This review may contain spoilers
A Surprising Star
Between Star in My Mind and Sky in Your Heart, I much preferred Sky in Your Heart. Star in My Mind had some decent moments, but I wasn't overly fond of Daonuea or Khabkluen or their story. It leaned more towards the typical college romance showcased in BLs and I preferred the maturity of Sky in Your Heart. So going into watching these two episodes, I didn't have high expectations. I figured I would watch it for the sake of saying that I'd seen it and be done with it. Imagine my surprise when I found that I actually overall enjoyed these episodes and found them equal parts funny and endearing.
These two episodes are essentially just fluff without a whole lot of substance. Nothing dramatic happens, it's basically just Khabkluen and Daonuea being in love and telling each other how much they love the other. It's sweet. I liked that what was showcased was a healthy relationship. They communicate with each other. Daonuea has no qualms about bringing up the jealousy matter and Khabkluen clearly appreciates it and is happy to reiterate that there is no one else for him besides Daonuea. They are clearly very secure in their relationship and it's really nice to see that. There's also the element of consent. Khabkluen is the more vocal and demonstrative of the pair in showing his love for Daonuea. Despite the length of time they've been together, he's still very conscious of how Daonuea feels and frequently makes sure that he is okay with what is happening between them when things get romantic. It was just another aspect that was refreshing.
Their friends were entertaining. I don't always love the sidekicks in dramas, they can trend more towards annoying than funny in some cases, but I really enjoyed these guys. They were entertaining to watch with their antics and the way they teased their two friends. I also liked the way Typhoon was handled. They could have made him sad or bitter, unable to move on from Daonuea, but instead they not only showed him moving on but even revealed that he was able to be friends with Daonuea. I really appreciated that growth in his character, that he was able to be happy for Daonuea and support his relationship with Khabkluen.
The acting was okay. I don't think either Dunk or Joong are amazing actors, but I will acknowledge that they're young and have time to continue to grow and improve. I think Joong is the stronger actor of the pair and I did prefer his performance to Dunk's. That being said, they both have improved since Star in My Mind. Their chemistry together isn't bad, but leans more towards buddy than romance at times. Still, it's clear that they have a good rapport with each other which does translate to the screen, even if it's not exactly what they were going for perhaps. Pawin, Pepper, Winny and Satang again were entertaining as the friends. All four performed their parts well. I only wish we could have had Mek and Mark back again as Fah and Prince, but I knew with Mek having left GMMTV that wasn't going to happen.
These two episodes completely exceeded my expectations which, to be fair, wasn't hard since they were pretty low. Still, they made me laugh and smile and delivered some good moments. I think they demonstrated how to write a romance without the need of a lot of skinship to distract from the substandard plot or characters. Yes, there are kisses and such, but it's not sexy, it really is just romantic; a happy and healthy couple who clearly love each other and don't need to go around ripping each other's clothes off. It was a refreshing change. I would recommend these episodes as they truly tell just a feelgood story.
These two episodes are essentially just fluff without a whole lot of substance. Nothing dramatic happens, it's basically just Khabkluen and Daonuea being in love and telling each other how much they love the other. It's sweet. I liked that what was showcased was a healthy relationship. They communicate with each other. Daonuea has no qualms about bringing up the jealousy matter and Khabkluen clearly appreciates it and is happy to reiterate that there is no one else for him besides Daonuea. They are clearly very secure in their relationship and it's really nice to see that. There's also the element of consent. Khabkluen is the more vocal and demonstrative of the pair in showing his love for Daonuea. Despite the length of time they've been together, he's still very conscious of how Daonuea feels and frequently makes sure that he is okay with what is happening between them when things get romantic. It was just another aspect that was refreshing.
Their friends were entertaining. I don't always love the sidekicks in dramas, they can trend more towards annoying than funny in some cases, but I really enjoyed these guys. They were entertaining to watch with their antics and the way they teased their two friends. I also liked the way Typhoon was handled. They could have made him sad or bitter, unable to move on from Daonuea, but instead they not only showed him moving on but even revealed that he was able to be friends with Daonuea. I really appreciated that growth in his character, that he was able to be happy for Daonuea and support his relationship with Khabkluen.
The acting was okay. I don't think either Dunk or Joong are amazing actors, but I will acknowledge that they're young and have time to continue to grow and improve. I think Joong is the stronger actor of the pair and I did prefer his performance to Dunk's. That being said, they both have improved since Star in My Mind. Their chemistry together isn't bad, but leans more towards buddy than romance at times. Still, it's clear that they have a good rapport with each other which does translate to the screen, even if it's not exactly what they were going for perhaps. Pawin, Pepper, Winny and Satang again were entertaining as the friends. All four performed their parts well. I only wish we could have had Mek and Mark back again as Fah and Prince, but I knew with Mek having left GMMTV that wasn't going to happen.
These two episodes completely exceeded my expectations which, to be fair, wasn't hard since they were pretty low. Still, they made me laugh and smile and delivered some good moments. I think they demonstrated how to write a romance without the need of a lot of skinship to distract from the substandard plot or characters. Yes, there are kisses and such, but it's not sexy, it really is just romantic; a happy and healthy couple who clearly love each other and don't need to go around ripping each other's clothes off. It was a refreshing change. I would recommend these episodes as they truly tell just a feelgood story.
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