Robin

- Oh and Jack has said it to Joke: now they are family (not friends anymore). Progress people, this is called progress 🐢
- And Joke's father...sorry but I still think he's a terrible (and too proud) father.

Some "theories" about those next episodes (or maybe I'm absolutely wrong lol):
- I really think Joke and Jack will become a real couple at the end of the series, so yep, true slow burn.
- Joke will break his promise : he will steal again (obviously in the next episode) and also he will disappear for a certain time...maybe learning a honest life and coming back when he's ready.
- After that period of absence, Joke will come back when Jack opens his education center. They will become a "real" couple at that time (?)

heist plot next week ! yeah ! I'm happy we'll see Joker next time ! Anyways, a good and entertaining episode again, quite emotional (the scenes between Joke and his father...) !

The point of this series (for the romance part) is not "how they live as a couple" but how CAN they become a couple considering the situation and the circumstances ? So this is not a matter of "they are trying too hard not to be a BL ect.". This is not really understanding the perspective of the series (again). You may like it or not but this is the perspective made by the creators of the series.
Do you reasonably think they can be a couple now ? and have more romantic moments now ?
Some have already complained about the plot and saying it doesn't make really sense....Do you think it would make sense too ?
As I've said, love doesn't miraculously erase social issues...

"More than half of the series is complete, but we haven't seen anything physical between the characters, or a love confession that is truly meant. "
And there's nothing wrong with that. One of my favorite BL series is Rak Diao. They basically become a couple at the end of the series. I've no problem with slow burn and series not being only a romance. However we also have an almost love confession in episode 6...and the meaning was here. And the tension was definitely here too. So this is not exactly "no homo". I guess you feel frustrated because you want more moment between them, but this is not exactly a series only about that. There are also still episodes unreleased too. Let's be patient...

Seeing how so many people react so strongly to episode 7 tell something about this series : people for sure are not indifferent to it. But also people are not used in fact to be frustrated. But you need conflicts, events to make a story. You can also have different "tones" in a story. Just like in your day, you can be happy and silly, then later sad, etc.

Personally I'm happy that in episode 7 we get back to the feels of the first two episodes : serious themes (which have always been there though), angst and some comedy elements. I also like that the BL theme is not the only main focus. Because "love" doesn't "erase" your family, your friends, your social condition, your background, etc. Those are as important as "love".

And there is nothing wrong wanting to combine BL themes and other genres. Just like you can have a love element in an action movie. Saying that only the BL element of the series are watchable sounds insensitive in fact.

Insensitive because they are people who are in debt. They are people in jail. They are people rejected by their family, etc.

Those scenes handling those themes mean maybe nothing to you, but that's not the case for other people, and certainly not for the creators of the series.

In short, episode 7 :

- A monopoly game : powerful people playing with millions, Boss with ambition, Jack worth 300 000, Joke worth a measly pay as a porter and worth nothing in his father's eyes.
- Such brutal social criticism : of inequalities, of religious figures working hand in hand with the powerful (that temple lady and Hoy discussion was sure interesting), of the healthcare problem, of the hypocrisy behind donation and charity projects, etc.
- Dilemnas, "grey" characters and sacrifices : and mainly Jack' sacrifice. He sacrifices himself for the sake of his grandma. He cannot lose her when he has already lost in the past. Unbearable. He also sacrifices the possibility of love with Joke. He knows he's going to hell. Better not bring along Joke with him. You can feel his despair in all this episode. His powerlessness.
- Joke's dream of finding a home, a sanctuary of any kind, is shattered too. Like Jack has experienced a first betrayal in episode 1 (and now another one), Joke is now experiencing the same.
- And a love story, the beautiful love story that is usually seen in romance series, happily shred apart, without even being fully developped, by social realities.

Brilliant. Oh they really want us to suffer for sure.

Also other reasons why people don't have (universal) healthcare :
- administrative complexity (you have to know how to read and to write in forms etc.)
- being ashamed of asking for universal healthcare (there is a stigma being "poor"), etc.

Because his grandma doesn't have health insurance. She's selling food in the street. So most likely since it's an informal job, she cannot have it. And I guess that even in the case of universal healthcare, they have to be some conditions in order to get it, some operations are not included etc. Sure almost 76% of thai population has universal healthcare (which is already great and there has been some progress especially for the informal sector) but you still have 24% who don't.

Angst is still coming. I mean Jack still doesn't know what Save has done too...

it's getting better though I think (?)

I think it's also those kind of roles who make them famous among fans. But I would not say they play "the same characters". Joker is not really Mark in Love Mechanics. And Jack has been hurt (betrayed) many times too in the series.

I still like it too even if it's not perfect (but what series is perfect then ?).

Also the auction scene in one of the previous episode was not for nothing.
As the necklace was the bargain between rich people (Rose and Aran), Jack becomes some kind of bargain too : treated as an object, in order for the Boss to gain power and social standing. Basically poor people (and their life) are treated as bargain...
So the marriage subplot makes sense too.
There are many times in the series when those "different kind of contracts/agreements" are criticized, especially when they are linked to some kind of "institution". Since they are often used in a context of deception and lies. :
- contracts in a bank (Joke's lie, Save's lie)
- diploma (Joke's lie)
- "marriage" agreement (lie)...
etc.
So no this is not exactly "gratuitous"...

Episode 1 during the discussion between Jack and Grandma :
"How about this Grandma ? I'll find a rich girlfriend to pay off the debt"
It was to be expected since they've hinted at this since the beginning... 💀

Joke's dad ! I bet they didn't even see him when he was in jail...5 years...

Also the scene about Jack and Rose talking about dreams was so impactful too !

Very good episode ! Betrayal everywhere. Jack doing the same thing coach did to him some years ago, oh the irony of fate.
Hope and Save, oh the irony of names.
And Joke being dragged away from that conference press was the hilarious peak of the episode. Love it !

"Dreaming is for those whose realities are already comfortable".
"Whoever possesses the ring has the power to control this country"
Episode 7 hurts but it's a good hurt 💀

It's not a competition...right ? Why the obsession with the rating ? Why decide for others what should be or should not be ? Help me understand this too.