I Told Sunset about You (2020)

"CAN I ASK YOU FOR ONE THING: DO NOT DISAPPEAR"

Such a beautiful story.

I only watched this series in January 2023 (together with its sequel I Promised You the Moon). I have seen the title mentioned on Youtube as a must-watch BL series in 2020, and just found it on Netflix earlier this week. I binge-watched all 10 episodes and could only say: wow, what a beautiful story line. You get to see all the struggles and anxiety that young people experience as they grow up, the awkwardness, confusion and strong yearning you feel when you fall in love with someone, and the struggles, and often times denial, you have growing up gay. But what is more beautiful is the way friendship (including animosity and mixed feelings) between the two boys was portrayed, besides romance and a little bit of eroticism.

The cinematography was superb. I loved the Phuket scenery (and still wish to go there), the shophouses, the Chinese temple/shrine and a glimpse of the Chinese-Thai culture in Phuket, scenes at both Teh's and Oh's houses, the Chinese language classroom, the cafes where the boys hang out, and of course the beach and ocean. One of the best scenes I liked was when young Oh was performing martial arts in the play, while young Teh did complementary movements backstage. This was so beautifully done. Love it so much.

There were also some symbolism and beliefs that were well-portrayed. Using your left foot on your first step (never knew about this belief), the scent of coconut and the red hibiscus all has deeper meaning which I can't describe, but loved it anyway.

I also just found out that Billkin and PP were the ones who sang most of the songs in the soundtrack. So cool.

Although sometimes the silence between the two boys can be a bit too long, I still loved the way the two boys interact with each other, even as they fight, they're still cute and you know that deep down inside they love each other. Surprisingly, Oh is the one who is more daring to expose his feelings compared to Teh (also in the sequel, Oh is somewhat more mature than Teh, in terms on how he sees his life moving on).

Other characters were also well-portrayed. The typical, proud Asian mother (hope I am not stereotyping), the loving, caring and understanding brother (also he may seem aloof at times), and Bas, the rival boyfriend who turned out to be such a sweet boy (could not help wondering what would happen to him after this).

Overall, I can only say I loved this series and just rewatched it last night (and am going to rewatch I Promised You the Moon later, after I write a review for that one). I also noticed that most reviews here gave ITSAY a straight 10 overall :-)

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Fabulous and hidden gem of bl series 2020

Seriously what’s wrong with the YouTubers where bl fans upload tons of bl series mix because this video never reached to me since 2020? How did I even missed this hidden gem and was watching bullshit bl drama and ending up in middle of the series … guys let me tell you please do watch this series so emotional and realistic how they both sacrificed to each other I love it and there is season 2 gonna start with that on next weekend finished this series within a day may be because of 5 episodes we couldn’t see story goes slowly but still it was good at maximum not some stupid college dramas this was wholesome straight boy and gay boy , career , sacrifices , friendship ,family really a good series and acting was so good please don’t go after only handsome boys and say good acting these male leads also good looking and great acting but never saw this couple anywhere in social media I hope they get more exposure and success in their series career all the best team and please other bl directors learn from this director how story and acting shud be not only based on bad scenes but also good emotional moments well done to whole team thumps up

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ENEMIES TO LOVERS EXCELLENCE

This bl drama has everything a bl drama should have! Story and acting were top notch! I usually don’t write reviews and infact this is the first time I’m writing a review because I just couldn’t stop myself from writing a review for this.

Starting of this drama has a really very different vibe from other Thai drama that I have seen it is so aesthetically pleasant. Angst at its best!

Talking about acting it was great!

The story I’ll say it was nothing out of box or extremely unique but it’s simplicity makes it so beautiful!

All I’ll have to say is if you don’t watch this drama then you’re missing out on a really good drama and when I say really good it is REALLY GOOD

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Rollercoaster of emotions

I have never come across such a perfect BL series before. Be it the cinematography, the story line, the main cast - everything touched my heart. The near kiss moments had me eating right out of the director's hand. I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, feeling same emotion as the boys did. I felt hurt when Oh felt hurt. I felt anxious when Teh felt anxious. There was not a moment in the drama that I would go back and replace with something else. Every moment was precious. The pauses throughout the series helped build the tension. While I am not a fan of slow burn, this one definitely had me thinking other wise. The character development was immense. To be able to feel so many emotions at once, I think this series was a gift in disguise of carefully crafted imagery.

After watching so many BL series, I thought nothing could surprise me anymore. But subtle scenes and without much kinship, this series went on to show that excellent acting and music can make anything magical. Coming to the acting, I think both guys were on point. The emotions were so intense, every time they stared at each other, the way they understood each other without the need of words - in my mind I was yelling, "Crescendo crescendo crescendo." And as if I wasn't already enamored by those two, I think the rest of the cast did an excellent job too. The way Tarn was portrayed and the symbolical meaning behind the hibiscus, I could feel in her shoes what it might have felt like to see the person you liked so much not suddenly not return the same feelings anymore. I loved the addition of background music at each place. Every time the beats became faster, even without anyone telling I knew something was about to happen. Then at some point the music would just leaving nothing but silence in its wake. I think that helped intensify our feelings as a viewer >.<

Frankly, I actually didn't know such a series existed. It was a chance encounter through one of the review forums where I saw the name and just by hearing the title alone, I was eager to watch it. And I am so glad it did. The story is a roller coaster of emotions. I cried so hard when Oh asked his parents if they were proud of him. I think as a child, acceptance from your parents is the biggest support one can ask for. There is nothing more valuable than being accepted by the people around you for who you are. Asking for acceptance can be scary. But realization is scarier. The fact that Oh openly posted his pic in lingerie and then deleting it within seconds tapped on a touchy subject. Or the fact that Teh jerked off to the same. Damn! They subtly touched over quite deep concepts and it didn't feel awkward at all. The flow of things was uncharacteristically natural.

I feel this series deserves much more than 8.4 on MDL. And I heard there is a second season to it. So goodbye! Thank you for reading my line of thoughts (I know I am bore people out of their minds sometimes but who cares!) I am off to my next station!

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A beautifully told story

This just gives realism. Even though the character Teh is hella dramatic, it still feels realistic. The miscommunications were not a mere trope and plot tool. The writing expressed relatable ways in which people can be. They may say one thing and do another. And two people with the closeness of these two main characters are often left reading into the actions of the other, so that the truth of their relationship is much deeper than what ithers hear or see. There is a connection underneath it all that requires understanding, and the conflict comes when that understanding falters.

I thought the actors pulled it off quite beautifully. Even the music had a lit of great moments. The cinematography was also beautiful, romantic and melancholy.

Nice series.

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Get a piña colada to watch this.

The series was honestly long overdue for me to watch, but I kept avoiding it because of the "alleged trauma" it brings—I never wanted to start! The first thing that caught my attention was that they used different actors to portray the characters as children, which helped emphasize the growth of the characters. Teh and Oh-aew are a realistic portrayal of the teenage experience. Episode 3 was such a beautiful journey of self-discovery mixed with trauma. Oh-aew is my hero. I feel like he already knew that his feelings for Bas were just fleeting lust. He was so honest and brave about his emotions; he didn’t express these feelings openly, but he knew they weren't as deep as what he felt for Teh.

I tried not to be too frustrated with Teh, because I felt he was the one struggling the most with understanding and accepting his sexuality. But he was definitely playing too much with both Oh-aew’s and Tarn’s feelings. Despite this, both characters were relatable, and the actors did an extraordinary job. However, I have to say they both cry in a way that isn’t exactly pretty!

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Well made and well acted but a little uneven

The series accomplishes a lot. It remains engaging and enjoyable even though we mostly watch the mistakes and missteps of high school students trying to manage their first romantic relationsihps. It's all drama with very little time spent watching anyone enjoy eachother's companionship, but it works. The attention to detail in portraying life in the baba/straits chinese community in Phuket well exceeds what one typically sees in a television series, and it helps give the series a background depth that supports the narrative by vignette storytelling style. The acting is generally good overall, although this being a series there are the occasional moments of under-realized and manneristic characterizations.
The writing is a bit uneven and in places seems to be inconsistent. E.g. Teh and Oh become estranged later in the series after Oh more or less tells Teh the friendship is over. Oh stops returning Teh's calls. And yet towards the end we find Oh asking Teh not to dissappear again.
The main theme music is quite an earworm, and Billkin's performance of it is very well sung and produced.

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It is a well-made BL drama.

This drama was often recommended whenever I looked up Thai dramas, so I decided to watch it to see why it seemed so popular.

I was surprised by the fact that it was only 5 episodes, but because of the short number of episodes, every episode was substantial, filled with emotions yet not exaggerated, things happened fast and not draggy, I didn't feel bored a single moment.

Everyone in the drama acted very well, especially the main leads, despite being relatively young. Teh, one of the main leads, is only 22 years old. Of course, him being only 22 years old, I did not expect perfect acting, but it was good enough, really.

The chemistry between the two leads was also very good. I did not feel any awkwardness between them at all.

Basically, I do not have any negative comments to make about this drama. It was well-made. Details were well taken care of.

After completing this drama, I did not have enough of seeing the two leads' interaction (yes, it was that good), so I was pleasantly surprised to find the sequel 'I promised you the moon', which I will do a separate review on that drama review page.

I have to add, the OST of this drama gives a nostalgic vibe to this drama filmed in Phuket, fits the drama to a T.

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Showing without needing to tell

The subtext is palpable.
The chemistry is electrifying.
The emotions are raw.

I gave this a 10 out of 10 rating before finishing the 3rd episode.

The last 2 episodes could be crap and it would still be 10 stars based on the 3 episodes alone. Of course i waited until i finished before sharing my review. But as expected, still a 10 out of 10.

Instead of seeing stereotypical TV-movie romantic characterizations, both characters act and react in ways you really identify with. Their actions and words always feel like something you've done or thought of doing in real life. They don't rely on conversations with side characters to understand what the leads are feeling. There is no exposition of their feelings. There's no voiceovers. There's no need for it. Their actions are enough to know and feel exactly what they're feeling.

With writing and acting like this, the storyline could be the most boring thing and it wouldn't matter. Tv shows like this let me know that any old plot can make an amazing watching experience if it's written and acted well.

Do yourself a favor and watch this.

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Stunning shots and a beautiful soundtrack

To start my review off, I'd like to say that I really enjoyed the story and it's realistic portrayal of the characters as humans - with flaws and negative traits. And yet, despite that it is one of the best romantic series that I've ever watched and it stands out among the many existing BL-series because of the masterful production, story writing and acting.
Another thing that I really liked was the music that often reflected the emotions that the characters were feeling, which in my opinion allowed the viewers to immerse themselves more in the scenes.
The cast did an amazing job, I praise both of the leads for beautifully portraying Teh and Oh-aew. I need to congratulate the actor, who played Teh on his effort to really embody the character. I loved all his quirks and mannerisms, they added to the realism. (The one small complain I have, would be that the he had a very specific sad-almost-crying face, that to me seemed very fake.)
Lastly, the remaining aspects that make me rate this series so highly - the choice of locations and stunning frames, as well as the color grading. The whole series is a beautiful experience and as a viewer I see how much effort was put into creating it.
(This review was written after my 2nd time watching this season and I'd say I like it even more now)

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