Reviews

Tutorials on How to Stay Low-Key by Li Changshou

After the end of the carefully crafted masterpiece "Mystic Nine", Youku decides to drop two bombshells simultaneously, which are none other than "Pull Strings" and "The Early Spring". However, I'm not fond of office rom-com, given my awful experiences of rom-coms over these years, so picking up "Pull Strings" may not necessarily a bad thing. FYI, "Pull Strings" also has its anime version released on Youku with different title, "Big Brother". Let's see my take on "Pull Strings" and here we go...

"Pull Strings" tells the chaotic story of Li Changshou, a terminally ill patient who's been idling away in the hospital by reading his favorite fantasy novel. A little accident causes him to transmigrate into the novel's universe and he has to face the Great Tribulation (I'm sure xuanhuan fans are aware of tribulation - tribulation is defined as a cause of great trouble or suffering, usually by heavenly lightning strikes - and if you can't withstand those strikes, you're potentially doomed for good). To evade from this calamity, Changshou keeps a low profile from the public eye's and becomes a disciple of the Ascendance Sect, specifically entering the most unassuming division in the sect, Jade Division. Changshou's shifu is Qi Yuan, a lovesick yet clumsy old man whose foundation was destroyed early on (by his junior brother Kuai Si). His shifu also yearns to reunite with his past lover, Wan Jiangyu (also killed by Kuai Si due to his unrequited love). However, Changshou's tranquil life is turned upside down when shifu brings a brand-new junior sister for him, Lan Ling'E. Since then, Changshou can only haplessly save the day to ensure the safety of everyone while hiding his true nature. Changshou meets his match, the unruly Fairy Yunxiao, who shares similar passion with him. Together, they create schemes after schemes to save the world from the upcoming calamity. Anyway, the lore is divided into several arcs - ranging from Formation Test of the Ascendance Sect, Dragon Clan's banquet, the discovery of Pregnesis Sword, the history of Bear Island's folks, the Blood Gnat/Westdawn Clan's impromptu ambush, and eventually the showdown at the Dragon Palace, near the Sea-Calming Pillar to be precise.

To be honest, I feel the comedic timing is more amplified compared to the anime's as I didn't feel the humorous side of the story back then. The screenwriter is crafty in amalgamating the dialogue in exhilarating and maudlin atmosphere at the same time. Not many dramas can achieve this equilibrium, as some tend to transform into second hand-embarrassing slapstick comedy, while some become disconnected as the plot turns 180 degrees without proper pacing. I also like the modern jargons and technology used in the drama (we've got washing machine, mobile phone, telescope, mosaic blurring technique, level 1 tsunami warning, mind mapping, spa treatment, photo pose, inhaler, mosquito swatter, and more to go). The supporting characters don't serve as the one-dimensional cardboard, instead they become the catalyst for the main protagonists to show his trump card repeatedly, enhancing the probability of character development without being too obvious. All of them have their respective comedy scenes too, which I savor thoroughly (this is my second-best comedy drama of the year, after "No Pain No Gain"). Meanwhile, harem-thingy is alleviated to escape from the censorship's austere gaze, and I totally appreciate that as I loathe harem trope. But I suppose Changshou is falling hard for Yunxiao without him noticing lol.

On the side note, the drama shifts 180 degrees to angsty tone as it approaches an end. Furthermore, we also get a plot twist about Jin Chan's origin. I have a hunch that he's also a transmigrator (but highly unlikely) like Changshou. He claims that he has faced 4 consecutive Great Tribulation and is the main cause of the deathly catastrophe. The motive behind his vile deed is quite simple, which is to be recognized as a savior by the heaven. However, he was never chosen in his past lives, driving him to become a ruthless cultivator and hunt every 'chosen-one' and obliterate them before they ended the Great Tribulation. Jin Chan masters Time-Space Stasis to stop the movement of time and space as long as he likes. In this stasis, Changshou spends 3600 years to count every single probability of saving the world without sacrificing other people. In the end, he'll combine himself into the Sun Dial and controls the Fate, helping everyone eschewing the Great Tribulation and ensuring peace for the world. Yunxiao, who is possessed by the Demon Emperor, has transformed herself into the new Sea-Calming Pillar, thus sealing the Demon Emperor once again. Nevertheless, she leaves a trace of her soul behind in the form of a strand of hair.

Despite all the pros listed above, the show has its own weakness as well, which refers to the confusing timeline at the end of the show. Moreover, little information is given to explain what truly happens at that era. And doing mental arithmetic to count the years definitely does you no good (if you just watch "Pull Strings" for relaxation).

Once again, Ao Ruipeng proves himself as one of the most versatile actors in C-drama land, able to transition between exuberant and serious character in one fell swoop. His micro-expressions are pretty on point, as I can sense a turmoil of emotion through his body language. I hope he can bring another masterpiece in "My Queen, My Rules" with Shen Yujie. For Sun Zhenni, she's quite decent as the tsundere yet rebellious little fairy - while she indeed has less screentime than Ao Ruipeng, she still shines in her role and becomes Changshou's emotional anchor whenever he's stressed out. In "Pull Strings", Ai Mi doesn't need to face criticisms about her young age or older pairing which prompts people to jump to pedophilia's conclusion. She totally fits Lan Ling'E's bubbly personality and is one of the most loveable girls in this drama. On the other hand, Changshou's potential love interest also includes Youqin Xuanya and Jiu Jiu (played by Zhang Changning and Jenny Zeng respectively). Despite their hidden romance sparks, I kind of feel like they still respect Changshou's wish to be a rational man (a delulu would've forced her way with brute force). Shout out to our little baby dragon Ao Yi (played by Ao Ziyi), our art-fanatic Celestial Emperor aka Hua Ritian (played by Li Zhehao), the Bear Island's gang, the older actors (who portray the elders of the Ascendance Sect), and more.

OSTs are surprisingly pleasant - I particularly like the tracks sung by Dai Quan, Wu Yi, and Bai Jugang (I strongly suspect this track is written by the composer who also made the score of 汇 (Convergence) by YoungG). Sets, backgrounds, and costumes are meticulously crafted, and even the CGI doesn't look that fake (low-budget ones usually have the fakest of the fakest LMAO).

Overall, it's a ten out of ten. If you're burnt out in the real life and want to shut your brain off for a while, "Pull Strings" may be the best antidote for you. Be ready to have the heartiest laugh all the time (I always have to suppress my giggle, or else my mom thinks I'm going insane). That's all for "Pull Strings", good luck and happy watching!!!

P.S.
I can relate with Changshou because I tend to stay rational and cool-headed all the time, having to make three plans ahead of everyone, plus we've got a huge amount of trust issue against other people. Even if we're stressed out, we don't want to look for others' help and still solve the problem on our own. Yes, this may come off as being selfish, egoistic, or individualistic, but trust me - people are hard to trust nowadays (some may even betray or use your trust against you). Only you can save yourself in this 'rat-race' society. One more, I need his spa treatment and washing machine theorem. The breakdance at the party is very fun too.

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Enemies at First Touch, Lovers Before First Sight: Sometimes the Heart Sees What the Eyes Cannot

Ten years after Addicted, the same director is back with a new Chinese BL, Till I See You, and that alone was enough to get my attention.

The concept immediately reminded me of the Thai BL Last Twilight starring JimmySea, with a caretaker looking after a visually impaired lead and a relationship that starts with constant clashing before slowly developing into something more. I am always a fan of enemies to lovers, especially when two characters have completely opposite personalities, and that is exactly what we get here.

This is my third time watching Wang Ruichen after The Summer You Kissed Me and Awakening the Steppe, and once again, he is absolutely stunning. His muscular physique is definitely one of his biggest visual strengths. However, I have to say I am not a fan of the blonde orange hair in this series. I definitely preferred his darker hair in his previous dramas.

What makes me laugh is that his character almost feels like he has followed him across all three series. This time he plays Song Yi, a fun, confident and wealthy young man who has run away from home and needs somewhere to stay. Just like his previous characters, he is naturally flirty, confident and always seems ready to make the first move. Wang Ruichen really knows how to play this type of character, and honestly, I am not complaining.

Opposite him is Sun Xiaoxiao as Xu Feiyu, who is visually impaired and recovering from eye surgery. Feiyu could not be more different from Song Yi. He is cold, distant and extremely guarded. He hates having strangers around him and especially dislikes being touched, so you can already imagine what happens when someone as playful and persistent as Song Yi suddenly enters his life.

The story itself is quite simple. Song Yi needs somewhere to stay and ends up becoming Feiyu's temporary caretaker. Their personalities immediately clash, resulting in nonstop bickering and frustration between them. But underneath all that fighting, Feiyu slowly begins lowering the walls he has built around himself and developing feelings for the person he initially could not stand.

I think Song Yi is going to be the light that slowly breaks through Feiyu's darkness.

Feiyu clearly carries emotional scars beyond his visual impairment, and there seems to be much more behind his cold personality than we currently know. Song Yi is exactly the type of person who could slowly warm his heart. He is patient, caring and funny. He cooks for him, looks after him and even takes care of an injured wombat. How can your heart not slowly melt for this man?

What makes the romance more interesting is that Feiyu cannot truly see Song Yi yet. Their connection begins through personality, touch, conversations and everyday moments rather than physical appearance. By the time Feiyu starts letting Song Yi into his heart, their relationship has already become something much deeper.

But this is clearly not going to remain a simple caretaker romance.

Song Yi originally travelled to Northern China because he wanted answers about his father's past, and there appears to be a hidden truth connecting everything together. Just as Feiyu is getting closer to regaining his sight, that secret threatens their relationship and leads to Song Yi suddenly disappearing from his life. The story will then take us five years into the future, where fate brings them together again and forces them to confront the love they never truly left behind.

So while the beginning gives us a fun enemies to lovers dynamic filled with bickering, flirting and caregiving, there is clearly heartbreak waiting for us later.

So far, I really like the chemistry between the two lead. Their contrasting personalities work perfectly together. Song Yi brings warmth and chaos while Feiyu brings coldness and resistance, which makes every little moment where Feiyu lowers his guard feel more meaningful.

The acting is strong, the chemistry is already there, the plot is easy to follow and the OST is beautiful. Sometimes you do not need an overly complicated story when the characters and chemistry can carry the romance.

You can watch Till I See You on GagaOOLala, with one episode released each week until November 19.

My only complaint is that waiting an entire week for a 20 minute episode should be illegal. Give me at least two episodes a week!

If you enjoy enemies to lovers, nonstop bickering, opposite personalities, caretaker romance, emotional healing, great chemistry, strong acting and a story that looks like it is going to become much more painful later, definitely add Till I See You to your watchlist.

8/10 so far. A simple beginning with great chemistry, but I have a feeling this one is going to hurt later.

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Sweet 7 lifetime romance with almost zero drama

I decided to watch this because I didn’t know what else to watch. I’ve been watching a lot of Ding Yuxi dramas lately and finished several of them, so I picked this one up. It’s also the first Yang Chaoyue series I’ve ever watched. I’ve heard her name a lot but only just realized I’d never seen any drama where she was the female lead. The plot is really good. The structure of the seven connected lifetimes has nice parallels and small details that don’t feel repetitive. Each life is different—sometimes only one of them remembers, sometimes both do, sometimes neither does—which keeps it from getting boring and adds mystery that makes you want to keep watching.

For me, the early episodes moved along enjoyably even though it felt a bit slow at times, especially the second lifetime. The first lifetime (as animals) was quite funny, and the third was fun too. Around the middle it slowed down and I felt a bit bored, but from episode 25 onward—especially the later part of the fifth lifetime and the sixth—it got really good and exciting. The second male lead in the second and third lifetimes is one of the most annoying second male leads of all time for me, even though he turns out to be a good person in the end. The main villain’s death at the end also felt a bit too easy. Ding Yuxi as Chu Kong is definitely the highlight of the show. He plays multiple lifetimes and different personalities really well. Yang Chaoyue as Xiang Yun is very cute. Her acting isn’t particularly outstanding and there are a few points you can nitpick, but it’s not bad enough to make the show unwatchable. Their chemistry is good. The relationship is sweet and adorable with some sad moments mixed in. Because the male lead is quite straightforward, there’s almost no misunderstanding drama between them.Production is beautiful—costumes, sets, and the opening OST is excellent.

Overall, This drama has a very interesting plot about seven connected lifetimes. It’s a sweet story. The pacing can drag and feel a bit boring in some parts, but the main focus is the story and relationship between the leads. If you’re looking for a couple who are in love and have almost zero misunderstanding drama, this one feels very comforting to watch. You can definitely give this a try.

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A rare 10/10

It all started with a well written story. I have read the book and found it deeply engaging. Both characters were flawed and at times some of the interactions were almost borderline toxic. Luan Nian, as depicted in the book was a character that I really want to dislike but in the end he redeemed himself. And I could really see how Tao Tao has grown and mature in person over the 6 years period. The drama, whilst has made some adaptation, follows the gist of the book true to its form and I really appreciated that. I love every aspect of this drama, from the cast, the scripts, the music, the cinematography, the fashion. 10/10

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A huge miss for me

I couldn't enjoy it as much as everyone else did. I wish I could though.

The plot was predictable, filled with comedy, fluff but had an underlying story of the lives of the Lee family. It was very much character oriented. In my opinion it lacked substance. The story only revolved around, comedy and Khun Thee's diabolical way of making Peach his lover. Some scenes were fun but it didn't have much to offer in the plot so after finishing an episode I didn't find the immediate urge to play the next one. Peach's character was written well however the rest felt like too one dimensional.

The set was amazingly done. They definitely had good budget and utilized it properly. The direction was also not bad, it wasn't stretchy. The cinematography was great. The quality of the production is definitely one of the better sides of the series.

The acting was probably why I couldn't drop the show and this is coming from a non fan. Getting into a character like Thee, who is far from the everyday people is definitely hard so kudos to Pond. Phuwin, Bonnie, Est, William, Perth, Santa, Tee and the rest of the cast played their roles perfectly and made the series enjoyable.

Maybe it was not just for me but I wished they had kept more elements in the story to give more dimension and layers. If you are looking for a lighthearted show with not much storyline then this one might be a good choice.

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Lots of stupidity and misunderstandings, but cute?

I did enjoy this one a bit more than "Star in My Mind" storyline-wise, just because it is more unique than the more classic and overused school BL approach of the first series. But everything else was just meh.

You can watch it on Viki: https://www.viki.com/tv/39524c-sky-in-your-heart#episodes

Things I liked:
1. Some cute moments.
2. Caring moments. Putting it as its own thing since there was quite a lot of that.
3. Beautiful views.
4. Some funny moments.

Things I disliked:
1. Prince hiding the fact that he is rich. I just don't necessarily understand the reason for that.
2. Too much of the back and forth of the fighting and making up.
3. Very slow pacing.
4. Fah keeps putting himself into his brother's relationship. He is not a child, let him make his own choices.
5. Fah acting like Dao is a baby when it comes to his relationship and other things but then going to him for love/relationship advice. Make it make sense.
6. Lackluster ending.

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Bold, Intimate and Visually Stunning

So good. Strong acting, bold storytelling, amazing chemistry, phenomenal music and absolutely beautiful cinematography. The Early Spring caught my attention from the beginning and somehow kept getting better.
The acting is one of its biggest strengths. The chemistry between the leads feels intense and incredibly natural, and so much is communicated without words but through looks, pauses, body language and the smallest changes in expression.
Visually, this drama is stunning. The cinematography, framing, colors and symbolism are beautiful, but they aren't there just to make everything look pretty. The visual details actually tell part of the story. Even the silences have meaning.
I also loved how bold and mature the drama was willing to be. The intimacy was handled beautifully, not only the physical scenes, but the closeness, hesitation, tension and little gestures between the characters.
And the OST is phenomenal. The music isn't simply in the background, it becomes part of the storytelling. Sometimes it feels like the music is saying everything the characters can't put into words.
The characters themselves are far from perfect. They make mistakes, frustrate you and give you plenty to argue about. There was so much discussion about red flags and green flags while this was airing, but after finishing it, I think those labels are simply too easy. These are complicated, flawed people, and that's exactly what made them interesting to me.
Was everything perfect? No. But The Early Spring made me feel, think, argue, rewatch scenes and notice tiny details I would normally miss.
Bold, intimate, beautifully acted and visually stunning. This one is going to stay with me for a long time

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Bl or bromance??

My most awaited DewTee series! I honestly don't care if this is just "bromance" as long as they are in the same series as the main leads. LOL.

The story is actually good. I'm just not sure if this is something new story-wise, but for me, it's something I encountered for the first time. A police officer teams up with a manga artist to hunt down a mysterious killer who references the manga in the way he kills his victims. The issue they tackled is also quite controversial, and yes, it really makes you question how we define justice when the justice system in this world is, well... crap.

The chemistry between the two mains is really there, and I think we all know they definitely pass the BL vibe and not just the bromance vibe. LOL. Supporting actors like Off, Singha, Neo, and the others also did a great job. I honestly didn't see any cringe moments throughout the series.

As for the plot twist, it was VERY predictable who the mastermind was. Honestly, it was so obvious that I started giving it the benefit of the doubt and thought, "Maybe it's actually not them." So when they revealed that my obvious prediction was indeed the plot twist, I was kinda like... meh. 😂

Still, it's an interesting series and definitely not a waste of time. I enjoyed watching it, especially the dynamic between the two leads.

And shoutout to those stray cats who look healthier than my cat. HAHAHAHAHA. Sorry. 😭😂

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Mr.Kill — A Friendship That Killed, but a Story That Didn’t

Mr.Kill had almost everything required to become one of the strongest Thai thrillers of the year. A famous manga artist discovers that murders are reproducing scenes from his work, a police inspector has to determine whether the artist is connected to the crimes, and both men gradually realise that the investigation reaches into their own pasts. Add Dew Jirawat, Tee Teeradech and Off Jumpol to that premise and the potential becomes enormous. I enjoyed watching it, sometimes enormously, but by the end I was left with a strange contradiction: the friendship at the centre of the series felt completely alive while the murder mystery surrounding it rarely did.

The first thing worth knowing is that Mr.Kill is not a BL. It circulated heavily inside BL spaces, Dew and Tee were promoted together, and the closeness of their characters naturally encouraged speculation before and during the broadcast, so I understand why many BL viewers arrived expecting something more. But Kaye and Phat are friends. There is no hidden romance suddenly waiting in the finale, and personally I am completely fine with that. I actually prefer a drama allowing two men to develop an extraordinarily close relationship without deciding that emotional intimacy must inevitably become romantic. Male friendship deserves stories too, and forcing Kaye and Phat across that line simply because viewers enjoy Dew and Tee together would have weakened what makes their relationship special. What bothered me was not that Mr.Kill refused to become a BL. It was that after removing romance from the equation, the thriller needed to become strong enough to carry everything else. A murder mystery should make me suspicious, uncertain and constantly aware that something I believe might be wrong. It should give me several possible explanations and then make each one credible enough that I hesitate before committing to an answer. Mr.Kill gave me an excellent premise for exactly that kind of story, yet I felt surprisingly little suspense because the person I suspected almost immediately remained the person I suspected until the end.

The moment Than appeared, I looked at Off Jumpol and thought: there is my problem. Off is a very good actor, and darker characters suit him remarkably well because he can make friendliness feel slightly wrong without immediately turning into a theatrical villain. But that also means the screenplay had to work much harder to convince me that Than might not be involved. A recognisable actor appearing in a concentrated suspect pool already attracts attention; if the writing then gives him enough unusual behaviour to reinforce that attention without constructing equally persuasive alternatives, suspicion quickly becomes certainty. The final revelation therefore did not feel like the moment when separate pieces suddenly formed a new picture. It felt more like the drama finally confirming the picture I had been looking at for most of the series. That would not necessarily destroy a thriller if the real suspense came from somewhere else. Knowing who committed a crime can still be fascinating when we do not understand why, how, who else is involved or whether the protagonists will uncover the truth in time. Mr.Kill had all those possibilities because the murders copied Kaye's underground manga, immediately raising interesting questions about authorship and responsibility. Was someone inspired by his work? Did the drawings contain memories he did not fully understand? Was somebody close enough to know unpublished material? Was Kaye consciously hiding something, or had he unknowingly transformed a traumatic experience into fiction? Those possibilities could have made the manga itself feel dangerous. Instead, the story progressively narrowed when I wanted it to become more unstable.

Kaye was the greatest missed opportunity. Dew Jirawat has exactly the acting ability required to make a character simultaneously vulnerable and frightening. There are moments in Mr.Kill when Kaye's expressions change, when the mirror imagery hints at another side of him, or when his relationship with violent imagery makes you briefly wonder whether the harmless man Phat is protecting is really the entire person. Those moments interested me far more than simply discovering another clue. I wanted the drama to make me seriously afraid of him. Not by lazily giving him a mental illness and equating psychological disturbance with murder, but by making him morally unreliable. Let him lie convincingly. Let Phat discover something he cannot explain. Let his anger become disturbing. Let the audience spend an episode wondering whether the person we like might actually have done something terrible. That uncertainty would also have made the friendship much stronger. Phat is a police officer investigating murders modelled after Kaye's work. Trust should therefore be dangerous. If he begins caring about Kaye, the drama has an excellent ethical conflict: does affection make him less objective, or does understanding Kaye allow him to see evidence everyone else is misreading? Instead, Kaye becomes emotionally safe too quickly. Phat may question situations, but I rarely felt that the relationship itself was genuinely at risk because he believed Kaye could be guilty. The series wanted us to enjoy Dew and Tee together, and I think it became too protective of that enjoyment.

That is where the fan-service atmosphere started interfering with the genre for me. Dew and Tee are extremely enjoyable together, and their real-life friendship gives them an ease that cannot easily be manufactured. They know how the other reacts, how long to leave a pause and how to make ordinary exchanges feel natural. Watching them work together genuinely looks like two people enjoying the experience, and that pleasure transfers to the viewer. The problem is that a thriller should sometimes be willing to destroy that comfort. I wanted an episode where I stopped enjoying their friendship because Phat had discovered something horrifying. I wanted Kaye to frighten him. I wanted Phat's investigation to feel like a betrayal. Then, if trust survived, it would carry considerably more weight. Dew is easily one of the main reasons I stayed invested. I already admired his acting, but Mr.Kill confirmed what makes him unusual for me: I rarely feel that I am watching him perform. There is very little visible preparation before an emotion appears. His face can change almost imperceptibly, and he allows reactions to arrive as though Kaye is thinking rather than an actor waiting for the correct moment in a scene. This kind of natural performance is particularly valuable in a mystery because a tiny hesitation can become suspicious without needing exaggerated music or dialogue announcing that something is wrong. Unfortunately, the screenplay rarely exploited that ability as aggressively as it could have. Dew was capable of making me doubt Kaye far more than the story allowed him to. Tee Teeradech deserves just as much attention. It would have been very easy for him to disappear beside Dew, especially with Phat being the comparatively controlled character, but he never does. His calmness gives the relationship balance. Dew can make Kaye unpredictable and emotionally restless while Tee gives Phat the steadiness of somebody whose profession requires him to observe before reacting. More importantly, Tee listens on screen. That sounds simple, but many inexperienced actors spend another person's dialogue preparing their own expression. Tee often looks as though Phat is genuinely processing what Kaye has just said, and that is one reason their conversations feel so comfortable. Together, they prove something I hope GMMTV understands: they do not need to be lovers to justify being paired in another drama. Chinese television has long demonstrated how compelling recurring male partnerships can become through friendship, investigation, brotherhood or professional rivalry. Dew and Tee could do the same. Their connection is strong enough without romance, and preserving that friendship gives them access to stories where making them another fixed BL couple might actually become limiting. I would happily watch them as detectives, brothers, enemies, soldiers or two men trapped in another mystery. What matters is giving them material worthy of what they can do together.

That is also why I am harder on Mr.Kill than I might otherwise have been. The performances are not the problem. The visual production is not the problem either. The manga imagery gives the drama a recognisable identity, the crime scenes have atmosphere, and the series generally looks polished. Even the concept of an artist confronting violence apparently generated by his own imagination is strong enough to support something much darker. What failed for me was the dramatic construction. The screenplay rarely made me change my mind, and a mystery where the audience never needs to reconsider what it believes has surrendered one of its greatest pleasures. The secondary characters could have helped create that uncertainty, but their trajectories were often equally easy to anticipate. When somebody began moving toward a darker decision, I usually understood where it was going. When family connections became important, they confirmed rather than transformed the story. Even developments involving Phat's sister felt more inevitable than shocking. None of those ideas were necessarily bad; they were simply presented too cleanly. A good thriller needs noise around the truth. Characters should have secrets unrelated to the murders, witnesses should lie for reasons we misunderstand, apparently suspicious behaviour should occasionally be innocent, and someone trustworthy should give us a genuine reason to reconsider them. Otherwise solving the mystery becomes less like assembling a puzzle and more like waiting for the characters to reach the answer already visible to the audience.

I also think the story confused smoothness with control. Mr.Kill moves very easily. There are few truly disastrous scenes, the acting remains strong, the friendship is pleasant, and every episode carries us comfortably toward the next. But a murder thriller should not always be comfortable. Sometimes the plot needs to become ugly, confusing and emotionally dangerous before resolving itself. By making Kaye and Phat such an appealing duo and preserving that appeal for most of the series, the production created something very watchable but less unsettling than its own premise deserved.

Off Jumpol nevertheless makes Than work as well as the writing allows. He has enough control to avoid reducing the character to obvious evil, and when the darker parts surface they fit him naturally. If anything, his performance reinforced my frustration because I could imagine a version of the same story where Than was used as deliberate misdirection. Make him suspicious enough that experienced viewers immediately accuse him, then give us evidence strong enough to feel foolish for doing so. Make Kaye increasingly disturbing at exactly the moment Than appears more innocent. Let Phat choose the wrong person because he trusts the man beside him. Then reveal what was happening. The same cast could have produced a considerably more dangerous mystery without changing the central premise. What ultimately saved Mr.Kill for me was therefore exactly what its title cannot describe: friendship. Kaye and Phat become the reason to continue even when the investigation stops surprising me. Dew and Tee have the kind of natural screen relationship directors usually spend an entire series trying to manufacture, and the fact that it remains friendship makes it more interesting rather than less. There is affection without the obligation to transform it into desire, loyalty without a kiss waiting as a reward, and intimacy without pretending that two men cannot be emotionally important to one another unless they eventually sleep together.

But friendship should have been the emotional centre of a great thriller, not the substitute for one. Once viewers discovered there would be no BL romance, plenty of us kept watching anyway because Dew and Tee were enough. That should be reassuring for GMMTV. Actors with genuine screen presence do not need a manufactured possibility of romance to keep an audience. Trust them, trust the viewers, and then commit completely to whatever genre you have chosen.

Final Thought

Mr.Kill frustrates me because I can see the excellent series it almost became. Dew Jirawat is outstanding, Tee Teeradech proves that he can stand beside him without being overshadowed, Off Jumpol makes a naturally effective antagonist, and the manga-copycat murder premise should have given all three actors something considerably darker to play. The friendship between Kaye and Phat works so well that I would gladly watch Dew and Tee together again without ever asking for romance.

What I needed was a story brave enough to threaten that friendship.

Make me believe Kaye could be dangerous. Make Phat wonder whether his affection has compromised his judgment. Give Than enough ambiguity that recognising the actor does not effectively solve the mystery. Let the sister surprise me. Allow somebody apparently innocent to behave badly for reasons unrelated to murder. Give the audience several convincing truths before revealing which one was real. A thriller should make suspicion uncomfortable because anyone we care about might disappoint us. Instead, the drama used only a fraction of what its actors could have delivered. Their chemistry remained effortless while the mystery became increasingly predictable, and by the finale I was watching primarily because I liked being around Kaye and Phat rather than because I desperately needed to know who had done it.

That is why the title of this review feels appropriate to me. The friendship killed. Dew and Tee made it alive, natural and memorable without needing to turn it into BL. The story didn't.

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Promising, but I’m still waiting to see where it goes.

My thoughts on Extraordinary You up until episode 11:

I’m so happy I watched Alchemy of Souls before this, I would have had a hard time buying Lee Jae Wook as a good guy otherwise. He is so disturbingly perfect in his rage as Baek Kyung! I actually feel frightened whenever he throws tantrums and starts to hit and break things, his eyes full of anger… he truly is an amazing actor.

Rowoon’s character on the other hand has been a complete nothing burger so far. He lacks depth and development and his only personality is liking Dan Oh. For a show that began so strong in deconstructing clichéd relationship tropes (Dan Oh always observing how childish and uncreative Ju Da and Nam Ju’s plot on “the stage” is) I would have thought they would spend more time creating an actual interesting ML. I don’t blame this on Rowoon though, I’ve seen his other dramas, he is a good actor.

For the rest, I hope we get to see more of “Dried Squid Fairy” in the next episodes, his character is promising.

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What happens when they talk too much...

I tried my best to find the sweetness between the couple. I couldn't. Twelve episodes of too much talking. Apparently, they didn’t know how to create a series that let events speak and the audience gets involved with the emotions. They talked everything to death. The side characters talked too much also.

Heavy dialogue is only fun when it moves the plot along and is whitty. This felt like 12 lectures. Even the nc felt like an assignment. The morning after was the most amount of warmth between them and it was nice to see. Also, Wataru's unexpected tears. It doesn't help that both their personalities are basically the same.

I kept thinking of Sunspot everytime they were together and the difference.

They weren't bad but they didn't capture my interest beyond why they got together in the first place. Their love for movies. It's a quiet introspective series that doesn't do anything different than any other generic series.

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