Magnificently made!
I like to highlight the title first. It is very catchy, it’s like telling a story already just by it’s title. Compelled by stories of childhood friendships, family and teenage romance to failing relationships, confusing identities to reconcialition of hearts makes this whole drama stand out.The plot gives me goosebumps, how they narrate the introduction, climax, the struggles and ending was indeed neat. I love how they build up the characters and they’re roles and tell each of their story.
The actors were really good. I always cry to the role of Billkin. The way he portrayed his character was somehow over the limit. Never have I ever seen a Thai actor acted like the way he did in this series. I was awed, bravo! Praise as well to PP for justifying his role.
I love the music as well especially how Billkin sings. His voice is somehow mesmerizing. I am looking forward for its second season.
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JUST WOW
Before I start, let me say that if you haven't watched this, YOU NEED TO RIGHT NOW. It is literally amazing, beautiful, and I'm someone who doesn't give out tens easily when it comes to rating BLs. This is one of three series that I've given a 10/10 (the other two are The Untamed and History3 Trapped). Originally, I only gave it a 9.5/10 but then it stuck with me. I kept thinking about it after I had finished and I kept thinking about wanting to give it a 10. So, after watching the documentary, I gave in and changed my rating. Which, by the way, I gave the documentary a 10/10 too I think.OKAY LET'S START.
Story: I have no idea how to encompass all that is perfect about this series into one paragraph. The plot is perfect. The characters are perfectly developed. The cinematography is perfect. The writing is perfect. Literally everything is perfect. I love how they didn't use flashbacks to show what the characters were thinking about, they relied on the acting capability of the actors and trusted their viewer's intelligence enough to connect the dots. I love that you actually see them study and go to school (you have no idea how many university or high school centred BLs I've seen where you rarely see them actually studying lol). The plot itself is complex and so well executed. Everything is purposeful and the pacing is never slow. The relationships and friendships between the characters are well developed and just as complex. The story's portrayal of homosexuality and teenage desire is beautifully executed. You watch the characters struggle and go through many obstacles and you become so invested in them. A side note; I loved the incorporation of Chinese in the script, editing, and storyline.
Acting/Cast: I didn't follow PP and Billkin before ITSAY. I never watched My Ambulance with them in it. But wow, was I missing out. Their acting is truly amazing. They gave everything to their roles without hesitation and really trusted each other (as well as their director). In the documentary, you see PP and Billkin supporting each other and using the other to get the right emotions for their scene. They play off each other so freaking well and have incredible chemistry. PP and Billkin each do a beautiful job at portraying every emotion their character is feeling. Their performances are truly impeccable. Not just them either, the entire cast was great. Including the child actors. They're the ones who grabbed my interest right away at the beginning of the series. I was invested from the moment I saw their emotional argument after the play. I also want to give special compliments to Khun (who played Bas) because he was absolutely amazing. I especially appreciated his talent after watching the documentary. That was his first cry scene ever and it didn't take him a lot to do it, he is such a natural actor.
Music: BEAUTIFUL UGH. I absolutely love the entire soundtrack. Billkin and PP are amazing singers - I could never get sick of their voices. I have all the songs on my favourites playlist and was just listening to them before writing this review.
Rewatch Value: I could rewatch this over and over without getting sick of it. I've said this in my other reviews, but I'm really not a rewatcher. I only rewatch things that either had a significant emotional impact on me or I haven't seen them in ages. (and they were good). I'm actually trying not to rewatch this already and I only finished it a few weeks ago. I'm so sad that the second part got postponed because of COVID but honestly, I would wait forever for it. I'm so freaking excited, you have no idea.
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Beautifully crafted
So i have watched thai bl's and some were good but many of their were either too Cliché or feels more like pure fan-servicing ( they have these nice body and faces so yeah anybody will feel attracted) but as i said there are still some good ones. But this particular series yeah THIS series just blown my mind , made my heart to come out from my chest and i made a puddle of my own tears . I was overwhelmed and still overwhelmed by this MASTERPIECE. It is not simply a bl but also shows the hard and truth reality of teen- life that many fail to show and accept ,But this piece did that it showed us and that what makes this piece a masterpiece . And the chemistry between oh aew and teh made me feel so many emotions that i love it from the bottom of my heart. This series raised the standard so high . I have never seen such a amazing thai bl , the story, the cast , cinematography, ost's , location, dialogues , set ... everything is just beautifully crafted . A chef's kiss.Was this review helpful to you?
A Run Towards Love
"You can't control what others think about you."This is definitely a top tier coming of age story. There is love, friendship, and most of all, plenty of angst to go around.
While there are many BL's out there that are fluffy and dish out a light dusting of angst, ITSAY takes the cake on the later and runs with it. The story of two boys who are growing into themselves, their feelings, and dreams rings too true and will hit close to home for many. The acting in ITSAY is phenomenal and I have no complaints on that front. This drama really confronts societal pressures and facing your own feelings head on. The cinematography was beautiful, and the shots in this were very pleasing.
If I'm being honest, the angst in ITSAY was a little heavy for my taste, but if you're a glutton for emotional punishment then this is definitely for you. I appreciated the lack of evil characters, and that the story mainly revolved around the two ML's. This is where the push and pull was heavy, but very character building between the two. Since there is very little outside pressure added to the mix, it allowed the viewer to focus more on the prominent chemistry with the leads. Though some scenes were filled to the brim with emotion and left me slightly uncomfortable, they captured the essence of growing pains to the fullest.
All in all, a good series, but definitely not a light one. I would recommend watching if you're looking for a BL with substance and beautiful cinematography.
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A masterpiece!
If this is your first BL, don’t see it! Because if you do, you will use this as your measuring tool for the rest of the BL shows that are out there. This is the best story I have ever seeing. The shots were incredible! The acting was on point! The story is so real that it must have being part of somebody’s life experience.Compare to other series endings, this one ended perfectly! You will not find sex scenes like others nor major kissing parts, but you will find a clear story of how love is born. I can tell you that there was so many scenes that made me cry like no other shows. But at the end, I was on my edge to finally hear what all the community is talking about. Finally, we have the answer that we all wanted to hear.
One hour is not enough for this series. It makes you want more. But Im really grateful, as many, that they decided to make the show this long.
Truly a masterpiece.
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My P.O.V.
Well i thought it was just some random bl since it was very short, but i swallowed that when i watched the first episode. At first you won't be able to have a grasp of the story since it's about their childhood, but that weird part was just a way in order to create a good flow for the plot. The acting was natural, the casting for the main were great, the colors, the music, the lines and the plot were all so related and was carefully directed. It totally blew off my expectations as i teared on the first episode and i felt genuine pain for the characters as the story goes by. This bl is an original and i have never watched a bl with a plot like this that was well-made... no... impressively-made and directed. They owned it. i will never regret watching this and i believe bl lovers wouldn't. i am looking forward for the season 2 and how they will continue the story.Was this review helpful to you?
The most artistic of all the Boy Love series
Everything is so nicely done in this series, the filming, the images, the color, the dialogues, the acting. It is so profound; it makes you think all the time and reflect about your own or other people real life experience. It is incredibly rich from so many points of view. The psychology of the coming out process has been very well analyzed and it is brought to the screen in a very clever and good way. We certainly look forward to part 2; in the meantime, we will rewatch all those great episodes. Congratulations to all!Was this review helpful to you?
A Very Authentic BL Drama
1) This was some of the best acting I've ever seen in a BL drama. I felt every emotion in my gut. The aura they conveyed was genuine. That's not an easy task for any actor to do. This was The Untamed level of emoting, ngl.2) Regardless of my personal feelings towards the choices each character made, the character directions were authentic, and the reasonings were valid.
3) The plot was intriguing and engaging. The dialogue was deeper than any Thai BL drama I've watched in a while. I think that the only comparable one would be OG S1 SOTUS, but the difference here is that this drama is focused solely on the OTP with supporting characters being just that, supporting. There are no secondary or tertiary stories within the base plot. I actually appreciated that, because, the script had enough engaging ideas about the OTP to drive the story forward without having to invest in other things in order to keep it from being boring and engaging to the viewers. That's the confidence of a good script.
I am truly happy there is going to be a Season 2 because a script like this deserves it, and I'm excited to see the character development between this OTP.
This drama shows what a BL could be if only a script writer, production staff, and actors invest in the quality. Count me impressed.
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THIS IS A MASTERPIECE.
I don't have so say so much just watch it. It will leave you in tears and wanting for more. ITSAY set the standards for Thai Series. The plot was actually very simple but the way it was told was majestic. Nadao Bangkok has been known in producing quality series and ITSAY was the best of them in my humble opinion. After watching, you would not only appreciate the actors who played their role in a way that will really hurt you but also the entire production team as they were able to bring a very cohesive story.Was this review helpful to you?
To be honest, this show is so real, so raw and often so on point in its portrayal of adolescent romance that parts of it were like an emotional suckerpunch; bringing back from the depths the confusion, insecurity, terror of rejection, that conflicting desire to find someone who is entirely yours without having to open yourself in return. All those floundering moments of our teenage years.
But since so much has already been said on how perfect this aspect of the show is, I'll instead take a detour to talk about how beautifully anchored in place I Told Sunset About You is. Unlike a lot of Thai BL that try to decontextualise the plot from the character's surroundings - creating a disjointed and often jarringly unrealistic fantasy (and often not a good one) - I Told Sunset About You is not just Thai, but Southern Thai. It's Phuket in all its melting pot glory. Who these characters are is inherently grounded in where they are and it's what makes the writing so fine and the characterisation so well-rounded.
While parts of I Told Sunset About You are difficult and uncomfortable to watch, the show truly is a wonderful exploration of falling in love but also embracing bravery in that love. And those lessons are as important for straight relationships as they are for gay ones. And in the end, that's what makes it such a great little show. Because we will all recognise ourselves, for better or for worse, in these characters. Even in those moments when we don't want to. And the universality is what turns this from a good show to a great show.
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A new standard for romance / BLs - a masterpiece
I actually signed up for an account just to write a review for this. That is just how amazing this production was.STORY
This isn't your typical coming-of-age drama/movie. Most dramas tend to follow the same plotline of "straight guy falls in love with gay guy, finally has an epiphany and gets together" troupe. However, ITSAY adds an additional layer, as it deals with what most people struggling with their sexuality feel in their lives: denial, the inability to discuss this issue with family, societal pressures of marriage and being a "good son". ITSAY gives justice to all these issues and brings hope to watchers who may be facing the same issues. Really well-written script, tugs the heartstrings, giving the romance while also dealing with these issues. Very well done and amazing analogies and hidden symbols. Brings in so many more layers to the story.
Also, can I just say that it not only has the most beautiful kiss scene but even without any kiss, you can feel the yearn and desire Teh and Oh-aew had for each other. It's just so beautiful.
ACTING
Every actor gave their all in this series and it can be seen. There are many emotional scenes but every actor/actress managed to pull off the emotions and giving the story a lot more depth and character/story development. I would have to commend Billkin for being able to showcase the inner conflicts that one deals with in regards to their sexuality. PP Krit also did a fantastic job with the emotional scenes and the wish to have a "normal love" with the bra scene and the scene after the kiss scene where he had to accept Teh's unwillingness to accept his sexuality. Smile and PP Khunpol also did and amazing job in the rejection for their unrequited love. Also Teh's mother. 10/10.
MUSIC
There is nothing more to say that it is so amazing. "Skyline", just like what P'Boss mentioned, really makes you miss someone even if you don't understand the lyrics. The other OST, "Lost in Translation" also gives one the feeling of the yearning of love and the softness that love will bring into your world. Really amazing, and the absence of music in important scenes also adds another layer of depth into the story and emotions of the scene. 10/10.
REWATCH VALUE
Definitely. You would want to rewatch it again to see if you have missed out on any of the symbolism such as the "color theory" of Teh, Oh-aew and Tharn where Teh = blue, Oh-aew = red and Tharn = purple. And who wouldn't want to watch this sweet relationship again?
OVERALL
Really well done. For the fact that Goy wrote the script after interviewing the actors shows just how much thought and dedication went into making this drama. The production team came very well with the actors to deliver this masterpiece. Even with COVID, they managed to produce such an amazing drama. This series is no longer a "drama" but rather, a work of art. A definite must-watch even if one isn't into BLs. It shows the beauty of two humans falling in love.
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