ariel alba

The hot noodle soup and the love

The Chinese miniseries 'Infidelity, It's a Disease' follows Jiang Ye or just "Handsome Playboy", a promiscuous and narcissistic boy, and Zirui, the "Pretty Young Man" Nursing student at Jingnan University, located in Wuxi, Jiangsu, China, who comes to offer him the requested specialized services in therapeutic massages at home, and who will be asked "if he offers special services".
The encounter between the two traces the blossoming of a relationship marked by sex, infidelity, and a desire for revenge. While there aren't many plots, there is plenty of passion.
Once again, China single-handedly saves the big BL drought, especially of good boy-love stories!
The two actors manage to paint a passionate and fiery picture of how sex and therapeutic massage can connect two strangers and lead to love.
Meanwhile, while one seeks to have fun on he own terms (even if it causes harm to others) and enjoy sex with the first guy who comes knocking, the other is worried about keeping he job and afraid of receiving a bad review from one of the clients.
With a lively, cheerful, and humorous pace, the series directed by MR.D. progresses from one scene to the next. If one moment we see the promiscuous guy trying to get the other into bed, the next we see the two lovers celebrating dinners and festivities.
Most of the story of 'Infidelity, It's a Disease' takes place in the small bedroom of the "Handsome Playboy". From their first meeting to their first heartbreaks, they experience it all in this tiny space. And I like this because it makes the story more personal, allowing the viewer to enter this small world, where all the truths will be revealed.
It is here in the bedroom where the two meet, where they exchange words and actions tinged with sexual desire in one of them while the other defends his role as bringing traditional Chinese culture and medicine to the world. It is also the place where they engage in a passionate flirtation that stands out precisely for its originality. This back-and-forth, although cheesy, maintains the expectation of what is to come. Anian Mo Lin's photography helps recreate the atmosphere.
The story of the four-episode series, each approximately eight minutes long, centers on the idea of revenge for infidelity. The young nursing student plans to avenge he promiscuous boyfriend's infidelities and make him he "pet". In fact, the pathological promiscuity that surrounds one of the characters will be one of the keys to viewers' devourability of "Infidelity, It's a Disease."
This is a fun and sexy story, and he packs so much into such short episodes! Plus, the viewer can't really imagine what's going to happen next.
Will Zi Rui, the "Pretty Boy," get Jiang Ye, the "Handsome Playboy," to delete all his hot dating contacts from his phone? Will the two of them admit they're in love with each other?
Although actor Peng Kangjun is convincing as a student with an innocent face that perfectly suits his character, who quickly falls in love with the love of his life, and Sun Wei Hao perfectly fits the role of the "Handsome Playboy", who always uses his physical attributes, his handsome face, his passionate words, and his captivating kisses to carry out his conquests, the whole "Infidelity, It's a Disease" feels unambitious, perhaps due to its low budget or because the series didn't have a real script when it was filmed, and the director only gave the actors a brief outline of what was supposed to happen, and each had to create their own dialogue.
However, it must be acknowledged that the latter gives the series a much more raw appeal, as the characters' reactions are natural.
The series' biggest drawback is that the characters take a while to introduce themselves individually, and when they do, they don't offer many details about their pasts, dreams, and goals. That said, it also takes a while for the viewer to empathize with these characters, as we don't get to know them well, beyond the prototypes they represent.
As a viewer, I would have liked to grow even more with the characters.They developed quite quickly, to the point where I ended up not really knowing who they were. We identify with the idea of their situation, but not with them as people. It left me wanting to know them more. However, the actors' commitment brought everything that their characters and the story didn't.

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My "guilty pleasure": why do I need 'Sangmin Dinneaw'?

That "guilty pleasure" thing is something I've never liked. Mainly, because any movie or series that makes me have a good time being guilty has very little. However, sometimes any film or television product that manages to make me forget reality for a while is welcome.
We all have that little guilty pleasure when it comes to series. That series that you love to watch even though it doesn't fit into your canons of taste. You know you shouldn't watch it either because it's bad or because your best friend told you to watch both seasons of 'To My Star' by Hwang Da Seul at once, or to repeat 'The On1y One', the LGBT+ television gem by Taiwanese filmmaker Liu Kuang Hui, but even so, you decide to continue with the series and enjoy it like there was no tomorrow, consuming episode after episode.
Some series have simply been the best accompaniment to disconnect from everyday life, and others have captured me because of the topic they deal with.
For this very reason 'Sangmin Dinneaw' has been one of my guilty pleasures during the evenings of these last Sundays, when a broken ankle has me tied to the bed.
So to combat the impossibility of going out, I ended up getting hooked on the Thai romantic comedy directed by Thitipan Raksasat. It's not that I felt especially guilty watching it, it must be said, it is true that it does not fit the type of fiction that I usually consume. And I did well taking the risk.
Sometimes, you end up with your brain so fried after the entire student or work day that all you want is to be able to see something without pretensions. And look, without any kind of shame and dishonor, I tell you that the BL series starring Choi Sang Min as Sang Min, and Petch Ratana Aiamsaart as Dinneaw, fulfills what I was looking for these days.
Don't look at me wrong. I am neither committing any crime, nor am I attacking any norm regarding audiovisual enjoyment. There is a time for everything. To see what's new from Backaof Aof Noppharnach, the latest installment by Filipino JP Habac, the next trendy romantic drama starring Fandy Fan after 'A Balloon's Landing' (which I owe a review), the future project that War ý Yin Anan They are brought up after delighting me with 'Jack & Joker U Steal My Heart!', or to remember the work of Golf Tanwarin Sukkhapisit.
And if you think not, remember that you are taking away the most beautiful and democratic thing about movies and series: there is a product out there for each and every one of us. Let's not forget that we are talking about entertainment and, precisely for that reason, we should not force ourselves to watch something we do not want to see simply because we have to.
Well, because of 'Sangmin Dinneaw' I haven't made any progress on other series I had pending. The series is to blame for the fact that I haven't taken advantage of that time to catch up and advance my long list of things that have been postponed, but at the same time I had a great time with Sangmin and Dinneaw. The two of them and the four friends is the best thing that could have happened to me during these weeks with their extravagant episodes.
Although the character of Dinneaw caused me problems at first, little by little his shy but suggestive interpretation has won me over. Because, deep down, in the eight episodes that make up the series, what is important in the character ends up being themes such as transformation and identity, discovery and acceptance.
If you don't know what it's about, I'll tell you that 'Sangmin Dinneaw' follows two young people, childhood friends, one South Korean and the other Thai, who meet again after being separated for ten years.
In all that time, Sangmin never contacted the people who lovingly welcomed him in Thailand when he was a child, and now he returns wrapped in a halo of mystery, without revealing the reason for his trip, but his frequent phone calls and having to take a medication several times a day indicate that something is disturbing your life.
Although neither of the two young protagonists masters the other's language well, they are magically able to communicate with each other. And not only with each other, since the visitor must talk to all the inhabitants of the town and the tourists who arrive at the hotel run by Orn, Dinneaw's mother (a role played correctly by actress Koy Naruemon Phongsupap), a middle-aged widow who maintains a very close relationship with his only descendant.
Soon we will meet two other fundamental characters in the story. I'm talking about Pop Arthit (Joke Chaloemdet Thammawut), the owner of a classic herbal liquor bar, and Tor (Non Ratchanon Kanpiang), Dinneaw's best friend and a meat dumpling seller at the market where he also works. Dinneaw selling crafts made in a family-owned pottery workshop.
In a cozy rural environment near the city of Ayuddhaya, the story also explores the relationship between mother and son, the pursuit of dreams, first love, and friendship.
Everyday life will lead the two main characters to reconnect with their shared past, and they will gradually discover a deeper connection that transcends friendship.
In short, morbidity is assured, since Sainam (Little Siravit Imsee), the owner of a hotel in Amphawa, is a negative character who will not hesitate to use his economic power to try to conquer Dinneaw with bad tricks; his two friends Pop and Tor have their romantic encounters, despite the second being unilaterally in love with Dinneaw, while a hot third couple will make us laugh.
But yes, the quota of silly humor, eccentric characters and comically extravagant scenarios that I had planned to see in 2025 and possibly the next 100 years are already given to me by Earth and his character Heng in 'Ossan's Love Thailand', and even with scenes and much more finished and polished situations, why do I need Pony (Sutirod Seepech?
But if I already have the inappropriate behavior and workplace harassment of a boss towards his subordinate with Yamnarm Chakrit with his Kongdech against the main character in 'Ossan's Love Thailand', why do I need Sainam?
If I already have two childhood friends who discover they have a connection beyond friendship through Max and Tul in 'Together With Me', why do I need Sangmin and Dinneaw?
If I already have Gim (Lookwa Pijika Jittaputta), a loving mother with a close relationship with her son Gun (Fourth) in 'My School President', why do I need Orn and Dinneaw?
If I already have Nuea (Rattanamongkol Nutchapon) dressed in a typical Thai woman's costume in 'Grey Rainbow', why do I need Sangming?
Yes, I already have two boys who really love each other celebrating their first Loy Kathrong together, and they even have to celebrate it days before the night of the full moon of the twelfth month of the traditional Thai lunar calendar, because on those two days of festivities they will be distanced physically because each one is in different cities, as happened to Achi (New) and Karam (Tay Tawan) in 'Cherry Magic 30', why do I need Sainam and Dinneaw, when Does the second not love the first?
If I already have a boy wrapped in a towel when leaving the bathroom in front of his platonic love, as Arc (Force) shows himself before Arm (Book) in the first episode of 'Perfect 10 Liners'... why do I need Sangmin and Dinneaw?
If I already have love triangles, like the one between Match (Jet), Mix (Jame) and Ryu (Big) in 'My Mate Match'... why do I need Sangmin, Dinneaw and Tor?
If I already have Matteo (Alan Campana) and Shokun (Bigboss) enjoying the pleasures and dangers of BDSM in 'Hit Bite Love'... why do I need Ryktor (Krin Preechachaisurat) and Guy (Boom Thunpisit Larpsumritphon)?
Above all, when I am not convinced by Sainam's manipulation of Dinneaw to get him to go to work at his hotel because: who would guarantee that the boy would try to prevent the tourist's bag from being stolen, causing him to be fired from his job?
Could it be that the classic Thai dance of the six cross-dressing boys ties me to the series? The mystery that surrounds the Korean visitor? The plots so exaggeratedly ridiculous? To know if I will get to know what happens at night between Pony and his stuffed animal? The lightness and lightness of the series? The performances of the actors and actresses? The chance to see images of the ancient capital of Thailand for more than 400 years, the three rivers that surround it: Chao Phraya, Lopburi and Pa Sak? See if they show images of the archaeological zone and its ancient ruins, including the Ayutthaya Historical Park, recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1991? Is it because I need to know what happened to the gecko attached to the towel that covered Saingnam when he left the bathroom?
I admit it, I have no filter. The series has caught me and I think I won't resist until I see the last episode.
Review update after the 6th episode:
The series changed its tone from being a comedy to being a dark drama (and in this case I make a negative review, since the transition was very violent, aggressive I would even say, with a fairly big mood change in episode 6). With the change of register or tone, the series breaks with the harmony of the narrative.
- Subplot involving memory loss, medical negligence, and pressuring a patient to undergo highly dangerous invasive surgery when the patient has repeatedly expressed that he does not want to undergo it? The way in which doctors should seek patient approval fails here.
- A love story between two doctors who arrived at the last minute?
- A mysterious illness that Sangmin has had for years that causes headaches and could only be cured with surgery, otherwise he would die of a headache?
- A surgery that can only be obtained in Thailand and not in North Korea, which motivated Sangmin to travel?
- Why wasn't Sangmin's presence at Dinneaw's house based on his nostalgia, his desire to return to a place where he was once happy, and there, suddenly, his health problems reappear?
- Tor suddenly falls in love with Athit and agrees to stop being friends with benefits and become boyfriend and girlfriend?
- Did you have brain surgery and the patient did not shave his head or at least part of it? The computer/laser guided system like the one the doctor described in episode 6 would be used in the operation would need to remove a section of the patient's scalp/skull. I find this to be a strange brain surgery for a strange post-traumatic brain injury.
- Sangmin not only lost his memory, but apparently became unable to distinguish between a person and a dog, and starts acting like a chimpanzee?
- A veteran doctor with years of experience who demonstrates that he does not have communication skills with the patient's family in one of the most important medical procedures after a surgical intervention?
- Why was the scene not used to, through the specific knowledge, skills and abilities of the main doctor, inform the viewer about the strange disease, the surgical procedure and the current and possible future status of the patient?
- New characters arriving at the last minute, with their own stories and nothing to do with the main plot? In a long series it could be justified, but not in one with only 7 episodes.
- Too many stories and characters that have no purpose other than to fill screen time.
-What do Ryktor and Guy contribute? Initially, the character of the first, forcing his boyfriend to have sexual relations with him despite his refusal, provided a certain humorous nuance that benefited the series. But today I could say that even if they had never been on the show, it would still work.
- Sainam in love with Dinneaw but in dark arrangements to acquire the hotel he runs with his mother?
- Why did Hanna side with Sangmin's mother, when everything seems to indicate that she knows about the violent relationship between mother and son?
- Breakdown of patient confidentiality?
- A mother, homophobic by the way, who has never worried about her son and today travels to Thailand from South Korea to look for him and take him home, without worrying about his state of health and whether he can take a plane trip after undergoing surgery?
Was Sangmin's attitude while third parties were discussing their immediate future and hitting each other was to look into the air and count sheep?
- Dinneaw suffering sudden and repeated fainting, then recovering quickly after a brief nap in Tor's arms? All this to show Athit's jealousy?
- Electrocute a patient through his clothing during cardiac arrest in the middle of a surgical operation?
- What happened to the butterfly? What is the story behind this? Sangmin poisoned?
- The suspense of the series finale totally destroyed thanks to the preview?
If the rest for my fractured ankle lasts another month...

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The taste of love

I still remember with special pleasure such succulent gastronomic films as 'Babette's Feast' (Gabriel Axel, 1987), 'Eat, Drink, Love' (Ang Lee, 1994), 'The Chef in Love' (Nana Djordjadze, 1996) and ' The Cook of Last Wishes', by the Oscar-winning Japanese director Yôjirô Takita.
Without leaving the country of the Rising Sun, series come to mind that also talk to us about food as art and feeling, such as 'Sugar Dog Life' (Honda Ryuichi, Ouchi Takahiro, 2024), 'What Did You Eat Yesterday?' (Nakae Kazuhito', 2021), 'Kimi to Nara Koi wo Shite Mite mo' (Matsumoto Hana, 2023), 'Kinou Nani Tabeta?' (Katagiri Kenji, Nojiri Katsumi, Nakae Kazuhito, 2019), 'Old Fashion Cupcake' (Kato Ayaka, 2022), and 'Bokura no Shokutaku' (Ishibashi Yuho, Iizuka Kashou, Kamimura Naho, 2023), which all have in common being LGBT+ themed dramas.
Similarly, one of the protagonists of 'Mitsuya Sensei no Keikakutekina Ezuke', the series directed by Nojiri Katsumi, makes his stews using seasonal products, ranging from lotus, zucchini, seaweed, cherry tomatoes from the garden and rhubarb roots, a consequence of centuries of refinement, to bamboo, mushrooms, along with the daily use of rice. In addition to sushi, the Japanese have achieved the greatest filigree in fish, without forgetting the legendary tempura.
And the delicious food prepared by Ayumu Mitsuya, which is the name of the famous culinary researcher, an affable older man who speaks in a Kyoto dialect, attracts, and not only in the sense of being able to fill his belly, Tomoya Ishida, a young novice editor who has trouble adapting to the environment of a women's magazine, and who meets the also popular and skilled food expert when he is assigned to go to his house to pick up the manuscript of a column to be published.
Ishida is so nervous on his first visit that he almost faints, but the food served by the chef who is exceptionally gifted in the kitchen, who by just tasting a dish, is able to discover its secrets, recognize the ingredients and know how to prepare it exactly the same as the model, seduces the stomach of the pure and honest young man, who soon feels attracted by Mitsuya's gentle gaze, his cheerful personality and the tenderness he occasionally shows, so he finds himself eagerly awaiting their next meeting.
Also known as 'Mr. Mitsuya Planned Feeding', LesPros Entertainment's BL drama stars actor and singer-songwriter Masayoshi Yamazaki ('Shadowfall'), who returns to the small screen after 26 years, as Ayumu Mitsuya, and Taisei Sakai ('My Sly Bestie') as Tomoya Ishida, to tell us a story of human and culinary love between two adult men with an age difference.
After writing and directing the films 'New Manager of the Sumo Club' (2005), 'Lying to Mom' (2018), the specials 'Yoru no Agura: Ane to Ototo to Watashi' (2022) and 'Shishosetsu: Hattatsu Shogai' no Boku ga Junai Shosetsuka ni Nareta Riyu', and the series 'Kinou Nani Tabeta?' (2019) and 'KuroNeko Lucy' (2012), the Japanese filmmaker and television director once again demonstrates great sensitivity and unusual humanism when adapting the manga of the same name by Ayaka Matsumoto, which was serialized in Manga Yomonga from 2020 to 2022 and published as a book in January 2024.
The music by Masayoshi Yamazaki and the magnificent script by Nami Yoshikawa ('Boys! Please Kiss Him, Instead of Me', 2020) remind us that it is important not to forget that when you invite someone to your table, you must take charge of their happiness all the time he is under your roof. And if that time extends for the rest of their lives, the better.
Coked, the plot will presumably focus on the relationship forged between the two main characters. However, little by little this idea is being abandoned and through dialogues, internal monologues and flashbacks we are getting to know a much more complex story, which mixes a romantic drama and, of course, a culinary one, through the story of an older man abandoned for years. back by her boyfriend, the famous photographer Noguchi Kaoru (Maruyama Tomomi), who will return from France, where he has carried out his professional work, to try to recover the love of his life, and the nascent love relationship between the neat and elegant culinary researcher and the young man worried about not being able to find his interests in life after failing in his dreams of becoming a professional baseball player. Both will communicate through food.
What at first seems like a kind of romantic series seasoned with seasonal vegetables and greens, turns into a hypnotic story that completely captivates the viewer.
Furthermore, all the characters are very well constructed and tremendously interesting. Everyone, directly or indirectly, will probably "cook" the love relationship between Mitsuya and Ishida.
The narrative pace of the series is slow but steady. There are many more aspects to discover than initially expected, since 'Mitsuya Sensei no Keikakutekina Ezuke' has many layers, like an onion, since we talk largely about cooking.
The description and preparation of the dishes, which is very interesting, not only from a gastronomic point of view, but is inserted in the development of the plot as an element full of meaning, connects the story, serving as a link between the different subplots.
As can be expected on an artistic level, the images and montage concentrate a lot on telling the relationship between the two protagonists, in addition to how these dishes of food are prepared, with abundant detailed shots, and showing with great skill what Mitsuya feels while cooking and Ishida while he savors them. Regardless of how fond or not you are of culinary art, these images do not go unnoticed and are truly attractive, in more than one case whetting your appetite.
Also worth mentioning is the scenery, both Mitsuya's elegant and charming Japanese-style house with its Western furniture, the attractive restaurant where Shige (Uno Shohei) works and where the two protagonists frequently go, the art gallery where he exhibits his photographic work Noguchi Kaoru, Mitsuya's ex-boyfriend, or the premises occupied by the fashion magazine Sophia Monthly, such as the exteriors. The series has a very careful level of production.
From the interpretations it can be said that they are all very heartfelt and truthful. I would especially highlight Masayoshi Yamazaki as the wise, courteous and delicate gentleman, because that is precisely what he is, an attentive gentleman, who has extensive mastery of the culinary art and interpersonal communication. Him movements in the kitchen are brilliant, and the way in which she shows him skills and how him describes the preparation and components of the different dishes is exquisite, with a sweet and melodic voice. Giving more details about this complex and fascinating character would be a major spoiler.
But Sakai Taisei also draws attention in his role as Ishida. This young actor and model, whom I have seen play Gira Husty / Kuwagata Ohger in 'Ohsama Sentai King-Ohger', accepts the challenge of acting alongside a performer with a long career on stage, to play the clumsy and shy editor, but at the same time happy, animated and with a touch of mischief in his eyes, in love with a person who is nearly 30 years older than him in terms of age. It's a pleasure to see him laugh, walk through the streets with a hurried step, or run holding the sensei's hand, as he constantly calls Mitsuya. His laugh is contagious, and on the other side of the screen I am also with my mouth open from ear to ear.
As for the issue that bothers some viewers, I have seen several films with romances with age differences, such as 'The Idea of ​​You' (2024), 'Sunset Boulevard' (1950), 'All That Heaven Allows' (1955), 'The Graduate' (1967), 'Harold and Maude' (1971), 'Bull Durham' (1988), 'Thelma & Louise' (1991), 'How Stella Got Her Groove Back' (1998), 'Notes on a Scandal' (2006), 'Don Jon' (2013), 'Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool' (2017), 'Good Luck to You, Leo Grande' (2022), and 'May December' (2023), inter alia. And although they narrate relationships between older women and young men, there are others, such as 'Gerontophilia' (2013) and 'Un prince' (2024), which reflect a homosexual relationship between two adult men with great differences of age, among others. Regarding the first one, in my opinion, the only thing wrong is the title.
As in the Canadian romantic comedy-drama directed by Bruce LaBruce, and the rural life drama by Frenchman Pierre Creton, to name two that I have seen recently, the gay love relationship with a very considerable age difference portrayed in 'Mitsuya Sensei no Keikakutekina Ezuke', is a consensual relationship, between two adults who are delighted to have met. The age difference in any romantic and/or sexual relationship may be seen by society as taboo and may be unacceptable to many, but I am of the opinion that there should be no judgment between consenting adults.
Hence, the important thing would be for each of the spectators to answer the following question: Does love exist after youth, after adulthood, in old age, in the last age of life? I answer with a resounding yes. And I would add a very valid Kleinian argument: "As long as the respiratory capacity is preserved, nothing prevents it." In other words, I would not settle for the commonplace of "love knows no ages."
In summary, 'Mitsuya Sensei no Keikakutekina Ezuke' is a love song to love, to cooking and to the vocation that can be professed to it. But in addition to a culinary artistic exercise that is very pleasant to see regardless of the interest you have in the art of cooking, it is also a great analysis of human relationships, of the freedom of being able to choose the person with whom you want to share your life. And perhaps what is most notable, the redemptive power of love to renew the heart and redirect the life path.
In this sense, the series also affects the freedom of the characters, who are not marked by an inexorable destiny that leads them to be the way they are, but rather they make their own decisions, for which they are responsible, which is proposed not only in lovers, but also in the companions that they will become each other for the rest of their days.

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Through a love story between two boys in a coastal town, the LGBTIQ+-themed Chinese short film 'Dance on My Grave' addresses the issue of homosexuality and the issue of death, which is practically presented as a threatening scene to throughout the film, directed by Terrence Hu (Hu Kaixiang).
Based on the novel of the same name by British writer Aidan Chambers, the central hero of the film tries to clarify his memories, after having experienced a fantasy caused by a teenage crush.
Scripted and edited by Terrence Hu himself, the film aims to explore the tortuous search for oneself, as well as the depressing idea of ​​inevitable death that is very closely related to the transgressions of adolescence.
Starring Hu Kaixiang and Tingkai Huang, 'Dance on My Grave' had its world premiere at the Beijing Queer Film Festival 2022, and presents us with death manifested in a metaphorical way.
The protagonist's interest in death is more than an adolescent preoccupation. It is natural that someone on the verge of adulthood, experiencing sexual pleasure and the joy of autonomy, youth and beauty for the first time, would be alarmed by the transience of everything they have just discovered.
Autobiographical in nature, the title of the short film is in itself challenging and surprising, since human beings inescapably associate dance with celebration. On the contrary, we perceive death as something we have to deal with, as a sad and bitter reminder of our mortality. Dancing at a mourning moment would be considered inappropriate at best, more likely offensive and disrespectful.
The viewer is forced to confront the question of death subjectively through the protagonist's concern for "death itself" which he constantly evokes, and also metaphorically through the death of the self in the characters themselves.

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A message of hope, growth and improvement

In Jom's world, Jom will care for and protect Yai as Yai cared for and protected him in his world.
Tee Bundit Sintanaparadee, the director of the LGBTIQ+ themed series 'War of Y' (2022), 'Hidden Agenda' (2023), 'Step by Step' (2023), 'TharnType' (2020) and 'Lovely Writer' ( 2021), among others, returns us in 'Scent of Memory' to the protagonists of 'I Feel You Linger in the Air', one of his popular dramas.
Jom (Nonkul Chanon Santinatornkul) and Yai (Bright Rapheephong Thapsuwan) have not been able to forget the love that unites them. The possibility of reaffirming that deep human emotion that they experience takes place in the present of Jom.
On this occasion, Yai will be the one who travels in time, to the future, in response to Jom's request to be able to meet again, being convinced that making a wish to the stars during a meteor shower could guarantee that dreams come true.
More than the essence of memory, this Special Episode explores the essence of love, a concept that has captivated poets, philosophers and artists throughout history.
The reunion between Jom and Yai shows that romantic love can transcend borders, cultures and times.
Jom and Yai demonstrate that romantic love is a complex, multifaceted emotion that encompasses a broad spectrum of experiences and expressions.
The bond between the two characters is the very essence of love, as it implies deep affection, deep attachment, and a sense of care for someone beyond oneself.
The two protagonists experience a deep connection, which has created a sense of belonging and fuels the mutual need for connection, intimacy and unity. This manifests itself in joy, support, understanding, empathy, sadness, compassion, the feeling of vulnerability and also security and emotional well-being for oneself and for others.
Audiences will appreciate that love inherently involves vulnerability, as both characters are open to the possibility of pain and loss. By loving each other, Yai and Jom expose their true selves, allowing others to see their strengths, weaknesses, fears, and dreams. However, they are aware that it is through vulnerability that love can deepen and flourish, as they build trust and intimacy.
Likewise, 'Scent of Memory' explores how love can be a catalyst for personal growth and transformation, turning lovers into better versions of themselves, overcoming challenges and striving for personal and mutual growth, providing a nurturing environment that encourages self-acceptance, forgiveness and the exploration of new possibilities.
In 'I Feel You Linger in the Air', Jom travels in time by chance, but in 'Scent of Memory' he makes the trip a transtemporal journey because it is his destiny, because it is what he longs for.
In this dramatized, Yai's role is crucial since he is the one who travels in time to meet Jom again and leads him to reconnect with the past they lived. Through his quest to find Jom, Yai demonstrates his determination and bravery to outwit even the forces of physics and time.
This fairy tale has a dance included, which keeps the romantic and hopeful atmosphere of the series alive, as the protagonists glide through the living room of Jom's house. The dance, supported by an enveloping melody and a captivating rhythm, make this moment one of the most memorable in the audiovisual, which lasts just over 60 minutes.
The magic and charm of Yai and Jom's love story, even if it were a dream, lies in the fact that dreams can come true, even for those who live in two different worlds. Through the power of perseverance, of always remembering the person we love even if they are far from us, of wishing to be reunited, it shows that anyone can find their happiness.
In 'Scent of Memory', the message of hope, growth and improvement is present, reminding us that, despite obstacles, there is always an opportunity to achieve our deepest desires.
Yai and Jom will remind us that love is a deeply human experience, a journey we undertake with an open heart, accepting both its joys and its challenges.

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The boys whose names together are not the only thing that look good on them

Who has seen 'Hit Bite Love', the six-episode teen romantic drama released on Jinloe Media's YouTube channel in 2023, which tells the story of six boys from "Rose Garden College" who decide to break all taboos and learn the real truth about love...pain...and growth, don't you remember Burger and King, two of those teenagers?
Don't you remember those two classmates who one day, sitting at their desks next to each other, King, played by Newyear Nawaphat Thannamongkhonsawat, discovers that he forgot a book, so Burger, played by Jur Vasin Traiprakhong, tells him offer yours to share?
Have you already remembered? Of course. It couldn't be any other way, because you immediately connect with the story of these young people that starts from that precise moment, when King sees a drawing of himself in the book and mistakenly assumes that Burger likes it. After this, King finds happiness just thinking that he is loved by the boy who sits next to him and asks him out. However, he will soon discover that everything has been a misunderstanding, because Burger has no feelings for him.
But if in matters of the heart, misunderstandings have caused conflict and broken relationships, they have also brought love, happiness and hope. This is precisely what King finds when Burger enters his life and the two build an emotional connection.
Directed by Jakkaphong Pachara (Yuan), 'Firstly "Like" You' (ตกลงใครชอบก่อน), picks up the story to, through the eyes of Burger, the main narrator, delve into the relationship of the two young high school students .
Based on the entire footage of 'Hit Bite Love', which is just over five hours long, 'Firstly "Like" You' leaves aside everything related to the other two stories, that is, the love triangle between Ken , Shogun and Matteo, and the relationship of the stepbrothers Hida and Saint, to, in about 80 minutes, focus on the birth and evolution of the romance between the president of the school's drama club, and the student transferred to the famous college of high society.
By leaving out everything else, the drama is transformed into a comedy, which achieves a lot of acceptance among an audience that may have rejected the series for addressing topics such as toxic relationships and BDSM.
Bordering on a love triangle that is also not very interested in exploring in depth, the screenwriters Poy Orachat Brahmasreni and Chim Sedthawut Inboon expose in the narrative text themes such as love, adolescence, friendship, discovery, acceptance and personal growth, always in order to entertain, but also to make you reflect.
In this way, we will follow in the footsteps of the young boy with a silly, neurotic, enthusiastic and immature personality who, while he wants to join the drama club because he dreams of being an actor, will have to deal with the persecution of King, who is firmly convinced that his partner class is secretly in love with him.
Personally, I was amused by all of Burger's witticisms to get King away, because every time King approaches him, Burger gets nervous. Likewise, I enjoyed the close relationship between King and his mother, with whom the student has no reservations about confessing his most intimate secrets.
The audience will be able to enjoy how, based on the misunderstanding, King is the one who will be interested in approaching and pleasing Burger. It is pleasant to see how King, a responsible, mature and popular teenager, always surrounded by many girls interested in joining the club to be close to him, suddenly discovers his sexuality while experiencing a homosensual awakening.
'Firstly "Like" You' more than meets what is expected from a film of these characteristics. The keys are, mainly, its script, its aesthetics and its performances, because although the two protagonists have little experience and are only 16 years old during filming, their performances fit perfectly with the narrative style of the story.
Jur Vasin Traiprakhong takes the cake, for his grace, charisma and the way he handles the humorous scenes.
Another element to highlight is the music. Being the same as the series, the cast itself is the one who sings the songs that make up the film's soundtrack. In this way, we will enjoy Jur, Tae, Newyear, Pure, Bigboss, Vic and Alan, who perform "Hit Me Bite Me", a song composed by Alan Campana, and Vic and Tae singing "Oxigen", a song written and scored by Vic Vittawin Panichtamrong.
The photography, by Suchart Makhawimarn, contributes to making the story of two people who become friends and fall in love credible, despite being polar opposites.
Suriya Kaewkrong's editing achieves a fast and quite adequate narrative. However, flashbacks to scenes already presented could have been avoided.
Even so, it is regrettable that, seeking to visualize diversity on screens, the film portrays queer characters in a stereotypical way, due to their continuous screams and mood swings.
While it is true that Thai serial and film fiction with the presence of LGBT+ plots has experienced various changes since its appearance, going from an initial invisibility and stigmatization, in which the characters had to be presented as the opposite of what is morally acceptable in society , to a quantitative increase in these characters, and despite their decrease, traditional and recurring stereotypes continue to be used such as the effeminate LGBT+ character or transsexuals who, due to circumstances, act in a grotesque, exalted or tormented way due to their condition.
Despite the positive increase in the visibility of diverse sexual orientations and identities in BL series and films in this country, creators must take into account that a poor symbolic construction based on stereotypes reinforces not only the deformed social imaginaries about this minority, but the very identity of the collective.
This is even more important if we take into account the great socializing potential that the film and television industries have and the capacity for transnationalization that the distribution platforms of these entertainment products have achieved, as they can promote a distorted vision of this non-human group. only in the Thai national space, but also in the rest of the globe.
'Firstly "Like" You' reminds me of 'Kieta Hatsukoi', the 2021 Japanese teen and school Yaoi romantic comedy from the TV Asahi network, which tells how through a misunderstanding, Aoki, the high school student with a personality Brilliant and in love with Hashimoto Mio, the girl who sits next to him in the classroom, he ends up in a romantic relationship with Ida, his classmate.
I also find similarities with other Thai BL dramas. If in 'My School President', for example, Gun (Fourth - Nattawat Jirochtikul) and Win (Winny - Thanawin Pholcharoenratm) get to know each other more deeply after answering "36 questions that will make people fall in love", in 'Firstly' Like" You' King will propose a series of questions that Burger must answer as part of a theater club survey, claiming that the objective is to get to know the future actor better.
Of the three couples in the series, Burger and King was always my favorite. If they brought joy and life to the series, the film carefully chooses and stages the appropriate scenes to preserve the world created around these characters in the six-episode drama.
The one between King and Burger is a surprisingly tender and innocent teenage romance that is highly recommended, for its humor, for the reflections it invites us to, for the palpable chemistry between the two young people, and for how they manage to create a friendly bond first, romantic. later, without becoming a couple, since we will surely find this in the announced second season.

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With a personal look, the Thai actor, director, screenwriter and assistant director Aum Natthaphong Aroonnet, known for the BL dramas 'Triage' (2022) and 'Manner of Death' (2021), the film 'Dew' (2019) or His role in 'The Love of Siam (207), among many other dramatized ones, gives us the romantic drama 'Beating Again', in which, in addition to addressing the boys' passion for dance, he portrays several stories of characters belonging to the LGBT+ community, its coming out and the challenges that come with being queer in today's world.
With great camera skill, sequential games and visual seduction, the director explores, among other topics, the search for one's own identity and the realization of dreams as the core of a drama that explores, as if that were not enough, many other issues such as family relationships, sexuality, love, pain, living with fear of being judged, past traumas, loss, acceptance, overcoming obstacles, the need for physical and emotional connection with other human beings, gender identity, discovery or passion for art.
Since before the first episode was broadcast, the audiovisual has awakened different emotions, especially on social networks, by inviting the audience to reflect on ourselves and on current societies, in addition to the topics represented, confront stereotypes and show human beings with their nuances and in various circumstances.
«I have been a lucky director. Since we published the trailer for 'Beating Again' and the actors and others involved in the project began to give statements to the press or through writings on social networks, there are those who say that the series is going to be liked and will positively attract the public's attention. ; Other people say that there are topics that they do not like. It is still early to predict if it will work or not. I think it is a series that is very well written. My staging, and that of the actors, was constantly trying to live up to the scripts,” said Aum Natthaphong Aroonnet.
«After editing, I liked how the chapters turned out. I have no doubt that they will move people and involve audiences. Let's let the series progress a little, to make conclusive judgments. Our goal is that the audience is not disappointed, that they remain hooked, that they have a closing that lives up to their expectations. We work for that, whether we achieve it or not. The arc of the characters is very coherent, as well as the development of the characters and the conflicts,” adds the director.
At first glance it might be easy to understand that the desire of young men to dance was not hindered by any reason, or at least human. However, 'Beating Again' reflects the incessant struggle of several boys to achieve a dream and thus fulfill a vocation regardless of the discrepancies to which they may be subjected during the process of achieving it, including the homophobic gazes of several of them. the secondary characters.
And even if your environment does not understand you, you cannot give up your passion, your talent and your vocation. The internal talent of each person must be firmly exploited regardless of the consequences that may arise for it.
Of the work, it is worth highlighting its transgressive capacity to break clichés and prejudices for a single but consistent reason: the firm attitude of young people to pursue their dream and illusion, that of being dancers and dedicating their lives to underground dance. In this way, a small group of people can have the power to create great change for the entire world through the love and passion for dance. The series is an example and a tribute to the triumph of perseverance, dedication and conviction.
In addition, it seeks to send other messages, such as respect and acceptance of sexual diversities, the spirit of coexistence between people who are initially strangers or unknown to each other, and honesty and sincerity as human values.
The attention to detail to be as realistic as possible, the convincing performances of a cast made up of established and young actors and actresses, some with experience in the BL genre, the depth of the themes it addresses, and the aesthetics with which it presents them , determine, among other elements, the quality of the series.
Scripted by Visuttchai Boonyakarnjawa ('The Iron Ladies', 2000), the Thai drama, in four episodes, presents its protagonists immersed in the world of dance in a sincere, lyrical and emotional way. While Dindaen (Oh Anuchit Sapunpohng) long ago achieved glory by becoming a dance champion, the young dancer Nai (Kang Korn Sirisorn) has a paradigm to follow in the now volunteer teacher. The character must face a conflict from 10 years ago that still haunts him.
For her part, Focus (Sophie Marguerite Indracusin), the self-confident young woman who loves dancing, after much effort, has managed to materialize her dreams of being an idol, but now she has been involved in a professional scandal and has had to return to his hometown where he will be part of a dance group with Tawan, Fae, Kai and Jidrid. To move forward, Focus will have to face his past.
If dance united Focus, Nai and Dindaen since they were children, love, friendship and passion for dance today continue to be the strong ties that unite them. The characters, like so many other young people in real life, have as their highest aspiration to be able to manage their own talents, believe in and become owners of their virtues and manage each of their potentials to achieve the goals set.
In addition to the conflicts of the three main characters, other problems will add complexity to the plot. I am specifically referring to the story of a girl trapped in a male body who, despite being overweight, likes to dance, the story of the teenager who juggles her life to balance high school studies and her passion for dancing. , and the love between two boys: Kai (Kaownah Kittipat Kaewcharoen) and Famous (Earth Katsamonnat Namwirote).
Love and dance will unite Kai and Fae, young people who also like to dance alternative dance (also known as indie dance or underground dance, the musical genre that fuses elements of alternative and indie rock with those of electronic dance music.
The public will enjoy young people while they dance to music that fuses new wave, "eurosynth" and postmodern technopop, as well as those arising from the indietronica or indie electronic movement, which is nothing more than a subgenre of alternative dance but more oriented towards indie. with great synth pop influences.
Among former member of boy group KLIMAXX and best known for his role as Long in the hit BL drama 'TharnType', Turbo Chanokchon in the Thai adaptation of 'Love Stage!!' and Talay in 'My Universe: The Camp Fire', in the latter two as the protagonist, and the actor identified for his roles as Tar in 'Love By Chance', Intouch in 'Until We Meet Again' and Seeiw in 'My Only 12' %', also in main roles, a passionate romance will emerge.
How I enjoyed, in episode 3, the scene in which Tawan, Fae, Kai and Jidrid have lunch in temple areas. At one point, Kai (Kaownah) and Famous (Earth) exchange pieces of the fish they eat and Tawan says, "So sweet!" And they try the fish and answer: "It's not sweet. It's salty," and she laughs mischievously because she was not referring to the food, but to the budding relationship between the two boys.
Jidrid suffers rejection from homophobes for being transsexual. These two are one of the topics addressed in the series, that is, homophobia and transsexuality.
I like the dynamics of the group, how the seven protagonists integrate into the community that they themselves have created, how setbacks are turned into victories, like when Famous accidentally spills a container of paint on the floor and the others, instead After reproaching him for the destruction, they pour other containers with paint and turn the place into a stage to practice dancing.
Does the theme of the series revolve around homosexual characters and their relationships with others, or LGBTI characters in secondary roles and whose sexuality does not influence the plot of the audiovisual? To know this and other conflicts we will have to watch the series until the end.

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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 beginning of the beautiful love story of Takumi and Gii

'Takumi-kun Series: Nagai Nagai Monogatari no Hajimari no Asa' portrays the sparkling love story of Takumi and Gii, in a real-time adaptation of 'Takumi-kun Series', the well-known manga series of light novels of the shōnen genre. ai, written by Shinobu Gotoh, and published by the Kadokawa Shōten publishing house.
Kenji Yokoi and Hiroko Kanasugi, the same duo from the previous film, are back together to, the first as director and the second as screenwriter, add to their filmography this romantic, school, youth and Japanese BL drama, released in 2023, which tells the original story of the first installment of the 'Takumi-kun Series' and the beginning of the romance between these two boys, and to do so it combines three titles from the Kanzen-ban 1 (omnibus edition) of the original novels: 'Akatsuki wo Matsumade' (Until I Wait for Dawn), 'Soshite Harukaze ni Sasayaite' (And Then, I Whisper in the Spring Breeze) and 'Nagai Nagai Monogatari no Hajimari no Asa' (The Morning of the Beginning of a Long, Long Story).
Without a doubt, it will surprise the public that, 17 years after the first film adaptation in 2007, the popular series is producing a film that travels back to its beginnings to recreate this famous romance with a new cast and story.
The film has taken the viewer by surprise, who never thought one of the classic Japanese live-action adaptations that were made at a time when today's popular BLs were hardly produced would ever be revisited. However, nostalgia, curiosity and intrigue have summoned his followers of yesteryear, while making those who have never seen the previous titles rear their heads: 'Takumi-kun Series: Soshite, Harukaze ni Sasayaite' (2007), 'Takumi -kun Series: Nijiiro no Garasu' (2009), Takumi-kun Series: Bibo no Detail (2010), 'Takumi-kun Series: Pure' (2010) and 'Takumi-kun Series: Ano, Hareta Aozora' (2011) .
With this, six live-action films have been made based on the series. Actors Tomo Yanagishita and Keisuke Katō played Takumi and Gii, respectively, in the first film. In subsequent adaptations of the franchise, both actors were replaced by Kyōsuke Hamao and Daisuke Watanabe in their respective roles of Takumi and Gii. Yukihiro Takiguchi, who played Akaike, was the only actor to appear in every film. Here Takahashi Rio is responsible for assuming the role.
Plot
Far away from the city and deep in the mountains, lies Shidō Academy, an all-male high school. In years past the school housed only the children of the country's elite families, but recently it has opened its doors to everyone in its historic classrooms. Takumi Hayama, a boy of humble origins, prepares to enter the prestigious institution.
The story begins precisely on the day of the entrance exercise. Giichi Saki, or just Gii, played by Kato Daigo in his acting debut, a popular boy who has returned from the United States, passes Takumi Hayama (Morishita Shion) in the hallway.
Fascinated by his striking presence, strong magnetism, and Gii's exotic, non-Japanese beauty, Takumi follows him with his eyes. Gii stops walking and they look at each other, with a mischievous smile on the latter's lips.
Now a high school student, Takumi is treated like a weirdo by his classmates due to his haphephobia, that is, phobia of human contact, the product of a psychological trauma from the past. It is for this same reason that he avoids socializing with others and everyone at school sees him as unemotional and unsociable. However, his aversion to touching and being touched by others begins to disappear thanks to Gii and his relationship with him.
Furthermore, Takumi is discriminated against for having a humble origin. The only person interested in forming a sincere friendship with Takumi is Toshihisa Katakura (Yusuke Noguchi), his dormmate.
Spring arrives and, at the beginning of the second year, the students are relocated and Takumi begins to occupy a dormitory with Gii, unaware that his own withdrawn and distant personality has caught the attention of his new partner. Gii is the only person who doesn't see Takumi as a stranger and the two become friends. The distance between them shortens while the bond strengthens. As Takumi learns more about Gii, he must also learn to overcome his past and the rivals who threaten to break up their budding relationship. The days of peace for Takumi will soon be altered.
Romance takes time to develop. Faithful to the original, the bond between the two young people is cemented from silence and distance. When the characters finally realize that they are meant to be, all the waiting is worth it. Having seen the previous films allows the viewer to understand that the relationship is simmering, and that at the least expected moment the love interests will finally come together.
The public must understand that their characters are completely opposite and have led a very different life because they come from two worlds facing each other: that of capital, on the one hand, and that of work, on the other. That is, that of luxury and waste, and that of poverty and deprivation.
The relationship is unintentionally helped by third-year student Kei Aso (Nagashima Ryunosuke) by asking Takumi to participate with him in the campus "shrine quest" event. Gii's jealousy does not take long to appear, realizing that other boys are also interested in Takumi.
On the other hand, Gii is more determined every day to get closer to the boy to protect him from harassment and accompany him in his loneliness. Paying attention to what Takumi's other students say drives him to relate insistently. The united glances and close encounters eventually lead to a closer bond.
Against everything desired, Izumi Takabayashi (Nakayama Satsuki) is the essential key for Gii to finally confess his love. Takabayashi is the first to realize that his beloved Gii not only does not pay him the required attention, but is also interested in Takumi. And while jealousy consumes him, he plans an attack against him, and summons the students who idolize him.
However, Gii realizes Takabayashi's plot and tries to save Takumi. While they are kidnapped, Gii takes the opportunity to confess his love. This truth disturbs Takumi, however, he realizes the true sensitivity of Gii's personality.
And so begins the long, long, brilliant story of Takumi and Gii. I doubt I will end the saga with this film. He himself left the door open to continue the romance.
Through the eyes of Takumi, the narrator, the viewer will be able to enjoy the birth of romance between two people who are a priori incompatible and who, however, enter into a loving relationship, marked by trauma and jealousy.
With a modern approach to differentiate itself from the previous films, Kato Daigo, the actor who plays Gii, has a strong presence on the screen and those scenes of walks around the school or simply being in his bedroom, near Takumi or talking to Other characters can make the audience delirious.
Morishita Shion shows the fragility and vulnerability of her character, and also how she comes to understand that Gii was the piece she needed for her life to turn around and begin to be happy.
There are no kissing scenes, but the interaction, physical and emotional, and the chemistry between the protagonists are manifested in so many other moments of intimacy, such as a friendly conversation.
I value in the film that it joins other dramatized films to address issues related to sexuality and gender identity. In conservative societies with strong patriarchal and heteronormative traditions, such as Japan, where discrimination against LGBT+ people persists and relationships between people of the same sex are not recognized, and where stigma and repression of sexual diversity prevail, conscious or unconsciously, the population has a deep-rooted prejudice that separating, even a little, from "normality" causes unhappiness.
Although some change is beginning to be seen, even young people instinctively discriminate when they pity homosexuals and think that they deserve support because they are not normal people. Perhaps, through works like this, people, especially new and future generations, will realize that homosexuals also enjoy "normal happiness" and a daily life that is not far from their own, thus allowing society changes.
By showing relationships between people of the same sex, without a doubt the image of the homosexual man in society changes. In this film, the character of Gii, an educated, high-society, athletic and attractive young man, who falls in love with a humble and broken boy, with a trauma that consumes him, and together they share a romance, which also has a transformative capacity, It can be the remedy to free young people from the image they harbor of masculinity.
I celebrate in boys' love their efforts to portray the diversity of human relationships with delicacy, dismantling the prevailing stereotypes regarding what is "normal." I applaud that efforts like this contribute to gradually changing society, bridging the gap between fiction and reality. Step by step, Japanese boys' love infiltrates the collective consciousness, and could usher in a new era in which homosexuals are not discriminated against.

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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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