Rak Diao (2022)

Hidden gem, bad ending, but worth watching

I didn't like it at first (like a lot of people, who wrongly gave it up after the first episode) because of it's unfimiliar form of thai BL. HOWEVER after watching 2-3 episodes, you get used to it and you can enjoy normally.
DON'T GIVE IT UP.

The actors were just amazing. Diao was so well played! He really reminded me of a small dog, and it was so cute to watch his reactions! The chemistry between them was cute, more spice was in the lastest episodes.

I don't know how about other people, but it was pretty funny to me and my mood was definitely better after wtaching this.I Guess it depends on your type of humor. Sitcoms aren't really for everyone. It reminded me of old times, when watching shows like iCarly od Sam&Cat, it was really nostalgic and comforting for me. The old vibe of a sitcom with a BL story? Oh, yeah I'm in.

But I still have a few negative things to say about this show. Besides it's being very funny and mood-lifting it lacked some action and spice. I had a feeling of going in circles. This is definitely a slow burn romance, but bruh, that slow? I'm excpecting season 2, because if there won't be any it's going to be a lot of points down. I feel like it was cut in the middle. There is so much to say about their story! And it's in comforting and funny sitcom form. It's perfect for a bad day, when you just want to watch something light. Let's be honest, the ending was bad. It didn't gave me the feeling of tension or something, like it should be when the series is over with the intention of a continuation. It was just... dull? I'm not pleased with it and it made me anxious. I don't know if there will be season 2, I'm not well-informed about this, but I hope it will see the light of day...

Yes, there was indeed a little bit too much of the sound effects, but yeah, you get used to them and forget about them.

The music was meh, but acceptable. It's a sitcom so I'm not expecting any music masterpiece.

So in a conclusion - watch it, don't give up and enjoy it's unusual form! AND HOPE FOR SEASON 2!

Read More

THE good surprise

Once you get past the rather annoying sound effects - which you end up enjoying! -, we let ourselves be caught by this typically Thai and well conducted sitcom. Each episode tells a mini story that fits well with the general scenario.
The actors are good, and the dialogues rather funny. The English translation watered down the characters' words which is a waste; especially those of Daisy and Kanom, quite vulgar. So I'm glad I understand enough Thai language, it helps to better understand the humor!
At the beginning, I was quite afraid to be in a bromance but no, it's a real BL in a format that we are not used to but so much the better!
In summary: this sitcom is really worth it and we laugh a lot while watching it.

Read More

Lighthearted romp

If I am enjoying a series, I feel it's my duty to take a moment and write a review because I would like to encourage others to watch and enjoy it as well. I found this series one evening when I was scrolling through my Youtube suggested videos to watch. I enjoyed it so much I stayed up all night binge watching all the episodes that had already been uploaded.

I love the light hearted romp that this series offers. I must admit I have two small problems with it. 1) I really could do without the laugh track or at least reduce it a bit and 2) they are taking far too long to develop the romantic relationship between the main characters. Maybe they never will? And, that's okay because I will still have enjoyed the series. There are several moments between Rak and Diao that are totally charming, however, for the most part, Diao (Win Songsin Jaipan https://mydramalist.com/people/89193-win-songsin-jaipan ) does behave like something of a suspicious neurotic. I suppose his high energy, always-jumping-to-conclusions character does keep the story moving forward hilariously. Though… many times, I really would like to see the moments between Rak and Diao become more affectionate and less frenetic. Rak (Earth Thanakrit Talasopon https://mydramalist.com/people/89195-earth-thanakrit-talasopon) is simply a beautiful, patient, caring character whose motives are always misunderstood by Diao and his somewhat lazy, self-serving younger brother.

This is another series where I want to see all the episodes but I don't want it to end because it has been so much fun.

Read More

Cute & Hilarious, Slow Moving but fast paced, abrupt ending

I really liked this series, it was going so good. The pace was slow but they never made me feel like it. It was always the longing feeling to know what's going to happen now, when are they actually gonna happen with this one.
I didn't like how it ended at all.
Still would recommend to watch, one of the best series I have watched this month.

Read More

Low-Budget BL Sitcom that Manages to Exceed Expectations

This is essentially a sitcom, so don't expect plot development from the first episode to the last. But I dare say it has a more sensible "plot" than some BL series that ought to have one but meander endlessly without any direction.

You may first be struck by the garish colors and the canned laughter. These are certainly not everyone's cup of tea, but the bright colors seem to contribute to the overall lightheartedness of the sitcom. Within a few episodes, however, I was impressed by how good the actors are in their roles. The main actors, in particular, have good comic timing, and when there are more serious moments (like Rak suppressing his jealousy when he sees Diao dating), they handle them well too.

If I knew Thai, I would probably be able to appreciate Rak Diao more. It is unfortunate that sometimes the subtitles don't make sense and it's probable that some jokes in Thai are simply lost in translation without a subber who actually bothers to explain things. (It's usually the case for paid subbers when explanations are not brief while sometimes fan subbers try to include a note somewhere on the screen to explain things).

Not all episodes are of equal quality, and you are likely to find yourself having a few favorite episodes. The rewatch value is pretty high in this sense--if you just want something lighthearted to watch when you are in a bad mood, you may have episodes that you can watch on their own without really having to remember much of the rest of the episodes..

Read More

The annoying laugh sound effect dropped this series potential.

One thing for sure: nobody likes that non-stop laugh all over the place! I almost dropped this during the first five minutes of episode 1. I still continue watching this until the end, seeing that this series has a pretty good rating.

This series started as one of the worst series ever. Roommates of Poongduck 304 and Rak Diao have similarities. They both have a very hardworking employee but an immature landlord. The only difference is RoP304 is far better than Rak Diao. Rak Diao is still good in overall aspect. The mid episodes up to the final episode reclaims its decency as a worthy series.

Although I mentioned some negative stuffs, Rak Diao still has valuable good points. The casts played a fantastic portrayal of their roles. The exaggerated acting and fantastic throw of lines cast the entertaining magic spell that let me stay until the end. We all know that this is a sitcom and the casts did not disappoint us. Although I didn't laugh even once, I still appreciate the sitcom. Also, I really like they displayed real talents (Rak singing beautifully and that boss' voice like in operas).

Their chemistry is initially messy but it gets better and more heart-skipping whenever Diao becomes speechless and acts shy. Disregarding the overplayed laugh sound effect, I would love without doubt.

This is watchable but you have to endure the early episodes in order to watch this in full.

(it has a higher rating than the suggest overall because it deserves better)

Read More

I was a second from dropping it. So glad I didn't!

Honestly, the first impression was bad. I didn't like canned laughter at the end of every sentence, weird sound effects or the manner of speaking that seemed pretentious at first. However, I'm so happy I didn't give up and watched the first episode because after that I couldn't stop and binged the series in a few days. So if you are considering watching it but got discouraged at the beginning, give this show a chance because it's definitely worth it.
This is a comedy and the actors focus on that, but soft moments will just melt your heart. Acting is amazing and I would say the entire cast deserves the same praise. Overall this story is light, funny and entertaining until you are kicked in the face with moments that just break your yeart. When Diao is going on a date, he is silently (and not so silently) begging Rak to stop him and Rak wants nothing more than to tell him not to go. And yet. Yes, this scene hit me hard because it was brilliant, both in terms of acting and writing.
Two friends from the office are cute and hilarious, Uncle Jao is a nice mixture of fun and being the only reasonable person in the entire crazy bunch. Rak Diao has its highs and lows as any other show but not as many as I would expect at the beginning. The first and most important one is the ending, but I suppose it was forced because the show was discontinued so suddenly. A lot of things were just left hanging as a result, some parts of the plot were left unfinished and the moment when Rak and Diao got together was a little anticlimactic but still very sweet.
I didn't like Diao's character at the beginning, he was too aggressive and I felt sorry for Rak who was so patient with him and got repeatedly attacked for nothing in return. Diao was supposed to be immature and hot-headed but at the same time Rak appreciated him as an employee which I honestly couldn't understand. He was supposed to contribute to team work and stimulate their creativity by being blunt and openly expressing his opinions. Instead, he was just rude and unprofessional. Fortunately he became more bearable as the story progressed.
I didn't expect any steamy moments and this show doesn't need them, but the only kiss that we got turned out to be Diao's dream which was a disappointment, because it was sweet and tender and the actors really delivered. Too bad they didn't have the chance to kiss as a part of the actual events.

Overall, I really loved this show. It was funny, the cast was amazing, chemistry between the lead couple was good, soft moments were really soft and touching. It's different from other BLs, but you get used to it very quickly.

Read More

unexpectedly good, a rare gem

would you kill me when i say this is better that semantic error? probably yes, my apologies if you're a fan.
if you're a fan of enemy to lovers trope, then i highly recommend this one.
its a sitcom, so there are some sound effects like fake laugh, it might distract you at first but believe me later on you will forget all about and you be laughing along with it.
its a slow burn. i love it because you get to enjoy the long ride, and the characters have enough time to develop their feelings. i also enjoy the supporting characters because of their quirky personalities.
the actors and actress , they really potray their characters very well. the mains have an explosive chemistry. i believe, i was smiling until the end. i keep hiding behind my hands because i couldn't contain my giddiness.
so please give it a chance and watch when you have time. its definitely worth it..

Read More

Instant Cult Classic - artful characters beautifully packaged in a Brat-Tamer sitcom

RakDiao is refreshing and creative for the genre being a BL-sitcom. I don't want to simply reiterate key details already covered by many other reviews, so here are some new thoughts accompanied with points I believe reviewers should continue to be emphasize:

Praise:

I see a lot of folks describing the show as following an enemies-to-lovers theme. This isn't wrong, but I believe the dynamic is better described as "Brat-Tamer". This dynamic is key in understanding Rak's uncanny interest in Diao as the slow burn builds into a more apparent game of cat and mouse. It is also the bread and butter of every episode as Rak and Diao square off in the most ludicrous ways. If you enjoy silly and witty banter lanced with flirtatious tones and teaching moments then you'll find the rewatch value to be very high.

At a surface level, Rak and Diao are respectively juxtaposed against each other as the wise and virtuous boss vs. the brash and mischievous employee. For a sitcom, I was incredibly impressed with the level of complexity built into these characters. Their nuanced qualities were slowly unraveled for viewers to see until the veils of their crude, one-dimensional introductions were completely removed. Diao is revealed as a passionate person driven by his care for those he considers closest to him and hurdled by his pride and fear of vulnerability. Rak turns out to be more human as his perfect stoicism and self-assurance are challenged by a lack of direction for the problems weighing on his heart.

Character development and touching moments are artfully woven into the show without disrupting the light-hearted fun and humor that comes with being a sitcom.

Challenges:

Others have mentioned this, but if you aren't fluent in Thai (and perhaps even if you are) then the abuse of the laugh track in the first episode might be a hurdle for you. I preemptively beg everyone I share this show with the at least watch through episode two before deciding whether or not to continue. Almost everyone who has done this claims that the laugh track quickly becomes less noticeable as the humor of the show starts to brand itself.

Some folks find Diao's character too aggressive and offputting in the first episode. Again, I challenge them to give the show another episode or two as many find he quickly grows on them--if not for his unique charm then certainly for the chaotic humor he generates for the show.

The coworkers in the show, funny as they may be, continue the less desirable tradition in sitcoms of framing sexual harassment as humorous. I enjoyed many of their moments on screen, but there isn't a single episode where they don't make a sexual remark or advance about their boss while at work.

SMALL SPOILER:
The show was initially rumored to have around 50 episodes, but ended up only being 15 for unknown reasons. The crew clearly had to make some adjustments towards the end. While I think they handled this masterfully, some folks may find that there were too many elements left open and that the show could have benefited from some epilogue-like content to color in its conclusion. Many of us are hoping that this show is eventually revisited for a second season or at least a special episode.

Read More

Surprising

I did not expect to be so happy after watching this series. It's kind of silly and stupid, just like an american 90s sitcom. But it warmed my heart, it makes me flutter, I was feeling the tense. The chemistry between Earth and Win is extraordinary. Just the glancing at each other has telling so much story itself. I loved it.
I wish they continue the series, because it was fun and there is so much unclear, they could fill another 15 episodes.
Worth to give it a try. Maybe you need time to adjust at the artifical laughing and the overacting, but it's absolutely worth!!!

available on YouTube

Read More