Theory of Love (ToL) is a perfect ballad for people undergoing hardships with unrequited/impossible love ideations. It perfectly encapsulates the intricacies of pining for someone in a tight-knit friend group/social circle, while being able to show how people change and adapt when situations arise like this. I was also impressed with how the actors fulfilled their roles with so much comfort. ToL is smartly written, with very minute gaps in storytelling; overall, it is still able to make an impactful narrative about how people come and go into our lives, and how we change and grow as people.

Rewatch value is high, since there are so many details that I'm sure will change meaning depending on where you are in your life right now.

STORY
ToL's plot started kind of cliche. An unrequited love for three years. For me, this premise necessitated a narrative within the series' time frame that a turning point will happen. I was asking myself, "after three years, why is NOW, the series setting, the important moment?" And the show adequately addressed this by building up Third's frustration to the point of making rash decisions. Third's actions were understandable, and people with similar experiences will relate with him; even the shower scenes seemed rational for those who are scorned. Khai started out as the ignorant playboy who severely lacks self-awareness. Him being a playboy amplified Third's decisions. Khai's character development, however, was very real and organic. People are imperfect, and we all make negotiations with ourselves and with our loved ones as to how we should be. Their story did not focus on romanticism, but on highlighting the hurt and the pain that a lot of people undergo when they're in love. Sure, it was poetic justice for Khai, but in the end, people in love will become miserable; this is not a rarity when dealing with a person's emotions. I think the writing captured how love is not an endgoal, but an active process to improve oneself.

Another thing I loved about ToL's story was how the side characters were not forgotten (unlike this other BL series which completely abandoned their own plot devices lmao). All of them in their gangster group were able to learn valuable things because of the people they encounter, and they were able to make active decisions. Two, for example, was able to decide as to what he should really do: at first I'd thought that he'd choose Lynn, but it also made sense how moving on is portrayed through his actions. Sometimes meeting someone can really change a person. Bone's storyline was also very heartwarming. I don't believe that the teacher-student trope was haphazardly inserted. In the first place, Paan was this mysterious woman who allured Bone. It just so happened that she was the substitute in the uni. Bone was even devastated when he found out about this, and acted accordingly. What he did by the end was brave, and again, reiterates that love isn't about the "kilig", or the happy moments, or the romance, but it's about how we deal with the reality of things.

The portrayal of changing friend dynamics within a friend group was also magnificent. It's one of the challenges among close friends to remain the same when a conflict happens. I think the show successfully dealt with this. Again, with the imperfect framing. Sides will be chosen. However, in the end, these are people who care for each other and who'd want to hold each other accountable. The support and constant reassurance from all four of them really reminded me of my own friends.

I'd realized that in Episode 1, they were introduced with their gangster personalities, which eventually turned out to be how they developed character-wise. Bone was able to use his barista charm to flirt with women (the charm of being an accommodating person due to the nature of his job). By the end of the series, he demonstrated the grandest form of accommodation there is. Two was introduced as using his photography to get laid. In the end, it was already evident that his photography is also a reflection of how he loves. Khai was shown at the start to do everything half-heartedly for the women he seduces, while Third was portrayed as being blunt and cold. In the end, Khai was able to commit and settle wholeheartedly (maintaining that sweet aura), and Third maintained his expressiveness. I think the series took care of the characters they'd introduced, and showed their development impeccably.

PRODUCTION
I can say that the stylistic choices done by the creators in this show were smart, and elevated the storytelling here. For one, the framing, color-grading, and blocking of the actors were all made to symbolize where they were in each other's lives. The first half of the series (around until eps 5-6), Third was placed almost always beside Khai. Afterwards, however, he started positioning himself farther and farther away from Khai. This choice on proximity was subtle, but it emphasized the characters' feelings for each other quite well.

The usage of romcom movies all around the series was also very interesting. Naming each episode with a romcom title admittedly set some expectations as to what the plot of each episode will be, but it also left me guessing who's the "real" protagonist of the episode. In the episode named "The Proposal", for example, it wasn't very clear who was making a proposal; was it P'Shane to Khai? Was it Khai to himself? These questions, for me, made the plot much more immersive, as I was really hooked as to what will happen. But there were also episodes where the plot was evidently tied into the movie namesake for the ep. Flipped, for instance (ep 7), shocked me to the core. The usage of POV in this series was exemplified in this episode, and made each narration within the characters' head much more emotional. That sneaky stylistic choice really solidified the idea that this series was well thought of. Outside of being titles, romance movies were also used as plot devices. Un Homme Et Une Femme, for instance, was used as a metaphor for Paan; Love Actually for Khai and Third, and Perks for Un. But these films may represent very different things for people watching the show, that's why I think that the series' meaning will constantly change every time you re-watch it (according to what you're feeling at the moment).

Oh, and don't get me started on the soundtrack. The usage of creepy tones during emotional scenes was kind of strange for me at first, but as the series progressed, I think it really catches the urgency of the moment, and the thoughts racing through our minds as we're about to make decisions. This is also the first series in which I never skipped the opening music. So, there's that.

CRITIQUES
I only have two main concerns (which didn't really change my perception of how the plot progressed). First, I think it was kind of a Deus Ex Machina for P'Ton to suddenly appear like that. For one, I think this could've been the opportunity for Khai to really figure things out on his own; instead, P'Ton probes him to not miss an opportunity, which of course, is how Khai decides to pursue Third. No real issue here, but I think a concrete "soul-searching" narrative would've been more organic? I also think they could've at least introduced P'Ton and his significance in Khai's life early on.

My second concern is in terms of how Lynn people was caught in the crossfire of Two's dilemmas. Building up Lynn's hesitation towards romance because of P'Phon, and at the same time breaking up with Two after that theater scene, really made me sympathize with her, because I think she'd gone through a lot. But hey, I still think they were better as friends in the end.

OVERALL
If you are wondering if you should pursue someone close to you (a friend, perhaps), or not, you should definitely watch this series. I don't think it will tell you to always take the risk, but I think it will show what will happen when things like that do occur. This show was written smartly and executed well. If you want an unproblematic BL series, which doesn't really focus too much on the gender aspect of the series' discourse, I think you'll love Theory of Love.

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