A CINEMATOGRAPHIC MASTERPIECE
ITSAY is true art. I don't even dare to confine it to the genre of BL since for me, this is more of a queer coming of age story. Boss Kuno and the whole cast knew EXACTLY what they were doing. This drama shows raw emotion, the fallible nature of teenagers in love and denial, as well as the effects of cultural intermingling in the parent generation on the child's upbringing.
Someone on social media phrased it in a really funny but insanely accurate way: Boss Kuno's shows dare to ask the question "what if you were seventeen, gay and also a major fucking loser." And I think that sort of encapsulates how Teh moves through the majority of this story. He is a mess. Let's be honest, he is. But he's also a teenager. The bond between him and Oaew runs deep and they get caught in their emotions, and their expectations of each other. It's a roller coaster of INTENSE emotions. Sometimes it drives them (I'm looking at you Teh) to do insanely stupid things out of desperation and it makes one cringe while watching but at the same time it's so beautifully authentic. Billkin and PP Krit really delivered OUTSTANDING performances. I'd trust them with anything they decide to star in. Their ability to express the characters' inner turmoil and conflict is truly admirable.
Let's talk about Boss Kuno's incredible storytelling. The pacing of this story is zippier than other Thai dramas, which I really appreciated here. Still, nothing was missed. Boss Kuno told this expertly, I'm still in awe, how he created such an organic, tender and heartwarming story while also managing to authentically portray the everyday life of these characters and its impact on them by weaving in cultural aspects such as immigration (see old part of Phuket). It gives deep context and explains the boys' upbringing and the importance of Chinese culture in the story. It aids to make us understand the familial bonds of Teh, his brother and their mother and Teh's difficulty to deal with his feelings for Oaew, a boy.
Beyond that, the shots are stunning, the colouring gives the scenes a nostalgic, wistful summer feeling. Boss Kuno also managed to include and incredible amount of symbolism through colours, specific objects etc. and if you're able to catch on, it adds more depth to the relationship dynamics of the main and side characters. This is expert, artistic storytelling and I will never not watch anything directed by Kuno. That man creates magic on screen.
In short: IF YOU CARE ABOUT WELL WRITTEN STORIES WITH MULTI-DIMENSIONAL CHARACTERS AND CAN APPRECIATE ARTFUL CINEMATOGRAPHY AND EMOTIONAL DEPTH IN A DRAMA, WATCH! THIS! PLEASE!
Someone on social media phrased it in a really funny but insanely accurate way: Boss Kuno's shows dare to ask the question "what if you were seventeen, gay and also a major fucking loser." And I think that sort of encapsulates how Teh moves through the majority of this story. He is a mess. Let's be honest, he is. But he's also a teenager. The bond between him and Oaew runs deep and they get caught in their emotions, and their expectations of each other. It's a roller coaster of INTENSE emotions. Sometimes it drives them (I'm looking at you Teh) to do insanely stupid things out of desperation and it makes one cringe while watching but at the same time it's so beautifully authentic. Billkin and PP Krit really delivered OUTSTANDING performances. I'd trust them with anything they decide to star in. Their ability to express the characters' inner turmoil and conflict is truly admirable.
Let's talk about Boss Kuno's incredible storytelling. The pacing of this story is zippier than other Thai dramas, which I really appreciated here. Still, nothing was missed. Boss Kuno told this expertly, I'm still in awe, how he created such an organic, tender and heartwarming story while also managing to authentically portray the everyday life of these characters and its impact on them by weaving in cultural aspects such as immigration (see old part of Phuket). It gives deep context and explains the boys' upbringing and the importance of Chinese culture in the story. It aids to make us understand the familial bonds of Teh, his brother and their mother and Teh's difficulty to deal with his feelings for Oaew, a boy.
Beyond that, the shots are stunning, the colouring gives the scenes a nostalgic, wistful summer feeling. Boss Kuno also managed to include and incredible amount of symbolism through colours, specific objects etc. and if you're able to catch on, it adds more depth to the relationship dynamics of the main and side characters. This is expert, artistic storytelling and I will never not watch anything directed by Kuno. That man creates magic on screen.
In short: IF YOU CARE ABOUT WELL WRITTEN STORIES WITH MULTI-DIMENSIONAL CHARACTERS AND CAN APPRECIATE ARTFUL CINEMATOGRAPHY AND EMOTIONAL DEPTH IN A DRAMA, WATCH! THIS! PLEASE!
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