Ilisha

“Friendship or First Love? A Bittersweet Coming-of-Age Tale”

I am heartbroken and slightly traumatized by the ending of the movie. However, I wouldn’t place all the blame on the ending itself, because I had already sensed what was coming through the ongoing struggles in Ann’s life and Jane’s journey of trying to understand her feelings and herself throughout the film.

This movie portrays the coming-of-age theme through the characters of Ann and Jane, who come from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Through Ann's character, I deeply felt the suffering of an individual growing up in poverty. There was a restlessness and uncertainty in teenage Ann’s eyes that made my heart ache — even in moments when she was simply living in the present. I could feel the weight of her life in every scene, especially the constant anxiety about money and survival. The fear of what might happen if there were no roof over one’s head was ever-present. To make things worse, her mother’s gambling habits added to her misery and made life even more difficult for Ann and her siblings.

Though Jane did not face economic hardship like Ann, she experienced a quiet kind of suffering as she struggled to understand her feelings and identity. She represented a typical, confused teenager—unsure about her sexual identity and the difference between romantic and platonic love. The film doesn’t clearly show, or perhaps I couldn’t fully grasp, whether Jane’s feelings for Ann were romantic or platonic. However, it was clear that Ann loved Jane romantically, especially in the intimate scene where tears streamed down her face after hearing Jane’s confused response. But from some scenes where Jane was deeply admiring Ann's beauty and talent, her face seemed like "she was falling in love like an autumn leaf ". Not only those scenes, but also the ring scene, Jane’s concern for Ann’s future, and her painful longing for Ann revealed that Jane’s caring feelings went beyond friendship.

Overall, I experienced the playful spirit of teenage life — the mischievous moments, the warmth of having like-minded friends, and the escape into fantasy (when Ann and Jane lose themselves watching the luxurious floating restaurant from afar). The film’s gentle slice-of-life storytelling, combined with a bittersweet touch of reality, made my viewing experience truly memorable. THANKS -.-

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A heartfelt journey through the film

Love was in the tiny moments. I was mesmerized, completely drawn into the slow, magical love between the main characters, Joo Yung and Yeji. There was something in them—an undeniable attraction, a quiet admiration—that pulled me into the little sea of their love. Joo Yung’s adorable puppy-like eyes gazing at Yeji melted me like ice cream.

My heart skipped a beat when Yeji suddenly kissed Joo Yung after the confession. I was in heaven watching that bold move! Love stars sparkled in front of my eyes, and I couldn't help but deeply imagine—what would happen if I got my first kiss unexpectedly from someone I secretly love and admire?

The joy they felt at the beach made me feel like I was right there with them. Together, we were living in the beauty of the moment, sharing laughter, craziness, and companionship. It was so lovely to watch.

But along with these tiny, beautiful moments came painful struggles. Anger took over me when the despicable school teacher sexually harassed the girls. It revealed the dark reality of life—how some human monsters prey on the vulnerable. My heart shattered into little pieces watching Joo Yung’s best friend silently endure the trauma inflicted by her taekwondo teacher. It was devastating. And when Yeji took a picture of Joo Yung as she left her house—something to hold onto in moments of longing—my heart ached.

The movie also exposed the dark side of the law—how power enables some people to commit crimes without consequences, just like the disturbed taekwondo teacher.

Overall, I felt every moment deeply. A huge thanks to the cast, director, cinematographer, and everyone involved in making this film. It was an unforgettable experience.

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NO REGRETS WATCHING THIS

This is the first Japanese GL series I have watched, and I felt like I was drowning in a peaceful wave of romantic love. In real life, drowning always feels overwhelmed and suffocated, but drowning in this series felt magical and serene.

There were several reasons why this series touched my heart. First of all, the psychological mystery surrounding Kotoha’s character kept me on the edge of my seat. Secondly, the calm and aesthetic cinematography made me feel every nuance of the characters’ emotions—whether happiness, dullness, confusion, playfulness, sadness, or mystery. I truly felt everything the characters experienced. The way the series showed emotions through their eyes, body language, and words always captures my heart. I can never get enough of these feelings. Thirdly, the actors’ performances were brilliant. Unlike typical dramas or series with large casts, this show mainly focused on just two main characters, Meguchi and Kotoha, who carried the entire story with their outstanding acting. I didn’t expect to be so deeply immersed just by watching the performances of two actors, but I was. Their performances were truly out of this world.

Thanks to the entire team who worked hard to create this aesthetically beautiful and mysterious GL series. Because of your dedication, I became a witness to the lovely romantic love between two souls. Thank you for making my day.

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A Queer Love Story with slice of life

This show is pleasant, heart-warming with a bit of odd thing. Except the part (step sisters falling in love), everything was perfect.

First, I will talk about the acting. There was no doubt about authentic performance of the actors making the scenes natural like slice of life. Beside the two main characters, I loved Nao's playfulness, caring for Sayuri and slightly awkward toward unpleasant moments. You can see those emotions through his eyes and body language. Sayuri and Yui parents were lovable. Even if they separated their children for some time, they just did the parents job. The separation was needed to think about the situation deeply for every members. Our human brains need time to process things that are outside of their thinking. What matters most, at the end, they understood their children's happiness and well-being.

Though at the first, it just felt odd watching Yui's action, kissing on the lips of Sayuri out of the blue, even though they had known each other not so long. But this odd feeling vanished when Sayuri reciprocated the romantic love that Yui felt toward her. As expected, I was giggling, blushing so hard watching their romantic moments. Not forgetting the fact that this drama was made in the last decade where lgbtq representations were rare. In that decade creating this story needed lot of courage and it was indeed praiseworthy.

Overall, as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I thoroughly enjoyed it, I did not blink once.

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" A Heartfelt Tribute to Thai GL Series and Their Bold Celebration of Love and Culture"

First of all, I want to thank Thailand for producing GL (Girls’ Love) series while other narrow-minded countries remain immersed in promoting homophobia through media content. I am genuinely grateful to this country because I would not have been able to find happiness and joy during my darkest times if it weren’t for Thai GL series. Thank you so much.

As for this series, it created an unforgettable space in my once-shrouded heart. To be honest, I found some episodes to be dull, as it felt like they repeatedly featured similar scenes. However, despite this flaw, the show deserves to be praised and applauded for its unique qualities.

The series beautifully captures the little details in the environment, making every scene vivid and immersive. It showcases traditional Thai food so exquisitely that I felt like I was watching an aesthetic food blog—something rare in television. Moreover, it highlights Thai royal traditions, cultural events, and functions, offering viewers a glimpse into the royal attitudes and behavior of Thailand.

Above all, the show masterfully portrays the calm, sweet, lovely, restless, emotional, romantic, intense, overwhelming, and even dangerous love between two Thai royal women—Princess Anil and Lady Pin—who belong to a conservative society.

One of my favorite moments was the scene where Anil bravely declared her love in front of her mother, brother, and Lady Pin's aunt, Pattamika. Her courage to confess her secret love for someone of the same gender in front of her family filled me with pride and left my heart boiling with emotion. I admired her guts to stand up for her love against societal rules and restrictions.

This show is not only a beautiful love story but also a bold statement about love, culture, and courage. I truly loved it.

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