Only Friends (2023)

What an incredible messy but fun ride

If you've been in a an Australian/American queer group chat, you might get a little bit of a traumatic flashback while watching this series. I'm actually convinced the screenwriter just snuck into a queer gc and copied their drama as plot points.

First things first. This is messy but also a good representation of extremely liberal slash problematic queer friend groups. I'm convinced all of them should be in therapy and/or a polyamourous commune where they can just mess around with everyone. I just don't think monogamy works for some of these characters and that's fine!

Secondly, while I do agree that this is an accurate rep of the messy side of the queer community, it can be a triggering to see that many topics of cheating, emotional manipulation, privacy infringements, and violence in one drama. So please proceed with caution. It is good to get a rep of the messy aspect of being queer, but also there is mess in all communities really.

Thirdly, I love having a drama catered for nosy bitches like myself. I thoroughly enjoyed this although I do want to do the Gordon Ramsay's sandwich meme to some of these idiots. Make sure your blood pressure is controlled before watching this fr.

I still highly recommend watching this despite my above review.

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Some things were fantastic, some made no sense

My overall impression is the writers/producers/editors knew which couples were going to end up together, but not exactly how they would get there. A LOT of the show seemed improvised, which in my opinion is where First and Khaotung shine through. As much as I genuinely love Force and Book (and I adored A Boss and A Babe, I rewatch and bought the DVD), I don't think they had as much chemistry or coherence in their pairing. As they got together it felt like a competition, then a lot of declaring "I love you" without actually showing what made them fall in love? They have cute dates and cute scenes but in the end it didn't feel believable to me.
I thought the show was trying to make Neo and Mark layered characters, but in the end I don't think Neo's character had any real growth or understanding of what he was doing that alienated people. Mark was fantastic, I am begging GMMTV to give him a lead role again.

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The Only Friends You Need

Talk about a ride! Only Friends was a highly anticipated series and in many ways, it did not disappoint. I had very high expectations for this series, not only because of the stellar cast, but also because the story looked so damn good and messy and intriguing. While it didn't get the perfect 10 I initially thought it might, I still thoroughly enjoyed myself watching it.

Only Friends is not a plot driven drama by any means, but rather is very character driven. There's a very thin plot connected to the hostel and developing it, but otherwise the focus is entirely on the characters, their interactions with each other, their growth, and their relationships. For me, character driven dramas require a truly impressive cast to work because all that focus is on them. They need to have the talent and chemistry to shoulder the entire show and for the most part, Only Friends has that. The pacing of the show was relatively decent. Not perfect, but there weren't too many spots that lagged. Instead the issue was sometimes that the pacing was too fast, especially toward the end. There was a lot going on and it felt a bit frenetic. And because there was so much drama and a certain amount was added towards the end, there were some story lines and characters that didn't get the attention or closure that I felt they should. If there's one major aspect that Only Friends struggled with, it was balancing the drama with the character development. There is a LOT of drama and, in some cases, I think it could have been cut down to allow more screen time for certain characters as well as showing more of that growth.

Despite the entertainment value, Only Friends does actually touch on some more serious topics such as alcoholism, depression/suicide, cheating, and though it's not labeled as such, hypersexuality. Aside from the cheating and the alcoholism though, they more served as plot points than as real points of exploration, unfortunately. Ray's alcoholism is at times concerning to his friends and other times seems to be viewed as a bit of a joke. While they occasionally tell him he shouldn't drink so much, none of them actively seeks to help him that we see. It's not until Sand enters his life and does actively encourage him to go to rehab that he goes and begins making changes. Ray's depression and suicidal thoughts are brought up in a single episode to further establish his relationship with Mew and then are pretty much swept under the rug. Depression is not something you just get over and I think it could have been better worked into the story. The cheating is a focal point of the series and gets the most attention. The various emotions that may come with cheating are explored as well as the reactions and the fall out. Sometimes things work out between people and sometimes they don't. Boston's hypersexuality, like I said, is never really addressed as such, but that's what it seems to be considering he can't seem to go without sex. And while it wasn't a focus, it was shown in the last episode the kind of damage it can do to relationships.

I truly loved most of the characters. There was a rawness and realness to them that made most of them feel very real and very human. Each character had their own demons to battle, some bigger and some smaller. But what I found especially compelling is the way they were filmed. Even though we, as the viewers, knew that their actions were inappropriate or even criminal, there's no judgment and the way they're portrayed makes it harder to judge them. They're not evil, they are simply young men and women full of flaws, faults, quirks, hopes and dreams. I also appreciated that there was none of the gay for you nonsense that still worms it's way into many dramas these days. It was just, yup, this character's gay/lesbian/straight/bi, no questions asked, just the facts. Also had to appreciate having Sand be openly bi as I haven't seen many dramas embrace that. The way the word "friend" is interwoven in their stories is also interesting. There are moments of true friendship, moments where you wonder if they'll ever be friends again, and moments where they teeter on the edge of friendship and something more. It's a complicated word in some ways and I appreciated the utilization of it.
- Mew's journey was an interesting one to follow. He starts out as the sweet, innocent virgin and he's definitely put through the wringer, but in the end, he comes out more world wise, but ultimately still himself. There were aspects of his character that I connected to personally, some his views and opinions. I found the way he handled Top initially to be intriguing with playing hard to get and almost toying with him at times. I did appreciate though his determination not to just be prey and that while he did eventually give in to Top, it was on his terms. His reveal that he knew Top had cheated on him was deliciously devious and while the acting left something to be desired, I liked the scene overall. His reaction to that betrayal felt realistic and while I can't condone his use of Ray to get revenge on Top, it didn't feel out of place either. It also wrought a fairly major change in his character. While he previously displayed a fairly mild personality, post-betrayal he becomes more assertive and confident. He also becomes self-destructive. In his quest to get back at and hurt others, he does damage to himself and those he calls friends. After the Halloween party though, I struggled more with his character as he kept bouncing between forgiving Top and wanting to continue hurting him. I was glad when he finally decided to go ahead and forgive Top, though their reconciliation felt a bit fast as did the decision to move in together. His decision to not rekindle his friendship with Boston felt natural and was understandable. The conclusion to Mew's story felt complete and like he and Top had a solid future together.
-Top was initially somewhat interesting, but he quickly fizzled out for me. Part of the problem with him was just the complete lack of character content. We know he's heir to a fancy hotel and he had a traumatic experience as a child and that's about it. His character's not given the same attention to detail as others are and it shows. I was initially curious to see if his relationship with Mew would continue to be a game or if he would truly develop feelings for him. Given his narcissism and massive ego, it was hard to tell if he was actually capable of loving someone. Even when he started making changes, like no longer taking drugs, it was hard to tell what his endgame was. His decision to cheat on Mew felt weak. He'd proven that he had a solid head on his shoulders so why he so easily gave in to and believed Boston regarding a picture and video from two years previously is a mystery. It was also disconcerting the way he refused to admit to cheating, despite multiple chances to do so, until faced with irrefutable evidence and even then he tried to brush it off and focused more on how Mew got the recording. His decision to win back Mew and the efforts he went to in order to do so felt a bit abrupt. There was less of a gradual change and more of a, suddenly he's a good guy, kind of thing. I will give him credit that he did make changes and he truly did want to be a better person for Mew. And though it was disappointing that Mew had to prompt him, he did eventually apologize to Sand and reconciled with both him and Ray. All that being said, I think the character could have been more effective and interesting in the hands of another actor.
-Boston was one of the most layered, fascinating characters. You want to hate him to some extent, but it also must be acknowledged that out of the group, he is one of the most open characters and least secretly toxic. He calls things like he sees them and he makes no secret of his behaviour. He also has one of the more compelling character arcs as he moves from being a selfish ass to realizing that his actions truly do have consequences. He begins as an emotionally sadistic narcissist who's basically willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants, in this case, Top. He manipulates Top and those around him expertly, his natural charisma helping to disguise his toxicity. What's especially telling though is when Ray confronts him with the recording of him and Top, he showed no remorse and instead tried to justify his actions. Once his friendship with the others implodes though, he starts to realize that actions have consequences. His confrontation with Mew clearly shakes him, Atom's lies cause his friends to cut him off completely and although Cheum does forgive him once the truth is revealed and Ray eventually does as well, his relationship with Mew is irreparable. His relationship with Nick, which initially seemed like a positive change, also implodes when Boston has a quick fling while out on a date. His ending is left somewhat ambiguous. He does move to New York, but whether he's happy there and how his future looks is up in the air.
-Nick is an easily sympathetic character because of the way Boston uses him. He's obviously in love with him, yet it's clear that Boston view him as more of an object than an actual person. He's convenient and he's willing, nothing more. Yet the more you look at his actions, you realize that he's not quite as sympathetic as he first seems and is, in fact, a red flag himself. He made the conscious decision to look through Boston's phone, not once, but twice, and masturbate to a picture found on said phone. He also took a selfie of himself with Boston's phone in an effort to seduce him which worked, but is left unhappy when he wants more and Boston doesn't. He also chose to bug Boston's car presumably in an effort to catch him "cheating" even though they were not in an actual relationship. And there is an element that he's not actually a bad guy, per se, he just goes about things the wrong way. He places so much value into how he's perceived, more specifically how Boston perceives him, going to so far as to try to emulate Top in terms of his style and physique. There comes a point where, after the recording gets out and Boston has rejected him several times, that he's moving on. He gives one final confession to Boston and seems ready to start something with Dan until Boston shows back up and they get together again. That goes up in flames though when Nick witnesses Boston's fling while they're on a date. It's the final straw for him as he comes to the realization that he needs to focus on himself and learn to love himself more. I'd like to hope that he found his happiness in himself and with someone who would truly appreciate him.
-Ray was riveting to watch. He initially came across as arguably one of the most heartbreaking characters. He had a severe drinking problem that, his mother drank herself to death which he blamed himself for, his father is largely absent, and he's lonely and depressed. He's also been in love with his best friend for at least two years. It's a lot for anyone to handle. He feels deeply and you want to protect him from further pain, but he's not blameless in all of this either. He's a toxic narcissist in his own right with an ego to match. He's in love with Mew, but also falls for Sand and proceeds to string him along, knowing exactly how he feels. He refuses to let Sand go and is possessive of him even when Sand is clearly trying to move on. Things eventually come to a head and they confess their feelings for each other and Ray and Mew acknowledge that they really weren't in love, that Mew had been using Ray and Ray knew it. With Sand's help, Ray finally starts taking steps to heal, going to rehab and working on paying his debt to society following his drunken crash. But their drama doesn't end there as a misunderstanding threatens to tear them apart as does the reappearance of Sand's first love and the ex Top stole, Boeing. Boeing mixes things up and causes both Ray and Sand to question their relationship briefly, until it's revealed that Boeing doesn't really love Sand and is promptly put in his place. This instance is another example though of Ray's self-destructive behaviour, as Sand reveals that if Ray hadn't forced them to kiss, his feelings would have remained buried. Still all's well that ends well and Ray seems on the path to continued sobriety with Sand firmly by his side.
-Sand throws the least red flags of the group. There's a sincerity and simplicity to him that is very appealing. He is who he is and if you don't like it, oh well. He's not rich by any means, he works for what he has, and his love and friendship absolutely cannot be bought. Not that all of his work is exactly legal since he sells alcohol on campus and seems to have some other questionable endeavors, but times are hard, I get that. He's a bit of a hot head, that's made clear based on his interactions with both Top and Ray. He has no tolerance for other people's crap and he doesn't appreciate being used. And while he is mostly a green flag, his betrayal of Nick was definitely a red flag. Regardless of his reasoning, stealing the recording was wrong. The repercussions for his actions personally were fairly mild. While Nick was upset, they quickly reconciled. I did love their friendship and support of each other. Sand served as a good sounding board for Nick and gave him solid advice and when he needed it, a shoulder to cry on. His relationship with Ray was definitely a journey. Sand fell hard and fast and he clearly struggled with where he stood with Ray. I appreciated though that even though he loved Ray, he was not willing to sacrifice his own happiness and self-worth for him. He made it clear that he was not going to remain as Ray's second choice. He proved himself to be a deeply caring and loving person throughout, constantly looking out for Ray and helping him. And while he did forgive Ray repeatedly, he also had his boundaries. Boeing's appearance shook him though, understandably once it's revealed that he was his first love. However, once Boeing's true intentions are revealed, there's no further question in Sand's mind and he firmly stands with Ray. It's clear that they make each other happy and the future for them is bright.
-My thoughts on a few other characters are in the comments.

The cast, by and large, did a phenomenal job. The main reason I was so excited about this series to begin with was the cast, particularly First, Khaotung, Neo, and Mark. These are the most mature roles I've seen any of them play and I am once again just blown away by their talent and chemistry. The tension between Sand and Ray is almost palpable. Khaotung nails every emotional scene. I don't know how, but he just dominates them every time. And he's so expressive, it's fantastic to watch. First is more stoic, but he does so much acting with just his eyes. You can see the emotion in them and it's amazing. Neo and Mark were a new pairing, and as it turns out, a very successful one. Their chemistry was a bonfire and they played their roles so well. Neo is such a versatile actor, he absolutely nailed Boston's character. He struggled a little bit with some of the more emotional scenes, they didn't feel quite as authentic, but otherwise, perfection. Mark is equally versatile and really managed to pull on those heartstrings. He maintained that sweet, innocent appearance despite the crap that Nick pulled and made it so hard to judge him. The only two I was uncertain of were Force and Book and justifiably so. There were times when their chemistry was decent and times when it was completely absent. Frankly, Book had more chemistry with Drake and Mond than he did with Force. Book struggles with consistency in his acting as well, sometimes doing really well and absolutely killing a scene, only to struggle in the next. Force maintained his use of only a few expressions that were recycled throughout. I know the man's good looking, but he really cannot act. Their lack of consistency and chemistry was made all the more glaring by the fact that they were surrounded by other very talented actors and it did create an imbalance.

I really appreciated the production value. The cinematography was great, there are some really fantastic shots and angles. The sets are amazing, particularly Ray's music room at his house. Each character's living space felt distinctly theirs. And don't even get me started on the costuming. I like how each character has their own distinctive style that suited both their character and lifestyles. And last but absolutely not least, the music. God I loved the music and there was so much of it! I found so many awesome new songs and groups thanks to this series. But seriously, it was obvious that a lot of thought and care went into choosing the music and it added just another layer to everything.

Only Friends started out incredibly strong and although it did falter along the way, it managed to come to a satisfactory conclusion. While I may be in the minority, I was glad that it didn't end with all the couples working out. I feel that would have been cliche and the way it actually concluded was more realistic and true to the characters. Truly the highlight for me though was getting to see such talented actors spread their wings and explore roles that were very different from what they'd portrayed previously and kill it. If you enjoy messy dramas, I highly recommend Only Friends and even if you don't, I still recommend it. It's a great ride and I have absolutely no doubt that I will be rewatching it again and again. It's one of those ones that never gets old because there's always something new to discover.

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A series ruined by toxic fans, nonsensical theories and the directors themselves

A SWEET BEGINNING: Everyone was looking forward to Only Friends. It was something new. GMMTV usually aren't brave in doing sex scenes, we usually don't even get those scenes, rather they left the spicy stuff to smaller studios like Be On Cloud (KinnPorsche) or DomundiTV (Cutie Pie, Bed Friend). But this time they allowed a new writer and talented directors to add something different. This „difference“ was evident in the first minute of the trailer. We were in complete shock! A sex scene in which everything was seen and heard? With actors who hadn't been shipped before? This new thing paid off; in just a few days, the trailer received a million views. We had everything we always wanted. Messy relationships, intrigue, cheating. The filmmakers told us we could theorize. So we did and it was fun.

It started in August. We were all excited. With each new episode came new theories and discussions. I was involved in them, and I loved talking to other fans on social media. The second episode came out, then the third one. The theories already seemed more insane. Every character was suddenly turning into an evil mastermind who "controlled" a group of normal college students. Probably the fans were watching too many horror and thriller movies. However, I still found it interesting.

TOXIC FANS AND CONTROVERSIES: Then came the turning point. The characters were made into manipulators. Fandoms fought each other on Twitter. "Your ship can't act!" - "No, your ship can't act!" It was a living hell. The directors watched it and cut some scenes, for example, because of the nonsensical hate on Top. I've never seen such unprofessional behavior. The show is supposed to have a SCRIPT, it‘s not suppose be guided by fans! They basically ruined the entire show because of these toxic opinions. I know Only Friends was supposed to be messy, but this much?

There were pointless arguments, the actress who portrayed Cheum had to apologize for making fun of a character, Force and Book were getting hate because of the characters they portrayed, everyone made Top out to be a manipulator and sociopath even though he had changed and really loved Mew...

It was a shitshow. It really could have been a perfect show, with great actors, but it became a toxic mix full of weird theories, arguments and hatred. And the directors didn't help either; they just added fuel to the fire.

CHARACTERS: Ahh, I loved the toxic characters that everyone hated. Boston? Love him. Boeing? Meow. Top? YES PLEASE. Every time someone was arguing about these characters, I was just sitting comfortably. Well.. Unless someone said something wrong about Top or Mew. They were my babies. Top had the best character development. And people hated him for that. They called him a manipulator. Lol. How embarrasing. In the end, he was greener than most of the characters. Sorry to break it to you. He deserved to be happy after all the episodes where he was looking like a sad puppy. I just can't argue with people who thinks he's the bad guy.. Because they are so fricking wrong about him. Every. Time. God dammit, because of this hate, they literally cut his scenes out!!!! WTF!!! Nah. I'll stop. TopMew defender till the end, my friends.

Other couples were okay. SandRay were good for each other. BostonNick were really hot together. That's all I can say to them. Toxic fans literally ruined my enjoyment for them.

OVERALL: A great series, with a lot of potential.. It's a shame what has become from this...

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It's pointless

I'm dropping this at episode 5, because I can't bring myself to watch this any further. For me it's pointless, and a waste of time.
When this aired, I had zero expectations. I thought it would lack a good story like so many other BLs out there, especially the more sexy ones, but I was pleasantly surprised, because there was some potential for an intriguing plot. The acting is incredible from First, Khaotung, Neo and Mark. Force and Book are almost unbearable to watch, because they aren't able to breathe some life into their characters. Better actors could have done a better job for sure. Well, not the whole cast can be stellar, so that's not the biggest issue here. I was hooked after episode 2, enjoyed episode 3, was bored by episode 4 and started skipping scenes, and now at episode 5 I will end my misery. This series reminds me of some German soap operas, where the couple gets together in a few episodes, they love each other, and you don't even know why, and then they get separated, and you have to watch endless episodes of family, friends, and the jealous ex-girlfriend plotting schemes to keep them separated until they get together in the 99th episode and marry in the 100th. Apparently this concept is very popular in Germany, and most likely all over the world, despite me to this day not knowing how something like this can even be considered an entertaining watch.
What is my point? I don't enjoy people plotting schemes and making their life miserable for no good reason. I don't enjoy the idea of love where you don't even understand why they are attracted to each other. They are all obsessed with someone, while having good potential partners around them. It's just shallow, damn shallow. You can't feel the character depths, which makes it hard to root for anyone here. I don't feel sorry for them, I don't want to see them happy, I'm just annoyed by their dirty little games and their stubbornness that makes them miserable human beings. It honestly feels strange to look at those characters who are played by great actors, some of them I really like, and just thinking: I don't care about your issues. I don't.
Still, I'm not surprised that this series is popular at all. Most people enjoy this kind of drama. I even think it's pretty realistic. We have more bad people than good people in this world, and when it comes to relationships, so many behave like lunatics.
But I personally feel too old to watch some guys f*cking around and being dramaqueens for no good reasons. I feel this is something for people in their mid 20s, especially for those who enjoy the NSFW content, which I normally do, but it cannot save this series.
To sum it up: I don't think it's a bad series. There sure is an audience for it. The acting (most of it), the music (!!) and how some of the dialogues are written isn't bad, some scenes are beautifully filmed too. But the characters are too shallow, their intrigues too dirty and pointless. So it's a no for me.

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A train wreck but in a good way

A hot damn messy is what this show is and I love every moment of it. These characters are very flawed and it shows how toxic friendships and relationships happen. They all need therapy. It's Like a Train Wreck, you know it's gonna crash and burn but you can't look away. The amount of
manipulation, lying, and narcissistic traits a lot of them have are mindblowing. They all put themselves makes you hang on the edge of your seat waiting for the other shoe to drop. Mew and Top whole relationship is built off a lie. Boston and Nick are messed up in the head. Sand and Ray both need to learn better ways to cope with these issues. Ray is using alcohol to mask his pain and it's destroying him. I can't help but think Mew knows his feelings but takes advantage of those feelings. He has other friends but you chose him to call. He made his voice sound a certain way when he called him, knowing Ray would melt. Sand masks how he feels and it's a reason he hates the way he does.

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This series is my guilty obsession

At this point (after 8 episodes) I want to say this: Sand got the best, but also the most heartbreaking lines.
Ep. 3 - "I'm not. I don't have the right to be upset with you. Besides, I think it's a good idea if we just stop at a one night stand like before."
Ep. 4 - "Don't ever do that to anyone. People have feelings. Stop dragging me around when you feel lonely. Or throwing me away when you don't need me. If you still want to be my friend, care about my feelings."
Ep. 5 - "It's like somebody presses pause on all my 24 hours. Next thing I know... I'm living my 25th hour. Ray's extra hour."
"I've always thought Rays is my 25th hour, my extra hour. But the truth is everyone has the same 24 hours in a day. And within Ray's 24 hours, I'm not a part of it. I'm not that special."
Ep. 8 - 1/4 "S: Good. You can finally end the secret crush. Such a waste of time, right?"
R: Can we still be friends?
S: Friends? You and I have never been friends from the get-go. We have nothing in common. Besides, I don't know why I should be friends with you.
R: But when I'm with you, I'm so damn happy." - then, why, Ray, why, didn't you choose him?
R: "Sand.
S: Let me go already." - my heart broke at this point.
3/4 "R: Stop fooling yourself, Sand. You like me. You love me. You can't walk away from me. You're mine no matter what.
S: I'm not your second option. Remember that." Finally, Sand. You finally set boundaries.
It's the first series where I can give a sincere 10 for music. It's amazing. From the opening song to the background songs (Sand-Ray).
The actors make a great job with their characters. The First-Khao chemistry is insane, like always.

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LOVE COCKTAIL

What a remarkable year, anyway I have jhus watched the first episode and this is a very good story, surprisingly after concluding the Chinese bl drama STAY WITH ME, Only friends has drawn a new line and I would like to give my reasons.

Firstly, they have done a good job with multiple couples. Thai bl dramas have always had the challenge of dealing with very many couples a number of times for example TOP SECRET TOGETHER but 2023 has taken a whole new level ever since MOONLIGHT CHICKEN aired earlier this year and CUTIE PIE last year, moreso, ONLY FRIENDS appears to be a more intense drama since the chemistry in every couple is not so complicated and fits perfectly right.

Secondly, I just love the character design and make up, I have always loved the trope of having a number of bl couples but more to it is each having a personality who is the polar opposite of the other, the same can be said for ONLY FRIENDS since all the main characters clearly appear to be from different worlds each with their own perception of things but somehow these differences have a way that they draw them together into developing feelings for each other and moreso understanding each other.

Thirdly, you'll certainly feel the sincerity of all emotions portrayed within the series, this is what makes a series most appealing to me, the fact that it goes from not only entertaining but also speaks to the soul, what's even better is that amidst all the drama, you can't possibly deny the love between all the main characters which stands out even in their silence and body languages.

You'll also probably be at the edge of your seat screaming since the series contains quite a number of intimate, flirty and even seductive scenes which for the record were not overdone but were captured just right.

Anyway, for me I could clearly tell from the beginning that the series and its production from the plot was well executed and not cliché, the entire thing might seem predictable but it also is full of scenes that will take you by surprise which makes it brilliant for a start.

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GmmTv really said, "let’s make everyone kiss everyone in this series".

This was such an amazing ride. I binged it in a day, and had such a blast, laughing and grinning ear to ear in every episode. After the last episode, I just wanted to go party like the characters did in the series a lot of times. Not gonna lie, I felt totally high after finishing it – high of laughter and fun. XD

Why is it so great though? Multiple reasons:
* Although it’s a college BL, it doesn’t focus that much on studying and some characters are also from different majors, so there’s some variety.
* The characters are toxic, yes, but it’s part of the plot, doesn’t get romanticized, and instead calls lots of toxic tropes out.
* Bi- and pansexuality are actually acknowledged, there’s no "I’m only gay for you" or "I was hetero but you turned me gay" trope.
* Instead of a love triangle, we have a heptagon.
* Two lesbian couples.
* There’s an age gap relationship.
* Everyone basically got to kiss everyone, so if you don’t happen to ship the endgame couples, chances are you’ll at least see some kinda make-out between your ships.
* Some of my favorite love tropes: "rivals to lovers" and "friends with benefits".
* Date variety: rollerblades, music shop, laser tag, bookstore, and some more. (Not the typical places.)
* There are actually switches – no extreme top/bottom stereotypes and everyone’s treated like a man.
* Wonderful chemistry between the actors, platonically, romantically and sexually. Sex scenes feel real, not acted, and the kisses are hot.
* Pretty much everyone is gay in one way or another, but there’s also a hetero couple I got butterflies for.
* No homophobia, as well as no coming-out-scenes; everyone knew already they’re gay/bi/pan/etc (well, except for one character later on) and no one minded that – every sexuality was normal and not highlighted. 
* Simply a chill series. 
* Also, finally a realistic representation of a bookworm/booknerd. 
* And the comedy isn't too forced/much, but actually funny.


~

College BL:
While the plot is based on the main friends’ graduation project, it doesn’t focus on college or studying too much, but rather shows the partying side of college life. There are also characters from different majors/classes, so you don’t have the whole cast from the same studying field. 

No homophobia or coming-outs:
A very famous trope in school BLs is the "finding oneself" by a guy flirting with them and them figuring out they’re gay/bi/etc. That's usually accompanied by homophobia, albeit most of the time it's the fear of homophobia, the fear of not being accepted or even bullied, especially by their own friends.
That's not the case here.
Not only because everyone already knows their sexuality, but even in public, no one is afraid of PDA or getting seen or whatever. Even their parents know which gender their kids mingle with and it’s never been a topic. No one hates themselves because of their sexuality either. 
Really, every sexuality is treated the same. It’s not highlighted in any way, not seen as something special, just chill. 
But at the same time, also, there’s no heteronormatism. When new characters don’t know the sexuality/interest of other characters, they ask, instead of assuming things. Or they lean in for a kiss right away, without worrying too much about it. 
So chill.

Gender equality:
Even though BL Dramas target more women than men and the audience is mostly women, the female characters in the dramas are usually treated very badly.
However, not in this series.
It might be genuinely the first Thai drama – no, the first asian drama –, where women aren’t treated like shit. They aren’t used as whiny characters, who want their exes back, or as flings one of the guys can make out with, to make their partner jealous, or just as "decoration" to fill the room, but essentially have no lines/voice and no saying in a matter. 
None of that crap here. They’re actually equal, are respected, aren’t whiny, have a voice and are likable characters. Just like with sexualities, the genders aren’t treated very different, have equal respect and it’s just chill.
Of course, since it’s a BL drama with 3 BL main couples, there aren’t that many female characters to begin with, but with what there is, it’s well done. 

Stereotypes:
Another "equality" this series does, is the way tops and bottoms in BL relationships are treated. Usually it’s unrealistic and not really the way actual gay relationships are, because, again, the target audience are women, and straight ones to that. And what is one thing straights can’t seem to accept? That every relationship is different, and when you say "love is love", it doesn’t mean queer relationships are just like hetero ones.
Heterosexual relationships are technically the only genre where top and bottom labels should be used, as you’ll rarely find a same-sex couple, where there is only one person doing everything. 
And this series finally acknowledges that.
Not entirely directly and there are still things to improve, but it is going into the right direction.
For example:
- two tops get a sex scene,
- multiple bottoms each have a make out scene,
- both the supposedly top or bottom are horny,
- and both have scenes where they lead the way.
While it’s not directly said they are switches, it’s not needed, when you can clearly see that the one who’s been more dominant, also enjoys it the other way round.
What it does, is, it’s acknowledging that they are both men.
The tops and bottoms stereotypes have gone so out of hand in the last years, that the bottoms in the relationship are completely treated like a girl. Studios make them usually shy, more feminine, more emotional, more "innocent", and all that crap. 
Again, not here. Both people in a relationship are men and are treated as such. The "tops" here are just as emotional or sometimes even more than the "bottom". A beautiful portrayal of this is SandRay. 

There's also an age-gap relationship (the actors aren’t that far apart, but the character should have at least 10-15 years), and while the older one was seen to take the lead and be more dominant, he wasn’t a top-stereotype, too had emotions, and they both felt equal, both were initiating things.

Oh, and another stereotype they dropped or went against, was the nerd character. While he does seem stereotypical at first (having that innocent vibe), it is actually – finally – a realistic representation of a bookworm. Yea, they might have no experience irl, but by reading a lot of books, you are quite experienced and knowledged in things.
That shows, for example, by him seeing through others more easily, details that are usually overlooked by everyone else, or when people are lying, and has more confidence with his boundaries. And he slays his villain era. 
As a bookworm myself, I cannot express how happy I am to finally get a goddamn realistic representation of us. No kidding. 

Toxicity:
By deciding against extreme stereotypes or stereotypes in general, it does already take a lot of toxicity away, at least for the relationships itself. 
However, this series is based on and revolves around the main characters being toxic, each in their own way. But the difference is that it’s not being romanticized, and the characters are called out for their behavior.
For example: consent. Even though with that much toxicity going on, every character does value consent when it comes to intimacy. There’s no sex where one is drugged (like in KinnPorsche) or where one is asleep (like in TharnType).
Especially Mew has quite a lot of scenes where he voices his boundaries and the other characters respect it without pushing or gaslighting him.
After-sex care is also a thing – no, none of the "I’ll carry you because your butt hurts", but asking if they’re okay with it being a one-night-stand or how it was. 
The toxicity in this series mostly is abut being toxic to oneself and how this impacts your relationships/surroundings. 

Comfortable actors:
The actors here are just as comfortable with intimate scenes as the ones in KinnPorsche. The kisses are hot – or cute, if the scene isn’t supposed to be hot. The sex scenes feel real and not acted. 
Maybe that’s also because the actors have acted before together in series – mostly as background characters, though – and therefore know each other quite well.
And some have acted as couples before – FirstKhao, who play SandRay, are also a couple in The Eclipse, and ForceBook (as TopMew) are also in A Boss and a Babe, so they have experience/chemistry already. I haven’t watched either of those two series, but you can see they’ve done this before. Particularly FirstKhao's chemistry slays. 

But not only the "hot" scenes are good. The actors also have wonderful chemistry with the platonic relationships they play. And romantic too, of course.

Additionally, the best way to describe this series is by saying, "everyone gets to kiss everyone". Therefore, actors don’t just stay in their bubble with that one other actor they’re playing a relationship with, but you actually get to see different actors acting together, who maybe never were seen in a scene together. Actors got to experiment and expand their chemistry. 
Also, not only actor-wise, but character-wise: chances are, that if you don’t ship the main couples and instead some random side character with an MC, it’s likely you will actually see a kiss or hook-up between them. Which is great. 
I also love this because I got disappointed in Big Dragon with the "rivals to lovers" trope, and this series kind of fulfilled it. Well, not all rivals became full-time lovers, but did have at least some kinda intimate scene. And I’m so here for it. 
Basically as if the writers said, "why let rivals fight verbally or with fists, when they could just make out with each other?" And I love them for it, lol.
Thus resulting in this series not having a love triangle, but an entire heptagon. XD

GL:
Since SOTUS had an open lesbian character, it’s becoming more common for other BL dramas to include GL as well. Although most of the time, if there is any of that, it usually is a mention of a couple with no visual "proof" – and if there are visual scenes, the two women usually seem like close friends, nothing romantic, let alone sexual. Kisses are usually on the cheek and even those are awkward (*cough* Big Dragon *cough*). Of course I’m happy we get at least *some* representation, but why are they still so shy about it in 2022+? 

When starting this series, I had no idea there even will be a lesbian character, but got surprised in the first episode when it’s confirmed the main girl has a girlfriend already, and then we actually got to see the girlfriend very soon! While they did seem a bit more distant than their BL colleagues, it was definitely better acted/directed/written than in other series. And they also got a kiss! On the lips! <3 

Before I even got used to the openness of the series, Gmmtv introduces another lesbian couple. Can you imagine?? One GL couple already is something for a BL drama, but TWO?? That was one amazing surprise.
Even better: they’re not teens, but old adults. Two moms of one of the main character, and one of them is confirmed bi. Old queer representation is also quite rare, so that’s another plus point. Love Gmmtv for doing this. <3

Hetero couple:
Yes, here too you have that "one hetero couple because they don’t want a queer-only cast" trope.
But it wasn’t actually too forced. The actors had genuine chemistry, it felt real (in a sweet sense) and it wasn't out of place. Their scenes were short, but still made an impact.
I’m quite surprised myself, but this might’ve been the first hetero couple in a queer show that I actually got butterflies for, when they hugged. 
Maybe also because they too dropped the gender stereotypes here, and it wasn’t about them being hetero, but rather just another two people in a relationship. 

Sexualities:
So, we have confirmed gays and lesbians (and heteros), but there’s more.
Bisexuality is actually a thing, and none of the tropes "I’m only gay for him" or "I was hetero but he turned me gay" exist.
There’s also a pansexual character – while it's not said explicitly, he pretty much confirms it by saying, "I’m open to all genders, appearances don’t matter to me". 
There was also a bit of hinted poly, though, again, not entirely confirmed. But one character often mentions he wouldn’t mind a threesome (I counted 4 times throughout the series) and that he can have feelings for multiple people at once.
Demisexuality also kind of was hinted, by one character pausing a make-out scene and saying they’re not ready for sex because they don’t know that person. Only when they got to know each other more, they slowly got more intimate. When that maybe-demisexual character was making out with someone else he didn’t know, he looked quite uncomfortable, compared to other people he does know. 
While it would’ve been nice if the labels had been used (like with gay and bisexuality), it’s still better than nothing and I am very happy for the diverse representation. 

Comedy:
As dramatic as a drama can be, every series will have some comedy. Some dramas have too much of it where it feels forced, others may have too little. 
Here, I found the comedy to be perfectly balanced. There weren’t really any characters who explicitly served as a comedic relief, instead, everyone got to have some funny scenes. And it was actually funny. 
Gotta add that point because most of the time I don’t really find all comedic scenes funny in dramas, even when they are technically good, but there’s always some scene I don’t like. Here, however, I don’t think there was ever a moment where I didn’t laugh. 

Generally it was a very fun series, not just during the explicitly comedic scenes.
Yes, there is drama, but it’s not overly dramatic in a sad sense. They focus more on everyday toxicity you’d find in every random person, and not make it about sexualities or genders. That doesn’t mean it’s kept overly lighthearted, because it does tackle deep issues like depression, and one character also goes to therapy because of an addiction. 
But for me, at least, it was a fun series that I could really enjoy in a positive sense and never be afraid of certain things.
For example, it’s also a meme/trend to make episode 11 in BL dramas to be full of sadness and heartbreak (because it's two straight lines), but that wasn’t the case here. The heartbreaks or sad scenes were scattered throughout the series and there wasn’t really anything "special" about ep11. 

What I didn’t like:
"Couples have to be endgame" trope. With particularly one couple (won't spoiler which one). Even though they would be better off separately, the producers feel like they couldn’t risk that much because fans would die if their OTP isn’t endgame. I personally didn’t ship them much from the beginning, and while I do see their well-developed growth character-wise, I think it would’ve been a much better lesson to let them go separate ways. 
I’m not too angry with this, because they did let one couple go their separate ways, albeit for a bit of a different reason. (Not gonna spoiler which couple.) And that was really great.
Still, though, I’m not too much of a fan of that other couple.

The crying scenes.
Some actors did a really good job with the crying scenes and I’m not annoyed by them in itself, but rather the amount of crying scenes two particular actors got. Khaotung (Ray) and Mark (Nick).
Khao already had lots of crying scenes in Tonhon Chonlatee, and, just like with Gun (another gmmtv actor), they’re kind of obsessed by his skill, so end up overusing it. At least it wasn’t in every episode and didn’t feel too forced (like Gun in Theory of Love), but maybe 1-2 crying sessions too much. (Although I'm not sure which ones should've been cut, because they are well done...) 

Overall:
Compared to everything I did like, the negative points are very minimal. Overall I enjoyed it, will now watch FMVs of my favorite couples/characters and definitely recommend it to anyone.

The entire series feels like Gmmtv simply wanted to try some new things out, without having any real "goals" or targeting a specific audience (in the BL fandom), and I really love that. It totally became my favorite series from them. I hope they do more like these or at least aren’t afraid to be more adventuresome, instead of chewing the same tropes over and over again. 

I really hope there will be a 2nd season, as it has been hinted in the last episode, but nothing confirmed yet.

-09.01.24

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beautifully shot and well acted - raw and real and fun - but still a victim of theatrics

i was really impressed from the beginning with this unique look into LGBTQ+ life in Thailand, because i don't think any other drama has been as realistic as this one. they didn't hold back in exploring character flaws as well as relationships and all the good and bad that can come with them, and for that i have to applaud it. the premise was interesting - a messy group stumbling their way through romantic entanglements while still trying to maintain their friendship, not realizing how delicate of a balance must be struck in order for both types of love to thrive.

spoilers below:
top and mew were never that interesting to me, despite their sweet start. mew's quest for revenge, while initially a fascinating twist in character, soon turned into a drawn out ordeal that i could no longer stomach. in the end they just didn't have enough substance. i wish we learned more about top's issues, and saw mew coming back to himself, but it all just fell flat.

boston and nick were doomed from the start. i liked them together, but i always knew it would have to fall apart. i could see boston being in an open relationship easily, but nick was always too invested for that. in the end i think that this was a nice example of two people coming together to learn more about themselves and then move forward. but i am upset that boston's character regressed a bit in the final moments, and he was sent off with essentially no resolution, while being continuously punished. i think his friendship with the group would have been a better focus for his story.

now, my loves, sand and ray. their storyline gripped me the most. an ill-advised friends with benefits situation that turned into something more, while one of them was clinging onto somebody else. they ran into every obstacle, faced heartbreak at every turn, but among that rubble, they did love each other. ray was a character that was painful to watch, whether i was sad or angry at him, but i think it really was an exercise in understanding. a beautifully told story from start to near finish, until boeing came into the picture. i would have much rather spent the time focusing on ray's recovery and the repairing of their relationship, but instead, we had an oddly placed will they-won't they that served no purpose.

there's no way around it, the ending was unsatisfying for me. i didn't feel that things closed in a well-rounded and logical way. it was stilted and awkward, strangely paced. this was a pretty good rollercoaster for the most part... but it doesn't stick the landing. i think it's because of the changes made to the story based on fan opinions, but no one can say for sure.

solid acting from the whole cast, but first, khaotung, and mark were standouts, and i hope to see them leading future series!

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