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I really enjoyed this much much more than I expected!!
I have not read the novel so all I know is the summary and the trailer, and I went in with pretty average expectations for the plot. But I am aware about how good Nanon's acting is after having loved him in The Gifted franchise, so I'm excited nonetheless.Having watched this week by week, I did not expect to love it so much!! I thought the end was clever too and found it realistic and hopeful. One of the most interesting endings to a BL if I may say. Sharing my weekly episode reviews below:
Episode 1: Very promising start! We got an introduction to the characters and the main plot point of why their families hate each other so much. Pat and Pran are shown to not be on friendly terms (at least on Pat's side, because Pran seems very polite and generally chill). The music is a BANGER! I might be biased because this is totally my type of music, but for some reason it totally fits the aesthetics of the shots and the cinematography. I also love the domesticity in the ending credits!
Episode 2: Pat and Pran's dynamic seems to be much deeper than what we were first shown. From the first episode I thought Pat couldn't tolerate Pran at all, but here it seems like he let himself more, idk, loose? Like he's comfortably bantering and bickering with Pran and it feels very natural, so I guess this is actually his true nature that he has been suppressing for quite some time. The flashback also confirms this, but there has to be more than that because I'm not convinced that the "playing in a band together with the son of our family's worst enemy" is the reason Pran got transferred. Also hats-off to Nanon's acting. Ohm is also very good, actually, but more so Nanon. Anyway in terms of the leads' acting, this by far is on another league compared to other Thai BLs.
Episode 3: OKAY I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO START. This episode basically confirms that Pat likes Pran somehow, and his antics are like a silly school boy having a crush. What was interesting to me was the episode opened with showing how Pran was Pat's "secret crush", but the scene was actually showing Pran doing something special for Pat, which is not something friends, or even bestfriends, would do! This episode was just full of heart-fluttering moments and there was no cheesiness or awkwardness at all, the acting and writing are so natural. I feel like the show is starting to bring out its big guns!
Episode 4: OH MY GOODNESS NANON. THIS GUY CAN ACT. LIKE /REALLY/ ACT. I have so many emotions during this episode and for me this episode went by the fastest compared to the previous ones; I just felt so empty after finishing it. I really like how they made the characterizations. Pran can't hate Pat no matter how much he wants to because he's already in so deep. Pat...wow idk where to start. Let's just say I feel so complicated about him and it says a lot at how Ohm and the crew put a lot of thoughts into his character. In any case, Nanon wins this episode hands-down. I literally felt Pran's pain. His character is so layered yet soft-spoken and I'm so glad we are able to fully experience this, all thanks to the role being in the hands of a very talented actor.
Episode 5: This is my favorite episode by far! So many things happened here without feeling too rushed -- from the "night after" and how Pran quickly bounced back after getting his heart broken, to Pat testing Ink's feelings, to Pat /finally/ realizing his true feelings, and so much more up until the climax at the end with the kiss. My favorite part is definitely towards the end with the Pat-Pran-Wai fistfight and how things are suddenly starting to explode. Pat is ready to risk it all while Pran, even without Pat saying anything explicitly, knows where things are going and he is not ready to deal with it. And finally during the rooftop scene. It was obvious how Pran has his walls built up but it has slowly crumbled down hearing Pat confess. When Pat kissed him, he just gave up and gave in and I love how this moment just feels so raw and intimate. I'm not lying if I said that I literally hear their feelings while kissing -- their emotions during that part was THAT good. Cue to after the kiss when Pran wakes up to his senses again and comes back to his demeanor of being "not ready" and walks away. The last time I cried for a BL was during ATOTS which says a lot; and all credits go to the director and especially OhmNanon, because it didn't feel like them at all, but PatPran coming to life.
Episode 6: I'll be honest and say that nothing major really happened this episode for me, but I still like the pace nonetheless because it's very realistic. Now that I think of it, while this is a romcom so far, I'm getting strong slice-of-life vibes from it which is different from other school BLs that have dramas every episode just for the sake of it. This episode we watch Pran avoiding Pat as he keeps his feelings in check, while Pat does all that he can to step into Pran's walls. The faculty rivalry (and Pran's friends planning to beat Pat up wtf?) is getting too tiring for me now tho, and my only hope is that there's a purpose for this conflict which can lead into a good character development that will help PatPran's relationship in the future. I also find the bet interesting because we know that they already know that they like each other, but their pride and competitiveness against each other that they had all their lives are getting in the way. Anyway I'm not too nervous about this because they'll eventually give up in one way or another, and seeing the preview for episode 7, looks like they're getting there soon! I really enjoyed this episode especially the new OST and ending credits! <3
Episode 7: PatPran boyfriends T-T Anyway before I go into that, this episode highlighted the chemistry between the actors from all the flirting up to their moment in the end. I'm not lying if I said that I was grinning from ear to ear the whole time because their domesticity and back-and-forth banter were so sweet, and if the acting wasn't this good it would have become cringy. Pran teasing Pat was definitely a delight to see after seeing him hurt in the previous episodes, and Pat as always is a very colorful character. What I did not expect to see though (or at least this early) was Wai. Him guilt-tripping Pran into helping him was so uncomfortable to watch and is definitely not a good thing to do even between the closest of friends. I'm interested to see how he would impact PatPran's already delicate relationship seeing how he seems to be a significant character. Finally my favorite part is the ending when Pat gave way for Pran and confessed his feelings. He set aside his pride for Pran and stepped up so they can stop wasting time on their little game, and now they're officially boyfriends T-T
Episode 8: This was the most emotionally-charged episode for me so far, and yes even more than Episode 5. The whole episode is filled with PatPran cute boyfriends scenes, but actually underneath all of that is a conflict that was brewing to happen with a secret that they literally have to hide from everyone, Pran's hesitations, and the differences betwen Pat and Pran's POVs. For me this episode is actually very smart because these sources of conflict were not presented in our face all the time -- it was sometimes masked with fluffy domestic moments, but actually if you watch deeper there is so much more under the surface. The big scene at the end was also a game-changer, and I think this is what will set the tone for the rest of the series.
Episode 9-12: These were a whole rollercoaster of emotions and I thought the ending was such a smart twist! I BAWLED during the end of episode 11 and what I loved is while you see this kind of thing coming, you also don't, so while waiting for the "will they separate will they not", it hit me a lot harder when it finally happened. Again, huge props to Nanon and Ohm's acting! And when the twist at the end was revealed, I LOVED it. It's always my main gripe with mid-show breakups, like how do these people not stay in contact with all these technology? But PatPran went beyond that and was brave enough to devise their plan, living up to their general theme of "fooling the world". I thought it was really smart and realistic too that the parents did not immediately approve, but still optimistic that they will surely get there :)
All in all, I highly recommend this show. A common plot made extraordinary with thoughtful acting and a writing that is full of heart.
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One of the funniest BLs out there but is actually deeper than what it seems
I think it was unfortunate that this was the follow-up to the masterpiece that is ATOTS so it did not have the kindest reviews and flew under the people's radar (including me lol), but after watching this I can confidently say that I enjoyed it way, waaay better than I expected.First I really liked the comedy in this one. This is the only BL where I've laughed audibly every episode and it's not just the humor, but the acting and the chemistry between the cast. You can tell that they are all comfortable with each other and are probably friends in real life and it shows.
Next is the acting is surprisingly very decent! Hats-off to Neo as Duean, his character can easily be annoying and unbearable if not acted well, but his portrayal made Duean very lovable and his acting contributes to 90% of the show's comedy. And coming off from 2gether, I was ready to turn off some braincells for Pond's acting because he was pretty stiff during the first episodes, but man did he improve a lot as the episodes went by! He is so convincing in showing that Mork is so in love with Pi, and even in his microexpressions toward critical scenes. I won't say he's outstanding, but he's very decent and has a great potential in acting.
Okay but what I really love the most is the characterization. Pi and Mork are very different people. Mork grew up as a popular kid so he is very confident in who he is and he has been surrounded by friends who are also proud of their own skin, so while he empathizes with people who aren't like him, he doesn't really completely understand them. Thus he may come off as pushy. Pi, on the other hand, was bullied his whole life and his kindness was abused. His self-esteem was at rock bottom and even after his transformation and booming popularity, his insecurities still creep up and he is not used to this new noisy life where he is the center of attention. Now they stay consistent with these characterizations and these become the main driving force of the conflicts in the story which makes it realistic, instead of shoving the leads in impossible situtations just for the sake of "drama".
All-in-all, this is a really good show and is actually deeper than the silly comedy it shows on the surface. I could wish for more things like the disappearance of the shippers in the plot and the plot twist with Bam in the end, but I like that while this show is light and stress-free, it actually packs a lot of punch that will just hit you when you look deeper into the characters.
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The show is titled after a literal drug so don't come in with the greatest expectations
The first part was pretty innocent and refreshing, and this part is what I enjoyed the most. It was very reminiscent of Meteor Garden -- there is a rebel rich guy who has nothing better to do than bully the one he likes, and a spunky poor guy who just wants to live peacefully (plus points that he's smart too). Gu Hai and Bai Luo Yin's interactions and cat-and-dog banter are funny and their chemistry is undeniable.Now the second part of the show which comprises of the last 5 episodes, is where the problematic parts have popped up. These have indeed made me uncomfortable and I personally like to pretend it does not exist lol.
Still, for the majority of the show that I thoroughly enjoyed, I'm rating this an 8.
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Now I get why this got tons of people through the pandemic
I have to admit I've avoided this show for the longest time because reviews aren't the kindest, but I roughly heard about it because it was very famous where I'm from and even my friends who don't watch or even know BL have watched this. That being said, I had the lowest expectations for this show and only got to it when I had nothing else to watch.And I actually really enjoyed it! While this is not as groundbreaking as one would expect from all the hype (tbh I don't think it's meant to be one anyway), it's not that bad. Granted the acting was pretty weak especially for Bright (not for Win though, he was really good), but everything else works. The plot is simple, the actors are a feast to the eyes, the comedy is golden, the music is PERFECTION, and the skinship is not over the top. It's definitely a pick-me-up whenever you're in a bad mood and has indeed become something I was looking forward to after a stressful day. Now I get why people latched to this during a difficult and unfamiliar time such as the pandemic.
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The Circumstances of Pungdeok Villa Room 304
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So refreshing to see a BL with a healthy relationship all throughout
Honestly the main premise is as cliche as an office romance gets - two strangers meet as enemies, and then they suddenly meet again as a boss and an employee. Add in a cohabitation trope and a "power inversion" twist into the mix where the employee is the boss in the household. But this simplicity coupled with having mature (and capable!) male leads is what makes this a refreshing watch.For me this actually lowkey goes to the slice of life territory where lots of times we see the characters in their workplace doing work stuff. I imagine this can be a bit boring to other watchers who expect lots of twists and turns in the story but as someone who is in the same age range as the characters, this is so relatable and accurate. The slow and "repetitive" setup makes things natural. The leads are just going on with their life and relationships develop during mundane interactions with people, and here we see it happen with Hojoon and Jaeyoon as it blossomed into their romance.
The biggest plus-es of the drama for me are definitely 1. The characters, and 2. The simple story.
There are no annoying leads. Both are mature adults who have their own goals in life and work hard towards it. For one, I was pleasantly surprised that Hojoon is not your typical chaebol son who is just looks and no brains. The dude was actually really good at his job! Jaeyoon on the other hand, while indeed gullible with non-work affairs, is not a damsel-in-distress that needs saving nor someone who needs to be pursued at all times. Since they are (thankfully) normal and decent characters, they have a healthy relationship as a boss and employee, landlord and tenant, and eventually boyfriends.
The simple story is a plus too because there are no illogical side plots to create drama just for the sake of it. As mentioned above, we just see the leads go on with their life and fall in love in the process.
Highly recommending this drama to those who are tired of the BS in BLs and just wants a chill feel-good watch without the need to turn off braincells.
I also dare say this show reminds me of another favorite Old Fashion Cupcake so if you liked that, you might also want to give this a try.
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