Playboyy (2023)

Don't judge a series by its rating

"Playboyy" is its own genre. There is "BL" and there is "Playboyy". You can't compare these genres at all.
I'm not a fan of NC scenes in series. I don't like it when such scenes appear in a series, just to show that the main characters have moved on to the next stage in the relationship. It doesn't add anything to the plot, it's just there to please the eyes of some fans.
This series is different. The creators themselves have written that this series is about "relationships of "human" through various definition of sex". And that's what this series is about. It doesn't glorify sex. It doesn't show it as something romantic. It doesn't make us believe that it must and should only occur in monogamous relationships. It shows that there is no such thing as "normal" sex. Everyone has different desires. Everyone has different needs. If these desires are fulfilled by mutual consent, give pleasure to all participants, there is nothing wrong with that.
Sex in this series isn't there to attract the attention of fans. It shows the characters' personalities, their traumas and their fears. Here I must add that the characters aren't crystal clear. They all have their flaws, some so serious that we feel bad rooting for them. There is no black and white in the real world. There are only shades of gray. And that's exactly what this series is. It shows all the shades of gray, not allowing viewers to easily judge which character did the right thing and which didn't.
This series had the courage to address difficult topics without wrapping them in a pretty package - drug addiction, prostitution, sex addiction, sexual abuse.
While watching this series, you have to keep thinking about why the characters acted in a certain way. You can't just turn on an episode and relax.
And for all the haters who are always talking about one thing - as someone pointed out earlier, this is a series about sex, so there must be sex scenes. They can't just talk about it for 14 episodes. Watching a series about sex and complaining that there are sex scenes is like walking into a bakery and complaining that there is bread.
I love this series. I'm hoping for a second season. Maybe then more people will discover this hidden gem.

Read More

Iconic Cult Classic

I will start out by saying this series will not be for everyone, in fact it won't be for most people but what it will be is memorable!

Playboyy is NOT your typical run of the mill predictable Thai BL. If you are looking for Boy meets Boy, Boy falls in love with Boy, Boy (maybe) kisses Boy, There is a miscommunication and then they make up and live happily ever after.....this IS NOT the series for you. There is nothing wrong with those types of series but Playboyy is not that!

Playboyy is unhinged, camp, satirical, hilarious, sex positive, fashion forward and unapologetic.

If you scratch just below the surface of the iconic one liners and murder mystery plot you will find that Playboyy celebrates gay sex in all its forms. Playboyy shows you that their isn't just one way to be in a relationship with someone and that none of those relationships are less than just because they are not traditional BL relationships. They are complex and messy and are unique to each couple rather than being cookie cutter.

The series also doesn't shy away from some of the very realistic issues that come from being a gay person or worse yet a gay sex worker in Thailand. How this community is marginalized, abused and struggling to live let alone be accepted. The show also reminds you that money is power and that we can all end up doing things we are not proud of just to survive.

Now lets address the NC scenes. Let me say it one more time because everyone seems to be taken aback or surprised by this....The series is 18+ and it is sex positive! Yes there are a lot more NC compared to normal Thai BL. They are also far more explicit and unhinged. They are not your dead fish kiss, squeal because someone touched me, we are dating and kissing is all we will ever do NC. As I mentioned before Playboyy celebrates all forms of gay sex so you will have crazy unhinged make you scream in shock scenes, you will have sweet romantic scenes, you will have BDSM, role play and the list could go on. This isnt a porn so no you aren't going to see full frontal nudity but you will be asked to use your imagination and think about what the shot would be like if the underwear weren't there!

Yes the show is low budget, yes some of the acting is questionable, yes some times the plot takes a back seat to the NC, Yes there is a lot of broken English being spoken, Yes the NC can get crazy and/or uncomfortable or down right funny. It's for all of these reasons that I say Playboyy is not for everyone. But if you are someone who likes something different, who loves to laugh and scream some times at the same scene, if you want subversive and unique then Playboyy is absolutely for you.

I recommend finding a friend just as unhinged as you are to watch the show with. I will admit that the comment section and the members of the Chaos Train who all watch it as it aired added the icing on top of the cake for me. You will absolutely need someone to talk to about this show with so don't be shy in finding a watch buddy!

Read More