Bed Friend (2023)

Good series, better than expected

To be honest, I expected this series to follow in the footsteps of KinnPorche with lots of sex scenes and very little of anything else, but I was pleasantly surprised. First off, it has an actual plot, or at least a story that goes beyond the simple friends with benefits/romance. The characters faced some real issues and on the whole, it was well done. The actors were really good with the exception of one. Net and James were adorable and had amazing chemistry while the villains were easy to hate (which is the way it should be). The supporting cast was good, with one minor exception. Is it just me or does the actor who played Jade (I think his nickname is Yim) seem like he is way overacting pretty much all the time? Like his head bobs forward and he seems way too excited about bringing his friend a coffee. I'm not trying to disparage, because I thought what he did in Cutie Pie was good, so I'm guessing that was a directorial choice and as far as I'm concerned, it wasn't a good one. Other than that, though, all the actors were so good. Also, just want to point out that Mark is so good looking -- would love to see him in more shows. (Realizes that was slightly too much fangirl. Clears throat awkwardly. Back to the review!) Music was pretty good and I actually thought the addition of the "meows" during the kitten scene was so sexy. I really did enjoy their main theme song as well, though I don't care as much about the OST as others might. For me, the rewatch value was high. I thought the show really set itself above the others by actually having a relatable story and a decent romance at the the same time.

Now on to the spoilers! (Which means, if you don't want spoilers, don't continue reading.) The story involved a lot of trauma for Uea and I really felt that James did an amazing job of making those emotions feel real. The child actor who played young Uea was also simply amazing. Having the grace to act that out at that age shows that he has a lot of talent. I think that showing that Uea was still dealing with the trauma long after the event was realistic. So many writers want to move on from the trauma so that the story can develop without it, but in actuality, if you've experienced this kind of thing, you know that it stays with you forever and informs your choices and becomes part of your self. That isn't always a bad thing, sometimes it makes you so much stronger, but it does inform who you become and falling in love with someone, no matter how good that person is, does not automatically erase all the bad things that have ever happened in your life. So I was grateful that this was treated with more realism than you often find in a romance. The way Uea continues to have relationships with people who hurt him is a reflection of reality as well. Many people who have been abused might become abusers or continue to chose partners who abuse them. I don't like it, but it's the truth. Then on top of that, Uea also met with more trauma at work with his new boss. While I don't fault the writers for adding more trauma (since it is a tv series and if nothing ever happened in the series, no one would watch it), but I did have one problem with King at this point. Uea is taken into the office by Krit and almost raped, but when he gets away, he has to deal with King shaming him for his behavior. As if he had a choice and could have said, I refuse to go to your office, boss. The mom did the same thing (victim shaming Uea when his stepfather sexually assaulted him) but when she does it she's the villain and when King does it, how are we supposed to feel? I honestly wanted to hit him and I really wouldn't have blamed Uea if he never spoke to King again after that. Then it got weird when Uea apologized to King. I don't understand why King wasn't the one apologizing as he was the one in the wrong. So that was one little problem I found with the writer's handling of this issue.

Also technically, though no one ever talks about it, Uea was also drunk the first time he had sex with King. Really, King took advantage of him, which could be considered rape. It was weird, because they even brought up a similar situation later. King finds Uea flirting with some guy at the beach bar and takes him back to their room. He doesn't have sex with him, because he's too drunk. Then the next day, he asks Uea for a reward and Uea says that not taking advantage of him when he's drunk is how it should be. So why wasn't that brought up after their first time together? Just a question. I'm going to just be personally annoyed by that and not try to call it rape, but I wish writers would stop using that trope unless both the participants are drunk. Then it seems less like one taking advantage of the other and more like a mistake they both made.

They also touched on mental health, because Uea seems to be taking a medication for depression. At least that's the conclusion I came to based on the subtitles. I love that they put that in this show. I mean what person who goes through that amount of trauma in his life and doesn't need therapy? I'm glad more writers are including mental health as a real issue without giving it a stigma and making it seem like a failure of the person who needs help.

There were some problems with things being disjointed and/or not being sure how much time has elapsed since the last scene. Especially at the beginning. Like why did Uea seem to hate King so much? Why not just be annoyed at having a playboy flirt with you and then leave it at that? Instead, for what seems like no reason, Uea really dislikes King and behaves that way. Also, I would have liked to see a little more development with King. It seems like he likes Uea a lot, more than just flirting but he knows that Uea doesn't like him. But there is no back story. When they start with the bed friend idea, it seems to me that King was thrilled because he already really like Uea and wanted to be with him, but knew that Uea wouldn't date him because he was a playboy so he uses the idea of friends with benefits to get closer to the guy he likes. Is that just me? Anyway, I think we needed a little more in the beginning to set that up better.

The NSFW scenes were good. Thankfully, they were not the entirety of the show and if you don't enjoy them, you can skip them pretty much entirely without missing anything. I think it's great that they included them, but they weren't the main point. Overall, the show was terrfic and because the character interactions and overall plot was interesting and emotional, there is a high rewatch value.

Lastly, this doesn't effect anything with the show, but does anyone else think it's weird that when you look up the cast, Tutor and Yim are both listed just after Net and James, but Tutor wasn't in the show at all except the very last minute of the very last episode? He had one line! I mean, why list him so prominently when he was basically not in the show at all? Sorry, just asking.

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Flawed in writing and editing but still highly entertaining BL office romance

This drama is foremost an office romance between two colleagues who become friends with benefits. It is quite classic in its content but there are still some interesting topics approached in the series in terms of safe sex, STD testing, consent... The office plot itself is lacking in terms of development: the writing is kind of minimal regarding the work environment as well as the relationship between the colleagues. It is difficult to understand what they do, why and what are the stakes but it remains thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable for sure.

The scenario is one of the weaknesses of the show: despite some good ideas, the traumatic events depicted in the show can feel a bit all over the place. There are so many unfortunate circumstances that it is a bit too much and over-the-top. Often, the transition between some scenes does not make a lot of sense because a quite choppy editing.

There are some pretty hot scenes: the chemistry between the 2 main leads is believable and oozing through the screen. I love the standoffishness, cat behaviour of one of the protagonist and the eagerness, puppy eyes of the second. I found the acting of this pairing quite good even if it could get better for sure with more experience (especially for the more dramatic scenes).

The secondary cast did an average job. The antagonist characters were too exaggerated, it was a bit of a miss for me but it might be more linked to the script than to the actors themselves. The role of the best friend as a comic relief was not that well acted, the actor seemed a bit awkward: I'm curious to see if he will be able to improve in the sequel as he will become one of the main lead.

The production is pretty great with some beautifully filmed intimate scenes, there seem to be a lot of trust between the main leads allowing them to be vulnerable with each other. The main song was nice but also an overkill. It was overused and very literal with the thematic of "wanting to be more than just a friend and becoming a boyfriend".

The flaws in writing does not prevent the drama to be super exciting to follow and I for sure will be looking forward the new work of this director and/or this pairing. With a more fleshed out script less caricatural in terms of obstacles, I'm sure it can get better.

I would recommend this to people looking for a hot and highly entertaining BL romance in an office setting and who do not mind a bit of choppy editing and a over-the-top storylines. Given the traumatic events happening repetitively to one of the character, you might want to check the triggers out before watching the show.

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B F to BF (If you, you know)

The series had a good start, and the story's pace was slightly fast. The chemistry between Uea and King is captivating. The whole cast did an outstanding job with their characters.

Plot:
It is different from my usual preference.
Net and James were the perfect choices for Uea and King. I loved the scene between Uea and King. Uea had a terrible history with his family, and his sister Tonkhao was the only one who truly cared about him. All his exes cheated on him, while King is a player with an overprotective family. Jade was the only supportive friend they both had in common. So, the story revolves around how they became boyfriends from bed friends.

Uea and King had sizzling chemistry throughout the series. They had their fair share of problems (Uea's mom, stepdad, ex, Krit, King's possessiveness, and inability to accept their true feelings), but they overcame all this. They also had well-wishers who directly and indirectly helped.

Well-wishers:
Jade (Yim) was fantastic and was always there for his best friends. Gun (Thomas), Faii (Dada) and Muay (Bookko) were funny.
Tonkhao was a sweetie and could have got more screen time.
Uea's aunt was a lovely addition and could get more screen time.
The Boss is a sweet and straightforward supportive character.
Based on King's conservation with Uea, I thought King's mom might cause trouble in King-Uea's relationship, but she was a fantastic addition and a true boss lady. King's mom warmed up towards King-Uea's relationship.

Baddies:
Krit character was a great addition. Though Krit was so damn annoying, he did an excellent job. Because of him, Uea was able to move on. His cousin Mongkol was lazy. Krit and Mongkol got want they deserved. But Mongkol realised his mistakes, while Krit got kicked out.
Uea's mom has never cared for or protected him and is very selfish.
Uea's stepdad was the devil with an angel's face. Both mom and stepdad got what they truly deserved.

OST: Phenomenal. Net and James has an exceptional voice, and all the other tracks were also excellent.

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I will remember this as one of my favorites

This drama got a lot more hate than I think it deserved. Although this drama was not perfect, it gave people exactly what they asked for: a sweet, supportive relationship between two imperfect people, amazing chemistry, hot NC scenes without being vulgar, real kisses, supportive friends, trauma/psychological management, gorgeous settings, beautiful visuals, and more. While I did not read the novel, which apparently has the storyline and characters more in-depth and fleshed out, I am satisfied with this series.

You can't please everyone, and there were things that even I did not like. My biggest complaint is Jade. This best friend, portrayed by Yim, was a constant irritation to me. He was supposed to be comedic relief and make the show lighter. Instead, he generally just came off as stupid and whiney, and it didn't fit the overall theme of the show. Yim is a good actor and his more serious scenes were spot on. I just didn't like his interpretation of the character or the direction of the character as a whole.

I didn't start out as much of a Net/James fan, but I did end as one. Their chemistry is undeniable, both on screen and off. James does a great job playing a pretty yet stand-offish character who naturally exudes sexual attractiveness. He is wary of others due to his traumas, both past and present. Net portrays a playboy type character with animal-like sex appeal who is utterly smitten with his hard-to-get target. Together, they navigate a FWB relationship, learning to support and trust each other.

I looked forward to this show and was not disappointed. I think both Net and James are good actors who will continue to grow their skills as they get more experience and learn to trust their own instincts better.

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Light Spoilers

Overall I Liked This Series! This Is My First BL With James (uea) & Net (king) , I’ve Always Watched Little Clips Of Them But This BL Made Me Fall For Them On A Next Level.

They Are Good Actors & Omg They Have GREAT Chemistry, It’s Like They Feed Off One Another, I Hope To See Them As Main Roles Again.

Also The Other Actors Did Well & Ofc I Seen Familiar Faces & I Love That. Yim (jade) Has Improved So Much Happy For Him (p.s. can’t wait for his series with tutor).

I Definitely Think Net (king) Has Become One Of My Favorite BL Actors ? He’s Just So Good & He’s Handsome.

The Emotional/Crying Scenes Could Have Been Better Well Some, I Would Be Lying If I Didn’t Cried Because Of Some Scenes.

I Really Hate That His Mother Was So Like Brainwashed From Her Own Damn Self, I Hate Her But That’s How You Know She Did Her Part Right She’s A Great Actress.

The Part Where James (uea) & His Sister Had Me Bawling Especially When She Was Running After The Car, His Stepfather Is A Piece Of Crap, Krit Is A Piece Of Crap, They Played Their Roles So Good It’s Crazy Especially The Stepfather.

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Sequel that got turned into the prequel for some reason

If I thought TharnType was triggering then this is down right traumatic, this also somehow managed to make Unforgotten Night's bed scenes seem a lot more interesting than they actually are y'all and I'm not even exaggerating. And to clear any confusion about my headline, I'm sure many of the older viewers know this but for those of you who are unaware, this series was actually the sequel to Middleman's Love but was made into the prequel and was aired before for some reason. I should mention that I'm not really gonna review this and neither am I gonna continue it, I just want to write this little warning/rant for any future viewers.
This series is very trauma heavy, has enough abuse and SA to fill 5 shows, and is very much blind to the existence of trigger warnings. I've been through the entirety that is the first 4 episodes and noped out (I've actually seen a bit of episodes 5-6 but I literally fast forwarded/skipped so much I couldn't say I remember anything significant about them other then that monstrosity of a sex scene in episode 6, got a good laugh out of it tho).
This series is very triggering, and as someone who has been subjected to pedophilia, mental abuse and SA, I was not prepared for the very graphically depicted SA and abuse this series has portrayed, I have watched my share of dark and graphic dramas/movies in the past, however, I was always well aware of what they were displaying and dealing with, this one I wasn't prepared for the amount of triggering content that had been dumped down on me so early on and I admit I was in the wrong here for not doing enough research on the original plot, the company is also partially at fault for not including a trigger warning and this is honestly an issue I've seen arise multiple times with these shows, with that being said, if you've read my warnings and still decided to watch it, I hope you enjoy your watch and if you ever feel like it's become too much to handle, either skip these scenes if you're determined to finish it or drop it immediately, don't compromise your mental health for a piece of supposed entertainment that you could easily live without watching.
I'm gonna take this time to also remind everyone that mental well-being is very important so if you're not feeling mentally well please consider going to therapy or seeking professional help, having someone to talk to is also important so for your sake and for your loved one's sake, please take care of yourselves, you're much more important than you think and I hope you know that there's always someone who cares.
Enjoy your watch and have a good day/evening everyone.

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When Sassy meets Sexy

Friends with benefits concept nicely executed

There are quite some BL series out there that has this FWB concept but never in any of them did I feel like they were actually FWB. In Bed friends they had an agreement , met for some fun and once purpose served back to normal like nothing ever happened between them, wohooo now that’s called being FWB
One question kept bothering me , like when and why did the leads catch feelings for each other? Theirs love story was a bit lacking . I appreciate that this series touched few taboo subjects ( All of it in Uea’s life- too much of Uea oriented series ) but also felt like everything nonsensically fell in place once He caught King’s attention. Storyline was a bit lacking for me at least.

If you are here for some hot and spicy romance with loads of sexy flirting - Bed friend it is !!!!!
Also the songs in this series are all catchy (My Playlist status - updated)

Meanwhile I would like to take some coaching from Uea about how he is managing to attract men around him unintentionally when poor me can’t do it with intentional efforts

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aarghh the chemistry and the heat

i love this story, it is VERY realistic especially in the LGBTQ+ community, things usually start like that and if you know you know.
office romance has always been one of my favourite BL tropes and I love KingUea's chemistry and all the sountracks are addictive!!!

i will never forget how the NC scenes and the kisses went from hot to cute to lovely to hot again. OOF my heart!
i can't talk about all characters but i totally appreciate Net and James efforts! and Net is a really good actor, whatever he does, i'm convinced. whatever he says, i agree. those eyes omg

i also appreciate that this BL gave us real life stuations of society/workplace problems + SA + toxic parents and relationships and showed us how it's possible to be strong even after those events by being with the right people and learning how to set boundaries. truly inspiring imo.

this has been my most anticipated 2023 BL since Domundi's 2023 Lineup event, and i'm so glad it happened in Q1-Q2 of this year. Keep it up Domundi artists ♡ You're doing great!

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idk why so many people dont like this series

This series reminds me of the wattpad stories, which I love to read. I dont know why so many people don`t like "Bed friend".
Of course, there are some things that i don`t like too, but at all I think that the series deserve high rating.
So, lets start from the beginning. When I saw King, I absolutely adore him. I knew that he is the perfect man for Uea, even though that his character scream "I`m player and will break your heart". Uea, on the other hand, went trough so much traumatic experiences. First, his boyfriend betray him and have the guts to follow him around. Thanks to King, he disappear from the picture and didn`t bother his ex. Second - Uea`s uncle is disgusting man, who take advantage from a innocent boy. Third - his mother (i dont think that this woman is even a mother) torture him through the years and even want his money. She didnt believe that Uea went through so much, didnt support him and is disgusted because he like men. And lastly - Uea was bothered by the new boss in the company - Krit. Thanks to King and the other colleagues, Krit disappeared too.
King was by his side from the beginning. It was obvious that Uea has feelings for him, but played hard to get. Also, they agreed that their relationship will be "friends with benefits". For me, there was chemistry between them. The series shows more of their sexual experiences, maybe this is the reason why so many people don`t like the series. Can`t wait for the second part - i want to see Yim and Tutor as a couple.

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Potential of being something more

Let me start by saying that this sets of actors are very cute.
At last, someone is being treated for the trauma they went through and not by the power of Love. And I also like the fact that the sexual assault was taken seriously.
The chemistry between the two main casts is fire and the sex scenes is something that I can't get out of my head.
Well, as for rewatching, I will probably just skip to some parts that I like the most.
But one thing still bugs me, how does Uea still allow his mum treat him that way, infact he doesn't need to send money to her directly for his sister tuition, he can just pay to the school directly.
I will come back to complete this review after the season finale.

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