Dark Blue Kiss (2019)

Deeper than you may think

I read a lot of reviews and I think that when you watch this series you can whether like or dislike it. A lot of people criticised the fact that the story of Pete and Kao wasn't interesting because they fought for twelve episodes long. I disagree. Some people said that Sun and Mork's story was far more interesting than Pete and Kao's. I disagree : both of them were. Though, I agree with this who argued that Kao was maybe too passive and Pete sometimes too agressive. But it can be explained. + I apologise if there are any English mistakes.

Pete & Kao

I loved them in Kiss Me Again, I loved them more in Dark Blue Kiss. Why? Because it was the first time I watched a BL story that seemed so realist. The issues both of the leads faced were real issues. They have to deal with family, friends, work issues. DBK shows all the struggles a gay couple have to faced in our societies ( societies that accept gays relationships more or less). For instance, during all the series, Pete wants Kao to tell his mother about their relationship but he dares not, he's afraid to be a bad son. Same thing goes when he hides himself to his friends. Pete is more confident about who he is because he is already accepted by his father so it's easier for him. And while Kao is struggling with his sex orientation thing, Pete is struggling with himself. He has everything thanks to his father but he's still not confident (he doesn't have good grades etc.) which explain the fact he's so possessive over Kao. He's afraid of losing him, he's afraid for being not good enough and the fact that his secret boyfriend doesn't admit he's gay doesn't help him. I think that if they fought so much it's because they're afraid and that fear pushes them to lie or hide there feelings or even being not very understanding. But despite all of that they love each other so much. The two actors have a very good chemistry and I liked how sweet was Pete and Kao relationship. I loved how they had all those little fights, I loved how they support each other and show their affection in their own way. I think ep 7 was very important : Kao's surprise for Pete on their anniversary day showed that whatever people may say and even if Kao hides things, he likes Pete the most. Finally, I want to talk about the love/kiss scenes. GMMTV's dramas do not often show much. But what I liked in this one was all the allusions. It was different from SOTUS because we know that Pete and Kao are used to each other presence, they are confortable with each other (and yeah they do have sex, Pete seems to think about this a lot ahah). They discuss mature subject like wedding or making love. I liked that. Their friends and their families were amazing also.

Sun & Mork

I liked their story too, it was really fluffy and interesting. It was a pleasure to see Sun happy and to see everybody happy at the end in fact. I love they love-hate relationship and how understanding and funny Rain is with them. Like, the scene with all the three in the bed was so cute and funny. I was pleased to see a gay character that really assumed to be gay (Sun) and know that he is since a long time.

Let's talk abut Non now (and then I stop). I dislike him of course but poor boy, his father push him to become like that. I didn't like him since the beginning but in fact I think that Pete was a bit to much angry because Non was just doing some childish things to get him angry and Pete played the game. So I agree with the fact that Pete's jealousy was a bit excessive. In fact Non wasn't that evil. He is just a child who is looking for some attention and because his dad doesn't look at him, he is searching Kao attention, and Pete's in some way also.

So, I loved this drama as you can see by how long my review is. I think the story may seems cliché and a bit annoying for some but it's deeper than that.

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Nearly won me over

I have to say, immediately after completing the series I thought it was 10 worthy but after I actually thought about what i'd just watched properly I realised it was more like an 8ish.

I enjoyed the couples:

Pete and Kao - They covered a lot of actual issues that the LGBT+ community face all over the world which made the relationship feel more realistic and made this series stand out from a lot of other Thai bl's

Sun and Mork - My faves, that cute storyline where they 'hate' each other and you're just waiting for them to realise that they actually love each other. We got some very satisfying scenes from them I thought.

Manow and Rain - Wasn't quite as invested in this couple, felt a little 'oh Mork likes Sun, hey Rain, let's date now then' :/

My only main issue was Non, wayyyyy too much of him in this series, could have done with a lot less, felt like his personality traits were being a relationship wrecker and an assaulter who accuses his victim of assault (what?)

Oh and both bl couples were fighting at the same time so it might have been nice if these could be staggered so that we still got sweet moments from one couple while the others were arguing

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TayNew's chemistry makes Pete's character easy to forgive

After only recently discovering the world of Thai BLs, it soon became apparent that Dark Blue Kiss is among the fan favorites. I figured I'd give it a try from the very beginning. So, I watched all of Kiss the Series before moving on to Kiss Me Again. About a third of the way through KMA, I decided to start Dark Blue Kiss. I ultimately ended up finishing DBK before KMA.

Right away I noticed that the production was the best out of the entire Kiss entire. I was very pleased that the BL drama in a franchise was treated with the most delicacy. The opening credits blew me away. The tension rises as the opening music's intensity swells. Visually, glass shatters and Kao cries. It was a perfect match to the perfect opening scene, showing a big blowout between the show's main couple.

Even though DBK is the 3rd installment in a series, it's very digestible for new audiences who have no knowledge of Kiss or Kiss Me Again. In fact, there's nearly no reason at all to watch the other two series, as Pete and Kao's story lacks any continuity whatsoever. Ex: The two had revealed their relationship to the entire gang at the end of Kiss but in DBK, it's a secret to everyone but Sandee, who knew everything that was going on in Kiss Me Again (set before the events of Kiss), despite being shocked when they told her in Kiss.

Not only are PeteKao's story retconned multiple times but so are their personalities. Kao, for the most part, kinda remains the same, though he was much more goofier in Kiss and he always wore glasses that were never seen in DBK or KMA. Pete, however, is an everchanging character. Seeing as I watched him first in Kiss as Sandee's sweet and supportive friend, I was SHOCKED to see him be such an asshole in Kiss Me Again. But, I understood that he was acting out because of his feelings for Kao. In DBK, he's just an asshole simply because.

And don't get me wrong, the retconning stuff isn't ideal but it's nothing too bad. I certainly think it benefits most of the watchers who aren't interested in watching Kiss or Kiss Me Again. But Kao being an asshole was one of the few issues that I had with DBK. I thought Pete was an awful boyfriend. He's extremely toxic in his possessive and accusatory ways and he makes no apologies for it. I hate that the story leaned more towards Kao's actions being the problem by lying to his unreasonable boyfriend. Kao's livelihood was at stake but Pete wanted him to drop a client because of his insecurities. Pete was truly insufferable and he was never truly called out for it. And judging by the YouTube comments, viewers were actually romanticizing his toxic behavior. *Sigh*

BUT, despite how much I disliked Pete as a character, the chemistry that Tay has with New is undeniable. I enjoyed the sweet, romantic moments between the two and I can see why DBK is among the highly recommended of Thai BLs. Fans also seem to really enjoy Sun/Mork as the show's side couple. Truth be told, I was only mildly interested. The chemistry was great but I felt like there was too much back-and-forth with the development in the beginning. There was no consistent dynamic to their interactions. Sometimes Mork would talk about Sun with great disdain and then they have a snarky but cordial moment that leads to Mork and Sun softening up around each other... and then enemies again in the next episode. By the time there was more to relationship, I found that I didn't care about the relationship as much as the show wanted me to. Rain/Manow was background noise (which is unfortunate because Rain was one of my favorite characters in DBK).

Another minor issue I had was that I felt that there was too much emphasis put on Non's strict, tough-love upbringing with his overbearing father for there to be no satisfying conclusion to that story. Honestly, the writers really dropped the ball with Non as a character. There was a lot of potential to write a very gray character and build conflict that has the audience with a foot on each side. (for example: in the Thai drama titled 3 Will Be Free, starring DBK's Tay Tawan, two supporting characters are in direct conflict with the show's leads but because we get so much perspective from their side, they aren't considered bad guys to the viewers). It really annoys me when the writing is too simple and that's exactly what you get with Non. A simple villain. So much lost potential.

Overall, despite my issues with Pete as a character and how I personally believe that Non should have been written more sympathetically, I think DBK is very enjoyable.

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Splendid!

I'd read a lot of praise surrounding "Dark Blue Kiss" and was so excited to finally get around to it. Happy that it didn't disappoint one bit!

Alright, so first PeteKao:

Let's be honest, Pete isn't the most... likeable in this one, but I do love him all the same. I mean, his boyfriend is the cutest, sweetest, most likeable guy in all of their school, I'd be worried about someone wanting to snatch him up, too! He thankfully makes a few good points eventually which helps redeem him. Although, thank god for Sandee for telling him straight a few times. As for Kao, I think it's already clear that I adore him. I just wanna eat him up.

Although can we talk about how in one of the prequels, Kao is the one taking photos for Sun but now Pete is the photography enthusiast and Kao suddenly knows nothing about cameras? That was weird.

I'm obsessed with Pete's dad and Kao's mom. All of their scenes are so precious and really wonderful and honestly so refreshing and necessary when telling a story about a kid afraid of coming out. To see both of them react so beautifully is wonderful.

There's a lot that reminded of "Tharntype 2". Kao and Type getting into trouble for being too kind to a kid with a crush and bad intentions, Fiat and Non being that kid with a crush, and finally Tharn and Pete being the possessive and jealous type. Though I love "Tharntype 2", "Dark Blue Kiss" has more than just miscommunication to the major conflict which is a big plus (there's still a lot of it, though, so they're both pretty much equally frustrating eheh).

Speaking of Non, I think it's hilarious that he just disappears after the truth comes out. Fiat gets a redeeming ark in Tharntype and I was not about it, I actually thought this was much more fun when you've spent a whole season hating the kid. Karma (but yeah his dad needs to chill...).

Then, SunMork:

Sun is really cute and I do like him but it takes that boy such a long time to question himself and it doesn't look like he ever would have without Rain. Rain being sort of stuck in the middle was actually really awesome. I loved him. He's really sweet, loyal, kind, and funny; what more can you ask for? I feel as though I still don't really know Mork, which is a shame, but I like him. I thought their story was just as interesting as Pete and Kao.

The soundtrack is really, really great. I'm especially obsessed with the opening credits, I never skipped it, it was that good!

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Aof Noppharnach Chaiwimol’s Drama Gem

I am now a fan of Director-Screenwriter-Producer Aof Noppharnach Chaiwimol and will watch out for his future projects. I noticed that if Noppharnach is given helm of his projects, we get gems like Dark Blue Kiss, Bad Buddy and A Tale of a Thousand Stars… First off, I read in other reviews that there is a problem in continuity of the previous Kiss series and DBK. I think the producers gave Noppharnach the freedom to adjust the script so he can work his magic. And he did not disappoint.

I find DBK a light drama which touches the heart. But there are so many lessons that we might think unimportant, but small details that everyone can learn to further understand our lgbtq siblings. This is also a good watch for parents. Sex and Sexuality can be difficult topics, so these talks are better done early on with the kids so they become proud mature individuals.

DBK could have been a heavy dramatic series but Director Noppharnach chose not to do so. Which is a relief coz not all problems need to crush our world. I love how Kao, the seemingly timid half of Pete-Kao duo, handled his multitude problems. He is stoic and continued with living. He did not have a dramatic breakdown because his relationship of 3 years is falling apart. No TharnType moments. This is strength and maturity. Problems come and go, it is how you deal with them that shows your character.

I am now a fan of New and Tay. I used to wonder why Earth-New did not push through. Now I know why. The chemistry of New and Tay hands down beat Earth-New in Water Boyzz. Probably because of the director. Noppharnach is a master in shipping his romantic pairs: NewTay (DBK), EarthMix (AToTS), PranPat (BadBuddy). In DBK, it was a delight to watch the other relationships: Sun-Mork, Rain-Manow, brothers + bestfriend/boyfriend Rain-Sun-Mork. Everyone had great chemistry including the original gang from the Kiss series. And the parents, the usually forgotten and set aside people who have great influences in our protagonists, are given their time to shine (or sink). Then who would forget the brat but tragic looking-for-love Non. Viewers probably want to hug him due to his age but beat his butt with a big stick so he’ll learn his lesson. The three pairs with their individual backstories were all fluidly conveyed. A lot of romance between our established couple, and hopeful sweet moments with our budding pairs. No dramatics when not necessary.

Needless to say, this particular series will be watched multiple times by this reviewer.

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Finally understand why everyone loves this show

I had been putting of watching this, because I couldn't get through Kiss me again. But it was worth it! I basically binge-watched the whole show and enjoyed every second of it.

I especially love how this show wasn't scared to talk about important queer topics and did so kindly. For example when Rain basically outed Mork to his girlfriend, it wasn't a big deal to them, but Mork called him out on it anyways and educated his friend (and the viewers).
And Pete's Dad and Kao's Mum deserve parents of the year awards! I wish every parent would love their child unconditionally like this <3

This show made me truly happy and will forever be one of my favorites!

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Love it

I love this drama for how mature it is, it reminds me a lot of a telenovela, even the intro has that kind kd vibe! Sometimes i did get frustrated with the lack of communication between pete and kao and the sometimes aggressively possessive moments they had. I love the fact that they talked abou the more tough parts of their lives like not being ready to come out to the world even though your s/o is getting tired of waiting. Regarding sunmork, they have easily become one of my favorite couples in a bl series, i just love podd and gawin, their chemistry is so on point and their story was heartwarming.

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It was amazing

The drama was light hearted but not too much, there was just the right amount of comedy and it did have moments that had you sitting up with all your attention on the drama going on. Let’s not forget the sexual tension that had everyone waiting for Pete jumping koa and vice-versa.


Now I’ve watched a ton of bl’s including 2gether, Sotus, Why R U, 2 moons and so on. While I loved it nothing compared to this, there was something about this pairing that just did it for me especially Pete, it’s like I felt his emotions.

They had an amazing chemistry though Pete needs to work on his trust issues but Koa seems to have no problem with his possessiveness which can get out of hand sometimes. I’ve seen this series for almost a year now but I never watched it until now cause the description didn’t do it justice and made it look like any other cliche bl which was far from that.

My best bl couple was Sarawat and Tine but Kao and Pete have the tittle now, the only thing I was disappointed about was the lack of hot scenes, although they were always at it but they often just say it nothing was really shown which is a shame cause like I stated earlier on their chemistry is off the charts. I felt sad when it ended cause I wanted to see more of them and i hope I meet this pairing in another bl drama.

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Cute, fun, intimate. And the side couple!

Disclaimer: I haven't watched Kiss Me yet. I started from here 'cause I got curious of TayNew chemistry and I must say I wasn't disappointed.

It starts with Pete being mad jealous about Non, who is handsome, popular, rich and looks everyone from his pedestal. Yet, when Kao meets Non, he's just a flirty student of his. He doesn't get much bothered about him; to Kao, Non is just money (and the son of his mom's very intimidating boss). From the start, we get that what Kao does with Non, it influences his mom's work. Yet, Pete asks his boyfriend to stop tutoring the kid. At first I was SO MAD, and it was the most toxic move Pete could make. During all the drama we get the tension about the "Non" topic, how the characters can't stand the taboo, and the lies. Yet, we see how in love they are with each other. They both make the most unbearable wrongs, and both of them learn from that. I loved how the table turns in the end, I suffered with Kao when Non reveals himself as he is. I love them as a couple, how smooth everything was and how the concerns of both of them is valid. Credit points to Pete and Kao's friends who support the couple and help them open up.

Sun and Mork. omg, sun and mork. the way I suffered with their fights and overjoyed with them. They need a whole drama.

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If you're looking for fluff, you're in the wrong place...

I feel like I have watched a different show from everyone else because I actually really, really loved this? and binged it within a day…?
To start off, this show is more on the mature side, so if you’re looking for fluff or if you’re here for cutesy BL moments DBK is probably not the show for you. I feel like nowadays BL shows have veered into a different type of cinematography (sometimes aiming for spectacularity over substance) while this one stays focused on the characters and their growth, the plot heavily driven by their interactions (although there are some serious scenographic shots/lovely scenes scattered around), therefore there are little to no flat moments.

Overall the characters feel genuine and not like some caricature as it often happens in more comedic shows, most of the actors are able to deliver their intentions convincingly without overdoing it. This is my first time watching TayNew and I’m honestly impressed by their performance? Especially for Tay, I feel like Pete had less screen time than Kao but every time he’s on the scene he manages to steal the spotlight from the others with his fierceness and his charisma. Yes, we can argue that Pete is very intense, hothead and often unreasonable, but in my opinion a “””bad””” person does not necessarily make for a bad character. In his case it’s quite the opposite. (And props to sweet Kao as well, my boy can be dense but he’s just doing his best!)

Usually I’m not a fan of contents with established relationships but DBK was able to keep me hooked - I was actually obsessed - with the magnetic portrayal of PK love story, the show was able to sell them as an authentic (gay) couple. Like, the chemistry is chemistrying. They flirt, they argue, they make up, they have a healthy sex life, they support each other and are each other’s best friend above all, they respect each other’s families and push each other to grow and become better persons. It may seem like their relationship is a bit unbalanced but that feels authentic to me as well. To quote the show, in a relationship you can’t always split the bill evenly, as loving does not come with receipts and people are, by nature, flawed. You-give-me-this-I-give-you-that-and-we-are-even does not work in real life!

On the other hand, we get to witness a fiery second couple flourish. Although their acting is not as flavourful as the main leads, I was actually enthralled by their charming arc and, at times, loved it just as much. After all, hate-to-love relationships never fail to deliver!
[Side note, but as I happened to watch Be My Favourite, Not Me and Dark Blue Kiss is this exact order, it was entertaining seeing Gawin’s acting going backwards from his charming portrayal of Pisaeng to his rookie representation of Mork. At this point, sad-closeted-gay-boy is his trademark lol.]

Beside great characterisation (remarkably Rain, Pete’s father and Kao’s mother are awe-inspiring personalities), as I mentioned DBK managed to engage me because it deals compellingly with mature topics of family and relationship dynamics, personal growth and acceptance, fear of meeting expectations and peer pressure, social issues like power structures, middle class struggles, lgbtqia+ rights, the contrast between earned respect and curtesy imposed by authority, and many other. Personally, I believe the show does a spectacular job at portraying real life issues in such a poignant, uplifting and nuanced way.

Spoiler Alert in parentheses!
[Some of my favourite moments were:
- Pete’s dad being so open and accepting with Pete sexuality to the point of approaching him to verify whether he is practicing safe seggs with Kao (the condoms lmao).
- Kao caving in and telling his mother he won’t be tutoring Non any longer, only after she told him she would finally get a promotion. That was kind of heartbreaking… My poor hardworking, family boy. :(
- Rain and Mork being the best of friends and being so supportive and understanding of each other; Rain standing up to Sun by demanding that he owns up to his mistakes and apologises to Mork about his paternalistic and proud behaviour. Go bestie!
- Pete and Kao domesticity after they reconcile. <33333]

So, is the story worth a watch? In my opinion, definitely.
I may be biased because I kind of love a bit of spice and controversy, but DBK is able to deliver just the right amount to keep the story going without dragging pointless misunderstandings into dreary melodrama. Sh*t happens and these boys are just stubborn! But they come around in the end!! :))

As I feel there is a tendency to disregard older BL shows for the sole reason of being kind of old-fashioned, I’m glad I actually give this one a shot and found an hidden gem, as it was very easy to get into the story and catch up with the plot, despite not having watched the previous instalments. DBK aims for straightforward rather than grandiose, but its message remains timeless and manages to drive its point home touchingly and convincingly.

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Worth watching, but not the best BL

I binge-watched this series in two days and must say I enjoyed watching it. The ups and downs of two couples was really interesting to see, but other than that there was nothing new in the story line: the campus setting, hanging out with friends, family dinners, jealousy. I found the cafe setting more interesting showing how the cafe owner/barista's passion towards coffee making, coffee tasting scenes, and going to the country side to buy coffee beans. I also loved the part that shows how two different single parents just unconditionally loved and understood their gay sons, and supported their sons' relationships.

Pete's possesiveness was really annoying. Also Kao's fear and hesitating to simply talk and explain the truth (to Kao, to the school director, to his friends) made me feel like I wanted to slap him and say: come on , Kao, just say it. But obviously these characteristics are what made the story move. Bravo to Tay and New's acting.

I also love the songs at the end of each episode (lyrics included), but the background music on some scenes were a little bit distracting. Some of the music beat doesn't quite match the mood or emotion being portrayed in the scene.

However, overall I like this drama series.

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