A gay romance with fantastic touches and the whitewashing of the homophobic Thai Police

The Sign is a captivating drama that stands out among other BLs for its ability to balance multiple stories and themes. Broadcast on Channel 3, this production by renowned Thai director and screenwriter A Natthaphong Wongkaweepairod, perfectly intertwines elements of gay romance, the complexity of first love, religiosity, the exciting world of fantasy, the supernatural, the resolution of crimes and political and police corruption.
This unique combination of genres, its compelling narrative, the pair of irresistible protagonists and a direct story of love-overcomes-adversity, guarantees that 'The Sign' will hit the mark among fans of BL products, always in search of a series that show an engaging and exciting experience. All this positions the audiovisual among the most outstanding in the BL universe of all time.
Professional critics and fans alike praise its emotional depth and the cast's sincere performances.
Its director has to his credit the dramas 'My Hero Series: Spell of The Swan Mark', from 2018; 'School Tales The Series', 2022; and the lesbian 'GAP The Series', from 2022, and 'Dream', to be released in 2024. In addition to directing, he is also the screenwriter of the serial 'Lipgloss Spy' and the film SLR', both from 2022.
Based on the great success of 'GAP The Series', its first GL series, the Idol Factory company put all its effort into producing a BL criminal investigation project. This is how 'The Sign' comes about. The series is a television adaptation of I-Rain-Yia's novel of the same name, with a literal translation into English, Premonition, which was produced by Saint Suppapong of 'Love By Chance' and 'Why RU?'.
Billy Patchanon, star of 'Secret Crush On You' and 'War Of Y', and promising actor Babe Tanatat, are in charge of taking on the main roles. I have no doubt that both because of their on-screen chemistry and their genuine performances, the two young actors will consolidate themselves as a ship within the BL universe.
The story centers on two young people who loved each other for centuries and were separated in several past lives, but in a twist of fate they were reincarnated as Phaya o Sakuna (Billy Patchanon Ounsa-ard) and Tharn Wansa (Babe Tanatat Phanviriyakool). This allowed them to meet at an academy where future police officers are trained, in order to enter the Investigation Detective Force (IDF).
During their training, they both experience unique visions related to their pasts and common future, which ignites their romance as they embark on the investigation of some criminal cases shrouded in mystery. Phaya and Tharn's love will be tested by an enigmatic man.
Other talented actors and actresses bring the characters to life in a way that has resonated with audiences.

Brief characterization of the characters

Tharn: He is the cheerful and kind young officer of the IDF. He loves Phaya, with whom he has a romance from the past. That is why he constantly risks his life to save him from the danger he is in. He has a strong sense of "instinct."
Phaya: He is the young, handsome, intelligent, cool and upright IDF officer. Love Tharn.
Khem (Tack Pongsakorn) is the young officer who has a flirtatious personality, likes to have fun and plays with all the other IDF members, especially his boyfriend Thongtai.
Thongtai (Poom Natthapas): Khem's boyfriend. He studied psychology and has a good sense of duty. He is a very observant young officer.
Yai (Gap Jakarin) grew up alongside Tharn since childhood. They both consider themselves brothers. He is a young member of IDF.
Singha (Surprise Pittikorn Siripornsawan) looks weak on the outside but is the brains of the team.
Doctor Chalotorn (Heng Asavarid) an attractive psychiatrist who is close and protective of Tharn.
Captain "Akk" Akkhanee Assawawaisoon (Akk Akarat Nimitchai), leader of the investigation team.
Wansarat (Freen Sarocha Chankimha): The GAP The Series actress is part of the cast as a Guest.
The resounding success of the series has led to the creation of other content, such as The Sign Special and Behind the Sign.
A must-see drama for fans of the BL genre and those who enjoy a good mix of romance, mystery and the supernatural, The Sign brings a captivating story that, together with its talented cast and unique combination of genres, will leave a lasting impression on the spectators.

Underlying reality of the series

On the same day of the premiere of The Sign, after watching the first episode, I wrote in MDL: “I find it commendable that in a hostile, sexist, homophobic environment, which exalts masculinity, as the Police Force of any country is supposed to be, tell a story (maybe two, if we take into account Khem and Thongthai's relationship) of a romance between boys. But I wonder if this series is not a 'whitewash' for the Thai Police. I hope that the series is not a tool to apply cosmetic touches to a Police accused of repressing members of the Thai LGBTQIA community.”
With these words I meant that homosexuality is still illegal and considered taboo in that country. Same-sex unions are not recognized under Thai law, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. This prevents gay couples from applying for bank loans or joint health insurance. It also prevents the possibility of adopting children. Thai homosexuals do not enjoy the same rights as heterosexuals. Thai law denies transgender people from changing their sex on their national identity card.
Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1956, but was considered a mental illness until as recently as 2002. Many Thai Buddhists believe that homosexuality is a punishment for sins committed in a previous life. Thai homosexuals suffer physical and verbal harassment in the classrooms by their classmates, and discrimination at work, under the permissive gaze of society, despite the image of tolerance towards this group in order to attract tourism to the country. The Thai Police, the result of the Military Juntas that emerged after successive coups d'état, is accused, both by the local population and internationally, of being corrupt, torturing and repressive.
The Royal Thai Police is the most corrupt state department in the country with tens of thousands of complaints annually, according to regular reports from the Ombudsman's Office, and many of these complaints come from members of the Thai LGBTQIA community, who go unheard mostly.
The high-profile crime and dismemberment of the Colombian surgeon Edwin Arrieta, known as the “Daniel Sancho Case” (name of his confessed Spanish murderer) confirms this. This macabre murder once again brought to public attention the dynamics in the Asian country, the excesses, the parties and the mechanisms of privilege when the victim is a homosexual.
The LGBTIQIA collective is openly discriminated against and even with criminalizing laws, which, to wash its face before the international community, welcomes all those foreigners who will be part of the collective, but without displays of public affection
At a legislative level, Thailand has much more permissive LGBTIQIA policies, but at a factual level, there is discrimination, taboo and extensive stigma. Perhaps that explains the media treatment that has been given to the Sancho case from within the country itself: half-hearted, without fully clarifying the relationship that the two men had, and the eagerness that the police have shown to close the case. In addition to trying to maintain the idyllic image of the country before Thai and international public opinion so that tourism is not scared away.

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THE FADING OF THE DAY INTO TWILIGHT IS NOT THE END, BUT THE BEGINNING OF LIFE AND LOVE

'Last Twilight' is a coming-of-age story of self-discovery that will surprise and excite you through the two young protagonists, played by Jitaraphol Potiwihok (Jimmy) as Mork, and Tawinan Anukoolprasert (Sea) as Day, whom we have already seen leading the cast artistic of “Viceversa” and “Our Skyy 2”. With this, their third leading role, the young actors seek to consolidate themselves as a ship within GMM25.
Written and directed by Noppharnach Chaiwimol (Aof), renowned director, screenwriter, producer and actor who has dramas such as 'My School Presidente' and 'Moonlight Chicken', both from 2023, among others, presents us with a story that not only seeks to make LGBTQ+ people visible, but also seeks to represent blind and visually impaired people, as well as the reintegration of the individual into society after spending time in prison.
Has Aof realized the dramatic potential of blindness and visual impairment to bring us a story on the subject? The social image of blind people has gone through different phases and, to a certain extent, has overcome the usual negative and stereotypical attitudes. Television is also responsible for the perceived public image of disability. Therefore, the representation of blind people in television programs contributes to the general perception that society has of this group.
Will it be Day's destiny to inspire pity, compassion and marginalization? Will the story focus on his struggle to overcome his limitations? Will the series revolve around the facet of his rehabilitation from a hopeful perspective? Is it intended to offer the image of a person who rehabilitates himself and lives a life that tries to get closer to the most normal that his circumstances allow? Will a story prevail in which the blind character seeks social integration? How to make a story with these characteristics, when in current filmography it is rare to see the person with a disability like any other person? Isn't it due to the fact that audiovisual productions show disability as a medical issue rather than from a social perspective? How to succeed in the process?
Aof has drawn on the changes produced in the way visual disability is represented in film and television. He also knows how society has evolved in its understanding of disability.
Taking all of the above into account, it would be appropriate to ask ourselves: to what extent does the series portray a blind character from a positive perspective? To what extent does it represent, and therefore promote, the progressive inclusion of visually impaired people in society? Is one of the purposes of 'Last Twilight' to contribute to enhancing the general perception that society has of disability? Does Day have a fully developed personality or is her character fundamentally defined by her disability? Does the series reflect Day's character as a unique and distinctive personality or is his disability the main focus of the plot? Is Day's personality unique because his character expresses the desire for independence and not wanting to be pitied?
What is Day's level of inclusion in the community? (considering that this includes areas such as inclusive education, employment, residential environment, community participation, recreation and social activities). What are Day's interpersonal relationships like with the people around him? Will your character move away from the stereotypes with which the visually impaired have been reflected in film and television?
TECHNICAL-ARTISTIC ASSESSMENT
Aof makes a triumphant return behind the cameras to create an entertaining product that had a sufficient dose of credibility in its cast for this plot to revolve between cold and warmth, between detachment and tenderness, suffering and illusion, discouragement. and optimism, darkness and light, although the viewer can, at times, decipher the story for themselves, including the final twist. I don't even doubt that this is one of the reasons why 'Last Twilight' is watchable and enjoyable. It is in its own way dreamy, in its own way hopeful, thanks to Jimmy and Sea's chemistry and the questions it seeks to answer.
With a pair of irresistible protagonists and a straightforward love-overcomes-adversity story, 'Last Twilight' hits the spot for the BL fan market. Others will also be able to enjoy it. Aof tries to fight for the desire that his work show a universal feeling, that knows no genres, and is close to anyone.
Although present, sex is not the mainstay of the relationship. Instead, Aof highlights looks, words, silences, gestures as a connection of feelings. In this sense, the series moves away from a common cliché in gay-themed cinema, which rarely seems concerned with delving into the emotions of its characters from a perspective that does not necessarily imply an immediate sexual attraction.
Without superficialities or exaggerated fuss, 'Last Twilight' tells a romance without causing discomfort and trying to find a universality that brings it closer to a majority audience. The series will touch the hearts of many people because it comes with a suggestive and different narrative when we talk about love stories and gender issues.
The mixture of captivating fiery and total trust between the two men is represented in the photograph, totally serene and at the same time always active, but very subjective.
There is no doubt: the public is faced with an irrefutable fairy tale that can win many followers due to the lyrical way of capturing the concerns of youth. Its episodic rhythm allows us to easily access this story about identity and sacrifices, about breakups and reunions, about pain and hopes.
The series cleverly emphasizes the sensual aspects of a coming-of-age story. Strokes of humor, tearfulness, self-improvement, sacrifice and fantasy give a welcome texture to the softness of the romantic novel. Audiovisual in general works despite its formulaic layout and loose ends.
This ambitious series, well shot, without shame, manages to maintain the charm of a plot made to please lovers of the genre. Premiered on November 10, 2023, the entertainment production company is committed to continuing to be a pioneer and leader in the creation of BL series, both originals and adaptations, with 'Last Twilight'.
Also in its good work with the cast, in addition to the aforementioned leading actors, Aof has other well-known faces in the company, such as Tipnaree Weerawatnodom (Namtan), as Phojai, Mohk's ex-girlfriend and friend; Pakin Kunaanuwit (Mark), as Nigh, Day's brother; Premsinee Ratanasopa (Cream), as Ramon, Day's mother; Thipakorn Thitathan (Ohm), as August, Day's sports partner and first love interest; Rachanun Mahawan (Film), as Gee, Day's friend and badminton partner, Kunchanuj Kengkarnka (Kun), as On, Day's friend and also a blind person, among others.
The series follows the love story of a young athlete who has lost his sight after suffering a traffic accident, and his caregiver. When Mhok, burdened by debt, agrees to be the caretaker of a blind boy named Day, they will both know true love. The two characters maintain a complex relationship, since each one is tied to a problematic reality.
The protagonists of this youth drama that promises and at times declines with a predictable course of events, brim with charisma. The story, which could have been told better, has plenty of heart. I would criticize him for saying that he is rich and he is poor, because to political correctness it would seem like just another melodrama.
Not exempt from melodramatic clichés, the program is original. Its director avoids the pitfalls of the typical audiovisual production of homosexual initiation, and presents us with a beautiful and tender story that will inevitably make you fall in love. Mohk and Day's relationship demonstrates that many people in the LGBT+ community are united by their sexuality, but they are also united by love, and it is a love that they have fought for and won.
Playing on the series' title and the name of one of its two protagonists, contrary to the fading of day into twilight, the effervescent nature of young love is deftly captured in 'Last Twilight'.

PLOT
Day, a player on the Thai national youth badminton team, has begun to lose his sight after suffering a traffic accident. Faced with the impossibility of having a normal life, he accepts Mohk as his caregiver because he senses that Mohk does not feel sorry for him. As the young people begin to get to know each other and get closer, Day will know that in approximately 180 days he will lose his vision completely.
Day considers that his disability represents a burden on his family and society, as he is unable to take care of himself. Hence the need to have care personnel and supervision by a psychic. He believes himself incapable of living a successful life. That is why he permanently abandons his studies and sports, and withdraws from his friends, from whom he hides his blindness.
Day has been rejecting all of his previous caregivers, because he does not want a person by his side who treats him like a sick person and feels sorry for him. After losing much of his vision and thus his autonomy, Day begins to treat everyone with disdain and turns his warm and kind personality into a colder and more distant one. He practically lives locked in his room and maintains contact only with his mother, on whom he is very dependent, his brother and his friend On. He blames Night for the tragedy he experiences. He will meet his father, as he divorced his mother when Day was still a child and was raised without his father's presence.
“I don't know what he looks like, all I know is that Mohk is the only one who doesn't feel sorry for me. “It doesn't make me feel like a disabled person,” says the character played by Sea to those close to him, while Mohk reads him the novel that gives the series its title and they strengthen ties.
That's why Day opts for the mechanic who was involved in a fight and just got out of jail after serving a one-year sentence for a misdemeanor. He will hide the fact that he has a criminal record and that is why he cannot find work in his profession.
Mohk will understand the challenges that a blind person faces.
This is how Mohk will initially become Day's mentor, guide and protector. He understands, like no other person around him, his need to relate to the physical and social world. It teaches you techniques to orient yourself and move in space, as well as to acquire habits of personal autonomy. His primary priority is for Day to know and accept his visual situation. For this, communication and complicity between the two is vital. He judges that Day needs empathy from his peers, above all.
His eyes are going to be Day's eyes. Your voice gives you confidence. Mohk will be in charge of creating soundscapes that will allow Day to imagine the world around him. Their hands, intertwined or attached to the rope as they run, create an imperceptible route that Day automatically makes his own.
Mohk is the first to discover that he is in love, but he keeps his love a secret. Some of the reasons why Day may feel insecure about himself will be the same reasons why Mohk begins to love him.
This relationship will be tested when August, Day's friend, reappears and enters his life once again. The dormant feelings are reborn and Day will confess to Mohk that he has had feelings for his sports partner for a long time. Initially, the caretaker will help Day chase August, but August will end up recognizing that he sees Day as just a friend.
That's when Mohk will confess his love, but Day is still heartbroken. It needs time to heal. The bonds between the two protagonists will continue to strengthen as one cares and the other grows as a person, until Day finally opens up to love. Physical attraction will soon turn into a deeper emotional bond.
From two different worlds, although, at first glance, they do not seem to be the most suitable person for each other, little by little they will get along until they forge a friendship as solid as it is unexpected. This will give way to an unusual love relationship that makes sparks fly and light up the night.
Mohk would become to Day the same as the rose to Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's little prince: although it resembles the other roses in every way, his rose is unique because he has chosen it. And like the fox in that novel, it will allow itself to be “tamed” by its caretaker. Mohk will take responsibility for what he has tamed, while Day will take responsibility for his rose. The strategy used will be the same one proposed by the fox. They will sit on the floor at first a little far from each other. They will look at each other out of the corner of their eyes and say nothing. But every day they will be able to sit a little closer...
By domesticating it, then, they need each other. Mohk will be unique to Day, while Day will be unique in the world to Mohk. This is how Day will come to understand that happiness must be understood as a reward and not as an end. As the main character in 'The Little Prince', Day will understand that no one is ever happy where they are.
Mohk will be someone capable of taking care of everyone, not just Day. She recovers her sister's car, her only legacy when she died, and defends Pohjai from her abusive boyfriend and gives her shelter in her house. He will take care of her unborn child. Meanwhile, he will find work as a chef to prove that he can protect Day. Pohjai will become an accomplice in the passion shared by these two boys.
For Mohk there will only be one situation in which he feels unable to help his lover: he cannot save Day from completely losing her vision. Day will compensate, if it can be said that way, for his dedication and love, choosing his face as the last thing he sees before being totally blind. Mohk will cry out of rage and helplessness at not being able to help him under these circumstances. However, their destinies will be inextricably linked forever.
The trite phrase “love at first sight” has no place in the relationship between the mechanic turned caregiver and the blind athlete. In matters of love, the first has more experiences, while the second is a self-conscious person because, on the one hand, he has never been able to see the face of the boy he loves, and on the other, this is his first love experience, which he would have to add that the same is with a man.
The two characters are totally different, but that won't stop them from loving each other. In addition to the differences in social classes, one of them is still suffering from disappointment in love, while the other, a heterosexual boy who is very popular with women, is not happy because he has not been able to find the right person. They both need to regain the strength of love.
As they find love in each other, Day also gains independence, gaining self-confidence. That pathetic and pitiful person who believed that because of his disability he would be incapable of living a successful life, ceases to exist. In other words, stop being your own worst enemy. Smile again. Little by little, his bitterness will give way to joy and the desire to see all the sunrises.
But Day will face a dilemma: would he allow a beloved, free-spirited person like Mohk to end up tied to a disabled person? Was I being selfish? Wouldn't the right thing be to let him go so he can live his life without a burden like he is? “You want to push me aside even knowing that I love you. Grab your dreams and live them with me. Don't let them survive us,” is the message from Mohk, who sadly sees how the boy he loves abandons him. Will they travel different paths? Will the same love separate them? Will Day understand the meaning of the phrase “What is essential is invisible to the eye,” said by the fox to the little prince?

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Just a week ago I wrote a post on MDL about this story. The text can still be read. At that moment I asked myself several questions: is this the story of a wounded boy looking for “revenge” after feeling betrayed by his girlfriend? Is it perhaps the story of an escort who unexpectedly falls in love with one of his potential clients? Has Third carefully chosen Pai or is it just a coincidence that it is this boy who accompanies him and not another? Then other questions would arise: Is the viewer facing a skillful and sexy game of cat and mouse while camping? Will it be the beginning of a tumultuous romantic relationship?
I must confess that the second part of the story completely changed the perception I initially had of the film. It has a terrible script and the performances leave a lot to be desired, but it has in its favor that it addresses prostitution, both male and female, an interesting topic that is little addressed in the context of BL series. The narrative is also unpredictable, since the viewer is not able to predict what will happen next. It is also worth noting the surprising twists with which they catch us from time to time.
Negative:
1- The retrospective flashback technique is used as an easy and “recurrent” resource. Its abuse means that at times the viewer does not know what the main plot is, whether what is told in so many flashbacks or the backstory. As a result, we have the main plot lose intensity and prominence in favor of the recurring memories of the two main characters.
2- Repetition of scenes in their entirety.
Movie summary (Contains spoiler):
Third is a young man who learns that his girlfriend, Ann, is dedicated, through a digital application, to being hired by women to work as a companion or scort. One day he follows her and discovers that her job also includes prostitution. Finally, Third finds out that Ann has set her eyes on a young woman, is in love and intends to start a lesbian relationship with her. Third and Ann ask to have a week apart to reevaluate their relationship.
For his part, Pai is a young man also dedicated to prostitution. In fact, his girlfriend has just broken up with him because she refused to accept him doing this job. He is reluctant to submit to his girlfriend's whims, claiming that if he depended on her he would become useless again. There is no doubt that prostitution is Pai's profession. At one point, he asks Third: “And if we want to say no when (clients) want to have sex, how do we compensate them in a way that makes them feel less bad and avoids bad reviews?”
Pai's proposal to his girlfriend is laughable, as he refuses to break up with her: “I will find a middle ground. I will stop holding hands with my clients. Just dinners, movies and walks. And I will also add a rule: do not touch any customers, especially women.”
Third hires Pai for three days to go into the woods to “watch birds,” but he really has ulterior motives. Third knows in advance that Pai works as an escort or “hand-holding” other men, that is, he is a man you pay to have sex with. And he also knows that the girl his girlfriend is having an affair with is none other than Prang, Pai's girlfriend. Third's goal is to trick Pai into following the two girls and exposing their infidelities.
When the time comes, Third confesses to Pai what his purposes are. Pai initially feels hurt because, on the one hand, he understands that he has been deceived by his girlfriend: while he demanded that she quit her job as an escort or she would break up with him if she did not comply with his requirements, she was having an affair with a woman. And on the other hand, Pai feels that he has been used by Third and is a pawn in his plan. Finally, they both surprise the girls by being unfaithful, they turn to each other for support between drinks of alcoholic beverages and they console each other.
Third is clear: He has no future with his girlfriend, with whom he is forced to break up. This is evidenced when Pai asks Third to make peace with his girlfriend, who he hasn't broken up with yet. And Third responds: “Do you want me to chase my girlfriend and make peace with a person who is in love with someone else?”
On the other hand, Ann confesses that she will stop prostituting herself for love of Prang. The love that the two girls feel for each other is palpable, so it is incomprehensible that, when they discover that they have been trapped by their boyfriends, they claim, between tears, that they have devised a plan to deceive them, offer apologies and hope to be forgiven. for them.
Could the two initial couples forget what happened and start over again when Prang and Ann love each other?
I also find it incomprehensible:
- Ann, who is a prostitute and therefore cheats on her boyfriend, when arguing with Prang about whether they should get back together with their respective boyfriends, tells him that she doesn't want to cheat on anyone or make anyone feel bad because of her. .
- Why, if the two girls love each other, do they ask to forget their relationship and return to their respective boyfriends?
- Was Ann's goal to make Third jealous, as Prang suggested?
- Third is okay with his girlfriend earning money from the dating app, but not being a prostitute?
-How could Prang know that Third would follow Ann into the forest and bring with him Pai, a person he didn't even know?
-How is it possible that the two girls devised a plan to deceive them based on information that it is impossible for them to have had when they planned to go camping?
Third accompanies Pai to the bus that will take him back to Bangkok. They say goodbye, they plan to follow each other on social networks, but at the last moment Pai gets out of the vehicle, returns to where Third is and confesses to having fallen in love with him in those days of tribulations. Third smiles as a sign that he too has fallen in love. At that moment a phone call comes in from Prang. They try to say something to them, but the call is cut off.
The ending allows us to see the emotions and feelings that overwhelm the two couples in their respective cars traveling to the capital. While the two boys talk animatedly, laughing and joking, Pai lovingly fixes the hair of Third, who is driving the car. I have no doubt that there is a future between the two. Love has won. For her part, an obviously upset Ann drives the car and Prang, also angry, tries unsuccessfully to establish telephone communication. They have lost in the game.
The director of the film, Jedi Suriyan Dangintawat, has also directed “I Wish You Love”, “Fake Love” and “Friends Forever”, stories that make up, along with others, the series “My Universe”. I have been able to see the last two. Refund Love is the only redeemable one, in my opinion, even though it lacks ambition (or taste, or subtlety, or class). Not even the sometimes pretended humor comes to compensate for its flaws.

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A poorly “parked” relationship on the race track

Cinema and television, like all art that reflects the society in which they develop, have shown the trafficking of children through notable films, documentaries and television series. Numerous films and television programs expose this illegal practice and many of them are based and inspired by real-life cases.
Asian dramas are committed to bringing all genres to the public, including those in which their protagonists have a romantic bond combined with supernatural powers.
Has the fact that Thailand is a point of origin, destination and transit of human trafficking aroused the interest of Nopachai Jayanama (Peter), as director, and Kanokphan Ornrattanasakul and Issaraporn Kuntisuk, as scriptwriters, to tell us in 'Pit Babe' a story that mixes homosexual romance, sport, intrigue, action, human trafficking, fantasy and supernatural powers?
This drama, an adaptation of the web novel by _alittlebitch, winks at Thai reality: the value of child victims of human trafficking does not lie in using them as sexual slaves, in forced labor or to extract their organs for commercialization, but in possessing special powers.
Are we facing a social drama of denunciation of human commerce? I would like this to be its purpose, but consistent with its BL condition, 'Pit Babe' will enhance the romance. This arises between Babe (Naret Promphaophan-Pavel), the king of the racetrack, and Charlie (Krittin Kitjaruwannakul-Pooh), his supporter.
Will the series have a hidden message? How many of Tony's “sons” among the superpowered children are gay men today? Babe, Charlie, Jeff, Kenta, Pete, Way...? That is, the main characters with powers who were raised-educated by the person dedicated to human trafficking ended up being homosexuals. Is there a hidden message in this, simple coincidence or something of “destiny”?
Babe is a very popular racing driver and admired by everyone. His achievements in the sport have led him to be considered number one. Among his followers is Charlie, a young man who wants to be a racing driver like him. However, he does not have the money or the contacts necessary to achieve it. Therefore, he looks for an opportunity to get closer to the leader of X Hunter. When he succeeds, he asks for your help and to lend him a car so he can materialize his aspirations. The only solution he can think of is to reach a strange agreement with Babe. Against logic, he agrees to help Charlie realize his dream.
On this journey, will Babe be able to win Charlie's heart? Will he lose the race he most wants to win this time? Will Charlie be the one interested in captivating the racing driver? Will the relationship that began as a game triumphantly cross the finish line to become a real romance?
The most notable thing about the series is its exciting scenes and the attractiveness of the actors.
There is a secondary couple, made up of Alan and Jeff.
The cast also includes Supanut Lourhaphanich (Nut), as Way; Obrnithi Leelavetchabutr (Ping), as Pete; Natthapong Pathong (Benz), as Kim; Asre Wattanayakul (Lee), as Dean; Hemmawich Khwanamphaiphan (Sailub), as Alan; Thanapon Aiemkumchai (Pon), as Jeff; Michael Kiettisak (Michael), as North; Pataraphol Wanlopsiri (Pop), as Winner; Pantach Kankham (Garfield), as Kenta; Supakorn Saokhor (TopTen), as Sonic; and Vorarit Vaijairanai (S), as Tony
The chemistry between the protagonists and the bed scenes fail to lift a series whose characters are unrealistic and undeveloped. Pavel and Pooh have charisma and are attractive, but the script does not help their relationship connect with the viewer.
I must clarify that it is not that I find being 'passive' degrading. It's not that I assume that, in a relationship between two men, there is a "superiority" on the part of the one who is 'active' compared to the other who is 'passive', but the abrupt change in Babe's personality seems inconceivable to me. . This transformation comes at the same time as the loss of his powers, at the hands of Charlie.
Babe abandons his well-crafted playboy image for years. In all his previous relationships he played the role of seme or asset. In the words of the BL series themselves, he was, of the two, “the one on top.” He began his relationship with Charle by assuming this role in bed. Suddenly, without a convincing explanation, Babe becomes Charlie's uke. Babe swaps to play the role of the “bottom.” So, you would have to ask yourself: Did the loss of his precious powers lead him to be the passive one in their relationship? Didn't this move cause a loss in his character's potential?
Despite being in front of the cameras practically all the time, the actor who plays Charlie fails to connect with me emotionally. They are not facilitating emotions, but hindering emotions that are transmitted to me by a character who fails to sensitize me. By not feeling or understanding Charlie's emotions and feelings, I cannot essentially grasp whether it is love or just sex that drives him. Only his acting stands out in the sex scenes. Note that I do not say “when making love.”
The transformation of the character played by Nut, already in the final moments, is not logical either. About an obvious thing, the incurable remorse that must have accompanied Way throughout much of his life for betraying Babe for years, causing the rift between him and the man he loves, as well as many, if not all, of the problems that have hit to the positive characters by being infiltrated into their ranks, Way's evolution from evil to purity, from darkness to light is narratively constructed, sustained by the effort to achieve the viewer's identification with the traitor. It is necessary to save it, the creators thought.
Way drinks with Pete because “he wants to make the situation better.” He doesn't know “what to do next.” He does not know if “what I have always believed is the right thing.” He asks Pete why he decided to leave Dad, and Pete tells him, “Because the truth is not what I thought… I decided to leave to end the vicious cycle that Dad had created.” And he tells her that she still has the chance to choose what she wants to do. Way has been asked to show the despondency caused by guilt. Way has had the option all his life to choose the right path, but he has decided to be by Tony's side, even knowing what this means. But suddenly, some words from Pete whispered in his ear between sips of liquor and a few pats on the back invite him to “do the right thing.” And this would not be a problem if they had gotten rid of the rampant schematism in the character design and the all-too-evident desire to redeem him.
A story that fails to convince, clumsily designed characters, characters lacking development and therefore generating empathy, limitations in the explanation of the characters' decision making, poverty in the development of events and irregularities regarding changes of personality, are several of the main characteristics of the drama.
Peter throws together a few tropes and too many clichés. With fewer ambitions and fewer plot holes, perhaps the series would have become a full-throttle, full-speed car swallowing up the race track.

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In the smallest details there are hidden points to detect. Take a risk

The topic of drugs can be quite sensitive, and even more so when it comes to teenagers. Throughout its history, the seventh art has given us films that have marked generations for their delicate themes or strong scenes that narrate the horror of being tied to an addiction or the crime of making something as harmful as the drugs. Or, even worse, the danger it can represent for younger people.
Films such as 'Trainspotting' (Danny Boyle, 1996), 'Kids: Lost Lives' (Larry Clark, 1995), 'Requiem for a Dream' (Darren Aronofsky, 2000), 'Clímax' (Gaspar Noé , 2018), 'Beautiful Boy: you will always be my son' (Felix Van Groeningen, 2018), and others, address the issue of drugs, and other types of addictions, such as alcohol and violence in adolescence and early youth.
Although it is not exactly immersing us in the underworld of addicts, the Thai film 'Tell the World I Love You' tells a story of personal growth and exploration of romance between two different boys from two different worlds forced to overcome tough tests that will change their lives forever: Kheng (Bas Suradej Pinnirat), a young man who left his hometown to study in Bangkok, and Boang (Perth Tanapon Sukumpantanasan), a drug delivery man, who gets into trouble with a group of drug traffickers when he tries to leave of the same.
However, what Kheng expected to be a short period in the Thai capital before continuing his journey to China to search for his mother, whom he has not seen in many years, unexpectedly turns into an adventure full of action and chase, which does not lack romance, after meeting and falling in love with Boang.
Keng accidentally witnesses an attack by traffickers on Boang and helps him escape. Failing to eliminate Boang, they will send other pursuers after the two boys. As a result, Keng has to leave the home he shares with his friend Tai to live with Boang in a remote location while they hope to outwit those who seek to hunt them.
While being pursued by a gang of thugs led by Nick Kunathip, the two teenagers must overcome unexpected events that invite viewers to get involved and join, and they will face a test that will change their world forever.
In a desperate race for life in a world full of violence, drugs and crime, a story of friendship and love is born between the two teenagers.
'Tell the World I Love You' is one of those movies that does a good job of bringing together the lives of different people. We will witness the life stories of two boys who are different from each other, but who are equally similar.
The other three characters to be introduced are Tai (Net Siraphop Manithikhun), Kheng's friend, who is the same age and who offers Kheng a roof over his head to live in the Thai capital, and Hia Song (Songkran-Rangsan Panyaruen) and Nick (Nick Kunatip Pinpradab), two members of the gangster gang. The lifelines of these five people are about to merge in a way that will profoundly affect their existences.
With this film, which aims to tell us what Thai society is like and help change attitudes towards homosexuality and violence related to drug trafficking and consumption in Southeast Asia, its director, Poj Arnon, once again explores the love between people of the same sex and other social taboos in their country, but which are, without a doubt, topics as universal as life itself.
With dialogues full of meaning and a variety of emotions, its director once again tells a story of love, friendship, dreams and life with the same intensity with which he showed his skill in '18 Rain, Dangerous People' (2022), 'Friend ...I Love You (2007)' and 'Crazy', with which in 1996 he became known on the national and international film scene.
Not without reason Poj Arnon has suggested that the film is a mix of the first two films mentioned above: while '18 Rain, Dangerous People' takes the bitter and sad, 'Friend...I Love You' brings influences such as love that arises from being close to each other, including common points of revenge and a romantic relationship that surpasses friendship.
This romantic action drama film that reflects Thai society with a touch of the 90s of the last century, continues the filmography of a filmmaker who on multiple occasions has dealt with both the issue of homosexuality and drugs, crime and violence. Let us remember that Poj Arnon is the director of the film 'Bangkok Love Story', from 2007, which won him the Grand Prize at the Brussels International Independent Film Festival. With this film, the following year, he won the Best Screenplay award at the National Film Association of Thailand Awards.
Other works of his take up themes such as the school environment, transgender characters, AIDS, homosexual relationships, friendship, Drag Queen, drugs, violence, bullying, racism, sexuality or the discrimination to which members of the LGBTIQ+ community.
Among these, 'Go-Six' (2000) stands out, about a love triangle between a young man and two women, which caused a great scandal at the time due to the ambiguous sexuality of one of the female characters; 'Cheerleader Queens' (2003), about a group of teenage Thai transvestites, or kathoey, who become high school cheerleaders, or 'Spicy Beauty Queen of Bangkok', in which she once again portrays the kathoeys in a crime comedy , starring Winai Kraibutr as the leader of a gang of transvestite bank robbers, or 'Haunting Me', a horror comedy about three elderly kathoeys who fight ghosts in their apartment building.
The film was supposed to be released on February 14, 2021, but had to be postponed several times due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
With a script by the director himself, simple but raw photography by Tiwa Moeithaisong, and Giant Wave in the sound, the film presents situations so visceral and realistic that they generate in the viewer a feeling of repudiation and despair towards the world of drugs. , but also a story about personal improvement, love and hope, seen through a drug delivery man who intends to get out of drug trafficking and regain control of his existence, who will be accompanied on that trip by a stranger who entered unexpectedly. in his life and whom he will later love not only as a friend.
Dear reader, a director of Arnon's stature will not delight in making a film with a simple and uncomplicated story. The viewer has to be skilled and know how to detect that there are hidden points in the smallest details. Firstly, the film aims to 'tell' and reflect what is happening in Thai society.
Among these issues masked in a plot that aims to be seen as light and even superficial, is the struggle of the new generation to fulfill their frustrated and postponed dreams.
The aspirations of Thai adolescents and young people to build a future abroad and escape the sad political and socioeconomic situation in which they live are presented through Keng. He dreams of going to China to find his mother and continue his studies. To do this, he has set out to learn Chinese and pass the exam to obtain one of the scholarships. Even in the midst of the chase in which he will be dragged, there is no shortage of books, essential to achieve his goal.
Another veiled, but palpable theme in 'Tell the World...' is the systemic racism, discrimination and violence installed in that Southeast Asian nation towards members of the LGBTIQ+ community, reflected in the bullying and harassment suffered by Keng, who has have to face being bullied as a "transvestite" and sexually abused. But even defending oneself against homophobes, instead of achieving the goal of getting rid of barbarism, can make it grow even more. Keng is beaten and sexually assaulted and this will generate a psychological problem that will haunt him for life like a recurring nightmare.
Bas Suradej Pinnirat manages to convey to the audience the importance of this heavy burden that he carries on his shoulders through the internal struggle and difficulties that the character he plays must face daily in an intense and ruthless way.
One of the aspects of the film that we should not overlook is the illegality and danger that surrounds the world of drugs not only for those who consume it, but also the risk of early death or years of prison for those who use it. traffic. If it will be difficult, and even impossible, for a drug addict to get rid of the addiction, the trafficker also faces difficulties, even the loss of his life, if he wants to get away from trafficking these substances.
One day Boang feels that he needs to escape from the reality around him. He has seen the destruction of a family caused by drugs. He has recognized the pain of others caused by the illegal activity carried out by him. But by possessing secrets of people, organizations and complex and intertwined networks of drug production and distribution, they will see it as a danger and will try to eliminate it.
Perth Thanapon manages to expose before the cameras both the horrors of the industry and the emotions that overwhelm his character in an internal struggle to free himself from the nightmare in which he has lived.
And finally, we have the question of the romantic relationship between the two boys. Tai has feelings for Keng. He is a close friend who has cared for him and provided accommodation for two years. He has given him advice and helped him with his studies. She has protected him when he is harassed. But Khen doesn't have the same feelings towards him. To Keng, Tai is just a "dear friend."
Boang's entry into Keng's life, both of them escaping the dangers to which they have been exposed, working together to avoid dying, caring for each other in the midst of hardships, sharing what they own and being close to both of them. , especially in difficulties, but still know that “happiness does not matter how many times you smile. It depends on who you smile with”, will bring you together a bond that is stronger, deeper and indestructible than friendship.

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The constant search for happiness and the fight against gay loneliness

With 'Arisan', from 2003, the first Indonesian film with a homosexual theme about the life of an upper-class woman who feels attracted to a young gay executive, other films from that Asian country have delicately touched on the problems that a marginalized community faces.
While it is true that homosexuality is not prohibited by law, many members of the Indonesian LGBTIQ+ community remain in the "closet", as it continues to be a taboo in a country where 85 percent of its 220 million inhabitants are Muslims.
Films that have attempted to break myths around homosexuality and explore cultural taboos and social stigma in Indonesia include 'The Sun, The Moon and The Hurricane', which tells the story of Rain and his journey to find and lose happiness, love and the meaning of life. The protagonist, played by William Tjokro, will witness the change of the people around him, as well as the changes that will occur in himself simply to adapt, to survive. Rain will understand that all the events in his life and the people he meets shaped his personality and his destiny.
This brave film is easily identified with its audience through its beautiful and poetic narration. It effectively portrays the ever-changing nature of the human being, his eternal struggle to grow, to find his own happiness while fighting loneliness and facing the expectations of others.
After winning the Best Asian Short Film award at Screen Singapore with 'Red Umbrella' in 2011, Indonesian independent film director Andri Cung returns with his first feature film, from 2014, with which he contributes to the LGBTIQ+ community in its fight for rights queer in Indonesia.
Filmed in Jakarta, Bali and Bangkok with a small budget and no more than 20 crew members, the film, which screened for three consecutive weeks nationwide with Rating R21, successfully delivers its director's inspiring and liberal plot with a happy ending.
In this avant-garde, progressive, unconventional and sincere project that seeks to help change attitudes towards homosexuality in Southeast Asia, the filmmaker once again explores the social norms and taboos of his country. The notions of body image and passion, always from an artistic aesthetic and narrative, orbit the sometimes slow pace of the film.
The film takes us through the existential dilemma of Rain, who, in search of belonging, love, happiness and the meaning of life, pursues human connection in fleeting loves, and faces the inevitability of gay loneliness, this theme controversial in liberal societies. On the other hand, the viewer is immersed in the psychology of internalized shame and homophobia, shaping three-dimensional characters and weaving a fascinating plot.
In 'The Sun, The Moon and The Hurricane' the intention, as much as educating the audience, provoking reflection and perhaps connecting the audience with their personal circumstances, is also to provide a narrative that resonates with their own experiences. .
Its fundamental premise lies in the idea that our lives are a constant process of self-discovery, a journey that never ends. In this march through life, the film selected for its world premiere at the 2014 Vancouver International Film Festival advocates commitment to oneself. But in this journey towards authenticity and personal acceptance in the LGBTIQ+ community, support and connection with others is also important.
The film, which was highlighted at the 2016 Indonesia Film Festival and ACMI, Melbourne, Australia, also stars Natalius Chendana as Kris, winner of the Best New Actor award in Indonesia 2013, an actor who had previously worked with Andri Cung on '3SUM'.
Among the film's awards and achievements, the nomination for Best New Director at the 2014 Vancouver International Film Festival stands out, being selected to participate in the Jakarta International Film Festival (JiFFest) 2014 and the Jogja NetPac Asian Film Festival (JAFF) 2014. For his part, William Tjokro was nominated for Best New Actor at Piala Maya 2014, while at this same event Andri Cung was nominated in the Best Original Screenplay category.
At 19, and while experiencing a period of self-discovery, Rain is protected by the enigmatic Kris (Natalius Chendana) from bullying by homophobes at the high school they attend. Kris, who is very popular with the girls, will demand Rain's friendship, insist that she spend the night at sleepovers and that she abandon her other friends. “You don't need them. I alone am enough for you.”
However, Kris himself went out at night with a succession of casual girlfriends. Rain, who is coming to terms with being gay, will wait for Kris at his house, going through the drawers to try to discover the personality of his mysterious friend.
When Kris arrives on one of those outings with the girl on duty and kisses a Rain who is pretending to be sleeping, emotions are unleashed. Caught in the act of stealing a kiss, Kris first reacts by expelling Rain from the house, but not before ordering him to never reveal that he desires another man.
After the tempestuous sex scene that ensues, and after sleeping in each other's arms, Kris will leave Rain at her home. As the music in the background pumps as loud as the shame and guilt in her blood, Kris leaves crying, thinking that the time has come to abandon the person she loves so much. Andri Cung's unstable hand-held camera is masterful, as he follows that man inside a car, overflowing with tears of pain and sadness.
Rain, for his part, cannot understand why this young man who loves him and whom he loves abruptly disappears from his life.
Nine years later, Rain seems to have gotten over Kris. Visiting Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, she has a brief but warm and tender sexual experience with Will (Cornelio Sunny). However, he will come to confess to this free-spirited prostitute that it does not matter how many people pass through his life, because he has only had one great love.
Now, 32 years old and with a consolidated career as a filmmaker, he receives a surprising invitation to visit Kris, now unhappily married to Susan (Gesata Stella) and living in Bali. What does Kris really want? Is Rain the only person he's ever loved? The reunion with Kris will lead Rain to make the most difficult decision of his life.
While it is true that the first third of the film is slow-paced and suffers from narrative inertia, it begins to gain momentum after Kris disappears and Rain fully embraces his sexuality. The reason for this cinematographic procedure lies in the necessary accumulation of conflicts for the characters to develop.
The combination of one-liner dialogue, Rain's voice-over narration, raw, shaky camera movements, and close-ups highlight the characters' denial, internal struggles, and discomfort with each other.
The editing by Dwi Agus Purwanto and Mochamad Rizky Pratama, and the songs “The Moon” and “Daylight Dreaming”, by Toper Caesar, contribute to the visuality of the film, and create an impression of dreaminess and peace. Their combination manages to highlight the hope and intimacy shared between the two protagonists.
The sun shines during the day and is always in the shape of a circle. The moon rises at night and its shape appears to change and can sometimes be seen during the day. What are the sun and the moon? How are they similar and how are they different?
As a metaphor for life itself, the film's title alludes to the sunny and hopeful phases, on the one hand, and the dark and stormy phases, on the other, of human existence itself in perfect balance.

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Feelings for the deceased brother's partner or between stepsiblings: a challenge to the norm

For some time now, Korean cinema and television have been committed to showing characters from the LGBTIQ+ community. The works of the filmmakers demonstrate the evolution of an audiovisual panorama interested in expanding its sense of inclusive diversity.
This is the reason why among the films of this Asian nation that reflect the various aspects of seduction and attraction, couples and commitment between characters of this human group, that is, lesbians, gays, transgenders, bisexual, intersex, queer and more, titles such as 'Yeoldaeya' ('열대야'), also known in English as 'Tropical Story' or 'Tropical Night', appear.
Mixing drama and gay romance, this 2017 Korean-Thai collaboration from director, screenwriter, cinematographer and editor Kim Hun revolves around Kim Min-ki (Khan), a young Korean man who travels to the city Pattaya, Thailand, to find Park Jae-Hee (Park Hyun Soo), the lover of Kim Min-hoon (Choi Hong Joon), his older brother. Interested in finding out why Min-hoon committed suicide after escaping military service, he will try to contact his boyfriend. Min-ki suspects that his death is due to Jae-Hee's indifference. Therefore, look for him to express his regret.
Will Jae-hee be indirectly to blame for the tragedy? Did Min-hoon think about how much damage he would cause to those who love him? Is his death related to the harassment to which homosexuals are subjected within the Korean army by their superiors? Doesn't Article 92 of the South Korean Military Penal Code consider sexual relations between members of the same sex to be "sexual harassment", punishable by a maximum of one year in prison? Isn't the illegality of homosexuality and discrimination towards LGBTIQ+ people in Korea due, among other factors, to the fact that the country's army maintains a conscription system? Doesn't the military have a strong influence on the way Korean men's gender identity is configured?
Isn't it true that conservative South Korean society encourages homosexuals to feel ashamed of themselves? Don't you want homosexuals to blame themselves for not being able to satisfy society's criteria of heteronormality? Is it the purpose of the film to accuse South Korean society as a whole for the suicide that Min-hoon is forced to commit? So is it a suicide or a crime? Wouldn't society itself be to blame for the tragedy? Although this would be a good song, 'Tropical Night' opts for romance, perhaps to avoid finding other reasons for censorship and rejection in that homophobic society.
However, the film does not hide in presenting social themes that are extremely strong, such as homosexuality, the possible romantic relationship between step-siblings or between the ex-boyfriend of a deceased person and his brother, suicide, guilt, how taking steps forward in the face of problems and limits, and the fragile thread that sometimes exists between friendship and love. Generating controversy and having the ability to educate and offer a different point of view is an essential objective of 'Tropic Night'. Could Kim Hun have set out to prove that life is not simply black and white, and sometimes addition and subtraction can yield different results than expected?
The fundamental message it transmits is love, despite the situations of each character. The film teaches us how the transformative force of love can overcome and overcome every obstacle that comes our way.
Without being guilty, Jae-hee reflects the complexity of human emotions, especially the weight of guilt and the internal struggle that it generates in those who carry it. Meanwhile, Min-ki carries the pain of not having understood his brother in time and not having been by his side in his most bitter moments. Then it will hurt him to have recriminated someone who was always faithful and loving to Min-hoon.
Initially, Jae-hee appears uncomfortable with Min-Gi's presence in her house. He does not agree to give him an apology for his insistent demand to express "I'm sorry", because he does not consider himself the cause of Min-hoon's suicide, in addition to accusing him of being selfish for not valuing his life and not taking into account the suffering that the decision committing suicide would cause the people who love him.
However, Lee Tae Kyung (Lee Geun Joo), Jae-hee's stepbrother and who suffers from a fatal illness, with his jokes and laughter, will be the catalyst for the rapprochement of both boys. What first emerges as a rivalry will soon give way to friendship and from this to love. The meeting of Jae-hee and Min-ki will cause strange feelings to arise for each other. As Min-ki slowly stops blaming Jae-hee, a strong connection begins to develop between the two. Will it be morally correct to establish a loving bond between the ex-boyfriend of a person who committed suicide and his brother?
For his part, Tae Kyung struggles with the duality between the bonds of brotherhood that bind him to Jae-hee and the romantic feelings he also has for his stepbrother. If, on the one hand, the relationship between Jae-hee and Min-ki can generate a lot of controversy, especially when we base ourselves on patterns that consider a brother's partner untouchable, and especially when he has died, the fact that A young man is secretly in love with the son of his mother's husband, even if they are not related by blood.
Facing the possibility of developing feelings for a brother's partner or between step-siblings, as occurs between the three protagonists, challenges the norm, and can make the viewer who is not used to consuming strong and delicate themes in television productions feel uncomfortable. cinematographic. However, this is a challenge that can be real.
The plot seeks to explore how to deal with complex emotions and the difficult decision between preserving the friendship that could unite Jae-hee and her late boyfriend's brother, or following the path of love. Although some may consider this situation embarrassing, I believe that addressing these taboo topics is essential to enrich the narrative and provoke reflection in the audience.
Tae Kyung, knowing that he has little time left to live, prefers to hide from Jae-hee the feelings that he has kept silent for years. “I want you to remember me as a brother,” he will confess to Min-gi, who did understand the secret early on, and will encourage him to follow the dictates of his heart. “You two make a great couple,” he admits. "Do not go. “Stay a few more days,” he will instruct him, so that he can comfort Jae-hee when he is gone, in addition to giving them time for both of them to open up to love. Dying, he will seek the same fate as Kim-hoon.
The viewer must be alert to how the situation develops to understand the characters' decisions and attitudes. Only in this way will you come to recognize that despite circumstances and limits, friendship and love sometimes intertwine, generating dilemmas that are difficult to resolve.
With this film, Kim Hun challenges taboos and breaks norms to successfully guide how the characters face these complex situations. The three protagonists do not stagnate, they evolve and face twists, generating emotions and interest, giving rise to discussions among the audience.
Winner of the 'Pink Money Award' (Audience Award) at the 2017 Seoul Pride Film Festival (SPFF), 'Tropical Night' features Jeon Il-hwan as music director and Lee Sang-woo as executive producer, producer and costume designer.

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The harsh reality of Thailand without makeup

This audiovisual product represents the harsh social, economic and political reality experienced by the Thai population. It talks about its problems and contexts, generally adverse, and becomes a reflection of that Asian country.
The film shows topics such as illegal immigration for political, religious, ethnic or sexual orientation reasons; political, administrative and police corruption; police violence and crime, physical elimination of activists and members of the LGBT+ community, border militarization, dysfunctional families, bisexuality, racism, racial discrimination, politically motivated murders, homosexuality, economic problems, prostitution, political activism, stripper , violation of Human Rights, phenomena all reflections of Thai society. I highly doubt that for one reason or another any member of Thai society escapes seeing themselves reflected on the screen.
And facing all these problems there is Sorn (Ud Awat Ratanapintha), a Burmese refugee who, with the hope of a better life, seeks refuge and forges a new identity as a sex worker in Thailand. The protagonist will end up involved in a client's risky plan that endangers his life and that of other people. The diversity of conflicts he faces, his psychological complexity and emotional evolution, add layers to the narrative and weave an intriguing web that keeps the viewer in suspense during its hour and 36 minutes of duration.
The artistic maturity of its main performer protects a remarkable wisdom forged through the experiences lived on the film set. His ability to convey emotions, in a genuine way, cements his position as a leading actor in the Thai film and television scene. Far from seeking grandiloquence, you immerse yourself in your characters with the simplicity that characterizes those who understand that true art lies in authenticity.
From her first appearance on the big screen with the feature film 'Mary Is Happy, Mary Is Happy' (2013) or as a girl with dramas such as 'Hormones 1' (2013) and 'Hormones 2', in 2014, to her participation in television productions such as 'Cat Radio TV Season 1 and 2', '#HATETAG' (2021), 'Bad Genius' (2022), 'Quarantine Stories' (2020), of which in addition to being an actor he is the director and screenwriter; or in the 2022 documentary JMJ: Lesson 25, in which you participate as an actor and director, you have shown how versatile and capable you are of connecting with the public.
With 'Doi Boy' it is not the first time that he has faced the challenge of playing a leading character. Also in the drama ThirTEEN Terrors (2014), and the special Project S Let's Say Goodbye, from 2018, he had already been placed in front of the responsibility of leading plots. However, taking on the lead role in a film like this involved new challenges, and for the actor, it was a crucial step in his career.
Pae Arak Amornsupasiri as Ji, and Aelm Bhumibhat Thavornsiri, who plays Wuth, are the other two main characters.
The way in which social criticism, border problems and issues related to sexual orientation and male prostitution are represented in the film is not coincidental. In his first work, the documentary 'Boundary' (2013), its director, Nontawat Numbenchapol, already addressed the reality of the local population on the border between Thailand and Cambodia never before recognized in Thai cinematography.
Interested in social issues, in his second documentary, 'By The River', he visualized the situation of the villagers of Klity affected by lead water contamination. With this documentary, for the first time a film of that nationality won the Special Mention at the Locarno International Film Festival.
'Doi Boy' is not the first film with which the filmmaker analyzes issues related to sexual or gender identity. With the hybrid docu-fiction #BKKY, from 2016, this renowned documentary filmmaker and cinematographer visualizes stories of 100 teenagers interviewed in Bangkok about their loves, their dreams, and their coming of age just after graduating from high school. With it, he won the Jury Prize for best feature film at Lesbisch Schwule Filmtage Hamburg, Germany.
Despite a solid premise and good performances and general direction, the film does not reach perfection because it is based on an underdeveloped script, with aspects that deserved further exploration.
Beyond its positive aspects, Doi Boy can be perfected, like any artistic creation. The absence of unique characters like Sorn, Ji and Wuth and the practically non-existent presence of stories like this in Thai and Asian cinematography in general could work in its favor. However, these same positive qualities cause the film to be undervalued by followers of the BL genre, but as a thriller and drama it works well.
'Doi Boy' is a forceful justification to talk about Thailand far beyond the false and illusory representation, both in cinema, television and other national media, of a country as a sexual paradise and freedoms for members of the LGBT+ community and the rest of its population, equally discriminated against for political, ethnic and racial reasons. The film is a reflection of what hurts millions of human beings both in that nation and in the world. That is why I am grateful that it does not have a made-up ending and shows reality as it is until its ultimate consequences: those gray areas of the existence of the Thais shown in 'Doi Boy' are not really reflected in the BL dramas from that region of the planet.

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How does the gaze of others affect an a priori perfect homosexual relationship?

In this 2018 short film of only 15 minutes, Taiwanese director Ching Chi Hu captures a youthful homosexual experience with a good deal of sensitivity, but also with the same taste for taking the dramatic conflict to a practically extreme situation that crushes the audience's heart. more sensitive.
The first part of this deeply personal portrait of a newly discovered love, draws the love relationship between the two protagonist boys, Kai Chang (Xuan Qi Chen) and Hao Tsai (Bo Yao Wang), the latter co-writer with Chi Hu, in a of those intense and unique connections that occur over six magical months, while both frequently skip classes at a Taiwanese high school to discover the universe within their reach.
Between jokes, laughter and complicity, what emerges as a friendship quickly transforms into a more intense bond. However, with the same speed and simplicity as this pure relationship is created, it is affected when moving to another socialization environment, school. As Hao rides the bus with his fellow students, they express an obvious aversion toward homosexual people. In fact, the girl next to him, presumably a girlfriend to hide his homosexuality, asks Hao about the boy with whom he spends many hours together every day and they are very close.
As the connection between the two strengthens, Hao grows increasingly certain that they will not have the possibility of a future together. Therefore, against her will, she decides to break up with her lover. The scenes, which show the mutual discovery of secret desires until one's lips want to eat the other's, are filmed with a tender and tactile lens.
Through ellipses and in a naturalistic tone, in its second half, 'Grounded' becomes a drama around the loss that Kai suffers, first due to the death of his mother, and then due to the tragic breakup with Hao .
Instead of jokes, laughter and complicity, now there are half smiles on the faces of the two protagonists and involuntary grimaces of pain, with the boys' lips closed and those dark, very dark eyes, shining with shed tears and others without shedding.
Hao wants to “marry the sea and embrace freedom, but he is afraid of the wind and the waves and the limits of painting.” The homophobic society in which he lives and where marriage between people of the same sex is not recognized until the year after the filming of the short, does not allow him to conquer his dreams. Hao does not reveal himself to the circumstances and ends up being a victim of them. This foresees serious consequences for the loved one.
The short film thus becomes a sharp portrait of how the gaze of others ends up affecting an a priori perfect relationship. The audiovisual offers us, on the one hand, a window to other realities, and on the other hand, it places a mirror in front of ours.
With a little more development of the characters and events, I have no doubt this film will be able to remodel the belief system of many viewers, make them think and reconsider our immovable truths.

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Whirlwind of love and revenge on a tourist island

He works for a dolphin and sea lion show at Fantastic Ocean. He works at a karaoke bar on a beach on the Chinese island of Hainan, where they both live. He is a talented trainer of aquatic mammals. He succeeds in his traveling business, in part because he bears a striking resemblance to the late Chinese actor and singer Leslie Cheung. He waits for him with dinner ready and both of their underwear clean. He is a daring and handsome boy who also has sexual relations with women and walks around the beach, the streets and the house half-naked. He, in silence, awaits your return. He, drunk, comes home late after playing with other men. Both help in an illicit business, while committing petty robberies and other mischief, such as recovering their assets seized by the police.
Li Qi (Shen Shiyu) and Ren Yu (Zhao Bingrui) are two young men who live a wonderfully simple life as a couple. Happy, between the two of them they have built their own earthly paradise.
However, things change when an attractive young woman, Bai Ling (Yue Yue), comes into their lives and drastically shakes their reality. When the daughter of the illegal beach food vendor joins the two men, a three-way relationship seems possible. Li Qi shines around him. She shines around Ren Yu ('Marriage Proposal Say Yes!', 2013 and 'Love in Late Autumn, 2016'). In this classic love triangle, does the girl know about Qi and Ren Yu? Does he know they are a couple? The truth is that the three of them intend to test the limitations of their own sexuality.
The lovers now face difficult decisions because they want to explore their sexuality further and include Bai Ling ('A Woman', 2022; 'Mother in the Mist', 2021), in their relationship. At times, the loving trio disappears to become a secret couple again, but now between Bai Ling and Ren Yu. But the latter will not accept his proposal to be her boyfriend and live in a distant city. Could love for Li Qi be the reason for his rejection? Don't you want to enter an uncertain, but promising future? Why then does he kiss her and while they are living their idyll, the tragedy occurs that will shake the three of them to the depths of their being?
The film, which begins at the end, initially tells us how one of the main characters commits a heinous crime motivated by revenge and then goes to the roots of the conflict to expose the reasons that motivated the revenge.
Also skillful is the location of the plot in one of the tropical and paradisiacal beach areas of Hainan (in Chinese, 海南; pinyin, Hǎinán; literally, 'South Sea'), the smallest and southern province of the People's Republic of China. The site surprises by becoming another protagonist, the fourth, of the film. Its streets and shops show the wounds of the passage of successive typhoons that hit what is now the largest Special Economic Zone of the Asian giant.
Like an island from which you can only leave by air or sea, our protagonists will also find themselves unable to escape their own destiny. This is marked from the very title of the film. The main reason to chew Asian betel nut or areca nut is for its stimulating and slightly euphoric effects. The person who consumes it obtains a greater feeling of alertness, a sensation of heat throughout the body.
Subtle and masterful use of metaphor to mark the destruction of the paradise in which Li Qi and Ren Yu have lived with the interweaving of the Chinese tradition of consuming betel nuts with the risks to human health associated with the prolonged use of these seeds. , since this practice has led thousands of people to an early death.
Released in April 2017, the film, by Chinese director and screenwriter Hu Jia, won the China Stard Best Film Award 2018. It was also presented at the Berlin International Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival and Hong Kong International Film Festival, in its 2017 editions.
The yaoi genre romantic drama 'The Taste of Betel Nut' (槟榔血) depicts a story of revenge and young love, a story about the growing desire for intimacy between two men and a woman.
Very cleverly, Hu Jia makes unique decisions in writing the script and developing the plot of the film. The choice to include few dialogues does not discourage the viewer. On the contrary, it awakens in us an interest in discovering where the film story will take us. This way, the audience will be able to appreciate the images and focus more on the characters' actions.
The writer and director creates a fractured storyboard that unfolds like a puzzle: fundamental pieces are missing to finish the work. Together, he and the viewer, we will have the task of, as the footage rolls, compare the fragments we have with those intentionally omitted, in order to advance through the incomplete scenes that have kept us in the dark until we reach the light. and with this the understanding of the narrated events.
The ending is open. The viewer, once again behind the cameras, has several pieces of the puzzle in their hands. According to his wishes, only one of them may be the right one to complete the puzzle: on the terrace of his house, between sheets swinging in the air, Ren Yu, with obvious scars on his shaved head and with a slow, hesitant step, has been able come out of the coma and now turns his face and smiles at someone who approaches. Is it Li Qi who has been able to escape the fury of the bullies? Has Ren Yu waited for him during his years in prison for the crime committed? Is it just Ren Yu's imagination? Like Ren Yu, Li Qi has also died at the hands of the gang and they both meet again in another paradise, but this time heavenly?

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We are faced with a filmic gem:
Song Young Jun, 30 (Song Jae Ha) and Seo Joon Suk, 23 (Jo Hye Hoon) are a very happy gay couple despite living their love in secret. Both actors, who play their roles perfectly, are not afraid to show their naked torsos during the 65 minutes of the film and have explicit sex scenes, all achieved in an artistic way.
The young people decide to create a memory they never had in celebrating their 5th anniversary. They rent a room in a motel in Jongno (Seoul's popular gay neighborhood) to record their precious memory on a video camera.
Between a celebration cake, confidences, naked baths, sex and complicities, all in front of the camera in which they record themselves, the room is filled with the memories that unite them, like the day on the beach to which they promise. go back. Likewise, they vow to never change their love for each other.
However, there is a feeling in the air that today is going to be their last day.
On the one hand, the excellent performances, the control of the body and voice of the two actors to interpret the emotions, the direction, script and other technical elements of the film and, on the other, the viewer's refusal to accept the obvious, but All the signs of what will happen are cleverly shown: Joon Suk is reluctant to allow himself to be filmed from the first scene, the bathroom scene. He claims to be nervous, then worries that the video could be taken as pornography. Only your boyfriend's insistence will lead him to agree to participate in everything that will happen inside the room.
As Young Jun prepares to leave, Joon Suk is awake, but he pretends to sleep and doesn't want to say goodbye. It is evident that he knew in advance that the relationship would end, and of the existence of a prior agreement between the two that it would end in this way.
Young Jun will also ask “When did you hate me the most?”, to which Joon Suk will respond: “When you tell me 'we don't have a future', 'we should marry women' or 'the gay community in Korea hasn't changed'.” Young Jun will also confess that “there is a fantastic recording ready for you,” referring to the recorded video that he leaves for her to watch after he leaves.
In my opinion, not knowing how to appreciate the true emotions and feelings that the characters convey is the reason for the negative reviews and low ratings. The characters themselves, very subtly, are responsible for answering the reason why the film does not have an ending like the one we would like. The film makes a very intelligent, very subtle criticism of the discrimination that exists in South Korea against members of the LGBT+ community.
South Korea is a conservative country, with strong patriarchal and heteronormative traditions, where homosexuals have difficulty fitting into society. Coming out is still not welcomed in most conservative Korean families, who consider their children's homosexuality as something close to a crime.
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in South Korea face legal challenges and discrimination not experienced by non-LGBT+ South Koreans. Same-sex sexual activity is legal, but Gay Marriage, Equal Marriage or Same-sex Marriage or other forms of legal partnership are not available to same-sex couples.
It's true: we would like a happy ending for the two young people, but reality prevailed. Young Jun leaves an envelope on the nightstand containing an invitation to his wedding to a woman. His destiny is decided by his family. Your destiny is determined by society. He doesn't have the strength to fight this and accepts not being happy and also making his boyfriend unhappy.
An ending, which would only be syrupy, melodramatic and unrealistic, perhaps bordering on the worst film productions, would have been for Young Jun to have rebelled against his family and society and not have abandoned his boyfriend. For a moment, before the end credits, I thought that they were not a couple, that Joon Suk was a prostitute (because of the envelope on the table I even speculated that it could be money) and they both pretended to be boyfriend and girlfriend for some reason. A happy ending, in this case, could be that the connection created between the two turns them into a couple. Young Jun would return to the room to confess to loving him and Joon Suk would claim that he also developed feelings for him during the hours they shared in the motel room.

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Food and care: couples therapy for the fulfillment of a promise

Directed by Tadaaki Horai, who we know for his participation in the live-action adaptation of the popular manga 'My Love Mix-Up!', and the 2021 BL drama 'Kieta Hatsukoi', and script by Takeshi Miyamoto, writer also from 'Old Fashion Cupcake', from 2022, Fuji TV ('The Novelist', 'Mood Indigo' and 'Playback') produces the six-episode series 'Perfect Propose' (パーフェクトプロポーズ).
Adapted from the manga of the same name by Tsurukame Mayo (鶴亀まよ), the work stars Shunya Kaneko ('Ultraman Trigger', Rent-A-Girlfriend, live action) and Kota Nomura ('Shup Up', 'Shin Shinchō Kōki', 'Classmate wa Sengoku Bujо̄' live-action) in the lead roles of Hirokuni Watari and Kai Fukaya, respectively.
The creators have allowed themselves changes to the original plot in order to give a more realistic vibe to both the characters and the story.
The main song is "Daydream", by the group OCTPATH.
Additional cast includes:
Jingi Irie as Kaneko, senior at Hirokuni's company.
Ayane Kinoshita as Hiyori, a junior employee at the company.
Rio Takahashi as Tatsumi, a junior employee.
Yuta Hayashi as the new employee, Sakamoto.
Ryo Iwase as Hirokuni's boss, Sato.
Toshiyuki Kitami as Kenji, the restaurant owner who taught Kai how to cook
Kotaro Tanaka as Koji's son.

With a mix of the popular JBL 'My personal Weatherman' and 'Old Fashion Cupcake', Hiro and Kai's romance will take us into a world of complex relationships with tender moments and a love story that will defy expectations. Two souls battered by life and circumstances will find comfort and forge an unforgettable and unbreakable bond.
Why has Kai been searching for Hiro for twelve years? How true is Kai's alleged old promise to “get married and live together”? Has Hiro forgotten that “he has been engaged to his friend since adolescence?” Has Kai taken the promise seriously and makes it his life's mission to make it a reality? Will Hiro be willing to keep his word given in the past? Will the two of them be happier together or apart?

PLOT

Hirokumi is on the verge of a nervous breakdown due to the stress caused by the deadlines for work tasks assigned by his demanding boss, as an employee of a corporate company. He feels that life can't be worse. But just when he thought things couldn't go any further, he meets again with an unexpected visitor: Kai, a childhood friend that Hirokuni used to babysit, who comes to make true a promise made by the two in the past.
It's been twelve years since they last saw each other. The circumstances under which the reunion occurs are not ideal. While Hiro is about to faint from the workload, Kai is homeless and asks for help. He, despite his reservations and with no other option, reluctantly allows Kai to move in with him. Soon his friend will reveal to him that he is gay. What Hiro would never suspect is that this circumstance will lead to an unexpected connection that challenges his preconceived notions.
Positioned in his new domestic life, Kai proves to be an expert in the culinary art, and makes delicious plates of home-cooked meals. The phrase “love enters through the kitchen” has never been better said. Hirokuni soon understands that being cared for and pampered isn't such a bad thing after all.
Kai's caretaker in the past, Kai will now take care of him. Kai becomes a caregiver fully willing to take charge of Hirokuni's messy life. This, a little clueless in matters of love, along with an optimistic and self-confident Kai, make the perfect couple in this series that skillfully combines drama and romance.
The unconditional power of love, acceptance, intricate threads of vulnerability, self-discovery, compassion and personal growth, surrounded by a warm environment of healing therapy and delicious food are woven into a tapestry of emotions that may not seem like much to us.
We will witness Hirokuni's metamorphosis from a lonely and exhausted man to one who finds solace and inner peace in the presence of Kai and their blossoming love.
As their lives intertwine, a new dynamic is produced that will enhance well-being and reduce problems in the strange relationship between the cool, handsome guy with remarkable domestic skills and the work-weary salaryman who lives a lonely life. .
The classic tropes of friends becoming lovers or old promises to keep will not detract from, on the contrary, they will enrich this fun and moving Japanese drama.
If you asked me to define 'Perfect Propose' in a few words, I would say that it is a healing gastronomic drama, a couples therapy in rescue of two souls wandering in pain. I would add that it is possible to become absorbed in the depth of the characters' emotions, the nuanced details of their interactions, and the beautifully rendered images that bring this love story to life.

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Being a virgin at 30 has rewards: the fairy tale with magical gay romance that will steal your heart

Since Jean Cocteau put on the screen the load of imagination, surrealism and magic, bringing romance even to the gothicism of horror films with the premiere of 'Beauty and the Beast' (La belle et la bête), based on the 1757 story de Beaumont, the film productions in which fantasy and love come together continue to amaze.
If in that 1946 film a portrait of the Beast was achieved as a terrifying, erotic and sensitive creature, capable of making Beauty fall in love, since then the cinematographic narrative has diversified, making fantasy, magic and romance go hand in hand. hand.
On that path we have films like 'Somewhere in Time', from 1980; 'Starman' (1984), by John Carpenter; 'Ladyhawke,1985; 'The Purple Rose of the Cairo', 1985), by Woody Allen; 'The Princess Bride', 1987; 'Edward Scissorhands', 1990, by Tim Burton; 'Ghost,' (1990; 'Groundhog Day', 1993; 'Ghostbusters', 1984; 'Mortal Zombie' (Return of the living dead 3, 1993; 'What Dreams May Come', 1998.
Spells to attract love, spells to captivate the perfect lover, witches on their broom throwing magic dust into the air, frogs transforming themselves into princes, mysteries, rituals, spells and magic potions capable of transforming love lives have been used in audiovisual productions whose thread Common among all of them is the imagination in their plot, unaware of limits, an exploration of the impossible that helps - and a lot - to entertain.
BL series also show stories where magical powers are mixed with interdimensional love, musical crystal balls, candies with special powers, travel through time, zombies and ghosts, mutant beings, cats and dogs that become humans and vice versa. In this way, magical visions of love have managed to cross the boundaries of genre to talk about the only thing that truly matters.
'Be My Favorite', 'My Lucky Cat', 'Absolute Zero', '30-sai made Dotei Da to Mahotsukai ni Nareru rashii', 'First Love for the Third Time'; 'I Feel You Linger In The Air', 'Tinted With You', 'Love between fairy and devil', 'Cang lan jue', 'Sound candy', 'See you in my 19th life', 'Revenant', and Heartbeat are some of them.
Based on a 2020 Japanese drama, in turn adapted from a 2018 manga series written by Yuu Toyota, 'Cherry Magic' is a tender and fun Thai BL that tells an office romance with a quirky fantasy touch, starring New Thitipoom Techa-apaikhun, as Achi and Tay Tawan Vihokratana, as Karam. The actors bring a natural warmth and authentic ease to their performances. With a relentlessly positive tone, the series achieves the perfect fusion of sensitive humor and touching sentimentality.
It has numerous truly funny moments. Contrary to the opinion of detractors of the genre, there is nothing wrong with a romantic comedy with a hit of solid and sincere fantasy, which is exactly what this series is.
Its director, X Nuttapong Mongkolsawas (who has dramas such as Our Skyy 2, Viceversa and Theory of Love, among many others), achieves one of the best series of the genre. Featuring a charismatic couple, you'll smile every episode as their fairytale romance unfolds. This fun BL drama has a lot of charm, humor, positivity and imagination within it.
This romantic comedy with a creative story, a cute couple and a joyful love relationship dynamic, tells how Achi, a shy and modest man with an office job, acquires a special power that makes him know love.
The protagonist has never had sex. In fact, he is not looking to establish a romantic relationship because he is afraid of love. He, who lived an ordinary existence and on the eve of turning 30, never thought that his life would become magical, nor that an unexpected love would be closer than he imagined.
Our hero admires Karam (Tay Tawan Vihokratana), the handsome, cool and talented office colleague at the Toyokawa company, the epitome of a being who exudes kindness and beauty at every step. In his eyes, Karam is a demigod while he is an inferior being next to him. Considered the company's best salesperson for 7 consecutive years, Karam exudes the image of being popular among women and a successful man both at work and in his personal life due to his immaculate perfection in dressing and his gentleness.
While surfing the Internet with Rock (Sing Harit Cheewagaroon), his new office colleague, he reads that there is a belief that arriving a virgin in his thirties can obtain "magical power." He doesn't think this is possible... but if it's true, how would this kind of magic choose him?
Achi will discover to her amazement that she has suddenly developed a magical power that allows her to read other people's minds every time they touch each other. This new skill completely changes your life and will bring you fun and exciting surprises. Although at first he refuses to have that ability, everything becomes complicated when she reveals to him that Karam is in love with him!
In world cinematography, possessing the ability to read minds is pursued by evil forces to take over and cause evil. Achi, who rarely exploits his powers, only uses them to help others when they have a work problem and they don't know what is happening or how to act in that case, especially Karam, and to read the thoughts of his friends. co-workers and the man she loves. Most of the time you will know what others think accidentally. He is easily afraid of having these powers.
His powers will also bring him misunderstandings, such as initially believing that Pai (Jan Ployshompoo Supasap), his co-worker, is in love with him, only to later discover that she has actually realized the secret and budding love bond between Achi and Karam and supports that relationship.
As in a fairy tale, you develop a magical ability that helps you read the minds of others, only to discover that the most attractive young man in the company, whom you always secretly admired, also has a secret that concerns you: he is crazy in love with you.
The demigod who always seemed unattainable to you because he was light years away from you, is a prince charming who dreams of spending his life by your side. It is you who are truly the prince charming of her dreams. In reality, it is you who have been unattainable for him, since he has wanted to confess his love to you for years and has not dared, and if you know it, it is all thanks to the newly acquired skills. This is the definition of a self-gratifying fantasy like perhaps none other before it.
The fairy tale is not over yet. Imagine that you are a person who undervalues ​​yourself and is full of insecurities and fears in all aspects of life, including love, but by knowing you are loved you will begin an empowering journey of self-discovery and personal growth. Imagine that you will help your loved one to let down his guard, to calm him down without the constant need to be perfect. This is what Achi will experience. On this journey, Karam takes him by the hand and they travel together.
And from the point of view of the person you love, he is willing to be for you the perfect lover, gentle and chivalrous, faithful companion, friend for life. He has silently wanted it since he met you at the company when they started working on the same day, 7 years ago. He will see in you how good you are, even when you don't trust yourself.
In every fairy tale there is a perfect couple. This is because they are kind, empathetic, sensitive and positive with each other. The two complement each other, motivate, encourage and support each other. They are the example of a happy and healthy BL couple.
As a viewer, Achi and Karam immerse me in their pure and tender romance. Perfectly, I visualize how their relationship develops from co-workers to boyfriends.
Although at first glance Karam seems superficial and distant, thanks to the power of Achi we will soon learn that he is in love with his co-worker and has the noblest feelings towards him.
Manow Waneepan Ounphoklang, PingPong Suwanun Pohgudsai and Mook Jarinee Thanomyat are in charge of writing a drama that every BL fan must see, representing characters who are not afraid to express their feelings and for moments full of innocent romantic interactions. On the other hand, it has an extremely fun secondary couple and something that is not seen much in series of this theme: there is no toxicity.
Achi confides in Jinta, her friend from college, that she has magical powers. Jinta, a romance writer with an eccentric personality, doesn't believe Achi at first, but ends up developing the same ability when he reaches his thirties, weeks later. In this way, she will be able to read the mind of Min, a young courier who makes deliveries to her apartment, and begins to fall in love with him.
For complete understanding, I like to divide the series into two parts. The first half focuses on Achi discovering his magical powers, learning with surprise that he is loved, and the rapprochement between him and Karam as she develops feelings for him. Achi will find the self-confidence to open himself to love.
The second half follows Achi and Karam as a couple, how they get along and are happy with each other. Only towards the end will some tension arise that will test the love of the two, when Achi's magical powers become a burden on their relationship and may end it.
You can appreciate his unlimited imagination in 'Cherry Magic'. The original, unique premise allows many fun scenarios to develop. Every time the two protagonists touch each other, Achi can hear Karam's thoughts about his secret crush. These scenes are handled delicately, making them fun rather than invasive.
You will run the risk of ending up liking Karam more because his inner thoughts are so pure and innocent.
In the original Japanese series, the main couple never kisses on the lips. Will they kiss in the Thai version? Will the couple's physical intimacy be left to the imagination? Like in the country of the Rising Sun, in this drama we will only have kisses on the forehead? I confess something: kisses like the ones given by Karam to Achi on the forehead will have a new meaning in our lives after watching this drama. We will long for them. We will dream of them. We will want to receive a kiss with that passion from our loved one. What's more, kisses on the lips will not be necessary as a sign of pure and true love.
Since I read the premise of 'Cherry Magic', several questions arise: Will the shy Achi be able to demonstrate his love to Karam confidently and openly? Will they be able to resolve the conflict that is already occurring in the final moments? Will they be able to reconcile their differences and have a happy ending? Will Achi know how to say goodbye to his magical powers after losing his virginity or will he cling to them so they don't abandon him? Is possessing magical power or love more important? Even though she no longer has the magical ability, will she still love Karam? Will she be able to know what her boyfriend is thinking, even without the magic power?

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When second parts are better

'Ossan's Love Returns' continues the adventures of the Japanese gay couple Maki and Haruta after the events of the first season, 'Ossan's Love: Ossan zu Rabu', broadcast in 2018, and the following film, 'Gekijoban Ossan zu Rabu Love or Dead', 2019, from TV Asahi.
Ironically, even after years of being together, the two men, already close to forty, have a couple of things to learn about life itself and relationships, since they have passed professional issues with high marks.
Luckily, the entire cast of the original series is present to offer life lessons to the young couple in their marriage experience. Haruta, in need of all the help he can get from his friends and co-workers, on how to maintain a loving relationship and how to treat his husband, will need to learn from the lessons that can be given to him. .
The popular Japanese BL that was overwhelmingly addictive to many since its initial season, returns to the small screen with a new sequel in which Kento Hayashi, Kei Tanaka and Kotaro Yosida reprise their roles as Ryota Maki, Soichi Haruta and Musashi Kurosawa, respectively, who, along with the other characters, portray the varied dynamics that move our main protagonists.
The show features a cast involving Iura Arata (as Ko Izumi), Miura Shohei (Kikunosuke Rikudo), Uchida Rio (Chizu Arai), Kaneko Daichi (Utamaro Kuribayashi), Ito Shuko (Maika Arai), Kojima Kazuya (Teppei Arai ), Mashima Hidekazu (Masamune Takekawa) and Ohtsuka Nene (Choko Kuribayashi) in supporting roles.
Considered one of the first Japanese television series of the Boys' Love genre aimed at a general audience, it is not the adaptation of a previous manga, although it was serialized between 2018 and 2020 by Umebachi Yamanaka for the manga magazine Be Love. It is also appreciated for serving as an influential model for audiovisual adaptations of the same genre produced both in Japan and internationally.
In fact, due to its good acceptance and criticism, what was initially a special episode broadcast on December 30, 2016, with the title 'Ossan zu Rabu', was expanded into a franchise. The aforementioned special chapter has the peculiarity that in it Haruta's romantic interest is his kohai Hasegawa Yukiya, played by Ochiai Motoki. The original cast, with some changes, was part of the seven-episode series, considered the first season.
Added to this universe are the 8-episode series 'Ossan's Love: In The Sky (Ossanzu Rabu: In The Sky), from TV Asahi, from 2019, and Ossan's Love HK, starring Kenny Wong, Edan Lui and Anson Lo in the main roles. Directed by Kwok Kaa Hei and script written by Tokuo Koji, this is considered Hong Kong's first BL drama.
'Ossan's Love Returns' manages, as a sequel, to recover the magic of the original, while offering something new to maintain the interest of viewers. To do this, the characters just have to be who they were in the first season, but with a more anime style.
The series also respects one of the characteristics of both anime and Japanese live-action works by exaggerating and making improvised mood swings, whether in dream sequences or in fantasized worst-case scenarios. Haruta being a very imaginative man, in many moments of his hyperactive shouts, different and overly expressive voices and internal thoughts, his directors, Yuki Saito and Ruto Toichiro, excel in the exquisite camera work in the close-ups; moving the focus directly onto the face of actor Kei Tanaka, who characterizes Haruta ridiculously well.
Kento Hayashi, her sensible husband Maki, is not far behind in loving her foolish husband, but also showing a side of annoyance with the man who even today, five years after the relationship began, does not do the housework and, To make matters worse, he frequently gets drunk and loses the gifts they give him.
The series describes the “newlywed life” of Haruta and Maki, after the latter's return from Singapore, where he had gone for work. Haruta, who has been dealing with his long-distance relationship, waits for him impatiently, but fails to arrive at the airport in time to see him get off the plane, as was his intention, indicating from the first scenes the comedic tone that characterizes the Serie.
With increased responsibilities in the workplace, the couple has difficulty dividing and accomplishing household chores. To save the situation, Haruta comes up with the brilliant idea of ​​hiring some online cleaning services to make her home life easier. But the person who appears at the door turns out to be none other than his former boss. This will be the person in charge of cleaning the home you share with Maki. In this way, Musahi Kurosawa, played by the fantastic Kotaro Yoshida, Maki's eternal love rival for the love of her foolish husband, re-enters the lives of the two young people.
Kurosawa, who had retired early, now works in a company dedicated to domestic work. As a “housekeeper,” while visiting the couple, her old feelings for Haruta are rekindled.
Despite stating that he has changed his intentions to conquer Haruta and now only comes to play the role of “mother-in-law” in the effort to make the young couple happy, he does not miss the opportunity to argue with Maki and cast her jealous glances, animosity or resentment for “having taken the man she loves” or for “making him suffer for preferring to be with other men,” as she often thinks, without knowing that Maki, who loves Haruta madly, is a victim of misunderstandings and absurd setbacks. , like leaving her engagement ring embedded in a baked ceramic vessel, which she and Haruta had molded hours before.
In this original “fatherly love”, while Kurosawa hurts Maki in subtle ways, a foolish Haruta is not able to notice what is happening around him, achieving moments of humor also with other situations, which will not be lacking in the series.
The three main characters, as well as the rest of the cast, are adults and handle their nonsense in a script that has plenty of intelligence and good workmanship.
With a plot ably written by Tokuo Koji, it's no coincidence that audiences can experience the series as a sexless Yaoi: the characters act with the same kind of bombastic, chaotic energy you see in anime. An example of the above can be seen when a jealous Kurosawa, in a sort of “drama queen”, passes a rolling pin over the fingers of a helpless Maki, unable to react in time, when he comments on her cooking.
If as an obsessed lover “the boss” is a stalker, as a mother-in-law concerned about Haruta's happiness he is also a stalker, a kind of sweet and tender sociopath who will make even the most demanding viewer laugh. In this way, the chaos and drama rise to a divine level, which will make everyone laugh during each episode.
For their part, Haruta and Maki bring tenderness in their fun ways. As husbands, they have dealt with and overcome so many problems, thanks to pure love and faith towards each other.
However, this series, which belongs to a particularly Japanese comedy genre, whose type of humor is not always understood and enjoyed by the audience, is undervalued by many outside the borders of the nation of origin.
However, each episode is a true work of craftsmanship with its chaotic plot and, to top it all off, a satisfying ending. Every time I think that the entire cast, both technical and artistic, cannot surpass the last episode, they do it effortlessly in the next one, reaching greater heights.
In this fantastic show, with excellent characterizations, creativity flows and the audience never yawns. Quite the contrary, he settles in front of the television screen to enjoy the mysterious secondary characters neighboring the main couple, or the performances of the rest of the people who surround Maki and Haruta.
If at times the ghost of 'Ossan's Love: In The Sky' assails me, of which I admit I don't like the ending, and I think that the lack of communication, the work entanglements that tend to keep Haruta and Maki apart, or the fact that Since they both have such opposite personalities, and that's why they both have to take different paths, I really enjoy each scene being more explosive, tender and joyful than the last.
The two protagonists have grown a lot as people and the writing reflects that growth.
Tanaka Kei is fantastic with his facial expressions and body movements. The genuine relationship he has with his traveling companion, Hayashi Kento, is a key piece in the resounding success of the series. The two actors prove to be completely comfortable next to each other.
The complicity, trust and camaraderie of both, as the basis of every romantic relationship, is enhanced with the incorporation of scenes of intimacy, of genuine and spontaneous kisses and hugs, of hands held in public, of restrained tears due to missing the other. , and tender laughter that demonstrates mutual love, as we have rarely seen in Japanese series.
I only hope that around our universe, that of humans, that other universe, fictional, but no less human, which is titled 'Ossan's Love', continues to revolve.

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Concerted alliances: common practice of the time recreated in the film

After Sundown is a 2023 Thai film by prolific director, screenwriter, producer and actor Aod Bhandit Thongdee, which aptly combines the genres of horror, supernatural mystery and romance in a creative narrative and a certain historical period. In this way, Thongdee weaves multiple threads with admirable balance and skill.
The film delicately captures the vintage elegance and glamor of the 60s of the last century. The decoration, the costumes, the hairstyle, the scenery enhance the work in that sense. The script is based on the novel "Dap Saeng Rawi".
Rawee (NuNew Chawarin Perdpiriyawong) is a 21-year-old young man who lives a humble, folksy lifestyle. Raised in Aytthaya by his grandfather, the monk Chantakorn (War Jirawat Vachirasarunpatra), he accepts the invitation of Parit (Nu Surasak Chaiat), a generous patriarch of a wealthy family, to live in the city. Chantakorn sees in the invitation the possibility of a better life for his grandson, as well as the opportunity for him to continue his studies, and encourages him.
In his new home, Rawee will soon experience terrifying visions and strange nightmares. Every night he is tormented by the presence of supernatural beings. It will soon become clear that Rawee is the only victim of whatever is lurking and lurking in the house. The question arises from the first bars of the plot: why does he suffer these spooky hallucinations?
In addition to Parit, his son Patchara (Tao Adisorn Athagrisna) and his daughter-in-law Pimpila (Meenay Jutai) live in the rich mansion. The couple has a 25-year-old son, Phloeng (Zee Pruk Panich). This is an entrepreneur dedicated to the family business. Phloeng's parents believe their son is cursed.
According to a prophecy, Phloeng will suffer serious misfortunes during that year. Unless an auspicious event occurs, he is destined to spend the rest of his life alone. Your salvation lies in finding your soul mate as soon as possible. This must meet certain requirements: It is not necessary to get married. It is enough to unite their destinies. His age must be an odd number and not older than 25 years, he must have been born outside Phra Nakhon and it is not mandatory to go looking for him, as the indicated person will come to meet Phloeng.
Rawee meets all the criteria and turns out to be the ideal candidate to be Phloeng's soulmate. The proposal is made by Parit himself after knowing the prediction. But it conveys a doubt: don't Phloeng's parents care that they are men? They both agree that if Rawee can save Praphloeng from misfortune they have no objection.
The meeting of the young people could not be more unfortunate. As Rawee cycles through the city, he collides with the arrogant Phloeng, who is returning home from abroad by car, after being called to return home and seal his fate by joining his soulmate. Class and cultural differences will hinder the relationship of the two. Phloeng does not miss the opportunity to belittle Rawee and accuse him of seeking to get his hands on his grandfather's fortune. Rawee is not daunted. In the face of threats and accusations, he responds with pride, haughtiness and a good dose of mischief, leaving Phloeng without resources to respond. The grumpy servant Pudsorn (Namping Napatsakorn Pingmuang) takes it upon himself to annoy and make life miserable for Rawee.
Phloeng, a modern young man for his time, is not superstitious and is skeptical of his relatives' proposal. Refusing to be a stranger's soulmate, he finally accepts the agreement to calm the fears of those close to him. For her part, Parit asks Rawee for understanding after explaining the misfortune that would befall the family if he did not agree. It is then the young man's time to return the favor to his benefactor. A very common practice at the time, especially in rural areas and provincial cities, was to establish alliances agreed upon by the members of two families, beyond social origins, ages of the couple and other aspects.
The film shows a practice that is still common today in various regions of the world, including Southeast Asia, such as consensual marriage, in which the couple has allowed outsiders to bring them together.
Under these conditions of a consensual marriage to ward off misfortune and in the midst of growing tensions between the two young people, on the one hand, and the terrifying visions that Rawee suffers, on the other, Phloeng becomes engaged to Rawee. But he sets a condition: if after six months the relationship between the two does not deepen, he will cancel the arrangement. They both reluctantly accept the compromise.
To comply with the rules and avoid misfortune, they must remain under the same roof after sunset. The discomfort they feel being close to each other is evident. However, Rawee will soon discover that his nightmares disappear whenever he is around Phloeng. The approach and subsequent romantic commitment of young people is inevitable. We will soon discover that they are both united by deeper ties than an arranged alliance could ever weave.
Let's add as positive features a fascinating narrative, the combination of genres, the historical period as a unique added detail, the impressive images, the majestic landscapes, especially the lake, and the elegant atmosphere.
The film offers conclusive answers about the origins of the ghost that haunts Rawee. Music contributes to the development of the plot and fulfills its function as a vehicle to tell the story.
Positive: The movie seems unpredictable. The viewer is not able to foresee what will happen next. The level of intrigue, suspense and surprising twists for almost two hours. Solid performances, especially from the leads. Passionate and healthy chemistry between the two main actors. Tender gay love scenes.
Negative: Little exploration of the historical and cultural context of the 60s of the last century. Weak character development. Poor construction of the supernatural. Inefficient characterization of the characters, hence the viewer's poor understanding of their personalities and life stories.
The characters, both from the script and the staging and from the performances of the protagonists, are built with so much love and delicacy that the film is irresistible even in its most obvious moments. It may not do anything revolutionary with the gay initiation genre, but it is emotional and honest.
If you are looking to be entertained with a supernatural movie with suspenseful plots and surprising twists, After Sundown is a good option.

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