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labcat
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Easily my favorite Thai BL that started airing in 2022
Though it’s not what I’m here for, can I give a 10/10 for Mork’s dimpled smile? It may not seem relevant, but I find the expressions of Fluke, the actor playing Mork, rather natural and suitable for the character. Fame, who plays Tawan, only gets to shine more in the last two episodes due to his emotional ups and downs, but he does quite an impressive job.
What I liked a lot:
(1) Tawan and Mork as the main couple. Their love story is simple but sweet. Mork has been jilted by his girlfriend while Tawan’s boyfriend is cheating on him. Mork soon befriends Tawan, the doctor who gets rides from him. Tawan’s feelings for Mork develop later in the story, but, interestingly, we don’t see Mork being jealous even as the man he has fallen for is in a relationship with someone else. Instead, he is very protective of Tawan’s feelings and doesn’t want him to be upset. Tawan’s affections for Mork are not sudden even though he only makes a clean break with his boyfriend quite late in the series. We see the gradual changes in him, changes that he himself may not be aware of.
(2) The inclusion of Mork’s uncles, an older gay couple. They are humorous and cute, an interesting departure from the usual focus on young couples in BL. They are not the main characters, but they have a nice presence in the story, serving as a positive influence on Mork even though they may often squabble.
Some Flaws:
(1) The Toy/Boss side couple is cute but doesn't really fit in with the Tawan/Mork story. Compare it with the couple formed by Mork's uncles. The uncles integrate better with the Tawan/Mork story as they talk to him about his feelings for Tawan. While Toy and Boss work in the same hospital as Tawan, their story doesn't really intersect with the Tawan/Mork story. I guess casting Yoon as Toy adds some star power to the series, but I wish the character had been better integrated into the main story.
(2) Inconsistencies/continuity issues with the portrayal of Mork’s feelings. The production could have been more meticulous here. Mork seems to vacillate between being aware of his own feelings for Tawan and being unaware of it. In one scene, Mork's friend warns him about being hurt if his feelings are not reciprocated, and he even avoids Tawan when the latter goes to him for a ride. Then in a later scene (Episode 7), Mork seems genuinely surprised when his uncles talk about his feelings for Tawan, behaving as though he is unaware of his own feelings (and not just denying it in front of others).
A controversy:
(1) Apparently the character of Nadia, Tawan’s best friend, is supposed to be a male character. I think any decision about keeping the character as male or changing the character to be female is going to stir controversy. Given the relative lack of attention on the character, it would be hard to portray with sensitivity a male gay man who isn’t conventionally masculine, and this could lead to comments that the character is used for laughs, stereotypical, etc. On the other hand, changing the character into a female character could raise questions about the invisibility of men who are not conventionally masculine even in stories about people in gay relationships.
Personally, I can respect the decision to turn Nadia’s character into a straight woman, and I think she gets a little too much hate for not accepting Mayom’s love. It’s partly miscommunication–she isn’t sure if she can accept Mayom’s love, but it’s not like she is not giving it a serious thought.
Overall:
The story of Tawan and Mork is nicely done, and I think taking away unnecessary distractions like the Boss/Toy side couple could have allowed the two main characters and their relationship to be depicted with more nuance. The story of the main couple is quite simple, but it is a simple story nicely executed in many ways. I don’t get the feeling that the Fame/Fluke pairing is going to have legions of fans who obsess over and fantasize about them (unlike say, Max/Tul, Mew/Gulf, Earth/Mix), but it is just as well. They have done their jobs well enough and they don’t have to feed people’s fantasies beyond their roles.
What I liked a lot:
(1) Tawan and Mork as the main couple. Their love story is simple but sweet. Mork has been jilted by his girlfriend while Tawan’s boyfriend is cheating on him. Mork soon befriends Tawan, the doctor who gets rides from him. Tawan’s feelings for Mork develop later in the story, but, interestingly, we don’t see Mork being jealous even as the man he has fallen for is in a relationship with someone else. Instead, he is very protective of Tawan’s feelings and doesn’t want him to be upset. Tawan’s affections for Mork are not sudden even though he only makes a clean break with his boyfriend quite late in the series. We see the gradual changes in him, changes that he himself may not be aware of.
(2) The inclusion of Mork’s uncles, an older gay couple. They are humorous and cute, an interesting departure from the usual focus on young couples in BL. They are not the main characters, but they have a nice presence in the story, serving as a positive influence on Mork even though they may often squabble.
Some Flaws:
(1) The Toy/Boss side couple is cute but doesn't really fit in with the Tawan/Mork story. Compare it with the couple formed by Mork's uncles. The uncles integrate better with the Tawan/Mork story as they talk to him about his feelings for Tawan. While Toy and Boss work in the same hospital as Tawan, their story doesn't really intersect with the Tawan/Mork story. I guess casting Yoon as Toy adds some star power to the series, but I wish the character had been better integrated into the main story.
(2) Inconsistencies/continuity issues with the portrayal of Mork’s feelings. The production could have been more meticulous here. Mork seems to vacillate between being aware of his own feelings for Tawan and being unaware of it. In one scene, Mork's friend warns him about being hurt if his feelings are not reciprocated, and he even avoids Tawan when the latter goes to him for a ride. Then in a later scene (Episode 7), Mork seems genuinely surprised when his uncles talk about his feelings for Tawan, behaving as though he is unaware of his own feelings (and not just denying it in front of others).
A controversy:
(1) Apparently the character of Nadia, Tawan’s best friend, is supposed to be a male character. I think any decision about keeping the character as male or changing the character to be female is going to stir controversy. Given the relative lack of attention on the character, it would be hard to portray with sensitivity a male gay man who isn’t conventionally masculine, and this could lead to comments that the character is used for laughs, stereotypical, etc. On the other hand, changing the character into a female character could raise questions about the invisibility of men who are not conventionally masculine even in stories about people in gay relationships.
Personally, I can respect the decision to turn Nadia’s character into a straight woman, and I think she gets a little too much hate for not accepting Mayom’s love. It’s partly miscommunication–she isn’t sure if she can accept Mayom’s love, but it’s not like she is not giving it a serious thought.
Overall:
The story of Tawan and Mork is nicely done, and I think taking away unnecessary distractions like the Boss/Toy side couple could have allowed the two main characters and their relationship to be depicted with more nuance. The story of the main couple is quite simple, but it is a simple story nicely executed in many ways. I don’t get the feeling that the Fame/Fluke pairing is going to have legions of fans who obsess over and fantasize about them (unlike say, Max/Tul, Mew/Gulf, Earth/Mix), but it is just as well. They have done their jobs well enough and they don’t have to feed people’s fantasies beyond their roles.
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