My Ride (2022)

What a wild ride

My succinct review: A cute show with adorable leads and pretty bland side couples. It has an amazing soundtrack and is really lighthearted most of the time and had me smiling even at the very end. It's not the most amazing revolutionary series, but it's something I don't think you'll regret watching as it's very entertaining and sweet. Don't be afraid to skip as some parts can drag on and it would have been less enjoyable if I endured every scene.

Also, gay uncle's!!! Yay for old gay people!

Now my rambling review:

I honestly would give this a higher score if it hadn't spent as much time on the side characters who I didn't dislike but didn't really care about. Other than Mork's uncles and his friends, it was a riot every time those guys were on screen. I love Nadia but her love story bored me. If you do skip, you won't miss anything important to the main plot as I don't even think the side couple knows the main couple outside of being vaguely coworkers. I did like that the actor who played the one that wasn't Boss was really good in this role because he's played cool, badass dudes in shows like Paint With Love and Unforgotten Night and I do not personally think that suits him. I really liked seeing him as a bratty kinda irresponsible guy who wore hoodies and skateboarded and probably paid to get through med school. Seriously how's he a doctor? What a guy.

I absolutely loved Mork and Tawan. They only frustrated me maybe 2 or 3 times which is pretty impressive! They were honestly a really sweet couple and any misunderstandings were resolved well and fast because they were mature about it and actually talked to each other. (The final misunderstanding was a bit more difficult but to be fair I cannot blame Tawan at all for reacting to what he saw especially after everything that happened.) Both of them are too kind for their own good and we're unfortunate enough to have bad exes who took advantage of and stepped all over that, but they're perfect together.

The music was amazing!!! I actually saved a lot of the instrumental tracks because I liked them so much (and was actually able to find them) It was really well done and even if the scores weren't made for the series originally they were still integrated really well.

There were a lot of pretty intense twists and turns in this which shocked me, as I was expecting all lighthearted silliness and not (spoiler!!!) a bloody shooting at a festival and a random son (/nephew). Like oh my god that had me feeling like I was going crazy. (Hence the wild ride tagline)

Mork's dimple (just the one :D) made this show worthwhile. I'm only kind of joking. Also there's the fact that he is named Mork and therefore already had a foot in the door to my heart. Tawan is an absolute cutie too. I hate his initial boyfriend and wish they hadn't spent quite so much time on him, but Mork punched his ass out so it's kind of okay.

The fact that Tawan said "I know I'm not good looking and I'm not good enough for you." And Pore said "Sometimes feelings are more important than reasons." As if he agreed with that nonsense??!! Tawan baby, buy yourself a mirror and some glasses you're so beautiful and deserve way better than Mr Pimple over there.

It was really interesting to me that they managed to give pretty bad advice but still have pretty good actions they took. They basically encouraged finding a rebound and settling which was odd because that's not even what was happening. Mork was infinitely better than Por, he just had less money. Three specific instances of weird advice were "Best way to get over someone is to find someone else as soon as possible.", "If the person of your dreams is out of reach try finding someone who isn't so exhausting to obtain.", and "Love doesn't really mean much in a relationship once you get old, it's more about honesty." that last one could've been a mistranslation where they meant passion more than love, but I don't know.
There were a few things that left a little bit of a sour taste in my mouth but the sweetness of the rest of the show overpowered them.

I liked the scenes with Khai as they were very cute, and I think it's hilarious that Mork asked Tawan to be Khai's other dad before they were even dating. Mork lives by lesbian dating rules apparently.
Bonus: Tawan's dramatic ass lying in the pouring rain after getting dumped. This led to one of the most respectful changing-unconscious-persons-clothes-because-they're-soaked scenes I've ever seen. Mork was panicked but in a sweet way because he didn't want to make it weird and even though he still did (blindfolding himself and then going "Ah! His nipple!") it wasn't creepy or super uncomfortable.

I think I could ramble about this show for a long time (clearly...) but my overall opinion is that it was very entertaining and super super cute.

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Enjoyable but average. Was hoping for more.

By far the best part of the show for me was the middle 4-5 or so eps. The beginning spent too much time on P'Por (honestly just too much P'Por all around) and the end was really lackluster. It felt like their relationship built slowly to this certain point of the first kiss then never grew beyond that for the rest of the series. That was the peak.

Since I mentioned it, I'm also disappointed with every kiss scene. I don't need a full make-out or anything but let me not see daylight peeking between their lips at least. Make solid contact. I'd rather see no kiss than these barely touching things. This really killed the chemistry in those parts for me because it seemed so artificial. I did think their chemistry was cute otherwise though they are not flashy or intensely passionate.

The idea that none of the characters were anyone amazing, just normal people living their lives made the story seem a lot more realistic than the typical BL tropes. The slowburn was nice but after a certain point felt too same-y, and tho I liked the characters there wasn't much character growth either. I had looked forward to this series a lot and though there were things I liked about it they were not stand outs, leaving the whole thing feeling rather average.

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Older gays! The show has older gays!!!

For me, the highlight of the show was the older gay couple. I haven't come across a show that would portray an older gay couple so this was very exciting for me. Especially since one of the older guys is 66 years old (in real life). I am so glad that they included this couple and showed their backstory as well, where they both were in a heterosexual relationship before and their love developed from the long friendship that they had before. It was truly beautiful to include that.

I was a bit annoyed by the fact that all the doctors in the show are not really that smart. Maybe they are just book smart but they lack social skills. May it be Tawan, Deer, Boss, or Por, none of them have any good communication skills sadly.

Mork on the other hand is a sensible and a really down-to-earth guy. He has seen the struggle in life, he has been through the pain and suffering that comes with life at a really early age. Even though his age in the show is not told but he is younger than Tawan who is 28. He started raising his nephew when he was 18 and has been supporting him financially since then. The way he talks is so humble and treats everyone the same way. He teases his friends and loved ones and makes lame jokes to make everyone feel at ease. One of the best characters I have seen in a while. He reminds me of Ae (from Love by Chance).

One of the things that I liked about the show was that no one was extremely rich. Tawan's family is well-to-do but that wasn't shown till the last episodes. The theme in most BLs where one or both of the main leads are extremely rich was getting really old. This was mostly just 2 regular guys who found their way to each other after facing a few obstacles.

Although we all hate Dr. Por, I do agree with one thing that he said. If it really takes a lot of effort from one of both sides of the couple to be together so much that it is straining the relationship, then maybe they are not meant to be together. Of course, something like this cannot be said as a general statement as each individual and each couple is different and their story is unique but from a personal standpoint, I agree with it.

As the last thing, I am glad that they had a trans character as well to ask the question, "Do you love the person or their gender?"

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A GOOD ONE TO PASS THE TIME WITH!

What can I say, it has all the traits I find as a wonderful story. Something different than a uni student x uni student, or uni student with someone older. It was fun to see something out of the university setting where both ML are working!
The story was great in my opinion. It was smooth, has good slow, and the friendship developing between the two lead was also great! It wasn't suuuuper force, as they did became friends at first.

BOTH leads are loveable, as well as Morks' friends (honestly the mvp lol). Mork is such a sweetheart and I want to protect him at all cost, along with Tawan. I could understand why Tawan was having a hardtime wanting to accept the truth about his BF two timing him - probably because it's his first relationship (if I'm not wrong) and that person is his crush from a long time ago. Who wouldn't get heartbroken and be in denial when knowing the one who idolize and love so much to suddenly became a bad person? (Though I would admit it is a liiiiittle annoying how long it took him to finally accept it XDD)

I LOVE how there is near no conflict between the MLs, only at the last episode where Tawan misunderstood Mork, thinking he would get back with his ex girl. But even so, that wasn't that long/bad of a scene. Good thing it wasn't half the series or something like that. Most of the time is just fluff between them and it's ADORABLE.

NOT TO MENTION THE DIMPLE. THE DIMPLE WAS SUPERIOR! HAHAH

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Easily my favorite Thai BL that started airing in 2022

Though it’s not what I’m here for, can I give a 10/10 for Mork’s dimpled smile? It may not seem relevant, but I find the expressions of Fluke, the actor playing Mork, rather natural and suitable for the character. Fame, who plays Tawan, only gets to shine more in the last two episodes due to his emotional ups and downs, but he does quite an impressive job.

What I liked a lot:
(1) Tawan and Mork as the main couple. Their love story is simple but sweet. Mork has been jilted by his girlfriend while Tawan’s boyfriend is cheating on him. Mork soon befriends Tawan, the doctor who gets rides from him. Tawan’s feelings for Mork develop later in the story, but, interestingly, we don’t see Mork being jealous even as the man he has fallen for is in a relationship with someone else. Instead, he is very protective of Tawan’s feelings and doesn’t want him to be upset. Tawan’s affections for Mork are not sudden even though he only makes a clean break with his boyfriend quite late in the series. We see the gradual changes in him, changes that he himself may not be aware of.

(2) The inclusion of Mork’s uncles, an older gay couple. They are humorous and cute, an interesting departure from the usual focus on young couples in BL. They are not the main characters, but they have a nice presence in the story, serving as a positive influence on Mork even though they may often squabble.

Some Flaws:
(1) The Toy/Boss side couple is cute but doesn't really fit in with the Tawan/Mork story. Compare it with the couple formed by Mork's uncles. The uncles integrate better with the Tawan/Mork story as they talk to him about his feelings for Tawan. While Toy and Boss work in the same hospital as Tawan, their story doesn't really intersect with the Tawan/Mork story. I guess casting Yoon as Toy adds some star power to the series, but I wish the character had been better integrated into the main story.

(2) Inconsistencies/continuity issues with the portrayal of Mork’s feelings. The production could have been more meticulous here. Mork seems to vacillate between being aware of his own feelings for Tawan and being unaware of it. In one scene, Mork's friend warns him about being hurt if his feelings are not reciprocated, and he even avoids Tawan when the latter goes to him for a ride. Then in a later scene (Episode 7), Mork seems genuinely surprised when his uncles talk about his feelings for Tawan, behaving as though he is unaware of his own feelings (and not just denying it in front of others).

A controversy:
(1) Apparently the character of Nadia, Tawan’s best friend, is supposed to be a male character. I think any decision about keeping the character as male or changing the character to be female is going to stir controversy. Given the relative lack of attention on the character, it would be hard to portray with sensitivity a male gay man who isn’t conventionally masculine, and this could lead to comments that the character is used for laughs, stereotypical, etc. On the other hand, changing the character into a female character could raise questions about the invisibility of men who are not conventionally masculine even in stories about people in gay relationships.

Personally, I can respect the decision to turn Nadia’s character into a straight woman, and I think she gets a little too much hate for not accepting Mayom’s love. It’s partly miscommunication–she isn’t sure if she can accept Mayom’s love, but it’s not like she is not giving it a serious thought.

Overall:
The story of Tawan and Mork is nicely done, and I think taking away unnecessary distractions like the Boss/Toy side couple could have allowed the two main characters and their relationship to be depicted with more nuance. The story of the main couple is quite simple, but it is a simple story nicely executed in many ways. I don’t get the feeling that the Fame/Fluke pairing is going to have legions of fans who obsess over and fantasize about them (unlike say, Max/Tul, Mew/Gulf, Earth/Mix), but it is just as well. They have done their jobs well enough and they don’t have to feed people’s fantasies beyond their roles.

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Cute, Soft, Fluffy, No Toxic Family/Elders

TBH I had heard about this series a year ago (I think?) and I did wait for the series after loving the book, but I wasn't particularly that invested in this series as I was with the other series that were also released in this quarter.

But to be fair, once I got started, I felt like this was a breather after all the heavy drama that the recent Thai BL dramas that came out had us all grabbing for our undies for.
There was no toxic, homophobic parents.
There was no gender prejudiced public
There was no phenomenal, dramatic plot twists and mind-boggling climax... and yet the plot progression was still hooking the viewers in the most fluffy way possible, and by no means boring.
I also love the main lead's parental influences to be so open-minded and wise and still gave us the childish coupley character that you can't help but adore...
it was all fluffy and lemony and although not a perfect portrayal of reality, logic and common sense, it was a much needed breather from all those heavy BL tropes.

The acting was average. but appropriate enough for the type of energy the series was trying to go about... I just felt a little iffy about the acting of the one who played Por... he felt stiff with his character emotion-wise.

Fame can work on his crying expressions, since it felt forced at times... he did good, his sad scenes did make me cry but the wailing made it sound like he's pretending to cry (I mean, he is, since he's acting, but) I mean, it ruins the build up of emotion from an audience's stand point, so I think he can definitely work on it. But other than that Fame did a very good job! His acting was moving and relatable.

Fluke also did an exceptional job on acting, his eyes really draws you to the emotion that's being portrayed. And, good lord, his dimple smile is lethal. Not to mention his visuals, it just becomes a national crime when he smiles (p//v//q) staaahp... Of course, he wasn't just looks, his acting was just as good as his looks. No doubt.

Also it would've been nice if their kiss was a little deeper than just the touching of lips, but the intimacy was not diminished nevertheless... They probably wanted to stick on the kind of romanticism from the book, or are not comfortable enough to take it a step further, which I totally understand... It didn't make the scenes any less romantic anyway so it's forgivable, I guess ~

The sound engineering and OSTs also helped a lot in the entire series. It helped build up tension, emotion and even emphasis on scenes than neede to be emphasized. There was no dull, awkwards moment because the bgm and effects make up for it...

In conclusion, this was cliché but it was a very captivating

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Cute and pretty series

With "cute and pretty" I mean that it's a mostly fluffy series with a good production. It captured my attention from the very beginning and I didn't struggle to finish at any moment, so it's great for whoever wants to take a break from more dramatic and tense shows.

The plot is not one of the most original, but its execution made it stand out a lot. The multiple parallels between Tawan and Mork made me very curious to see how would the two get closer over time and what would their dynamic look like, and I have to say I wasn't disappointed. Both Tawan and Mork are sweet souls, two men who are ready to help the people around them no matter what, even at the cost of neglecting themselves, and I really liked how they slowly became each other's safe space.
What I wish was done better is the overall message of the storyline. The material was right there for the writers to grasp and use, but they seemed to prefer cliché situations and tropes instead. While I didn't mind the cute and romantic moments, I couldn't help feeling like it was a waste of good material in the end.
The secondary couples were cute, but to be entirely honest they didn't stand out to me all that much. Boss and Toy's dynamic wasn't really my cup of tea (I felt like Boss was being forced to get out of his comfort zone for no real reason other than Toy's personal satisfaction, on top of the usual "being an introvert is bad" message), As for Nadia and Mayom, I felt like their story just sort of... happened? Nothing caught my eye about them.
Something that I really want to mention is how much I liked Yoon's performance here. The contrast with his character in Unforgotten Night is very strong, it made him stand out to me a lot as an actor. The same goes for Ging: this is the first series where I don't see her as the evil love rival/antagonist, so I was really happy to see her as a warm and supportive friend of the main character for once.

If you like fluff and cheesy romance and don't mind the lack of passionate love scenes and kisses, this is for you!

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Hop on, I'll take you anywhere you want to go!

This show was such a delightful surprise.
Many Thai dramas tend to fall on the raunchier side of the spectrum (which is not necessarily a bad thing, mind you) so this story made for a delightful change of pace. It is almost entirely character driven rather than plot driven and really takes the time it needs to develop everyone's personal character arcs fully, never rushing yet never slowing down either.
There are no sudden plot twists, no dramatic misunderstandings (at least none that don't get resolved almost immediately via the revolutionary method of Clear Communication) and at 10 episodes the story is perfectly paced.

I especially loved the show's varied depictions of queer people's lives. This is the first time I've seen an elderly queer couple depicted in a drama and I am so grateful for their inclusion here. Not only do those two serve as an endless well of support and advice for Mork and company, they are also plenty fun to watch just on their own.
Mork's tentative steps towards exploring his sexuality are incredibly lovely to watch and pleasantly devoid of any "gay for you" nonsense (although I did at one point find myself swearing at the screen for someone to just say the word "bisexual" already)
I also deeply appreciated the show's approach to Tawan's character who, while entirely comfortable and certain in his sexuality, is still new to relationships and physical intimacy and refuses to do anything but going at his own pace.
Given how, in depictions of relationships where one person is just discovering they may not be entirely straight, it's usually the openly queer person who is more assertive and sexually experienced, this was a refreshing twist on a well-established dynamic.

In short: If you're looking for a calm, low-drama show with good acting, a great cast of supporting characters, and a pleasantly diverse range of queer characters, then this one is for you.

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Above average series

This Thai project pleasantly caressed my soul and even though it was not completely perfect, it left a small mark on me. The story is interesting, the acting is good, the music is great in the last parts of some scenes (I don't mean the opening song). And now he has a subtle critique. The main pair of Tawan-Mork, in addition to looking very good, said it nicely, the "something" there was felt, but physically worth the old white and their "kisses" behind the foul word, the director is apparently blind and deaf. The second pair of Toy-Boss was completely artificial for me, even though the ending was too sweet. As a senior doctor, Boss didn't sit well with me, he was too young (20), while his "trainee" Toy, who was studying with him, was actually 28 years old, and his make-up was further enhanced by combing a tall "helmet" from his hair, so he looked like wax doll from the Madame Tussauds Museum. Here, with this pair, the creators did not come across a choice of actors and the types they played. In the hetero pair, I enjoyed the symposium barista Mayom, who is really a doctor in civilian clothes, so it's funny to me that a 20-year-old boy plays an experienced doctor and a real doctor plays a hopscotch in a café. In this context, I was probably best impressed by the two older uncles in supporting roles, who played a great relationship with them for many years.

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The best ride right into my heart

What a sweet drama this is. If you like a slow burn filled with swoon-like moments, this is it.
The whole time i was watching this 10 episode series, i could not help but just feel my heart squeezing at the heartbreaking moments and being filled with joy and warmth in the romantic ones.
It's just sad that it's so short. I think that if it had one more maybe the relationships would have more space to be developed and not feel as rushed (not talking about the main couple tough).
The acting was not the greatest in some parts, but nothing too bad that would be make someone question attittudes or anything like, just felt a little... awkward(?); and that still doesn't feel like the right word for it, but the closest i could thing off.
Anyway, it was nice ride, no, the best ride i had and it is one i can repeat again when i miss it.
Totally worth it.

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Fluffy love story served well by a straightforward plot

Spanning 10 episodes, the series wastes no time with convoluted subplots and complex characters. It is served well by a straightforward plot with a healthy sprinkle of fluffy moments. And dimples.

Despite their vastly different social backgrounds, Tawan and Mork somehow find a soulmate in each other. But then there are nagging doubts – Mork, a lowly-educated taxi rider, questions if he could ever deserve someone like Tawan because he isn’t as educated or wealthy.

In Southeast Asia, motorcycles are generally perceived to be of a lower status to cars but this notion adds to the charm and romanticism of the plot. There is something wildly intimate about motorcycle rides set against the backdrop of a city’s nightscape as 2 people cruise into an unknown future. Motorcycle = the real wingman.

My Ride is classic rom-com material in this respect, mostly glossing over the potentially thorny issue of class using a magic solution called love. It is a classic tale about how the right person was always right by our side. Best illustrated by this quote in the series: “Sometimes we don’t need the best person, just someone who’s best for us.”

Full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2022/04/20/my-ride-2022-review-fluffy-love-story-with-a-dose-of-dimples/

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