180 Degrees Longitude Between Us (2022)

"I'm trying, I'm just trying to be brave"

Starting this series was a challenge in itself. As soon as I noticed the age gap tag, I wanted out. I eventually watched the trailer because I was intrigued by the posters and the colour scheme of the extract I had come across. After watching it, I realised that the main character would fall for the one person his father genuinely loved. This made me uncomfortable. However, the intimate and almost out-of-time atmosphere that prevailed in each scene made me give in and so here I am, eight episodes later, writing a review for a series I didn't think I would watch.

Some people called this series “pretentious” and I can see why they would think that. This series did try too hard at times but, overall, it delivered much better than I had expected. It sometimes lacked nuances — the character of Sasiwimol especially — but the pure rawness of the characters' emotions, the thought-provoking dialogues and the detailed directing left me speechless. “180° longitude passes through us” strived to be realistic while still allowing the inner lyricism of emotions to soar. Its ending has served its purpose in the best way possible.

Given all the food for thought this series gave me, I decided to outline my review as follows: I’ll begin by giving my take on the main cast using the written sentences shown in the ending scene as a means to introduce each character. I’ll then end this review by bringing to your attention one particular piece of furniture in Inthawut’s bedroom — the decorative wooden screen— as well as the aerial view at the end of the series.

“To you who call yourself a parent, you can only give birth to them but you don’t own them.”
It will come as no surprise that I found Wang’s mother to be insufferable. However, I regret that the screenwriter chose to make her behave in such a cartoonish fashion, thus giving up on adding any layers to her character. She was so over the top, so ridiculous, and so blatantly dismissive, that all the problematic things she did were hardly commented on. Which is a shame given how manipulative she was and how she kept on guilt-tripping her own son and her so-called most trusted friend.

It seems that, all her life, Mol was never mindful of others. She does not listen nor does she compromise: “she always gets what she wants” and it doesn’t matter how many people she hurts along the way.
For instance, she easily acknowledges the fact that she got closer to Inthawut in order to approach Siam — she does not feel ashamed in the slightest for using him. She then married Siam despite him not being able to open up to her. She never bothered trying to wait for the people around her to be — and feel — ready. She sent her little boy, Wang, to a boarding school right after his father died. Wang had to mourn for his father’s passing all alone in an unknown place. I cannot even begin to imagine the utter loneliness and agonising pain Wang must have felt once he knew he was being sent away. By doing so, Mol, whether or not she was aware of it, put the blame for Siam’s passing on Wang’s innocent shoulders.

Wang’s razor sharp mind and his emotional and intellectual maturity are all proof that he had to grow up faster than he should have. Wang, most of the time, accommodates his mother’s wishes without taking into account his own feelings. He obliges, aware that every time they argue, his mother makes him feel terrible about himself, leaving the void inside his heart all the more gaping.
Mol’s manipulation and gaslighting has led Wang to live in the shadow of his father — sometimes becoming it entirely. When he dreams of his father and realises he has the same face, it acts as a confirmation that he has internalised what happened to his father thus making him lose track of who he is. His innocence died the moment Siam passed away. He had to bear the guilt of his father’s death because of his mother's immaturity, without understanding why he felt that way. Him being sent away and Mol’s refusal to talk about Siam must have felt like an earthquake had shaken everything Wang took for real. Why would his mother reject him when he needed her the most? Why was he not allowed to express how much he missed his father? Why did her mother tell him he should never leave her although she was the one who left him all alone in a place he couldn’t call home? Why does he feel his father was a stranger to him in the end?

Inthawut — although he was, for the longest time, just a face in some pictures — soon became Wang’s only hope to remember his father as someone who deserved to be loved and not forgotten.
When the two of them finally meet, In — who was stuck in an eternal winter— welcomed the warmth of Wang’s spring, who shone ever so brightly with his idealism and thoughtfulness. Mol was not fooled although she refused to acknowledge the fact that meeting In gave Wang a reason to believe in his dream again. Notice how Mol always found a way to interrupt the spring blooming between them even when she was not physically there (cf. her phone calls which interrupted two very emotional and intimate moments between In and Wang).

When Wang confesses to his mother that he loves In, Mol reacts in the most cruel and coldest way she could have. How precious Wang’s trust in her was and how easily she crushed it, making him doubt himself although saying it out loud had felt so right.
Mol dismisses Wang’s love completely and the conversation she has with In about it shattered my heart. When she asks In to make Wang normal again, you can see how devastated In is and how quick he is to stand for Wang.
Mol disregards Wang’s love by saying that him liking In is like a child loving their role model. But she is wrong; she is so obviously wrong that I wonder how she could have hidden the truth from herself so fiercely. Wang has no wish to become like In: he doesn’t want to be like him, he wants to be /with/ him.

Being a parent is a hard and scary thing. It cannot be taught and can only be learnt in the moment. Parents make mistakes, they can be insensitive but they should always strive to understand and listen to their children. Not only did Mol never listen to Siam and to Wang, but she never cared enough about them to see how much she was hurting the both of them. She imposed her will and whims on her family without once questioning herself.
The epitome of her ungratefulness and selfishness was when she said that her life had been nothing but endless disappointments although she had won two awards two days before. Wang was never the one with an obsession, she was. His eagerness had nothing to do with being obsessed — Wang feels too much and so he lives intensely. He knew that meeting Inthawut would heal him and so he rightfully listened to his instincts. On the other hand, Mol is obsessed with her son. She is obsessed with the idea that she owns him and so when she feels he is slipping away from her, she guilt-trips him into thinking that he has a debt towards her. That him turning twenty — thus becoming an adult in the eyes of the law — means nothing to her and that he should always stay by her side. She cannot bear the thought of losing her grip on him. As a director, she wanted her son to be the perfect actor: the one who would know her every query without ever needing to ask, the one who would feel such a deep respect towards her that he would always strive to please her. However, she failed to realise that a great director is someone who will give the actors they work with enough creative freedom for them to unveil their talents.

“To you who are still young, you have to bleed first before you learn.”
My dear dear Wang. I hate how cruel the world can be to the kindest of souls.

I now need to lavish Punnasak Sukee and Pond Ponlawit with praise for creating and bringing to life such a mature, lovable and profoundly humane character. His sensitivity and courage brought an ache to my heart that I will never forget.

When I look at how things ended, I can’t help but feel heartbroken for Wang who only ever wanted to make memories he could look back upon fondly. He will definitely cherish the moments he shared with In but those are bittersweet moments.

If Wang’s character could be described as a colour palette, I’d say his would be made of high contrast colours for his spontaneity, wit and gentleness slowly helped In to step out of his desaturated world (even though it was only for a bit).

Wang has left a mark on me that I wish time will never erase. His lucidity stirred me greatly as I found echoes of my own thoughts in his words.
His words inspired respect in In who was mesmerised in his presence. The way he looks at him when they first meet is quite telling. In was humbled by Wang’s courage and grace. Although he couldn’t follow in Wang’s footsteps, he still encouraged him to stay true to himself even when things felt too painful to even continue moving forward. His last words to Wang were a selfless act of love and something Wang desperately needed to hear.

I find it difficult to collect my thoughts and talk about Wang in an organised way because he made me feel too many things at once. Something that needs to be highlighted though is the way he always tries to smile when he is in pain. This made my heart squeeze in my chest. It was as if he told himself that he should not bring sadness to others and so he should always smile through his tears. It was as if he wanted to muffle his pain so as to always bring comfort to others and never be the one who asks for it.
Although he feels utterly alone, he seldom verbalises his pain. When his whole world came crashing down after his terrible fight with In, it killed me to see him fall into his mother’s arms. He knew she would be of no real comfort but he had no one else to turn to.

Wang’s sharpness, just like his “saturated” personality, made him experience the world with all the despair and intensity that youth could provide. It is no wonder he felt that philosophy would be a good match for him given how he likes to think about the world and understand its inner workings. Although he has a good understanding of his surroundings, it broke his heart to realise he would never be able to completely understand In and the depth of his suffering.
If Wang is a rather inward-looking character who likes to think things through, he also knows how and when to take a leap of faith and be spontaneous. When he falls in love, the feeling doesn’t scare him. On the contrary, it makes him eager and relentless. He loved In wholeheartedly. He was convinced of how good a man In was even when In himself couldn’t see it.

In and Wang’s love is the kind of love that lasts for more than a lifetime. It is the forever type — the real one. Their love was so devastatingly beautiful, so painfully genuine. Pure and yet so raw. It would have never worked out but it was worth a try — the most desperate of tries. It would have never worked out because In has drowned himself with guilt. Because Wang speaks his mind whereas In shields himself with silence. In doesn’t feel worthy of such a genuine and warm love. He would have done anything to protect Wang from harm although he realised in the end that he was the one hurting him most and that’s why he decided to let him go.

In’s resignation allowed Mol to have everything she wanted, as always. Although she did get her way in the end, Wang is the only one who’s triumphant. He realised that his mother never had his best interests at heart and that knowledge changed him. Knowing that, he has finally the means to break free from her grip and he has. Him not responding to her constant chatting in the car, holding on to the book that the one he loves has gifted him, aware that this book is nothing but proof that In’s love is persevering… Him looking at the window is him looking for a way to exist and be his own person.
Mol will forever live blinded by her strong convictions while In will live with an ever growing pain in his heart. A hole in his chest that the loneliness he has forced on himself will forever expand. As for Wang, he will fly on because he now knows things he didn’t before.

Before moving on to In’s character, I’d like to comment on a few key moments which happened around the last episodes. When Wang realises his love for In, he feels elated because he has finally found something to look forward to — studying philosophy and living with the one person that fills the void in his heart. However, no one is happy for him, no one thinks his happiness is the right happiness for him. No one thinks he has made the right decision. The world makes him doubt himself over and over again although he is in his most vulnerable state. Mol and In make him feel as if he has made a terrible mistake and that he should feel sorry. “I’m just in love” — the sentence he speaks to his mom — is the climax of his helplessness as he nearly drowns in sorrow. Nevertheless, he is faithful to his role; he has always been the most mature one out of the three. So he keeps his pain silent, a silence so deafening that the rain has to muffle it. (cf. episode 8 when he drives alone at night and chooses to come back)

After driving alone, I thought Wang wouldn’t greet Mol nor In but instead, he let his head rest in the hollow of In’s shoulder. He leans on him and in doing so, he shares the heaviness crushing his heart and asks him, ever so silently, to warm his heart with his sun-like presence.
In’s warmth comes from the intensity of his stifled feelings and Wang can see that even though In refuses to.

Wang knows he will never see In again. He says so explicitly at the end of the series but he is aware of that way before it. When his mother tells him to make sure he doesn’t forget anything while packing and he responds “I won’t. How could I?”, it brings to the fore his clear-headedness which heavily contrasts with his mom’s blindness. He knows it’s not goodbye but farewell.

“To you who call themselves wise, don’t let your cowardice get the better of you. Pick a side or throw away what you believe in.”
There is a veil of guilt and regrets in Inthawut’s eyes that is only lifted in the presence of Wang and it is truly heartbreaking to think that, with Wang’s departure, In will forever be stuck in a blurry vision of what his life could have been.

“Our minds form a cage. And in the end we reject freedom without knowing the taste of it.” How painfully accurate those words are when you think about how In has kept on punishing himself for having fled Siam’s feelings.

In feels as though he has disappointed the world thus making him unworthy of any love nor happiness. He feels guilty about what happened to Siam and Mol and so he accepts whatever stabs she made at him with her harsh words. He offered his apologies relentlessly although he knew he couldn’t have changed the way things went.
Mol wants In to help her force her views on his son but In would never let that happen. Why, you may wonder? Because Wang is the beacon of light he has aimlessly searched for all his life. The house he has built for himself is reminiscent of his inner self — a house so dark that it can only house shadows or broken reflections visible on the glass wall. In needs light but Wang's was so bright that it scared him, once again.

You’ve probably noticed by now that this review is a means for me to talk about how well-thought-out this series was, so let me stray from the point for a short while to talk about the settings. Obviously, In is an avid reader and so the books displayed in his room say a lot about his personality. Everything in In’s room is quite relevant in regards of his character and I loved that. I loved how detailed the directing of that series was.
There is a shot at one point when we see him holding a book called “Naked Philosophy” and its blurb is as follows: “Naked is not about being physically naked. It's about stripping to let someone see the inner you.” In is learning to do just that with Wang and that’s what I call genuine love. Wang acts as a gentle reminder that vulnerability is never a weakness but a necessary state that one should experience in order to truly be.

In has distanced himself from the world to protect himself: that's what the wooden screen in his room embodies. That is why it is highly symbolic whenever Wang goes around it. Wang who helped him built the bridge that connects him to the other side of the stream. Wang who is making him lay down his armour. Wang who has entered his heart. The one person that can see through him. The one person that /gets/ him. But In chose to stay hidden behind the wooden screen, inside his designer house, his eyes having lost the ability to adapt from complete darkness to bright sunlight (i.e Wang).

To end this review, I’d like to comment on one of the last shots of the series.
When Mol and Wang drive back to Bangkok, there is an aerial view of the road on which they’re driving and the element which caught my eye was the sight of a dead tree (timelapse is 50:35min). Its paleness contrasts with the luscious forest they’re crossing and I can’t help but feel this acts as a reminder that Wang has lost a part of himself along the way. Something died in him when In made him realise that people’s hearts cannot always be changed. That terrible truth is something Wang will have to live with all his life. Aware, alone and in pain.

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This one was a tough one for me to rate

As much as I thought this was so good in terms of quality and acting, it just didn't capture me like it should. I liked the study of human thought, emotion trauma, love and how everyone deals with the same situation in different ways. How adults can be incredibly selfish or cowards and end up hurting the people who least deserve it. How a mother's" love" can sometimes be the worst thing for her child. And how love doesn't always win because people are too stubborn to fight or it sometimes. I wish I could give it a higher rating----------

Yet I didn't feel what I was supposed to from all the above. I did find the dialogue, situations and acting compelling still I struggled to get thru the episodes. I guess this series as mature and well written as it was just wasn't for me. I didn't drop it because I liked the acting and I wanted to see how it all ended. So I stuck it out to the end.

I got to say tho the two leads had phenomenal chemistry the sexual tension was palpable even if it led nowhere in the end. The heartbreaking end made sense. I just don't see how it could go another way as sad is it was it made sense for the characters.

Overall I give this series a 7.5 and that was definitely for the acting that was incredible. maybe others will enjoy this one more than I did.

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This is a true drama

This show had me from the very first. It i true drama in that you dont know what the outcome will be of Wang's search to understand who his father was. I think what nade this story so interesting and captivating for me was that it is based around 4 people. Wang , his mother Mol, his father Siam (who never makes an appearance due to his death several years earlier) and In a close friend of Mol and Siam. It is truly a drama based on how all 4 of these people decision affected each other deeply. It is slower paced and dialogue driven.

If you are looking for a romantic story this one is not it. But if you up for something more and a little heavy this is worth your time.

I gave this an 8.5 for rewatch only because I shed more than a few tears and it will be a bit before I can rewatch this.

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boring

I binge watched it and I skipped so many times
I loved the deep meanings of it and the ACTING which was the best part. But honestly the dialogues... it's ONLY dialogues nothing happens like ever, the son pissed me off, I get it he has issues trust me I get it, but it doesn't excuse some of his shitty behaviour. Also I think he was the only one in love, In was probably just thinking of this boy's dad all along. At first I didn't wanna watch because of the creepy age gap but then I saw people praising it... yes I agree the subjects are great but clearly not expressed in the best way. like the show makes you think the uncle loves Wang back when I really didn't feel like it was the case.
And the mom was portrayed as a crazy old woman and apart from her homophobia (which wasn't relevant to the plot and just brought the subject of queerness in a really useless way btw it went nowhere) she's not that bad of a mom, and if my son announced he was in love with my best friend who's my age I would go crazy too, the boy is barely legal, I know it's not against the law but laws and morals are different and I'm not letting an old man touch young people, this is just creepy.
To conclude, this didn't go anywhere, had some good points but was basically just boring long dialogues.

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My review

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT!!!
If oyu are looking for a fluffy, cute BL with kiss and make out scenes and a happy ending- continue looking because this is not it. This has an awesome and developed storyline, outstanding acting and great chemistry between the actors.

I also must start off by saying while I did enjoy this series, in the beginning- I just wasn't all the way in. But as it progressed, I feel for it as it felt real and raw to me.

Story -9.5/10

From how this story started, I felt the three main characters were portrayed in a different light than how they came out in the end. Some for the better and some for the worse.

When seeing Wang around In the first time, I just naturally thought of him as a big flirt. But as the story progressed, Wang showed to be more mature than In and his mom. We saw him start off flirty, then someone in love and finally someone heartbroken because he was willing to fight for his and In's love, but In wasn't.

Am I sad that they didn't end up together? No. Because Wang deserves better. He deserved someone who loves him. Someone who would fight for what they could have. In was clearly not that person.

On first seeing In, I had high hopes. I may not know ehat the story entailed but I just had high hopes. And those hopes came crashing down. Now, while I may get angry at him due to him not being brave enough to say 'I love you ', not once but twice, I can't get as mad as I want with him.

I see him as someone who is afraid of taking that chance for love, because of how he was seeing it as people would get hurt. But when he denies this chance, people still do get hurt. Maybe that's why he moved far away, because he just doesn't want to choose a side as he believes someone will get hurt. He still sucks, but I can't be totally mad at him.

Sasiwimol (Wang's mom). I hated her from the time I saw her. I still do after finishing this series. However, I kind of see where she is coming from. I mean, if you look at it, she was hurt too as her husband loved someone else. And while I may not like her, I am remembering her saying to Wang (not a direct quote) 'Did he say I love you?' Because I feel she knows the kind of individual In is and she knew that he would not be brave enough to say such words to Wang. And who knows? Maybe she is the way that she is because of what life has dealt to her.

Acting-10/10
From the first scene, you can see the difference in thier acting. They were all phenomenal. Even the first meetig between Wang and In was much more intense than any BL's/ K dramas that I have watched. It was just...wow. And what really impressed me is that how this story was told so well with just three actors. They all did a wonderful job.

Music-8/10
The music fit the mood of this series so well.

Rewatch Valu-10/10
Although this ending is not a happily ever after, I will most definitely watch it again. Because that's just how good the storyline is, the actors, the cinematography- just everything.

Overall-9.5/10
Overall I give this series a 9.5/10. It was indeen one hell of a ride as I when I first started this series, the outcome was not what I was expecting- it was way better. Would I recommend this series to others? Most definitely. I would like to end my review with the last words of the final episodes that really broke my heart but made me realize the beauty of this series.

To you who call yourself a parent...
You can only give birth to them but you don't own them.
To you are still young...
You have to bleed first before you learn.
To you who call themselves wise...
Don't let your cowardice get the better of you.

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Intense Drama with Powerful Performances

Overall Review:
It is a very intense slow burning series, almost like a thriller, but make no mistake, it is a drama through and through. Each scene and character builds up the world, with very powerful performances leaving no room for non-sensical actions or motivations with the camera-work being a cherry on top. If you're looking for a light series, this aint it. It would not be surprising if it gets nominated for and/or wins awards.

Plot:
- The plot has layers on layers and it unfolds in a very slow-burn manner.
- Scenes and events are very natural flowing.
- The lack of time jumps makes it super easy to follow.
- Careful consideration is given to beautiful execution of the plot.
- Some episodes are more intense than others and thus some scenes in other might seem like filler in comparison.

Characters:
- The series revolves around three main characters and they built very realistically and profoundly.
- While other background characters may appear, their screen-time is negligible, leaving more focus on the main characters.
- The motivations behind characters' actions feel very natural.
- The cast lending their skills to these characters are very talented, they keep a hold on you.

Conclusion:
A very powerful and serious drama, waiting to have a hold on you, setting a standard for all the other dramas existing in this genre.

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Disturbing Concept

I found the entire plot very weird and disturbing. I couldn't finish it cause I got creeped out by the age difference and also the relationship that existed between the two leads!! It was disturbing!!! But apart from that the casting and acting was really good. It felt like a reality show and not acting, the actors were also very visually pleasing and the house of the second male lead! Omg the architecture is amazing! I really enjoyed the scenes that showed more on the house and the architecture design of the house cause it was really pretty. But then again this plot is just really weird and creepy and I sincerely hope its not a true life story cause that would be soooo nahhh.. I hope not..

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It is good but slowly losing interest....

I never had any expectations for this show. I saw it and decided to watch it. BOY AM I GLAD I DID!!! EPISODE 1-3!!! THE TENSION IS SO THICK AND GOOD AND JUST UGH.

Waeng is so hot and the actor is so good at acting. I love the complicated dynamic btween him and his mom.

In gives such hot dad bod vibes, loving it. The way he and Waeng interacts is so subtle and flirty. The tensionnn!!!!!

THE CINEMATOGRAPHY IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! SUPER HIGH QUALTITY!!!!! SO AMAZING WAYY BETTER THAN OTHER BLS!!!!

SO MANY GREAT THINGS, so why am i losing interest after the 5th episode?

Super SLOWW!! LIKE THE SLOW BURN IS KILLING!

I've zoned out watching it as if i listening to a lecture 40 mins at school. All i know is at this point is "dad gone..sumn about lines...architect...dad's past.. sum more things about lines... and that they wear the same clothes."

Every week i am excited for sumn good and every week im disappointed. hence, why im losing interest. hell even the previews for next week's episode aren't interesting anymore. Episode's 6 preview was literally about Waeng asking In to tell him about his dad. LIKE DIDNT WE JUST HEAR THAT IN EP 4 AND 5!!

It's boring. Is this even BL? Honestly this show is onLy good for a binging and dont be like me and wait for weekly episodes. :( this is how i feel but if i hear one morenthing about Waeng's dad, ima explode. And my reaction is valid cuz imagine ur waiting every week for some good forbidden age gap relationship, just for the next epsidoe to be like the last. Waeng and In or Siam crying over Waeng's dad.

I can't do it anymore. I'm not dropping the show yet cuz im waiting for sumn good to happen. if by ep 7 nothing happens, im done with this show.

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An owchy to the heart

I’m not sure who I’m angry at the most, the coward or the overbearing mother?

The story was a little predictable from the beginning I knew what would happen in terms of Wangs dad’s feelings. However, I was holding onto the minute possibility that In would somehow redeem himself this time and fight!

I suppose I’m just a hopeless romantic and I knew I’d be heartbroken but we have to hope do we not?

This story was so poignant, the fear that In felt and the fact that she used this against him made it all the more heartbreaking. I get she loves Wang and i understand what brought her to this point but it’s her son and In never asked for any of this to happen. I honestly felt so sad for him yet angry and I don’t know which to feel the strongest.

I leave it here. I just don’t know ?‍♀️

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I'm obsessed to the point of being sick with it

If you're into acting that keeps you glued to the screen, this one's for you. Pond’s performance as Wang is incredibly direct and compelling. The cinematography is eye candy, and while I initially thought there were too many dialogues compared to flashbacks, I ended up appreciating how spot-on they were. The plot and conflicts are straightforward but are delivered really well.

The series tackles tough issues like homophobia and emotional neglect, giving us a critical look at societal attitudes and their effects on individuals. The chemistry between the actors is top-notch.

You’ll instantly feel how rough it is to be Wang—he’s more mature than the so-called adults around him and feels completely isolated. The man he loves is a spineless coward, and his mom is a gaslighting, narcissistic homophobe. Honestly, they all could use some serious therapy.

If you're looking for more than just any BL series, this one is definitely a must-watch!

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Not for everyone, but close to a masterpiece if it's your style

Very slight spoilers if any...

This is a show that requires patience, an open mind, and readiness to analyze what you're given.
The director's main field is in theater, which shows in how the story is told and how it's filmed. It could easily be adapted into a stage play. Thus this is very different than a typical bl and going into it thinking that it is similar would be a mistake. Tbh, it'd be a mistake to think of this as a romance at all. This is neither a romance nor a plot driven show. Rather it's an emotional psychological show that stars a simple 3 member cast.

This is a show with an incredible amount of details in the dialogue, and in lines (as in structural lines in the building, it makes sense once you watch). There are no flashbacks (think of this as a play), so everything is told purely through dialogue. This may be a turn off to some cause it can be more difficult to follow than a typical flashback. However I actually really like it because I can use my imagination to see what happened all while being able to watch the actor's emotions as they tell it. I'm able to see their real present emotions.
I'm writing this after my second watch. I previously watched this months ago, but decided to rewatch so I can absorb all the information and hidden meanings properly and I'm glad I did. Now that I know everything, every line as a hidden meaning. Every line has power. Despite this being a slow show there is not one moment in this show that is not important. Repetitive? I guess maybe, but that's really a stylistic thing. I'm on the side of it working to hammer in the points while also adding new info. It's also a show that works on the past and present having a significant amount of parallels. So if you're like me and like shows where you can analyze the scenes and dig deep into whats happening, this here is a gold mine.

Plot wise it's about the divide between people who live different kinds of lives, those who live trapped by the past, and those who fight to create a present they are proud of. In is a man who hides in fear from the world hoping nobody finds him, but it secretly lonely. Mol, a woman who ignores truth by living in a fantasy and rejecting anything that doesn't fit her ideal. And Wang, a young man who fights to find his truth and be free. The story revolves around these three and the emotional conflicts between them.

The acting is phenomenal. Brilliant casting choices. The acting is on the theatrical side, but because the show it written like a stage play, I say it fits. It might not work in some other shows, but here it's totally fine and I loved all the actors. Some of the best acting you'll see in a bl (if we're calling this that).

The reason I didn't give this a 10/10 is because admittedly the age gap does throw me off. I originally hesitated for a long time to watch this because age gaps are an immediate turn off for me, I gave this show a chance because I kept hearing nothing but praise for it. Now, this is not a romance and they don't end up together, so I deal with it. I also think that this emotional rollercoaster of an age gap family conflict show wouldn't work as well had Wang not been Mol's son. The show heavily relies on the parallels between the past of Mol/In/Siam, and the present of Mol/In/Wang. It also heavily relies on Wang being the young rebellious kind who grew up in a slightly more accepting society. This show would not work the say it did had this age gap not existed.
I absolutely don't blame people who don't watch the show due to the age gap, but I still think that even with it, 180 degree is an incredibly well made show that, if you have the patience for it, will take your heart, swing it around and crush it for 8 episodes, and then hand it back to you as you stare off in disbelief at what you just watched. It's quite good at repeatedly throwing emotional scenes at you when you're not ready for them. Just when you think the emotional stuff is over, it hits you harder in a different way.

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