You Are My Favorite (2023)

Lightyears of Poetry

I believe everyone at one point or another in their lives has wished for the chance to go back and change the past, do things differently, fix past mistakes, etc., I know I certainly have. What Be My Favorite does so well is show that making those changes isn't as simple as we might like to think. It requires personal growth, pushing outside our comfort zone, thinking about more than just oneself and sticking around to maintain those changes, plus a touch of magic, of course. This drama was so beautifully done, so well thought out and executed, it has certainly become one of my favorites.

The story, dealing with time travel, could have been great or a total flop. The way it was handled made it great. Rather than getting into the mechanics of time travel and trying to make it too sci-fi, it explained just enough for things to make sense and didn't go any deeper. The story as a whole though did feel deep. This isn't just a fluff drama, it actually has substance and quite a lot at that. It touches on various issues, but rather than being preachy like some dramas get, those elements were added in an organic way that flowed and worked within the story. Those issues included LGBTQ+ rights both as a whole and more specifically the lack of those rights when it comes to medical care, alcoholism regarding both the pros and cons of drinking alcohol and why some may choose not to drink and that is totally okay, and grief in understanding that there are some things that simply cannot be changed and learning to grieve for that loss, but also accept it. Despite the sci-fi elements, there was a very realistic feel to everything. Aspects such as the gap between the rich and poor were shown, how someone does in school does not define them or their abilities, that we won't succeed at everything and failure is a part of life but doesn't need to define it, and our actions truly do have consequences both good and bad.

The pacing is very nearly perfect. There are one or two spots that are a touch slow, but not obnoxiously so. One aspect that I really liked was the way the passage of time was handled. Comments, brief shots of calendars and the like helped make it clear that time was passing. But the crowning touch was the montage in Episode 10 which was absolutely perfect and so much better than a sudden time jump. Not only did it provide a myriad of cute moments between Kawi and Pisaeng, but it also showed how their relationship had progressed over time. Other dramas should take note, this is the way you do it.

I don't think there was a single character that I didn't like in some capacity. No one felt superfluous, they all served some kind of purpose. What helped was keeping the cast pretty tight. Yes, there were scenes with more characters, but they kept the core group small. Not having a second couple helped a lot and allowed the full focus to be on Kawi and Pisaeng which was good since the build up of their relationship was a bit of a slow burn. That focus enabled them to better show their changing feelings, particularly with Kawi. The best part of their relationship though was the communication between them. I cannot even describe how refreshing it was to see such a healthy relationship portrayed where both parties truly respected each other and actively sought to communicate with each other. Even better was that it was shown throughout and was a core aspect of their relationship. And the importance of communication was echoed in other relationships, between Pisaeng and his mother, Pear and her parents, and even with Kwan and Knot.

Kawi was a great character. His growth was so well done as he learned to step outside himself and take his life in his own hands to influence it rather than just letting things happen to him. He made conscious decisions to fix things and make changes to himself. It was his willingness to acknowledge his faults and then correct them that enabled him to change his future. Pisaeng was another great character. Similarly to Kawi, he had his faults, but he too was willing to address and correct them as he actively listened to the criticisms he was given. His obvious respect for Kawi as a person and as a lover was clear and refreshing. Also refreshing were the characters of Max and Pear. Max was not just the token gay friend, he was a fully realized character who served as a sounding board for both Kawi and Pisaeng. And his advice and comments were usually pretty on the nose. He supported them both unconditionally while adding a good dose of humor at times. Similarly, Pear was not the token female friend. Again, she was a fully realized character and, as a woman, I cannot describe how much I loved that. She wasn't the jealous ex-girlfriend or wannabe girlfriend and her only purpose wasn't to be a supportive friend, though she was that. She had her own hopes and dreams as well as struggles that she had to deal with. Communication was again a key element with her in regards to her relationships with both Kawi and Pisaeng. Pisaeng's lack of communication regarding his feelings towards her was actually a source of pain for her, despite the fact that was exactly why he hadn't said anything, so he wouldn't cause her pain. It showed that sometimes silence is not golden and being open is actually the better option.

I've seen most of the cast in at least one other drama if not more, so I had high expectations for them and they did not disappoint in the slightest. Having only seen Krist in SOTUS, I was excited to see him play a character so polar opposite from that of Arthit. He was phenomenal, completely embodying the character of Kawi with all his quirks and awkwardness. And his chemistry with Gawin was fantastic. They played off of each other beautifully and had such a great connection. I will say it's a subtler chemistry than seen in other BLs, but I really liked it and felt it worked within the context of the story. I've seen Gawin in a few dramas and was thrilled that he finally got a leading role. He acts a lot through his eyes and he does so effectively, this time was no different. Despite having less experience than other cast members, he absolutely held his own. Aye is a seasoned and talented actress that I've seen in several dramas. She did a great job at giving Pear depth and really making her emotions and turmoil understood and felt. Similar to Gawin, Aou is less experienced, but I've found him to be quite a versatile actor. He gave a grounded feel to the character of Max as well as a certain level of assuredness that gave his character more substance.

The production was very well done. The cinematography was beautiful and the music was fantastic. Both Krist and Gawin are very talented singers and they certainly did the soundtrack justice.

Despite the numerous lessons and themes woven into the plot of Be My Favorite, I think one of the biggest takeaways is simply to live in the present. Too often we look to the future, imagining how things might be and we miss what's right in front of us. Kawi's life improves when he stops looking to the future and instead lives in the present. I think it's a good reminder for all of us. I cannot recommend this drama enough, it is truly one of the best I've seen, one that I foresee I'll be coming back to multiple times.

Lees verder