alex

some of the best written thai gl characters

this is less of a review and more of a very long think piece read at ur own discretion lol

honestly, i didn't particularly care for the storyline during the first half of the series. one of the main reasons i kept watching was because of how brilliantly the characters were written. right from the start they felt incredibly real, flawed, and three-dimensional, even when i wasn't fully invested in what was happening around them. but then episodes 7-8 happened and from then through to the end of episode 10 (which i think is the strongest-and my favorite-episode of the series) i was completely hooked and that is easily my favorite stretch of the show. the final two episodes were slightly weaker in comparison, and the mafia plotline completely threw me for a loop ?? lmao, but by that point i was already very emotionally invested in the characters that it didn't take away from how much i ended up loving the series.

what i think the series excels at more than anything else is character writing. these are some of the most believable protagonists i've seen in a thai gl ever. the show never tries to force them into neat categories of "good" or "bad". it allows them to be contradictory, selfish, caring, impulsive, immature, 3 dimensional characters. they make bad decisions, and hurt each other, then they regret those decisions, and continue making mistakes because that's literally what real people do. the biggest strength of the writing is the show understanding and showing you that flawed people are still deserving of love.

the push-and-pull dynamic between pun and ploy works so SO well. from the get go, the relationship is complicated by pun's plan to get close to ploy because of her brother, (something we later learn ploy already knew about, which adds even more layers to the conversation), but there's a much more interesting emotional layer underneath that, ploy. she completely shuts down the moment she senses abandonment, betrayal, or emotional pain. she refuses to communicate, lashes out, she is avoidant and becomes intentionally hurtful, she hides behind an emotionally cold exterior. the series makes it clear that it stems directly from the way she was raised. i loved that they allowed her upbringing to have lasting consequences on the way she navigates relationships and how that seeps into her every day life, they don't treat childhood trauma as something people just "get over."

and then, pun. her characterization might be truly one of the most realistic i've seen in a thai gl. almost everything she does is so so believable to me, down to the smallest details and quirks. her artistic side especially resonated with me specifically. the fact that she writes down her thoughts, folds them into little paper butterflies, and creates an entire butterfly wall out of them is such a beautiful piece of characterization!! small stuff like that to tell you what kind of character and person she is. i think her choices throughout the series are so incredibly grounded and realistic as well (count how many times i use the word realistic or real lol). sometimes she acts selfishly, (ex. using ploy to get closer to her brother, using bee, and kissing her just to make ploy jealous.) other times she makes impulsive decisions without thinking (and still the series does not reduce her to a dumb character whatsoever!), or keeps very important things to herself, like refusing to tell her family about the money she lost because she's worried, because she doesn't want to disappoint them, especially when she constantly compares herself to prang in her parents' eyes. i don't view her as a bad person because of these choices, but i dont think they automatically make her a 100% good "pure" character either, i loved that!!! that's good!!!! the series consistently refuses to moralize ALL of its characters (but esp pun and ploy), you are forced to sit with the choices they make and the consequences of them and you are forced to think about them and spend time trying to understand.

THIS!! is how you write toxicity🙏🙏🙏🙏😭😭😭😭😭. both pun and ploy are deeply flawed, but the narrative refuses to romanticize or excuses the ways they hurt each other. their actions have consequences, they're forced to confront those consequences, and their character development feels gradual and earned. so many thai gls are guilty of introducing conflict simply for the sake of creating angst before resolving everything an episode later with a quick apology or confession. this series does not fall into this pattern. i think every conflict pushes the characters forward, and every reconciliation feels like something they have to work for.

despite dealing with heavier emotional themes, the series also has an incredibly fun personality. i loved how quirky and unique so much of its execution was, esp in the 1st half. the "angel" persona on pun's shoulder that's actually the devil in disguise (literally lmao) , alongside the pun-in-a-mustace man / sherlock persona (?) that acts as the sensible voice of reason, were such funny additions that made her internal conflicts much more entertaining to watch.

im not one to be thrilled for romcoms usually, but i need to admit that the series does comedy so, very well. at the same time, i think the show is at its absolute best during its quieter, and more vulnerable scenes where the writing and performances shine the brightest, and where i find myself able to emphasize most with the characters and join in on this vulnerable space that the actresses manage to create.

another small aspect that i think is worth mentioning is the friend group. it felt like an ACTUAL group of queer friends living their lives. it's such a small thing, but it made the world feel so much more lived in. one other creative decision i absolutely loved was episode 10's choice to never actually show pun in the present. we only experience her presence through a video, or flashbacks and memories other characters have of her after she's disappeared to the other side of the world. very deliberate choice to heighten the emptiness her absence leaves behind, and i 100% think that episode wouldn't have hit the same if the audience had been able to see her normally.

i legitimately stood up and started clapping when pun chose new york despite ploy still being in thailand. i loved that the writers allowed her to choose herself. new york is her dream. it is one more reminder on top of tens of others the writers sprinkle throughout the story that these women are individuals before they're partners. they have their own ambitions, identities, and agency outside of each other. media so often strips female protagonists of that agency by having them sacrifice their dreams, careers, or education ect.. for love because everything magically works itself out in the finale. the series doesn't exactly do that. it frames pun as her own person first and foremost, and i was seriously glad to see that thank you player

one could argue though that ploy leaving thailand is maybe in itself a sacrifice , but i also think the series addresses that through their conversation where she admits that acting was never truly her dream, pun was, she made a deliberate choice that her character does not suffer from or 'lose' something from.
regardless, it is a deliberate writing choice that feels like a breath of fresh air.

pacing is another thing i thought the series handled exceptionally well. i might have mentioned above how the show took their time with conflict resolution. i also just found the story itself coherent. outside of the mafia subplot, which felt almost completely disconnected tonally 💀, i don't think i found myself questioning the internal logic of the narrative and i dont think there were any plot holes that were left unresolved. i also have to mention the supporting cast because i seriously enjoyed jay and prang just as much as pun and ploy, and at certain times even more than them. they work beautifully as a couple, but they're compelling as individuals too, especially prang.

to further highlight just how strong i think the character writing is, ying's character has what i think is like less than thirty minutes of total screentime (if even) and STILL comes across as a fully realized interesting person. the same can be said for most of the other minor supporting characters. that is something i find a lot of thai gls struggle with, with their side characters usually ending up feeling very flat, but this is absolutely not the case here. and this to me is another testament to just how much care went into the writing.

one of the very first things that caught my attention, and something that continued to impress me throughout the entire series, was the cinematography, post-production and overall editing style. the framing is i think unlike anything i've seen in a thai gl before (ik i still have a lot to watch ok). the camera lens choices, the barrel distortion, chromatic aberration, vignetting, color grading, and lighting all come together to create a really distinct visual identity for both parts of the show. and past episode 7 (i think?), the series undergoes a very deliberate shift in its color grading that mirrors the emotional shift in the story.

i also really appreciated that the soundtrack wasn't just the same ost playing over and over again. the sound design is some of the strongest i've heard in a thai gl i think?, i dont think i can remember even a single moment where the audio felt awkward or poorly mixed

i think my criticisms are fairly straightforward? the abusive parent redemption arc strikes again... we're tired......... i'm always put off when stories decide to go in that direction. the mafia plotline was actually so random that i'm choosing not to even unpack it because... what the f*ck was that?

while some of the romantic dialogue felt a little clunky during the earlier episodes, that completely disappeared for me in the second half. the 2nd half honestly feels like a completely different series. i absolutely LOVED how the tone gradually shifted from something quirky and fun and very classically romcom-y into this much heavier, angsty and emotional almost melodrama. that's also where i think the actresses really shine. icememi are fantastic in the quieter, and more emotionally demanding scenes. that’s also where the acting feels most natural i think. the acting was absolutely phenomenal all throughout the second half and the slight doubt i had completely vanished.

overall! i can very obviously tell just how much love, care and hardwork was poured into this series. i can only hope more writers and directors look at shows like player for inspiration because this is the kind of character writing i want to see more of!!

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points for trying

i'll be honest, i wasn't completely sold on the series at first. for the first few episodes, copaganda completely aside because i already knew what the series was about going on so i won't be mentioning that in my review, i still found myself actively trying to push through because i kept waiting for the moment where it would get really good. it wasn't until around the second half of episode 5 through the first half of episode 7 that my rating for the series really started to climb, and i'm glad i stuck with it because those episodes ended up being the strongest part of the show for me.

what i appreciated most was the central story it was trying to tell. the series played things relatively safe and never really went for any major twists or shocking reveals, but i guess it didn't necessarily need to. at its core, i viewed it as a story about someone who was repeatedly failed by the people and institutions that were supposed to protect her, and the lasting impact that a corrupt system can have on a person's life. i found that aspect of the narrative far more compelling than any attempt at shock value would have been, it's a quieter story with themes that feel grounded and relevant, but w that said, i do wish the series had dug a little bit deeper into those ideas. it touches on systemic failures and institutional corruption, but often stops short of fully examining them as larger structural issues, which made some of its commentary feel a BIT surface level at times. but! even so.. i appreciated that it raised those questions in the first place and encouraged viewers to think about them (hopefully..)

one other aspect i found really interesting, and something i wish the series had also explored more, was what seemed to be a subtle class divide between the protagonists. whether this was intentional or not, there were moments where the difference in their social positions became apparent. tarn (whose father was a working class anti capitalist) works a dangerous and demanding job as a police officer because she needs to. meanwhile, vicky, coming from a far more privileged background, casually suggests that tarn could simply ask her father for time off so they can spend more time together, while also mentioning that the job is 'dangerous for a woman'. from vicky's perspective, it's presented as a reasonable solution, something she's used to all the time, but tarn's reaction highlights how disconnected that suggestion is from her reality. i found that dynamic genuinely compelling because it briefly touches on how privilege can shape a person's understanding of the world and the options they believe are available to others. it's one of the few moments where the series hints at larger structural issues beyond its central plot, and i honestly wish it had leaned into that more, unfortunately tarn immediately apologies to vicky right after that so LOL

anyway, i do think my experience was affected by my expectations going in. the series had been praised so heavily by almost everyone i talked to, the reviews were so crazy that my expectations were probably unrealistically high. i spent a lot of the show waiting for the moment where it would just get insanely good, and that moment never really came. but this is obviously less of a criticism of the series itself, and more so a result of how much hype i personally had built up in my head beforehand. it’s a good series, but i think i would have enjoyed it more if i had gone in with fewer expectations and let everything happen naturally

my biggest criticism would probably be the pacing of the romance. i'm PERSONALLY not a huge fan of relationships that develop very quickly, and that's something i find myself struggling with in a lot of gls because most series only have around 8 episodes, and in this case, only 7, there's often pressure to establish the characters, build the plot, and get the leads together in a very short amount of time. as a result, the romantic progression between the main characters felt rushed to me at first and on the other hand, i don't think the plot itself suffered from the limited runtime as much as the romance did
and so because of that, the chemistry felt a little forced in the earlier episodes. however, as the series continued and the characters spent more time together, those interactions started to feel much more natural. by episode 6, i had completely warmed up to them as a couple and thought they were really cute and so by the end i found myself really invested really in their relationship

another issue i had was a scene in which tarn engages in sex while under the influence of drugs. regardless of the writers' intentions, i found that scene deeply uncomfortable and unnecessary. unfortunately, it's become a recurring trope across a lot of thai gls and one that i rarely think adds anything meaningful to the story

overall, i don't think the series completely lived up to the enormous expectations i had going into it, but im also not saying it disappointed me. it's a thoughtful, well acted series with a compelling central message, and while there are definitely areas where i think it could have pushed itself further, i'm glad i watched it and can absolutely understand why it resonated with so many people, and im glad it tried doing something new and tried tackling issues that deserve to be portrayed^^

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such a breath of fresh air!!!! and easily one of the most compelling storylines i’ve seen in a gl in a long time.

with such limited time, especially since the romance wasn’t always the central focus, the fact that you could actually feel the attraction naturally building between the leads is a testament to just how well done it was in my opinion, i found myself rooting for the main characters while being just as interested in the larger story surrounding them.

i also went in with very few expectations beyond knowing that people generally just said it was good, but by the end of the second episode, i was completely hooked. as the story continued, it started touching on heavier topics like self-harm, abuse, sexual violence, trauma, obsession, codependency, ect.., i appreciated how much darker and more ambitious it was willing to be compared to a lot of gls and that completely hooked me.

the character writing was easily one of the strongest parts of the series. one of my favorite things about consuming media is morally gray complex characters, being able to study characters and ponder on their actions is one of my favorite things to do.

even with the limited runtime, the characters felt real, coherent, three-dimensional and complex. i loved that the show didn’t flatten them into easy categories of “good” and “bad,”. there isn’t really a clear innocent party or perfect victim in the past timeline, and i liked that the writers challenged the viewer to sit with that discomfort. we're shown that kwan and korn’s relationship was deeply strained and explosive from the start, with kwan constantly overstepping boundaries (ex. the love spell which you could view as a form of r*pe), using self-harm threats when she felt moments of abandonment arise, and engaging in behavior that could be read as emotionally abusive and violating. at the same time, there are also hints that korn may have been physically violent before, leading to kwan’s eventual murder, while thamon’s role as an enabler adds another layer of moral complication (even though one could also argue it was probably done due to pressure from korn).

i also feel the need to mention the acting because all three main actresses were brilliant, but muisic as win was on another level for me. she gave such a layered, emotionally raw performance that i could feel everything win was going through, and i completely fell in love with the character. like by far she’s my favorite in the series, and i think she might have became one of my fave gl characters oat.

boon’s character was also really refreshing because she isn’t the kind of character you typically get to see in a central role in a gl, and as a queer person with a slightly similar personality, i felt really connected to her.

visually, the series was also really strong. the cinematography was beautiful, and i liked how the color grading seemed to sometimes shift depending on the emotional state of the characters.

my main gripes w the series are the cgi, the pacing, some of the logic behind the plot, and the ending.
the cgi/vfx were definitely distracting at times, and some moments that were probably meant to be scary came off unintentionally goofy instead. but i also do realize this might have been a lower-budget project, so i’m not holding it against the series too harshly.

the pacing was messy in places, though tbf this kind of story is probably impossible to execute perfectly in only eight episodes. that’s why im giving them grace. SOME scenes throughout the entire series moved too quickly without enough connectivity/ and no proper blending, but episode 8 especially felt like certain clips were stitched together without enough breathing room. a few lines of dialogue also felt clunky or confusing, but idk whether that was because of the writing or the translation itself.

and finally, the ending.
i’m still not fully sure how i feel about it. i’m not against doomed romance at all when it makes sense thematically, i usually love it actually.
but here, part of me felt like the ending leaned a little too much into shock value, or at least didn’t give me enough emotional or narrative closure to fully accept it. maybe the novel gives more context?, but based on the series alone, i was left conflicted at the end.

overall, even with the issues i had.. i completely think it's worth people’s time. it’s dark, ambitious, emotionally engaging, filled with amazing world building, and the kind of complicated characters i wish more gls were brave enough to write. this is the kind of character work i really want to see more of in gls.

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really well written character

i usually hate open endings but it felt really fitting here, i don't even think whether na ends up with nine or leemhai is the point of the story (even though i will absolutely be pretending they get together anyway :D)

beneath the romance, i think this is a story about na herself. for most of the four episodes you're so caught up in the love triangle that it's easy to overlook the fact that the conflict is just internal. na isn't written as the stereotypically kind or "safe" protagonist you're immediately supposed to root for. she is messy, avoidant, contradictory, sometimes rude and selfish.

her approach to her problems is very relatable and felt very human, we are very nuanced beings with very nuanced feelings. when someone experiences misfortune over and over again, regardless of the reason, it's easy to start blaming outside forces, especially when those misfortunes happen so often, but deep down, na obviously blames herself too,
which is why i think she's someone who's spent her entire life chasing happiness and external validation, she would rather change her number for a change of luck, do all these extremely ridiculous rituals in front of people and risk getting fired, or embarrassing herself, tricking others, and literally blow up her life than look at that part of herself, as confronting the possibility that the problem might come from within is too much.

the series understands that self-discovery isn't linear, and is sometimes messy. na is someone who desperately wants to be loved, is terrified of being alone, and i think that is evident in her inability to choose between nine and leemhai (also probably mixed with comphet). she spends so much of the story suppressing her emotions and struggling to process them (and probably most of her life), when everything she's been suppressing finally comes crashing down, it's the first time we see her cry as, up until then, she’s been unable to even when she really wants to and that made the moment hit so much harder.

in the end, she chooses neither of them, a decision that is the most important decision she makes in the entire series and the most important to her character.

i personally interpreted the story much more as a comphet narrative than "a bisexual woman realizes she's bisexual", but i think i've seen other people interpret it differently, and that's okay too. i personally think it’s about someone caught between the life she always believed she was supposed to want and the one she never imagined for herself but came to find out she really, really wants. self discovery can sometimes be messy and that's okay, humans experience very nuanced feelings all the time and that's something i always look for and hope to find in characters

i do wish we'd gotten a little more time with the post-timeskip version of na because i would've loved to actually watch that growth happen, but considering this is only a four-episode miniseries, i think it does an incredible job of telling a cohesive story with a clear message and emotional core.

jan and jingjing were both phenomenal, their chemistry is just so incredible to watch. jan's portrayal of na was really beautiful, idk how to explain but i think the story works so much more because its jan, i found the panic attack scenes and the final breakdown scene so so so incredibly well-acted.

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