vanwarren

So, while a part of me kinda feels bad for Phraphai, another part of me doesn't feel too bad for him mainly because from the outside looking in, as gorgeous as he is, he should've had the confidence to shoot his shot with Nawa AGES ago. I feel like subconsciously, Phraphai KNOWS that Nawa isn't interested in him romantically, but because Nawa hasn't verbalized it to him (at least onscreen), Phraphai chooses to hold onto the false hope that he and Nawa can actually be together. As this series progresses, I've come to realize that even IF Nawa got together with Phraphai, he would most likely still end up leaving him for a human (if not Phu, another human that eventually came along) for the simple fact that Nawa has yearned for the affection of a human since childhood, so Phraphai really wouldn't win either way; and I hate that for him. I just hope his character doesn't go the predictable route and become the toxic, scorned person that always get friend zoned, but unfortunately, I don't have too much faith in the writing not to go that route. I'm also still waiting for the part of the series where the "merman hunters" become more prominent just to see how well it's incorporated into this series. The "hunters" have been talked about in passing, but unless that Daniel creep turns out to be a hunter (which would explain his interest in Nawa), they've yet to make an onscreen appearance in the series.

Then you need a new book. Phraphai was WARNING Nawa not to trust humans in general outside of Phana (who had been Nawa's friend since childhood) due to the fact that humans have been hunting mermen for decades. That's not "controlling," that's a safety precaution. Have a nice day. ✌🏽

Had you read my initial comment, you'd realize that it was in reference to the first three episodes that didn't show Phraphai being "controlling" as you claimed in your reply; but I supposed common sense isn't so common these days. Otherwise, you wouldn't have written such a moot reply. 🙃

You do realize you're replying to a 5-day old comment, right?

Phraphai should've been Nawa's love interest for this series, because why is this series romanticizing a drunken stalker like Phu? I initially thought that Ping may have been a hunter, but after catching up with the most recent episodes, I'm starting to think that he may be half merman based on the flashback of his parents (specifically his mother) arguing about their son being a "freak." That would also explain his initial on-screen interaction with Nawa since they both felt as though they had met prior to formally meeting. If Ping is indeed half merman, he and Nawa may have seen each other swimming in passing. Anyways, the "main" ship isn't working for me. It should've been Phraphai, and I'll keep saying it until the remaining episodes prove otherwise.

I'm not gonna lie, it felt a bit anticlimactic overall (especially the story between Gao Tu and Shen Wen Lang). I'm aware of the time jump in the novel due to the comments I've been reading here over the weeks, but there were just WAY too many plot holes in their story that can't really be brushed over. I don't understand the purpose of Gao Tu's father being the one to disclose his pregnancy when Hua Yong flat-out told Wen Lang that Gao Tu was the Omega he'd been searching for that night. I've said this before, and I think it bears repeating; Shen Wen Lang is incredibly stupid, and this final episode only doubled down on it. The fact that he was so quick to believe that Gao Tu stayed close to him for TEN YEARS just to get pregnant by him when he (Gao Tu) literally spent his entire life cosplaying as a Beta to the point where he lied to Wen Lang about having an Omega partner as an explanation for his own Omega scent is just baffling. It's not like I wanted Gao Tu to end up with Wen Lang (especially after episode 9), but Gao Tu could never really catch a break throughout this series, and I hate that for him.

My heart breaks for Gao Tu. FIFTEEN episodes have passed, and I haven't seen him crack a genuine smile out of happiness ONCE. Between cosplaying as a Beta to hide the fact that he's really an Omega at the request of his mother, having a freeloading father that asks him for money every 2.5 seconds, having to take care of his ailing sister, getting r*ped and impregnated by the man he secretly loved, and being advised by his physician to abort his child, it really feels like Gao Tu can't seem to have even a small victory in his life. Shen Weng Lang is incredibly stupid, and I love the fact that Hua Yong finally told him. Gao Tu's doctor flat-out exposed him as an Omega when Weng Lang took him to the hospital in the earlier episodes, but for whatever reason, he (Weng Lang) continued to believe that Gao Tu was a Beta. Gao Tu ALWAYS smells like an Omega and revealed to Weng Lang that he lives alone (meaning he DOESN'T live with another Omega), yet Weng Lang isn't smart enough to put two and two together and realize that Gao Tu is really an Omega cosplaying as a Beta. Again, Shen Weng Lang is a pretty guy, but he's not too bright. Hopefully the last episode will show Gao Tu being GENUINELY happy for once (he really deserves it).

*SIDE NOTE*

If both Sheng Shao You and Shen Weng Lang are S-Teir Alphas, why is it that Weng Lang wasn't unable to figure out what he did to Gao Tu in the same way Shao You was able to figure out it was Hua Yong that assaulted him that night?

I know it's not going to happen based on the general plot of this series, but off rip I wanted Nawa to end up with Phraphai instead of Phu. So far, this is kinda giving "Revamp the Undead Story" with mermaids/mermen.

I've heard mixed reviews on Shine (primarily in regard to the story of the second couple). Also, just because I'm not the biggest fan of Be On Cloud's storytelling doesn't necessarily mean that I'm the biggest fan on GMMTV series from a general standpoint. Anyone who's familiar with my comments on GMMTV series knows that I tend to give GMMTV series A LOT of criticism that is very warranted, but I do give them credit when they produce a quality BL with good acting, story/plot, and pacing (i.e. "ThamePo Heart That Skips a Beat"). I may give "Shine" a chance, but I'm not making any promises.

The only GOOD thing about this series is the fact that the NC scenes highlighted the importance of safe sex. Outside of that, this series was plain terrible. Had Kan and Per been the main couple with a FAR better script, the quality of this series would've improved drastically. Mon and Pak have chemistry, and I hope they can get the chance to work together on a project with significantly better writing and pacing. As for the "main couple," I'm willing to give Arm some grace since this is his debut series (he wasn't bad, but you could tell that he was a bit new). Even if the acting wasn't necessarily as strong as it could've been, the WRITING for this series killed any potential for this series before it could even be given a chance. Like... Who uses a false r*pe storyline to drag out a series; and then after it's "resolved," have Mild's brother (the main one accusing Knight) seemingly drop off the face of the planet for the remainder of the series? I'm not trying to be facetious, but whoever wrote the script/plot for this series needs to be blacklisted.

Even without the NC scene, Jet and Charn carried this episode. I'm enjoying the progression of their relationship a lot more than the "main couple." I love how Charn went back to shield Jet from the swarm of wasps without hesitation.

Honestly, this series should be rated higher than it is. This is without question the best Taiwanese BL that's come out in 2025 (granted the bar was EXTREMELY low considering the fact that many Taiwanese BLs in 2025 have been flat out terrible). While this story was relatively simplistic, the writing, acting, and pacing was all solid; so it made for an enjoyable watch. I'd be inclined to recommend this series to anyone who's looking for an "introductory BL." The plot is easy to understand, and the series overall doesn't have anything that may overwhelm a new BL enthusiast.

*SIDE NOTE*

Jyun Hao seemingly confirmed that he and Chance are actually dating. I'm glad to see that this series was able to bring them together.

Honestly, even if that "storyline" wasn't a topic of contention, the writing for this series overall is abysmal; so I wouldn't necessarily blame anyone for dropping it.

I've said this before, and I'll say it again; Kan and Per should've been the main couple. Their chemistry is the strongest, their love story is the strongest and LEAST cringy, and overall, their acting is stronger (which isn't necessarily saying much since the acting of the majority of the cast isn't the strongest [to put it nicely]). I had a feeling that Mayo would be the one who stabbed Per after Natcha served as the "red herring" since she was the character who was loudest about her jealousy of Kan and Per's relationship. I actually felt bad for Mayo throughout the series since it was heavily implied that he'd been getting physically and sexually abused by seniors at the university (and I kinda still do in that regard because no one deserves to be abused), but that doesn't give him a pass to try to kill someone he views to be a "love rival;" especially since Per actually saved him from the senior that was abusing him in the previous episode. If this series were written better, I feel as though this episode (episode 9) would've actually served as the "redemption arc" for Natcha's character in the way that I feel they were trying to have it land. Although she helped find and capture Mayo, it was hard to feel bad for her even after Kan apologized to her for blindly snapping at her thinking she was the one who stabbed Per. Lastly, it's rather disappointing that the "relationship" between Tum and Klah hasn't progressed throughout the entire series. This was the second to last episode, and not so much as a hug, a snuggle, or a pat on the back (SOMETHING) to make their story feel as though it's progressing, and at this point, I'm over it. Either get together or don't.

*SIDE NOTE*

I have to ask... What is up with Kan's milkshake? Because something about him seems to bring the boys AND the girls to the yard.

Soooooooooooooooo... I don't mind a "slow burn" romance in a series IF there are other things of substance to hold my interest until the official start of the romance, but if I'm being honest, this episode in particular was a bit boring. We're halfway through the series now, so I feel as though it would've been a bit more intriguing to actually have Khem at least ATTEMPT to take some initiative and attempt to do more research on Ramphueng and get closer to discovering why she's so hellbent on torturing Khem in every lifetime. This episode honestly felt like a filler episode that didn't do much to progress Khem's story in regard to his family curse. I'm curious to know exactly how Charn's ability to locate people came to be. I know that Peem explained that it was because Charn had a strong bond with Khem, but I find it strange that Charn would have a stronger bond with Khem than Jet to the point that he'd be able to hone-in on Khem's spirit when he went missing in the previous episodes. I'm actually slightly more interested in the progression of Jet and Charn's relationship since it seems as though they get more screentime together than Khem and Peem. Hopefully, this series picks up some steam in the upcoming episodes.

*SIDE NOTE*

Peem openly cock-blocking Khem after flat out rejecting him in the beginning of the episode is crazy work. Hopefully Phong isn't as shady as his grandfather.

Skimming through some of the comments, I'm trying to figure out why so many people questioned Tuo's feelings for Junxi when Tuo has loved Junxi literally since the moment they met as children. When his mother abandoned him as a child, JUNXI was there to comfort him. When his father neglected him, JUNXI was there to make him feel a part of his family. I always got a strange vibe from Tuo's boss. I was hoping to be wrong about him being the character that's seemingly attempting to groom his intern (yes, although Tuo is technically an adult, it's very possible for an adult to be groomed, especially by a person in a position of authority), but based on the preview for the next episode (which almost feels like a finale episode despite the fact that MDL says that this series has 12 episodes), it seems as though that's the direction the series is going with that character. Judging from how Tuo's character is written, I highly doubt that he would ever think of cheating on Junxi; especially now that his life-long fantasy of being with Junxi romantically is now a reality.

*SIDE NOTE*

If this series does indeed have 12 episodes, I think it would've made more sense for Junxi's dream/"nightmare" to have been a scenario that actually played out in real life since that would've given the story a deep enough subplot to effectively stretch it to 12 episodes.

Honestly, whoever wrote for this series needs to be blacklisted from writing for any series ever again. I'm trying to figure out why this series just decided to gloss over the junior that was clearly being physically AND sexually abused by a senior to the point that he felt the need to seek out Kan for help. The fact that there was no real resolution or assistance for the junior to AT LEAST get him away from his abuser is rather jarring for me. Also, while I think that Per and Kan are the strongest pairing in this series (which isn't saying much since the main couple doesn't really give the viewers much to work with), Per annoyed me with his jealousy over the junior that Kan was taking care of; especially since it was clear that the junior was under duress, and needed help to get away from his abuser (I'm not understanding why it was so difficult for Per to show a modicum of empathy). In regard to Per and Kan's relationship, I know that everyone is different, but Kan is too old to be acting shy and embarrassed to show public affection to his boyfriend (a guy that he's missed for weeks). He's a SIXTH-YEAR medical student, so I would appreciate it if he (and the characters in this series in general) would start acting like the adult that he technically is as opposed to a sophomore in high school. I don't have much to say about Knight and Mild because they're just not giving what they need to give as a main couple (which could be chalked up to this being Arm's debut series, so I can extend some grace to him in that regard). Lastly, EVERY SINGLE FEMALE IN THIS SERIES IS INSUFFERABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is going to sound harsh, but Natcha is pathetic, full stop. Kan told her 525,600 times that he has a boyfriend AND that he doesn't have romantic feelings for her. What exactly does he have to do to drive it through her thick skull? Fern is too busy antagonizing Mild because he's dating her former f*ck buddy, and she's too immature to let him go. Knight himself admits that he's not a good person, so it makes no sense why Fern is so hung up on him (this may sound crass, but I know there are other guys she can hook up with on campus if that's what she really wants). Last but not least, Pat is just a terrible human being all around with no redeeming qualities. The way this series and the characters are written overall is abysmal.

First of all, how did Junxi's brother even know where he lived? Second, why would he just pop up unannounced and expect Junxi to drop everything in his life (because Junxi has both school AND an internship to balance along with his relationship with Tuo)? Tuo being jealous of Junxi's nephew makes sense for his character since he literally dated every woman who had romantic feelings for Junxi JUST so they wouldn't be with Junxi because he was secretly in love with him and couldn't bear to see him with anyone who wasn't him (which is a bit diabolical if you really think about it). So far, this has been the best Taiwanese BL of 2025 (which isn't saying much since Taiwanese BL has been down BAD in 2025 [no shade, but shade]). Without spoiling anything, I'm curious to see what happens in the next episode with Tuo and his boss.

Before I start, I'm going to let the people who may read this know that I'm not putting a spoiler tag on my comment because you need to know what TF you're getting into if you decide to watch this series...

Per and Kan should've been the main couple since their story is more interesting and FAR less cringe than Knight and Mild's. One thing that annoyed me about Kan in this episode (episode 7) is that his emotional wounds in regard to his relationship with Per were self-inflicted. All he had to do was talk to Per like an adult (especially since he's apparently a SIXTH-YEAR medical student, which would mean that he's at least in his mid-20s) as opposed to shutting him out completely without a valid explanation. Speaking of explanations, while Knight may not have r*ped Mild in his sleep as previously suggested, the fact that he drunkenly broke into his bedroom and straddled him in an attempt to kiss him in his sleep is STILL creepy AF. I wouldn't be entertaining anyone like that if I were Mild, but that's just me. All Knight had to do was deny the r*pe allegation flat-out instead of this BS about Mild "not knowing the whole story" and wasting two and a half episodes dragging this series out with an alleged SA/r*pe storyline. The writing for the main couple is abysmal.

Thankfully (I suppose), I binge watched the episodes because I couldn't bring myself to watch weekly. Going into episode 5, I assumed that the reason Mud and Knight hated each other was because they had previously dated, and Mud didn't want Knight dating his brother; but to find out that Knight seemingly r*ped Mild and Mud kept it from him for this long is just f*cked up on so many levels. The minimalization (and often romanticizing) of same-sex r*pe and s*xual assault in Thai BL in particular is one thing that I despise (especially since it happens quite often). Also, I'm not a fan of how other characters were trying to gaslight Mild into being in the vicinity of his r*pist as if finding out he was r*ped in his sleep isn't a big deal. Lastly, Mud ain't sh*t for knowing what happened to his brother, not reporting Knight to the authorities, AND hiding what happened to Mild for such a long period of time. Even if it's revealed that Knight didn't r*pe Mild (since he's insisting that Mild doesn't know "the whole story"), it makes no sense why Knight wouldn't just come out and deny r*ping Mild as opposed to trying to tell "the whole story." All he had to do is say "no I didn't" IF he really didn't do it. I'm kinda flabbergasted that someone actually read this script and greenlit this for production.