his interactions with Neil. They are the consequence of a fine interpretive work that more than one established actor would envy.
The exceptional chemistry of Michael Chang and Tu Shancun on screen is the winning formula of a story that privileges both music and a love story - a deep and true love - above everything else.
Both will unite their destinies, since Neil needs to find himself in his own strength, and Sea needs to trust in her strengths to shape and achieve her dreams. For both of them, music is that magnetic compass that finds them, unites them and challenges them to give their best.
And in this sense, Neil will play with the initial letter of their names: «I am North, and you are South. We are a natural couple…” Just as the North cannot exist without the South and the South without the North, one cannot exist without the other.
'First Note of Love' stands out for its acoustic constructions and its modern musical approach, as well as for its suggestive lyrics that accompany the experiences and emotions of the characters. These songs not only function as a powerful tool of communication, effectively expressing what dialogue may not be able to convey, but they also enhance dramatic moments with emotion and highlight the richness of the characters' experiences. Don't lose sight of the original songs that make up the series.
Having praised the protagonists and, of course, the script that makes them such close and adorable characters, it must be said that 'First Note of Love' is a very beautiful series, which can make us remember some other audiovisual due to the importance of music for the main characters as a means to get out of a difficult situation.
The result is a kind, moving and addictive series that speaks to the viewer's heart without hesitation, skillfully mixing love and music, a combination that always works.
From their first scene, the viewer wants them to end up together. Something that, of course, we will have to discover in the next 10 episodes of about 30 minutes long.
The excellent supporting actors (all fair, harmonious and harmonious) stand out in their performances. Among these are Liu Min Ting ('Guardian') as Reese, the manager of the record company to which Neil belongs and to which Sea will join, and Thai actor Jame Kasama Kranjanawattana ('Big Dragon', 'Gen Y', 'Gen Y 2') as global superstar Orca. The two make up the second pair of lovers, both in the series and in real life.
Also starring are Kaia Lee as Ting Fei, and Lee Ying Hung as A Liang, who will also sigh in love, as well as Amanda Liu as Hsiao Mei.
From producers Jay Lin, Derjk Wu and Samantha Jian, the most valuable thing about 'First Note of Love' is its power to capture the essence of longings and the battles to achieve them, while providing us with an unforgettable soundtrack that becomes a fundamental pillar of the narrative.
The first episodes are truly amazing. There the strongest ties are formed between the characters - the birth of the relationship of friendship and love between the protagonists but also their relationship with Reese, the band's manager -, between the series and its audience, between the narration and his tone.
There is a scene in the fourth episode where Neil and Sea share the scene to play and sing an old "Magnet" song. And although at one point Neil's nerves betray him, Sea knows how to get him out of the mishap. Back, the camera never leaves the stage as the duo perform. He follows the performers, surrounds them, accompanies them. At times, the camera is positioned from the audience and, at other times, it chooses the point of view from the stage, which allows us to reflect both Neil's generosity towards the novice composer and musical arranger who plays the keyboard at his side, and his admiration for his new partner, as well as Sea's shyness when facing a huge audience and the emotion that overcomes him when he knows he is appreciated by a music veteran who returns to perform before the spectators after so many years of silence.
Filmed at a precise tempo, this scene – which has the most beautiful song of all those performed in the series, "I Believe" – exudes with absolute naturalness Sea's transition from caterpillar to butterfly, the artist's return to the stage after the trauma suffered, and records the birth of the couple's artistic and loving bond.
Simultaneously, the camera steps behind the scenes of a show, the adrenaline generated by a live performance, and, metamorphosed in the eyes of film viewers, invites us to the unique experience of feeling part of the show. With this scene alone – which is worth the entire series – Lien Chien Hung reminds us that he is a great director.
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Therapy and love in the Kansai dialect
From 'Gokusen' (2002) 'to Kimi wa Petto' (2003), 'Ichi Rittoru no Namida' or 'Hana Yori Dango' (2005) or, more recently, 'Otonari ni Ginga', 'Watashi ga Himo wo Kau Nante ' or 'Sweet Moratorium', and many more, Japanese dramas have captured the attention of audiences around the world with their splendid landscapes, the richness of that nation's culture, the way they approach romance, as well as the physical attractiveness of its actors and actresses.Although many recognize in them the same formulas used over and over again in the plots of Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese, Filipino and Thai series, these works captivate the viewer due to the exotic components of the narrative, the precious photography, the use of the sets, the makeup, the hairdressing and the costumes, but, above all, for the possibility of viewing an idyllic and even unreal representation, on many occasions, of a country with an ancient culture and with an aura of mystery for the inhabitants of other regions of the planet.
For decades, the representation of homosexual couples and erotic scenes between men in television audiovisual productions was scarce, if not nonexistent, in correspondence with a policy of showing only the traditional family model and censoring any attitude or preference that escapes from the conventional, in nations such as Japan, Thailand and Korea, where LGBT+ people continue to be discriminated against today.
However, BL plots, the abbreviation of Boy's Love, originally defined as "male love from a female perspective", managed to make their way and prevail in markets in Japan and Taiwan, where there are numerous manga and anime stories with romance themes between guys.
BL have become both entertainment and a cultural, social and political phenomenon, for visualizing the struggle of LGBT+ groups in these countries.
Thailand is a separate case, since the BL of this country has as its purpose the profit of television companies and talent agencies, promoting advertisements for the marketing of various products, such as cosmetics, and the exaltation of the country as a paradise destination for homosexual tourists.
PLOT
Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka' ('好きやねんけどどうやろか') is a worthy example of the glamor characteristic of Japanese BL productions. Like so many others, it falls on a fairly well-worn theme in the universe of Japanese and Asian romantic dramas in general: Hisashi Soga, a divorced office worker who has been transferred from Tokyo to Osaka, surrenders to the love of Sakae, the 26-year-old years, owner of Tamae, a small restaurant located in the alleys of downtown Osaka that serves delicious and cheap home-cooked meals. The two will have to overcome a series of obstacles and overcome the obvious differences between them to stay together.
Kasae, who speaks the Kansai dialect perfectly, is friendly to everyone equally. Their cozy shop is always bustling with people. One day, Hisashi Soga goes to eat at his restaurant. Kasae can't take her eyes off his every move. Moved by his attitude, he falls in love with him.
Soga, who has not yet gotten over the divorce, only thinks about working, mastering Osaka speech so he can communicate better with the locals, and getting through the day. One of the things he enjoys the most is going to Sakae's restaurant and eating the delicious food he makes. Soga doesn't know that Sakae sees him as more than just a regular customer.
This series, practically responsible, along with so many others, for the consolidation of the BL genre in the Japanese drama market, addresses the complexity of the situation that heterosexual men face when they fall in love with a homosexual. And so a relationship that begins as a game of cat and mouse, or a simple friendship, little by little evolves to become something very special. Sakae has loved Soga since he met him. It's love at first sight, but Soga is heterosexual, in addition to having a recent divorce. As they spend time together, Soga will begin to develop feelings for each other.
From the first scenes, the connection and rapprochement between the protagonists becomes a reality. Sakae is more open to establishing romance, but Soga, who heals his broken heart, has only been in Osaka for a short time and has not yet gotten used to life in the area, much less loving another man, will find it difficult to recognize that He has fallen in love with his new friend. The relationship will take time and will to build.
The audience is faced with a simple love story between an office worker recovering from a divorce and the owner of a restaurant who cures him with food, walks around the city, games of squash and lessons in the Osaka dialect and, above all, with lots of love.
The sparks between them are undeniable as their relationship blossoms. It is deeply moving to witness loving couples whose unchanging feelings must coexist in a world of changing realities.
Kan Hideyoshi, in the role of Matsumoto Sakae, displays all his charisma and attractiveness to play a kind and hard-working young homosexual. Meanwhile, Nishiyama Jun's Hisashi Soga personifies the typical, heterosexual office worker, attracted by the smile, grace, kindness and flirtation of a homosexual man.
The television adaptation of the eponymous work by the famous Japanese writer and illustrator Chiba Ryoko, published in 2013 by Kaiousha Publishing House, is titled in English 'Although I Love You, and You?'.
The director, Shibata Keisuke, and the screenwriter, Morale, give us a media product with an undeniable communication effect, which is already being a success both for BL fans in Japan and beyond its borders.
Since I read its synopsis, several questions crossed my mind: Is Soga bisexual, a gay who deep down hides his homosexuality or a heterosexual who falls in love with a man? Will these two very different people have a future in common? What can connect an athletic type from Naniwa with a cultural type from Tokyo?
The chemistry of the protagonists and the delicacy of the story are gratifying. The audience, whether interested in BL themes or not, will definitely enjoy the romance between the two actors.
Social networks and Japanese media are echoing and, since its premiere, they have selected the five best charms of this drama. Although there may be several while the series is broadcast, these are:
1. The look of popular actor Kan Hideyoshi, who showed great acting skills in his role as Sakae.
2. Nishiyama Jun's believable portrayal of office worker Soga.
3. The construction of Soga's sexuality from heterosexuality to homosexuality, giving complexity to the story.
4. The music used that reflects the mood of the protagonists.
5. The detailed account of Sakae's feelings for Soga.
The opening theme is "I'll Be There" by GENIC, with lyrics written by its members Joe Nishizawa and Atsuki Mashiko. JBL lovers will be pleased: Acchan, the actor who plays Yoh in the 2023 series 'My Personal Weatherman', is co-author of the song that rolls the opening credits of 'Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka'. Precisely, the piece talks, as in the drama, about a boy who falls in love with a boy who speaks the Kansai dialect.
Many of the scenes take place in an office or office workers spend time inside a restaurant, with a young chef preparing food, while his customers eat and drink sake. And to top it all off, the poster announcing the series features a plate of TAKOYAKI! Well, I have no doubts: we are in the presence of one of those hybrids between office BL and food BL.
This series has another original point in its favor: the tendency of Japanese BLs is to pair an experienced actor with a less experienced one. Well, this time, the main couple is represented by a very talented and experienced actor, such as Nishiyama Jun, with one of the most popular, charismatic and talented actors in Japan, Hideyoshi Kan.
While Nishiyama began his artistic career in 2006 with the film 'Forbidden Siren', which was followed by the drama 'Sushi Oji!', on TV Asahi, and from there he has developed a dizzying and ascending career until today, Hideyoshi Kan is the current master and lord of the Kamen Rider universe, with titles such as 'Kamen Rider Geats', 'Kamen Rider Geats: The Movie', 'Kamen Rider the Winter Movie: Gotchard & Geats', and many more. He also acted in 'Ashita no Watashi e' and Dekiai Cinderella'.
The manga (available now in the Kindle Unlimited catalog) from which this series is adapted is of the yaoi genre. It has kisses and sex scenes, so, considering the story and the actors chosen, experienced and professional, we should expect to see a good representation of the intimate scenes.
His time in the BL series Kiss x Kiss x Kiss must serve as an experience for Hideyoshi Kan in the genre. With him as the protagonist, the manga could very well be adapted to television successfully.
I would also like to point out that the title of the series is in the Kansai dialect, so '好きやねんけどどうやろか' would translate to 'I love you, how are you?' or 'I love you, do you (love me too)?' However, the mangaka uses 'Although I love you, what about you?' in the original translation, which appears to be a transliteration of the Japanese title into English.
This very interesting story, a sure classic of the comedy-romance genre, with a very funny and at the same time dramatic plot, invites you.
If I had to define the work in a few words, they would be: “A therapeutic atmosphere and a moving romance in the Kansai dialect.”
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Modern, real, entertaining and, above all, addictive
Although the series begins on a somewhat dramatic note, with two university students involved in a fight that leads to the inevitable hospital medical attention of one of them after receiving a blow, the story, in a fast, colorful and fun way, shows us, in tone of a youthful romantic comedy, one of the love plots between boys, set in a university, like the ones we are used to in BL series.After the painting that is ready to be sent to an exhibition after sleepless nights becomes useless when it is hit by a soccer ball, Pheem will confront Phum, the extroverted, brilliant, stubborn and popular, but arrogant college soccer player, guilty of the in a bad way, and in a fit of anger he hits him.
Phum then demands compensation from him. But since the mischievous and playful second-year Fine Arts student, who dreams of one day having an art gallery in which to exhibit his own works, cannot pay the medical bills, they will ask him to be at their service and attend to all their needs. whims. But there will be a pact between the two: "No one will ever be able to know that one is a slave and the other is a master."
But Pheem will also demand that the "punishment" not last two months, but until he finishes redoing the damaged painting.
Thus begins the story of Pheem and Phum, the protagonists of the Thai series 'We Are', an adaptation of Parawi's novel of the same name.
When the future civil engineer, embarrassed by having been beaten in front of others, begins a plan of revenge against Pheem, at the same time as his demands as a master increase, his feelings begin to slowly grow.
The world is small and a university is even smaller. Being students at the same university, faced every day in their status as master-slave, leads the two young people to collide with each other again and again until both boys fall in love.
Phum's affectionate and tender behavior, the constant emission of "doubtful" vibrations, the sexual tensions created around the two, have not gone unnoticed by Pheem, who feels attracted to his "master" from the moment he meets him known.
In that daily struggle of who dominates who, underneath everything, the two have begun, perhaps without realizing it, as an involuntary act, to take care of each other.
Through the eyes of Pheem, the main narrator, the viewer will be able to enjoy the birth and evolution of the romance between two a priori incompatible people who, however, enter into a love relationship that, like all relationships, has a lot of imperfections, but this It will not discourage them in their efforts to find happiness side by side.
The main plot follows this young man in his university years, in which, surrounded by his friends, who are other young people his age, he discovers love for the first time and also himself.
Likewise, we see that a new character is introduced, Kluem, who will show to be interested in Peem. His appearance will provoke jealousy in Phum, but it will help him recognize in himself the feelings that he slowly develops every day for the arts student.
The main arc of the series begins in the usual youth romantic comedy style, with the boys' characteristic pranks; studies, which sometimes we are terrible at; falling in love, which in many cases is the first in life; coming of age, the transition from adolescence to early youth, the joys and difficulties that young people must face, friends who ignore us or, on the contrary, annoy us to no end, but are always present with his wise advice; the song that seems to save us time and time again from "sinking", the parents who do not understand us, the work that will come (or not) in the future, the differences in social classes... all these themes used mainly in function to provoke laughter, but also to make you reflect.
Starring PondPhuwin, a ship formed by actors Naravit Lertratkosum, who plays Phum, and Phuwin Tangsakyuen, in the role of Pheem, whom we have already seen together in 'Fish Upon The Sky', 'Never Let Me Go' and more recently In 'Our Skyy 2', the drama brings us characters with the classic cliché of "strangers to friends and friends to lovers." Phum and Pheem are two beings who are finding themselves and discovering their most intimate desires.
But theirs will not be the only romance. In addition to Phum and Pheem, as a plus, we have the expected secondary romance between WimmySatang, a couple made up of Thanawin Pholcharoenrat (Winny), as Q, the mentor, and Kittipop Sereevichayasawat (Satang), as Toey, the apprentice, who in 'My School President' left us wanting more.
Q, Pheem's best friend and who likes to sing in a night bar, has been Toey's inspiration to decide to study Fine Arts. Secretly, he has been in love with the final year student of that major for some time. Admiring his talent and personality has led him to love him, but Q is unable to see the signs that are constantly coming to him. Will Toey have the chance to confess his love? Has Q really been so blind? These two will also have an agreement: Q will demand from Toey: "Don't tell anyone that you are my apprentice."
And also a third BL romance, that of AouBoom, a duo made up of Thanaboon Kiatniran (Aou), as Tan, the cheerful Engineering student, and Tharatorn Jantharaworakarn (Boom), as Khaofang, a sensitive and shy young man from the Faculty of architecture. In this relationship, Tan will ask Phum to help him flirt with his brother in exchange for the location where he can find Pheem. And Phum, despite initially telling him that he is not the ideal boyfriend for his brother, will agree to help his friend in order to take revenge for the humiliation received.
There will also be a fourth romance: that of MarcPoon, the duo made up of Natarit Worakornlertsith (Marc), as Shane, and Poon Mitpakdee, as Pun. This relationship deepens as the two friends grow closer and get to know each other even more as they try to trick Q into believing that Shane is in love with Toey, in order to get him to declare his love. Although these three couples are secondary, they manage to win the hearts of the viewers.
The series highlights the different side of each of the four couples, their journey of discovery and acceptance. The eight young people will not fail to make you fall in love. As you get to know the four couples and see how the relationship between them evolves, you will be able to decide which one has stolen your heart the most and why.
These friends are what any human being would need to accompany them on a journey to discover falling in love and sex.
Although in principle it reminds us of other productions of this type, Thai fiction forges its own path of authenticity. In addition, it stands out for the construction of the characters that enchant from the first moment and the way the story is portrayed.
Although 'We Are' plays with the most modern ideas to portray teenagers in fiction, each of them enjoys a unique authenticity and demonstrates the sensitivity of Siwaj Sawatmaneekul (New), director, screenwriter and actor, to write their journeys of self-discovery. There are no "token" characters here, used in many television shows to call themselves diverse. We see young people exploring love and sexuality outside of heteronormativity.
We are faced with one of those series capable of attracting passionate followers around the world for its frank and sensitive representation of what today's teenagers face: first love, life at university, sex, self-discovery, most of all of age, youth traumas, inclusion, sexuality, neurodiversity and the best friends who help them get ahead.
With a vast body of work within the genre, with titles such as 'Love by Chance', 'Until We Meet Again' and 'Make It Right', among many others, New Siwaj Sawatmaneekul gives us one of those romantic and fun series with very good characters outlines that hook the public immediately.
Modern, real, entertaining and, above all, addictive, this series joins others with themes of first youth and first love, with the university as its setting, which has always had a negative connotation, since many ( (not to say all of us) it is difficult for us to admit that we have become hooked on some of these dramas, due to their ability to entertain the viewer from beginning to end.
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"Slow Burn", Stockholm Syndrome and Love Triangles
The reasons why a person can be kidnapped are numerous, as evidenced by the world of films and television series.Perhaps the most common approach is that of kidnapping with the aim of demanding a sum of money in exchange for release. Another type of drama that centers its plot on the kidnapping of people is, without a doubt, those in which hostages are taken for various reasons: military, economic, even purely romantic, etc. And the third major category of fictional productions featuring kidnapped people and kidnappers is undoubtedly the one that directly refers to criminal psychopaths with the worst possible intentions, where the plot is always a race against time to escape or hunt down the culprit. It's very common to see in these films and series the crazy person who decides to hold passengers on public transportation —planes, buses, trains—, or isolated houses, against their will.
However, what's interesting about the Taiwanese series, directed by Chiou Hau Jou, known for his extensive production of films and series in both China and Taiwan, is that it presents us with a trope, both funny and dark, in which a kidnapper and his victim fall in love.
'Exclusive Love', which tells stories of postponed, forbidden, and even unlikely loves, proposes another very peculiar motive for kidnapping a person: a brother tries to force another to take over a funeral business he detests, and to do so he uses a kidnapper.
The story gradually reveals the motive that leads Wang Ying Xiu (Mozy Yu) to ask his friend Tang Du Zhi (played by Parker Mao) to kidnap his non-blood-related brother Wang Zhan (played by Chang Chia Sheng, in his first leading role), to force him to enter a funeral business that he has rejected for years because he is interested in becoming a professional singer and musician. It will also lead us to learn about the love that arises between kidnapper and kidnapped person in the midst of such a dangerous situation, where fear and the anxiety of reliving past traumas go hand in hand. Following in the footsteps of other BL series where victim and victimizer end up in each other's arms, such as 'Kidnap' and 'KinnPorche', among others, 'Exclusive Love' will captivate you with a romance story where the protagonists meet in the middle of a crime, but something unexpected makes them fall in love.
Although the name doesn't sound very romantic, as you delve into the story, you'll see how the spark of love slowly begins to grow between the successor of a funeral business and the character played by the actor known for bringing Xia Shang Zhou to life in the BL drama 'You Are Mine'), here a funeral director who commits the kidnapping.
However, what begins as a plan to force someone to accept being the business successor of a company ends up changing the lives of these two people completely. Literally: Wang Zhan not only falls in love with his kidnapper, but his love is reciprocated, and grows as he also begins to "love the dead".
For fans of the Enemies to Lovers trope, and more precisely, Stockholm Syndrome, watching the couple of Wang Zhan and Tang Du Zhi is a true joy, as there is nothing more exciting in this type of story than the moment when victim and perpetrator finally admit their feelings.
But it's the "slow-burn" trope that governs and shapes the two romantic relationships in 'Exclusive Love'. While the two main characters have long desired each other, clearly in love, it takes them a while to take the first step toward being together. In them, the romantic connection, emotional development, and real, true feelings develop gradually, through shared moments, deep conversations, and challenges they overcome together.
The writers recreate the development of feelings within the narrative to the point of exhaustion. But in my opinion, they have a reasonable excuse: the main characters have enough traumas that prevent them from acting on their feelings. Specifically, Tang Du Zhi experiences a trauma from his youth. He blames himself for indirectly causing the death of his parents and the disability of his brother in a tragic car accident, precisely on his birthday.
Being in a relationship with someone who carries past traumas isn't easy. Tang Du Zhi must first overcome them in order to accept the love that knocks at his door. Wang Zhan will have to be patient, understand, and accompany his loved one through this difficult process.
But there will be a third trope throughout the series: the love triangle. The cat-and-mouse game that runs vertically through the protagonists' relationship is exploited by Ian (played by Sun Mai Jie), a friend of both, who, attracted to Wang Zhan, tries to get him to set his sights on him.
Meanwhile, the story between Tu Jing He (Pu Ching Heng) and Zhang Yi Qing (Hsv Wei Tse), both making their acting debut, also simmers.
Tu Jing He and Zhang Yi Qing have a strong friendship that has been solidified since their student days, so their mutual longing gives rise to a slow burn. Their secret crush is threatened by the latter's arranged marriage. His parents demand that he marry, so they set him up on blind dates in search of his son's future daughter-in-law and wife. Zhou You Ning (Cindy Chi) is the third point in this love triangle, which risks turning into a love square (or rather, the definitive birth of a typical two-person relationship between the two boys) when the girl chosen to marry Tu Jing He shows interest in the female wedding choreographer.
"SLOW-BURN"
In most romantic series and films, true love is all about the spark. The protagonists often have little time to forge a solid connection. In these cases, the strength of the relationship is often measured by the speed with which two people can "connect". For this reason, audiences are accustomed to seeing love stories that develop fluidly, quickly, and at breakneck speed after only a few weeks or dates. Screenwriters champion the premise: "when they know, they know".
But not all love stories develop this way. In others, the characters take their time to go from being a "couple of friends", even enemies or strangers, to being in love. When love triumphs while simmering, it demonstrates not only that perseverance has truly led the loving couple to feel the purest love, but it also showcases the often overlooked power of the "slow burn".
The relationship between the two main characters is a slow burn because they both begin as friends after the events that led them to meet and interact with each other, and there was no initial element of passion, infatuation, or physical chemistry.
Meanwhile, the secondary couple's relationship takes a while to blossom because while Zhang Yi Qing and Tu Jing He have had a platonic connection since their high school years, various internal and external factors, such as peer pressure, doubts, misunderstandings, and family demands for one of them to get married, have caused their romance to take years to blossom. Here, heartbroken wedding planner Zhang Yi Qing helps his old friend Tu Jing He plan the wedding, but in reality, he wants to sabotage it.
Both relationships have a solid foundation in friendship, trust, and the experience of a love that deepens as the connection progresses. In both relationships, it seems more like a friendship with a small spark of attraction or passion, than a great flame of attraction and passion with a little bit of friendship.
Although the two relationships don't have the spark of love at first sight, although they basically spend a lot of time yearning for/denying each other's feelings while circumstances keep them apart, once that little spark turns into a flame, it's worth the wait.
In my opinion, slow burns are most successful when paired as a subtrope beneath an overarching story that provides obstacles for the characters to deal with.
From the script to the put on screen, the series delivers on its premise: between the funeral and the wedding, the four protagonists say goodbye to the pain and misunderstandings of their past and redefine love and life.
WHAT MAKES THEIR STORY SPECIAL?
The series has raised both pro and con voices on social media. In addition to the strong performances, a story that blends drama and romance, and also includes some thought-provoking life lessons, fans praise it for its narrative containing elements of drama, trauma, grief, and healing; for the attraction exerted by male protagonists with a strong, virile energy; for the chemistry between the actors; for the heated exchange of glances between the members of the two main couples, which apparently have raised the temperature among viewers.
However, it has found detractors among those who find the delay in consolidating the two romantic relationships as the 12 episodes draw to a close excessive; and for its violent content, such as forcing someone to overcome their fears in an unorthodox way; and for the handling of characters traumatized by everything related to blood and death. Unlike other kidnapping films, in this case, Stockholm syndrome manifests itself so quickly that the viewer doesn't have time to believe the boy is being kidnapped by a stranger. Moreover, the slow-burning romance leaves viewers in suspense, wondering if and when the love interests will actually unite.
Co-produced by LINE TV and Neptune Tianxi in collaboration with Poseidon Films and Advantage Global, 'Exclusive Love' is (ostensibly) the "first BL drama about funeral director etiquette", whose originality the creators seem strangely proud of.
With a visual aesthetic dedicated to highlighting the beauty of Taiwanese landscapes, the gloomy and somber spaces associated with death and funerals, and the shapely bodies of the protagonists, the series has been dubbed "HIStory 6 in Disguise" due to its close affiliation with the same production company and production team as the legendary BL series.
A cast that also includes Leo Cheng as employee Chi Hui Yu, among others, adds depth to the stories.
As I listen to Anson Poon's opening and ending themes "Glimmer" and "US" (想和你), respectively, "Dawn" (天亮), "Amanecer" (天亮), "Contour" (輪廓), and "Beside You" (在你身邊), I ask myself the following questions: How far can a serial love story go? How many layers of seduction and eroticism can be told? Why is it that the more unpredictable a new romance series is, the larger its audience will be? The object of desire? Why is it that the strangest, most surprising, forbidden —even improbable—loves are the ones that generate the greatest attraction?
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Hearing and love
Long before any young person comes out of the closet, there is a process of self-acceptance. This process can be long, difficult and terrifying as the person carries a mixture of fear and shame, and explores their feelings and emotions, while trying to keep them hidden from public view. Straight kids never go through this, and many straight adults don't understand how difficult it can be to find yourself and your sexuality in a world that assumes you are "normal".For its part, hearing loss causes communication problems that can have significant effects on daily life and generate a feeling of loneliness, isolation and frustration.
In deaf people there are both chronic complications and physical consequences of deafness, and above all social complications. Among the latter, the most common are: shame, guilt and anger, grief, concentration problems, worry and frustration, anxiety and mistrust, insecurity and self-criticism and low self-esteem/self-confidence.
How does a deaf person deal with their shame and fears, if on top of this they have to deal with other difficulties, if they are experiencing a process of self-acceptance of their homosexuality?
The possible answers to this question lead me to ask another question: How do you express your love to someone you love? I hope to find the solution to these unknowns in 'See You Love', the series by Taiwanese director Chiang Ping Chen. I started watching it without any expectations, but surprisingly it turns into a fascinating series.
The trick of the series that allows it to transcend the usual boy love stories filled with an attractive cast is, without a doubt, the use of the non-verbal medium of sign language.
The truth is that with 'See You Love', its director once again explores the LGBT+ theme, after triumphing with 'Plus & Minus', 'Be Loved in House', 'Craving You' and 'Be Loved in House Special', and it does so by betting on insurance, having as allies the screenwriters and producers Lin Pei Yu and Anita Sung, members of the team that has produced successful BL, such as 'Kiseki: Dear To Me', 'My Tooth Your Love', See You After Quarantine ?', 'HIStory3: Trapped', 'HIStory2: Crossing the Line', 'HIStory2: Right or Wrong' and 'HIStory: Obsessed', among other series.
This time, Brains Entertainment Production, in association with an inclusive theater production, Shinehouse Theatre, produces 'See Your Love', a joint investment project between Taiwan's BIGART and Japanese streaming platforms Video Market and Rakuten TV. According to the director in interviews and on his social networks, to create the series he was inspired by his childhood experiences with his deaf uncle, to convey the belief that love remains firm despite the gradual loss of hearing or the absence of it from the cradle. On the other hand, he stated that the selection process involved actors who used sign language to convey emotions, with the aim of showing various expressions of love.
Will 'See You Love' achieve its goal of presenting love in various forms and languages while contributing to awareness of deaf culture? This question will be answered at the end of this romantic and emotional journey that is just beginning.
Everything indicates that it finally feels as if people in the deaf community are being recognized in the film and television industry, as 'See You Love' joins a group of dramatized shows, including several with LGBT+ themes, in which the characters the main characters use sign language or lip reading and body gestures for most of the story, making the audience rely heavily on subtitles to help us, such as the Thai series 'Moonlight Chicken' by Aof Noppharnach. Chaiyahwimhon, and the Japanese film 'Hidamari ga Kikoeru', by Yaegashi Fuga, Makino Masaru, Harashima Takanobu, or the also Japanese film 'Hidamari ga Kikoeru', by Daisuke Kamijo, but it introduces a novel factor: voice to text and text translators to speech that can be installed on our mobile phone.
And both sign language and the aforementioned novelty work, while helping to generate interest in the public by seeing the former as a symbol of identity and cultural heritage of deaf people because it allows them to communicate without restrictions, in addition to promoting their development. linguistic and cognitive, and the other as a demonstration of how technology offers us tools to build bridges and make our lives easier.
I don't know the Taiwanese version of sign language, but the cast members seem to know it. As a result, there are numerous thoughtful, moving and emotional scenes between the characters, especially between the two leads, which are very well done.
'See You Love' confronts this disability without seeking the viewer's sensitivity or compassion or easy tears. On the contrary, it is presented completely naturally, which is appreciated and exalts it.
The story, which is about how love can transcend language and all external barriers, tells the initiation journey of discovery and acceptance of Jiang Xiao Peng, played by Jin Yun, a simple and honest young man, and Yang Ji Xiang or Sean, a role assumed by Lin Yu, a romantic and wealthy second-generation heir of Taiwanese origin living abroad, who tries to escape taking over the family business.
On the other hand, Yang Ji Xiang lives an unwanted courtship with Zheng Yu Nong/Jessica (Amy 'Plus & Minus' and 'Be Loved in House') imposed by her father, a businessman who believes that in a relationship they should not feelings take precedence, but rather family interests. Forced for economic reasons, the young woman will become a barrier in the incipient romantic relationship of the protagonist couple, while the rich heir will try to keep Jiang Xiao Peng away to protect him when danger looms over him.
With this character, Jin Yun begins his struggle in the world of entertainment, while Lin Yu demonstrates a meteoric rise, after playing a supporting role in the successful BL series 'Unknown', from this same year. Both provide good performances that are close to the realities of many young people in Taiwan and the entire world, since their characters address stories in which those who have recently left adolescence and who, despite disabilities and economic limitations or, on the contrary, having been born in a cradle of gold, they seek family independence in a risky act on which they bet everything, without knowing if it will work out or not.
The lives of these two young people intersect when the first, after graduating, and while looking for a job that no one offers him due to his deafness, runs into the spirited Yang Ji Xiang, who has just arrived in Taiwan from abroad to negotiate the merger of the family business with another from the Asian island, and this one, because of his kindness and good character, ends up offering him a job as his caretaker. And this will be the trigger for two hearts to beat for each other. The moment they meet, and thanks to unexpected help, misunderstandings and funny situations, a beautiful bond is established between them, and their evolution and development will be what the series tells us.
Most of the time, the scenes are filled with silent dialogues and silence or reading on the phone screen or lips and body gestures. I am amazed every time I see this unique couple speaking to each other with their sign language, how their hand movements and facial expressions interact more effectively than our everyday language. And this is just the beginning, but from the progress everything seems to indicate that Yang Ji Xiang will learn the most effective way to communicate with her lover.
'See You Love' is definitely not a superficial love drama: it is an empowering and inspiring story about dreams and aspirations. There are some melancholic and moving scenes, particularly those in which the deaf boy feels that he is marginalized by society because of his disability, but they have the power to remind us that dreams, hope, the desire to help others, and the search for of economic independence, must always be there to illuminate our lives.
All the time the director plays with sound and its absence, causing an interesting sensation in the viewer who, after the initial confusion, learns to empathize with the condition of his protagonist.
The rest of the story is quite simple, without ignoring the action, crime and mystery plot, and follows a formula, although it remains extremely interesting thanks to the cheerful story, with a good dose of humor, and its extremely actors. attractive, who have obviously greatly polished their skills to communicate non-verbally in an effective effort to achieve organicity and credibility on screen.
Although some may shudder at the most dramatic moments, my old sentimental self somehow sees it as something capable of bringing something extra to the table, with the fight against mafia organizations, often led by someone close to us who tries to take away our dreams and inheritances, and the relationship between two very close brothers, one deaf and the other the assistant of the company to merge with the company that Yang Ji Xiang would inherit, which makes you appreciate the nature of that innate feeling of brotherhood.
The role of Song Shu He, the "sister", is assumed by Lee Yu, an actress known for playing supporting roles in the series 'My Best Friend's Breakfast' (2022) and 'Adventures of The Ring' (2021).
The love between two friends of different genders who consider themselves brothers (although she was in love with him in the past) and the love between the family, also made up of two loving and supportive parents with their children, parents who play key roles here, emphasizes the sensitivity of how parents can care for their offspring, regardless of the disability they may have. Not to mention also that they almost always steal the show due to their quirkiness and comedic timing whenever they appear on screen, plus some slapstick humor that director Chiang Ping Chen introduces from time to time. The simplicity of the characters makes everything believable.
Here we don't see parents locking up their disabled children rather than face the shame associated with it. However, they will not avoid blaming themselves for their child's disability.
Also attractive and fun is the relationship between Yang Ji Xiang and Cheng Feng Jie, which is not sexual, but is overly friendly. The role of Jonathan, as the assistant and friend of the handsome businessman co-protagonist is also known, is played with rigor by Lin Chia Yo, who had previously worked under the direction of the director of the series, when he took part in a supporting role in 'Be Loved in House'.
Since Yang Ji Xiang is not interested in inheriting the family business, he will ask Jonathan to take his place as negotiator with the Taiwanese side in the merger of the companies. Jonathan then being confused with the young heir, Wang A romance arises between the two.
I am waiting for the appearance of the character Wang Xin Jia, played by Lin Yung Chieh, since everything seems to indicate there will be more than one romantic relationship.
'See You Love' reminds us that no matter what medium are used to express love: as long as it comes straight from the heart, honestly and sincerely, that emotion will be heard loud and clear.
I am struck by the way in which the main characters build the intimacy and chemistry they have, especially when the communication between them is not "normal", which shows that there is no single way to conceive them on screen. The actors create a relationship based on attraction, complicity, flirtation, romance, friendship, even a certain brotherly connection. The viewers witness the spark, the humor, the tenderness and the chemistry that makes it clear from their first meet cute that we don't know how or when, but those two will end up together.
It is evident the work that goes on behind the camera so that we perceive that they are in love. And the two characters have such a good time that they create this kind of reality in which the rest of the world seems not to exist when they are together in a room or any other meeting place.
The costumes and locations provide a material dimension to the veracity of the dialogues that rock, caress, make you laugh and scratch at times, like reality itself, while the music reinforces the meaning of the ideas that, by themselves, the images are not capable of expressing, and establishes a continuous narrative link in the cinematographic discourse, contributing to giving credibility to the action.
Speaking of tenderness, I have to say that Jiang Xiao Peng, without being perfect, is without a doubt one of the sweetest and most tender male characters, best constructed that I have come across in recent times, with that sense of kindness towards others and the search for independence, to stand up for oneself.
Unlike other characters who suffer from deafness, the one played by Jin Yun is rich in nuances. We do not know how he went through the stages of denial to acceptance that every deaf person goes through, he is aware of his weaknesses, and turns them into strengths. In everyday life, being hard of hearing is a kind of balancing act in which you have to walk a tightrope between what is perceived and what is not perceived.
Becoming aware of her hearing disability, Jiang Xiao Peng realizes that he must drag and lift her along with him to find his place in the world. And the series also tells the story of the search for that place. There we see him not being content with his sister throwing him a lifeline in the form of a job in her company. He wants to be independent for his efforts, on his own merits, although he thanks her for her concern and solidarity. There we have him helping other disabled people like him to overcome architectural barriers that prevent his passage, or with his phone or his eyes trying to capture all the sounds and signals so that none escapes him and he can dominate the reality that surrounds him. He understands that the world is beautiful to listen to, even if it often plunges him into chaos. He is not one to easily withdraw into himself and avoid the company of humans.
The series reminds us that love and dreams are miraculous. It is not necessary to hear them or transform them into words.
You can call me romantic if you want, but I love this series despite its simple story. It is a beautiful story of love, improvement and sacrifice that I have surely overrated by rating it more with my heart than with my head.
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Shoma: like a rearing horse
Neti Suwanjinda, director of BL series such as 'Love Sea' and 'Wedding Plan', and editor of 'Only Friends', directed the Thai version of the novels "Love Storm" (พายุรักโถมใจ) and "Love Sky" in 2022. (พระพายหมายฟ้า), written by Orawan Vichayawannakul, or simply Mame, the prolific writer of boys' love stories at Dek-d.com, and co-founder of the production company Me Mind Y.With the title 'Love Storm' ('Love in the Air'), this series, about two romantic relationships, taken one from each book, which will be sustained by the handsome friends of motorcycle racers and car mechanics Phayu and Prapai, with Rain and Sky, respectively, the shy, naive and cute college kids. The characters were played by Boss Chaikamon Sermsongwittaya, Noeul Nuttarat Tangwai, Fort Thitipong Setjai and Peat Wasuthorn Chaijindar, four young actors who have managed to win the hearts of genre lovers thanks to their appearances on screen.
A very popular series, it received diverse criticism, especially among those who disapproved of alleged toxic relationships and non-consensual sexual approaches, on the one hand, and those who did not spare praise and valued it for its effective display of intimacy, realistic representation of sex, stories of mental healing, overcoming trauma and developing the couple's relationship. In my opinion, a decent romantic drama that will keep you excited if you haven't skimmed the book. Even if you've read it, it's still a very good story.
Although specialized criticism does not contradict it, it was not that big of a deal. Just a fast-paced and sexy series, which gradually seasoned its plot with accessories of motorcycle racing, college drama, senior-junior relationship, and a strong erotic touch. Depending on the latter, Noeul and Peat were there: to inflame Boss and Fort, respectively, and to make them race on their motorcycles at more than a thousand kilometers per hour in a desperation not so much to win a race, but to return to each other's arms, and the bed, of his lovers.
Japanese television decided to revive the well-known plot, now in a series with the title 'Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan' (2024), one that also arouses mixed comments for the same reasons, but has even awakened the desire to watch it on many of those who ignored the Thai version.
The series deviates very little from the Thai television original. In addition to the logical adaptations of the environment, it softens the speeches, slightly redraws the profile of the characters, changes their names to Japanese patronyms, and incorporates a plot within the university classrooms, the automotive workshop and the race track. The light and slapsticky Japanese humor or physical comedy is to be celebrated, as a form of scandalous and simulated violence that it contributes to the remake.
But at the same time, it maintains the essence and vibrations of the characters, while capturing the Japanese aesthetic and enriching the actions with its beautiful photography and soundtrack.
With a slightly more agile pace than the Thai original, which like this one brings together two novels in a series, but unlike that one, the remake must cover in 10 episodes of about 26 minutes each the content of 14 chapters of 45 minutes approximately shown by its predecessor. Thus, creators must be vigilant to avoid filler and stay focused on the central story.
Now, the motorcycle racers and cunning saviors who raise storms in the hearts of the two best friends are composed of Nagumo Shoma and Suzuki Asahi, who play Hayase Arashi and Kawai Fuma, in that order; while the university students who will let the motorcyclists steal their kisses and burn with passion are Nagatsuma Reo and Hamaya Takuto, actors who play Sorano Kai and Amemiya Rei, respectively.
The latter is responsible for awakening Shoma's goat-like sexual fury.
Rei, although she may seem a little annoying and silly to many viewers, somewhat less than her counterpart Rain in 'Love Storm', reflects precisely the type of irritating, clumsy and even childish character written in the script and the novels. Despite not being the kind of character I like to appreciate, I have to admit that the Japanese version of Rain is better than the Thai version. In this sense, the Japanese actor gives me cuter vibes than Noeul.
Naguno Shoma forges here one of the most defined compositions of his career, after playing Naoki in 'Atelier Kiss', and Komine in 'Growth Kiss', stories that make up the BL drama 'Kiss x Kiss x Kiss: Love ii Shower' , a classmate of Akira in 'Minato Shouji Coin Laundry', and Yamase Kazuma in '25 Ji, Akasaka de', all recent Bl dramas, and looks much more captivating than usual: necessary faculty to compose a character who accepts the challenge of falling in love with Rei in less than a month, at the same time subjected to extreme emotional tensions, who goes through various emotional scenarios and complicated circumstances both within and off the race tracks.
His almost permanent presence before the camera creates an effectively constructed material; with very good supporting actors (especially Higuchi Hina, who plays Furuta Rinka, a student at the university where Rei and Kai study and who from a person who liked Rei becomes his rival for the love of Arashi; and Mochizuki Ayumu as Tomaru Taiga, a haughty lover of illegal speed racing; the latter character written with grit and precision regarding his arrogance as a daddy's son and connoisseur of the world of sports motorcycling.
And if the first story is happy, fun and sweet, that of Kai and Fuma is dark and sad, since the young university student suffers from sexual, physical and psychological harassment and abuse by Kurosaki Gan (Tajima Yusei), a violent man who Together with his henchmen, he pursues Rei's friend to make him suffer. Kai won't know how to deal with this situation. Why do you reject his approaches and flirtations? Will smoking be the same as your stalker? If I told you the truth, how would Fuma react? Will he be able to count on Fuma's help? Will Kai manage to overcome his trauma and be happy next to the handsome motorcycle racer?
This is the second, a story as beautiful and moving as the first.
In fact, praise must be given to its experienced creator, Tomori Atsuki, an all-rounder in Japanese commercial television fiction, who, in addition to being an actress (she does not intervene in the drama as such), is a screenwriter and director, and manages to effectively film the remake of the Thai original , introducing successful and slight changes.
With only two episodes viewed at the time of writing the review, I will wait for the series to progress a little further, or even conclude, to issue new evaluations.
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Teenage love is NOT as addictive as heroin
Gone are the days when film directors arrived at a shoot with the novel they intended to adapt under their arms and rolled around tearing off leaves and extracting from them what they considered most substantial. No scripts at the beginning of the silent era, when a good part of the narration was excluded from a film plot with few reels.As the years passed, the adaptations were perfected and today every successful novel has a swarm of producers behind it interested in bringing it to the screens. Top-notch scriptwriters, high budgets, efficient period reconstruction, and yet interesting aspects of the book continue to be left out, mainly due to the time-footage factor, or for including thorny themes, such as stormy loves and obsessions, which can reach sexual violations, and that conditions the filmmakers.
This generally means that good novel readers are dissatisfied with the film or television versions. Which does not mean that cinema and television continue to adapt literary themes, because many who do not read—increasingly, unfortunately—enjoy good stories, thanks to bringing the books they were not able to read into moving images. arrive.
The year after filming 'Hit Bite Love', the daring series adorned with sexual scenes and sadomasochism, after debuting in 2013 with the film 'Tom Gay', which was followed by 'Let's Go Bangkok Holiday' and 'The Right Man: Because I Love You', and the series 'Love Sick Season 2', 'Make It Right' and 'War of High School', among others, in which he addresses topics such as homosexuality, homophobia, love triangles, romances secrets, infidelity, multiple partners, unrequited love, youth and the school environment, Yuan Tin Tun Danop, the Thai film and television director, returns to the small screen.
It does not bring just any series, but the adaptation of the novel "Are You Addicted?", by the Chinese novelist Chai Ji Dan, a work that in a short time has become a global success, acclaimed by many, while others describe it as problematic due to showing physical assault and sexual violation not consented by the victim.
Love, heartbreak, jealousy, intrigue, misunderstandings, betrayal, obsession, sexual violation, family tensions, eidetic memory... The thing is, despite this, or precisely because of it, this work has all the ingredients to conquer the public again and again, whether between the pages of the book, printed or digital, or in front of a screen thanks to the two ill-fated Chinese versions, since his work has been adapted to television for years without ever being completed.
After the publication of "Are You Addicted?", considered one of those global literary phenomena that came to sweep its path, criticism and comments poured in. Most to praise it and say that it was a magnificent way to tell a story of rape and love, others to reproach it for being an insult to all survivors of male sexual violence. Words like sexual assault, domestic violence, and vicious tort were uttered, and there were even accusations that the writer was defending the classic lie that rape awakens sexuality.
But in its human complexity and artistic excellence, the novel is much more than a chain of assumptions and requires readers free of conservatism and prejudices that prevent them from analyzing the psyche and attitudes of the protagonists. An exploration of intimacies proposed by the literary work to refer to the ravings of desire and obsession of a boy in love with another who resists him, without knowing in those moments that they are also stepbrothers. Without ignoring that after the act of sexual violence to which one of the characters is subjected, he must face a mental transcendence that leads him to fall in love with his attacker. All this, while we witness, in great depth, the dissection of two families, one wealthy and the other mired in poverty.
Although Chai Ji Dan is considered as irreverent as he is provocative, his work is demonstrative of good craftsmanship and imagination in abundance. There is a long list of films and series that mix romance and drama that equally combine explicit violence, the most disturbing sexual content and social criticism.
The sexual scenes that the Chinese novelist resorts to with total artistic justification seek the psychological introspection of the characters. Hence, we have to be attentive to looks, voices, emotional reactions, all in order to explore Gu Hai's human nature, a mixture of love and kindness, but also impulses, obsessions and denials occurring under the same addiction that gives the title to the novel.
And there is his girlfriend, Jin Lu Lu, also over the top with sex, and whose sudden appearance will represent a mess for him, who will see both his privacy and his life routine destroyed. Without forgetting that she embodies a past that Gu Hai is not willing to resume. While, on the other hand, he feels threatened by the possibility of losing Bai Luo Yin, the great love of his life, if he decided to reestablish his romantic relationship with Shi Hiu, his ex-girlfriend.
"Are You Addicted?" It deals with issues related to homosexuality, but at the same time it becomes a story of a beautiful and suffering humble family, and the relationship between father and son in an unpleasant environment marked by poverty. Diverse and very significant characters will then parade, with whom the reader comes to fall in love.
With the title 'Addicted Heroine', the unfinished television adaptation of the tumultuous love story of Bai Luo Yin and Gu Hai, has been taken up by Yuan Tin Tun Danop, to tell, in this Thai version, the story of Hero and Poopy, two teenagers who, despite their social differences and personal life paths, evolve from enemies to lovers, to forge a beautiful love relationship.
It is true that it is a story already told, but as I have already said, unfinished in its two adaptations: 'Addicted' (2016), by Chinese director Ding Wei, and 'Stay with Me' (2023), with script and direction by the author herself. Chai Ji Dan. From there arises the challenge to the imagination. But in my opinion, the director misuses it.
Although it has characters and a plot similar to the original work, the proposal by Yuan Tin Tun Danop, whose only experience as a director in adapting novels was with the unsuccessful BL series 'What the Duck', from 2018, the names of the characters and the approach to the relationship dynamics of the two main protagonists are different.
But to continue, and in case someone does not know exactly what the story is about, we leave you a brief introduction:
Hero Rahat, after the death of his mother, does not have a good relationship with his father. In the eyes of a 16-year-old teenager, the man, head of a wealthy family, with an authoritarian and dominant character, is responsible for the loss of the person who carried him in her womb. Bearing a deep grudge against him, Hero does not accept that his father, the military Kulchanchanaocha, has remarried. Therefore, due to constant disagreements, he decides to leave the family home to live with his aunt on his mother's side in a rural area.
For his part, for as long as him can remember, Poppy Luesil has lived a humble life in a poor social environment with him careless but loving father, Han Hanchai (Pep Nophasit Thiengtham). His parents divorced many years ago and since then Poppy has made the decision to stay with him father and forget about him mother, who has also made no effort to maintain a close relationship with him son. For this reason, Poppy has a shy and reserved character. Even so, using his intelligence and excellent penmanship, he has developed his skills, earning a good reputation as a diligent student and recognized as such.
When him turns sixteen, his estranged biological mother, Khing Jarinya (Meenay Jutai), remarries Hero's father. Khing's wish is that Poppy agrees to live with his new husband and his son so that she can obtain better training and prosper socially. However, Poppy categorically rejects that proposal and decides to stay with her father.
By chance of fate, the new stepbrothers meet in the same class at a secondary school, without being aware of the family ties they maintain with each other. Although at first their personalities clash and they have several school disputes due to Hero taking out his frustrations on the young boy, constantly making fun of him, they slowly develop a good friendship that later culminates in Hero's falling in love with Poppy.
Under these circumstances, Hero will stop feeling love for his girlfriend Lala (Nall Nalliya Wipakkit), and will do everything possible to consolidate his relationship with Poppy.
The latter, who resists having a romantic relationship with Hero, will experience how the persistence and feelings of his new classmate and stepbrother will gradually overcome his barriers and resistance until, finally, he admits that his feelings also overcome the "friendship" label.
But after discovering the family bond that unites them, new problems will come to stand in the way of the two teenagers, and both must learn to use love to overcome the class barriers and obstacles that surround them.
His classmates, Tiger Yawamon (Yang Meng in the novel), a role assumed by the young actor Jur, and Only (You Qi in the novel), played by Newyear, who also show a romantic attraction between the two, witness the evolution of the relationship between the two young people, which crystallizes when they both go to live together in Poppy's humble family home.
With themes such as homosexual romance, coming of age, youth and their way of facing life, family roles, economic contradictions, social inequalities, daily life, self-discovery and acceptance, the series stars August Vachiravit Paisarnkulwong (remembered for playing Pete, one of the protagonists of the two seasons of 'Love Sick the Series', which marked his acting debut, nothing more and nothing less than under the orders of the director of 'Addicted Heroine') as Hero Rahat, and Mac Nattapat Nimjirawat as Poppy Luesil, in her first leading role after participating in numerous films and series, such as 'The Broken Us' and 'My Forever Sunshine'.
Unfortunately, despite some good performances from the cast, the series cannot be recommended to those readers of Chai Ji Dan's novel. The almost literal fidelity of the script to the text contrasts with the free choices made by the director.
It is evident that the changes in the personalities of the protagonists, the telling of the story with tones of vulgar comedy and not from the drama that the novel shows, as well as modifying the dynamics in the actions of the main couple, obey the intention of avoiding the scandal of narrating violent scenes including sexual assaults.
In this sense, the worst point is the literary script, which turns a great novelistic work into an extremely generic story, one of those that we have already seen a thousand times before, and that at some moments becomes meaningless, with unnecessary and at certain moments inexplicable twists and turns, which leads to the great probability of ending up in oblivion due to the way it was carried out by abandoning a solid construction of characters and conflicts in a trite idea.
In the profession of film criticism there is an unwritten rule, although obvious, which almost all of us observe in one way or another: try to strike a balance when evaluating, in terms of weaknesses and successes. Sometimes, that is almost impossible, and this series confirms it.
Despite the notable production values and worthy performances by August and Mac, the script has weighed down, altered and suppressed the strong chemistry and sexual tension between the new stepbrothers with conflicting emotional backgrounds that include previous relationships with old girlfriends, as well as the obsession of one of the boys with the other, which leads him to commit the vile act of sexual assault. The thing is that here we will not find those two fascinating and shocking personalities, so different and complex, which generate all the conflicts included in the original work.
The magic, the spell and the loving intensity of the characters that put the novel on a high level of erotic literature have been left on wet paper.
The result is a bland and clumsy series with a very weak romantic relationship that fans of the literary work do not like, but can be satisfactory for the millions around the world who log in every Tuesday to watch it and do not know the novel. In this case, they could admire and enjoy a beautiful love story between two boys, but nothing more.
In this sense, why adapt a work with that premise and then ignore it and not bring it to the screen? Wouldn't it have been much easier then to film an original script, even if it is loaded with love stories between stepbrothers and the relationship between enemies and lovers?
As part of the human instinct to look for different ways to tell a known story, 'Addicted Heroine' simply joins the long list of failed adaptations, and becomes a soulless television series, which is light years away from the novel on which his script is based. It is, quite simply, a bad mutation of one of the most beautiful erotic novels ever written.
The script is by Chim Sedthawut Inboon ('Never Let Me Go'), Park Thamsarun Khusunthia ('Club Friday Season 16: Young Love') and Poy Orachat Brahmasreni ('Gen Y Season 2'), the latter the only one of this trio of writers with previous experience in adapting original works, by bringing the content of the web novel "Love Syndrome III" to the screen in 2023, a series that also became a failure.
Another of the significant changes in the Thai series is the elimination of the romantic interest of the character of You Qi (Only, in the Thai version), the attractive and popular young man who keeps his homosexuality a secret, by Luo Yin. This ill-advised decision eliminates one of the sources of Hero's (Gu Hai) jealousy, making the series dispense with the rivalry, drama and tension that the love trio causes.
The strong paternal-filial bond of Bai Luo Yin (Poppy Luesil, in this adaptation) with his father Bai Han-qi ("Han" Hanchai in the Thai version), does not reach the intensity and drama of the original work. His humble life in a poor social environment with his sick grandmother and father is weak.
Gu Hai's (Hero) deep resentment towards Gu Wei Ting, his father, for blaming him for his mother's death, is laughable at best.
The character played by August is just a shadow of the character that came from the pen of Chai Ji Dan. No matter how hard he tries, he does not achieve the vibrations that awaken that strong-willed but lonely student who wants to free himself from the influence of his authoritarian father and has difficulty expressing his emotions until the moment he knows true love. Knowing that he is a proven and recognized actor, I assume this is due to the weak drawing of his character in the literary and technical script.
But in my opinion, the biggest mistake is having turned the strong and independent character played by Mac into a lame perfect student overwhelmed by shyness and timidness.
Despite its beautiful photography and remarkable music, the series does not awaken in me the same emotions that I experienced when reading the novel. This is mainly because the greatness of the original work and its two failed Chinese versions lies in the strength, complexity and independence of the personalities of the two protagonists and the inevitable clash of the same, and this is weighed down by the changes introduced in ' Addicted Heroine', which murders the novel.
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Judge by your own successes and errors
The Thai actor Mos Panuwat Sopradit in his acting debut and the Thai-American singer ISBANKY (Bank Mondop Heamtan), in his first leading role, gave us in 2022 a series that from its premise raised a question: Can love be born from hate?To answer this question, in this romantic comedy-drama with an LGBTIQ+ theme, its creators, the director and screenwriter Puwadon Naosopa and the writer Boy Mitpracha Outtaros, tell a story whose narrative arc describes how the protagonists begin as declared enemies or adversaries, only to discover gradually a deeper connection that transcends the initial animosity.
Taking a common pretext in romantic films and series in which the initial enmity between the protagonists leads them to an enviable love story, 'Big Dragon' presents us with Mangkorn (Mos) and Yai (ISBANKY), two young people who appear to be opposite poles and end up attracted by a chemistry produced throughout the series.
What began as a natural dislike between the two little by little leads to romance, which is complicated because, first of all, because the series is set in a society in which even today, in the 21st century, it is illegal to marriage between people of the same sex or in which members of the LGBTIQ+ community are equally discriminated against due to the impossibility of starting a family, adopting a child or changing their name and new identity after undergoing sex change, and other injustices that are not suffered by the heterosexual people.
In this context, which we cannot ignore, Mangkorn and Yai live, separately and in different ways, the process of accepting homosexuality, denying that they like a person of the same sex, stating that what happened between them was motivated by alcohol and drugs, asking friends for guidance, looking for women as a way to confirm heterosexuality, or even getting into fist fights.
On the other hand, Mangkorn's father pressures his son to marry his friend's daughter, and Yai suffers family pressure with a dead mother and an absent father for work reasons and now in a new love relationship to which the protagonist objects.
Despite social pressures, jealousy, the presence of a new love interest who will try to come between the two, the need to separate due to student issues, Mangkorn and Yai will reach a happy port after starting a journey that will lead them to experience a true individual transformation after falling in love.
I first saw 'Big Dragon' and was interested to see what else Puwadon Naosopa had done or would do in the future. That was a highly produced, incredible, but ultimately conventional series. However, his muse about things was a curious thread that persisted.
In 2023, Mos and Bank starred in one of the 'Y Journey (Stay Like A Local') stories, specifically episode 5, titled 'Let's Say a Lover', in which they represent one of the six young couples that lead the viewer on a trip to various tourist attractions in the eastern region of Thailand.
Both would also act in 'Club Friday Season 15: Moments & Memories', but with Bank as a supporting actor.
Surely someone is wondering if I am reviewing the 'Big Dragon' series here or remembering the filmography of these actors. And no, those are not my goals.
My purpose is to introduce the interested reader to 'SunsetxVibes', a series that brings us back to the MosBank ship in a romantic comedy-drama that shines with its own light in the BL universe like the name of the company where the protagonists work.
On this occasion, Puwadon Naosopa, who wrote the script and directed the actors in 'Big Dragon', convened a team of writers, composed of, in addition to himself, his colleague Somchai Tidsanawoot, known for writing 'Lovely Writer', 'Hidden Agenda', 'I Feel You Linger in the Air', and newcomers Nunt Thongngamkham and Baifern Ataya Sawatdee, to adapt the web novel "Sunsetxvibes", by Rosesarin, and place, in the competitive business world, this suggestive variation of the theme of two young people who meet by chance one night and the next day discover that one of them, Sun (Mos), is the newly appointed director of a large fine jewelry company, and the other, Salin (Bank) is his new employee.
'Sunset x Vibes' is a romance somewhere between comedy and drama. The first thing we know about Salin is the strange and recurring dream he has about a mysterious man dressed in traditional Thai clothes. This aspect, although it seems that it will be important in the series, in the first chapters they deal with it in broad strokes, since the series focuses much more on her relationship with the boy with whom she is flirting through a dating app, who does not It is another who is the owner of the company in which he has started his internship.
The acting traits that many MDL users have criticized here are actually the same aspects that make the two actors fit their roles.
However, despite its powerful cast, made up of renowned actors and actresses, the undeniable chemistry between the protagonists, the beautiful cinematography, its contemporary style, the brilliant visual effects, its majestic soundtrack, the clarity with which the story is conceived on paper, the pulse with which the direction guides her through the setting, and the way Mos and Bank defend her, as well as the beautiful love story that Yotha (Pete Wacharanon Seeduan), the friend of Salin, and Sam (Tenon Teachapat Pinrat), Sun's younger brother, both interns at the company, the series, like its predecessors, does not enjoy the approval of the public, and I fear that the cause does not exactly have to do with the audiovisual product , but with the "trauma" that 'Big Dragon' left in many BL fans, as many of the MDL users recognize.
For their part, the couple formed by Chan (Fong Bovorn Kongnawdee) and Juldis (JJ Rathasat Butwong) provide us with fun antics to relieve tension. Maybe there is another couple, lesbian in that case.
Someone could tell me that the problem lies in the fact that they do not accept that one of the protagonists hides their identity from the other (since both boys have been knowing each other through chat for six months, but they have never seen each other), but, although the series should generate a conflict to be resolved with a consequent personal growth, in my view, the problem does not come from there, since the low ratings are observed from episode 1 itself, when the young people had not yet met personally. In other words, no one could know what would happen between them. The comments make it clear.
They have not given the series the benefit of the doubt and without thinking they have sent it to the slaughterhouse for reminding them of the disappointment that some had with 'Big Dragon', I think for not understanding its objectives.
I believe it is time to grow as we demand of our narrative heroes. It is not logical, fair or ethical to judge an audiovisual product because it reminds us of a frustration.
The series tells an explosive, mature, healthy romance. I identify with the feelings and emotions of the characters.
The romantic plot that entertains and at the same time invites debate and reflection is irresistible. 'SunsetxVibes' has captivated me for the warm atmospheres created with which the audience can identify and for making us empathize with the story, allowing us to see ourselves reflected in the protagonists.
The charisma, tenderness, attractiveness of its protagonists and its irresistible romantic plot make ''SunsetxVibes'' a charming love series made for BL fans. It doesn't break much of the mold in terms of its structure, but its characters and conflicts are unique enough to avoid falling into stereotypes.
The drama brings a full love story, without red flags, and makes the most of the proposed premise, the intellectual potential and good intentions of the team behind the camera, the cinematographic resources available to the creators and the undeniable artistic abilities of the cast.
'SunsetxVibes' surprises us with intrigue and satisfies the expectations of the most demanding audience, by allowing us to believe that love can change the course of a story, a relationship, even the universe, and allowing us to feel that magic and passion can exist even if it is in television series.
It has some sound problems that are sometimes obvious but that doesn't stop me from enjoying the series.
The story is told concisely, never strays from its focus, and is tightly edited. I've watched each episode several times and I didn't get bored at all. All in all, a better than average entry in the world of Thai BL series.
I, for the moment, say my YES for 'SunsetxVibes' and I hope, as on other occasions, that MDL allows me to return to this review to update it.
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Result of the combination of good script, acting and staging (First update from the original review)
In 'Manner of Death', 'Triage', 'Dead Friend Forever - DFF', 'Make a Wish' and 'Bite Me' the famous Thai screenwriter Isaree Siriwankulthon (Sammon), reiterates her interest in witnessing the suspense, the alteration of the time, time loop, medical-forensic work, hospital environment, police investigation, kidnapping, murder, slow-burn romance, friendship, family relationships, school and university ecosystem, unjustly accused characters, action, political, police and business corruption, always having homosexual characters as protagonists.For her part, director and screenwriter Ning Bhanbhassa Dhubthien has demonstrated, through the series 'KinnPorsche' (2022) and the film 'Man Suang', that both film and television language constitute a tool that she can also use at her own discretion taste, and in which, incidentally, you have the possibility of continuing working with your most recurring motifs or thematic interests.
In '4Minutes', the series in which Sammon and Ning join forces for the first time, the actions of the peculiar creatures that populate the creative universe of the Thai author duo remind us of those of some of the protagonists of the aforementioned works, bringing us closer to their characters in a very sensitive, fluid and ethereal way, recording their most banal movements and glances and turning them into revealing moments by transmitting all the intensity of love through tenderness, melancholy and an enveloping atmosphere.
Great, its central star, is one of the most striking characters to emerge from Sammon's imagination: a university student at the Faculty of Business Administration and son of a rich businessman, blessed with a gift that is also a curse, since he has the supernatural ability to know what is going to happen in the future 4 minutes in advance, always and when it affects him.
This power leads him to alter the results of many events, while the memory of what happened visits him again and again in his imagination. Thus, the story restarts from the beginning, over and over again, so the audience will have to pay attention to discover which is reality and which is not.
He a piece of character, very competently defended by Bible Wichapas Sumettikul ('KinnPorsche'), in which it could very well be the most significant role of his still young and promising artistic career, and thanks to which he unleashes fervor among lovers of the Thai dramas, especially LGBT+ themed fans.
He knows it and devotes himself with devotion to building it, polishing it, making it unique, to providing it with an empathy that overflows the screen and allows him to put himself in the viewer's pocket. His acting counterpoint with Jes Jespipat Tilapornputt ('Sassy Player', 2009), - his counterpart in 'Spaceless', a short film directed by Jatuphong Rungrueangdechaphat, also in 2024, and which serves as a letter of introduction to the acting couple - seduces and fascinates. As do the episodes that make up the drama from its beautiful presentation to the no less admirable farewell.
The friendship that develops between Great and Tyme takes them on a journey of discovery and acceptance that explores male vulnerability. However, it is not a simple story of a couple of friends succumbing to love. That is very seen and would be too predictable.
On the other hand, '4Minutes' is a more rounded, absorbing and sentimental story about two young people who find themselves involved in an exciting intrigue in which there will be no shortage of industrial espionage, murder, kidnapping, betrayal, infidelity, unfulfilled promises, political and police corruption, the proximity of death, revenge, score settlements, martial combats, and explicit sexual scenes (completely removed from the universe of pornography) and that provide absolute meaning to the characters' history .
On the other hand, '4Minutes' is a more rounded, absorbing and sentimental story about two young people who find themselves involved in a passionate intrigue in which there will be no shortage of industrial espionage, murder, kidnapping, martial combats, and explicit sexual scenes ( totally removed from the universe of pornography) and that provide absolute meaning to the characters' story.
With this premise, the director manages to develop a deep character study, investigating the existential motivations and experiences that shape them as individual beings but also as people united by an unbreakable bond. Likewise, it explores complicated relationships, social barriers, and depicts more than one gay romance while challenging social norms and embracing the power of love, acceptance, and understanding. It is much more than a simple love story.
Sammon has created a very intelligent script, in which the dialogues are the basis of the story. Through the conversations that Great and Tyme have, two characters emerge like few we have seen. The screenwriter's prose is almost lyrical and manages to capture the realism and naturalness of their relationship, friendly first, then romantic. The viewer is transported into the story, as if he had the two young people in front of him and was asking permission to jump to the other side of the screen at any moment to join the conversation.
As Great and Tyme connect, their relationship faces numerous complications. Great tries to understand what is causing his abnormality and how to escape it, while dealing with personal and family problems. For his part, Tyme secretly investigates criminal acts in which Great's family may be involved, especially his father, mother and older brother, Korn, played convincingly by Bas Asavapatr Ponpiboon, a character who adds greater complexity to the story.
Likewise, the stories that unite Tonkla, Inspector Win, Dome and Title, characters played by Fuaiz Thanawat Shinawatra, Jay Patiphan Fueangfunuwat, Mio Athens Werapatanakul and Jet Jetsadakorn Bundit, in that order, play an important role in the development of the series.
In this sense, a chance meeting with Great could help Tyme try to get closer to the young university student with the intention of penetrating his family circle to carry out his revenge, since he blames Great's family for the death of his parents. All this, while trying to save his grandmother from reprisals and fulfilling his duties as a doctor at a large hospital in Bangkok.
What begins as a game of cat and mouse will end up becoming a journey of no return. While Great secretly serves Tyme's interests to get even, the boundaries between sexuality and male friendship are continually compromised, with both characters drawn to each other.
The incredibly talented cast, which in addition to the aforementioned actors, includes JJay Patiphan Fueangfunuwat as Inspector Win, Fuaiz Thanawat Shinawatra as Tonkla, Job Yosatorn Konglikit as Den, Mio Athens Werapatanakul as Dome, and Jet Jetsadakorn Bundit as Title, It adds a touch of depth, elegance and authenticity to the series, and nails each scene and makes it believable.
The plot of the story is woven based on the two axes of coordinates that constitute Great's respective relationships with Tyme, a surgeon whom he knows due to his supernatural ability, and the one he has with his powerful family, businessmen they will not hesitate to commit the most terrible crimes if these help them get away with their crimes in the competitive business world.
The development of dramatic tension will be the result of both vectors, which pull Great in opposite directions, and which will narratively establish the counterweight between two categories of values, which will face each other on the stage table, and to which he must have a clear and lucid choice for one of the two: both at an aesthetic level and in content, which we will see trying to be resolved in the treatment of the psychological level and development of the characters.
In the photography of Pavarisa Tadde and Ittipong Klinchart, the exuberant beauty of colors and light of the luxurious surroundings of the Great mansion, the beautiful city landscapes, contrast with the most gloomy and degraded spaces, such as those of hospitals, also seen as a setting of pain and death, the humble house in which Tyme lives with his grandmother, since his parents died long ago, or those in which a corpse frequently appears.
In the context of Great's environment we also see how, both at the level of photography and staging, there is this significant disparity: the luminosity and brightness in the daytime scenes, with the darkest, warmest tones (from yellowish to almost reddish from inside the house); In both, he participates in the fiery internal love dynamics in which the protagonist begins to anticipate, in the form of a visual fantasy, his passion for Tyme.
The soundtrack by Terdsak Janpan fits perfectly with the moods of the characters and the tone of each moment. The music wonderfully delves into this suffocating, mysterious and at some points almost depressive character, in which we see Great's tortured spirit immersed, until he decides to free himself and surrender to his love and resolve the conflicts that surround him.
As I've probably already said in some way, the main charm of the series comes from the relationship between the two young people, who build a very special bond. The chemistry between Great and Tyme is palpable: the two transmit tenderness, camaraderie and a lot of passion. This helps a lot at a certain point in which the protagonists meet like two chess players with a board in between.
At the level of content, the struggle of opposite poles is manifested in this clash between the protagonists' will for healthy fulfillment and the suffocating reality that surrounds them.
Once again, Sammon demonstrates his good eye when it comes to finding unexpected narrative angles, building a solid network of emotions, designing fascinating characters and plots, and telling an attractive story while weaving its edges, taking his time, pampering and caring for the story, to give rise to a series that is summarized as one of the best in recent years.
'4Minutes is an emotional and heartfelt proposal that makes us forget that it is not Jespipat Tilapornputtde the actor who was supposed to play Tyme.
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