Until We Meet Again (2019)

The one.

If Thailand could understand that quality is better than quantity, we would have more dramas like this one.

For days I've been trying to come up with the good and the bad about this drama to give sort of an unbiased review, but bitch, I can't come to dislike anything that much to make it a solid point to not like it. This is a drama that was genuinely good despite of the little errors present here and there. Finally!

~Story:
Let me tell you something: those first 8 minutes of the first episode were the strongest 8 minutes a drama has given me. Shoutout to the author of the novel and writers of the series for their excellent work. You can tell this was a well received project by the production team because there is so much attention to detail from every aspect of it and it shows. This is a very tricky project to create due to the fact that there is a lot that intertwines and plenty of connections that could easily be missed due to the complexity of the plot, BUT! Not even once I felt that something didn't make sense.

This was definitely not your usual fanservice thing, there's an actual plot that expands and captivates with its tragedy and romantic moments. The blending of both lives was very well done and strategically placed to bring understanding of certain situations and why the "present" lives act the way they do for specific scenes. For example: there's a reason why Pharm is so smiley all the time, and why Dean has such a subconscious need of fulfilling promises; every action in this drama happens for a reason that connects to their "past" lives. Honestly, this is my favorite part of this entire series; I crave for this attention to detail from movies, books, dramas, games, and pretty much everything!

~Soundtrack:
Speechless. ABSOLUTELY SPEECHLESS. Finally a drama that invests on some real good music! Every single track on this damn thing gave me a sense of sadness, hope, nostalgia, love, and it was so fitting. I could talk about this for hour, but I don't wanna put you through that. Just know that this is the only soundtrack I spent real money to get because all the artists involved DESERVED the support. *chef's kiss*

~Acting:
This is probably the main thing about this drama where I can see room for improvement. And I could say that about every drama I've seen so far, to be honest. It's not like they were bad, but there were some moments here and the where I thought "Oh! This could have been acted more naturally." Now, let me go through the main actors quickly:

- Dean/Pharm: Compared with their past lives, these two were so socially awkward omg. First of all, respect to Fluke for being able to cry that much. This is how I know I could never be an actor. How do people cry voluntarily that easily? Can't relate, sis. Anyway, he's definitely my favorite of the two; he gave me an excellent range of emotions and allowed me to realize how hurt InTouch is. That scene when he tasted the soup was the highlight of his acting. Ohm was decent, and also dead inside, which is relatable.

-Korn/Intouch: First of all, who the hell calls their son "Intouch"? I mean, it's not bad, but oh my goodness it's so something I've never heard before. I love, love, love, love Earth! He's one of my favorite actors because he's excellent playing the beby. And he got a great partner in Kao; I really couldn't have asked for a better couple. Their chemistry was excellent and natural. Yes, they ARE the basic BL couple for this drama, but they did it so well that it doesn't bother me in the slightest.

-Team/Win: Okay, but Prem looks exactly like one of the guys from BTS, but cuter. What's her name? I don't know, I have taste. He alongside Boun make the most perfect support characters being always there for their friends for support and good vibes.

-Manow: Love her! She always plays the roles of the quirky best friend and it fits her so well. It's like she's just playing herself. She's been here since Love Sick and has become an actress to look forward to.

-Del: No. I didn't like her in Love Sick, I didn't like her in Love by Chance, and I certainly do not like her in here either. Her performance is always so fake and predictable for an amateur. She's been acting the same way on every drama I've seen her and I'm over her.

-Sin: First of all, WHAT THE FUCK is wrong with this weave? Mama she's thirsty, she's busted, she's homophobic. This ratchet ass weave is the definition of fighting with the scissors. TAKE. It. OFF.

-Alex: Now, he isn't the main antagonist, but I expected more from this character. He was so irrelevant in what he was doing that he may as well not be here. If you gon be the villain go all out, sis.

~Direction/Edition:
Truly the highlight of the drama for me. I am a big fan of this director because he seems to be the only one who knows what he's doing. You can tell he has a clear vision and can successfully translate it from his head to reality. From a cinematographic perspective, we got really good shots throughout the series. The actors' placements, the lighting, transitions, and music were cleverly thought out and used in the most successful way. Please, pay close attention to the environment because it truly brings everything together beautifully.

Mama this show has everything: Great writing, great direction, love, hate, past, present, future, food I can't eat, gay tears, busted ass weave, and plot twists. I would recommend it a million times to everyone.

Lire davantage

Loved

I honestly love this show. But i do have some problems with DeanPharm's relationship.

Pharm honestly doesn't really seem to be that into his relationship with Dean sometimes. I get that he's shy and this is probably his first relationship but seriously he literally almost always looks terrified and backs away from kisses or pretty much anything else Dean tries to do. As the relationship progresses Pharm should of at least gotten used to Dean wanting to hug and kiss him but he never really does. Its disappointing to not see the relationship grow in that aspect cause seriouly what couple still wont let there significant other kiss them after weeks if not months of dating. Then they just jump into bed together even though Pharm still looks seriouly freaked out every time Dean touches him... cause that makes perfect sense. Also Pharm is almost always crying in Dean's presence which gets kinda annoying after awhile. I get it, there's sad memories that In is remebering but it just makes Pharm seem way overly emotional. I love Fluke as an actor though and he does an amazing job portraying Pharm I just wish the character himself was a little better.

Dean is a little pushy in his relationship with Pharm. Honestly though the way they wrote Pharm it almost seems like they want Dean to practically force himself on him. Which he kinda does and kinda doesn't all at the same time. I have no doubt Dean would stop doing something if Pharm seriously says no, but he does kinda push Pharm to be receptive of him cause otherwise he'd never be able to kiss or hug or touch him. Ohm is a little stiff portraying Dean which i think has something to do with both acting and how Dean's character is written. The writer honestly seems like they kind of want their tops to be stiff and have sort of muted emotions because Korn is sort of the same way. I love Ohm as an actor as well and OhmFluke have amazing chemistry together. I just wish that DeanPharm's relationship could of had a little more believable development. I still have watched this drama over and over despite the problems i have with the relationship.

Lire davantage

Bring tissues if you want to watch this drama !!!!!

What I can I say? This show had me from the very first episode to the last one. I couldn't contains my tears as the show went on, I don't know its probably because I'm a sucker for dramas like this one but let me tell you, this is not your typical BL drama. You really have to pay attention in order to understand whats fully going on because I promise you once you understand it you will feel like your heart has been broken. This drama is seriously one of my favorites, top 5 actually not only because of the heartfelt tragedy but because even after death they still found one another. I have never cried so much with a BL drama as I did with this one. I seriously recommend this drama to anyone because not only were the actors amazing but so was the plot and the climax. Amazing overall honestly. Just REMEMBER TO BRING ON THE TISSUES because you will need them.

Lire davantage

OKAY

okay so where should i start...i started this series after watching current ongoing series Between US..so my review basis on the both series. This series is about the couple (korn and in) who suiside for their love as their family didnt accept them as boy couple(gay) . They rebirth and found themselves again in their next life as dean and pharm and story evolves around their past life and they started to find out about their past life.

As for acting i really love the characters korn and In as i relate their emotions fully but i did not make attach myself for dean and pharm emotions. For me korn and In gave them all for their characters.

If you are watching Between US and did not watch UWMA then its not as problem as some scenes and dialouges are exactly the same in both series and series not link each other.

Lire davantage

a somewhat more compelling story compared to usual Thai BLs

STORY: Intouch (Earth) and Korn (Kao) were deeply in love but their parents objected to their same-gender relationship. Unable to withstand the pressures, Korn committed suicide and Intouch seeing his boyfriend die in front of him, followed after. 30 years later, they were reborn as Pharm (Fluke) and Dean (Ohm), who still had vague memories of their past lives and the unforgettable love they had for each other.

Liked:
1. This drama had one of the best Thai BL OSTs I have heard, very melodious songs and able to bring out the right emotions throughout the show.
2. Given the complexity of their characters whereby they had to deal with their past and present lives, especially Pharm, he and Dean’s acting were believable, except that some crying scenes of Pharm weren’t convincing enough. He seemed to have used lots of eye drops and once I felt that way, it was difficult to feel the sadness or happiness whichever the scenes intended to convey.
3. Rather than the usual BL in universities in most Thai BL dramas, this was a refreshing story on parents’ objection to same-gender relationship and reincarnation.

Disliked:
1. Episode 1 - when Intouch and Korn committed suicide. Their acting, including the crying looked fake, including the acting of their fathers - unconvincing and unnatural. And there were illogical parts like seeing Korn was going to commit suicide, nobody stepped forward to stop him, everyone around just stared at him…Intouch’s father only let his son go to Korn after the latter pulled the trigger…ridiculous…
2. A good number of slow motion and ‘doing nothing in silence’ in the main leads’ scenes, such as sitting down staring at each other in silence, listening to music together doing nothing in particular in silence. Maybe it was just me, but even I as the audience felt a little awkward at times seeing them doing nothing together in silence in the bedroom LOL I think 17 episodes could have been cut down from the ‘doing nothing’ scenes.
3. Sin’s father, Pharm’s uncle looked exactly the same - 19 years ago and 19 years later - the drama’s stylist should still make some effort in appearances, even if it was just a minor role.
4. I did feel cringey sometimes in Dean’s and Pharm’s love interactions, such as in their bed scenes, kissing scenes, etc. Their acting wasn't unnatural, but somehow I just felt cringey when I saw them kissing on the bed. Maybe it was Pharm who always appeared to be more reserved towards such interactions with Dean which led me to feeling that way.

Episode 16 - Pharm easily chanced upon the box containing the gun, which Korn used to shoot himself, and the latter’s belongings on a bookshelf in a room. Logically speaking, shouldn’t such a precious piece of item be locked away somewhere? It was supposed to be a sad revelation when Pharm found the items, but I was feeling unbelievable at the absurdity of the scene.
Then again, it was a drama, if the box was locked away, Pharm wouldn’t have found it and wouldn’t have the meltdown he had later and there wouldn’t have been a closure. Therefore, I would not consider this a flaw of the drama because I totally understand the need for this scene regardless of how illogical it may have seemed.

Overall, despite some of its flaws, I would say this drama was still worth watching because the story was different and compelling compared to other usual Thai BLs. The acting was commendable (apart from some of Pharm’s crying scenes) and the chemistry between Dean and Pharm was basically good (except for some of their love interactions).

It was also an easy watch, but then again…..how difficult could it be when there were a good number of scenes of them ‘doing nothing much’?

Lire davantage

Different type of BL drama

I just finished this drama and I think it just became one of my top BL dramas.

Until We Meet Again has to be one of the top reincarnation drama ever, it was well done especially compared to other dramas not limited to BL ones. But a warning for those who are just looking for a light-hearted, fluffy drama this is not for you.

One thing that made UWMA stand out compared to other dramas for me, is that it covers more than the fluffy dramas and the ones where you go "WHY THE HECK ARE YOU STILL WITH THEM" (unhealthy relationship) dramas. UWMA brings up the aftermath of someone in your family who chose to end their life, the regrets, memories. Although there are not many external conflicts in Dean and Pharm relationship this lifetime, they still have inner conflicts between themselves and their memories, emotions that were carried on from their previous lives. They changed from their previous selves, In who was very forward with his feeling became Pharm who is more hesitant and Korn who was more conflicted/worried about his and In's relationship became Dean who is more straightforward and confident in his choices.

Actors- I think the actors played their roles perfectly, but I liked that there were different people for the role of In and Korn. At first, it was a little confusing since in my experience they are usually played by the same actors but it grew on me because it really showcased that while Dean and Pharm had the memories of Korn and In they are now inevitably different people.

PPL- In my opinion the product placement was a bit overkill but can't change that

Lire davantage

P'DEANNNNN

This was utter emotional damage from start to finish... the opening scene was so heartbreaking, then everything in between and then the intensity of the last episode! But it was all worth it.

All the characters mean so much to me! My trio, god I love them. I just wanna put Pharm and Team in my pocket, and Manow... the LOML. In and Korn brought me to tears so many times and they were probably my favourite couple. Dean and Win, respectful kings. Everyone is just great!

God Fluke is such a good actor, I think about his breakdown in episode 17 at least three times a day. I think that scene literally changed me. Someone please give his tear ducts a break.

My only complaint would be that it was maybe a couple of episodes too long. There was a little bit too much filler and could get boring in places. Also, more WinTeam please.

This is series that left an emotional scare on my heart but I can't recommend it enough!

Lire davantage

ALL OF THE FEELS!!!!

Hands down my all time favorite Asian drama! Had no idea what I was in store for when I started watching but I was not disappointed. Even though this show is an emotional meat grinder of the highest order I loved every heartbreaking, sappy, cute, funny, adorable, gut wrenching moment of it!

The story is incredibly and beautifully written and the actors make you feel as if your part of it. There are some very strong trigger points so I would recommend extreme caution to anyone who doesn't handle strong emotions well. Other than that grab your boxes (yes plural) of tissues and strap in for one amazing emotional rollercoaster!

Lire davantage

Until I Sob Again

This drama was not what I was expecting. It was more than I could have ever imagined. I am not going to lie, I watched the "Between Us" series with BounPrem first before watching this. And I am actually glad I did, because I do not think I was ready at that point in my life to deal with such TRAUMA. With that being said I do not think this drama is for everyone. It can be incredibly triggering and it is a bit of a slow burn but with a really sweet pay off.

For starters, this love story is centered around reincarnation. The first 5 minutes of the series opens with these two ill-fated lovers Korn and Intouch (Kao & Earth) fighting for their love against their parents where they inevitably...you know...*spoiler redacted*. I ugly sobbed for 20 minutes. Like...is this how we are going to start this drama? I'm strapped in. Let's ride this emotional roller coaster shall we? The story then proceeded to weave both past and present between Korn and Intouch and their reincarnations Dean and Pharm (Ohm & Fluke). The story in and of itself is so unique and well written. It showcased all the character's strengths and weaknesses while making sure that everyone had a part to play. The writing was truly a breath of fresh air, I love how it portrayed the real nuances of a relationship: the attraction, the annoyances, the grievances, the fun and the flirty. The script didn't shy away from making the characters feel real.

Which is a great segue to the acting. My god the acting in this? S L A Y E D. Especially Pharm (Fluke), his emotional performance throughout this entire series thawed my otherwise cold heart. But the real star....is Dean's Grandmother. GIVE. HER. AN. OSCAR. NOW. That woman had more emotion in her pinkie finger than I do in my entire body. Tears were falling from my face with every single one of her expressions. I docked a point for Dean (Ohm) cuz he was a little stoic and gave me the same face for half the show, BUT his chemistry with Pharm was EVERYTHING so I'll let it slide just a bit. Also, I just want to point out the support characters for a second, Win (Boun) was so distractingly gorgeous, I am so glad they gave him and Team (Prem) their own series because their relationship in this series left me starved for more. Team and Manow (Sammy) were the comic relief I was hoping for in this series, especially Manow, she was hilarious and made those cringy makeup product ad placements a little more bearable. Also, I know this isn't really a big deal but as a former hairdresser the first thing I notice is hair....and Pharm's cousin Sin (Ja Phachara) had one of the most distracting ugliest wigs in a BL. PLEASE save my man from that monstrosity on his head.

One thing that I had a love/hate relationship with was the music. The songs were great and I loved the OST....HOWEVER...did they really need to play the music so loudly during the most crucial parts of the dialogue??? Like we are getting an emotional moment then out of nowhere the instrumentals transition into a loud singing voice fighting for attention with the actors? Like I can hear you my guy, but right now I need to know why Dean is staring at Pharm so intently.

Overall, this was a semi-flawless BL. Chemistry on point. Screenwriting on point. Character Development on point. This series definitely has rewatch value, highly recommend if you are a fan of: slow burns, reincarnation stories, Oscar worthy crying, desserts, swimming?

Just watch it, you won't regret it.

Lire davantage

Just okay

I know some people really love this show, but I’m not sure why. Maybe if I were in a different mood (or still a teenager) then I would like it? It’s a bit slow moving and unfortunately instead of getting a falling-in-love story, it feels like the love hinges on the fantasy aspect of the plot. It’s too sudden. Unlike many other shows, I didn’t see any real messages or new perspectives (except don’t be homophobic, which I think is obvious already for anyone who is choosing to watch BL). The one thing I’ll say is that it got a bit more interesting towards the end. If you want to watch the most dramatic teen drama with lots of unexplained crying and mysterious stares that last forever, this is the one for you.

Lire davantage

Heart-breaking tragedy turns into heart-warming love

*outline*
Ever since I watched this for the first time I've never been able to get over the ships. I mentally kept cooing over OhmFluke (more about their real life personas than the characters they played, but same thing) and BounPrem (both WinTeam and BounPrem). Actually, now that we're on the topic have you noticed OhmFluke and KaoEarth don't get shipped much? At least, as compared to BounPrem... It's because they're too innocent. Sigh- Continuing, pay heed to my next words: it doesn't matter what I say next, or what other reviews you read... you have to watch this anyways because it's a classic Thai BL
(and it's a classic for a reason).


*analysis*
STORY : Right at the beginning, you're immediately hit with emotions (despite the calming and smooth intro). There is heartbreak in every episode, to be honest... and so, please do not wear makeup (especially around your eyes) when watching this or your eyes WILL sting. I would know. Overall, the story continues on with the perfect pace, nothing seems rushed and this even makes the time skips (between DeanPharm and KornIn) make sense throughout the story. The first meeting of the main couple was so touching, it's one of the best first meetings I've ever watched in any BL (including Korean, Taiwanese and/ Japanese BLs). There wasn't any unnecessary drama and there was a clear goal in the UWMA Crew/Staff during the making of this title because nothing was overdramatised as such. The first kiss was sweet and unexpected, despite the fact we could tell what was slowly cooking between the leads. This title also had a nice variation of moods throughout, there was comedy, romance and tragedy. There is one thing I didn't like though, and it was the unnecessary scenes where DeanPharm seem to be in their own world and some weird instrumental starts playing in the background... it just didn't fit and it sorta ruined the mood. It was cute at first, but then it just got too much and too long (a short waste of time, unfortunately). Another thing I didn't like was the fact we didn't get a complete story between Win and Team, their story wasn't clear (although we're supposed to be getting one soon so- I have high hopes) but that could be because the story was focused on Korn, In, Dean and Pharm. And who would've known the most shipped couple would be the one that shows up the least (sorta). Overall, everything about this drama is sentimental reincarnate. And yeah, there was a sweet and complete ending.

ACTING / CAST : My favourite character was Manaow - she was probably what made the drama a little lighter with her comedial lines. The fact such a mood-maker character was made for such a tragic love story was quite relieving and nice to watch and it really lightened the mood. The friendship that I liked the most was Manaow and Team's. They bickered like mother and son - absolute goals. The background actors also did quite well (including side actors who didn't play a very big role, or weren't so important). I also didn't feel any toxicity from the characters. However, I felt that Fluke came out of role sometimes as Pharm's character got too passive and didn't seem to reciprocate Dean's feelings. (Especially the kisses, passive kisses are just not it. It ruins the mood.) Usually characters like Win cause me to cringe so bad because of the 24/7 smirk they've got plastered to their face but Boun actually played it so well, it seemed like it was made for him. Any other actor, and the ship just wouldn't be the same, the drama just wouldn't be the same, and Win just wouldn't be the same. This also made me anticipate his appearances in the drama.

MUSIC : It was definitely perfect during the sad scenes, it helped set the mood. The intro was also quite nice and calming to listen to and I've also got to credit the singer for being able to portray a sad emotion within his singing too. There was this one instrumental (that sounds like a fairy tale) that repeatedly came on in some sweet scenes (especially during KornIn's scenes) and it's my favourite out of all the instrumental bgm's I've ever heard in any drama but I still couldn't find it after all... (Tip: if you're looking for any bgm just type in 'until we meet again instrumental bgm' on YT and some pop up.)

REWATCH VALUE : It's high in the sense you don't forget the characters and the more you watch it, the more you are hit with emotions (especially sadness). This is probably because you already know what's going to happen. Also, before I knew it I just ended up rewatching it without thinking too much (however the drama is very long, so rewatching is only a good idea if you know you can evenly space it out through some days or you know you have time to binge, etc) but the reason I did rewatch it is a little unknown to me... I feel an attachment to this drama more than anything.


Visit my Asian BLs Custom List to see some more of my watches and ratings !! ^.^ Including: Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese and Thai !
Also, please vote to show your view on other dramas :)

Lire davantage