Unique Storyline, Great Acting
Wow, I just finished this. I loved it so much but I’m really at a loss for words. This was a very unique storyline. Loved how they showed the life of a stuntman. But the twists and turns!! They never stopped!I gave it a 10/10 because I loved all the action, romance, mystery, and lordy so much emotion. Keep a box of tissues handy. Sure, there were a few times it slowed down but it never got boring to me.
These actors are FINE. I have been a fan of Up since Lovely Writer and he was the ONLY saving grace in Step by Step. Poom is so handsome and what an actor! He can do it all.
What a great series. I highly recommend this.
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This is one of the best bls
Yes it is,let me tell you the acting was amazing from poom and up.I feel like Poom the Actor of Joe was amazing and delivers the feelings.Firstly the series has a very good and different plot compared to other bls.The scenery was goood and the songs.Sometimes the story would lack or have little holes but legit every series has.I get it that some people don’t like the toxic plot but it’s something new and not something like school romance,somethimes it’s fun to watch mature bls.I did wish that,the side couple had more screen time.Maybe we get a special ep or a side story. And Somethimes I really was wondering when the Secret gets revealed.You may hate Ming from the beginning but at the end you’ll love him!This was a very good bl and something new,one of my faves!Was this review helpful to you?
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So glad I gave this a try!
This is the 2nd drama I've reviewed. Unique story with great actors. So pleasing to watch seriously. Although at first, it can be toxic for some people. But past that part, their realizations and when they cleared up their misunderstandings, it was all fluffy and gooey. Good thing they also added the side characters' story interesting. Haven't read the book or anything so I can't really compare, but the drama itself was worth to watch ✨️ PS: music and cinematic was superb 👌 likee, damn! It was on par with The Untamed and Not Me (in my opinion).Was this review helpful to you?
Love bears all things…
I’ve seen a lot of negative reviews for this production and I respectfully disagree.First off, the actor portraying Joe (Poom) is a treasure. His every facial expression and his gestures are like a roadmap to his emotions. I really loved watching him and felt his presence in every scene.
Yes, I know, Ming is toxic and borderline psychopathic, but what a fabulous pseudo villain brought to life beautifully on screen and we get to see him develop into someone who looks beyond what he can see and who thinks he is worthy of redemption.
Joe and Ming’s relationship is, to say the least, complicated. I think about the saying “love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things”, and this is Joe. Joe loves and he is a believer. We may not understand his choice or agree with his choice but it’s his choice to make and Ming is his choice again and again.
All that to say is, I had a great time with this series in every episode. I never lost focus or interest. I definitely give it two thumbs up.
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Story and acting
I enjoyed getting angry on this series but that's it. Sorry, but to say that I got attached to the characters (not at all).Story: The story itself was good. Finding myself in another body, the unhealthy obsession and the lies drove me crazy. I liked the progress of Bl but the end and the end were boring (for me).
In the end we had MingJoe together (I was like what, why).
Music: The credits were good, good to listen to.
Casting: Nothing to say, the actors interpreted their characters very well.
Ming doesn't deserve Joe and Joe deserves better (in my opinion). Even the most hated character had his happy ending (I'm talking about Ming's sister's fiancé).
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One of the best BLs of the year
A very pleasant surprise for 2024. A real script, good actors and good direction. We look forward to a new episode every week.The story is not Manichean, which is very welcome. We're shown how hard it is for people to change their behavior, and how necessary it is to do everything to make amends when you've really screwed up.
The great acting is a real plus. It's easy to feel the emotions, so it's easy to empathize with the characters' lives.
One of the best BLs of 2024 with Love for Love Sake. I recommend
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Everyone in the feed keep talking about this drama, finally finished aired & watched this... Really happy to watch this, mature BL with mature scene, but also with mature character. Let's discuss drama...Story about Joe, the stunt man of famous actor Tong, happened to meet Ming. One thing led to another, they start deep relationship. Unfortunately, Joe didn't realize that Ming had always seen him as Tong's replacement. When the truth is revealed, Joe decided to take work on a foreign set where an accident takes his life.
When he wakes, Joe's in the body of a young man likewise named Joe who'd met with an accident on the same day. With coincidence, he's soon living the same life as he was before—with the same people—and he meets Ming once more. In this life, Ming wants Joe back at his side as before but Joe doesn't want that, he wants & try to change his fate with Ming. But the persistent Ming, who's kept all memories of the old Joe, tries to find the truth about Joe's continued life in order to return Joe to his side and give him the explanation he never had the chance to. So, how will they life become...?
That's the story about Joe & Ming. Now let's talk about what I like & don't like...
What I like:
+ The chemistry between Poom Phuripan Sapsangsawat and Up Poompat Iam-samang
+ Joe & Ming quite mature to handle their problems. Ming doesn't shy when he must apologize & Joe doesn't really hold grudges.
+ One understanding family. Joe or Ming have good family. Even at first we think Ming family is bad, but turn out they explained to us the reason behind their behaviour & it's a good one, all for the sake of Ming.
What I don't like:
- The crazy Tong. He is really one selfish brat that only think for himself. And Mek Jirakit Thawornwong played him beautifully...
- The swift faces between 1st joe & 2nd joe. This probably what I most hate from this drama.
- The manipulate Sol. I don't like how he sometimes manage to get to Joe's head & make things a little bit messy between Joe & Ming
Don't know to put this in the like or not. But they really show us how money can really do a lot of things & sometimes people not really ashamed to get the opportunity. Like how Joe's boss 'encourage' Joe to accept Ming's offer. That's really just our reality, money really speak for itself.
The biggest flop this drama had prob when Joe decided to take the illegal job. Why he need to take it? Just because he kick out of the industry?? Usually when situation like this, people gonna gl to depress first, then if they needed money they will take all the random job possible. But Joe instantly from hearing the news, go to take the random job just to stay in the industry... That's doesn’t make sense. He doesn’t desperately need money too... He take the job, so he can died. Haha...
Overall this really good drama...
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This is my first review and this series made me write one.
I just finished My Stand in, and lemme tell you I've never watched a bl in my life which never had atleast one scene which was boring not even Kinnporsche and Bad buddy (which are my favourite series) but this one made me watch every second of it, always eager to watch the next episode. I give a 10/10. I don't know if everybody will agree with me but still this is my top one bl so far. It got me hooked every episode and didn't disappoint not even once. Most of the series if they are really good at the beginning they'll fuck up at the ending but not this one. I don't know if I feel like this coz I watched it waiting eagerly every week but I totally enjoyed every minute of it.And even the Cast and Crew was Top Notch. The actors especially Up, Poom and Mek really showed us how versatile of an actor they are. As a person who've watched their prior series their acting actually allows you to easy distinguish between their characters. At some point I really wondered if this is the same guy who did the other character coz the new character made their personality unrecognisable and that's how actors should be. Next the Crew, the direction, cinematography, color grading everything was on point (They share the crew of Kinnporsche and the production team of I feel the air linger in you, so no wonder why). But the music was mehhh, okay that's all I can say not that great but not bad either. The timing of the music were also questionable sometimes.
Now the plot, I don't know if everyone can tolerate this amount of toxicity and accept the characters, but from my perspective each of them had their own baggage but didn't had to impose themselves on others... But still that's how it went and at the end everything was good. The character arc of each character went back and forth (especially redemption and then going in the same old path) and that was kinda questionable. But let's be honest this was a series and not real life so it was toleratable for me.
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Mind blowing drama
First of all why does it have only 8.5 ratings ? I mean this drama is so good with the script , acting, and matured content also I felt this drama is more like a comic stories so good to see and untill the end it was damn good I couldn’t even skip a minute I understand joe didn’t get his body back but that is what the name says stand in , compare to same old college love stories this drama is refreshing story and it’s good thai people making bl in different themes too and hats off to the couple joe and Ming their acting and chemistry is a top notch and I’m glad got this drama unfortunately it wasn’t available in utube if not it would have cross million views hope to see the cast again all the best teamWas this review helpful to you?
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The cast sell this too well
this is by far one of the most toxic stories as of recent but all of the cast kept me watching. poom has been a quiet favorite of mine, but I can see him gaining so much more success after this series. his ability to act toe-to-toe with up, who I consider one of the best in the industry, really left me so impressed with his growth. mek was such a great part of this as well, I was so happy to see him in a series this good, he really irritated me enough to forget who he was lolthe story itself was very uncomfortable to watch, and I don’t think there was much of a point to keeping Joe in model-Joe’s body. it just seemed like a last ditch effort to keep him with Ming.
overall, the acting saved this. if it weren’t so well casted, I would not have finished this series.
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A toxic relationship worth the watch!
This a story of a stand in who was accustomed being a shadow of an actor until he met his love of his life who tore his peaceful life and made it chaotic as hell. Once a stand-in, always a stand-in.• It was not all good and flawless but I liked the toxicity (iykyk) and pitiful character of Joe. He's the reason I stayed till the end. He deserved all the happiness yet he get to suffer more than anyone. He's literally the star of the show and all the other characters were a bit amateurish.
• Up and Poom's chemistry is to die for!!! You hate him in one episode and then on the other your brain somehow starts to sympathize, you hate it but can't help it. I wouldn't lie, my heart was played by Ming just like Joe's. It's time to accept we're all sadist in some kind of way.
• Notable things I liked- random blind yogi baba in a foggy forest drinking tea and doing nothing, Ming's assistant's oversized blazer, a thai gangster wearing turban?!? and rare outburst of Joe in just one episode.
Breaking down the nagatives:
-0.5 for all the hiccups in acting and action scenes which made me laugh and yes I skipped a few of them because they looked like kids fighting lol. I want perfection. Period.
-1 for Sol's existence and his awful idol performance. Wtf got him to Korea I wonder. He better improve his acting skills or say bye bye to showbiz industry
-0.5 for Ming who let Joe fall from the stairs while he was just standing like an idiot (╥﹏╥)
After criticizing all these things I'll still say I liked it. Yes I'm a generous giver as this was a thai adaptation of danmei which we didn't lost to censored bromance, so I have give them a score they truly deserve!
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had me until episode 4
(potential trigger warnings in my review, talking about abuse and intimate partner violence)Overall: with a few tweaks this could have been a 9.5 series but I actively did not want the main leads together especially when 3 years later one of them was still a narcissist. It's sad but not surprising that people were victim blaming and calling Joe stupid. He wasn't stupid, he was an abuse victim (more below). Very similar aesthetics to KinnPorsche which made sense because it shared a director and screenwriter. It was adapted from the novel "Professional Body Double" by Shui Qiang Cheng which I didn't read and I based the series on its own merits. 12 episodes about an hour each. Aired uncut on iQIYI. First episode link: https://www.iq.com/play/my-stand-in-uncut-episode-1-1iwuiu9rlww?lang=en_us The production company also produced I Feel You Linger In The Air. This review is of the uncut which was the first version on MDL and I'm not sure if there even is a cut version currently.
Content Warnings: death, grief, non con kissing, punch/violence, intimate partner abuse, held against will, gaslighting, manipulation, coercion, past suicide?, manhandling, vomiting, parental abuse, kidnapped, homophobia
What I Liked
- the premise
- showed a condom and discussed sexual position preferences
- had a good conversation at the beginning of episode 2
- wanting/ongoing physical affection in the beginning episodes
- sweet moments in the beginning episodes
- supportive sister
- production value (some really nice camera shots, use of mirrors, switching focus on foreground to background etc.)
Room For Improvement
- I can't root for their relationship as explained below
- Ming was stupid, he could have easily shown his dad evidence first before telling him the other part, he could have shored up his financial situation first as well
- Joe's lack of agency, he had a bunch of awful things and felt cornered into doing things instead of it being his choice
- multiple failed redemption arcs
- trash characters have no consequences, just instant forgiveness for terrible things they did
- multiple romances introduced in the last 30 minutes of the last episode
- voice overs with exposition dumps
- some of the music didn't fit the tone (that fight in episode 4 was made comical instead of dramatic)
- wish a character hadn't been shown as extremely drunk at the end of episode 1
- love triangle, Sol overstepped and took away agency from Joe especially in episode 9
- nonsense stuff i.e. Ming just happened to have something at his house in episode 4??? Joe didn't have any bruises/blood on his face/head in episode 4, Joe happened to overhear key conversations, 1 person being extremely drunk and a stunt person not being able to get away
Thoughts on Grey Characters/Their Romantic Relationships
Sometimes these characters and their dynamic work for me and other times they don't. Here are the factors that I think about:
1. was there a realistic reason why the character/s acted the way they did in the past (sort of, but not to the level that Ming was at)
2. how bad was/is the treatment (extremely abusive and violent, Ming could have accidentally killed Joe in episode 4, 3 years later and Ming stays a narcissist he says "I always get what I want" and he actively ignores what would make Joe happy)
3. were both characters grey or was one squeaky clean (Joe was mostly squeaky clean but unbelievably dense in not believing that Ming wanted him and Ming was abusive and a narcissist and stayed a narcissist/manipulative and also stupid to not know why Joe didn't tell him something)
4. was there some kind of apology/amend making (verbal apologies, promised to treat him better/give him job opportunities, was sweet with him but to me it was just the make up phase of an abuse cycle)
5. was there character growth (no, 3 years later and Ming was still a narcissist which was reinforced in episode 9, he made decisions involving Joe without asking what Joe wanted because Ming did whatever Ming wanted)
6. do I believe that the characters will stay together in a happy romantic relationship (no, because for Ming it was about power/control and not love)
final verdict: I didn't want them in a romantic relationship together
Joe wasn't stupid, he was the victim of intimate partner violence
- Joe was the victim of physical, financial, emotional/mental and sexual abuse
- Ming didn't love Joe, he wanted to control him to get what he wanted
- abuse survivors can have a very difficult time escaping the abuse because abusers can be extremely excellent manipulators "if you hadn't done abc then I wouldn't have had to say/do xyz", also there are periods of nice times that trick the survivor into thinking the abuser does love them (the make up phase in the cycle of abuse), in the real world intimate partner violence is deadly and widespread, it is estimated that 10-40% of law enforcement officers are abusers and they are frequently the first people to respond, it's all very terrible and not at all romantic
If you or someone you love needs help, here is a resource in the U.S. https://www.rainn.org/
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