Hidden Agenda (2023)

A bit bland, but JoongDunk saved it

tl;dr: JoongDunk chemistry elevates this underwritten and troubled show – it was their dynamic which made me watch all 12 episodes.
Acting
Joong’s acting may not always be on point, but he was still superior to the rest of the cast. Dunk did his homework in this department too; his abilities are still limited, but he was nonetheless able to portray a new character, different from “Star in My Mind”. Both actors give their characters qualities some would attribute to the actors themselves: Joong’s Joke is effortlessly cool and nonchalant, but also caring and a tad clingy, while Dunk’s Zo poses as timid and withdrawn, while being perfectly able to stand his ground. Also, they get intimate quite often and seem very comfortable about it; no forced, non-consensual nor awkward kisses here!
Script
My overall reception of the show suffered due to weaknesses of the script.
My biggest complaint regarding the show is that it feels messy, but also bland, lukewarm, at times even boring. It’s not hot nor cold, it leaves you with a “meh” feeling. No idea how this was accomplished, as the script includes two plots to win someone over involving the main characters, a stalker pestering one of the main characters to get back at the other main character, strained relationships with a demanding parent, a past heartbreak, a side couple with their own problems and drama etc. etc. The content is clearly there – but it doesn’t translate to a captivating story.
As with many other BL’s this one doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be about. Is it a rom-com? A coming of age story? Family drama? Thriller (see the stalker episode)? You can include elements of all of those in a show, but you have to be smart about it – otherwise you’ll get a tonal mess. "Hidden Agenda” has this problem – it’s all over the place.
Hard to say what the titular “Hidden Agenda” really was/was supposed to be. Was it Zo’s attempt to win Nita over? Joke’s attempt to get Zo? BTW: depending on how you judge Joke’s motives and actions (and some reactors claimed that Joke didn’t do anything wrong – any normal person would act in a similar way) the hidden agenda may not exist; even if it does, it’s not important enough to have the show named after it. Spoiler warning: both the initial trailer and the official trailer are misleading, as the whole “Joke helps Zo to get Nita in order to get Zo” gets resolved in something like 3 episodes; the rest is about a variety of other issues, like family, ambition, friendship, competition, communication and so on.
The script introduces several important issues, like Zo’s relationship with his mother and Joke’s with his father, pretty late in the show. Since both issues seem to be late additions they do not appear to be important. It’s a shame we didn’t get more of both these storylines in earlier episodes. This would allow them to grow naturally, would explain more of Joke’s and – more importantly – Zo’s backstory and motivation, would show Zo and Joke as more than just students in love. Balancing every important aspect of the story, introducing them in the right moment, giving them more time to breathe – all of that would greatly improve the show.
Pacing
Pacing is generally okay and helps the show; only ep. 2 felt redundant (the “Joke gets into Zo’s club” storyline could have been a subplot in a different episode or be omitted entirely – have Joke be a club member when the show starts).
Cast
The support/secondary couple (Aou’s Jeng and Boom’s Pok) felt unnecessary. With only a handful of scenes (I think it was less than 1 per episode) we didn’t really get a storyline with them; it’s not clear to me what was their purpose in the show.
Same can be said about several other characters. Only Nita, Pat, Joke’s grandma and father as well as Zo’s parents do things that make the story progress. I loved to see Pod, Guy, Arm and AJ, but they were heavily underused and their characters didn’t have much to do.
Music
Both songs (“Hidden Agenda” and “Your Smile”) were decent, with nice MVs. Joong sings a bit in this show and he’s rather good at it. I enjoyed most of the background and ambient music used in the show, both the subtle emotional vibes and the cool electropop used to good effect throughout the series.
Favorite scene
I wanted to end my review with something good from the show. It has its moments – I enjoyed most scenes with Joke and Zo as a couple and plenty of other things (like Joke’s grandma – she’s a treasure), but the grand prize has to go to the finale of ep. 9. It actually moved me to tears. Joong’s delivery – quiet, but deeply emotional – was nearly perfect. Dunk remaining silent for the whole scene and non-verbally expressing Zo’s doubt, hesitation, sadness and how moved he was – great. To top it all the scene was shot in a very smart way, with Joke and Zo in the same room, but staying apart, with Zo packing his things and Joke trying to bridge a gap between them in one last attempt. That scene alone let us glimpse what this show might have been – and that JoongDunk can do magic. Would love to see them again in a BL as the main couple – this time with a good script.

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The Hidden Agenda Is Behind a Glass Wall

It seems like we have been hit with a lot of GMMTV BL’s that start with one lead attempting to swoon another person but eventually falling in love with their “surprisingly” attractive male counterpart. We saw this with Fish Upon the Sky, then currently with Be My Favorite, and now with Hidden Agenda. It’s not that I don't like it, but it is losing its impact, imo. (but go watch BMF anyway, it is amazing.)

The first episode starts off with a story read by Zo (Dunk) in a recording studio. Joke (Joong) and him get into a small fit as Zo went overtime by 5 minutes, which now makes him “owe” Joke something. I am not wild about this first interaction, especially how strong Joke came off (he backed Zo up to a wall and…idk for a first impression it didn’t hit bc I knew how uncomfortable I would feel if that happened irl).

They see each other next on a bus ride when Zo’s friends talk about his crush on Joke’s ex aloud — not knowing Joke was a few seats away. He offers his help to Zo and he turns him down. Again, not totally wild about this interaction and it supports my worries of liking the original trailer more than the newest.

When the original trailer came out seven months ago, I liked how mysterious Joke seemed. He was quiet, respectful, but there was a passion to him (honestly like Khabkluen). I felt it balanced well with Zo being the eager and friendly person he is. However, in this new rendition of their story, Joke is a bit more aggressive. For example, their first meeting when he backed Zo up to a wall, and 25 mins in when he said Zo has “no spine.”
Joke is a bit unserious and I don’t particularly like this route. For instance, I liked how in og trailer, Zo approached Joke to help him date Nita, and Joke is quietly happy because he likes Zo, and it just ends up being super cute and wholesome. Though, in this version, Joke seems mostly forward to help Zo, and it doesn’t hit the same, imo.

Random Ramblings:
• I want to add that I don’t like how Zo’s “unattractive” phase continues the “glasses make you less cute” trope. Bit of a bummer, tbh. Like, Dunk is clearly societally attractive anyway. Just because you style his hair down and put plastic rims around his eyes, we can still see his features so why not just have his other look to begin with?
• I hope I don’t get annoyed with Zo’s friend group and I hope they actually give him good advice/are there for him when he needs them. I’m a bit iffy of them as of the first ep. especially since they left him drunk.
• Music is what it is for GMMTV. You’re gonna get those random soundbites and fading in and out music.
• Thank GOD we have a character that plays the guitar!! I have no clue what I would do without that! /j
• Happy Joke was able to be there for Zo when he got sick in the bathroom, but the scene after, when Zo was confronting Joke, Joke said he wasn’t making any sense when all Zo was saying was sense?? But then, Joke’s comment that, “If you think you don’t stand a chance with Nita, just give up,” was very right.
• The flashback from their freshman year at ~39 minutes had me very confused- it came out of nowhere.

On to more positive things:
• I really hope they add more to Nita’s character! She seems so sweet and I’d love for her to be deeper than your love-interest turned non-love interest. I also like how they made Joke and her friends even after their breakup <33
• Yay, for JoongDunk getting a drama with 10 eps! I hope their chemistry continues to grow and I am happy they seem comfortable with each other.
• I like how the plot’s environment is centered around a club. I don’t believe we have seen that from GMMTV yet and it is nice to see a new aspect than your typical college classmate.
• On a similar note, I like that it is a debate club. I think they can implement some great moments of tension from their personal love-life which then seep into the club debates.
• The college’s campus seems pretty.
• Favorite line: “Why should I hurt my hand by punching you?” (ep. 1, 35 mins.)
• So far, it's better than Love in the Air, but that bar is pretty low!

Pinterest plug: https://www.pinterest.com/ed3nelle/drama-hidden-agenda/

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A good one with touch of a real life feeling

I liked it. It was a story of a couple getting together and how their relationship grows. There was less drama and unrealistic plots, it was more like what could happen in real life and how people feel things for real. Of course this series had its own share of not so great scenes so it wasn't perfect but enjoyable enough.

The plot handled different type of issues that were mostly solved within one episode. And most importantly the couples talked about issue not just being a drama qeen and being several episodes apart just because of some idiotic misunderstanding that could have been solved in seconds if they only have talked each other.

If you like more drama and anxiety this may not be your favorite but for others it's a nice and relaxing series to watch.

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Coming of Age Story of Assessing your Worth

I loved this coming of age story. I loved how neither family were bothered or questioned the closeness of Zo and Joke's relationship, which shows a nice change for an Asian family.

The message of Asian parents loving their child despite how he/she sees their own accomplishments, versus what they think their parents' expectations are, is a very powerful message for those of us who come from Asian families. We "know" this, but are rarely "told" this. Some Asian families are more stoic that others, and I thought the scenes between Zo and his mother, and Joke and his father, were very important for some Asian and maybe even non-Asian children (regardless of age) to see. Asian families do not have to express their love in a western style, but it's still nice to hear it once in a while. Even our elders need to hear it once in a while.

Jeng and Pok started this series on the low, but Jeng had to make a decision once Pok decided that having a secret relationship would no longer work for him. After deciding that his relationship with Pok was more important, Jenk became very public with his relationship, and was willing to change football teams due to homophobia.

So while the messages were delivered in a comedy romance, it does not negate the importance of these stories. I think this is an example of a story for and by Thai/Asian families, and since we are taught to "read the air," it makes sense to me.

I know this is a dumb criticism , but why Nita is wearing heavy sweaters in Thailand, but when leaving for Helsinki, she is wearing a crop top and short skirt? Even during the summer, Finland will seem cold to a Thai person. I'll never understand why in these series, the actors are dressed for a cooler climate, when their country's climate is so hot and humid.

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