Red

When ThamePo: Heart That Skips a Beat was announced last year, I was beyond excited—finally, a well-deserved main lead role for Est after watching him in Naughty Babe and High School Frenemy. His presence was the main reason I tuned in, and if I’m being honest, he was also a huge driving force behind the drama’s success. The way he tirelessly promoted it was nothing short of impressive. He truly put in the work, and the results speak for themselves.

At its core, ThamePo explores the reality of the entertainment industry, particularly the struggles idols face—dating rumors, disbandments, profit disputes, and more. It expands on themes we’ve seen in Lovely Writer and Only Boo!, but with a slightly more refined execution. As a longtime K-pop fan, I appreciated how the series portrayed these struggles without vilifying entertainment companies entirely. After all, the producers themselves are part of the industry. The balance was well-handled, ensuring the message came through without feeling preachy or overly antagonistic.

That being said, the plot itself wasn’t groundbreaking. I could predict the entire trajectory before even hitting play—main lead enters an idol’s life, they get close, they date, their relationship causes conflict, they break up, and they reunite. It’s a formula that has been done countless times. Was I disappointed? Not at all. Sometimes, fulfilling expectations is just as satisfying as subverting them. The predictability didn’t ruin my experience; it made the drama feel like a comforting, well-executed take on a familiar story.

However, the pacing felt sluggish at times. By episode two, I found myself mentally filling in the blanks, already knowing what would happen next. While ThamePo does a better job than Only Boo! in expanding on its central conflict rather than rushing to a resolution, the drawn-out storytelling made it slightly tedious.

One of the drama’s weakest points was how it handled Po and Thame’s breakup. The scene felt too light, lacking the emotional weight it needed. Rather than delivering a strong confrontation, the drama spread out the emotions in separate individual scenes, which lessened the impact. A more intense, heartfelt dialogue exchange would have improved this moment significantly.

One aspect I wish had been explored further was the "fan-idol" dynamic. It played a key role in the story, yet it wasn’t fully utilized. Having Thame and Po’s relationship become public could have strengthened the subplot involving Gam and Pepper, giving it a more satisfying conclusion. Despite these missed opportunities, the drama did an excellent job in establishing its conflicts.

On the acting front, I have to give credit where it’s due. Est delivered an incredible performance, especially in the emotional scenes—his ability to cry on command is genuinely impressive. William did well too, though his performance felt a bit unbalanced throughout the series. That said, their chemistry was undeniable, both on and off screen. Whoever cast this duo deserves a raise.

Visually, ThamePo delivered. The cinematography was better than expected, and the soundtrack enhanced every moment. Though I wasn’t familiar with LYKN before, their music fit perfectly, and I might just check them out now.

At the end of the day, ThamePo didn’t reinvent the wheel, but it served its purpose. It reminded viewers that what we see on stage is only a fraction of an idol’s reality. The struggles, the sacrifices, the unseen hardships—these are things the public rarely considers. If nothing else, I hope this drama encourages fans to be more understanding and to think twice before hurling hate at artists they don’t even know. Because at the end of the day, they’re human too.