ariel alba

Brief and deep analysis of oppressed sexual minorities

Is it worth sacrificing the person you love and yourself to accept a lie? Can you be happy and make the woman you married happy, forced by family and society, since you have to hide your homosexuality? Can one decide who to love in a conservative society that considers romantic relationships between people of the same gender illegal and taboo?

'Life of Silence'(The Life of Silence, Xi Sheng Zhi Lu - 犧牲之旅), Taiwanese director and screenwriter Ying Cheng-Ru's 2014 short film, explores sexuality through the story of three gay men entangled in two marriages doomed to failure.
At just over 26 minutes, the compelling and heartbreaking film explores the tensions between society's expectations and true happiness.
In the director's own words, silence usually comes with a backdrop, waiting to be shaken. A fiction and a reality. Three gay men and two marriages. When love and marriage cannot go hand in hand, how can marital happiness be achieved?
Interested in addressing social issues and sexuality, the filmmaker, with a master's degree in Fine Arts from the Department of Radio, Television and Film at Shih-Hsin University, brings us in this romantic drama a fiction woven into reality.
When there is a contradiction between erotic life and parental expectations, a difficult decision would have to be made. To rethink marriage, 'Life of Silence', a sequel to 'Body at Large', looks at oppressed sexual minorities. What is the Happy Family? Is there only one way to achieve happiness? Or should one be able to hug oneself freely?
The short film aims to show that human beings deserve happiness without barriers.
I recommend paying attention to the meaning of water, present throughout much of the footage, as a metaphor for the purgatory of an unfulfilled love, as well as the old man washing his long white hair in the final scene. This older man, whose face cannot even be seen, represents the spirit of previous generations who were never allowed to love and who died alone.
As the director himself expressed: "The old man is another reason to inspire me to film this film. He was born at a conservative age, sexually repressed, he did not have sexual relations for life, I left him as a reflection of the actor, if love is repressed, and is finally left alone and desolate.
The lead roles fall to Jason Lai as Chen Kai Cheng, Hsueh Yu Ting as Chin Yung Sheng, Lu Yi Ching, Chiu Min Chia and Liau You Ching
With touching and at the same time nostalgic background music, it manages to validate the characters' feelings of loneliness and melancholy.
With the use of a dark color palette, especially blue and ocher, and mostly black and white images seeking cinematic perfection to emphasize the contrast between light and shadows, and surprising professionalism in the use of lighting, 'Life of Silence' conveys the suffocating, overwhelming atmosphere, and an atmosphere of sadness, melancholy and tension.

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Opposites attract and create very deep love stories

Strange strength is that of love that transcends the barrier of distance and time, mocks prejudices of all kinds and also manages to perpetuate itself in art as an inspiring paradigm for future generations.
But there are loves that break, in addition to social and temporal molds, those of carnality and logic. How, why, for what, are just the first questions in the face of the inevitable evidence of these powerful attractions.
We don't know if it's because of something in physics or chemistry, but it's no lie that opposites attract and create very deep love stories. Perhaps it is these differences that make them feel a strong attraction towards each other and, what's more, if they complement each other healthily, they will be able to have an almost perfect relationship for life.
However, patiently overcoming obstacles to get to that point will not be an easy task!
When a film becomes a mass phenomenon, regardless of whether or not it has its cinematographic values, it is because it touches some intimate fiber of that public that goes to the cinemas to enjoy it. 'To My Star The Movies', from 2021, proves the axiom.
Because? Its theme, which was evidently the driving force behind its success: the differences between the two characters, one of them a famous celebrity and the other an ordinary chef, in addition to telling about a homosexual relationship. Their lives will be shaken when one of them, who flees from the press and his followers after being involved in a media scandal, is forced to leave his comfort zone and will cross paths with someone who does not want to leave it.
The film, a compilation of the Korean BL drama of the same name, with some scenes added and others deleted or moved in the new editing, revolves around Kang Seo Joon (Son Woo Hyun), a famous free-spirited film and television celebrity who hides after being implicated in a public scandal. At his hideout he meets Han Ji Woo (Kim Kang Min), his new roommate, an introverted and conservative man who leads a modest and unpretentious life.
Forced into an uncomfortable situation, they begin to share their personal stories, fears, and dreams. Despite his fall from grace and not having started the relationship on the right foot, Seo Joon believes that his luck changes when he meets and falls in love with the boy who represents his antithesis. While they spend time together, between the actor and the chef, who move in two very different social spheres, a romance arises,
Seo Joon is not only famous at the peak of his career, playing the leads in hit dramas and television variety shows, as well as high-profile advertisements, he is also outgoing, extravagant and very charismatic. Accustomed to being the center of attention, his personality is pure magnetism that attracts other people to his presence; while Ji Woo, who always tries to go unnoticed and not experience any upheavals in his life, represents the humility and simplicity of a down-to-earth boy who prefers a quiet lifestyle with simple pleasures, such as cooking or hiking.
And against everything predictable, one falls in love with the other and what is worse... it is reciprocated.
The film, by director Hwang Da Seul, who took her time to weave the story, with the meticulousness that characterizes her, worked like a craftsman in her eagerness to recreate every detail on a topic that she is passionate about: boy love, as he did with two dramas: 'Where Your Eyes Linger' (2020) and 'Blueming' (2022), and the short film 'Inner Me'.
With a simple, but captivating and visually emotional plot, the novice filmmaker, recognized for her creative abilities, shows that it was no coincidence that she won the Award of Excellence at the V Catholic Film Festival for her 2018 short film 'Spring That Summer' .
To do so, it was based on Park Young's script about a romantic relationship between two initially heterosexual boys. The film exposes prejudices about homosexuality in Korean society and, above all, in the world of arts and culture, reflected by Jeon Jae Yeong (Kim Pil Hyun), Seo Joon's crisis and talent manager. , upon discovering the budding romance between the two protagonists, but later he will become an accomplice of the two lovers. The series also reflects the role of the media and social networks in the public's perception of youth idols.
Emotionally charged, 'To My Star The Movie' captures the essence of intimacy, vulnerability and unconditional solidarity within the queer community, with two young people navigating their gender identity and cultural background as its narrative heroes. Through an under-researched focus on BL storytelling and powerful performances, the series explores the complexities of human connection and challenges conventional notions of love and intimacy.
The chemistry between the actors is palpable, allowing the depth of their relationship to shine on screen. As the story unfolds, their interactions are conveyed through silence, abstract soundscapes, and textured cuts, creating a captivating visual experience that immerses the audience in their emotional journey of self-discovery and acceptance.
With good intentions, successful gags and sharp dialogues, the film immerses us in the relationship between two young people that, due to misunderstandings, does not start well, but as they live in the same apartment and enjoy cozy and intimate moments together, they will open their hearts.
Since Freud we know that sexuality develops together with subjectivity. It has to do with the pleasure that can be experienced in the body from the bonds built with another.
This reality does not escape the director. While they got to know each other, See Joon and Ji Woo began to learn to enjoy themselves and each other, that experience that shapes our relationship with pleasure, that of each one of them and that which we share.
Soon Woo-Hyun, the actor who plays See Joon, and who worked with the director in the short 'You Ghosted Me for a Week', from 2021, is usually worried about work and the mess in which he finds himself involved, But he tries his best to spend time with Ji Woo.
This, despite the seriousness of his character and overwhelmed by the presence of a being as overwhelming as his roommate, is the first to fall in love. The way he initially puts up a wall of protection around himself in front of the other, the glances he steals from Seo Joon, the intonation of his voice and the strange blink when he doesn't quite know how to act when Seo Joon moves next to him. around him, his facial expressions, his gestures, his entire body, express that he likes it. However, he is cautious, as he suffers from disappointment in love in the past and does not want to be hurt again.
Kim Kang Min, the actor who plays the character of Ji Woo, and whom we know from his debut in 2019 with the SBS series 'Stove League', unlike the famous Seo Joon, lives with his back to the world of celebrities. Employed in his friend's cafe, he is actually a talented chef, but his culinary skills are not shown to the public of large hotels and luxury restaurants.
Pretending to get along with the roommate, Seo Joon insists on befriending Ji Woo and spending time together. Those beings with two very different personalities will little by little get to know each other and enjoy each other's company.
As the days go by, the camera captures the moments of the two boys getting closer. Through silence, abstract soundscapes and textured cuts, the intimacy between Seo Joon and Ji Woo is conveyed in a visually striking way, resulting in genuine and authentic performances that resonate with audiences.
Although it does nothing new or innovative with the premise, the diversity of conflicts they face, their psychological complexities, and the emotional evolution of the characters, add layers to the narrative and weave an intriguing web that keeps viewers in suspense.
'To My Star' explores the idea that true intimacy can be found in the simplicity of sleeping next to someone, in sharing those small moments and spaces of everyday life, transcending the physical act of sex, even if it is artistically fine. recreated, shown.
The film challenges social norms and invites the viewer to question their own perceptions of intimacy and love, while presenting a snapshot of the complexity, tenderness and vulnerability that people experience in unconventional circumstances, such as living together and the relationship between people from two different worlds.
The direction and cinematography contribute to its artistic and visually appealing quality. The deliberate use of images and narrative style create an atmosphere that demands the viewer's attention and encourages introspection and invites reflection.
With a fairy tale ending and a clear resolution for its characters, 'To My Star' successfully captures the beauty and power of love, and serves as a reminder that true intimacy can be found in unexpected places and that love transcends social expectations.
With the final credits, I was able to conclude that I was looking at an audiovisual full of conceptual proposals related to gender identity, personal and social psychology, and the configuration of individual and collective destinies, in a country where today LGBT+ people continue to be discriminated against, and whose paths today, in the 21st century, cannot end up united in a marital alliance, as the refusal to legalize marriage between people of the same sex by a conservative society persists.
In this sense, the series contributes to the struggle of the members of that community in the defense of their trampled rights.

Note: The review of the series of the same name can be found, in MDL, on the page dedicated to the series on the platform.

Read More

Opposites attract and create very deep love stories

Strange strength is that of love that transcends the barrier of distance and time, mocks prejudices of all kinds and also manages to perpetuate itself in art as an inspiring paradigm for future generations.
But there are loves that break, in addition to social and temporal molds, those of carnality and logic. How, why, for what, are just the first questions in the face of the inevitable evidence of these powerful attractions.
We don't know if it's because of something in physics or chemistry, but it's no lie that opposites attract and create very deep love stories. Perhaps it is these differences that make them feel a strong attraction towards each other and, what's more, if they complement each other healthily, they will be able to have an almost perfect relationship for life.
However, patiently overcoming obstacles to get to that point will not be an easy task!
When a series becomes a mass phenomenon, regardless of whether or not it has its cinematographic values, it is because it touches some intimate fiber of that audience that occupies their armchairs in front of the television to enjoy it. With '나의 별에게' ('Naui Byeolege, Na-ui Byeol-e-ge, Naui byeorege'), English title 'To My Star The Series I', from 2021, which has only already been seen by millions of viewers in everyone, proves the axiom.
Because? Its theme, which was evidently the driving force behind its success: the differences between the two characters, one of them a famous celebrity and the other an ordinary chef, in addition to telling about a homosexual relationship. Their lives will be shaken when one of them, who flees from the press and his followers after being involved in a media scandal, is forced to leave his comfort zone and will cross paths with someone who does not want to leave it.
The Korean BL drama, in 9 episodes, revolves around Kang Seo Joon (Son Woo Hyun), a famous free-spirited film and television celebrity who goes into hiding after being implicated in a public scandal. At his hideout he meets Han Ji Woo (Kim Kang Min), his new roommate, an introverted and conservative man who leads a modest and unpretentious life.
Forced into an uncomfortable situation, they begin to share their personal stories, fears, and dreams. Despite his fall from grace and not having started the relationship on the right foot, Seo Joon believes that his luck changes when he meets and falls in love with the boy who represents his antithesis. While they spend time together, between the actor and the chef, who move in two very different social spheres, a romance arises,
Seo Joon is not only famous at the peak of his career, playing the leads in hit dramas and television variety shows, as well as high-profile advertisements, he is also outgoing, extravagant and very charismatic. Accustomed to being the center of attention, his personality is pure magnetism that attracts other people to his presence; while Ji Woo, who always tries to go unnoticed and not experience any upheavals in his life, represents the humility and simplicity of a down-to-earth boy who prefers a quiet lifestyle with simple pleasures, such as cooking or hiking.
And against everything predictable, one falls in love with the other and what is worse... it is reciprocated.
The series, by director Hwang Da Seul, who took her time to weave the story, with the meticulousness that characterizes her, worked like a craftsman in her eagerness to recreate every detail about a topic that she is passionate about: boy love, as he did with two other dramas: 'Where Your Eyes Linger' (2020) and 'Blueming' (2022), and the short film 'Inner Me'.
With a simple, but captivating and visually emotional plot, the novice filmmaker, recognized for her creative abilities, shows that it was no coincidence that she won the Award of Excellence at the V Catholic Film Festival for her 2018 short film 'Spring That Summer' .
To do so, it was based on Park Young's script about a romantic relationship between two initially heterosexual boys. The film exposes prejudices about homosexuality in Korean society and, above all, in the world of arts and culture, reflected by Jeon Jae Yeong (Kim Pil Hyun), Seo Joon's crisis and talent manager. , upon discovering the budding romance between the two protagonists, but later he will become an accomplice of the two lovers. The series also reflects the role of the media and social networks in the public's perception of youth idols.
Emotionally charged, 'To My Star' captures the essence of intimacy, vulnerability and unconditional solidarity within the queer community, with two young people navigating their gender identity and cultural background as its narrative heroes. Through an under-researched focus on BL storytelling and powerful performances, the series explores the complexities of human connection and challenges conventional notions of love and intimacy.
The chemistry between the actors is palpable, allowing the depth of their relationship to shine on screen. As the story unfolds, their interactions are conveyed through silence, abstract soundscapes, and textured cuts, creating a captivating visual experience that immerses the audience in their emotional journey of self-discovery and acceptance.
With good intentions, successful gags and sharp dialogues, the series immerses us in the relationship between two young people that, due to misunderstandings, does not start well, but as they live in the same apartment and enjoy cozy and intimate moments together, they will open their hearts.
Since Freud we know that sexuality develops together with subjectivity. It has to do with the pleasure that can be experienced in the body from the bonds built with another.
This reality does not escape the director. While they got to know each other, See Joon and Ji Woo began to learn to enjoy themselves and each other, that experience that shapes our relationship with pleasure, that of each one of them and that which we share.
Soon Woo-Hyun, the actor who plays See Joon, and who worked with the director in the short 'You Ghosted Me for a Week', from 2021, is usually worried about work and the mess in which he finds himself involved, But he tries his best to spend time with Ji Woo.
This, despite the seriousness of his character and overwhelmed by the presence of a being as overwhelming as his roommate, is the first to fall in love. The way he initially builds a wall of protection around himself in front of the other, the glances he steals from Seo Joon in the first episodes, the intonation of his voice and the strange blink when he doesn't quite know how to act when Seo Joon He moves around her, his facial expressions, his gestures, his entire body, express that he likes her. However, he is cautious, as he suffers from disappointment in love in the past and does not want to be hurt again.
Kim Kang Min, the actor who plays the character of Ji Woo, and whom we know from his debut in 2019 with the SBS series 'Stove League', unlike the famous Seo Joon, lives with his back to the world of celebrities. Employed in his friend's cafe, he is actually a talented chef, but his culinary skills are not shown to the public of large hotels and luxury restaurants.
Pretending to get along with the roommate, Seo Joon insists on befriending Ji Woo and spending time together. Those beings with two very different personalities will little by little get to know each other and enjoy each other's company.
As the days go by, the camera captures the moments of the two boys getting closer. Through silence, abstract soundscapes and textured cuts, the intimacy between Seo Joon and Ji Woo is conveyed in a visually striking way, resulting in genuine and authentic performances that resonate with audiences.
Although it does nothing new or innovative with the premise, the diversity of conflicts they face, their psychological complexities, and the emotional evolution of the characters, add layers to the narrative and weave an intriguing web that keeps viewers in suspense.
'To My Star' explores the idea that true intimacy can be found in the simplicity of sleeping next to someone, in sharing those small moments and spaces of everyday life, transcending the physical act of sex, even if it is artistically fine. recreated, shown.
The series challenges social norms and invites the viewer to question their own perceptions of intimacy and love, while presenting a snapshot of the complexity, tenderness and vulnerability that people experience in unconventional circumstances, such as living together and the relationship between people from two different worlds.
The direction and cinematography contribute to the artistic and visually appealing quality of the series. The deliberate use of images and narrative style create an atmosphere that demands the viewer's attention and encourages introspection and invites reflection.
With a fairy tale ending and a clear resolution for its characters, 'To My Star' successfully captures the beauty and power of love, and serves as a reminder that true intimacy can be found in unexpected places and that love transcends social expectations.
With the final credits, I was able to conclude that I was looking at an audiovisual full of conceptual proposals related to gender identity, personal and social psychology, and the configuration of individual and collective destinies, in a country where today LGBT+ people continue to be discriminated against, and whose paths today, in the 21st century, cannot end up united in a marital alliance, as the refusal to legalize marriage between people of the same sex by a conservative society persists.
In this sense, the series contributes to the struggle of the members of that community in the defense of their trampled rights.
Note: The review of the film of the same name can be found, in MDL, on the page dedicated to the series on the platform.

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In defense of bromance

The two protagonists of the Chinese short 'A Little Romance', from 2022, by filmmaker Mao De Shu, do not establish a bond like that of Chandler and Joey in 'Friend', Batman and Robin in the 'Batman' saga, Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in films like 'Air'; Riggs and Murtaugh in the four 'Lethal Weapon' films, or Jack and Danny in the British comedy 'Big Boys'.
Chinese filmmakers, great specialists in telling stories in which their protagonists move in that social space for emotional openness, beyond other traditional male relationships, achieve films characterized by the absence of barriers and judgments, providing the characters with high stability. emotional, social fulfillment and better conflict resolution than a traditional romance. Chinese creators strip the bromance of all the prejudices inherited from toxic masculinity, especially that which suggests that you are no less of a man for having great trust and intimacy with your best friend.
There are those who say that a bromance is better than a couple. Well, this is a question for everyone. Let's leave it at that they are different relationships, very different from each other. The truth is that Chinese filmmakers know the public's tastes perfectly. That is why they have plenty of stories in which the protagonist takes great care of his friend, and in this way the friendship becomes longer and unconditional.
It is not that they turn their backs on the classic romantic relationships, homosexual or heterosexual, but that they leave it to others to bring to the screen everything related to the "game of conquest and seduction", knowing that there are other encounters and disagreements. This has influenced the mentality of many viewers who go so far as to affirm that a bromance is more beneficial than a relationship, and add that it is nothing out of this world either: friendship over love is something that is quite internalized in the human being.
The Asian giant's filmmakers have made it their own, like few others, to reflect stories whose main characteristic is that of two people, usually of the same sex, who can share personal problems or secrets that you would not share with others. Mutual respect and trust built over years allow them to express their emotions and feelings more openly, while reaching out to physical displays of affection, such as hugs and kisses, even in countries where these are not the common norm.
A good friend will point out without mincing words all those habits that seem normal to you but are quite toxic. He will listen to you when it comes to coping with your failures whether in study, work or love failures. Nor will you have to ask him for comfort or advice. Just by looking at you, he will know what you need and he will lend his shoulder to cry, and he will cry with you. The good friend will fail you in your least inspired moments with your partner. Should I give you more reasons? If you already have a bromance, surely not.
Mao De Shu is known for filming bromances since he became known with his first short films in 2015, through the dramas 'Long For You' and 'I Cannot Hug You', in 2017 and 'I Cannot Hug You 2' , 2018, among others.
But, as I said before, the two protagonists of 'A Little Romance' do not stop at the level of outlining male friendship in the era of new masculinities. They are not only the best confidant friend with whom you can talk about what worries you most, your family and romantic relationships, the mental illness of a family member, the chaos of the world we live in, the last soccer game, the precariousness work, lifestyle expectations, our role in gender equality or in the fight against sexist violence, homophobia and for the rights of LGBT+ people.
Liu Wen and Song Xian's relationship involves, above all, sexual attraction. Therefore, it's not bromance. Although in recent years the magic of a good television couple has been lost, possibly due to the compulsive consumption format, it has been absolutely perfect to see these young people how, little by little, and shown in a suggestive way, they are giving themselves realize that they like each other. This is the great beauty of bromance.
The greatest success of the film is the casting. It features two actors who couldn't fit better in their respective roles. From the first moment, Liu Yao Wen and Song Ya Xuan show that they are Liu Wen and Song Xuan. While the former exudes charisma from all sides and stands out in the most comical aspect of the character, which is quite present in the film, Song Xuan is a dramatic revelation, adding emotional weight to the story.
Both actors are perfect for their roles. At their most strategic and professional, they have the ability to trust each other and support each other, to reflect a symbiotic relationship between them.
The director of the short is aware that anything that did not contribute to understanding what the two young people are experiencing and their journey together of self-discovery and acceptance, did not make sense to be in the final cut. The important thing is them, and nothing else. His screen time is the entire movie. It's the movie itself.
In general terms, the plot leads its characters to reasoning such as "You may look better when you smile", or even its own plot, which revolves around the need to look for company and someone who gives warmth and joy to our lives, especially if they are people who for different reasons live alone.
The film adheres to a theme that love story fans really like, 'enemies to lovers', to narrate the relationship between two young people who have a lot in common, but have not gotten off to the right start, until a One day one comes to the other's defense when some bullies try to harass him. The friendship that suddenly arises between the two will become more and more real, evolving into a romantic relationship without becoming sexual.
The chemistry between the protagonists is shown naturally, palpable, tangible, in their looks, in their body language, the small winks, the flirtatious smiles, in the moments of tenderness that bring them closer and reproduce that sensation so recognizable by queer people of the secret love.
The spark is lit from their first scene together in the store when Liu Wen understands that the customer is from out of town and speaks to him in his dialect to communicate, and they frolic playfully in the next encounter when Liu Wen runs into the classroom right after be introduced Song Xuan as the new transfer student. The close bond between the two artists in real life jumps onto the screens and takes shape to allow us to appreciate it.
The film moderately addresses the sexuality of its protagonists, but manages to convey their playful passion and does not omit the main characteristics of the two boys as they build their relationship, first friendly and then loving, reflected in an insinuating way.
The little more than 15 minutes of footage will be enough to see how the relationship between Song Xuan and Liu Wen develops very quickly, barely giving the story room to breathe... for us to breathe.
Beyond how hopeful it is and the sighs that its protagonists will provoke, the most valuable contribution of 'A Little Romance' is its inspiring message about coming out of the closet in a process of self-discovery and falling in love without hardly showing the internal conflict of the characters. .
There is no doubt that Song Xuan and Liu Wen will continue to make thousands of people around the world fall in love, especially lovers of yaoi and romantic drama.
In a new type of fairy tale, Song Xuan, who plays the good, studious and neat boy who always respects the rules, especially the one that prescribes not skipping classes, thus earning the jealousy and envy of some , and Liu Wen, an out-of-control human whirlwind, willing to pick a fight with anyone in his "gangster mode," and suddenly he appears and turns everything upside down, changing both of their worlds forever.
In the film, its director gives complete freedom to the actors in front of the camera. It doesn't make cuts in between. Overlay one image with the other. He points the camera at them and lets them play. And in that game, magic happens. Thus, the public is able to understand, without words or physical manifestations, such as the theft of a kiss or holding a hand, what is happening with these two young people on a physical level and, at the same time, communicate what is going through their hearts. heads and what they experience emotionally.
The quick images tell, along with Liu Wen's voice, how the relationship deepens as he takes Song Xuan, on foot or by bicycle, to the places where he went to play as a child. This is how he shows him the tallest tree, the longest road, the restaurant with the most delicious stew, the fireworks, the sun, the moon and the stars on the seashore.
Liu Wen will give Song Xuan courage to face the bullies she once feared, as well as reasons to laugh. He won't mind losing the Student of Merit award. His intuition tells him that he should be there, for Liu Wen, even if he has to miss the exam.
Although the story only covers the phase of consolidation of friendship and the beginning of the construction of romance, the final words and images testify to the romantic interest of the two boys.
Both will be able to see the sun at night. And in the future they will leave Chongqing and go to Beijing, Shanghai or anywhere to look at the bigger world, but the deal only imposes one condition: they will take the trip together… holding hands, always together.
Will Song Xuan's wish to stay longer in one place come true? The only thing I can be sure of is that I close my eyes and see how every morning, before sunrise, under that endless tree at the foot of the long, winding staircase, Song Xuan standing there, in the favorite place of the people. two, with a smile on their lips, waiting for their lover.

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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.
Although slow, the romance gradually intensifies, allowing 'Love is Like a Cat' to show one of its greatest strengths. With the ability to create many tender moments between the two young people, I would like to see them flirt in the garden of the animal nursery and kiss in the sunny corner of the clinic room, under the knowing gaze of their friends, including those of four paws.
Every affectionate interaction, through beautifully polished images, would be appreciated by the BL fanatic public.
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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Three in one, for the same price, and the perfect hysterical

My first impression when I learned about its future premiere was that a series with 24 episodes was not ideal for me. But after the beginning, we begin to realize how things will go: There are 8 chapters for each of the three main couples. That is, it works as if they were three independent series in one. And yes... this way perhaps it would have worked the same and even better, but this would go against GMMTV's winning formula.
The series offers us three separate stories, but at the same time connected to each other because the characters are friends and all study at the Faculty of Engineering at a Thai university. They are, in fact, members of an exclusive circle of "Perfect 10 Liners", a group made up of extraordinary students from various years, and which will include Arm (Book), Wine (Mark) and Gun (Santa), first year students, when they participate in a drawing to determine their peer mentors.
In this way, these three students, who also do not know each other until they meet on the university campus, will meet Arc (Force), Faifa (Junior) and Yotha (Perth), who will be their tutors, but also with whom, also in that order, will begin a love story.
'Perfect 10 Liners' is a youth comedy and romance series that follows the story of these six young people, who come from separate and parallel universes (we don't know anything, at least yet, about social origins, family relationships, etc., but These are also not questions that many Thai BLs delve into, in general) but their encounter leads them to try to find a new direction, with a new world and a new version of themselves. The sextet will pursue their dreams, their struggles with friendships, romantic relationships, social norms and acceptance/self-acceptance, while trying to discover who each of them is, exploring their different student interests, their emotions and their sexual identities.
However, as is typical in the productions of New Siwaj Sawatmaneekul, its director and creator of numerous BL series, such as 'Make It Right: The Series' and 'Until We Meet Again', among others, the path to true love is full of obstacles and challenges, so the protagonists will face student difficulties, difficulties between friends, heart problems and other dilemmas.
At the end of the day, this is a fiction about how you reach maturity and that is a road that never comes without bumps.
Why the decision to separate the plots and not develop them in parallel, as in 'We Are', for example? In my opinion, this is because, unlike the aforementioned series, there is no main couple here. Each couple has equal weight in the narrative as a whole, and in this way each one will have its story, which does not mean that one will stop combining with the others.
But the fundamental reason is that, unlike others that address university themes and multiple couples, the series presents us with three protagonists who do not enter university in the same academic year, but in different academic years. In this way, by the time Wine is introduced to the other members of "Perfect 10 Liners", Arm and Gun are already in the upper years of their careers and have been dating Arc and Yotha, respectively, for some time.
Therefore, the second and third stories, those that would be told from episodes 9 to 16, and from 17 to 24, would be those of the other four members of this select student club. We see the story from Arm's perspective, and it starts just at the moment when Wine asks Arm how he started his romance with Arc?
The setting is sublime with the faculties, dormitories, gardens and dining halls of the university, and in the background that incomparable mix of art, architecture and ancient culture and modernity that responds to the name of Thailand.
With a project that has points of contact with other of his productions, and through a territory explored by other directors and by himself, such as university romance, New retraces his steps and brings us another of his plots focused on different stories of several couples of young university students who go through a stage of falling in love with experiences of excitement, love, hope, happiness and certain emotions that are part of a romantic relationship, as we saw in 'We Are' and 'Fourever You', also of his authorship, but with the difference described above.
We agree that in the series business, BL or not, commonplaces abound, right?
Well, pretend that New and screenwriter Inthira Thanasarnsumrit, his usual accomplice in creating BL, like 'Star and Sky: Star in My Mind | Sky in Your Heart', 'A Boss and a Babe', 'We Are' and 'Our Skyy 2', took all the platitudes from every college story ever, but instead of "rehashing" them, they updated them.
As? With all the youthful concerns of today. From the use of social networks and group chats as a meeting point for students to the carbon footprint we are leaving, including sexual diversity, going to a university far from home, fitting in with strangers, the search for recreation and fun between exams and a thousand more conflicts.
The result is very interesting because it fuses the best of what has always worked in this industry with the best of what lovers of BL romantic comedies expect, all presented through beautiful cinematography. It's ultimately the perfect mix of rowdy antics and cuteness, all with quirky character dynamics.

THE FIRST STORY

Force and Book star in the first story in this series that follows a classic romantic premise. The plot revolves around two university students, one in the third year of Civil Engineering and the university's heartthrob, and the other in the first year of Electrical Engineering and administrator of the faculty's virtual page, both of different personalities, whose destinies are they intertwine in a context full of anger and withholdings, often with a setting that underlines their connection, such as a shower in each other's bedrooms when they barely know each other. Despite their differences, the protagonists fall deeply in love from the first moments in which their eyes meet.
We are facing a luminous post-adolescent drama, optimistic in just the right measure and that knows how to focus on the benefits of its characters. to transcend beyond the undeniable interest of the plots focused on their most mundane problems.
For example, it's very lighthearted but quick to see the way Arc and Arm begin to create a bond that goes beyond that of senior and junior. Both are specialists in hysterics, that flirting that acts like begging or simulating indecision.
The creator seems to be infatuated with the actors and their homosexual side, and here he accentuates it with total creative freedom, for the good of the followers of BL series in general and these two stars in particular. The first scenes of episode 1 already indicate where things are going, showing the two going from strangers to enemies and from there to... well, almost lovers.
Anyway, why beat around the bush if everyone already knew that the protagonists of this plot and main romantic attractions would be them. But hey, let's hope they are characters that gain much more depth and development. Because yes, romantic, sweet and humorous moments contribute a lot.
That is to say, 'Perfect 10 Liners' captures the viewer. When Force and his Arc appear, the series gains a lot of momentum. His mere presence on screen makes my heart burst with joy and gallop at more than 120 beats per minute. He is a proven actor, with extensive command of television codes in relation to camera treatment, to work a character with so much continuity and chapters, with so many diverse locations. For example, his role in this series is a co-lead, and as a result, extremely active in his relationship with other contexts and dramatic situations.
For his part, Book is one of those actors who find it useful to focus on the authenticity of the character. Despite being somewhat theatrical for television, its approach is always to seek the truth of each situation. The way he works is to understand why the character reacts in a certain way, whether with more grandiloquence or less, and making sure that authenticity is present in each scene.
The dialogues set the tone and the light plot. The plots of the other students remain in the background. They don't attract but they don't bother either.
The director also offers us the intervention of Amy and Fluke as Yipun and Jet, respectively, the couple who will make our protagonists meet and begin their rapid push and pull and the future of the relationship between both boys.
It is also encouraging to have Fluke Gawin Caskey, Drake Sattabut Laedeke, and Marc Pahum Jiyacharoen, who return to the BL series to play Arc's three friends, while Poon Mitpakdee and JJ Chayakorn Jutamat will play Arm's friends.
The story has many characters, but they are all united in various ways, so it makes sense to me to see so many people. Navigating the day-to-day cast of characters in real life is no different than what is shown here, especially in a school or work environment. That said, this is still a comedy and many of the situations were done in a humorous way with a certain dramatic touch. But the actions and emotions of the cast were appropriate for the roles they play.
There are those who will say that it is stupid, that its protagonists repeat themselves in their roles, that the dialogues are not profound, that the performances are exaggerated, that Force keeps repeating his silly expressions while Book maintains his ridiculous expressiveness, that they are too old to walk between university hustle and bustle..., but the truth is that 'Perfect 10 Liners' fits perfectly into a genre that serves as GMMTV's flagship: the cheerful university romance, a successful formula that continues to resonate with audiences in Thailand and beyond its borders.
The 8 episodes belonging to the first story could be a unitary series. And it would have ended in a great way, in style. However, it doesn't end there. 'Perfect 10 Liners' has been able to intelligently present, while we were enjoying the first story, the characters of the two remaining stories, to incorporate them into a general story that we already know: the romantic, friendly and comradely relationship of the members of the exclusive circle of "Perfect 10 Liners", the group of extraordinary students from various academic years at the Faculty of Engineering of a Thai university.
This is a type of show with stories that are intentionally accessible to all types of audiences, and provides viewers with love stories that are tender and funny alike, and that we can all identify with.
The truth is that it fulfills its original proposal of making the viewer entertain and brighten the day, while mixing established actors with others who have a true school in the established figures and in the series, and this perfect combination between experienced and new, is a determining factor in the general quality, in addition to adding freshness and diversity.
The budget and execution are good: optical locations, cameras, lighting and grading (no one ever talks about grading, and it is an art).
'Perfect 10 Liners' stands out thanks to its main protagonists, who have already won the affection of all of us with their characters in other BLs and will continue to conquer us with all their plots in this series.
Also in its favor are the lyrics of the songs, the main one, "Perfect", performed by the six protagonists, and "Love Suspect", which identifies the first story, and which we will hear in the voices of Force and Book. It is these musical themes that become threads that unite moments, emotions and characters in an artistic fabric that seeks to tell the story of a group of young people who will discover who they are on the way to finding the best version of themselves. Likewise, through the lens of this creator, a world is revealed where the representation of a wide diversity of voices and experiences takes center stage.
The series is entertaining. And you, the viewer, decide if it is one long series, or three series in one. It's a young people's serial, yes, but the characters are good, they have more or less real problems that any young person from anywhere in the world (it's a series, it's not perfect, it's always a little stereotyped), and they approach things with relative intelligence and good humor.
I recommend the series because it is designed for two groups of people: fans of romance and the classic BL format, and eternal lovers of Force, Book, Junior, Santa, Mark and Perth.

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Disappointing because manipulative

When will BLs reflect the real diversity of the LGBT+ community in Thai society?

Something missing from 'To Be Continued' is a convincing explanation of why Ji has rejected Achi for over 10 years.
It is evident that while Achi fully accepts her sexuality, Ji hides it and does not want to acknowledge it. That's why he approaches a girl, but still doesn't decide to make her fall in love with him. It can't be any other way: he is gay. He hides his homosexuality and denies his love to the person he loves. He is a victim of internalized homophobia.
Ji knows his place in an inhospitable world, but he doesn't dare to position himself in it. Ji lives in a world built by and for the heterosexual man. He lives in a heteronormative society that still discriminates against homosexuals, harasses them, persecutes them and excludes them.
Ji, like the other members of the Thai LGBT community, is a man who lives surrounded by heterosexual stimuli everywhere. And everything that goes beyond the "normative" is viewed with suspicion and incomprehension and even hatred. Anyone who dares to feel differently runs the risk of being separated and excluded from the group. As an animal of habit, Ji is afraid of the unknown, he doesn't really know how to act when faced with what is different from him and those who are like him. That is why he chooses to sacrifice his love to try not to be attacked, cornered, ignored.
In series like 'The Promise' a boy hides being in love with his friend, but his decision not to confess his love is justified for fear of breaking the relationship between the two, but he also damages the friendship by putting distance for 10 years, which It is also excessive.
But that's not the point in 'To Be…'. Here the two boys are in love. And while one is open to the relationship, the other does not dare to take the next step. They are in a world and a society that prevents them from leaving the established rules. Going outside the norm has always implied social exclusion. They know each other and love each other. But out of fear Ji does not open himself to love. The series fails to be convincing about why two men who love each other and have no other impediment than the one indicated above, can declare their love and be together.
When will the creators of BL series stop being afraid to demonstrate in their works that love and feelings have no borders?
The question is that Thai BL series have not yet decided to address the reality of LGBT+ people in that country. Until now, BL dramas tell us two very different realities. Although the "positive representation" of relationships between male characters is celebrated, in the sense that they are no longer always synonymous with tragedy or come with a strong load of stereotypes, the genre of love dramas between boys does not show representations close to the Thai reality.
BL series generally focus on “young love,” omitting the realities faced by gay men in Thailand, who still do not have basic rights such as equal marriage. This leads many viewers to misunderstand that Thailand is a gay paradise. And that is not true.
Even homosexual romance dramas are broadcast with the intention of not disturbing "the tranquility and sleep" of the most conservative sectors of the country. The episodes of the BL series are broadcast on alternative platforms through smartphones and digital devices, in order not to interfere with the usual TV soap opera programming.
When will BL series come to reflect the real diversity of the LGBT+ community in Thai society? While dozens of BL series are produced and broadcast each year, stigma and discrimination against LGBT+ people continue to occur within society. When will the creators and directors of television channels understand that making homoaffective representations in BL series more nuanced and political could bring important and positive changes in a society that is beginning to observe its diversity through television creations?
Why do two young people of the same sex, like Ji and Achi, live 10 years of their lives apart, suffering, dying in life, despite loving each other? What prevents you from living a life together, as you wish? While Achi fully accepts her sexuality, Ji hides it and does not want to acknowledge it. And I answered myself: "The reason is that same-sex marriage is still not recognized in Thailand." And he argued that Ji is a victim of internalized homophobia. Ji represents one of those hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of young homosexuals in the world forced to hide their homosexuality to comply with what a conservative society with strong patriarchal and heteronormative traditions demands of them.
In the South Korean BL series 'Jazz for Two', broadcast in parallel with 'To Be Continued, three of its protagonists are also victims of internalized homophobia. Tae Yi, one of its main protagonists, is a victim of the discrimination, rejection or shame he feels towards his own sexual orientation or gender identity, living, like Ji, in a society that stigmatizes and represses sexual diversity.
But the creators of the Korean series did not hesitate or mince their words when addressing this complex and current topic. By exposing the reason why Tae Yi rejected Seo-Hun, the series put its finger on the sore spot and, in addition to making internalized homophobia visible and generating debate and reflection on this issue, it denounced a homophobic society. What courage on the part of the actors, the production team and the directors of the television channels, taking into account that South Korea, like Thailand, is a society in which, despite the fact that sexual activity between people of the same sex is Legal, Gay Marriage, Equal Marriage or Same-Sex Marriage or other forms of legal partnership are not available to same-sex couples.
To argue my point of view, I allow myself a spoiler: Towards the end of the series we will learn that Ji and Achi have suffered a voluntary separation for 10 years due to "a simple misunderstanding." Let no one justify that "they lacked communication or were very young." They are the same age as Tae Yi and the rest of the young high school students in the aforementioned South Korean series. How can "a simple misunderstanding" be credible as such a crude justification for the human suffering, represented in these two young people?
Ji and Achi did not lack communication or experience due to their young age. Ji and Achi lacked the courage of the creators to address sensitive topics, such as internalized homophobia and the homophobia itself present in Thai society.
Ji and Achi lacked the courage of the creators to denounce the harassment and discrimination suffered by real, flesh-and-blood gay youth depicted in Thai BL fiction.
Ji and Achi lacked the courage of the creators to criticize the discourse that seeks to suffocate minorities by stating that being homosexual is something abnormal and depraved.
Ji and Achi lacked the courage of the creators to propose to reflect on real and tangible issues that the members of the Thai LGBT+ community have suffered and suffer, who have been affected by that intrinsic message that society constantly sends you and that tells you that You are not normal, that there is something wrong with you and that you have to hide, make yourself invisible.
It is unfortunate and very questionable to witness how BL lovers set themselves up as censors in the face of reviews like this and, feeling attacked by a critical intellectual exercise and having no arguments to refute the author's approaches, they choose, through trivial arguments, to question the sincerity of someone who carries out a critical analysis with objective criteria, without being carried away by their own tastes or passions.

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The power of predestined love and the complete transformation of broken people into beings of light

The power of predestined love
''Century of Love', the LGBTIQ+ romantic drama that combines elements of fantasy and action, reminds us that love inspires concepts as beautiful as the one that becomes the heart of this Thai series.
Directors Thanawat Panyarin ('Sanaeha Diary Series: Buang Sanaeha'), and Wo Worawit Khuttiyayothin ('Laws of Attraction') are behind 'Century of Love', a romantic fantasy that unfolds over more than a century.
Screenwriters Nueng Chawanon Sarapat ('To Sir, With Love' and 'Laws of Attraction'), Sorawich Pinyomit ('Laws of Attraction') and Apirat Hinkaew ('Suphapburut Sut Soi 2022'), are in charge of weaving a story with wonderful plots and eternal romances in which only predestined love will be able to save a young man from his own inner maelstrom.
The story revolves around San, a good-hearted boy who, due to the power of the Stone of Five Colors, which has turned him into an immortal being but with an expiration date, has waited for his love, Miss Wad ( Cookie Yada), for 100 years, waiting for him to be reincarnated into another person. To do this, he must face suffering, both physical and mental, all for the long-awaited reunion.
If he fails to find her within the given time frame, he will inevitably succumb to a tragic death for eternity.
About to finish the last year of the century before the power of the stone becomes his eternal curse, San meets Vee, a flighty and charming Adonis who seems connected to his life. However, San is reluctant to accept that his beloved, for whom he has waited so long and endured even loneliness, has been reborn as a child.
The creators present a story in a way where emotions pervade the entire story that is addressed in the script. Narratively, the series explores various themes, such as the conception of love, couples, the passage of time and life experiences.
Furthermore, through their protagonists, both directors and screenwriters can establish an analysis of attraction, love and desire, in addition to solving the great vital enigma of romanticism. One of the greatest virtues of its script are the different time jumps that arise, which provokes emotional introspection, but also growth and maturity in the face of the unknown. It has a striking personal force and Thanawat Panyarin and Worawit Khuttiyayothin know how to exploit it to the core of their story.
They are not afraid to show the edges and flaws that the human being hides, seen above all in the character of Vee, a boy who cares about his grandmother, who is faithful to his friends, a loyal lover, kind, smiling, but is not a waste of virtues, because he is not afraid to go against established norms and commit the occasional transgression, but not for ambitious or selfish purposes, but to help and protect the people he loves.
The series captivates viewers from its first frames not only for its interesting plot and for introducing the audience to an attractive, addictive, exciting and intricate narrative, but also for the inspiring performance of its two protagonists: the actors and singers Daou Pittaya Saechua and Offroad Kantapon Jindataweephol, members of boy group LAZ1, who play San and Vee, respectively, an on-screen couple famous for their work in the 2023 BL drama 'Love in Translation', where they played Yang Yan Feng and Phumjai , in that order.
It is a fact that 'Century of Love' conquers viewers thanks to Daou and Offroad, two actors with brutal on-screen chemistry, in addition to being very comfortable with each other. The synergy they create between them transfers to the seats and it is logical that there is so much truth in their interpretations.
Offroad has an innate naturalness, in addition to knowing how to take his character to emotional levels without falling into drama. He transmits at all times that transformation that occurs in his character. We see a metamorphosis on screen that is believable. A totally correct choice, given that he understands his character and sentimentally strips himself before the viewer.
For its part, thanks to Daou's acting work, the series does not fall into excessive sentimentality, which can occur in film and television romantic stories. It gives you San an identity and the allows to explore other horizons intrinsic to people. He steps hard, but always giving space to the rest of the performances on screen.
On the other hand, Cookie Yada plays a role that could seem to be in the background, but provides greater realism thanks to an unadorned performance. He is insightful and his presence on stage is enjoyable. It gives luminosity, mystery and suspense to the series, as well as a turn of events, which, without a doubt, the audience appreciates. A very human artistic team, which is not afraid to go to the deepest part of history.
One of the peculiarities of 'Century of Love' is the technical realization behind it. Its visual quality is outstanding. It is important to emphasize that it has its own personality and chooses scenarios that become the best staging. By using common or everyday locations, such as a hospital ward, a convenience store, a Buddhist temple, or the hallways and rooms of an old house, they could have fallen into artistic neglect, but this is not the case.
His photographic direction is careful and there are shots that are really delicate and that, in themselves, evoke beauty. Likewise, they also provide a more raw and visceral force in scenes that have a tension that needs that power.
Furthermore, the work behind the artistic direction must be highlighted. Those in charge of this aspect have known how to choose some scenarios in a special way. There is that pleasure in appreciating both the great monuments and public spaces of Thai cities, as well as small places that are more important for the protagonists.
In the same way, it stands out by virtue of its communicative power to transmit the passage of time and the processes of material decay. In 'Century of Love' a model of precise cinematographic calligraphy, whose plot shows concern for the minimum scenographic details that complement, and in some way also explain, San's journey marked by the god Cronus.
The old and dilapidated Chinese Opera Theatre, apparently a set set up for filming, once splendid and vital, which has a symbolic force in history for being the scene of dates between the two lovers a century ago, in addition to being the place where they inevitably separate, suggests a universe in disintegration, whose only possible opening would lie in the meeting and union of the two protagonists in the present.
The consortium of the plot with the musical appoggiatura, especially the main theme "Waiting to Tell You", by the talented artists Niphat Kamjornpreecha and Kan The Parkinson, and performed by the actor who plays San, tells the story of the feelings of the characters, represents another of the fortunes of the television project.
Another point that enhances the series is the handling of the influence of art itself. One of the rooms of the mansion where the protagonists live is a true art museum in which true artistic jewels hang or are stored in its display cases. This demonstrates the intention of directing 'Century of Love' to a level away from the banal and only focusing on the romantic. There is that effect of showing life itself.
The viewer will be drawn to the tender and deep characters, such as Prince Trai, Mrs. Ward's fiancé in one of the timelines, and Dr. Third in another timeline, the present, played by the attractive actor Pond Ponlawit. Ketprapakorn, who I have followed since I discovered him in the role of Wang in the series '180 Degree Longitude Passes Through Us'.
The fact that this last character loves Veer is an element to consider in thinking that the young convenience store worker is the real Mrs. Ward reincarnated. Likewise, that Wada does not see Prince Trai in Dr. Third has other connotations to be discovered over the course of the series.
The cast closes with Gumpuns Koravich Sarasin as Doctor Tao, a faithful friend of San and temple official; Kae Trungta Kositchaimongkol as Rat, San's great-granddaughter; See Parattakorn Kaiyanan as Ton, Wee's friend; Xiang Pornsroung Rouyruen as Chu, San's great-great-granddaughter, Boss Natpongpon Suddee as the evil Uncle Suchat.
Also worth highlighting is the plot, full of unexpected twists, and a unique and enveloping atmosphere, which keeps you in suspense and really manages to capture you from the first moment.
The visual quality is impressive, with special effects and cinematography elevating the experience. Each episode leaves a feeling of wonder and curiosity, inviting you to reflect on the conflicts raised and anticipate what will happen next.
I recommend the series for many reasons. It's short and to the point, without unnecessary filler. Well done in terms of special effects, twists and script. Enough to develop the story but without adding straw. With deep messages, it has a certain originality (at this point it is very difficult to invent anything new). It has, in addition to the above, ethics, satire, morality, an intense drama that can make you cry, a touch of humor that will make you laugh more than once, a plot that engages.
Don't miss it.

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Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko 2024 (English title: A World Where Everything Definitely Becomes BL vs. the Man Who Definitely Doesn't Want to be in a BL 3 / (絶対BLになる世界VS絶対BLになりたくない男) by Konkichi (紺吉)), continues the story of Mob (Inukai Atsuhiro), the young university student who lived a monotonous but quiet existence until he discovers the true reality of his existence: he is a secondary character in a Boy's Love manga.
From that moment on, he decides to dedicate all his energy to fighting against that reality, to preserve his heterosexuality at any price and not to let himself be carried away by the seductive reality in which he lives... until he falls in love with a boy, Kikuchi (Asahi Itō). , who rejects him just at the moment when our protagonist declares his love for him.
Directed by Ryuichi Honda and Tatsuya Aoki, and scripts written by Izumi Kawasaki, the series has two previous seasons: the first, premiered on TV Asahi in March 2021, and the second broadcast in March 2022.
Erina Koyama returns to take charge of the music. Meanwhile, the seven-member dance vocal group GENIC performs the theme song: "New Game!!".
The drama is not exactly a BL series but a parody of the genre, celebrating and subverting the most common Boys Love tropes.
Will the protagonist manage to fall in love? Will Kikuchi return to Mob's life, after rejecting him to return to Igarashi, her handsome boyfriend? Will Mob open his mind again after the initial setback and finally find love in a boy? Will Mob prefer to continue being a supporting character? Will he let the other couples, including his brother Ayato and his boyfriend Toujou, be the center of attention while he chooses to stay out of it? Will he decide to maintain his identity as a passerby or will he once again become the protagonist of the BL world?
The drama is a live-action adaptation of the manga series "Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko" (絶対BLになる世界VS絶対BLになりたくない男), created by Konkichi (紺吉) and initially released in November 2018 on pixiv Comic, and subsequently published by Shodensha's Feel Comics FC Jam label, currently reaching four compilation volumes.
In addition to the actors already mentioned, the cast is reinforced by Yūtarō Goto in the role of Ayato (excellent in the LGBT+ romantic comedy-drama 'Zenra Meshi'), playing the role of Mob's younger brother; Akihisa Shiono as Toujou, Ryō Sekoguchi as Hatano, Wada Hayate as Mayama, Yuya Tominaga as Jōji, a schoolmate of Mob, and many other Japanese actors and actresses.
The introduction of many secondary characters and guest artists, as well as irrelevant plots, which do not contribute much to the general approach, in order to keep the audience entertained, works against it. It is common practice in most series, but sometimes it gets twisted.
And here, to make matters worse, these gloating largely undermine the cohesion and coherence of the proposal. In fact, the creators did not hesitate to violate the initial conceptions of some secondary characters, in order to adapt them to the emerging needs of the narrative.
Let's hope that in this installment the shot is rectified and it manages to close with sufficiently attractive conclusions to sustain the expected adventures of the protagonist, which will surely be taken up in a later season.
However, the viewer has had to forgive many inconsistencies and more or less drastic or hasty solutions, of various characters and conflicts, and especially of the initial approach, since the series does not manage to fully embrace the madness of the original premise present in the sleeve. It is true that, for example, it manages to make fun of the BL topics contained in Konkichi's work, but the drama in all seasons has stayed with the most conventional ones and has left aside the truly ridiculous ones that would elevate the final result.
I am referring, for example, to everything related to attractive male ghosts that one can only get rid of by hiring the services of an exorcist (equally attractive, of course), something that also happens frequently to Mob in the manga, but It has not been incorporated into the series, and this has an impact on the story.
It is also regrettable that while the manga is made up of very short chapters that go to the essence of the main plot, in the series, despite the fact that each episode has an average duration of 25 minutes and is divided into two segments, it is not possible to the same effect of immediacy that it would have if they were a series of short sketches.
This season may hold surprises, associated with the fate of the character played by Inukai Atsuhiro, a charismatic and ductile actor who in moments of humor achieves hysterical reactions, exaggerated expressions and clownish gestures, but in moments of greater drama he reinvents himself in gesture and restraint.
If someone asked me: What's so special about the series? I would answer that I can't help but compare this one with the previous two seasons:
- A romantic drama that radiates a humorous vibe from the first season.
- A series that sacrifices its humor to show more romance and sentimentality in each installment.
- A comedy that draws attention for its exaggerated reactions and scenarios, such as Mob employing the strategy of "sacrificing" anyone who is nearby instead of being the new love interest or target of the young people in love who surround him and who try to win him over, or the frequent extravagant moments such as finding an attractive stranger unconscious on the street and suggesting that others take him home to recover, something that Mob admits happens to him several times a month and that always happens long wishing him that someone else would take care of the young man and that they would be happy together.
- A protagonist who gains maturity in each season, especially by abandoning his initial outright rejection of BL and gaining understanding of the loves between boys.
- Greater romantic interaction between the characters than in previous seasons.
-The idea of ​​Mob continuing to break the fourth wall.
- It offers a unique possibility of making the public enjoy a plot so absurd that it gives rise to a multitude of ridiculous and quite funny situations that mercilessly mock all the clichés and common places of mangas and BL series.
- Inukai Atsuhiro's solid performance and his extraordinary expressive force.
- The hope that the many supporting actors and guests will become more memorable characters by having greater developments in their personalities and backstory.

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Funny, cheerful, well-acted… but it suffers from the great evil of Thai BL

Set in the present day and with Bangkok as its backdrop, Sant (a wonderful Ohm Thipakorn Thitathan, who returns to acting, no less, as the main character, for the first time in his acting career, after playing several supporting roles) is just the kind of boy who could benefit from a series like 'Sweet Tooth, Good Dentist', directed by Pepzi Banchorn Vorasataree ('KinnPorsche', 2022).
Disillusioned when the young college student discovers that a cavity could affect his performance on a dessert ASMR channel (damn his passion for sweets), the young man struggling with his finances and family debt turns to the only avenue that can help him: the dental clinic, where Jay (Mark Pakin Kuna-anuwit), a narcissistic and attractive dental student, impresses him with his caring attitude. Despite this uncomfortable approach due to the burden of dental anxiety or the so-called Fear of the Dentist, Pepzi, Ohm and Mark manage to keep the series light, cheerful and fun, being sweet enough to be easily consumed.
Ohm is an engaging protagonist, able to effortlessly tap into Sant's humor and confusion over the doctor's kindness as well as his underlying concerns. It's equally thrilling to watch him crack meaningful jokes while filming his social media show, interact with his best friend Gug (Poon Mitpakdee), wander the streets of the Thai capital seeking care for his dental problem, and get swept away by his emotions as he's practically dragged along by the dental student who needs to find root canal treatment cases so he can graduate at the end of the semester.
Starting with the second episode, 'Sweet Tooth, Good Dentist' leaves behind its exaggerated tone, giving way to a series with greater depth, better-developed main characters, and a more profound plot.

CHARACTERS AND ACTORS

Anyone who watched 'Last Twilight' undoubtedly remembers August, the young, sexually ambiguous athlete with whom Day (Sea Tawinan Anukoolprasert) fell in love. Equally enduring in the memory is his character Men, the boy with a heart condition who must help his older brother, Min (Ohm Pawat Chittsawangdee), hide Q (Leng Thanaphon Usinsap) from those who want to kill him in 'Kidnap' (2024).
Taking a supporting role to the unforgettable level is a defining milestone for any actor, and Ohm achieved it both in these two series and with his role as Zo in 'A Boss and a Babe' and 'Our Skyy: A Boss and a Babe'.
Thanks to these performances, he permanently established himself in the imagination of BL fans as one of the iconic faces of this audiovisual genre.
Ohm is mesmerizing as Sant in a career-defining role. He captures the character's complex emotions, making every emotion seem genuine. Despite a tense and winding initial encounter with his co-star, Sant conveys warmth, sensitivity, and depth. At first, he matches Jay's joy and charisma with a natural arrogance, but as the minutes pass, he reveals fragility in his enigmatic glances and subtle expressions.
At 23, Ohm represents a very similar age to his character (whose dessert channel nods to the early satire on influencer culture). By the time filming begins, his own life will have changed drastically, not only because he has become recognized as a leading actor, but also because, along with his traveling companion, he has formed a new BL couple already known as #MarkOhm. "Knowing that my life is about to enter this new chapter of professional maturation was extraordinary", the actor declared on social media.
We will soon knock that more than fear of sitting in the dentist's chair, Sant has not been able to overcome the trauma he has carried since his childhood, when the very first time he went to a dental clinic his mother abandoned him while he was being treated by the dentist, bringing with this fact, in addition, the death of his father and having been raised by his grandparents in the absence of his parents.
Who, watching 'Only Friends', couldn't help but notice Nick, a young man in love trapped in a toxic relationship? Who doesn't remember the charismatic actor for the ease, charm, vulnerability, and heartbreak of a character masterfully played by Mark in this 2023 Thai television series also starring Kanaphan Puitrakul (First), Thanawat Rattanakitpaisan (Khaotung), Jiratchapong Srisang (Force), Kasidet Plookphol (Book), and Trai Nimtawat (Neo), and which explores the theme of friends-with-benefits relationships among young people?
Whether he's a loyal best friend or a troubled lover, the truth is that thanks to his relatable charisma, his ability to infuse authenticity into each of his characters, his emotional intensity, with which just a glance manages to convey subtle feelings of joy, longing, or pain... Mark has managed to win over viewers and establish himself as a versatile actor. For all this and more, Mark not only won the Best New Male Actor of the Year award at the 2024 BEST ARTIST AWARD, but was also able to comfortably settle into leading roles, earning critical acclaim and the affection of the public.
In 'Sweet Tooth, Good Dentist', the former junior badminton player and medal-winning international men's doubles tournament champion confirms why he has become one of the public's favorite actors since 2021, when he began his career in supporting roles in series on GMMTV, one of Thailand's most well-known production companies.
Mark is just as charismatic as Ohm in 'Sweet Tooth, Good Dentist', especially when he flashes that mischievous smile or approaches Sant with actions that confuse the boy trying to get him into the dental chair to examine his mouth. "Is this affectionate nature just part of his job, or is there some hidden agenda behind his behavior?", Sant wonders.
Mark and Ohm had previously worked together on 'Last Twilight', and although their characters didn't interact romantically on that occasion, it was said that their chemistry off-camera was undeniable. What better preamble than this for these two to be in front of the camera today as the protagonists of a series, and as a new ship that I would like to endure over time, starring in future dramas.
Both comfortable in their roles and in control of their characters, they deliver natural and engaging performances, and a vibrant, explosive chemistry that ignites their romance—essential for a good romantic comedy. The beautiful photography and soundtrack, featuring the songs "Magic Potion," performed by Mark and Ohm; "Brush Teeth 2 2 2" and "Mr. Romantic," sung by Mark; and "Make Me Smile," sung by Ohm, also enhance the atmosphere.
This hilarious gay drama features supporting characters you grow to love. In addition to the talented main cast, 'Sweet Tooth, Good Dentist' features a group of renowned actors who add even more depth to the story: Poon Mitpakdee plays Gug, a kind of understanding manager and stage manager for Sant's social media dessert show, always willing to help his friend and roommate in the university condominium; While View Benyapa Jeenprasom plays Yada, Jay's friend and coworker, whom Gug will fall in love with as soon as he meets her.
For his part, Jimmy Jitaraphol Potiwihok plays Captain. Although he appears later in the series, he quickly wins the audience's affection by playing a young entrepreneur who buys a cafe with the goal of making and selling sweets, including his own croissant recipe. A friend of Jay's since high school, he soon becomes the subject of tension with the dentist when he hires Saint, with whom he seems to fall in love.
Despite its clichés, 'Sweet Tooth, Good Dentist' seeks to fulfill its goal of captivating BL fans and leading others to learn about and delve into the genre, even if it doesn't have overly artistic ambitions.

CURIOSITIES

Screenwriters Pratchaya Thavornthummarut and Bee Pongsate Lucksameepong, known for writing the scripts for the BL series 'My School President', 'Last Twilight', 'Bad Buddy' and 'My Love Mix-Up! ', among others, have teamed up once again to bring us a story that, in a fun and cheerful tone, bordering on farce when it seeks to entertain the audience through highly exaggerated, extravagant, ridiculous, absurd and improbable situations, invites us to reflect on the complexity of relationships, young love, identity and the search for oneself through others and the environment that surrounds us.
The plot of 'Sweet Tooth, Good Dentist' is woven around the chance encounters, comic adventures and the birth of romance experienced by the dentist and his "smiling cute boy", two people with very different personalities, but always moved by play, jokes and humor, also offering a cheerful and romanticized look at Bangkok that mixes the old with the modern (tradition and modernity), where fate and chance play a crucial role in the lives of the characters, forcing them to confront their true aspirations and emotions.
As we saw in the first episode, the series' narrative unfolds a joyful and fun yet intricate journey of personal discoveries, encounters, and disagreements that resonate with the audience due to its authenticity and the convincing performances of its cast.
Apart from the concern one character's looming concern about taking care of his oral health and the other's concern about finding a patient in need of root canal treatment to graduate, 'Sweet Tooth, Good Dentist' sounds like any other coming-of-age story, the kind of series that legions of young queer people and BL lovers around the world might seek out as their own audiovisual balm on Friday nights, a la the Taiwanese series 'My Tooth Your Love', starring Andy Wu and Yu Jin.

WORST

If there's one thing I have to point out against it so far, it's that, like most Thai BL series, and those produced by GMMTV in particular, the series shies away from reflecting (and delving into) the reality of the Thai and, why not, global LGBT+ community, especially in terms of uncovering its horrors and misfortunes.
How I wish boys' love series from this Southeast Asian nation would finally contribute to the true representation of this human community. Usually, every time I watch one of these dramas, I ask myself: Why are they unable to reflect that most gay men of today's generations are still dealing with the effects of decades of shame? Is there a real and effective contribution from Thai cinema and television to making the struggles of the LGBT+ community visible? Have today's youth been raised in an egalitarian society? Do adolescents and young adults reflect the desired equality?
During adolescence and young adulthood, human beings constitute an exaggerated mirror of their surroundings. Those who grew up witnessing the lack of social analysis and critique of homophobia, internalized homophobia, and discrimination against homosexuals in movies and television have, consciously or unconsciously, incorporated into their daily lives actions that reveal anything but an understanding of the struggles of this human community.
Surely someone will respond that these plots are only meant to entertain, and that if I want to see realism, I should watch a news program on a television network anywhere in the world.
I, on the other hand, continue to believe that, in addition to delighting the viewer, Thai BL should also provide opportunities to reflect the challenges faced by homosexuals in this country, such as the multifaceted stigma and discrimination in the education system; social isolation and exclusion within families; the disproportionate prevalence of sexual violence and the reluctance to report it to the police; discrimination and marginalization in employment; and LGBT+ disparities in health and mental health, both at home and in communities—social problems that remain prevalent in this nation, despite the recent signing of a law legally recognizing same-sex marriage.
I will update the review later.

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The Healing Power of Love: A Journey of Suffering, Pain, and Shared Dreams of Happiness

Japanese television continues to surprise with various styles and themes and this is confirmed by 'Happy of the End', the Japanese series that adapts the manga of the same name by Ogeretsu Tanaka, published in installments in the monthly digital manga magazine Boys' Love Qpa, a work winner of the Best Deep category at the Chil Chil BL 2022 Awards.
In 2021, Tanaka stated through an interview with Chil Chil that he came up with the plot while walking through the Tokyo neighborhood of Shinjuku one morning and wanted to write a story featuring its landscape. His frequent nighttime tours through its neon-filled streets, narrow pedestrian alleys, bars, restaurants and businesses of dubious reputation to obtain reference material for his interior and cover illustrations, were described as a "terrifying" experience.
The idea of ​​bringing the story told in the manga to moving images has since pursued the Japanese actor, screenwriter, assistant director and director Tomoyuki Furumaya.
Owner of a film universe with dozens of films, television series and specials over 30 years, which speaks of a feverish work backed by a recognized quality based on a style that identifies him, and makes him stand out among other directors, thanks to his obsession with telling stories conceived in a minimalist narrative design full of humanism, visions that between pain, suffering, irony and a good dose of humor cover the most universal themes.
This has been the case since his university years, when at only 24 years old, his 16 mm film, 'Shakunetsu no dojjibōru' (1992), won the grand prize at the Pia Film Festival, earning him a Pia scholarship to make his first theatrical feature film, 'This Window Is Yours', in 1994, with which he won the coveted "Dragons and Tigers" trophy at the Vancouver International Film Festival, ultimately obtaining the award for new directors from the Directors Guild of Japan in that same year.
With 'Bad Company', filmed 7 years later, the filmmaker from Nagano Prefecture won a Tiger Award and the FIPRESCI Award at the 2001 Rotterdam Film Festival, while with 'Sayonara Midori-chan' he came in second place at competition at the 2005 Three Continents Festival. He has also worked on television shows such as Mori no Asagao.
Faithful to the emotional core of the original manga, Tomoyuki Furumaya gives up his position behind the camera in episode 6 to let director Takahiro Komura do it, although always with his gaze and care down to the smallest details. Meanwhile, the script is written by the same director and Tadano Miako, who plays Keito/Haoran's mother.
The conflict in 'Happy of the End', the romantic and psychological drama with an LGBT+ theme, is exposed from the first minutes: disowned by his family for being gay and rejected by his newly married ex-boyfriend, Chihiro Kashiwagi, a "cool" young man, tough, lonely and gullible about 25 years old, meets Keito in a bar, a beautiful, mysterious man with a strong sense of obsession of the same age, and suggests that they have a one-night stand.
However, at the hotel, Keito beats Chihiro unconscious. The next morning, Keito reveals that he was sent by Matsuki, Chihiro's former employer, whom he had invited to live with him as a "pet", to retrieve his cards after Chihiro stole them when he was evicted for sleeping with other men. Without a place to live, Chihiro ends up staying with Keito.
After Chihiro confesses that he is a boy who feels so empty that he has thought about death, Haoran, who also experiences loneliness, proposes sex to him, the same sex interrupted on the night him attacked him. Through emotional ups and downs, their relationship becomes deeper and deeper. Through emotional ups and downs, their relationship becomes deeper and deeper.
While living together as friends with benefits, Chihiro and Keito grow closer and open up about their past: Chihiro tells Keito that he was disowned by his family for being gay and how he fell in love with a classmate in high school, who left him four years later to marry a woman.
For his part, Keito reveals that his real name is Haoran and that his drug addict mother is a prostitute who came from China. Furthermore, he confesses that due to his mother's abandonment, he was forced at the age of 15 to work as a minor prostitute with older and violent clients. He tells him that Matsuki himself had been one of his regulars at that time.
While living together as friends with benefits, Chihiro and Keito grow closer and open up about their past: Chihiro tells Keito about him family and how him fell in love in high school with a classmate, who abandoned him four more years. late to marry a woman.
Meanwhile, Keito reveals that his real name is Haoren and that his drug addict mother is a prostitute who came from China. Haoren has never known love. Being abandoned by his mother, and without the support of any other close being, the child no older than four or five years old is forced to live on the street and at the age of 15 to work as a minor prostitute with older and violent clients. He will confess to Chihiro that Matsuki himself had been one of his regulars at that time.
The series is populated by tormented and depressed characters, who seek light on their path and when they find it, they cling to it. When pain chokes us and makes us relive our darkest thoughts, it will be love's turn to make its way to want us to embrace life. Although everything seems to agree to plunge Haoren and Chihiro into the deepest darkness, both will fight tooth and nail to find closure to their traumatic past and live happily together as a couple.
According to the author of the manga, he wanted to show through an ironic distortion the inner world of heartbreak and suffering of "Haoran" (浩然), which symbolizes vast or great, because thanks to the incorrect pronunciation of this Chinese character by the character who never went to school and whose mother abandoned him early, he becomes "Haoren" (好人), which literally translates as "good man, good guy or good person."
In this way, instead of giving the character attributes related to his name, Ogeretsu Tanaka gives him qualities completely at odds with his life full of pain and difficulties.
After being asked by Chihiro why he makes love with his clothes on, we will soon discover that Haoren, in addition to the wounds he carries in his soul, carries physical scars on his body as a result of the abuse and humiliation received in the past.
Only love breeds wonder. Only love turns mud into a miracle. Only love can restore Haoran's greatness and nobility.
As the episodes progress we will discover two fascinating, unique, complex characters.
The series stands out for telling an extreme, but very human and touching story about two lonely and broken men who are hungry for love and affection. Chihiro is what you would call a gigolo, while Haoran is someone who doesn't understand the feelings of others. In this sense, both compensate for what the other lacks. They complement each other, and by being together, they recover their emotions, direct their lives and heal their souls with the power of love.
One without a penny in his pocket and a roof over his head. The other, with a rubbish job as a "scout for stewardesses and sex workers" making girls sell their bodies. Living on the fringes of society, Chihiro and Haoran could begin a new life together out of their pain and suffering.
Once Chihiro takes Haoran for a walk to Ueno Park, a short distance from Shinjuku, where they both live, it will be revealed that she does not even know of his existence. This will confirm to us his bitter, sad, broken, empty life.
Without education and even a telephone, those who have never set foot in any school will receive jokes from other people, like those from a real estate agent, because Haoren will not know how to respond politely. All this will define and configure the character.
The latest work from the director of 'Candy Color Paradox' stars Rei Sawamura from "Living With Him", known to BL lovers for playing Haruna Keita in the series 'Kare no Iru Seikatsu', from 2024.
Rei Sawamura, who is also a member of One N' Only, does a convincing job playing Haoran, a young man with emotional problems. As Haoran attempts to build a life together with Chihiro, he is harassed by Maya (Yosuke Asari), an abusive pimp for whom Haoren previously worked. On the other hand, he grieves for her mother, a Chinese woman who works as a prostitute and whose drug addiction has affected her so much that he no longer recognizes Haoren.
Beppu Yurai, the actor who plays Kashiwagi Chihiro, is today one of the most in-demand actors in Japanese television and cinema, after playing Saruhara Shinichi / Saru Brother in the tokusatsu franchise 'Avataro Sentai Donbrothers'.
This actor does a great job showing the range of Chihiro's emotions as he tries to make sense of her relationship with the young man who fulfills assignments of dubious decency.
With a life of suffering and emotional deprivation very similar to Haoran's, Chihiro's own older brother refuses to recognize him in public for being homosexual. Alienated by an exclusionary society, these two people with their broken souls and wounded bodies find salvation in each other.
Both Beppu Yurai and Rei Sawamura are natural actors who add depth to the story when they are on screen together. Their performances are one of the many reasons why 'Happy of the End' is worthy of being appreciated by the public.
Beppu Yurai shines as Chihiro, sexually hungry and in love. Rei Sawamura plays Haoran with an inner sadness that allows the viewer to feel empathy for him. Without a doubt, they are well-defined characters.
I mean I absolutely love Rei Sawamura as Haoren and Beppu Yurai as Chihiro. They act magnificently in their respective roles. Both imbue their characters with all their heart. You can see that the two of them are really going through an emotional journey, and the Japanese actors find those moments to infuse them with this immense amount of empathy and conviction, while also playing a quiet strength and determination.
Using flashbacks, Tomoyuki Furumaya presents the central relationship of the series in what turn out to be real places and conflicts. When the story leads to the inevitably challenging conversations that Chihiro and Haoran must have, they are never hysterical or overly dramatic. They are two people trying to understand each other and still trying to connect. It's scary and difficult... like any relationship.
The creators of 'Happy of the End' are very aware of details like these, although the series does not stop at making important points, the implications are clear and given depth through scenes that show these two people together, trying to maintain a connection and taking care of each other.
Another important detail comes from the characters' interior monologues, from which we get a vision of the cruel and suffocating world in which they have lived. I normally have a low opinion of voiceover, outside of very specific genre conventions, but the creators of 'Happy of the End' make it seem appropriate for this story.
Both Haoran and Chihiro tell us a lot of important things in their inner monologue and mostly character details rather than simply a device to advance the plot. It works as a plot driver, but not in an egregious way. No, rather, the interior monologues are cleverly used to remind those of us who do not share the background of both characters how they have experienced their personal traumas, but also their desires for redemption and to find their place in the world. The interior monologues give weight to the series in a way I didn't expect.
Both will have the support of Ryohei Kaji (Yuki Kubota), an older brother figure to Chihiro and Haoran, a man who, although he gets angry quickly, is a good guy deep down, as Tanaka drew this character in the manga.
The cast works excellently together, giving realism and depth to the relationship of the main characters.
The soundtrack is composed by Kōji Endō. The opening track is "2Colors" by The Spellbound featuring Jesse (Rize/The Bonez.
The series has an undeniable richness in its various artistic components: the photography, the sets, in constant mutation, the music, and the essential editing work, which place us, as viewers, before a moving story in which the sudden friendship between the main characters is strange, but believable. The complexity of Chihiro and Haoran's relationship and the discovery of their tragic pasts is what drives the series.
What I like most about 'Happy of the End' is its strong, sensitive and moving message to those people who feel like they are missing something, or who want something but don't know what it is, or who are struggling every day and feel somehow dissatisfied. Haoran and Chihiro live their lives to the fullest even in the depths of despair. Despite their frustrations and stormy pasts, these characters do not give up and fight against all adversities.
On the other hand, I am struck by the fact that Haoran, like the semen in the relationship, is more androgynous than the uke. Likewise, this is how the characters were designed in the original work.
The series is a heartbreaking, sensitive and honest portrait of two young people who are emotionally connected to each other despite the traumatic and heartbreaking nature of their past.
The landscape and cinematography are beautiful despite the harsh reality that the series exposes and affects many young Japanese in the circumstances reflected through the protagonists. For decades we have wanted to believe that Japanese youth have everything to be happy in the nation that is considered the third largest economy in the world.
However, we then discovered, through the novel coronavirus, as the country prepared to host the Japan 2020 Olympic Games, that hundreds of thousands of Japanese, perhaps millions, many of them young, many of them prostitutes, many of them disowned by their parents for being homosexual, many of them harassed and discriminated against by a heteronormative and patriarchal society that refuses to accept LGBT+ people, they live in internet cafes throughout the Land of the Rising Sun, faced with the impossibility of being able to pay renting a home.
With the closure of these establishments due to the quarantine, suffering the eviction of their places to sleep, and faced with the increasing precariousness of their lives, they were forced to steal a snack from a child and run away, wait for someone to leave them abandoned in a park or a bus stop a box of chocolates that will be checked to see if there is still any left inside to put in your mouth, prostitute yourself for a few coins that are enough to buy a newspaper with which to cover the cold of the night in the streets, or spending the night among garbage bags, outdoors, along with the darkness, inclement weather and violence, portrayed in the series.
'Happy of the End' is a moving and fascinating study, beautifully told and skillfully acted, of two men struggling with the consequences of living through traumatic events.
The series fulfills its objective for me, in addition to wanting to jump to the other side of the screen to accompany Chihiro and Haoran on their journey of suffering, pain and shared dreams of achieving happiness, inviting me to reflect on a raw and sad reality.

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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, for which he constantly makes fun of him, they slowly develop a good friendship that later culminates in Hero's falling in love with Poppy, who no longer loves him. He feels 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 class barriers and the obstacles of those around 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 'Addicted Heroine', Jur and Newyear continue their steps into the BL universe, after starring in the series 'Hit Bite Love' and the film 'Firstly "Like" You, fictions in which the former plays "Burger" Burinphat , and Newyear plays King.
With themes such as homosexual romance, coming of age, youth and their way of facing life, family roles, economic contradictions, 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 the two failed Chinese versions of it lies in the strength and independence of the personalities of the two protagonists and the inevitable clash of the same, and this is weighed down with the changes introduced in 'Addicted Heroine', which murder the novel.

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A gay romance with fantastic touches and the whitewashing of the homophobic Thai Police

The Sign is a captivating drama that stands out among other BLs for its ability to balance multiple stories and themes. Broadcast on Channel 3, this production by renowned Thai director and screenwriter A Natthaphong Wongkaweepairod, perfectly intertwines elements of gay romance, the complexity of first love, religiosity, the exciting world of fantasy, the supernatural, the resolution of crimes and political and police corruption.
This unique combination of genres, its compelling narrative, the pair of irresistible protagonists and a direct story of love-overcomes-adversity, guarantees that 'The Sign' will hit the mark among fans of BL products, always in search of a series that show an engaging and exciting experience. All this positions the audiovisual among the most outstanding in the BL universe of all time.
Professional critics and fans alike praise its emotional depth and the cast's sincere performances.
Its director has to his credit the dramas 'My Hero Series: Spell of The Swan Mark', from 2018; 'School Tales The Series', 2022; and the lesbian 'GAP The Series', from 2022, and 'Dream', to be released in 2024. In addition to directing, he is also the screenwriter of the serial 'Lipgloss Spy' and the film SLR', both from 2022.
Based on the great success of 'GAP The Series', its first GL series, the Idol Factory company put all its effort into producing a BL criminal investigation project. This is how 'The Sign' comes about. The series is a television adaptation of I-Rain-Yia's novel of the same name, with a literal translation into English, Premonition, which was produced by Saint Suppapong of 'Love By Chance' and 'Why RU?'.
Billy Patchanon, star of 'Secret Crush On You' and 'War Of Y', and promising actor Babe Tanatat, are in charge of taking on the main roles. I have no doubt that both because of their on-screen chemistry and their genuine performances, the two young actors will consolidate themselves as a ship within the BL universe.
The story centers on two young people who loved each other for centuries and were separated in several past lives, but in a twist of fate they were reincarnated as Phaya o Sakuna (Billy Patchanon Ounsa-ard) and Tharn Wansa (Babe Tanatat Phanviriyakool). This allowed them to meet at an academy where future police officers are trained, in order to enter the Investigation Detective Force (IDF).
During their training, they both experience unique visions related to their pasts and common future, which ignites their romance as they embark on the investigation of some criminal cases shrouded in mystery. Phaya and Tharn's love will be tested by an enigmatic man.
Other talented actors and actresses bring the characters to life in a way that has resonated with audiences.

Brief characterization of the characters

Tharn: He is the cheerful and kind young officer of the IDF. He loves Phaya, with whom he has a romance from the past. That is why he constantly risks his life to save him from the danger he is in. He has a strong sense of "instinct."
Phaya: He is the young, handsome, intelligent, cool and upright IDF officer. Love Tharn.
Khem (Tack Pongsakorn) is the young officer who has a flirtatious personality, likes to have fun and plays with all the other IDF members, especially his boyfriend Thongtai.
Thongtai (Poom Natthapas): Khem's boyfriend. He studied psychology and has a good sense of duty. He is a very observant young officer.
Yai (Gap Jakarin) grew up alongside Tharn since childhood. They both consider themselves brothers. He is a young member of IDF.
Singha (Surprise Pittikorn Siripornsawan) looks weak on the outside but is the brains of the team.
Doctor Chalotorn (Heng Asavarid) an attractive psychiatrist who is close and protective of Tharn.
Captain "Akk" Akkhanee Assawawaisoon (Akk Akarat Nimitchai), leader of the investigation team.
Wansarat (Freen Sarocha Chankimha): The GAP The Series actress is part of the cast as a Guest.
The resounding success of the series has led to the creation of other content, such as The Sign Special and Behind the Sign.
A must-see drama for fans of the BL genre and those who enjoy a good mix of romance, mystery and the supernatural, The Sign brings a captivating story that, together with its talented cast and unique combination of genres, will leave a lasting impression on the spectators.

Underlying reality of the series

On the same day of the premiere of The Sign, after watching the first episode, I wrote in MDL: “I find it commendable that in a hostile, sexist, homophobic environment, which exalts masculinity, as the Police Force of any country is supposed to be, tell a story (maybe two, if we take into account Khem and Thongthai's relationship) of a romance between boys. But I wonder if this series is not a 'whitewash' for the Thai Police. I hope that the series is not a tool to apply cosmetic touches to a Police accused of repressing members of the Thai LGBTQIA community.”
With these words I meant that homosexuality is still illegal and considered taboo in that country. Same-sex unions are not recognized under Thai law, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. This prevents gay couples from applying for bank loans or joint health insurance. It also prevents the possibility of adopting children. Thai homosexuals do not enjoy the same rights as heterosexuals. Thai law denies transgender people from changing their sex on their national identity card.
Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1956, but was considered a mental illness until as recently as 2002. Many Thai Buddhists believe that homosexuality is a punishment for sins committed in a previous life. Thai homosexuals suffer physical and verbal harassment in the classrooms by their classmates, and discrimination at work, under the permissive gaze of society, despite the image of tolerance towards this group in order to attract tourism to the country. The Thai Police, the result of the Military Juntas that emerged after successive coups d'état, is accused, both by the local population and internationally, of being corrupt, torturing and repressive.
The Royal Thai Police is the most corrupt state department in the country with tens of thousands of complaints annually, according to regular reports from the Ombudsman's Office, and many of these complaints come from members of the Thai LGBTQIA community, who go unheard mostly.
The high-profile crime and dismemberment of the Colombian surgeon Edwin Arrieta, known as the “Daniel Sancho Case” (name of his confessed Spanish murderer) confirms this. This macabre murder once again brought to public attention the dynamics in the Asian country, the excesses, the parties and the mechanisms of privilege when the victim is a homosexual.
The LGBTIQIA collective is openly discriminated against and even with criminalizing laws, which, to wash its face before the international community, welcomes all those foreigners who will be part of the collective, but without displays of public affection
At a legislative level, Thailand has much more permissive LGBTIQIA policies, but at a factual level, there is discrimination, taboo and extensive stigma. Perhaps that explains the media treatment that has been given to the Sancho case from within the country itself: half-hearted, without fully clarifying the relationship that the two men had, and the eagerness that the police have shown to close the case. In addition to trying to maintain the idyllic image of the country before Thai and international public opinion so that tourism is not scared away.

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A story closer to real life than the usual BL and an ode to indie cinema

Hope (Night Yodsakon Khamnang) is a fried dumpling seller. Nine (Kong Chindanai Boonruang) is an actor from the Chiang Mai BL production company, who reluctantly accepts a leading role in a new boy love series. The young man is reluctant to the proposal of York (Sak Kidtisag Makongrach), the director of the company, to be part of a new couple to replace the one formed by the main cast, whose members were forced to abandon the film project after the expiration of their contracts.
The worlds of Hope and Nine intersect when the former parks his sales cart in front of the production company and in one of those turns of life the young people meet. The two begin a journey when they realize that they are united by unexpected and uncontrollable feelings.
I highly value series like 'My Star', from Wayufilm Production, for the same reason that others will surely deny it: good execution, level of acting, filming and production, despite its low budget; characters far from the clichés of attractive boys that populate BL series, many of them with nothing to contribute other than their beautiful faces and contoured bodies; simple stories that are much closer to real life, truly passionate actors and a production team in each installment, and a firm determination not to kneel before the giants of the entertainment world with their very common mediocre stories interested only in making money, and whose proposals frequently fail, among other reasons, for not taking their fans seriously.
We are faced with a Thai BL that is not cheesy and unpleasant. The couple has very good chemistry. They are actors who have starred in other projects, such as 'LGBTQ+ Dramas Season 2', 'Our First Time' or 'Midnight Love', among others, and they know each other well.
Furthermore, the editing team chose exceptional music to accompany the miniseries.
I also appreciate the tenacity of the creators to not succumb to the dictates and whims of commercial companies, eager to contribute funds to the production of many BL audiovisuals in exchange for advertising their products, something that we frequently criticize in other series of the genre, thus respecting Wayufilm Production its ethics and principle of being a production company that is committed to indie cinema.
'My Star' can be considered within the name of independent cinema because it has a low budget, is made in more precarious conditions than the so-called official cinema, deals with everyday themes and is closer to the public, lacks mass distribution and, therefore, having fewer possibilities of obtaining large income and being made by a director outside the world of large production companies.
Being able to film without falling into the rigid schemes of the studio system is one of the highest aspirations of every director.
Written and directed by Thai filmmaker Nitchapoom Chaianun, CEO of WayuFilm and founder of MongKlong Studio and GoodJob VDO, 'My Star' joins other dramatized films of his authorship that address issues related to sexuality and gender identity, such as since he debuted with his first short film 'Fresh' (เฟรชเฉิ่ม), in 2006, which was followed by 'Fresh Cool Story 2' (เรื่องเฟรชเฉิ่ม 2).
Determined to delicately portray the diversity of human relationships, dismantling the prevailing stereotypes regarding what is "normal", and contributing to the struggle of Thai LGBT people, Nicchi, as he likes to call himself, has obtained popular recognition with his films and series BL-themed feature films such as the feature film 'My Bromance' (พี่ชาย, RTGS: Phi Chai), 'My Bromance 2: 5 Year Later: The Series', 'My Bromance: Reunion', 'Key Love', 'NightTime', ' The Rain Stories', 'Yantra' (อาถรรพ์ยันต์มหาเสน่ห์), among others.

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Just a week ago I wrote a post on MDL about this story. The text can still be read. At that moment I asked myself several questions: is this the story of a wounded boy looking for “revenge” after feeling betrayed by his girlfriend? Is it perhaps the story of an escort who unexpectedly falls in love with one of his potential clients? Has Third carefully chosen Pai or is it just a coincidence that it is this boy who accompanies him and not another? Then other questions would arise: Is the viewer facing a skillful and sexy game of cat and mouse while camping? Will it be the beginning of a tumultuous romantic relationship?
I must confess that the second part of the story completely changed the perception I initially had of the film. It has a terrible script and the performances leave a lot to be desired, but it has in its favor that it addresses prostitution, both male and female, an interesting topic that is little addressed in the context of BL series. The narrative is also unpredictable, since the viewer is not able to predict what will happen next. It is also worth noting the surprising twists with which they catch us from time to time.
Negative:
1- The retrospective flashback technique is used as an easy and “recurrent” resource. Its abuse means that at times the viewer does not know what the main plot is, whether what is told in so many flashbacks or the backstory. As a result, we have the main plot lose intensity and prominence in favor of the recurring memories of the two main characters.
2- Repetition of scenes in their entirety.
Movie summary (Contains spoiler):
Third is a young man who learns that his girlfriend, Ann, is dedicated, through a digital application, to being hired by women to work as a companion or scort. One day he follows her and discovers that her job also includes prostitution. Finally, Third finds out that Ann has set her eyes on a young woman, is in love and intends to start a lesbian relationship with her. Third and Ann ask to have a week apart to reevaluate their relationship.
For his part, Pai is a young man also dedicated to prostitution. In fact, his girlfriend has just broken up with him because she refused to accept him doing this job. He is reluctant to submit to his girlfriend's whims, claiming that if he depended on her he would become useless again. There is no doubt that prostitution is Pai's profession. At one point, he asks Third: “And if we want to say no when (clients) want to have sex, how do we compensate them in a way that makes them feel less bad and avoids bad reviews?”
Pai's proposal to his girlfriend is laughable, as he refuses to break up with her: “I will find a middle ground. I will stop holding hands with my clients. Just dinners, movies and walks. And I will also add a rule: do not touch any customers, especially women.”
Third hires Pai for three days to go into the woods to “watch birds,” but he really has ulterior motives. Third knows in advance that Pai works as an escort or “hand-holding” other men, that is, he is a man you pay to have sex with. And he also knows that the girl his girlfriend is having an affair with is none other than Prang, Pai's girlfriend. Third's goal is to trick Pai into following the two girls and exposing their infidelities.
When the time comes, Third confesses to Pai what his purposes are. Pai initially feels hurt because, on the one hand, he understands that he has been deceived by his girlfriend: while he demanded that she quit her job as an escort or she would break up with him if she did not comply with his requirements, she was having an affair with a woman. And on the other hand, Pai feels that he has been used by Third and is a pawn in his plan. Finally, they both surprise the girls by being unfaithful, they turn to each other for support between drinks of alcoholic beverages and they console each other.
Third is clear: He has no future with his girlfriend, with whom he is forced to break up. This is evidenced when Pai asks Third to make peace with his girlfriend, who he hasn't broken up with yet. And Third responds: “Do you want me to chase my girlfriend and make peace with a person who is in love with someone else?”
On the other hand, Ann confesses that she will stop prostituting herself for love of Prang. The love that the two girls feel for each other is palpable, so it is incomprehensible that, when they discover that they have been trapped by their boyfriends, they claim, between tears, that they have devised a plan to deceive them, offer apologies and hope to be forgiven. for them.
Could the two initial couples forget what happened and start over again when Prang and Ann love each other?
I also find it incomprehensible:
- Ann, who is a prostitute and therefore cheats on her boyfriend, when arguing with Prang about whether they should get back together with their respective boyfriends, tells him that she doesn't want to cheat on anyone or make anyone feel bad because of her. .
- Why, if the two girls love each other, do they ask to forget their relationship and return to their respective boyfriends?
- Was Ann's goal to make Third jealous, as Prang suggested?
- Third is okay with his girlfriend earning money from the dating app, but not being a prostitute?
-How could Prang know that Third would follow Ann into the forest and bring with him Pai, a person he didn't even know?
-How is it possible that the two girls devised a plan to deceive them based on information that it is impossible for them to have had when they planned to go camping?
Third accompanies Pai to the bus that will take him back to Bangkok. They say goodbye, they plan to follow each other on social networks, but at the last moment Pai gets out of the vehicle, returns to where Third is and confesses to having fallen in love with him in those days of tribulations. Third smiles as a sign that he too has fallen in love. At that moment a phone call comes in from Prang. They try to say something to them, but the call is cut off.
The ending allows us to see the emotions and feelings that overwhelm the two couples in their respective cars traveling to the capital. While the two boys talk animatedly, laughing and joking, Pai lovingly fixes the hair of Third, who is driving the car. I have no doubt that there is a future between the two. Love has won. For her part, an obviously upset Ann drives the car and Prang, also angry, tries unsuccessfully to establish telephone communication. They have lost in the game.
The director of the film, Jedi Suriyan Dangintawat, has also directed “I Wish You Love”, “Fake Love” and “Friends Forever”, stories that make up, along with others, the series “My Universe”. I have been able to see the last two. Refund Love is the only redeemable one, in my opinion, even though it lacks ambition (or taste, or subtlety, or class). Not even the sometimes pretended humor comes to compensate for its flaws.

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