The Rebound (2024)

OMG did it go bad in the end

While I expected the show to be good after watching the first two episodes it went downhill from there. The story has no logic and no cohesion.

First, why does Lin have a crush on Ryu? I have no clue and why does she not try to help her father much earlier? It's not ok, for team members to risk the club, but it's also not ok, to publish it without consideration for all the other members. Maybe going to the director first would have been a better solution, so the club does not get disbanded because of the actions of a few.

Second, why did Ryu not ask his mother many years earlier to watch a match? I don't get it, when BLs create "evil" one-dimensional parents.

Third, why did they need Atom to make a love triangle and do things, you don't do, when you know your interest already is taken? To have Atom kiss Zen head was appalling.

Forth, the gangster arc was interesting in the beginning but the ending was beyond stupid. Why is Que not in prison? Is the police so incompetent that they did not get it?

Fifth, while they struggeling for money, nobody gets the idea to sell their Samsung Flip phones which costs around $1000-$1300. Especially Zen and his grandma could never ever afford such a luxury item and here we also see, that in that case the director should have stepped in to say, Zen can't have it, Atom should have it, because his father looked well off.

So overall the story was a plunder as always. The MLs had a bit more to act compared to their previous shows, but they still don't shine because their roles are quite one-dimensional as well. The finale was cringe as well. Why did Zen return? What happend in Phuket? Nobody knows and the writers didn't want to know also. Such lazy writing is incredible. It's a waste of time to count more of the negatives, because there are some positives as well. Cinematography was excellent especially while the actors played basketball but in the later epsiodes the quality declines. Maybe time-constraints because Golf had to direct two shows which aired at the same time. Of course there was some fan-service but nothing eath-shattering and no sensual scenes imho. The fuck scene in the finale was over the top as well. I don't think the grandma is "poor" - she had headphones ? and with her support for them, it's a non-issue. Yes, grandma was the best. And why the club still existed after they lost - nobody knows as well - it's stated in the script I assume ?.

Especially Ping is locked in a character-set, either a pushover or a diva or just annoying - or a combination of all, so not a chance of growing with his acting even when his third outing was better then the previous ones. For Frank it was new territory and he did play his role well and we all don't like him. Of course Meen is booked for the cool and rich one, but also his character is always similar in all the shows and some of his parents are always "evil". To summarize, the show started strong with the first two episodes and fell of a cliff because the writers had no clue what to do. You have four writers and don't manage a coherent story - that's really sad.

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started strong and shirtless (watch suggestions)

Overall: the amount of nonsense in this plot was very high and the visuals only got me so far. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired 2 episodes per week on GagaOOLala https://www.gagaoolala.com/en/videos/4473/the-rebound-2024-e01 and Viu.

Content Warnings: murders/deaths, past death, grief, trauma, blood, punches/fight/beaten up, bullying, alcoholism, kidnapping, non con kiss, dub con kisses (likely consensual but wish they had made it more clear)

Watch Suggestions (the first 7 episodes were fine though I watched most at a faster speed, starting at episode 8 I found myself not enjoying large chunks of needless drama, love triangles, etc)
- episode 8, 10:50-11:50 dub con kisses but pretty sure they were consensual then watch up to 14:30 self pleasure, watch 45 to the end for first aid/kissing
- episode 9, watch 9-10:40 for earbud sharing, 20-22:30 for a side couple first aid, 30-32:30 shirtlessness and hug, 36-37:30 kisses/tickle fight, 45 to the end for a shower scene
- episode 10, watch 45 to the end or could skip the episode
- episode 11, watch 15:30-16:55 for a side couple moment, 19-22:30 for Ryu & Zen, and watch 50-53
- episode 12, watch 18:25-20 and 29 to the end

What I Liked
- the Cafe For All cafe
- how several characters were realistically connected
- good tension/chemistry
- visuals, realistic amounts of skin showing (i.e. not having underwear on coming out of a bath)
- a character actually asked to post a picture on social media and tag another character
- the title as a metaphor for trying again
- supportive grandmother
- hot self pleasure scene in episode 8
- the easter egg that the high school was named after the director
- good that Ryu was proud of their relationship and didn't want to hide it
- good analogy of what a rebound was
- wasn't a fan of Zen evading Ryu's kisses but the last scene was great
- production value (cinematography, editing, ost)

Room For Improvement
- the intro was attention grabbing but generally not a fan of a flash forward/back to start a series
- a character was supposed to be sweet but came across as stalkery and I was super mad at the non con kiss in episode 11
- the teammates bullying their other teammate, there was 1 verbal apology but it still didn't sit right with me
- a character was infantilized, would have been cool if he had had his own romance
- love triangles (there were multiple which was extra annoying)
- nonsense plot stuff: the flashbacks were from 9th grade and they were currently in 10th/11th grade (so they were supposed to be 15/16), not calling the police in episode 4 and later, too tropey (multiple accidental falls in an episode, a lot of near kisses), wearing school uniforms during illegal activities, calling the police when that would get teammates in trouble, a mom's nonsense actions and then nonsense redemption arc, getting super upset when 1 character could easily fly to the other
- telling a significant other they couldn't smile at anyone else wasn't romantic
- the cafe owner and coworker betting on the love triangle/gossiping about it
- too many plot threads not well fleshed out
- comedy sound effects

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LMAO They Left Atom’s Arse In Phuket

The side characters in this drama were as interesting as chalk. Also, Atom. Child. You touch people with that hand!!

That being said. HAHAHAKKJSHFN That ending bedroom scene was just foul!! How you gon’ do that in broad-daylight with your grandmother sitting right there?? The poor woman had to listen to her grandchild getting eaten for two days while making dessert. Yikes.

Also, for a show trying to be ‘gangster’ they sure forgot that random bathtub gangster real quick. Mfer got killed and I was like ‘Oh, so what happened with that gangster group?’ and the writers were like ‘Whomst? We don’t know them. They don’t go here. '

ACTING:
Listen, I sometimes think most bl actors take their acting lessons from a block of cheese, or from like one of those red bricks, but I'd be the first to admit that MeenPing has improved. Sure, I still went ‘Child, what are you doing with your eyebrows? And it's your arms supposed to be doing that?’ more times than I can count, but their acting did not distract me as much as it did in their first two dramas. So yaaay for improvement. Love that for them.

What distracted me though was Ryu’s parent situation. Like, it’s Meen ever going to play a role where he has loving parents? In their first drama, his mother took half his kidney and ditch him at the corner of like a soup shop, he ended up a lonely gangster in the second one, and his mother here made him sleep in the dumpster because he liked to play basketball. I’m curious what his next parents are gonna bring to the table.

CHARACTERS

Like I said, the characters in this show were as interesting as a pineapple. Literally, except for Chogun, I have no idea what anyone’s name on the team was. I think two of them became a couple because the other one collected parking lot tickets or something? Whatever, I guess every show needs background noise.

I liked Ryu and Zen, sure Ryu came with a lot of baggages, that one gangster friend? and his mother, and Zen had his sick granny, but I like how supportive they were of each other. I enjoyed watching them together, they didn’t annoyed me so much and MeenPing had great chemistry. My fav part was when they were mature enough to let the other follow their own dream. Finally, there was no unrealistic love gestures like 'I'll move to Phuket with you' and I cheered.

That being said, did Ryu leave his fancy mansion to become a hobo, where he gets beaten every 2-to-3-business-days because his mama won't let him play basketball??

Zen came off as a pushover and at times I wanted to throw sticks into his hair for being a dumbass. Literally, he had so many chances to push Atom into that damn pool but instead he ended up in his bed. It seemed like he was afraid of setting boundaries. Be firm boy, no you don't want to go watch no darn movie!

And Atom. Oh ATOM. Antony my boy. Why? Homeboy just won’t give up and leave. Am I the only one who was like ‘aww poor Atom, such a nice guy, he deserves better’ in the beginning but somewhere along the way every time he showed up went, ‘My friend go sit somewhere, that’s enough of you.’ No really, Atom’s first coach must have told him the meaning of rebound, and homeboy decided to make it his entire personality, cuz why the eff did he keep coming back knowing full well he had negative 2.0 chance with Zen?

And what the eff was up with all the nonsense romantic gesture he made for Zen?

Listen, Romantic gestures are supposed to make you swoon and go ‘awww’ You know, like in the episode where Zen got on his tiny bike and rushed after Ryu when he was kidnap for the how-many-times-can-one-person-be-kidnap-and-beaten-until-it-gets-boring time? like:

ZEN: Ryu, wait for me, I’m coming to save you. I have no plan, no fighting skills. I in no way told anyone where I was going and of course I did not bring anything pointy or sharp. But, I love you sooo much and I am coming to rescue you. *in-love noises*

Me, slowly chewing my popcorn while Zen was being thrown around like a piñata.
ME: Dumbass nooo... they beaten your arse…yous is bleeding…but awww you came to save him. *cries in stupid love* #sosad

So yeah, stupid arse romantic gestures are supposed to make us swoon. So tell me why every time Atom made some sort of romantic gestures I wanted to snitch to his dad about it like: ‘Atom’s dad, come collect your boy, he’s out here making unnecessary romantic gestures and embarrassing his ancestors.’

Literally, nonsense stuff Atom did that no one asked him to do.
- Confronting his team alone: His arse got beaten and all he got from Zen was sympathy.
- Given up his scholarship: Sure, there’s nothing wrong with being in love with a guy you met under the public pool one time, but given up your future because the boy you have a crush on’s boyfriend got beaten is wild. Like was that supposed to make Zen fall for him?
- His arse getting left in Phuket. LMAO, what, he thought getting Zen that scholarship was going to make him love him? Boo-boo.

His character was created to be the second lead that never got the guy, so he didn't bring a whole lot to the table. Sure the writers tried to make him mysterious, and interesting with whatever the hell was up with him and his dad, and sure he quit his future for a guy he met at the bottom of the pool one time, but like he was a very nice fella in the beginning.

And, yes, he was born with a hand and knew how to use the pictures on his phone to you know—do stuff, but like, he was still such a nice fella until he got on my nerve for always inserting himself in their business, like dude, read the room, you are the elephant.

Side note: Atom sure knew how to use that photo galley on his phone huh?? ^^I don’t understand why he want a boyfriend when clearly, he and himself can have a good time all on their own. See how quickly the whole thing lasted, his hand must work wonders.

Anywho, I wanted to know what happened to him in the end, but I guess I can be satisfied with his arse getting left in Phuket.

LIN LIN LIN.
What was the reason Lin fell in love with Ryu? It felt like she woke up one random Thursday and went. ‘Let’s see, what’s on my to-do-list today?’:

1. Pretend not the see my dad’s drinking problem
2. Ruin the school’s basketball team cuz im nosy
3. Fell in love with that guy I saw through the fence one time
4. If there’s time, put my nose in Ryu’s family problems, cuz, yolo right?

No, Lin having a crush on Ryu made no sense to me? Atom’s crush I understood. He met a cute boy while sitting under the public pool that one Tuesday. So he fell for his rescuer, but what was the reason Lin had a crush on Ryu? Was it because she saw him through that fence one time on the basketball court?

Whatever, her nosy arse was so annoying, getting in everyone and their mama’s business but ignoring her own. Child your father is a drinking away your collage fund, hows about we focus on that, huh? Good luck to that one dude who confused to her, now he has to deal with her and her drunkard dad.

PLOT
i actually found myself watching most of the game, instead of fasting forward. Good camera angles and I was intrigued. That being said, there was not much of a plot going on here. The gangster plot went nowhere. That one bathtub dude died in a black scene, and these children who just witness so many deaths went home and took a nap.

Zen’s grandmother being sick got annoying, because what’s with parents figure hiding their sickness? It vexes me every time it happens. Do they think them suddenly dying and leaving their loved ones alone without any closure, and feeling guilty for not noticing their sickness will be the better option?? Arrggg.

And was Ryu’s mother allergic to basketball or something? homegirl was doing too much. Like, go take a nap.

Also, why the hell did the writers expect me to cheer for that coach? He’s an alcoholic who deserved to be fired. He caused the death of his wife, and still keeps drinking, even at school, and what does his daughter do, give him more. And even when he was in trouble for it, he was still drinking it in front of the students. The way I rolled my eyes when the board voted for him to stay. Talkng about ‘I wanna keep coaching’ how about you coach yourself some rehab first!! Nonsense. And did his hair keep getting blonder?

FINALE
The ending was rushed. We didn’t get to see why the school board change their mind, how it was in Phuket, and what became of Atom, but I guess this half baked conclusion is better than waiting for a season two, no?

I was so happy when the team lost, cuz Zen is such a dumbass. Who the hell tells his team and bf his moving to Phuket seconds before a big game? Literally, he couldn’t have waited?

And also was the other team waiting for them while they were having their moment in the middle of the game? You know, cuz now it’s the time to hug and take a breather. ‘Yes, you moving to Phuket. So what do you want, a medal?’ Thank God they lost, I’d have riot if they won.

HJAJAHAHHA LMAO. They forgot that gangster friend who found him in the dumpster, only to bring him in the finale and have him literally disappear after he said like two lines. Then they proceeded to show us he turned into some hooded stalker, with a montage of his and Ryu’s time together, and I’m just rolling my eyes going. ‘Move it along, I literally don’t care about this person.’

With all that being said, y’all lying if you say you didn’t want that throuple during that awkward bed scene. Hush your face, you know you wanted it. But like, that scene made me laugh so hard—poor Zen, if only his pushover arse knew how to say 'no'.

Oh and, that theme song was dope!!!

Anyway, if you like basketball and MeenPing give this a watch, it’s good for passing the time, and I recommend it.

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Great start, boring middle, rushed ending.

This type of rushed ending is seriously my pet peeve ; way too much happened in such a short amount of time.
Overall, it was cute, but reading the comments I knew to expect to get bored around the second half and I did.

I'll start with what I did like :
- Zen is seriously adorable.
- The chemistry between Meen and Ping is definitely there.
- Frank's pretty good in this. I've avoided his most recent series but he does a good job and he looks great!
- I don't always love sport series but I really liked the team and the games.
- Coach Ton is great, and I really did get attached, his story’s interesting (that could be said as a negative though, because his story is more fleshed out than Ryu’s).

But there's so much I didn't like, especially near the end :
- Atom was fine until he wasn't anymore. Constantly intruding into his home, even if to Zen and his grandma it didn't feel that way. Kowing the way Atom feels, it's actually so weird. Pushing to stay over and kissing his forehead in his sleep, and that's without even mentioning actively trying to get him away from Ryu by taking him to Phuket. It could be argued he's only trying to help him out since his club is disbanding but I don't buy it. His words are fine but his actions say otherwise.
- The side couple doesn’t bring much, in my opinion.
- Lin and Ryu never talk again after she ambushes him with his mom. I just thought it was weird they never cleared the air. Also, was Lin’s crush necessary? Did Ryu even realize?
- I really hate this type of parents where they make them super evil and unreasonable but they can suddenly change their mind in a heartbeat. Ryu’s mom saw him play once and suddenly she’s ready to let go what she’s been fighting for for years.
- I was so confused when Ruy and Zen met Ryu's mom after the game and she tells him she cancelled his flight and Zen looks all happy but like... did he even know about it? He didn't look surprised at all!
- I actually didn't hate the way the street basketball story ended, but it would have made much more sense not to have Q come back at the end.
- Zen is adorable but talking about Atom to Ryu on the phone without mentioning he's sleeping right next to him in his own bed is so sketchy. And again, that's never actually addressed. I thought it would add to the jealous side of Ryu we saw a little bit of but it was just a bit pointless and made me see Zen differently ; surely he's not that naive.
- I liked Zen coming back. It made sense. He didn't wanna leave in the first place, he just needed the scholarship. I have no qualms about that except for the fact that it went ridiculously fast ; Coach Ton announces the club gets to live on without much of an explanation at all…
- They saw people literally get shot in front of their eyes because of street basketball but when they need money they're ready to do it again just like that. And when they do, it looks like a children's playground...
- Also, am I stupid? I know we saw Ryu’s mom kicking out his dad but I don’t think that scene really explained what happened between them. I know he missed his game with Zen because of her but when did he move away? I’m confused as to when he decided to leave and how he figured living in the street was a better option? Plus, Zen made him promise to tell him what happened but we never see that conversation.
- They kiss at the retreat and never talk about it ever again! Excuse me, what the hell? And did he leave because of Zen initially? Or was it all because of his mom? Because if it was only because of his mom, why was he so reticent to ask him out? I hate that I still have so many questions!

Okay, there’s a lot more I didn’t like than I thought and it all could easily be summarized by “lots of plot holes” so I’ll stop here but yeah honestly it’s too bad cause I think they really did the sports aspect of the series really well and I don’t have anything bad to say about anyone’s acting.

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Could Have Been Better

“They gave us the privilege to know about their feelings.” – Quote from The Rebound

The above phrase was uttered by Grandma (actress unknown) and while it may be a throw-away line, it created an epiphany for me. I had never thought of ‘coming out’ quite like in those revelatory terms. That statement, given by a simple woman in a simple context, has such a complexity to it. It is indeed a communion of the most intimate feelings for another shared in the most vulnerable approach possible. Perhaps if we think of it like that, then the hysterical stigma about whom the love is shared with simply diminishes. They have created now a whole new world. It is indeed a declaration that someone has given freely to us, and we are being asked by them to participate in it. That really ought to be an honor; not some type of burden. We are becoming a part of their circle of life.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/09/12/the-rebound-series-review-ep-1-to-12/

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Slam Dunk or Fouled Out?

I didn't know basketball could be this dangerous, nor did I realise how easily you could mess up something with potential. I decided I would just list down the good and the not good, because as it stands, the things listed could easily be two different dramas.

The Good
- The Basketball Club. Just as a whole, the focus on the sport was something I really enjoyed. A rag tag team, an unconventional and unexpectedly good coach, a key player recruited from an unexpected place who has a complicated past with the team captain, this is the stuff that makes a sports drama.. a sports drama.
The way they went from a group of completely uncoordinated individuals to a team was amazing. I saw an actual bond between all the characters part of the basketball club, great teamwork, the underdogs who stood by each other through all the ridiculous plot points that were thrown at them.
That club of fifteen or so individuals were by far the best thing about this series, I found myself cheering for each of their baskets, rooting for them to get where they wanted.
And the actual game scenes were so aesthetically shot, except for some of those cartoon effects, the shots were precise and visually strong.

- Romance. Although it came by far and few times, I actually liked the romance. Just to clarify, this was a coming of age drama with two kisses, but I'm thinking romance wasn't the first thing on the director's mind with this story. And even then, there's something about Meen and Ping that I've never been quite able to figure out. Whether the story is nonsense or if the romance is minimal, they have some sort of charm as a pairing that I've never understood the logic behind, but I've stopped trying to figure it out. I just go with the flow and I can confirm they serve as much as they possibly could have.

- Friendships. Once again in relation to the basketball club, but I have to highlight the friendship between them. Fifteen members who went from being practically strangers or from having strained relationships to developing friendships and relationships that were refreshing to watch amidst all the frustrating and unnecessary scenes. I genuinely believe there isn't a thing they wouldn't do for each other, between the players, the managers and the coach, these people were the most genuine and well developed characters in the series, with good reason.
They may have started out on the wrong foot, but true to form, basketball is a team sport, and they became the best of teams. The scene where the team literally showed up for the coach when he was going through a tough time actually had me in tears, and that's the thing, they always showed up for each other. I really wish they had spent more time developping this, compared to, well.. the points that follow.

The Should Have Been Better
I say should have been better, but I really mean completely unnecessary.

- The Basketball mafia. What was the purpose of the most aggressive villain in the series except to introduce Ryu? The entire focus on Ryu being forced to play street basketball was nonsense and it eventually led nowhere. There, I said it. They introduced this as if it were a big deal and would form a major crux of the story, but oof. It was concluded so lamely I had to laugh.

- One dimensional opposition. This was horrible. Ryu's mother and the science man who hated basketball were, I believe, literally added in to stir up drama that never existed. Maybe the drama with Ryu's mother was set up well, but the science man had no excuse being that extra about his funding. These could have been proper points of contention against the team, but a lot of yelling and whining that suddenly turns into unbounded support, it was as lame as it sounds.

- Unbalanced screentime. The basketball mafia, the one dimensional opposition and one more person who I'm yet to mention got way more screentime than they deserved. I wanted the majority of the focus to be on the game and the romance, but it sucks that things that were entirely unnecessary got more or at least equal screentime to the aspects that were worth watching.

- ATOM. No. Just no.
I mean, what was it that he actually did? Except for showing up unannounced at Zen's house and changing his hairstyle every next scene? I was convinced that he was a fictional character within the series who appeared like Beetlejuice, Ryu says his name out loud three times, and he appears in Zen's house out of thin air. No luck though, he was a very real character who played against Ryu and Zen in one match, played with Ryu and Zen in one match, and then caused a major confusing situation that was resolved in the last five minutes of the episode to give us the most anti - climactic of endings. I was hyper focused on Frank in this series, for all the wrong reasons.

Overall, this was a bag of mixed emotions. I loved some of it, didn't care for the rest. I think this could have been something worth it's while with a few changes, there were so many interesting characters and things to focus on, but when it comes down to the line, it was only okay.

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'The Rebound' exudes sensuality in a love and sports triangle

Beyond the media hype, the posters and trailers that teased a sensual love triangle between Ping Krittanun Aunchananun (who plays the naive but combative Zen) and Meen Nichakoon Khajornborirak (as the problematic Ryu), the truth is that it is difficult to imagine that a BL series set in the world of basketball is so sexy, addictive and exciting.
This is the umpteenth work by the acclaimed filmmaker Golf Tanwarin Sukkhapisit, who has already left half measures and whose productions, in the coming of age category, have become a success, especially after the commotion caused by Great Sapol Assawamunkong and Inn Sarin Ronnakiat in 'Wandee Goodday'.
'The Rebound' is like a basketball game in which much more is at stake than a sports award or a university scholarship, and throughout the series we will discover what it entails. Masterfully, its creators dose the information to continually keep us on the edge of our seats, wanting to know more, spying on each key scene in the characters' lives, anticipating each of their movements and adjusting our expectations to each revelation, precisely, as if we were playing. a basketball game.
The writers choose a non-linear narrative, through flashbacks placed with the precision of a three-point basket from the semicircle. Each one explores the lives of the two protagonists until they separated and how each of their choices influences the present, in which many things happen at the same time. This is a series that uses racconto intelligently, that is not afraid of fragmented narrative and the possibility of narrating the past from the present.
What is disputed on the playing field is not only the love between the boys or sporting success, but the honesty between two lifelong friends who have feared to accept each other in their completeness and this led them to confront their own contradictions. Although at first reading it may seem that sexuality is what gets in the way of this friendship, in reality it is precisely the repression of sexual desire that triggers all conflicts.
'The Rebound' grows with each new revelation, and, like a good basketball game, the excitement of reaching the middle of the series at the time of writing this review comes from unraveling everything that happened before and how it will affect the tension further. forward. For this reason, and for the excellent staging and the conviction of the actors with their characters, we can enjoy the audiovisual without having to find more meaning than the apparent one.
The series is partially superficial (although not empty), and doesn't tell you more than what its premise suggests, and that's a very good thing. It is a series about basketball, repressed desire and first love, the one that we make possible to be the only one or, failing that, the one that remains alive in our memories for a lifetime. It is also about how the two protagonists can finally accept each other in all their fullness.
It also touches on human fragility and man's struggle for survival and improvement. As Ryu puts it: "Basketball taught us to love others, and helped us love ourselves."
In that, the series is similar to a basketball game, or the very act of playing it: playing it always means the same thing, with the same rules and assumptions, but the how is what matters most, the how is infinite. 'The Rebound' says little, but it says it very well, and Suthipong Teerasakul, the director of photography, plays an important role in this.
For our sake, the style of the series is very Tanwarin Sukkhapisit: carefully crafted shots, current pop music and some hip hop at full volume, characters reacting impulsively, the tandem between pleasure and restriction, desire and taboo. There is no restricted and subtle eroticism, quite the opposite.
The director lets the scenes with greater erotic tension last longer than necessary, she films them with fixed angles, quite stable shots, with a certain fixation on symmetry and a rigid composition. Beautify sex.
The MeenPing ship, in its best series, immerses us in a story that shows the codes of the explosive and popular sport of basketball and also a story full of moments of sexual tension, love, self-discovery and acceptance.
Meen and Ping have created a dream couple over time. It must be taken into account that they have been developing a stable relationship on a professional level for more than four years, starring in two previous series: 'Ai Long Nhai' (2020) and My Dear Gangster Oppa' (2023). This has allowed greater rapport and comfort in the performances. They have proven to be two actors who constantly renew themselves, who reinvent themselves for the public. The peculiar way of expressing themselves in front of the cameras makes them icons for BL lovers.
The non-binary Thai director did not disappoint. We are also not afraid to affirm that this could become one of the most acclaimed series by the public and critics of 2024. In each pass of the ball, in each shot on the basket, in each new quarter period of ten minutes each, in each trip from the camera in a subjective position (as if the viewer were a ball) we know that chaos is imminent.
First let's put ourselves in context. The story begins in 2024, and moves to the rhythm of a basketball game, with each pass to the past to introduce us to the lives of the two protagonists, and back to the present time. That is why we must also go back two or three years, just when Ryu and Zen were part of a school team in that sport, but they separated for reasons that little by little the viewer will come to know.
The objective behind the musical choice, in which the music composed by MAIYARAP for the series stands out, especially his single "The Rebound", was clearly to show the dynamism behind the simple fact that five players try to score a ball as long as an equal number of people try to avoid it: there is power, there is action, but not only that, the soundtrack is destined to make it very clear to us that, in their world, basketball players are true rock stars.
It is possible to feel it when Ryu enters the playing field, confident and imposing; but also every time Zen and Ryu's gazes meet; in scenes of street or school games, or in training, with those beats that put our hearts into overdrive.
Despite not being a protagonist, Frank Thanatsaran Samthonglai occupies a fundamental place in the story, because in this love triangle, the explosion to which we are exposed does not work without its three points.
The arc of Atom, his character, is to be able to be close to the boy who works part-time as a waiter or delivery man, precisely in a cafe run by the director of the series. If Ruy can't stay away from Zen, Atom can't stay away from him either.
Despite being the third wheel, it is not possible to hate him. Firstly, because by playing on a team opposite to that of the protagonists, when he prepares desserts with Zen's grandmother or emerges half-naked from the pool, he is a Greek god. It is impossible to watch him on the screen in a character that we are not used to seeing among those he usually plays and not feel complete admiration; secondly because it seems he alone pulled the strings so that Zen and Ryu finally looked at the tangible sexual tension that always existed between them and made the latter finally open up to love. In short, its role is to be a catalyst for romance between the protagonists. That brings us to the next point.
The small details of queer coding, like true works of art, present in every frame in which the protagonists are, and the obvious sexual tension of this pair of friends. Let's start with the opening scene, in which Ryu, fleeing from some pursuers, bumps into Zen on the street and both, after meeting again after a while, run with complicity and desire in their eyes despite the danger.
From here on, the constant and incisive flashbacks will reveal a very intimate relationship between Ryu and Zen, lost in time, when in the showers, after a match, naked, both share what, without a doubt, is the most homoerotic scene in the game. year: one applies soap to the other's body and vice versa, and in a moment they look at each other, their eyes show desire, passion, love. They bring their faces closer, and about to kiss, Ryu pushes Zen away a little roughly, after having activated all the alarms of straight cis men.
His reaction is logical: Ryu, the street basketball player, is confused and hesitates to admit his feelings for Zen, the team captain.
This will not be the only scene, as there will be frequent exchanges of glances on and off the court that will increase the sexual tension, evidenced in the contact of their hands, which are continuous and consecutive as is that of the hands of players with the ball, confront each other for possession of the ball or share attempts to score points through shots, drives to baskets or dunks, while trying to avoid baskets from the opposing team by stealing the ball or making blocks, or when a shot towards the basket fails, and they must try to catch the rebound, as will the players of the opposing team.
Not to mention the scene when Zen looks at Ryu full of love and desire while demanding an explanation of why he abandoned him some time ago or asks him, regarding basketball, if he is going to allow someone, for money, to have to say if they have to win or lose a game, or when they travel, one close to the other's back, on a motorcycle, with one's arms surrounding the waist of the driver, which will make us remember other BL series, such as ' My Ride'.
Or the scene in which they listen to music sitting on the school roof and then run like children – as if the world, or anyone else, mattered – and they merge not only in a hug, but also in a suggestive twist of body, one very close to each other, or when they also hug on the landing of an abandoned building while fleeing from the police who are chasing them for participating in a clandestine game, since Ryu is being forced to go against his will to pay a debt.
The important thing about reviewing these scenes is that they also talk about a neuralgic topic: toxic masculinity, but also about friendship and real love, despite everything.
It is evident that all this happens with a well-defined objective: there would not be a story to tell if they had assumed the love that united them, that same love that led them to separate, to competition and toxic rivalry, to get involved in a species of love-hate-and love again relationship. Only Golf could make basketball look sexy in a series.
Later, when Zen is surprised by Ryu when he accepts being one of the new players on the school team that is in danger of being dissolved, and decides to risk everything on the field - even the ultimate consequences to achieve his dreams, which were initially that of obtaining a scholarship that allows him to get out of poverty and help his grandmother in her old age, now it will be that of both of us being champions side by side on the same team – he also manages to become the Greek hero that we didn't know we were looking for .
On the other hand, and this is the true message that we want to rescue from this series: Real love also allows camaraderie, vulnerability and competition. When one of them faces their worst fears or the possibility of failure, the other is ready to receive them with open arms and help them move forward together.

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Quality Production by ALL THIS Entm

(full disclosure: I’m a writer and have been writing for a long time and so I am very nit-picky about storyline/plots, etc. I have reviewed shows professionally for entertainment magazines.)

To start off the cinematography is pretty amazing! Both director and director of cinematography are so incredibly in sync that the story being told is so clear. The cut scenes showing flashbacks to present day are a smooth transition and easy to follow. sometimes flashbacks are confusing and don’t make sense, but not in the first episode. the long shot in episode 4 with Ryu’s first big play during the scrimmage game was done so well that viewers feel like they’re right there in it.

Overall, the production has been very impressive in the first 4 episodes.

Now for my biggest praise: the acting. Meen Nicha and Ping Krittanun have seriously upped their acting chops! Their acting coach for the show, Yokee Apirak, has turned them into truly believable characters. There is no denying that Meen and Ping have incredible chemistry, but as Freshman actors they were still noobs and finding their way through awkward line delivery and behaviors. But in the first episode alone it’s clear how much they have grown and evolved as actors and I am so incredibly proud of them. Their line delivery works so well, their banter is real, and the chemistry pops off the screen. I’m looking forward to more from Frank and Nammon as well as the entire cast.

Now the story— I have to say this is one of the best (at least for the first 4 episodes) BL sports stories I’ve seen to date. Most are not very believable and rarely even show the characters playing, it’s usually just a by-product of the character and not a central theme. In The Rebound though in order for this story to be told you needed real players and actual action footage of games being played. The choice in actors was imperative to tell this story and they chose right. I am enjoying to slow progression of the storytelling because it does not leave the viewer confused and scratching their head. They give us just enough to grasp what’s happening without giving it all away. The buildup of the interactions between Ryu and Zen is fantastic and the introduction of Atom is great. These first 4 episodes have kept me locked in and I will continue to stick with it because I must know every aspect of who Ryu and Zen are and who they will become by episode 12.

Highly recommend following this show!

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Just another 'Basketball' BL

While parts of it are well crafted, well written, and even occasionally well-acted, all that gets lost in the completely mundane storyline replete with the usual trite, cliché set-ups and standard screenplay. It is just another one in a long-line of other ‘basketball’ BLs that are similar. This one, seriously, had nothing even creative or original about it. As usual, it writes itself. It is simply another 'basketball' BL and not a very good one at that. The minor characters of Shogun and Que made this series, and I do not think I have ever stated that about supporting characters in a series before. If it were not for these two very interesting and dynamic characters, this series would have been an abysmal failure. Overall, there was just nothing here to sustain my interest or even be entertaining. These two gave it life and a connection to empathy.
You can read my full review of this series at BLBliss.com.

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They have the chance to slam dunk the ball but miss a lot of shots

It was a treat to see MeenPing play in a sports-romance drama. Yet, it is still inconsistent with several revelations happening one after another, to the point that it gets messy.

Things I hated (Cons) :
- Cringe exchange of lines and overused fluffy scenes
- The gang and the guns. It ended so fast with no consequences or explanation that took place after the killing. Not to mention that it wasn’t a good choice of storyline to add to this kind of genre.
- Everything happened during the EPs when the coach was pushed to quit the team. Lacks creativity in exploring other better scenarios.
- Ping’s dramatic acting. He needs to attend more acting lessons.
- The pairing of every single character. At least one side couple is enough.
- The start and the ending.

Pros:
- The chemistry and the love triangle. The sole reason why I didn’t drop the show.
- The visuals.
- A few episodes from the middle part of the show.

That’s it. It was just merely average.

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