Interpret My Love With Your Heart (2020)

Beautiful but draggy and frustrating

Hmmm... One of the rare case where I'm going to lower my initial ratings after a rewatch. I rated it 8.5 initially but I've decided to lower my ratings to 7.5. Not because I've changed my mind since I initially watched this 3 years ago... but rather because everything I felt back then, is still the same today. It's just that 3 years ago, I just couldn't bring myself to rate this show according to what I truly felt given the production value, how gorgeous this series is and how much people liked it. High production BLs is still a rarity in Thailand so whenever you come across one, we tend to forget to rate the show for its overall story and not for how good it looks. Not saying it shouldn't play a part in the overall ratings but it shouldn't overshadow the main criterion which is the story.

So what issue do I have with this show? Well, since I'm too lazy to write a long review and lots of people have extensively written about how magnificent this drama is yadayadayada, I'll go straight to the elephant in the room:

Struggle n°1: I feel the director loves their cinematography too much. Yes it's gorgeous, yes it's important to let the viewers be "in the moment" but every time I feel like each scene could have managed the same effect with less extra seconds. Each scene is always slightly too long to the point of feeling draggy and because it piles up and piles up repeatedly, it just makes watching the whole thing a struggle.

Struggle n°2: These teenagers are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO frustrating. Teh in particular. I'm not gonna go back on his case but I found these characters realistic but frustrating to watch. My God were they frustrating to the max. Is it because my teenage years are a far away memory now but there were many instances were I was just utterly fed up with the both of them. Both Teh and O-Ew were being ridiculous.... But Teh was on another level. No matter how beautiful the show was, at the end of the day, Teh made every scene a struggle. I'm not really sure why I got frustrated to that degree because I regularly watch shows featuring teenagers and no matter how unreasonable, I'm usually not as frustrated... But my guess is that Teh just has a very shitty personally. He's not a bad person, but the few flaws he has are HUGE. Most of his problems are struggles of his own making but the worst of it is how hurtful he turns out to be and repeatedly at that.

With almost 20 years of Asian dramas under my belt, I can count on the fingers of ONE hand, the number of times I wish the main pair didn't end up together. This one takes one finger and I hope I'm mistaken... But I think the follow-up series "I Promised You the Moon" which I've yet to watch, is probably going to take another... of the same hand.

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who felt that way though. When it first aired, it was difficult to find anybody who shared the same sentiment but time did its job, you see lots of people who are sharing their frustration.
People who loved it LOVED it though... So you should definitely check it out yourself.

I'm currently rewatching though... But with 2 episodes left on my rewatch, I'm now 100% sure my opinion is not gonna change. I felt the same back then and still feel the same today.

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The characters are relatable

The most important thing with shows like I Told Sunset About You, is that the characters are relatable. No one wants to spend a couple hours watching a show with unrelatable characters and no violence.

Both Teh and Oh-aew have colourful, fleshed-out personalities, and are in situations many others are in, have been through, or will experience at some points in their lives. That helps bring the audience in and gives them that feeling of relatability.
Teh is ambitious and outgoing, it's obvious that he makes friends and conversation easy. However his actions are harsh and affect everyone around him.
Oh-aew, on the other hand, is reserved and observant so he tends to stick to people he knows and environments he knows, but is the most vibrant amongst his friends.

It's obvious that they're teenagers who do dumb things and make decisions that they'll look back on and cringe, and that's the most refreshing part about I Told Sunset About You, neither Teh or Oh-aew are perfect or smart about what to do, making them relatable.

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Aşk birbirine adanmış hayattır

İki ana karakter etrafında ama çok sayıda güçlü yan karakterlerle bezeli bu dizide; arkadaşlık, rekabet, sevgi, birinin ayağına dolanmak, kıskançlık, şaşkın duygular, birbirinin kalbini yormak, karşılıksız kalan duygular, oğlan çocukların ve genç erkeklerin arkadaşlığı ve büyümesine eşsiz sıra dışı bakışlar var. BL türünü sevenler için vazgeçilmez bir yapım oldu bile şimdiden bence. Tayland yapımı BL’ler içinde çıtayı oldukça yükselttiği söylenebilir. Bundan sonra çekilecek bu türden yapımlara bir eşik olması dileği ile.

Daha önce başka yerlerde de yaptığım yorumlardan buraya parçalar bırakıyorum...

Teh ve Oh-aew ilk defa daha çocukken okula kabul gününde karşılaşırlar. Patlayan havai fişeklerin gürültüsüyle ikisi de korkuyla sinip kulaklarını kapatır. Ama merakla da birbirlerine bakarken tanışırlar. Bakış o bakış öyle bir arkadaşlık başlar ki aralarında, arkadaşlıktan çok ötede, kendine özgü ve eşsiz deneyimlere gebe. Aslında huyları suyları pek de birbirlerine benzememektedir. Belki zıt kutuplar bile denebilir. Ama böyledir insanlar, kime meyledeceğini bilemezsin içinin. İçinin neyi çekeceği senin elinde mi ki? Ama insanların çoğu içinin çektiğini değil de ona öğretilenleri yapmayı seçer o da ayrı mevzu.

Teh; mücadeleci, çalışkan, başarılı, kafasına koyduğu şeye odaklanabilen hatta belki biraz da kendini beğenmiş bir çocuk. Oh-aew ise; dikkati hemen dağılan, naif, değişik az rastlanır bir karakter. Pek bir şeyi kafaya takmaz görünür, ama sanki çok önemli bir şey vardır kafasında, esas önem verdiği bir şey. Herkesten farklı olduğunu sanki küçük yaşlarında farketmiştir. Öyle bir garip bakar tatlı gözleri hep. Teh; başarılı abisinden annesine karşı rol çalabilmek için seyrettiği bir Çin oyunundan uyarlama televizyon dizisi olan Ayın Üzerindeki Kılıç’ı seyrettikten sonra oyuncu olmaya karar verir. Hem de erkek başrol.

Teh; arkadaşının da yardımı ile başrol için çalışırken, ne hikmetse ilkokul öğretmeni tiyatro oyunun başrolü için Oh-aew’i seçer. Oh-aew arkadaşına bakar önce onay alınca rolü kabul eder. Önce arkadaşını destekleyen Teh sonra Oh-aew’in gerçekten oyunculuğu sevdiğini görünce, çocuk aklıyla onu kıskanıverir. Araları bozulur. Aslında Oh-aew oyunculuğu mu sevmiştir? Yoksa Teh oyuncu olmak istediği için mi oyunculuğu sevmiştir? Aslında zaten onun her şeyi arkadaşı mı?

Lise son sınıfta hazırlık kursunda yolları tekrar kesişene kadar hiç konuşmazlar. Ama bu karşılaşmadan sonra daha fazla kaçamazlar birbirlerinden; tekrar arkadaş olurlar. Birbirlerini çok seven insanların arasında garip bir gerilim olduğuna inanırım ben. Özellikle çiftler arasında her şey çok yolundaysa eğer, bu biraz da birbirlerini umursamamak gibi gelir bana. Sanki aşk değil de iş ilişkisi yaşıyorlarmış gibi hissederim. Gerçek ilişkide gizli bile olsa bir savaş olmalıdır. Bu olumlu savaş ve küsüp barışmalar ilişkiye can verir. Birlikteliği sağlamlaştırır. Sınırlarını belirler. Kaybetme korkusu aşkı tekrar tekrar başlatır. Değerini artırır. Belki gizli bir zevk de katar birlikte geçen hayata.

Özellikle Teh, aralarındaki ilişkinin ne olduğunu çözemez bir türlü, aklı karışır. Kız arkadaşı Tan’a yönelir bu karmaşadan kurtulmak için. Oh-aew aslında ne hissettiğini de ne istediğini de bilmektedir. Ama Teh’in ikilemleri karşısında savaşmaktan yorulur ve arkadaş guruplarına yeni katılan Bas’a aşık olur ya da olduğunu sanır.

Dizinin sinematografik teknik üstünlüğü, özgün senaryosu, özlü diyalogları, mekan seçimleri, müzikleri, oyuncu seçimleri, oyuncu yönetimi ve ortaya çıkan oyuncu başarıları gördüğü büyük ilginin nedenini açıklıyor. İyi iş, yoğun emek, ilginç senaryo, başarılı anlatım… On puanlık bir sonuç benim nezdimde.

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Fantastic!

I loved this so much! Mainly because out of all of the BL series I've seen, this was just... different? No generic college storyline, no cringey characters, no fake emotion or unnecessary dramatic acting.

Firstly, the storyline was perfect, I wish it was longer but I can't complain because every scene was relevant and executed fantastically. I liked the authenticity of the story - it wasn't exaggerated or unrealistic (unlike a lot of BLs...). Seeing both Teh and Oh Aew finding themselves was such a pleasure to watch.

I was pleasantly surprised by the acting! Usually when watching these kind of shows I'm never blown away by the acting. However, there were some really strong performances in this. Krit (Oh Aew) is a STAR! Possibly the best played character I've seen across all of the dramas I've seen. The 'bra' scene broke my heart and I thought it was the stand out scene of the entire series. It felt so real. Teh's mother is also a hoot! I loved her over the top reaction to everything, she was so charming! Tarn was also a great addition and she had some great scenes.

Will certainly be rewatching in the near future. Was delighted to find out there was a season 2 coming soon, so will be enjoying that in the mean time!

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IMMATURITY OF OH-AEW

I'm actually quite drawn in the first episode but as I continue watching the entire series, I skipped some unnecessary parts. The story is good but all scenes are very long. I would say that this drama could be much better if each episode is 30-40minutes only.

What I like the most in this drama is the acting of the casts. They did a fantastic job on their roles. The character development of Teh is very commendable. I like how he sacrificed his place for a friend. Tan and Bas have the best overall personality in my opinion. The only problem I have in this drama is I hate one particular behavior of Oh-aew. His emotions always make him worse. I don't want a person who can't manage his own priorities. Never in the entire series did I see him giving anything to Teh as token of appreciation. He only thinks of his own good. Immaturity is what I had in mind. (Note: I just only hate that particular behavior but the actor did his role well). Still, their overall acting is a 10/10 for me.

This is the second Thai BL drama I've watched so far. This is worthy to be watched if you have spare time but not a must-watch for me.

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When it's about you, I know nothing at all.

It's been a few days since I finished this drama, and I still can't stop thinking about it. I can honestly say that this is one of the best BLs that exist and definitely my favorite.
ITSAY has a high level of production, and it's clear the dedication put into this work. There is a beautiful cinematography and a soundtrack that fits the story really well.
The way this drama developed is incredible pleasent, and a whole reason for that is because the acting is so convincing that I sometimes forgot that they were actors playing, I felt every little emotion along with the characters. This drama is different from all other BLs I know, in fact ITSAY can't even be summarized in this category, because this work is so much more than that.
I guess is impossible to express in words the peace that this story brought me; it's like I feel a nostalgia for something I've never experienced. It's magical and a truly piece of art.

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Call Me By Your Name x Thai BL

With its stunning visuals, ITSAY is easily the most beautifully-produced BL I’ve encountered. The BL delivers both aesthetics and substance. However, the intensity of emotions revolving around a turbulent sexual awakening makes it difficult to binge watch or rewatch frequently.

Burgeoning young love aside, what really makes this series stand out is not so much the plot, but a strong undercurrent of sexual tension that consistently propels the narrative.

The pacing is also unlike most BLs as it moves a lot slower. Some scenes are long drawn out, dramatizing the effect of waiting restlessly in loneliness. In several instances, the deliberate lack of dialogue becomes purposeful, with actors relying on their eyes to convey wordless desire through the gaze. It’s sequences like these that arguably make ITSAY so unique and so memorable.

Read my full review here: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2021/12/18/i-told-sunset-about-you-2020/

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Hit so close to home

Wow, this is just a masterpiece. I told sunset about you is a story about boyhood, friendship, discovery, sexuality, gender, growing up, and love in all its everchanging forms.
I fell in love with the locations and the photography of this movie, the lights, the smells, the tastes, the viewer gets to experience everything, and everything has a meaning and a place in the story.
The actors did an amazing job, this is proof that you don't need two people constatly making out to create tension and chemistry.
I found it relatable, even if I'm a woman who lives on the other side of the world, the burning passion of young love and the struggle with sexuality are very familiar to me.
Just amazing

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We should all tell sunset about this series

Absolutely breathtaking. I love the cinematography, storyline and acting. It’s a compelling coming of age drama that pulls you in because it explores all complexity of friendship, family and love. The acting between the leads are just beyond words. Their tears captivated me. I love their honest conversations, inner dialogues and also the scenes where they don’t talk but you can FEEL their tension leaping off of the screen. Example, that scene on the beach when Teh discovered that he has feelings for Oh and they basically danced back and forth with their simple touches. You want them to kiss but the soft and tender touches transcended more of their emotions. This is definitely a must see for all BL fans.

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Must watch

At first when i started watching this show i dropped it half way through the first episode. It was kind of weird and not to my taste. But after reading so many good revievs i decided to give it a second try. And it was the best decision. The story overall is pretty average, friends to enemies to friend to lovers. But what made me fall in love with this series was the acting! Billkin and PP did an amazing job in portraying the characters. The chemistry between the actors is one of the best that i've seen in thai dramas. So if anyone is still thinking if they should watch this show than my anwser is YES!! For any BL fan this series is a must!

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WORTH A TRY!!

This movie is AWESOME! Billkin and PP portrayed their characters super well and they literally made me cry a river. This movie is up and down. Sometimes you’d laugh so hard but I swear you’ll spend most of the time crying. But don’t worry, the ending is amazing and happy! The soundtrack is absolutely fantastic. Every song fits in the movie extremely well in its way. This is my personal opinion, but I feel like ITSAY has a lot of Call Me By Your Name vibes. You’ll see why I make the statement when you watch it! But overall, very worth the time and the tears. :) Highly recommended!

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It deserves tens of awards

I needed to take my time before writing this review because I felt quite overwhelmed at the end, for many reasons, and wanted to think it through a lil. So, the first thing I feel like saying is that this drama is superior for a huge amount of reasons. It's literally perfect, I can't think of one single flaw. The story is a bit classic, not the first on screen for sure (two best friends arguing and becoming lovers is quite common) BUT they were able to make it amazing. It almost felt like the first time approaching such plot, when actually it wasn't.

The level of storytelling here is so high I can't even bring to words how much it was well thought. Everything flows perfectly, the dynamics are so real it's unbelievable, not mentioning the actors' talent. In my opinion Billkin is on a totally different level, I find it rare. The way he expressed his character's emotions was incredible. The way he moved, the tears, the sobbing, laying around whit his mind full of uncertainties, using the objects around him, tapping on surfaces, the gaze...a mix of details that was sooo real. Insane. PP Krit was amazing too, especially in the way he showed frustration. AND not to talk about the sexual tension! Got to say that those parts and many others were greatly supported by good music/sounds, showing a great research was made. The sound director, sound editor, sound designer and all of the other professional figures did a very good job. The choice of rhythm was clever too, in some parts nothing special happened but you could feel either anxiety or the tension in all its intensity. Going from slow to fast, and alternating these tactics while adding the right music, resulted in a masterpiece.

The cinematography was so good too! Some shots were visually impressive. Overall every actor was good, everything about this drama is hella good!
I knew this drama by name but decided to try it after knowing about the award it received. And it was the best choice I could ever make. This is definetely on the Olympus of dramas. Absolutely.
The chance of me rewatching something was never so high.

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