Second Chance (2021)

A return to good form for Thai BL

In terms of writing and acting, was this the best Thai BL I've ever seen? No.

Was it better by far than some of the other show we've all been subjected to recently? Absolutely, yes.

This has so much going for it. There is no glaringly unsubtle product placement (yes, this series could've been sponsored by Jenga, but it's not constantly in your face), no over-the-top sound effects punctuating every other sentence, no scheming female characters trying to break up the couples and, thank goodness, the shippers behaviour was restricted to a bit of gossip and didn't verge on harassment and stalking.

The plot revolves around a group of students in their last year of high school. Paper, Tong Fah and Chris are all close friends. Chris has a crush on Jeno, who is being bullied by his ex, Arthur. Tong Fah has a crush on Paper. And another student, Near, works at a local gaming cafe and is being courted online through a game. He doesn't realise that it's his fellow cafe worker, M, who's doing the courting.

Now, this series can get a little preachy at times. Some of the dialogue starts to sound like inspirational speeches and it's sending a very obvious and clear message about how the end of high school should be approached and how to manage people's expectation of what comes next.

The bullying gets very egregious in parts, especially in the first three episodes, so consider this a warning if bullying is a trigger for you. Unlike other Thai BL's, though, where you wonder why the adults are even in it because they clearly don't care, this behaviour is addressed and the student being bullied is listened to, believed and supported.

The student doing the bullying suffers actual consequences and, even though they're not harsh, it's such an improvement on how other shows I've seen deal with abusive and violent behaviour. I'm sure I don't need to name names.

Also, the bully recognises his behaviour is wrong and apologises sincerely - again, character development we rarely see.

This is a small series consisting of only six episodes, all of which I watched in a day. The episodes are an hour long, however, so it isn't like you're left feeling short-changed and, even if Near and M didn't get the nearly the amount of screen time as the other characters, they still had plenty of development.

The pacing was fairly consistent, the editing relatively good (there were some parts where I was slightly confused because I was watching flashbacks that weren't differentiated from the present time in the story, but I did understand it all by the end) and the music is lovely.

The acting isn't so great sometimes, but given that for two of them it was their first acting job and for the others they've mainly had support roles, it's not horrible. There's some real talent in this cast.

This is a good series and I enjoyed it. It definitely has rewatch value and I'm happy to recommend it.

Lire davantage

A seriously underrated gem

I accidently stumbled upon this show early in my BL introduction as I looked for ones that I could easily access on youtube, and I really didn't expect much from it but I'm a sucker for a friends to lovers story so I gave it a shot. And man am I so glad I did.

The story itself is nothing special. Boy loses his father, best friend helps him get through it and their friendship develops into something more. For side couples you have the bullied introvert wooed by the charismatic extravert and shy cafe manager who gets close to the coworker he's crushing on through online gaming. We've seen these before, and likely will again. But what sets this apart is the way the story unfolds, the acting, and visual style.

There's this almost hazy, nostalgic quality to the show. If it weren't for the presence of cell phones and flash drives, you'd think this was set in the early 2000s from the lighting and music. The resulting effect isn't cheap or out-dated, it's actually quite beautiful (especially the pool scenes) and naturalistic in a way that you don't see in BL very often.

Then there are the performances. Tong and Fluke as Paper and Sky are absolutely magical on screen. You don't really know that Sky is grieving until a ways into the show, but from the jump you know that he and Paper have a very unique bond. Considering we don't get any background on their early friendship, this is really impressive. Tong has this way of looking at Fluke as if Paper is monitoring Sky to see whether he needs to be caught before falling down from grief, it's not hovering but more like he's being a bracket to hold up Sky. It toes the line up to codependent, but doesn't cross it because they are actually quite different personalities and each have other friends and classmates that they can confide in. For such new actors, especially Fluke, I was totally blown away and I really really hope we get to see them together again.

Their physical interactions and kisses are so real and honest, I have to tangent about them. The casual way they lean on each other at the start, sticking to one another during basketball and crossing legs in class, reflects how much they rely on each other emotionally. There are moments when you can see each of them start to try to lean in for more but pull away, building the tension without it turning into tortured pining a la Theory of Love. Then after some birthday beer and dancing, they finally give in to what they're really feeling. I'm not a fan of drunken first kisses, but in this case they're both more tipsy than drunk and the buildup makes the payoff worth it, you really feel that they're so invested in their friendship that if there wasn't alcohol to drop their inhibitions they might never have taken the next step despite them both being so clearly in love. And the subtlety of it blew me away, from the initial hesitancy to the hitches in their breathing as it progresses, it feels so real but not voyeuristic or gratuitous. Sky initiates and Paper seems surprised but returns the kiss with that slightly clumsy passion of a first kiss that you've been looking forward to for so long, but then Sky takes that as his queue to start to deepen the kiss and you can practically see the gears turning in Paper's head as he panics about the reality of his most important relationship potentially changing and stops kissing back, as soon as he senses Paper freezing up Sky immediately pulls away, which is such a nice change from the BL trope of pushing until the other person gives in. Their final kiss also captures that clumsy fumbling of first love while ending with really beautiful connection. Can't confirm this but I saw a comment on the final episode saying their final scene was mostly improvised, which actually doesn't surprise me bc their chemistry and dialog is so natural.

I don't have a lot to say about the other 2 couples, though both have their merits. Chris and Jeno are a slower burn and a bit frustrating at first, but once you get more context for why Jeno is so shut down it makes the payoff of him finally opening up in the end really worth it. TBH I really didn't care for Near and M, the chemistry and acting just weren't there for me and with the short time they had I don't think they needed a 3rd couple at all. Also, I could not for the life of me tell Near apart from Jeno until like episode 5, apparently the actors are brothers, it was kind of a poor casting and style choice to make them look and behave so similarly imo.

Alas this was yet another covid casualty, it was originally supposed to be a full 12-14 episodes but they only had time to shoot enough footage for 6. Thankfully, that didn't really hurt the story all that much. I was surprised at first, bc it's a pretty well-paced and complete story that seems to fit well into the 6 episodes we got. But upon a rewatch you can kind of tell how they had to condense what was intended to be a longer story; like we don't really know what happened to Sky to land him in the hospital even though we can guess he was hit by a car or wrecked his scooter while going to meet Paper, or what Jeno's relationship with Arthur was like before it fell apart. However, at least for me, it wasn't too jarring and didn't take me out of the story at all. Though if they got a chance to redo it with more episodes, like they've done with Love Mechanics, I think they could really do the characters more justice.

Other things to love here are the total lack of toxic female characters, no slapstick sound effects or replay of important moments from 7 different angles, no egregious product placement, all the main boys being just gay from the start so there's no melodramatic identity crisis or internalized homophobia to overcome, adults and authority figures actually acting with authority and protecting the kids, a bully facing real consequences both from the school and his victim, and a wonderfully supportive friend group at the core of the story.

Give this one a chance, and if it doesn't click at first give it a second chance.

Lire davantage

Don’t skip out on this!

I created an account because I noticed that some people aren’t enjoying this drama. I personally think the drama is very mature and not filled with all of the cliche stuff in other dramas like lovely writer, and all the weird editing with constant squeaky noise. I really enjoy this drama and it’s a breath of fresh air from the college engineer series that we always see, I would definitely suggest watching this, because I think the content while it might be a slower paced show is really nice and genuinely refreshing to see, I’m getting tired of watching shows like lovely writer and fish upon the sky I want more mature editing and storylines!

Lire davantage

poderia ter sido melhor

Devagar, nada de inovador, nada que te mantenha interessado ou com vontade de assistir mais ou assistir outra vez, tem uns pontos que dão muita vergonha alheia porém, os atores fizeram um ótimo trabalho, tanto o casal principal quanto os outros dois casais e o vilão atuaram muito bem, a ost não é atrativa, a historia tem uns pontos muito cansativos, vale sim a pena assistir se você realmente não tiver nada pra fazer. Tem umas cenas que são extremamente fofas e que deixam a historia mais leve e que dão pra aproveitar mais, porém em um todo eu achei que o roteiro foi muito mal feito até porque os atores são bons, tanto que os alívios cômicos e as cenas do ''vilão'' são muito boas, só ficaram muito soltas por isso gerou um desinteresse enorme em mim,

Lire davantage

A surprising gem

"Second Chance" was such a lovely and surprising gem of a series, that I think got overlooked due to when it was released. The topic of bullying, especially the domestic violence that Jeno experienced with his abusive boyfriend Arthur was addressed head on as a problem, that the school officials had to stop, that the fellow students had to bring to the teachers and officials attention, that friends wouldn't let their fellow friend and classmate deal with it on their own. I really loved that the writer of this series did not romanticized the bullying, as something that happens because one young man couldn't handle their attraction towards another young man. I also loved that the female characters were not used in the stereotypical "evil, crazy, obessive girl" roles that are always present in these BL stories. They were there to support whatever role that was needed for these storylines.

Lire davantage

Why is this show so underrated?

Well, although the story isn't anything new or special to other Bl Shows, it's a really cute and beautiful series. I loved the cast and the way they portrayed the characters that well, I could feel anything they felt with my whole heart.
I think it's one of the few thai shows with the best love-/kiss scenes. The whole scene between Sky and Paper, where they get close to each other for the first time is so pleasing to watch. Especially the chemistry between all the couples is outstanding.
Nothing in this show is toxic or problematic and nearly every action is understandable.
I loved to watch it and hope you give it a try, because it's definitely worth it.

Lire davantage

A highschool setting : Common, Wholesome and Average

While it does have a wholesome plot which makes the story pure and fluffy because of the highschool setting.. There still some points that are lacking in the series...

The first one would be the flow of the plot or simply the transition of the scenes.. I find some of the acting scenes to be choppy or unorganized.. That's why sometimes I'd be getting the feeling of dullness from the show...

The second one would be the fact that somehow... even though I'm a fan of slow burn and melodramatic romances / relationships, I find myself not getting hooked with this... which is kind of disappointing for me.. I understand that the premise of the show is the typical school setting romance.. Still, the monotony of the show killed my interest with it...

The third one that also bothered me would be underdeveloped back story of the side couples which is definitely needed to justify the characters' actions / relationships in the story.. We didn't really get to see why some of the side characters are uncomfortable in getting in a relationship.. Why they were afraid etc.. They could have better addressed these issues if only this series had additional episodes.. For example : I find the scene of Tong Fah getting into an accident to be pretty abrupt with no logical explanation whatsoever as to why that suddenly happened.. Basically, there are so many scenarios that happened in the show that were not even addressed or developed properly..

Another thing that also bothered me is the relevance of the title of the show which is a second chance.. Although I see the choices that they made with the show, I just find the title of the series not justified with all the six episodes that I've watched...

Lastly, the chemistry between all the couples seemed to be a bit dry or lacking to me.. There are some cute little moments between the characters that were really nice but there are also some moments which really felt dry or unnatural..

In conclusion, If you're looking for something light hearted to watch.. You can definitely add this to your watch list... The plot is easy to follow because it's common.. The acting and OST is so-so for me since I understand that this has a low budget and the cast are new.. Anyway, this is just my opinion so I won't be discouraging people to watch it. So, Enjoy watching... :)

Lire davantage

Give this series a first chance naa...

To begin with the flaws of this series...
The story kind of hops here and there while you try to connect the dots.
The actors are good but I think it's the direction that lacks.
The story is mediocre and predictable.
There are 3 couples but I guess the screen time given to the 2nd couple is comparatively less and 3rd is next to negligible.
I almost thought they won't end up together.

All the couples could have easily talked it over and got together in the 2nd epi itself coz the reason for their rejecting each other is childish.
Like the 1st couple are BFFs
Both stay close like flower and it's bud
Both don't like anyone else coming in between them
Both sneak peek at each other but when one of them confesses his love the other one straight away rejects... Like why?
Anyway...

Good points:
-The chemistry of main leads is good.
-You get a Fresh feeling of love from their stories.
-No unnecessary third wheels
-No over the top characters (except a girl)
one can relate to their daily life
-Cute moments light up the screen
-Even the evil character looks handsome (Hehe!)

All in all you can definitely give a first chance to this second chance series :D

Go for it!

P.S: The second lead and the third lead have real brothers casted. So it's really confusing at first.
Coz they look mirror reflection of each other if not for their different hairstyles.
I mistook both of them as being the same character till 5th ep (I know... My stupidity when I even knew both of them had different names - Jeno & Near)
giving a warning in advance .. just in case.. there's someone like me ;)

Lire davantage

I liked it

I will be taking my time watching shows as I have lost the zeal recently due to a personal issue. I was able to watch the final episode of this story and I liked it.

Story-8/10
I felt that eventhough some things were rushed as it was only six episodes, it dealt with some issues that other BL's didn't and I felt that it was done in a tasteful way. I was glad that Jeno did not get back with his ex-boyfriend Arthur and that there was closure. I was glad that Sky and Paper ended up together as they were able to overcome thier issues.

So happy that Chris and Jeno got together in the end as well as Jeno had some issues to get over. M and Near I felt like thier story wasn't really developed. But then again, it's only six episodes focusing on three different couples, so a couple unfortunately suffered storywise. Otherwise than that, it was a good story.

Acting-7.5/10
I actually liked some of the acting. The actors were able to bring across the story. I also liked the sister and her friends, eventhough they could have come across sometimes as annoying. They helped Jeno be it with his love life or with the bullies.

Music-7.5/10
I liked the music. It was mesmerising and beautiful.

Rewatch Valu- 8/10
Hmmm... you know what? I actually DO see myself watching this again. It was a different take and I like what they were trying to bring across to us viewers.

Overall-8/10
I know that this series may not be for everyone. But it was a good watch and I would recommend it to others if given the chance.

Lire davantage

Beautiful Music and Young Love

I definitely enjoyed this show, although with a few comments on certain things. I think the music is absolutely gorgeous and a big part of the appeal. Seriously. I can't stress enough my love for the soundtrack.
Paper and Tongfah are a bit confusing, since I'm never quite sure of what stage their relationship is at.
Still, I loved their dynamic and they were very cute together. Their story progression was all over the place, but it didn't matter to me too much since I just was glad to see them be happy together. They have really good chemistry and their kisses were super well done. They were probably my favorite couple.
Tongfah is a sweet boy and I would risk my life for him.

Chris and Jeno were cute by the end, but it was pretty lame how Jeno treated Chris for most of the show. He was pretty dismissive of him and not very nice until towards the end. Chris as an individual is great and I love him. Jeno is cute but like I said, his treatment of Chris wasn't great. But yet, when they ended up together they were so cute and I got over my complaints so I could just appreciate their cuteness.
(edit): honestly, they did have more cute moments than I remembered. Chris is an absolute sweetheart and Jeno just has trust issues.

I skipped the scenes with Near and M because they had no chemistry and I also felt like the storyline was a bit creepy. Something about M rubbed me the wrong way.

It did a good job balancing fun and serious. I was shocked to suddenly realize my emotional investment when I started crying during a sad scene.

If any of them were trying to keep their sexualities on the DL they did a bad job considering the amount of gay movie posters all over their walls.
I'll once again mention the music since it really got me good. It was gorgeous.

Overall, I'd definitely recommend giving the show a shot. It's not perfect, but it is really charming and heartfelt. I wish there were a directors cut to put back in the scenes that I can only assume were cut from the show because goodness so much felt like it was missing. But it was still a loveable show. I will definitely be watching it again

Lire davantage

YES YOU SHOULD WATCH THIS BECAUSE ITS REALLY GOOD

I don't usually write reviews but I'm gonna write to so maybe more people can know how good this show is and give it a try....

OVERALL PLOT:

The plot wasn't GREAT but it was very very good. At first I did not understand what the name of the drama had to do with the drama iitself until later on. They executed it kinda well in Fah x Paper case but I wouldn't say it was quite the same for the other couples. When I saw the poster I thought it would be a fluffy happy romance high school story but it was actually more than that.

CHARACTERS;

Our trio Tong fah, Paper & Chris were really adorable and relatable. Tong fah is my number 1. I love the way he carried his character, he made the drama 10x better. I'm actually shocked to know that this is Flukes first drama. Although papers last speech made me cringe a little bit I'm gonna let it go because of how adorable he is lol. Chris is a gem, one in a million. I'm very happy he got his boy at the end. I have no complaints about my three boys! They did an excellent job!

Arthur and Jeno's relationship was really hard to watch... I had to skip it sometimes. I think instead of the principal just asking him to apologize to Jeno he should have faced disciplinary actions for what he did to that poor boy! I was really glad that Jeno finally got to open up his heart at the end for my boy Chris. Such an adorable couple hehe.

Near and M... hmmm, idk... I couldn't really relate to Near's character. He was one of the characters I found annoying but I guess he's right to be kinda creeped out about M. But at the end of the day its both their fault because they don't communicate.

Another annoying character was Rose... tbh she was doing too much OMG! I guess it was supposed to be funny and I wanna say there's no way actual real people act like that but who knows I might be wrong lol. I actually liked how Geneva always made her to cool down.

Lastly, this dramas was very entertaining and enjoyable. Although it had a happy ending but I'm still sad coz it's just six episodes, I felt like there was spcae for a lot more to be included into the plot if only it was longer and I would get to keep watching for a few more weeks hahahaha.

YES you should watch this!

Lire davantage

Short, light and not unhealthy BL

Basically, it is a light plot, almost straightforward. Story develops a little too easily, but given it is a 6 episode long series, that is almost inevitable. Neither flawless, nor ridiculous. Plus points for lowkey light thrown on toxic relationships.

Acting did not seem too good initially, but as I kept watching it grew on me - most characters have an individual personality and the actors/writers maintained it throughout. Initially, few actors did seem either over top or too bleak, but they were easier to like once it was almost established as the basic nature of those characters. (if that made sense)

The whole show is not premium rewatch material imo, there might be scenes that stay with you.

Lire davantage