Bl_analyst
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Guys, pals, fam. Where do I even start with this mess.
The BIG ASS issues with this drama are:
- Toxicity
- Nonsense (both for the story and the characters)
- Lack of Consequences
(- Editing too but not as bad as the rest)
Let's start as usual with
GENERAL
• NO COHESIVENESS WHATSOEVER
1. Character's personality, their relationship, and the situations in general happen/change however and whenever the plot needs them to.
Ex.
a. Sarawat & Tine's friends become friends but then they're rivals but then boh
b. Fangirls hating on Tine but then suddenly shipping them together with no apparent reason (it's not character development, sorry)
c. Green appearing and disappearing accordingly to what the story needs
I could go on but this review is already going to be long as it is.
2. Double Standards.
A big point in the TOXICITY issue is how relationship are represented.
Green stalks and harasses Tine, in the EXACT SAME way Tine does with Sarawat at the beginning, or Man does with Type FOR THE WHOLE TIME, or even PhuKong does with Mil.
So why is it that when it's Green the one doing it, it's annoying and "dangerous" (Tine's words) and we hope he stops, but when it's the rest of them it's funny and/or romantic? That's NOT how it works!
• GIRLS REPRESENTATION
Three (3). It's the number of girls with an actual working brain we get to see during the drama. The rest of them (A LOT) are either weird (Tine's exes), a brainless screaming crowd or become brainless screaming people the moment Sarawat appears.
It's just really sad.
• EDITING
It's really confusing sometimes. It's not easy to understand if you're watching a flashback, a dream, the present, the future or what.
Also. I'm sorry but I HAVE to mention this. THE SEQUENCE OF TINE SEEING SARAWAT EVERYWHERE IN EP 7.
That edit is just HORRIBLE.
Tine sees Sarawat everywhere without a real reason, without a good bgm emphasizing the process of Tine realizing and coming to terms with the fact he misses Wat, without even having the time to reflect on it. It's just bad.
( My Engineer did a way better job in the same situation, but the "missing" was about a frogging gift box. I feel ashamed in behalf of 2gether ' staff, honestly)
• ACTING
.... Y'all remember Sarawat used to smile too, right?
WHERE TF WAS IT IN THE LAST 6 EPS??
Especially when with Tine I remember seeing it maybe once, when they were both on the couch while Type was "sleeping" in the bed.
That's it.
I honestly don't know what happened to Bright, or to his acting coach for him to have almost for the entire second half of the drama this sort of facial paresis.
Maybe it's just that they didn't get the note that while the drama progresses and we get to know him better, he should start showing MORE emotions. But okay, whatever.
I kinda liked Win tho, especially the emotional scene in ep 10. That was good, and a cute scene as a whole.
I hope they'll both get to improve and act in other series in the future.
Gunsmile and Taptop the gems of this series, bless them.
• GENERAL NONSENSE
to name just a few examples:
1. How Sarawat says in front of Green & screaming fangirls that he and Tine are only friends just to tell later in the same ep that he likes Tine. In front of Green & screaming fangirls
2. Sarawat not letting Tine talk even if he's supposed to be secretly in love with him already
3. Whatever happened in the bg during Phukong's interview in ep 5
4. Sarawat beaten up because some girls liked his ig posts??
• TOXICITY
Direct consequence of the "double standard" problem I talked about, or together with it, is the narrative this series is normalizing:
"No doesn't really mean 'no'. They're just playing hard to get, and if you keep doing whatever you're doing they'll eventually love you back"
Do I really need to say how wrong and creepy and dangerous this belief can be?
And not just that. There are a number of bad behaviors normalized. Stalking, harassing, catfishing, getting drunk WAY too often...
CHARACTERS
• Tine
He's often showed as just dumb. And that's really sad. Even the time he cut the pick in half, it would have been so easy to make it an act of ingenuity to affectionately make fun of in the future but the way it was shown, it just made Tine look stupid.
Also there is no character development, all his flaws are there for the whole drama.
Ex. He was selfish and irresponsible when he paid Phukong to go somewhere else, and again later when ditched the music club because he didn't need Sarawat anymore, and when he went outside alone in the dark during the trip ecc.
At least he's coherent I guess
• Sarawat
Complete opposite to Tine, he changes his behavior CONSTANTLY.
From distant and reserved, to affectionate and clingy to distant but also flirty to caring to uncomfortable...
It's a rollercoaster and it doesn't have a logic development
• Man
I hate him and I'm not even sorry.
Helps Wat getting Tine drunk, stalks Type and keeps following and harassing him even after Type VERY CLEARLY tells him he's not interested, catfishing him in the meantime.
He's not a good character.
• Type
He deserved better. I knew he would eventually end up with Man, but he really deserved so much more than a liar creepy stalker as love interest *sigh*
• Gunsmile and the rest of the friends
I don't even remember their names, that's how important they are in the show.
Tine's friends especially don't really do a lot, except maybe constantly going after girls and sometimes randomly giving an advice that the plot needs to "develop".
They also don't have any consistency in the way they act, but I blame this to the writing of the plot more than to them as characters.
• Mil
He doesn't have the space he needed. For Tine and Sarawat, he is an asshole that keeps bothering someone who already has a bf and doesn't know when to stop.
But he also seems to have morals and be kind. No space to develop it tho
• Phukong
Another stalker in the series.
Doesn't really have a plotline besides trying to become Mil's bf
• Green
Green doesn't make sense as a whole.
I appreciate having a semi-good representation of a "feminine" gay, even being seen as strong when he goes against Tine's masked friends in ep 1
But... He doesn't want anyone to know he's dating P'Dim but he has no problem to follow Tine everywhere being super loud and direct? And if he broke up with P'Dim for 2 mins ecc... Why was the whole question still going on in ep 7?
Last point.
RELATIONSHIPS
• Sarawat/Tine
I have no idea where their chemistry went from the moment they became official. They look progressively more awkward and uncomfortable being around each other. To the point where they seem to be almost forced or in pain when together, and far more comfortable and happy with their friends. Hello?? Aren't you supposed to be a new couple who just moved together (way too fast too, if we have to be honest)?? Where is the intimacy? The tension? The love??
They also have NO communication nor trust.
In ep 12 for ex. First Sarawat turns his back to Tine even while being well aware of him feeling upset. Then he reassures him the following morning, just to act suspicious and hiding things from him immediately after. And don't let me start with how Sarawat with the help of his friends makes Tine get drunk so that he can post a suggestive pic on Tine's IG to declare to the world he's taken.
Should that be romantic? Cause it's NOT. It's creepy and a BIG red flag.
But as with everything else, this action has no consequences.
Like when Sarawat promises not to let their friends know they're together yet, but announces it to them 0.3 secs later instead. Or really anything. No consequences at all.
• Man/Type
I won't repeat the whole "creepy obsessive stalker" thing, but let's talk about how the infamous dinner went. Type tried to tell Man not to go, but Man completely ignored him (as per usual) and decided to go. During the dinner he talks about Type and tells to Type's coworkers things it's absolutely not his place to tell. He doesn't know if Type is friend or even comfortable with them. It's so disrespectful towards Type. After that, Type STILL tells his colleague to stop when he was making fun of Man and tries to protect him.
And people hated on him because he left with his co-worker. OKAY.
(I think he should have walked home or taken a taxi and left them both there)
EXTRA
They are red sometimes when drunk. I promised to give extra points for this so here I am.
And another one because they wash hands after using the toilet.
I appreciate the little things ?
CONCLUSION
What can I say. This drama started up in my top 10, but from ep 4 on it started going down. A pity, honestly. Especially because I love the "fake bf" trope.
Even putting the toxicity aside, the complete lack of consequences for literally anything that happens completely destroys any tension even when you are supposed to feel it. And things keep happening without a real reason, completely random.
I honestly have NO idea what show the people praising this, the acting, the story, the relationship and so on are watching, cause it can't be the same.
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ToL's concept is really cute and pretty well executed. Does a great work making you empathize with the characters, or react to their behaviour, and the soundtrack is so good. Every episode has the title of a romantic movie, and not only the movie is named or referenced within the episode itself, but they even replicated the posters! ?
With that being said, let's go more in depth.
The representation of the women in this drama is not ideal. They are mostly a screaming crowd or seen more as a prize/object by MCs than anything else. Khai's gfs especially are either arrogant or psychos. That is, unless they are the love interest of one of the other boys. Both Lynn and Paan are smart and kind women, and Praew ends up telling Third the truth in ep 9. Still, not a good picture in general even if it's better than some others bl dramas we have.
CHARACTERS
Let's start from my favourite crybaby.
Third is someone easy to feel close to. He has an unrequited love for his best friend (even if HOW he came to fall for someone who constantly acts like a jerk is a mystery) and while I appreciate how he's super popular too, making it different from the usual "nerdy, 'insignificant' main secretly in love with the popular bff", the fact that he decides to give up on Khai at least once every other episodes but ends up always coming back.
Makes you terribly frustrated in the first half of the drama.
Just see what Khai does to him (and he does to himself) in the first 3 eps:
- EP1 Third buys 2 blackpink concert tickets (for Khai and himself) after Khai tells him how much he wants to go, camping and spending 12k ฿ just to discover that Khai found some on his own and he actually wanted them to be able to go with the girl of the moment.
- EP1 Khai suggests to go see a movie but later cancels saying that he has a family dinner. Third then bumps into him with a girl at the mall
- EP1 (Yes, STILL) Khai tells Third to give back to Milk her stuff, Third even defends him with her, before throwing her stuff away as Khai said. That is before they go back together and Khai tells him to go find Milk's stuff in the garbage and when Third comes back defeated and dirty for something he shouldn't even be doing in the first place, Khai only asks him "Are you sure everything's there? " and proceeds to close the door completely ignoring Third.
- EP3 Sexiled. Do we really have to talk about how Khai tells Third to go out so that he can do his stuff with the new girl and leaves him out FOR THE WHOLE NIGHT, unapologetic and completely unfazed?
So yes, you're both hurting for him and praying for him to just move on.
Khai, on the other hand, is obviously created to make you hate him with all you have for the entire first half of the drama.
He's a SHITTY friend to Third. Doesn't seem to care at all about him or his feelings. He sometimes randomly acts like a semi-decent person And that makes you even angrier, because it has on Third the same effect of a kidnapper showing basic human behaviour, like giving you food and water so you don't die on them. Third is grateful and hopeful and goes back to him again.
2 examples of this are when in ep2 he offers Third to go live with him - when and ONLY WHEN he sees there's no other solution. And let's remember Third is supposedly his best friend. And in ep 3 when he tells Third the iconic "With girls, I use my body. With you, I use my heart".
And it should be romantic, right?
WRONG.
Up untill this moment Khai almost NEVER shows any sign to even just respect Third as a human being, let alone his best friend. These words are not supported by facts and my only reaction was frustration because I knew Third would, Once again, refrain from moving on and go back to him.
BUT
Character development is a blessing and the second half of the drama shifts prospective, letting you see what changes Khai goes through.
Ngl, the change itself is a bit too sudden. I'm willing to believe that missing Third completely all of a sudden acted as a waking up call for him, but it's not really coherent with his character.
Nonetheless he starts working hard to make things better and becomes a better person. So much that you will feel bad for him against your own will.
Bone and Two are both good friends and good people in general. I'll talk about them again when analyzing the relationships, but I really appreciated both, especially Two who is funny, cute and helps Third a lot.
Also I'm whipped for White since Love Sick so there's that lol
RELATIONSHIPS
• KhaiThird
As I said, the start of their relationship is far from being the best. Khai is not even a good friend, let alone a good potential partner. Third clinging to anything remotely decent Khai says or does for him attests for how toxic the relationship is.
It starts like a mostly unilateral friendship on Third's side.
Khai comes up with 3 plans during the drama. I call them the "Jerk Plan", the "Oh-So-Stupid Plan" and the "Desperate Plan".
The Jerk Plan is "on" during the entire ep 4.
At the end of the episode you find out - disappointed but not surprised - that he was just testing Third to see if he had feelings for Khai.
Third's reaction is finally on point.
Right after that, at the end of ep 5 and for all ep 6, we see in action the "Oh-So-Stupid Plan" in which we find another pearl when Khai asks Third to be back being friends "like before" (So with you treating him like garbage? No, thanks) and then proceeds to finally treat Third good, only to fake being drunk and kiss him while calling a girl's name.
That hurts so much.
This genius plan is supposed to let Third move on and go back being just friends. Predictably the only result is Third disappearing for good.
The "Desperate Plan" consists in Khai going thru the list of his defects Third made and try to fix them all. It doesn't really work, but both we and Third appreciate the effort lol.
• TwoAun
For both the secondary couples, I appreciate the time and space they get. They are not rushed nor left without a conclusion unlike a lot of other dramas!
Two is a good character and the way his feelings for Aun change is well builded. Appreciate a lot his incapacity to lie and go behind Lynn's back. When he starts realizing he has feelings for Aun it's immediately obvious and the 2 of them TALK and even decide to remain friends. Healthy relationship and mature characters right there, people!
The way Aun appears at the beach in the last ep is a bit random, not gonna lie, but it's still a sweet moment, and Aun himself has the space needed to let the us know him and his story.
• BonePaan
Bone is the only one in the group who has a "sad" ending (even if he does get a girl at the end, just not "the" girl).
I'll be sincere and say that I mostly went thru his parts at 2x speed, I wasn't really engaged. But there are a couple of things I especially appreciated in his story.
He had the chance to take advantage of Paan and his fiancè' problems, but he choose to help them instead and since the moment he found out she was engaged, he's always been respectful of her and her relationship. Even if it meant give up on his love interest. I appreciate both the character and this choice to no end.
EXTRA
I can't NOT mention a few things before the end.
• THINGS MEH
- Checking Third's phone to find out what his relationship with Aun was. That's really not okay to do.
- Khai kissing Third in ep 8
That happens while Third is sleeping, and I really wish dramas could STOP with this trope. It's not romantic, it's not cute. It's forcing themselves on someone who is defenseless at the moment, which is creepy and NOT OKAY. Third's reaction to it is only justified and I'm glad he reacted that way!
• FUNNY THINGS
- I know it's supposed to be a sad moment, but every time Third cries in the shower has me cracking
- When Khai had an accident and Third heard his name called.
Eye just.... I'm sorry but that's just too much
- Love confession sketches ep 2
They were really cute and funny, so they deserve a special mention!
• THINGS I ESPECIALLY APPRECIATED
- Khai's friend.
I appreciate him suggesting Khai to take his time and understand well his feelings for Third before take any action. ??
- "Tell this story to the audience"
I find the whole conversation Third has with his P' at school really inspiring.
Often we stop ourselves from doing something, thinking what we want to do or talk/write about ecc might not be interesting. But in reality, we just need to be ourselves, that's good enough. People will resonate with our story and our passion.
- Final Love Confession.
I just like it a lot.
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Wasted potential
The plot is really interesting, but poorly executed.The "color rush" and its effects are well done, don't get me wrong. The idea that the awe-inducing feeling of being able to see colors for the first time in your life can cause confusion and a phisical reaction is on point, as it is the idea that the fear and desperation of having to go back in a gray world when you lose sight of your Probe can bring Monos to extreme gestures.
Too bad that's where the good work ends.
This same aspect is not further explored if not just enough for the story to go ahead, and the rest of the sub-plots elements are barely aknowledged: Yeon Woo's flashes of (possibly?) someone drownig are too on the nose and yet never addressed; the spirit possessing Min Jae has no purpose; the disappearence of the mother is not really explored either, let alone resolved.
I suppose they were sure to be granted a second season, but even if that's the case, this is NOT how you build a first season. If you don't have the time to resolve all the sub-plots (which I completely understand ) pick only one or two and focus on them, maybe leaving small hints for the ones you will focus on in the second season.
For example let's say in the first season we focus on the color rush and the way Monos become obsessive. Maybe making them seen as a threat to society, as if they're all psychopaths because of their genes. In 120 mins we would have enough time to explore these two things enough. They're linked by what we are experiencing together with Yeon Woo, so it's easy to expand both concepts.
At the same time, in preparation for the second season make Min Jae say weird things every now and then but without explaining why, so that we are left wondering wtf was that about, and the second season can expand on that, giving the pg an interesting backstory.
Same goes for the mistery of the mother. We can watch the aunt go for long travels and have little hints suggesting it's not just work-related but she's up to something, and that all the attacts perpetrated by Monos may be linked to what happened to Yeon Woo's mother. Nothing too on the nose, just little things here and there. Let the viewers put the pieces together. I swear they are smart enough to do that, and it would make them appreciate the whole drama a lot more.
(Also the main couple has zero chemistry, I'm sorry. They feel very awkward whenever there's a more "touchy" scene. Let the poor boys spend some time together or something, I'm begging you!)
The love story between the two main also feels very rushed. This trope is very common in fanfictions, but it works there for two reasons:
1. Usually these fanfictions are not featuring original characters, so even if they are "AUs" in which the pgs don't know each other, the reader already knows and likes the couple and doesn't feel anything missing.
2. It is well known that this trope is under the "soulmates au" umbrella, meaning that the two main characters, being soulmates, immediately feel a strong connection and their feelings develop faster than normal. This is undersood and accepted by the readers.
This drama does not have these 2 points on its side. It could work with the second one, but if that's what it was going for it does a terrible job explaining it to us.
Lastly, but this is just a personal preference, I would have liked to see the world more through Yeon Woo's eyes. He sees everything in scales of gray until he meets Yoo Han, so why not make the bold choice of letting the viewer also see everything gray up until he has the first color rush? and again every time we see something in the pov of Yeon Woo? I think it would have made it all the more impactful. But as I said, personal preference.
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