WingedBean

No woman (no one really) deserves this

Let's be honest: If Hae Jo was played by Oh Jung Se (or any other non-conventionally attractive actor) and not Woo Do Hwan, NO ONE would have perceived this story as anything close to romantic

When I started it, I genuinely thought that it'd be a great drama. One of the best of 2024, however, everything was ruined by the romance btwn Hae Jo & Jo JaeMi. It was the textbook definition of a toxic love with a toxic, selfish, and cruel man. Hae Jo is not only horrible to the supposed love of his life, but also utterly horrible to his adoptive mother/older sister.

Maybe they were trying to frame this as he has a hard time expressing his feelings, so you need to look beyond what he says to see what he really means, but that's a heck no for me. I would not want a person who uses my insecurities to hurt me, -simply because they are going through something or they are trying to save me from themselves -, in my life.

He insulted JaeMi in such cutting ways and abandoned her much too much. He also ruined her potential love life for selfish reasons, knowing he was going to die. And to reiterate, he was also really crappy to his adoptive mother/older sister. Basically, he is a shit man who ruined the show for me

The only positive here is that Eo Heung & Jae Mi didn't get married. Jae Mi didn't love that man, and Eo Heung, while he did love her, his reasons for wanting to marry her were wrong. I'm glad (for him) that they went their separate ways. It allowed him to finally get under his mother's thumb, stand up for himself by himself, and find himself

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You have to guess what the characters are thinking because they're certainly not going to tell you

You know what this movie made me think of? The 2023 Korean Netflix movie, Ballerina. I did not like that movie. See... Ballerina and Tee Yai: Born to Be Bad suffer from the same problem - a lack of dialogue. They give you great actors, incredible cinematography, interesting action scenes, but very little dialogue. You spend most of the time trying to guess what the actors are doing, how they're doing it, and at times, why they are doing it.

Apo - my dear lovely Apo - has very few lines, especially in the 1st half. I think we were at minute 40 something when he said something and I asked out loud -to an empty living room - 'wait, is this the 1st time he's spoken?' Then I remembered that no. It was likely the 3rd time (in 40+ MINUTES!) - the other two times were at the temple and in the train.

He spends his time looking (glaring) at people and shooting them. I mean, that's cool, but also, WHAT IS HE THINKING???
We know why Tee Yai became bad, but why does he STAY bad? He sees that his friendship with Rek is strained and fraying, so why does he keep pushing and dismissing his friend? He keeps robbing, but why and to what end? What does he do with the money? What does he gain from all of this?

Tee Yai's bestie, Rek. He's very different from Tee Yai. Yes, they rob together, but whilst Tee Yai is ready to kill at the drop of a hat, Rek holds back. Rek also doesn't seem to enjoy their robbery lifestyle and has new priorities once Dao comes into his life. Basically, you clearly see that the relationship btwn Rek & Tee Yai is strained and that something's gotta give.

But they, once again, do not take you through that thought process and the conflicting emotions. Decisions are made, and you sit there like 'oh, I guess that's the choice you made'. Things happen, and you simply have to accept that they did. You don't know how or why they happened, but they did, so just roll with it. Just go with it, babes. Don't ask any questions

All in all, the writing, the script, and maybe even the post-production are at fault for what this movie is. A lot was left unsaid - and as per the credits, a lot was cut-, and I think that was to the detriment of the plot. They give you interesting characters, but don't care to flesh them out enough for you to care or root for them. Perhaps it is, as one commenter said, that this movie would have been better were it a series, or even a miniseries, to help us understand and connect with these characters better

What I'd have given to know more about
👱🏼‍♀️Dao - A prostitute in love with an infamous wanted criminal? Life dealt her some very complicated cards. Plus, can you imagine if we got a glimpse into her thoughts about brothel sex work and the violence that surrounds it?
👮🏼‍♂️Jakkrarat - Is he righteous or corrupt? Maybe he's morally grey? Or perhaps he's an overworked cop experiencing unnecessary pressure from his superior, and that's what turns him bad?
👨🏼Kid (Khit?) - He was a rich kid who shot his a-hole of a dad n went to join a wanted criminal's gang for (seemingly?) sh*ts and giggles. I want to know what pushed him to do that

Sigh... So many questions, so few answers.

Random side note: The number of times I said 'This man is so fine, Jesus' every time Apo came on screen.... That man is so goddamn fine. Christ! That long hair with a goatee is definitely a look that I'd like to see replicated in future movies/series👌🏾

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If your friend group is like this..., LEAVE!!!

This show was such a delight to keep up with week after week. THE DRAMA?!?!?!?! It was sooo fucking good. The characters were messy and human, and above all, the story had meaning and a message in all the characters portrayed.

As for the couples -

1. SandRay were the best couple to me. Not only are FirstKhao pretty AF, but their chemistry is just beyond everything. Their acting, especially Khao, who had such emotional scenes, is top-tier. I love that they found their way to each other after all their trials and tribulations - mostly due to Ray and his drinking problem. I became a FirstKhao stan after this

2. TopMew - ForceBook were much better in this show than in 'A Boss and A Babe', especially Book's character. He was more mature. As for their story in this show, that's complicated. Cheating is something hard to get over, and I genuinely don't know how they'll deal with it.

3. TonNick - Who knew that NeoMark had such range? Anyway, I'm so happy that Nick finally chose to love himself over loving Boston, who never treasured or respected him as he deserved. My heart really broke for him in the last episode, but some lessons do need to be learned, albeit the hard way.
As for Boston, I feel the punishment was deserved. He spent all his time plotting against his friends and putting his selfish needs above all others. Finally, his selfishness left him with no one in his corner.

4. As for Cheum and April... They were kinda meh. And Cheum wasn't a good friend either, especially to Ray. She always favoured Mew more, and Ton wasn't even anywhere in her view.

5. Finally, Yo n Plug, I wish they had more of a role to play. I'd have loved to see their relationship dynamic and the inner workings of dating while trans or dating a trans character. Maybe someday trans characters will get better roles in BLs and not just like comedic relief or the random bar-owning friend.

6. As for Mix's appearance in the ending scene...interesting. Very interesting

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This drama made me convene the group chat - and they don't even watch BLs

This show was sold to me as a BL, but it's honestly so much more. After I finished it, I simply sat in silence, then started talking to myself, trying to figure things out as it made me think about way more things than I expected. Things that I hadn't ever thought about; about myself, love, sexuality and gender, the physical form of your partner vs the soul, and much more.

Other than almost all characters, but especially Kenta, figuring out their bisexuality, there was the main question of whether your love for your partner would be affected if they changed not only their appearance but also their gender. For the cast, the answer was yes. The soul is what matters, and the body is simply a vessel.

For me, it's different. I don't think I'd still love a person if they changed their gender, coz my attraction is towards men, so if they became female... idk. We'd probably be besties for life. We'd be soulmates

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I Think About Them Every Few Months

What would you do if it were the end of the world and your 1st love, the toxic ex who utterly ruined you, came to find you and promised to give you a pill that'd help you quietly unalive yourself instead of waiting to be roasted alive?

At the end of the world with you took me by surprise. I was lowkey convinced that I'd hate the story since everyone said that it was toxic AF. While this is partly true, the story is so engaging and tells the story of a complicated love in the most engaging way that I loved this by the end.

See, the history between Masumi & Ritsu is utterly toxic, mostly because of Ritsu. He's selfish AF both in the past and also as the world is ending. He ruined Masumi. BUT!! Whether we like it or not, this is a story about their 2nd chance as the world is ending, and it is so well told.

I like to think about this story as one of those 'The heart wants what it wants' type plots. Are they good together? No. Are they toxic? Yes. Would they likely be MUCH better off if they simply walked away and found other people? Absolutely. But then again, the heart wants what it wants, whether you, the audience, like it or not, they'll stay together and figure things out, one mess at a time.

I loved seeing that Ritsu had already started trying to find his way back to Masumi. He knew he'd fucked up and was trying to find his way back. The world ending (and the 'dead kid' on his living room couch) was the kick that pushed him to finally get moving. As for Masumi.... I wish him the best. The best being that this time, Ritsu has actually changed and values him. No more cheating or threats to out him

PS.
1. The NC were also so freaking hot and surprising - JBLs tend to be quite chaste. We need more moaning in BLs, no music
2. If the world didn't end, I'd give em 6 months and then check in. I don't trust Ritsu
3. If you're looking for more 'the heart wants what it wants' type stories, I suggest ' My Stand-In (2024)' My Personal Weatherman (2023), My Beautiful Man (Sn 1 - 2021, Sn 2 - 2023, & the movie 2023)

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Better Writing would've Made it Shine even Brighter

I cannot believe it took me 8 days short of 6 months to complete this drama. I think this happened for 2 main reasons

1. Shine aired at a time when my country was also going through political protests. Specifically, student-led, gen z led protests. The issues, especially the police and military brutality, just hit too close to home for me. Reality bled into fiction, or was it the other way around? The point is, it was too much. I use dramas as an escape from daily life. At the time, this show just magnified the reality around me

2. I accidentally got spoilers. Thank you, my carefully constructed Twitter algorithm. As soon as the show aired, I knew what happened to whom, and that quickly diminished my desire to continue with the show.

Now on to the show itself,
I believe that 'Shine' is a very important story. It gets points for tackling something outside the usual BL lens with the heaviness and seriousness that it deserves. I may not know much about Thai politics, but I know all too well the plight and fight of the people against cruel, corrupt governments.

As for the characters
✨Trin and Tanwa - I found their opposites-attract relationship interesting at first. However, as the story unfolded and as the political matters became more serious, I found them to be more than a little mismatched. I love that Tanwa's carefree attitude and playfulness helped open Trin up to a whole new world. Something less buttoned up than he was used to.

But how did Trin influence Tanwa? The politics and reform matters were important to Trin, but Tanwa never involved himself in them. Never steps foot in this world that Trin cared deeply about - even though his view of some things did come from a privileged lens. Tanwa's story is all about his daddy issues and drug use. For a show whose main theme is political revolution, it was odd that one of its main characters was so removed from it

✨Victor - Turns out that he'd become my favourite character. N not only that, but I also felt like he had been older and a tad bit more mature in his approach for revolution, he'd have made a better partner for Trin. Especially intellectually, and even more so due to the time period they lived in. His dying, particularly in the way he did, broke me. His death is an unfortunate reality of what happens when the pple decide to fight the government.

I have seen this reality on the news more times than I want to recall. I get it, I understand it, but I don't got to like it. I am disappointed in how the show added that 'Don't tell Trin' conversation btwn him and Tanwa. They used that to absolve Tanwa and give him and Trin a happy ending. Lowkey, I feel like Tanwa having to carry that burden of Victor's death would've been a better, more impactful ending for someone like him.

I hope to see more of Peter as an actor in the future

✨Krailert and Naran - I knew it was likely going to end the way it did, I just did not expect the specific route it took to land where they did. I thought that their political differences would drive them apart. Because, yes, opposites attract, but not in cases such as this one. The difference was too much.

I expected that Krailert would choose the military might over Naran and what he fought 4. You know, as he was just another cog in the militaristic machine. I just never expected him to reveal everything, hope for a happy ending, only to be stopped by the wife and her powerful family. While they both left broken-hearted, I feel the most for Krailert. I just know that he spent most of the rest of his life in that room crying, reliving their memories, and playing that song he composed over and over on that piano.

Now Son and Euro as a ship... may the BL gods give them another worthy script in the future. Their acting skills and chemistry deserve another chance. Hopefully, one with a happier ending this time

✨Dhevi (and to an extent, Veera) - To say that ep 8 shocked me would be an understatement. What do you mean that this long-suffering woman, whom I spent 7 episodes feeling bad for, was going to trap a man she knew would never love her by threatening to kill the man he loved? Her turning evil was not in the realm of possibilities in my head. And lowkey did not make sense. I hated that twist.

With all the power she had thanks to her father and brothers, she should've found a way to keep Veera alive and divorced this man who would clearly never love her. She deserved a better character ending than what we got. Speaking of Veera, that horrible hoophobic military general died 'alone' in his cell in the same way that we saw Veera's body. I wonder if the specific way of setting up his death, this was the doing of the other military guys or Dhevi coz I believe that she somewhat loved him.

✨Final Thoughts✨
While I appreciate the heavy topics explored in this drama, I think the writing, especially that of specific characters, left me disappointed. Most of the acting by the cast was exceptional, and I fell in love with the main OSTs. 'Far Side of the Moon', 'Half of Everything', and 'Am I in Love' have found their way into and a permanent place in my playlists

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Holy Shit

I could probably come up with a better heading, but 'Holy Shit' is the only thing ringing in my head because, Holy shit. What the ever-loving fuck?🙆🏾‍♀️?

I'm also not one to come on this platform and complain about how a show is rated or tell people to ignore ratings. I understand that the enjoyment of any media is subjective. I have absolutely abhorred shows that are loved and highly rated to a point that I questioned the sanity of the reviewers and myself, and loved shows that people said were mid or a bore.

With that said, if you are considering watching this, I now urge you to wholly ignore the rating of this show and give it a chance. If you enjoy thrillers, love stories that explore the greys that are humans, and want a story that's not afraid to show just how cruel and evil people can be to serve their own ends, watch this.

The pacing was incredible, the comedy, while unexpected, was good and not overdone, the performances by the cast were incredible, and the social issues explored.... My God. I hate that they are grounded in everyday, horrendous reality. Other reviewers have mentioned it, but the strength of this story is in how no one is either good or bad. There isn't one good guy and one bad guy. Humans are layered and nuanced, and they show you that.

Now about that ending.... I knew some shit was about to go left field when something in my head went 'Are we ending this now? Only to look at the progress bar and realize that we had 11 minutes left.' Little did I know. They done fucked me up in those 11 minutes. I just... Holy shit

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I Actually Liked It??‍♀️

Quick Overall Thoughts:
The ship, their chemistry, the acting by the cast members, and the romance plot carried this show. The production value is incredible as well. However, the plot involving the police case could've been better. It wasn't explored deeply enough for the issues it tried to handle/bring to light.

I do enjoy watching this ship, so some may call me biased. But I do feel that, despite the issues further outlined below, this is a good show to give your time to. While it still deals with deep family and societal matters, it is a much lighter instalment than what we got in 'My Stand In,' and a chance to see what else the actors bring to the proverbial table

Okay, now for my actual thought spewing...👇🏾

What I Liked

🍓The Acting - The people in the cast did their job well. I saw Up back in 2022 in 'Lovely Writer,' then spent 2 years hoping he'd grace my screen again. I'm glad he and Poom chose to be a pair coz I get to see more of him. Poom, the man, blew me away in his role as Joe in 'My Stand In'. And now in this show, he once again proves that he is not a one-hit wonder. May the BL gods and whatever powers that be in that world keep giving them more roles, interesting scripts, good production budgets, and good directors.

Ps. I feel like I should give a shout-out to the actress who played Wayu's sister. Her crying in their reunion scene remains stuck in my mind. It genuinely felt and sounded like she was crying from the very depths of her soul.

🍓The Chemistry - The ship never fails to deliver on the chemistry front, and I love that they choose to go all the way in delivering the scenes as they are required.

🍓The Comedy - From the bits of the trailer that I'd seen b4 the show aired, I'd expected the show to be more on the more serious and sensual side. So you can imagine my confusion and worry after seeing all the comedy in the 1st 2 episodes. It is no secret that Thai comedy is usually a miss for me. However, I liked it in this one. It wasn't overly done and didn't overwhelm or take away from the show. I appreciate that toning down from what we're generally used to

🍓Wayu's & Tai's Friendship - Somebody once left a comment saying that these two gave off the vibe of 'two idiots sitting together telling each other 'exactly!'' and I couldn't have put it better if I tried. They are so idiotic. Great friends, but both are dumbasses. I still cannot believe that Wayu's police spy finsta was never discovered by the bad guys they were trying to catch and used against him/Krit.

🍓The Plot - It is different, and I appreciate that. While some aspects could've been explored further, I appreciate that we ventured outside the box. While Wayu was still in uni, this is not a university-based series. It is also more grounded in real-life issues that both characters face, including familial, financial, career, and societal concerns.

🍓The pole dancing - I liked most of the dance scenes in the Moonlight bar. However, the pole scene... that takes the entire cake. I have always had (and still have) a deep respect for people who can do pole. While I do agree that the dance is sexy, I think what always wows me more is the balance, as well as core and upper body strength needed for pole tricks. By God, I too shall learn how to do pole b4 I exit this earth.

🍓Rose - The actress is talented and beautiful. The character she played was a good friend and offered good comedic relief. We should've seen more of her

What Could've Been Better

🍓The Plot - I think romantic shows that explore serious topics often have a problem balancing both sides.
For example, I loved the investigation side of 'Goddess Bless You From Death,' but I felt that the romance took a back seat. In this one, I loved seeing their feelings grow, their individual struggles with both families, Wayu's financial matters, both characters' relationship with Singto, etc., but felt disappointed by the investigative side.

The police plotline had some potential. Things like
a. Krit navigating being a superior at work while simultaneously being looked down upon since he likely got his title due to nepotism

b. The sex trafficking and human organ trafficking thing - We could have gone deeper with this. Imagine all the corrupt politicians and likely police officers who also benefited from the lives lost due to the organ and sex trafficking ring

c. Ice and his creepy darkweb sex, p🌽rn, and murder business. That likely could've been tied to point 'b' above
I think they'd have been really interesting had we seen more of these things. Could've also tied up the loose ends of the investigation plot better. The bad guy storyline just up and disappeared ater the arrest.

🍓The fight scenes - They could've been directed better TBH. They don't look realistic/convincing, and some feats were outright impossible

🍓 Krit's Parents - Just thinking about them makes me mad all over again. Episode 9 really hurt me. Unless I'm mistaken, this is the episode in which they break up because of the threat that Krit's dad made. The same episode where Krit's mother heard her son breaking down and weeping in his room, and simply walked away, doing nothing. Changing nothing. Just chose to stand behind her husband as he once again forced his son to get married. This time it's even worse coz they know what his sexual orientation is, but their wants and position in society matter more than their kid.

The mum makes me livid. She just sat there doing nothing, but it's framed as though she's the better parent because she didn't abuse her son or actively push him to get married. Yeah, she didn't do all that, but she sat passively while her husband did it. She turned a blind eye to it all, and that makes her just as bad, if not lowkey worse IMO. And let's not forget how she never even knew that her son hated potatoes!!

As for the dad.... Man, I'm tired of this man. Idk about the actor IRL. He's probably a great man. I wouldn't know. But, like..., why is this man a horrible dad in every universe I see him in? He was shit in this drama, he is shit in the currently airing 'Ticket to Heaven', and I'm currently on EP 6 of 'The Evil Lawyer' and guess what....he's a crappy dad and husband in there too!!!! Does the entire Thai industry have this man on speed dial when they need someone to play a homophobic dad and shitty husband? My God!

Now back to the show. After all the shit they put their son through for (I'm assuming) 30 years of his life, all that gets sorted (read swept under the rug) in point 5 seconds because the mum sees Wayu take care of Krit at the hospital and the dad hears that Wayu is a talented and award-winning interior designer? This once again shows how uncaring and classist Krit's parents were. Horrible people.

I do love that Krit got to be happy and accepted by his family, and they accepted the man he loved and his poorer family, too. I think he deserved to feel that familial love from his family after being denied it for so long. But still... I'd have liked a better resolution than what we got.

🍓Wait...now that I think of it, wasn't Wayu in school to be an architect? How did that change to interior design?

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I could watch them in any and every universe

Please skip this if you're looking 4 an actual review. This isn't quite that. It's largely just me gushing about my love for this show.

Hagiwara Riku and Yagi Yusei make me wish that Japan did official ships like Thailand does (and that their TV BL industry was just as big). Ever since I stumbled upon the series about 3 years ago, I have made time to rewatch it at least once a year.

I'm not a show rewatcher like that. 9.9 times out of 10, I fill in the rewatch value rating coz MDL demands it; otherwise, I cannot publish my little drama reviews. So, yes, this story holds a very special place in my heart. No matter how many times I watch it, and know what will happen next, I still find myself craving a rewatch and end up glued to my screen.

Not only are the two actors phenomenal, but their chemistry... Holy Jesus🔥🔥. I like how complex the characters in this story are. What you think is at first, isn't, and the more you peel off the layers of these people, the more you uncover their flaws, their vulnerabilities, and start to fall in love with their complicated love story.

Now on to my thoughts about this Special Edit Version:

💓I think it's edited rather well to fit the movie's length. Some scenes were cut while others were added, likely to make the story flow better. Some of those extended parts (scenes and extra narrations) also allowed you to get a better glimpse of what these characters are thinking. I believe this helps you understand them and their motivations better than in the series

💓The cinematography and subtitles - I think this is what I enjoyed most about this version. Both were a lot better, actually leagues above those of the 1st seaon of the drama.

If you do not have the time to spend on the series, I say you can just watch this version, and you will understand the story just as well. However, if you have the time, watch both. Start with the 6 episodes of the 1st season, then come watch this.

Now, allow me to go daydream, yet again, about the magic that Hagiwara Riku and Yagi Yusei would weave together if they were an official pair and were handed some good scripts with beautifully complex characters

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I understand the hype

Tbh, had this show not turned up on Netflix, I probably wouldn't have watched it.

When the show 1st aired and the people were talking about it, I chalked up the conversations and excitement to fandom hype. I thought the people were lying because
a. I had tried watching Pit Babe before. A show that till date, somehow trickles its edits to my Twitter algorithm, and let's just say that it wasn't a good base to start from.

b. The show was unfortunately airing alongside another drama that I was watching/preoccupied with. One with a huge ship fandom who kept hyping and praising the drama when in truth, -and my opinion is truth in this case-, had a really bad plot and very mediocre acting.

Because of this, I unfortunately judged too soon, and perhaps too harshly, and chose not to watch it.

But then, I finished rewatching 'Khemjira' on Netflix and watched both seasons of 'The Believers' on the same platform. That sent me down a mini spiral where I wanted to explore more thrilling Thai stories based on religion. Thus, I gave this a chance. I am very glad that I did

What I Liked
1. The horror aspect - They said it was scary and meant it. Don't tell anyone, but I watched all the episodes during the day😅.

2. Religion/Folk Tradition/Occultism - I've recently learned that I find other religions fascinating. Not in a 'dig up the tombs in Egypt' type of fascination, but something more along the lines of 'what do they do in this religion, folk tradition, mythic, etc., that's different from what I know or have been exposed to in my religion and culture?

I know what Christianity says, I know Catholicism, and I know things from my culture's traditional beliefs. But how about Buddhism? Taoism? Hinduism? Korean shamanic practices? Chinese mythology? etc. I wanna know. And shows like this one give me a glimpse into it all. It's all so interesting. Scary, as all religions lowkey are, but oh so interesting.

3. Production Quality - *A hand of applause for everyone involved in the absolute masterpiece that was the cinematography*

4. Chemistry - So, when this aired, I saw on my feed fans complaining about how little NC was in this show. Especially considering the previous two BLs that this ship had been in. From those comments, I thought that that'd be to the detriment of the drama, but... I actually liked it. I feel like the fade-to-black scenes allowed them to build and show the sexual tension in this couple beautifully. I would like to highlight Pavel, especially in this one. He knows how to portray desire in his eyes really well.

PS. I am officially a fan of the Muscular Uke Association ( I always was, actually). Pavel and Poom (My Stand In & Love of Silom), for the win. Somebody direct me to more muscular Ukes. Actually, you know what, give me all the ships that go against the standard we are used to. Muscular ukes, shorter tops, age gaps with older ukes, etc. Give them all to me

What Could've Been Better/I Didn't Enjoy

1. All the doubts surrounding the occult angle of the murders - I made sense for Singha and Sey (they are the biggest culprits) to be doubtful of the ghosts in the beginning. I'd be doubtful too. However, after multiple episodes and run-ins with things they could not explain or see, straight-up evidence that there was something otherworldly connected to this case, their doubts felt annoying and frustrating. Especially with Sey constantly basically gaslighting Darin that he was imagining being haunted.

2. The plot from ep 9 - Things started getting shaky, and logic started leaving the building the minute Darin goes to pray in the very house that their team was investigating. With so many temples in Thailand, why choose the one place that's directly connected to an ongoing murder?

Why did the team members suddenly start doing things without informing at least one other person? Why go out by themselves? Why separate when tailing a suspect in abandoned areas? So many decisions did not make logical sense as we started heading to the climax of this story, which was more than a little disappointing.

The plot also felt slower from ep 11. The pacing till ep 10 had been fine, but something fell off after that.

3. King's characterization - It was so very inconsistent that I could not understand who he was supposed to be. A corrupt cop like his dad? An arrogant ex partner come to steal glory once more from the people he fucked over before? A jilted lover who wanted his ex back and was willing to do anything to get him back (even fram current ex's lover over trumped-up drug charges)? A good cop with an overbearing butthole of a dad? A misunderstood good guy? A combination of all? The man had so many switches in personality and end goals that I got whiplash.

4. Some of the acting could be better, especially in the more emotionally intense scenes.

Conclusion: While the show isn't perfect, it is far better than some of what we are exposed to out here. The romance, while not the focal point of the show, is very sweet. The show shines in its production quality, pacing in the 1st 8-10 episodes, and portrayal of the horror of occult practices.

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Exploring The World of Thai Dramas Past BL Continues 2 Be Worth It

My experience with Thai shows has largely been through their BLs. However, if my experience with this drama, as well as Zomvivor, and Dalah: Death and the Flowers, is anything to go by, I think their thrillers are something to look into

At the beginning of this drama, I was convinced that maybe I needed to start scamming as a side hustle. By the end of it, though... yeah, I'm not cut out for this shit. Let me keep fighting for my life through my 8-to-5 job, before I achieve my dream of living the digital nomad lifestyle.

This drama is a riveting watch. It does falter a little in the middle, but the overall concept is enough to keep you watching. Scamming through religion is a thing we all know happens, but we've never gotten a look behind that proverbial curtain. This drama helps us see what that potentially could be like. It is also (I think) a bit of a fascinating study in marketing and running a business

The characters:
1. Win - I find him incredibly unlikeable. He is brilliant, yes, but he is self-important, doesn't communicate well with others, and is a terrible friend. Given his behavior, you'd think he was the only one in his friend group with family issues. His story with his mother gets the biggest spotlight, but as we can see with the other two, Game and Dear don't have it easy with their families either. Yes, they have more money than him, especially Game, but as we see, money isn't everything.

2. Game - The idiot with a heart of gold and terrible decision-making skills. I could go on a rant on how he handled that situation with Taeng, but I will not. What I'll say is, based on the fact that they had a loan shark blackmailing them for money, threatening his family, he should have thought twice before indulging Taeng beyond that initial 500k. How in the hell do you hide a fugitive in a building with your family name on it? Come on, man.

3. Dear - Naive, sad, overlooked, and overworked. I got so mad every time she was alone working late, lugging boxes, files, and shit. She needed to get those two men to lug around those files, boxes, and planning things with her.

4. Monk Dol - The surprise character for me. I fell in love with his story. His doomed love was heartbreaking, yet interesting to watch. It loved watching a religious man battle with his earthly desires. It's not often that we see this.
What makes this side plot such a good watch is that it's not framed in a horny/salacious way. It's so pure and heartwarming, yet heartbreaking. As the audience, you know he wasn't out here always having innocent 'hand-holding at the beach' thoughts about Dear, we know that. But I like that it's not framed that way.

His story sent me down a mini rabbit hole into monkhood. Growing up Catholic, I knew that once you're in it, you're in it for life. It turns out that Thai monks don't have to stay monks forever, even when they were ordained at a young age. I also learned interesting facts about forest and city Monks.

5 Ekkachai - You snake

The overarching plot, from a simple scam (if we can call scamming over 45 million bhat simple) to now dealing with big-time corrupt political officials and drug cartels, makes me interested in watching the 2nd season. Hopefully it holds up. And Monk Dol has his happy ending. I need bro to go back to his forest monk ways and live peacefully and quietly 😭.

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To Think I Started This Coz of Pursuit of Jade...

Tbh, when I heard the premise of this, I wasn't sure I'd tune in. From how the people on Twitter described it, it sounded really dark. I'd just gone through the roller coaster that was 'To My Shore'. I needed to put myself in timeout before I picked up another dark show.

Then I watched 'Pursuit of Jade,' heard the drama that happened to He Chang Xi (he plays He Chu San in this), and decided to tune in out of pure spite. That was a brilliant decision on my part. Despite what the Twitter folks said, this drama isn't dark. In fact, I think it deserves a comedy tag on. The 1st couple is hilarious.

🔪Watching Chu San grow from a nervous (but very horny) kidnapped student/scriptwriter to a devoted, slightly manipulative, yet still very horny grown-up was a delight. I love how Liu Yi doesn't fit in the typical 'BL bottom' mold. He's neither dainty nor pale, naive, nor scared of everything.
While we don't see much of his mafia life, we know from the bits that the story shows us that he is indeed a very capable mob boss. He might be a little dumb in his relationship with Chu San, which honestly makes for some hilarious interactions, but outside of that, he stands well on his own.

The actors also have fantastic chemistry. And I don't just mean this because of that beautifully shot, legendary kiss scene in ep 5. Idk how best to explain it, but they play off each other really well on screen. Watching these two slowly fall in love was an amazing experience

Truly, I think the best-selling point for this show is their love story. Everything else takes secondary position


👮🏻‍♂️The 2nd couple with their morally upright cop and conniving investigator (honestly, idk what position Lu Guang Ming held) is an interesting dynamic. However, their story didn't grab me with the same intensity as the 1st couple. They are simply dropped in, in the middle of the story, with little to no background info given about them. The pieces of their story kept moving, but I remained confused till the last episode when the reveal happens...and then the drama ended😭

💬The story being dubbed in Cantonese was a nuisance - like a pesky mosquito-, but not enough to keep me from watching. I grew up watching Spanish shows dubbed in English. I simply needed to dust off the ability to ignore the fact that the mouth movements didn't match what I was hearing, and I was good to go. I will say, though, that

1. Training my ear to work with Cantonese was a bit of a challenge. But in the same way that it was a challenge to train my ear to hear and work with Thai and Mandarin. I quickly learned to hear Korean and Japanese. But Thai, Mandarin, and now Cantonese required a bit of work

2. Cantonese sounds very 'sing-songy' to me. It is so interesting to me. None of the languages I speak nor the ones I've encountered (but cannot speak or understand) come close to this.

3. I don't think the people who dubbed this did the best job. They didn't portray the emotions well, which unfortunately made some scenes, especially the emotional ones, fall flat

🎭The acting was not the best tbh, especially with many of the side characters. But since they aren't the main event. it can be ignored

Like many here, I would love a 2nd season. The streets say that the director and two main actors may have alluded to a new season. While I would love to trust the streets, they are not to be trusted. I do, however, hope that the universe gives us that 2nd season.
There were so many things left unexplained, unsaid, and unexplored.
. I wanna see Chu SanxLiu Yi's couple era so bad.
. I wanna see how Xie Jia Hua and Lu Guang Ming's relationship will progress
. I am curious about the big bad boss behind all the murders and the mafia stuff
. I think the wto couples may eventually become friends. I kinda wanna see how that will happen
. Will Chu San manage to get Liu Yi out of the walled city and into legitimate business? If so, how?

Sigh... so many questions, so little hope of answers. I am tempted to read the novel, but lowkey I feel like holding off.

All this yapping to say, while, yes, the story does end in a cliffhanger, I still think it's a worthy watch. Especially to witness the hilarity and growth of the relationship between HCS and XLY

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Melancholy is thy name

Rating this feels wrong. Like, how do you rate someone's pain? Or rather, someone's journey through pain? To me, Odajima reflects what melancholy is. He looks cold and distant. He's also silent and obedient. But when you try to see past that, he's so scared and so incredibly sad. He moves through life like it's a burden to be alive, here with the rest of us.

And with good reason. His life, till he is paired with Kataoka, for this 'road trip' has been riddled with violence, pain, intolerable sadness, and disappointment. He also needs to kill Kataoka. But, what if your assignment, and the person you promised yourself you'd kill to avenge something in your past, is also your saviour? The person who pulls you out of the darkness that has been your life? Who makes you feel love again? How do you reconcile with that?

Kataoka is also a very interesting fellow. He comes off as abrasive and unserious in the beginning. However, as the story moves on, you and Odajima realize that beneath his loud self and lazy walk (he's also a pervert), lies a good, caring man - at least by mafia standards. He is such a light, which perfectly counterbalances the bleak abyss that is Odajima and his existence.

I think this is a simple yet very deep story. It's not a happy one, but it's not sad either. It gives off comfort slice of life vibes, but also makes you feel like you're grieving (Ugh! I'm annoyed that I do not have the vocabulary for what it made me feel). It's an oddly beautiful feeling.

My one gripe with the story is one I have with many Japanese BLs. The dramas all end as the couple's story is beginning. I wish there were a way (and a budget) to extend some of these beautiful bodies of work. Let me see them be in love for longer😭

PS. Four things I'd like to highlight

1. The cinematography - Beautiful doesn't even begin to cover it. It was done so well and is best highlighted when the OST plays.

2. Odajima's face in the NC scenes - Specifically in ep 2. This is going to sound cheesy (?), but his face during that scene made me understand the meaning of the word bloom. Specifically in the statement 'I bloom for you.' Kataoka and I were on the same boat. Mesmerized by how his normally cold and detached face changed when he was turned on. Hat's off to you, Takahashi Hiroto. You killed that shit.

3. The OST - I thought it was a fun little tune. And then I went and looked it up on YouTube. If you haven't, I urge you to look up the official lyric video on there. Those lyrics perfectly capture what this story is from Odajima's POV

4. I like the fact that being with Kataoka and leaving the mafia behind didn't automatically 'fix' Odajima. He doesn't suddenly become the happiest person in the room. He's still introverted and silent, and that sadness didn't fully go away. But looking at him and his interactions with others, he somehow feels lighter. He's cool being alive now; he's no longer walking into that abyss head-on. He's also awkward, which is really adorable

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Now this is how you do a bite-sized series

If you just heard someone scream, 'OMG this is so fucking cute!' It was me. This was indeed, hella cute. The plot is well-paced with no over-the-top dramatics or misunderstandings—just a simple, yet well-done enemies-to-lovers academic romance, with a little twist.

My only gripes would be
1. I wish is that we'd have gotten a little more time with them at the end. Like, have them properly establish the relationship b4 it ended.

2. The kiss scenes weren't it. They were giving dead fish, and me no like that. I understand that they are pretty young, and this is a high school series. Thus, I don't require them to be out there eating each other's faces. However, it doesn't mean you give me dead fish kisses. Nuh-uh. My School President has, I believe, 2 good examples of what I'd have liked to see.

PS. Thank you to that one babe with the BL account on YouTube. She kept mentioning her love for SeaKeen so much that I was like, 'Fine! I'll look them up.' I realised that I'd already added 'Weirdo 101' on my Plan to Watch list coz I thought the concept was interesting and cute. Now, after seeing them act, I'm even more excited for the series to drop. May GMMTV not fuck it up

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