This review may contain spoilers
At first I was not expecting to enjoy this from the couples perspective, but more from the university/ hazing angle. I mean another BL (when I did realise it was BL). Nothing wrong with a good BL story, but it's getting kinda long in the tooth.That being said, I did not read any spoilers before (hence not knowing it was BL). The upbeat music score (Soh Sut Soh Say performed by Keng Thachaya) was just so powerful it had to be attached to something, at lease, exciting. Boy was I in for a surprise!
The actual hazing was a bit far fetched for reality, but added to the premise and story quite well. The SOTUS acronym was really fully thought out. (Could someone Thai say if it is real?) Not starting as the typical love story was, again, another plus. Trying to cipher out where it was going was like being a detective. Would it be more about the hazing and the relationships formed because of a fear of the seniors? Would it force the juniors into relationships? The development of the characters was not predictable at all.
The magnificent performance of N' Krist (Sangpotirat Perawat) and the facial expressions of N' Sinto (Ruangroj Prachaya) really added to tension and emotion. Not in any way putting down the pool of amazing Thai actors, and having watched quite a few Thai Dramas, I don't think anyone else was more worthy to play those parts. These two played well of each other and even the rest of the cast, bringing a feeling of realness to the episodes.
The ending. Wow. It is just the perfect circles of circles. Karma, faith and such. Everything just falling together for a reason!
The only one critique I could find was the secondary characters could get a little more development. They do take a backseat to the main. By backseat I mean all the way in the back of an articulated bus! A little more time about them would have been just perfect! This, in no way, takes away from the realness or storytelling. It's just a very, very tiny gripe.
All in all a worthy story, impeccable acting and amazing music score. Well worth the watch! Has to be the best for it's year and possibly one of the best Thai Dramas of all times! Hormones set a bar, but SOTUS has raised it!
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The title says it all - Its an entire series about the SOTUS tradition, if you are looking for romance/love story, i feel like there was too little of it here. Kudos, at least for trying to show something a little bit different.
The strength of this series is the cast. Krist and Singto, and even all the support did a good job.
However, 20 episodes for the whole series is just way too much and I think they could squeeze the entire show into 10 episodes and it will still convey the same message. It feels like there were so many over extended scenes to fill up the time.
Lastly, the actual love relationship between the 2 main cast didnt really develop until the last few episodes leaving them with little time to actually portray the love story - there was almost no intimate scenes. Its like the characters stayed in the closet for too long and didnt want to ever go out. Even when they were alone there was almost no intimacy, leaving me to question if its really love or just bromance.
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It's incredibly rare for me to give 10 to something because I think that's the vote reserved to just masterpieces and nothing else but that's exactly what is Sotus for me: a masterpiece and the most beautiful and perfect love story I've ever seen.
I love every aspect of this drama, the actors are great (especially the two leads who seem really in love, I was blown away by their performance, they deliver all the feelings in an incredible realistic way) the characters are all likeable and adorable, the music is beautiful and perfect in every scene, the love story is finally a realistic one (I was so tired of the love at first sight of movies and drama..) that keep me in tension since the very beginning ... I have no complain at all and I have to say that I hope that there won't be a second season, I'm too afraid that if there is the magic will be ruined by the same old cliches ..
I must, howewer, admit that not all in this series is perfect, there are some incredible bad mistakes like bracelets that change to one arm to the other and many things like this that could have been avoided with more attention.. the sound also is somethimes really bad but I know that is a problem of all the Thai series.
These two problems anyway for me don't ruin at all the magic that I feel in this serie that I must say it became my favourite serie of all time... yes, I'm madly in love with Sotus XD
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The series is great with a really well written story be Bittersweet with it's "typical" kind of plot line, but interesting setups. What makes the series stand out is that the two actors portraying Kongpope and Arthit are really immerse into their roles that it makes the acting seem natural and flowing. If you were to compare with Lovesick and MIR (although I don't like to compare them), the acting seems more natural, but maybe that's because of the age difference between the leads of Sotus to the leads of Lovesick and MIR.
For being relatively new actors, Krist and Singto were very talented and as I stated above; acted very natural. All the other actors were great too.
I didn't really get pulled in by any of the music in the series, but overall the selection of songs in the series were not bad. They just didn't appeal that great to me.
There were some awkward scenes where things just "stood still" for a minute or 2 and you didn't really know what was happening, but other than that the series was great!
Definitely a must watch/re-watch! And I hope for a season 2 like the rest of the Sotus fans!
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I wish I can read the English version of the novel by Bittersweet. This show just brought everything into one, there's a bit of comedy, bit of drama, bit of annoyance and much on romance.
Themes like friendship, respect, acceptance, rejection, romance are being tackled here. I loved how the title of the series did actually focuses on the story. At first, I have worries that it will get boring and the theme will become darker because I thought that the story will be about bullying, abuse of power and violence but I was so wrong...I loved how the character of Krist as Arthit took its turn from being mean to the sweetest guy towards Kongpob. Though he was confused as hell at first that had him worried about everything else in the world he was able to sort out his feelings and the way he acted to Kong was just the sweetest, i really love the tender moments between them and I couldn't get enough of it, I want more haha. Singto as Kong was also great in his character, he was this sweet guy all throughout the series but was vulnerable about his feelings towards Arthit. He knew for sure that he like Arthit and that his admiration developed into a stronger feeling but I just loved how positive his character is, despite of fear of rejection he was still positive that things will work out fine. These two main protagonist of the series are just so adorable, they're just so perfect together. In reality, Singto is a year older than Krist but him playing as a younger character was perfect and Krist on the other hand was convincing as a senior. Damn, you must agree I believed that you have your full admiration to Arthit especially with how his character evolve.
The supporting cast was great as well, they brought balance to everything in the series. And the people that surrounded Kong was as adorable as him, Em, Tew, Wad and Oak. They reminded me of myself when I was still a student having a squad like that made my student life memorable enough with the experiences I had from good ones to bad. The girls were so pretty as well. People around Arthit reminded me of my ROTC in college where that kind of squad was well respected at the same time, most juniors were scared of them.
I love this series that I didn't want it to end and getting extra episodes was still not enough because I need more haha. Somehow the story has to end, but one thing that made my viewing of this series more fun and enjoyable to watch was because of the side comments of the person who translated the subtitles from Thai to English. He or she injected his/her inner thoughts and side comments as subtitles as well. It had me laugh so hard.
Ahhhh that Pink Milk Monster is killing me!
God, why do this series has to end?
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Let me first address the cast and acting. Krist and Singto are absolutely wonderful and I have been in love with all of their works since this. The acting is very well done. All of the dramatic sense are well done and the crying actually looks real compared to other dramas. Next, the music. I loved the opening and the instrumental of it used in other sense really brings the music and show together. Rewatch value is definitely at the max, considering that I HAVE rewatched it.
One thing I really love about this show is how it doesn't need a ton of kissing sense or romantic things in it. This sho makes just small sentences have so much power and love in them that every time I hear Kongpob be his cheeky little self, I get butterflies. I honestly could go on about this show but at the same time, I can´t express my love for it if that makes sense.
Everything about SOTUS just makes me smile and I hope others will love it too.
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You will ship them!! Kongpop looks like he will EAT Arthit any second now!! Arthit looks like a deer caught in headlights! Watch Season 2! You will not regret anything!
I love everything overalll... especially their character develpoment! I loved, and still do, Kongpop pick lines. he always says them at the right time, so it wasn't cringe!! PLS WATCH! You won't regret!! The actors are also good friends, so their chemistry are beautiful!!
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Dramas have made me cry before. But I've never cried because one ended. I found myself unbelievably heartbroken after finish the last episode of the second season. Little things would remind me of this series, and I would become sad after remembering it's over. I spent so many hours watching fan videos and interviews with the actors. I convinced my friends to watch it, and I'll keep trying to convince even more friends to give it a go.
SOTUS is very unique in that it can be enjoyed by many people. One of those friends I mentioned is a straight male - and he really enjoyed it (although he had to look away during kiss scenes!)
At first, Arthit might seem like an asshole - the hazing process might not make any sense - but you'll start to understand by the end. Rewatching this series was just as great as it was watching for the first time, because now I know what the hazing really meant, and why Arthit does the things he does.
The romance is just so well done, it isn't forced in its development. They don't try to like each other, it just happens, without their control.
Even the side couples are adorable.
My only wish in life is for a season three.
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1This review may contain spoilers
Stockholm Syndrome with a Dash of Homophobia
I went into this with so much high hopes. I love Singto. I really do. He’s a great actor and has great screen presence. I also heard good things about this series and thought ok I’ll give it a shot. And right out of the gate the whole thing goes to shit when the hazing starts. I don’t know about anyone else but having had experience with the hazing system in the US Greek System romanticizing hazing as a way to advance a romance is disgusting. People are permanently harmed and die each year due to this system. That aside lets get into it.First off I will not fault Krist for his acting like a dick. He does it well in this movie. What he doesn’t do well is to show that he has any romantic feelings for Singto. He acts more like a 12 year old with their first girlfriend than a mature adult discovering that they’re gay and all the awakening feelings that go along with that. I know what you’re going to say - but this is just a show. Yes, I know it is. But for god’s sakes its a freaking BL romance. Let’s at least put some effort into this. And don’t get me started on the kissing scene. Krist looks like he wants to be anywhere but there and knowing his homophobic feelings I can see that on screen. These two are more just close friends than any kind of romantic partners.
The one thing I do like about this series is the fact that the few openly gay characters do not have the typical over the top played for laughs Queen behavior. There is one very flamboyant man but he doesn’t try to scream and act like a walking cliche. And one member of the inner circle is gay and they think nothing of it. This at least lends itself to his friends accepting his homosexuality right up until they exchange the leather cords at the end. You can see the friends making fun of it in the background.
All this being said I have NO hopes for the new GMMTV BL with Krist and Mike being anything more than a rehash of Krist’s disgust with performing in a BL and inability to relate to the gay characters. Let’s please stop using homophobic actors who actively hate BL and do harm to the LGBTQIA+ community at large. Instead let’s please use respectful actors, especially gay actors, and write realistic gay romance that everyone can enjoy. #maxtulforever
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They say love makes people irrational. We can be unreasonable and our opinion becomes unreliable. Even so, I am writing this review not caring about sense and logic. I just want to gush over the perfection this series has shown us. From the story to the dialogues (YES, those sweet, sweet dialogues that could have been cringe-worthy disasters if not built up and delivered so well in the story and by the actors), one can only praise the writers, the production team and the cast. I'm in love, and I don't think I could get over it soon, I'm not willing to do so.
Perhaps, everyone is excited for the next season especially after it was confirmed that one is under production, but all I have in heart is fear. I don't want its beauty to be tainted or tampered. I can only hope for the best while expecting the worst. #haveFAITH
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This review may contain spoilers
Needs Work
I'm late to the party, though in this case isnt a bad thing.Let me start by saying hazing is a fucking attrocious act and it should not ne treated as anything less.
The homophobia is something ill comment on later.
You can definitely tell this is an earlier BL drama due to how subject matter presented and how topics are poorly handled. Like how this show ia trying to make hazing seem like a trivial thing...i shit you not.
Three or more odd moments stick out were characters are like 'oh i met my wife' or 'it heloe appreciate...', 'and i made friends...'. that is just glossing over an act that is very problematic. Its not an after school event were people ocassionally get abused by others, its a problem and it is poorly handled, i cant helo but think the head writer was very disillusioned.
Now onto the homophobia...i dont know what its like im Thailand so i have to right to throw american homophobia into their culture, but the "i don't like men just Arhit..." ruined that moment when they openly admited they are dating. Yhis isnt the first bl to do this, but as high as it is rated youd think they set a golden standard and they go below what is stated.
It has no rewatch value. Its not even good fluff, the story is more "serious" with the hazing, but the lack of using the material to have a better story was completely wasted
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