Quite funny and entertaining at times

The premise is quite nonsensical. A woman viewing a series is suddenly transported into the series--there is no explanation of any sort. I do, however, like how the protagonist has some "superpowers" as her remote control can do certain things like pausing the scenes without pausing herself.

I'm not sure why, but there seems to quite a number of mini series involving characters who are transported to a fictional world. This one isn't the best, but it is entertaining enough. One of the merits of the series is that it does not take itself seriously. Yet, this is also the Archilles heel of the series as the last couple of episodes descend into incoherent chaos. And since the series is so nonsensical anyway, I don't understand why the series ends with the protagonist being transported out of the fictional world. It would have been better to just let it end more happily, especially since a Season 2 seems unlikely.

It is best not to take this series seriously and watch it for whatever mindless entertainment it offers.

Citeste mai mult

Time-Travel BL Done Right

This is one of those series that does things right for better or for worse, but mostly better.

(Wait, what could possibly be worse about doing things right? Well, it just feels so safe and doesn't take risks that some other series might take. I am reminded of series like Bad Buddy here.)

The time travel premise is used well and fully exploited, and with the nature of the time travel being supernatural rather than scientific, it avoids having to be too logical. It's a wise move that Kawi manages to get his father to go for a heart surgery when he travels to the past but doesn't get to prevent his father from dying, As one of the scenes seems to suggest, there are some things that cannot be avoided or brought about (such as winning the lottery) but there are also many things that can be shaped by personal effort.

Kawi and Pisaeng are an adorable couple, but the cutesiness isn't overdone. There is a good balance of serious moments and light-hearted ones throughout. I don't know how deliberate it is, but I somehow don't get the sense that Krist and Fluke are going to be the sort of pairing that will stoke the fantasy of fans, the way many BL actors are meant to. (Perhaps this often does not end well, and it is just as well.) Krist and Fluke have played their roles well, and in my opinion, Krist's performance in Be My Favourite has exceeded that in SOTUS. His acting may seem to some a little exaggerated at times, but I feel that it is according to the demands of the role.

What this series excels in is the side characters, who are interesting without being distracting. I like the portrayal of Kawi's friendship with Max, for instance. Although they are really good friends, the portrayal doesn't get too idealistic because of the time travel premise. Max, who is gay, falls out with Kawi at one point due to a misunderstanding that Kawi doesn't like others to think that he is Max's boyfriend. In the original timeline, their friendship is not mended, but in other modified timelines, they become close friends again. Another interesting character is Pisaeng's mother. In many BL series, a parent who can accept that their child is gay is idealised, but not here. Despite her acceptance of Pisaeng's homosexuality, the mother and son still have issues to sort out. Then there is also Not (classmate of Kawi and Pisaeng), a talented writer who is also an asshole. Not does not turn out to be the villain of the series (there isn't any), and he also doesn't really suffer for his assholery. (Quite realistic, I guess.)

If I must have complaints about the series, perhaps it would be that a lot of the positive points that I have mentioned feel a little calculated. Yet, even then, the series must be given credited for being able to handle everything skillfully. There is a scene towards the end when Kawi is hospitalised and the doctor asks if Kawi has any relatives to be contacted despite being told that Kawi lives with Pisaeng, who is his lover. While other series with less skillful scripting may have the characters directly discuss the issue of marriage equality and remark on how unfair it is, the finesse with which the issue is handled here is commendable. We can feel a sense of the how the lack of marriage equality affects gay couples without the characters commenting on it directly, and this is the way to go even though the series as a whole does not really seem to be focused on such issues.

For me, Be My Favourite ranks up among the best Thai BL series from late 2022 to 2023, together with My School President. While My School President really excels in telling a compelling and lovable story about innocent high schoolers, Be My Favourite its its more mature counterpart. They are both signs that the Thai BL industry can really up its game if it bothers putting in the effort.

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Gay-themed short film, not BL

Warning: not a happy ending

It is easy to tell what is happening in this short film, but it is much more difficult to say why everything is happening.

We know it is practically love at first sight for Soon-ho, the delivery boy who frequently delivers Yu-jin's meals to him. In contrast to how transparent Soon-ho is as a character, Yu-jin is very much opaque to the end. Perhaps it is meant to be this way--the intention could be to show the struggles of a gay man who won't know the attitudes of other people towards him when they find out he is gay. There can be a 180-degree change in attitude.

Yet the film is can be rather baffling. The simplest reading is probably that Yu-jin is homophobic and turns nasty when he realises that Soon-ho is gay. But it is anyone's guess when Yu-jin discovers it--does he assume that Soon-ho is gay when he sees Soon-ho sniffing his (Yu-jin's) shirt? If so, why does he have no apparent immediate reaction to Soon-ho (whose action actually is admittedly inappropriate)? In fact, he proceeds to start eating his meal without seeming affected until he picks up a piece of friend pork and pauses . . .

Perhaps Yu-jin is put off by Soon-ho's action (not necessarily because he is homophobic but because he finds it disturbing). Or perhaps he is actually homophobic. Or perhaps he is trying to repress his own sexuality and emphasize his supposed heterosexuality by getting a woman to go to his apartment at the time when he knew Soon-ho would turn up, acting intimate with this woman AND even telling her about the delivery boy who is gay. Things would be easier to grasp if we can see malice or cruelty in Yu-jin as the woman taunts Soon-ho, but he keeps quiet and appears quite expressionless (perhaps even coldly hesitant). After closing the door at Soon-ho, he says something sexual to the woman (despite not even showing any interest in her while Soon-ho is looking at them), but is he deliberately saying it loudly enough for Soon-ho to hear?

It is easy to focus on Soon-ho's heartbreak and his friendship with his employer. However, Yu-jin is ultimately the truly intriguing character. I do wish there were more in the film to nudge us towards a more concrete interpretation of Yu-jin's character. He is either a really poorly written and acted flat character or an unsuccessful attempt at creating a truly interesting character within the span of 20 minutes.

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Few BL series give me such a feel for the characters

This series seems to be rather under-appreciated. In terms of plot, it is not the very best, but it is pretty good. In the last two episodes, there could perhaps be more scenes showing how Da Yeol and Tae Hyun become a couple. However, I think there feelings towards each other are pretty clear even if not spelt out directly. Da Yeol is the one who is quite frank (to himself) about his own feelings for Tae Hyun, from the early episodes where he finds himself paying attention to Tae Hyun. Tae Hyun, on the other hand, is confused--not so much (I believe) because of gay panic like in some series but really because he has psychological issues related from the time he was a child. He is afraid of being loved as the adoptive mother who loved him came to harm, and he does not dare to love others out of fear that what he treasures will be lost.

Tae Hyun's feelings for Da Yeol are shown fairly early when he looks somewhat jealous when he sees Da Yeol walking with a female classmate.. While some viewers wish to know how Tae Hyun comes to realise that he is really in love with Da Yeol, the answer seems quite clear to me: almost immediately after he tells Da Yeol to stop liking him. He wants to make up with Da Yeol but is unsuccessful even on Da Yeol's last day of school because he still needs time to overcome his issues. With Da Yeol gone, he realises how much he really wants to be with Da Yeol. Tae Hyun misses Da Yeol, but it is only two years later that he gets a chance to see Da Yeol again when Da Yeol gets drunk with a mutual friend.

The first time jump of two years occurs near the end of Episode 6. The second one occurs at the start of Episode 7, and we can infer that the two guys have been in a relationship since their last meeting. Episode 7 adds practically nothing to the story, but it is so full of sweetness that I can overlook it.

I love the way the series is moving without being sappy. As a coming-of-age series, it portrays the young people's lives without exaggeration. Whether it is Da Yeol's archery rival, Tae Hyun's ambiguously jealous friend or the female classmate who is carrying a torch for Da Yeol, Some may find issue with how Tae Hyun sets Da Yeol up, claiming that Da Yeol is sexually harassing him. The relative lack of action on the part of the school in response to such a serious allegation may also be questionable (although it might well be a veiled critique of society). the emotions and relationships are interestingly nuanced.

The series may not be every BL fan's cup of tea, but if I can judge it by how much it manages to make me care about whether the main characters end up together, it ranks quite high.

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Nothing new, but sweet and cute

I enjoyed this series, but to be honest, the story isn't exactly full of surprises.

The main reason I started watching this series is Shi Cheng Xuan, whom I noticed playing a minor supporting character in the History series. I remember thinking he was really cute and wished he would be the lead in a BL series. So this series is like a wish come true.

There are two couples in this story, and they are both likable. However, I wish there had been more nuances in the portrayal of Zheng Ze Shou. Prior to finding out about Fu Li Gong's crush on him, he seems to have some feelings for Fu too, but he also seems unable to accept what he has found out. It would actually make more sense for him to have been harboring some romantic feelings towards Fu, and the transition from his initial reaction to his acceptance of Fu's love could have been more natural.

As for the other couple, the development of their relationship is a little sudden (or did I watch a censored version?) as they duo are drinking one moment and then waking up beside each other the next moment. Again, they are a likable couple, but the development in their relationship is somewhat haphazard. At least there is a back story for Fu and Zheng, which makes them easier to relate to.

Perhaps focusing on the story of just one couple is enough (though I might melt if I see more scenes of the ridiculously cute Shi Cheng Xuan).

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How to do a BL series set in a high school

This ought to be a model of sorts for how schoolboy BL series should be made. It is lighthearted and cute without being frivolous. It doesn't resort to representing toxic behaviors to "entertain". It may seem like an enemies-to-lovers story at the start, but it soon becomes obvious that there is no real enmity between them.

The charm of many BL series featuring characters of high school age lies in the innocence of the characters, but that's also where it is all too easy to go wrong. Sometimes the characters are too immature, but not here. To be sure, there is a lot of comedy and even silly behavior. However, what Tinn does for Gun is sweet and touching. It's also a good thing that this is revealed in bits throughout the series and not dropped like a bomb at the end of the story because it helps us appreciate the goodness of the character.

But for a BL series to be done right, it is not just the love story or the main characters that counts. The secondary characters matter too. I appreciate the portrayal of Tinn's group of friends as well as Gun's bandmates. In particular, Tinn's endlessly supportive friend, Thiu, is a delight. I also love the contrast between Tinn's and Gun's mothers. Tinn's mother (the school principal) seems strict and cold while Gun's mother is casual, and it's clear which parent may pose an obstacle to the leads' relationship later.

If I have to fault the series for anything, perhaps it would be in the couple of instances where it tries a tad too hard to be more serious, such as with Gun's mother becoming very ill, Tinn's mother suspecting something about their relationship and the homophobia some members of the school community exhibit when Tinn and Gun's relationship is exposed. These parts of the series, which come quite late, are double-edged swords. On the one hand, they present great opportunities to showcase the characters' development. On the other hand, given the predominant lightheartedness of the series, we more or less know how things will turn out so the seriousness doesn't really get that serious. Towards the end of the series, the series does the equivalent of someone blowing a balloon and letting the air out before it gets really big and then repeating the process a few times.

Despite the slight flaws, My School President is probably amongst the very best high school BLs ever made. It has the lighthearted charm of a series like 2gether but without so many of the flaws. It may make one miss one's high school days but it also portrays youthful insecurities quite sensitively--I particularly love the scene where Tinn's mother is about to ask him about his relationship with Gunn and, despite his love for Gun, he is so tense and frightened that his mother feels bad for him decides to change the topic. (Well, she has the answer without him saying it).

I love Gemini and Fourth and wish that they will not turn out just be a one-BL-series pairing.

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The BL part was great but not the story related to the title

The title refers to a supposed curse in a school that misfortune would befall students who break the school's strict rules. The effects of the curse are rumored to be especially powerful during a solar eclipse. Is there a supernatural element here or is there a sinister human hand behind the scenes? This premise is so intriguing, but it ends up being the weakest part of the story. I would have appreciated a nice story about some sinister person controlling the mysterious events behind the scenes, perhaps in the fashion of The Gifted. In fact, the series did give me The Gifted vibes at the start--imagine how nice it would be to have something like The Gifted with a BL plot.

Unfortunately, the story about the curse fizzles out. First, you sense something amiss when there is barely any real development with regard to the curse for many episodes despite the frequent allusions to it. It quickly becomes clear that this isn't a supernatural drama (which is fine) and that there are human forces behind the misfortunes that befall misbehaving students (which is also fine). Unfortunately, the writers seem hesitant about developing the plot with regard to the curse.

Ultimately, the rumors about the curse are merely an excuse for the BL story. Yet, do we need an excuse for the BL story? The story of the main couple, the head prefect of the school and a seemingly rebellious student who defies the rules of the school, is fine. The part about the curse makes the story seem original at first, but it fails to deliver. The writers have done a pretty good job developing the main characters, and the effort spent on the virtually meaningless part about the curse could have been spent on the characters' backgrounds and personal struggles instead. For instance, Thuaphu (one half of the second BL couple) is an interesting character who is unfortunately underdeveloped. His relationship with his stepfather seems interesting and could have been given more attention. Really, we don't need a premise like a curse. The students' struggles with the school authorities could simply be there without some reference to a curse.

To make matters worse, it is rather laughable that the school, despite being supposedly an institution with archaic, oppressive rules that are strictly enforced, frequently has a few students protesting about its rules. And the protestors do not get into serious trouble with the school authorities. So much for being an oppressive environment that emphasizes discipline in a way that is out of sync with the contemporary world.

As a mystery, the story does come with at least one red herring and a couple of twists. But it is a little too late and too ineffectively delivered. In fact, I wish that the red herring had not been a red herring. It involves a student who aspires to be a prefect--the story could have been more interesting if he had been the one behind the apparent fulfillment of the curse.

Despite the disappointing plot about the curse, the BL parts are nicely done. They may not be really original, but they are better than the average set-in-a-high-school BL. The personalities of five of the main characters (the two couples and one of their friends who is interested in film) are nicely developed and distinguished. If only there had been a stronger story holding everything together.

Citeste mai mult

Inter-universe body swap done quite well

I love this series in so many ways, but I also can't help feeling that it can be better.

The series starts off pretty impressively with a twist to the body swap concept as the main characters swap bodies with people in a parallel universe. There are a lot of cute references to other BL series like 2gether and intelligently self-reflexive moments that refer to BLs and film production, teasing us on whether the main couple would have a happy ending.

The main actors (Sea and Jimmy) have done a rather good job, but the decision to have Nanon and Ohm make brief appearances in the early episodes has its pros and cons. Of course, it draws in viewers because of the star power. But Nanon and Ohm have such a presence , despite the few scenes they appear in, that they not only give the same characters different vibes but also cause the viewer to have difficulty getting used to Sea and Jimmy when they basically disappear from the show.

Still, the story is good enough to get viewers to continue watching. I like the way the characters, Talay and Puen, develop as they get used to being in a parallel universe. Some ethical questions are raised about living in the bodies that belong to other souls, but I wonder why no one has an issue with making out with people whilst in other people's bodies. Perhaps this would take the story into a terrain that gets too uncomfortable and undermine the body swap concept.

While the main characters develop rather nicely, there seem to be some back-and-forth changes to their relationship. Sometimes they seem to have progressed further in their romance but soon the "progress" seems to be reversed. At some point, the story starts to fizzle out a little because the elements that make it interesting are not fully exploited. There is, for instance, more than a hint that the parallel universe that doesn't belong to the main characters, may well be better in many ways than their original universe (at least gay marriage is legalized in the parallel universe). Yet, the sense of helplessness that the characters would face (they can't really choose to return to their own world or stay) as they develop close friendships and work hard for their achievements isn't really worked on. Neither is Talay's longing for his friends and family in his original universe. There is a slight sense of sadness in the final episode that the protagonists will no longer be able to interact with the people they have come to genuinely care about in the other universe, but perhaps the struggle could have been emphasized earlier.

We are also left wondering what happens to the people in the alternative universe, particularly Nanon and Ohm's characters. (It's kind of sad that Ohm's character seems very much like the irresponsible troublemaker he was at the start. There could have been a better wrap-up for their story, but perhaps there isn't enough budget to pay Nanon and Ohm for more scenes.) Perhaps this is to bring across the point that Talay and Puen will forever be cut off from the parallel universe, but there is also a hint that when Talay dreams of the people in the other universe, it's really what is happening to them (so there's a sort of happy ending for everyone).

In the end, I think the series has a message to convey: we do not have all the power to decide what the world we live in is like, but we can try to live our lives in the best ways possible in the areas we have some control over.

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Short, sweet, full of fluff yet realistic

To have a BL series featuring characters who are older than the typical characters in BL may be a risk, but it also offers opportunities for something realistic and moving. The fact that the leads are colleagues, that the older one is 39, that there's a ten-year age gap between them, are not just glossed over but nicely used to highlight realistic concerns in a sweet love story.

The love story itself does take some time to develop. While the two leads are attractive men in the story, it is not really the main focus (unlike some series that spend too much time on how attractive one of the male leads is) or even necessarily the main cause of their attraction to each other. Some flashbacks effectively highlight the development of the feelings between the two men.

Despite the sweetness, the series also features genuine concerns like ageing (though neither of the leads is really old) and social isolation. The issue of masculinity and what society expects of men and of people at different ages is also brought up. When the two leads agree to pretend to be girls, it's more like they are pretending to pretend--I think they genuinely want to be expressive and share their emotions with someone rather than to behave the way society expects grown up men to.

The obstacles that are in the way of their relationship are also quite genuine. When the older guy thinks about their relationship, he thinks, "He's a man, and I'm a man". I don't think he's unable to come to terms with a same-sex relationship but is worried about people's reactions and how it may affect the both of them. Even when they are about to kiss at the end of the series, they stop upon hearing people nearby.

While we have a sweet love story in Old Fashion Cupcake, the realistic treatment of the problems that can come in the way of the romance enhance the story. An awareness of these problems makes one appreciate the love the two leads show each other more.

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One of the sweetest BL series ever if you can ignore its flaws

There is plenty to like about this BL series. The BL parts are done in a way I love. The main characters, Ram and Lukchub, are lovable, and I didn’t quite mind the relatively slow development. (This is one of those BL series in which I don't find myself partial to one half of the main couple. Both the characters who form the main couple are attractive and lovable.) Each of them also has good friends who are wonderful people. Yet, perhaps the series is a little too bland because of this. I like it that Ram is characterized as a popular guy who is kind and friendly, a departure from a more typical portrayal of a cold, bossy male lead who is loved despite behaving like a jerk. However, for a few episodes, it’s not clear where the series is heading.

The main source of tension eventually comes from this jealous woman who is in love with Ram. But her villainy, together with the acting, is over-the-top. (It may not be the fault of the actress. I think she has been instructed to act like some deranged villain, and the script doesn’t really allow for much nuance.) This woman is basically the one character that allows La Cuisine to have a story and yet, she is also a little out of place in the series.

There is some foreshadowing in the earlier episodes, but it is not very well done. It’s not clear why Ram’s friends and even his sister keep warning him not to hurt Lukchub intentionally or unintentionally. It’s not like Ram is the type of person who toys with other people’s feelings. He doesn’t flirt with all the women who are interested in him, and we only see him having a soft spot for Lukchub–he even tells Lukchub’s grandmother that he does not have an ex. Their warnings do foreshadow some events later, but there seems to be no good reason for them.

When Lukchub gets bullied after becoming Ram’s boyfriend, I’m not sure why some characters blame Ram or expect him to be able to prevent it from happening again. It’s not as though it is within his control that some jealous person tries to hurt his boyfriend. The scenes occasionally also don’t flow well, such as when Lukchub’s brother looks like he is about to confront Ram but in the next scene, he’s merely visiting Lukchub. (I’m guessing his manager stopped him from being impulsive, but it’s not directly shown.

In the end, the BL keeps me going. It’s so sweet but never to the extent of being sickening or cringy (at least for me). Despite the lack of an impressive plot, I find myself wanting more of Ram and Lukchub. I’m sad that La Cuisine has ended and that not many people seem to like it. It’s one of those BL series that gives me the feel that I love, never mind the only okayish plot. I'm also sad because, while I may watch technically better BLs, it will probably be a long time before another couple leaves me with the sweetness Ram and Lukchub have left me.

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Some good things, but likely to disappoint BL fans

There isn't a really great story here, but I find it okay, and there are some things the series does quite well.

Firstly, the main love story is not perfectly done. The way Ji Woo gradually falls in love with Ro A could have been done a little better. And while Ro A is clearly in love with Ji Woo from the start, we can only guess that he has met Ji Woo before the first lesson of the titular class but we do not see it until quite late in the series (and even then, there's a missed opportunity to show more of what makes Ji Woo attractive to him).

I feel a little conflicted about the portrayal of (Korean) society's homophobia. On the one hand, the series shows quite deftly the pressure that Ji Woo and Ro A will face as a gay couple and this becomes a plausible explanation for Ro A's rejection of Ji Woo when Ji Woo eventually confesses to him: he simply loves Ji Woo too much to subject him to the pressure, and he assumes that since Ji Woo has been in love with a woman before, he can easily lead a "normal" life with a woman as his partner. It is not just Ro A's love that is touching here but also the sympathetic portrayal of the predicament of gay people. However, I also can't help but feel that the portrayal of homophobia is a tad too exaggerated. Someone claims that Ji Woo and Ro A are a gay couple even before they are really one, based on a photo of Ji Woo feeding an injured Ro A, and suddenly their classmates behave as though gay people were monsters and they are shocked to see an actual gay person for the first time in their lives.

The other flaw in the story is the creation of a love triangle--Ro A's friend-cum-roommate has a crush on him. I can see how this helps to create tension in the story, but ultimately, the series would be better off with this roommate being portrayed as a protective and supportive close friend instead. It feels as though the falling out and reconciliation of Ro A and his roommate are forcibly used as a plot device.

As a BL series, Love Class doesn't quite have enough fluff to make one squeal. And while it does take some things seriously and has an at least okayish story, the good parts of the story are not really related to the developments in Ji Woo and Ro A's relationship. This will definitely result in disappointment for BL fans.

Citeste mai mult

Mostly lives up to the hype

Whether you want an engaging story, good cinematography, a good looking cast or plenty of skinship, you get it in KinnPorsche. It is a series that has something that will appeal to BL fans, and it can even be one of those series that will appeal to an audience that isn't all that into BL but doesn't mind it.

The first trailer for KinnPorsche was really slick, and the production problems that occurred after that had people worrying about whether the series would even be made. But I guess the biggest challenge for the series is that the expectations have gone over the roof because of the original trailer and all the buzz it generated, and it is very easy to fall short even if the series is actually much better than the average Thai BL in 2022.

In most ways, the series doesn't disappoint. Featuring Thai mafia in a BL series may not be as original as when the first trailer came out (we've since had wannabe mafia-themed series like Golden Blood). Nevertheless, the story is engaging. The suspense regarding the forces who are trying to assassinate Porsche is nicely maintained. And subsequently, the suspense behind the death of Porsche's parents when he was a child makes the story more intriguing.

Perhaps the people behind the production sensed that things can get a little too tense for some, and there are clear attempts to insert lighter scenes and comic relief into the series. But this may also be where the series doesn't fare so well. Some of the scenes featuring Tankhun (Kinn's elder brother) are hilarious, but they don't always fit that well in the story. They are skillfully added though, and that helps a lot.

One of the bodyguards in Kinn's household, Pete, is nicely distinguished from the other bodyguards from the start. However, there could have been a bit more attention on him. His relationship with Vegas comes in fairly late in the story, but the sexual tension between him and Vegas could have gotten more attention than Vegas' clearly feigned interest in Porsche. The conflicting feelings of Pete (like his attraction to Vegas vs his loyalty to his boss) could also have been portrayed earlier in the series. (After all, someone working for Kinn seems to be working for Vegas, and this could have been exploited more.)

The story, while very strong overall, also seems to lose focus for a while after Vegas' plot against Kinn is exposed. It's the calm before the storm, but it is also where the story becomes becomes borderline smut. I'm not complaining about the sex scenes (including a brief hint of a blowjob taking place on a plane) even if they may be somewhat gratuitous. I would even commend the series for daring to court controversy by portraying Vegas and Pete's relationship with a touch of sadomasochism. (The scenes are nicely shot and the mediocre series, Unforgotten Night, which I have been watching can learn a few lessons here.) Yet, for a while, the story does not seem to be going anywhere. But of course, things do pick up again, so this is not a major problem.

The third couple, probably the most conventional Thai BL couple in the series, is Porchay and Kim. They are likable, and Barcode does a pretty good job portraying Porchay's innocent shyness. However, I don't quite understand Kim's coldness towards Porchay after the latter finds out that he is the younger brother of Kinn.

Despite the flaws that one might find with KinnPorsche, it is hard to dislike the series. They story is pretty good, the main characters are well developed, and anyone who wants even more skinship will probably have to visit p*rnhub.



There is also a good chance for a Season 2. I'm glad that KinnPorsche does not end with one of those annoying cliffhangers, but it drops more than enough hints to suggest that the full truth about the past is yet to be revealed: Korn (Kinn's father) shoots his brother just as he seems to be about to reveal something and later he says to himself that history is written by the victors, Porsche doesn't seem to have regained all the crucial memories of his childhood, while the mental state of Porsche's mother may also improve to the point she is able to reveal something about the past, and Kim seems to have been suspecting his father of something all along. The actor playing Kinn's father has really done a fine job, subtly looking dangerous while maintaining a calm and benevolent facade.

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5 stars for the guts to make this available for viewing

There's a slight chance that the series might make sense to you if I tell you that it's purely the hallucinatory fantasies of a someone who has broken up with his boyfriend. It's just someone hallucinating about different possibilities in different parallel universes--that's why the scenes seem dreamlike and the movement from one scene to another make no sense at all. That's also why sometimes the doctors and nurses in the hospital where one of the main characters work seem so busy and sometimes they seem so free. That's also why doctors and nurses can save a patient by chanting a spell.

Maybe there's a way to make more sense of the series if you rewatch it a few more times, but it isn't intriguing enough to rewatch. It's as though someone saw Gen Y 2 (which also features Kim and Cop as the leads) saw how bad it was and decided to make something worse simply because such a feat is challenging.

And simply because someone has the guts to make the series and present it as we see it, the series deserves at least 5 stars.

The series starts off somewhat reasonably, with a couple on the verge of breaking up because one party barely has time for the other. Yet, the characters quickly seem unreasonable. Yes, Guy is so busy with his work that he misses his appointment with Jing, but Jing doesn't seem to care what explanation he has. And as for Guy, isn't there such a thing as paid leave for nurses?

To make matters worse, BOTH Guy and Jing get close to leaving someone who has collapsed outside the hospital in the lurch. Yes, Guy has the inclination to help, but he hesitates because he doesn't want to upset Jing. And Jing is visibly upset that his boyfriend is going to help someone who has collapsed instead of going out to celebrate his (Guy's) birthday. (Hey, it's Guy's birthday--why not let him do something moral as a present?) It doesn't take that long to carry the person into the hospital where there are doctors and nurses on duty, you idiots!

So yes, the only way I can make sense of the series is to understand it as a series of hallucinations (maybe by Guy, who wishes that something can be done to salvage his relationship with Jing). Even the possibility that most of the scenes are merely a movie within a movie (Jing is involved in some student movie production) doesn't make sense.

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An unusual blend of BL and serious drama

The story here is pretty good despite a few flaws, namely:

1) Prakan's initial hostility towards Tua Phee is not very logical because (as he later seems to understand) Tua Phee does not cause anyone to die but merely sends souls of the dead on their way. A doctor getting angry with Tua Phee is like a doctor getting angry with someone who provides funeral services--the latter doesn't cause people to die.
2) For a large part of the series, it is not clear when Tua Phee's love for Prakan becomes romantic love. The changes in feelings could have been shown, especially given that when Pua Phee is alive, Prakan is only a kid.
3) Like many supernatural series, it is hard to have a truly happy ending (think: The Miracle of Teddy Bear and Something in My Room). Even a happy ending has to deal with some of the sadder things in life, but the audience may prefer their BL series to be more escapist. And it is even harder if you don't want the ending to be too predictable.
4) Too many deaths/near deaths of the main characters (sometimes for no good reason).

Still, Dear Doctor, I'm Coming for Soul has a rather good story that is competently told. Prakan's character is flawed, but he doesn't get to the point where he becomes annoying (at least for me). Apart from Prakan and Tua Phee's romance, another relationship that is nicely portrayed is the kinship/friendship between Prakan and Metha. Yacht is really good as Metha, conveying the characters jealousy while convincingly maintaining the fundamental righteousness of the character.

The side couple, Natee and Keeta, is cute--a nice addition to the story without being digressive or excessively sweet. At the same time, Metha and Nuch's love for each other is also portrayed in a way that will make us wish they end up together but doesn't get in the way of the more serious parts of the story.

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Took a long time to finish because of the weak plot

The great looking actors, generally high production value, kisses and bed scenes fail to elevate this series above the mundane because of the weak plot.

This is very odd for, based on the summary of the original material this series is based on (someone posted on MDL), there is so much potential for a reasonably good plot. Unfortunately, the series spends most of its time on nothing in particular. It feels like someone is deliberately putting everything that is potentially interesting aside.

The series starts with Lian behaving coldly towards Kuea, inexplicably saying that there's no love between them and calling him Annabelle (yes, that horror film Annabelle). Devastated, Kuea wants to break off their engagement. But he doesn't ... he doesn't ... somehow he doesn't ... and then Lian makes Kuea move into his house. By this point, it is clear to us that Lian actually loves Kuea but there's no good explanation for the way he treated Kuea.

After moving into Lian's house, Kuea still wants to cancel their engagement, but ... he still doesn't. And then they make out. And then they spend some loving days together. But Kuea is still hiding his true self from Lian, who actually knows what Kuea is really like. Nothing much happens until Kuea somehow finds out that his family's properties have been transferred to Lian's name because his family has fallen on hard times. He thinks that Lian is with him just out of obligation (what causes him to come to this conclusion isn't clearly explored). When Lian proposes to him, he rejects Lian in front of an entire party of people.

The rejection was the climax of the story. One that turned out to be an anti-climax. They make up (and make out) so easily you might laugh. And then lots of nonsense about Kuea trying to propose to Lian.

I don't know why the adaptation doesn't show more of the things that would have made the main characters more interesting when there are clearly opportunities to dos o. Showing the scenes of Kuea's mother discussing the transfer of properties to Lian and Lian's thoughts and emotions at a strategic point would have made his love for Kuea more touching. Instead of focusing so much on Kuea trying to hide the "secret" aspects of his life from Lian even when he supposedly wants to break off their engagement (and doesn't have to care what Lian thinks), Kuea could have been shown to be making attempts to see if Lian would be able to accept him for who he is. There could have been misunderstandings that make him think that Lian is unable to accept him.

Given that Nuer is brought in as someone who is obviously trying to hit on Kuea at first, it is also baffling why the series does not make use of this potential third party to create tension. Can't you at least make Lian misunderstand Nuer and Kuea's relationship and get jealous or something like that? In the end, Nuer is brought in as a potential third party quite pointlessly. It is rather silly because the writers might as well have left out Nuer's initial interest in Kuea. After all, from the start, Nuer also looks at and interacts with Syn in a way that suggests a potential romance. And seriously, since there is so little going on with Kuea and Lian, why not give more screen time to Nuer and Syn, who are actually the couple with the best BL potential as the story goes? I think the series would have become better if half of Kuea and Lian's time had been given to Nuer and Syn.

The series tries to deal with more serious issues by pointing out the fact that Lian and Kuea can get married in a traditional ceremony but they will not be recognized as a married couple in the eyes of the law. Unfortunately, it doesn't really do much here except to harp on this. It's a good thing that Thai BL has become more daring in pointing out that gay people still do not have equal rights, but there are series that do it better.

It's not even that Cutie Pie has a weak story. It has a reasonable story but the plot structure and the delivery of the story fail to do justice to material that could have been interesting.

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