I Feel You Linger in the Air: Uncut Version (2023)

Una gemma, non solo tra i BL

Ho voluto guardare quest'opera nella versione più lunga, in quanto ritenuto che fosse probabilmente più comprensibile e comunque più aderente a quello che doveva essere stato l'intento del regista. se ciò si è tradotto, in certi momenti, in qualche lentezza, penso che la mia scelta mi abbia comunque permesso di guardare un drama molto più ricco.
Sarebbe ingiusto incasellare e quindi declassare questo drama in una casistica denominata BL. siamo in gran parte propensi a pensare e a credere che un prodotto con queste tematiche debba essere per forza un prodotto di nicchia, un po' snob o magari un po' all'acqua di rose, fatto solo per passare qualche ora di divertimento un po' fuori dal coro, magari un po' pruriginoso.
se a volte può anche essere, e non vedo cosa ci sia di male, non è assolutamente questo il caso. Quello che ho appena finito di vedere è un drama che rasenta il capolavoro. Non assurge a questo titolo, a mio modesto e personalissimo parere, solo per qualche incongruenza, probabilmente dettata da necessità cinematografiche, di trasposizione dal libro originale che non ho letto, e così via. C'è una scena madre in cui al maggiordomo Jom viene consentito di interrompere un pranzo con personalità importanti per presentare un'esibizione che non si sa bene come sia potuta avvenire, c'è forse qualche coincidenza di troppo, e ci si potrebbe legittimamente domandare come un subacqueo con muta, pinne, e tutto l'armamentario, sia pronto a salvare il protagonista caduto in un fiume. Ma, per quanto questi accadimenti disturbino sul momento il fluire meraviglioso di quest'opera, sono peccatucci veniali che si perdonano più che volentieri perché sommersi dal flusso indimenticabile di tutte le vicende.
La prima cosa che si nota in questo dramma è la stupenda cinematografia. Colori, inquadrature, transizioni, sfumature, tutto grida professionalità e, prima ancora, arte. ambientazioni e costumi sono spettacolari, pur senza essere sontuosi perché non ci si trova in un ambientazione di palazzo. Ci sono molti riferimenti, allusioni, per esempio tutto un gioco sui fiori di frangipane, splendidi, profumatissimi, ma velenosi e proni ad appassire in fretta.
La storia ci narra le avventure di un architetto, Jom, che sta rimodernando una casa di un secolo prima ed è perseguitato da sogni e da quelle che crede di essere allucinazioni in cui si vede assieme a un uomo in quella stessa casa. Lasciato improvvisamente dal proprio compagno, si ubriaca e finisce con l'auto in un fiume, per poi risvegliarsi nello stesso luogo ma cent'anni prima. Lì conosce l'uomo che vedeva nei suoi sogni, che risulta essere il figlio di un signorotto locale, e i due avranno una passionale storia d'amore. C'è tutto un contorno di relazioni burrascose, forse un po' troppo concentrate per essere all'interno di una stessa famiglia, mentre il nostro Jom risulta essere pivotale al cambiamento nella famiglia, molto all'Antica e incentrata, come spesso all'epoca, su un patriarca duro ma con debolezze.
I personaggi di spalla e secondari sono tutti ammirevolmente recitati dagli attori a cui sono stati affidati, non assistiamo, se non forse in rarissimi casi, ad eccessi di recitazione, il che contribuisce a rendere questo titolo ancora più godibile.
Ma la standing ovation va sicuramente alla coppia principale, due attori magnifici che hanno saputo interpretare una coppia di amanti contrastati in modo persuasivo e coinvolgente, senza praticamente mai sforare nell'eccesso di melodramma. Le musiche e le canzoni hanno sapientemente accompagnato tutta la visione, molto adatte alle immagini e sicuramente coinvolgenti nei testi.
Dove forse è mancato qualcosa è nella contestualizzazione storica delle vicende: sappiamo che avvengono nel 1928 , periodo che nella mia ignoranza penso sia foriero di grandi cambiamenti in Thailandia, ma del quale non so nulla di più. Tutta la vicenda è concentrata nella magione padronale, che risulta essere un po' avulsa da spazio, tempo e accadimenti. Stiamo comunque sempre parlando di un isekai, e quindi questa cosa ci può anche stare.
Il finale, dopo le ultime due puntate costellate da tante lacrime impossibili da trattenere, è una chicca che perdura anche dopo i titoli di coda, per cui si raccomanda di guardare l'ultima puntata fino all'ultimo secondo.
Ci sono coppie e amori che trascendono lo spazio e il tempo. Non è vero, ma fa tanto bene all'anima pensarlo.

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This is a story about fated love

Just finished watching this very sweet and excellent fantasy drama that left me in tears and with a big smile.
Everything about this production was well thought out and flowed. The BL relationship issues were tastefully handled with great sensitivity. Both ML's were invested in their roles and very believable. Some of the other characters were also top notch and overall the standard of acting was very high. There are side characters and other family dramas playing out but the focus remained firmly on Jom and Yai.

It was interesting to get a glimpse of an older, more feudal, Thai family of the 1920's and the dependence of their servants.

I was very invested in their love and anxious right until the end to know how they could resolve this time-span issue. The intrigue and suspense is masterfully maintained and I love that there are not trite answers, I was left happily wondering ................
Simply wonderful and raises the bar for future BL's

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"Vocês não se amam? Tem uma obra-prima ali a espera e ninguém tá assistindo."

Eu só conheci esse BL graças às avaliações do My Drama List. Se não fosse pelo alto rankeamento, eu nunca nem teria dado chance para essa obra-prima. Não tenho palavras suficientes para elogiar a montagem, a fotografia (o plus dos efeitos especiais), os cenários, figurinos... tudo, tudinho. Uma experiência sem igual principalmente se tratando de uma história de época, então, para ser crível, o trabalho com esses detalhes precisam estar no ponto. Estou muito feliz e sensível por ter acompanhado a história do Jom e de todos os personagens secundários ótimos e interessantes. Aprendi muito sobre a Tailândia do início do século XX de um jeito único que eu espero não esquecer tão cedo. O casal sáfico me fez chorar muito e meu coração se angustiou inúmeras vezes vendo o sofrimento das mulheres naquele tempo... é uma estrelinha a mais em termos de roteiro!!!

Final espetacular para uma história magnífica, fico no aguardo da nova season :)

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A new take on BL

The series is a beautiful new take on a BL story. I did really enjoy this series a lot as it takes on you a rollercoaster of emotions. The actors, location, and costumes are amazing. There are a few down parts to this series, as there are a lot of castes to remember who is who. Some of the storylines were annoying and not needed at all. The whole ex situation was very annoying and I hated that he forgave his loser ex and his girlfriend because of their past lives. No matter what he was not worth coming back in the end and there was no point in forgiving him, karam did its job. I did not like the father and brother-in-law and to be honest that time period was a very sad time to live. There were a few over-dramatic moments that looked and felt unrealistic. I wish James and Ming got to shine a bit more. The biggest issue was the end, which was horrible with lots of unanswered questions and I hate when a movie leaves you with more questions than answers. I get that the company is leading the way to a season two maybe but I hate the open ending, there was a better way to introduce a second season. The series has beautiful storytelling with the main couple I do wish they grow the relationship more than focus on the side characters. Sadly I did find myself fast-forwarding a bit to get to parts I really wanted to see as there are a few times it is boring and dragging on. I love the main couple's chemistry and wish they developed it more. This series was a nice start to a fresh look to the BL series. I wish it showed more growth and better flow, as felt slow at some point and fast at others. I do hope to see the main couple again.

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Un des meilleurs BL thaïlandais de l'année 2023?

Certainement le meilleur BL de l'année 2023 ( Ex aequo avec "Absolute zero" ). Les décors, la production, le jeu des acteurs qu'ils soient tête d'affiche ou rôles secondaires, le scénario ou le son tout est à la hauteur d'une belle et grande série. L'alchimie entre les deux protagonistes principaux est impressionnante ( sensualité évidente et très bien filmée avec élégance ) Le seul bémol est la fin qui vous laisse sur votre faim ( oh le mauvais jeu de mots!) Explications: soit il y a une suite, soit il y a une maladresse scénaristique! Malgré ça c'est une belle série avec de beaux acteurs et de beaux moments de tendresse.

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Wish I had seen it sooner…

I love this series. The casting and production was top tier, really. I loved the chemistry between the main leads and the dramatic feeling of melancholy that overshadowed the love story.

My only issue is the ending.


***SPOILER***


Yai suddenly shows up and remembers Jom. This is so confusing to me because how does he remember if he supposedly died and isn’t a ghost or time traveler himself? We can infer that Yai was the one to request Jom specifically for the renovation of the small house, but HOW does he know/remember him? He’s the one in the past and Jom is the one who time traveled and is supposed to have retained his memories of that time. Yai and Jom are enjoying their reunion, the background of the house interior is shown to be renovated/restored, then they slipped in him traveling back even further to meet warrior Yai- who doesn’t know who he is…yet?! Why? How? When? My brain…

I know it can either move forward with a season 2 or wrap up how Warrior Yai came to him in the river to save him before he time traveled. But still. Poor Jom can’t catch a break and enjoy loving and being loved frfr.

In any event, this series took me a while to watch. I kept it in my queue for far too long, with frivolous BLs taking up space in my brain, and I regret not watching it sooner. I hope they make another season to explain my lingering questions. With the likely production costs and no cringeworthy product placements I have come to expect in Thai BL dramas, it may take a bit, but I can still hope for a 2024 or 2025 release, can’t I? A girl can dream.

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Time Travel Love Story (For Ending, Suggest Reading Novel Ending)

**Brief Synopsis**
B (Architech): Jom
T (Student): Khun Yai

- Beginning: B is an architect and is commissioned to renovate an old manor. Soon after starting however, he is caught up in an accident and time travels back to the past. There he meets T, who immediately recognizes B as the man he keeps dreaming about. That is because this isn’t B and T’s first life together but B doesn’t seem to remember as well as T. The following episodes, T tries to get closer to B, even going as far as taking him on as his personal manservant. B and T spends more time together after that and after another character confesses to B, T decides to confess as well because he is afraid that he will lose B. B accepts after T tells him he doesn’t care if their relationship isn’t accepted.

- Middle: However, their first challenge came when T’s mother tells him he needs to marry a girl from another affluent family. B knows T can’t refuse because of his family and convinces T to accept (**tears warning**) which hurts both of them. But in the end the betrothal is canceled after B finds proof to send the head of that family to jail.

- End: Soon after, their happiness is cut short again when B discovers that he is starting to disappear. He tells T the truth about his identity and the couple spends the last moments B has in this era together (**tears warning**). In the last episode, B returns to his era and finds a letter T has written him. Just as he was crying while reading this letter, he hears a voice calling him and he looks up to find T standing in front of him. T’s reincarnation (his grand grand grand son) with memories of the past came to find him.

**My Opinion**

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT IT:

- The concept is really good but the execution could have been better. I found the show extremely dramatic and too much focus was given to the other characters’ story in the sense that the main couple’s story feels somewhat underdeveloped.
- The episodes leading up to the confession lacked any noticeable foreplay or build up to that moment, significantly diminishing the emotional impact of that moment. In addition, because there is so much drama, even after the confession, watching their relationship can get a little tiring as you are always afraid that something bad is going to happen.
- This show obviously want to be a period drama which is a subject matter that I did not enjoy.
- The acting is really nice and the leads do a great job at displaying the love between the main characters. The rest of the actors do a pretty good job as well...at least better than other shows.
- The intimate scenes are pretty well acted out even if they are pretty tame. Some of their interactions are pretty cute and their crying scenes are emotionally impactful and can bring the audience in.
- Production quality is pretty high.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE ABOUT IT:
- Very simple and predictable storyline with no plot twists or especially notable moments.
- Pacing sometimes feels too slow other times feels too fast. I think it is because they are trying to deal with too much at the same time.
- Period piece is not something I like.

**Conclusion**
This is an okay watch with an interesting concept that you should give a chance.

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The Best BL I’ve ever watched

This drama is really important to me and the only one I am so passionate for, and no, it’s not because I haven’t seen many dramas, but it’s captivating story, perfect acting and chemistry, gorgeous cinematography and such a sweet and lovely relationship.
The NC scenes are so perfect as well I am personally not the type to care for that but they were placed perfectly and their charm and chemistry are beyond what I have seen before, it feels so really and genuine, the passion and desire was so well done.
So If you are interested in period drama with angst and a slower pacing this is the 100% show for you, but if you are looking for fast and easy show this will definitely not be for you and that’s okay, just try to give credit where credit is due and the production quality was beyond what other BLs have given so far.

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Two hearts, two different times, one epic lovestory

I can't believe what a wonderful journey this was. My heart is still beating fast from the events of the final episode. I would like to go back to this story immediately and find out what happens in the past and also in the future of Jom and Yai. At the same time, I have to take a deep breath and process everything.

What impressed me right from the first episode was the beautiful cinematrography and the good acting of the main and supporting roles.

After a car accident that throws Jom into the water, he reappears in a different time, 1928. Suddenly being in a place almost 100 years in the past has triggered a chaos of emotions within him. He was stunned, shocked, afraid, overwhelmed, sad... I was impressed by how believably and detailed his initial problems were shown. It doesn't take long before he meets Yai. From the first moment they lay eyes on each other, it is clear that they are meant for each other. That they are somehow connected. That they have history.

Yai is so loving, gentle, considerate, kind and concerned towards Jom... and also confused and fascinated by him. The actors did such a good job. Every scene they shared felt natural, impressed me, made me excited and made me blush. One of the biggest highlights for me was the kiss in the rain. The passion and love between them was breathtaking, I can't stop thinking about it.

I loved the music. It fits beautifully into the historical setting. The songs reflect the feelings and thoughts of Jom and Yai, with tender and soulful sounds. At the same time the songs show their pain and sadness, their spark of hope and their love that transcends everything.

I'm so happy about the GL side couple. When the two women were first introduced, I was already hoping that they would have deeper feelings for each other.

I also became particularly fond of James and especially of Ming. Jom and Maey really couldn't have a better friend. I'm glad that Ming provided a lot of support for Jom as he struggled to come to terms with his difficult situation. Ming is definitely a new comfort character.

I'm grateful for this fantastic series.

[finished watching on 3 January 2024]

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10/10 would watch it again but...

I love this series so much. It is one of my favourite BLs of all time. I've watched it twice now, and I have to applaud the entire production team for their relentless effort to bring real cinema to our homes. This series feels worthy of being watched on the big screen because it uses smart and delicate camera shots, the editing is phenomenal, and the music fits each scene beautifully. It's one of the few productions where I feel like that every actor and actress was chosen perfectly. Not only did Nonkul and Bright convince me of their acting talent, but also young actors like Guide and actresses like June made the difference for me. I want to emphasize though that Nonkul and Bright outdid themselves in these complex roles. They've done an amazing job. Their chemistry is undeniable, and you could see and feel how much work they've put in into building these characters. This series doesn't only revolve around our main couple and their love story but tackles difficult topics like abuse, patriarchal structures, abortion, and (in)justice. How can you pursue of your dreams and desires in a society where you're viewed as an outcast because of the person you love? I love the diverse representation of the LGBTQ+ community as it's not your stereotypical gay couple, but we also have a lesbian couple, a bi-/pansexual character and a person who is trans.

There is only one thing I have to criticize, which is the penultimate scene where Khun Yai's modern version shows up at the Phalatip house, where Jom sits and cries while reading Khun Yai's letter from almost 90 years ago. I don't understand how modern Yai was able to remember Jom. It's apparently Khun Yai's spirit that awakened in him, otherwise I cannot explain it. I would've preferred just to see modern Yai enter the house, both of them locking eyes and end scene. That would've left us to our imagination of how these two get to know each other again in modern times, and we could've rest assured that yes they have found each other again. Happy End after all. Maybe it is something I only understand once I read the novel. If so, I'll edit this post lmao

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