Close Friend (2021)

Only 2 out of the 6 episodes worked for me

It’s hard to review and rate a series that has episodes that are not connected in any way. So my score is an average of the 6 individual scorers. I’ve also decided to write a mini review for each episode. I’d only really recommend episodes 3 and 4.

Episode 1 (OhmFluke): was that episode supposed to be romantic? Nothing is solved in the end, and the fact that Pierce doesn’t say he’s got a boyfriend proves it. I didn’t understand the ideia of the episode. Score: 4/10
Episode 2 (JaFirst): this episode technically works for the concept of different types of friendships, but it’s a bit too weird. It’s not a guy that transforms into a cat, it’s a cat the whole time. Score: 3/10
Episode 3 (NatMax): I liked this story. It was simple and it had a beginning, middle and ending. It worked well as a self contained mini story. Score: 8/10
Episode 4 (YoonTalay): Yoon and Talay always work well together. I can’t believe it was literally written in the shirt!! This one deserves a second viewing. Score: 9/10
Episode 5 (TommyJimmy: it was an ok episode, I don’t feel like it’s a developed enough story compared to a few of the others. Score: 6/10
Episode 6 (KinmonCopter): this episode doesn’t make much sense but it’s kinda sweet, if you don’t take it too seriously. Score: 6/10

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Some episodes are quite sweet but the quality is inconsistent

I'm tempted to say that this collection of short episodes (like short films) shamelessly bank on the fame of BL actor pairings without really offering anything much. Each episode is a standalone story, so it is hard for much development in terms of story, and we can't possibly expect much where this is concerned. Nevertheless, some of the episodes manage to depict a relationship and be thought-provoking while the others appear to be just a BL-actor vehicle.

In the first episode, Ohm and Fluke of Until We Meet Again act as a couple again, but may just spoil the Dean/Pharm pairing for fans of Until We Meet Again. Arguably the episode that is the most out of place, Episode 1 is frustrating in how self-contradictory the depiction of the couple is. In a way, it is more adventurous than the other episodes, but let's just accept it that there are some adventures in which people get into awful accidents.

Episode 2 features the most good looking actors in the five episodes, but it is really about the relationship between a man and his cat. It's not BL though you can be forgiven if you find it disturbing, thinking that it's a romantic relationship. After all, one of the two actors have to act as the cat and the actors' roles in TharnType 2 (plus the marketing of Close Friend as BL) will likely give one the wrong idea. But it's quite clear that the cat owner treats the cat as a pet he does dote on, not a lover. The scenes of intimacy are more like a cat snuggling with its owner and asking for treats though you can imagine what it looks like when you get a human actor to play the cat.

Episode 3: I would say it's just some forgettable schoolboy situation.

Episode 4: One man tries to help the other regain his love after he is jilted by his girlfriend. They end up together. OK, but nothing too impressive.

Episode 5: A sweet throwback to the 1990s, this episode is about two pen pals back in the era without ubiquitous mobile phones and social media.

Episode 6: After the throwback to the 1990s, the series ends with a futuristic(?) world in which people can communicate with personalities they idolize through VR machines. There's a suggestion that the virtual world (perhaps also a metaphor for today's cyberspace and social media) may present an idealized and version of things that may seem very real, but the reality of the offline world, for all its imperfections, is what really matters. When Ray meets the real-life Jedi he has been seeing on VR, Jedi is nowhere like the VR version that is always eager to please. The real-life Jedi may lose his temper, but the way he interacts with Ray is more genuine.

Some of the episodes in this series are better than others, but I guess none of them will waste too much of your time.

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Short..MVs?

1- Ohm and Fluke were great with their acting of course, the story was painful but they pulled it off. I'm just confused on the ending. 8.5/10

2- So funny and cute when you remember that it's a cat lmao. I enjoyed it though, love Ja and First's chemistry. 7.5/10

3- It was alright, the talking into the camera repeatedly was not necessary in my opinon. The pacing was a little off, didnt hate but didn't love it, just can't click with MaxNat I guess. 5/10

4-YoonLay was so cute and heart warming. I loved it all, couldnt help but smile with them. As always I love their chemistry, they work well together to suck you into the story. Would watch again. 10/10

5- Mii2 never disappoint but that ending gah made me hate the title of the series lmao. Loved it though, it's definitely one of the episodes i'd rewatch in a heartbeat. 9/10

6- KimCop ♡ Such a cute story about a celebrity and his fanboy, they played their roles well, no surprise. I just wasn't sure about what the ending meant. Either way, I enjoyed it and would watch it again. 9/10

Ask me about the music? Truthfully I could only really remember OhmFluke's episode cause it played a big part in their story but the rest not so much.

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Quirky

First, I'm gonna say I think you should definitely watch the BL series these couples are previously in together, to fully enjoy this mini series lol They have nothing to do with each other but I still recommend. Anyway, I hate how short these eps are cause they leave you with mostly your imagination to support you. Nothing wrong with that of course. They all have different stories so there's no doubt you won't be able to relate too or enjoy them. You might even have a hard time picking a fav! This is a good mini series for someone who wants to see some of the most popular BL actors together again or even a newbie to the BL universe. I needed more from the eps but I'm overall satisfied with it's cute simplicity.
Enjoy...

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1 EPISODE PLOTS OF SOME OF THE FAV BL COUPLES

What can we expect from 1 episode plots. It's more like cherishing out fav couples in a short time. Here's a brief summary of what I think -
EPISODE 1 - Incomplete story
EPISODE 2- LOL.. PERSONIFICATION OF A CAT, THAT TOO IT WASN'T TO THE POINT.
EPISODE 3- VERY CUTE.
EPISODE 4- OKAY
EPISODE 5- THIS PLOT IS SO GOOD! WISH IT WAS CONVERTED INTO A LONG DRAMA. LOVE STORY OF RETRO AGE WHERE PEOPLE EXCHANGED LETTERS. LOVED IT.
EPISODE 6- THIS PLOT CAN BE MADE INTO A DRAMA TOO. THERE R A LOT OF K-DRAMAS WITH Al- HUMAN LOVE STORIES. SO YES IT DOES HAVE THE POTENTIAL.
OVERALL- SHORT AND SWEET.

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Popular faces but mostly disappointing

I don't have a clue what is it with Thai BL and their obsession to throw at us somewhat popular BL couples on TV at every single opportunity without really thinking about the product they are placing.

The six short stories had really very little worth talking about. Out of the six, I think the story with Jimmy and Tommy (ep. 5) was by far the most successful in my opinion. We all know the great chemistry both guys have with each other since doing all the Domundi videos and then WhyRU. This time we get to see them as pen pals one living in Bangkok (Jimmy) and the other living in Chiang Mai (Tommy). What starts as a school assignment clearly becomes much more as we can really see their fondness for each other and wanting to read the letters or talk on the phone. Since it was set up as a story in the mid-90's it brought back some memories of having a pen pal, using a walkman, or the slow and tedious process of recording a mix tape the way Jimmy does it. Jimmy's interactions with his mother are also very nice as she plays the playful and nosy mother and Jimmy responds well to that. I was sad that these episodes are quite short as I would like to see more interaction between the 2 characters but it ends on a nice note.

Then, second place goes to the episode with Talay and Yoon. Thanks to YYY and Y-Destiny these two also have developed a good chemistry as well (not as good as Jimmy-Tommy, but good enough). So, despite the silly setup of the episode (Yoon's character has just broken up with his girlfriend and thinks he is unlucky in love and Talay's character likes him so makes him go with him on a road trip to make the spirits happy and bring his good luck back as an excuse to spend time together), I think the story works as we see Talay showing his shy side and also expressing some interest in Yoon's character without saying it out loud. Talay conveys his expressions quite well and Yoon takes on his usual calm demeanor throughout the episode.

Copter and Kimmon, Ohm and Fluke, Max and Nat and Ja and First are the remaining couples in the other 4 episodes. Kimmon and Copter also have such a great chemistry from working together for so long but the storyline of the episode, Copter winning a virtual version of Kimmon is a bit odd and while it was acted properly, it didn't connect with me the way these two have delivered in previous series. Ohm and Fluke is the typical "where is our relationship going?" episode with Fluke doing what he does best, crying or being sad, and Ohm also doing a good but not great job. This episode could have been way more intense but with the episode being so short, that went out of the window. Max and Nat are cute together but their plots are nearly the same all the time, Nat being the smaller, weaker, more frail of the two is always bullied or harassed by the stronger, bigger Max so barely any moments worth mentioning. And the final couple, Ja and First, are both cute but I really can't seem to like them (especially First), there is something about them or the characters they've portrayed so far that rubs me the wrong way and I can't seem to warm up to them. Plus the story of First being a cat is crazy and a bit weird that Ja "flirts" with a cat.

In the end, another Thai BL show created just for the sake of adding another one to the list and taking out the Jimmy-Tommy episode and some moments of the Talay-Yoon and Ohm-Fluke episodes, nothing worth watching again.

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Popular couples, but with barley any time so show their relationship

I really enjoyed this series I liked how it was a different couple in each episode, but each story was different in their own way and makes you enjoy this series some stories I will write about each couple so just telling you that their will be spoilers ahead
*SPOILERS*
[Pierce and Typhoon]
I wasn’t a big fan of their story since they only had 20 minutes and I know Ohm and Fluke have so much potential together, but this wasn’t it for them, I genuinely felt bad for Typhoon the whole time because he just wants to be with his boyfriend, but is always alone in their house because Pierce is too busy with being a music producer that he even was spending time with another guy named Marc who is supposed to be singer with him, but still didn’t call Typhoon so I wasn’t a big fan of their story.
[Xin and Moo Joom]
I actually liked it to be honest I remember watching some clips of it on TikTok and it made me want to watch Close Friends so badly. The story wasn’t to bad, but not the best one it was one of those cat becomes your lover from Moo Joom being a cat that was abandoned in a box and left at Xin’s doorstep and he stared to take care of him until Xin’s girlfriend came then Moo Joom became jealous because he was stuck in a room and attacked his girlfriend and got yelled at by Xin, but he still loved the cat. It wasn’t my favorite, but not bad.
[Titan and Mini]
I actually think that this was one of my favorites because I’m a huge fan of Max and Nat so that’s why I liked it. Their story was actually pretty funny, from Mini was looking for clubs to join, but joined the wrestling club because that had no members because no one likes Titan because they think he’s mean and scary, but while they were wrestling Mini kept falling until the very end where he beat Titan and they soon liked each other in the end. I really enjoyed this one
[Bhim and Xiao Ping]
I will just say that I wasn’t a big fan of this story so I won’t really write too much because their really isn’t anything to talk about it was mainly just them crossing a bridge to make a wish and throwing stones together. It wasn’t my favorite at all because I can’t even write anything.
[Night and Cloud]
I actually enjoyed their story, but it felt like the shortest one out of them all. Night and Cloud are penpals and write to each other every day and Cloud said that when they meet each other in real life that he will make origami stars for him and he did and when they first met Cloud dropped them all and Night helped him clean it up and that’s when they finally met. I don’t really remember their ending, but I think it was that they went back to being penpals again. I really enjoyed this one.
[Jedi and Ray]
I did like their story it was a cafe boy (Ray) and an idol boy (Jedi) and Ray really loves Jedi so much that he won the vr head set that you get to meet your idol in VR and it was the cutest thing because he would be in it all day and even sleep with it until one day Jedi actually appeared in real life and asked for a coffee and Ray spilled it on him and they ended up together. It was a cute one.
Overall I loved was max and nat (Titan and Mini) , tommy and jimmy (Cloud and Night) and copter and kimmon (Jedi and Ray). Those were so cute. I really recommend this story because the couples are very popular and the stories were very enjoyable.

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You can easily relate

The characters have the best story out there for the simple fact that everybody here is a fan of someone else.

Ray and his actions and feelings are something we all have experienced first hand, and the VR theme adds mystery and suspense for the viewers of what’s actually happening with Jedi. Is real or just an illusion his interest for Ray?

This story definitely deserves a more deeper and longer development ! Kimmon and Copter had always set their roles and it was common to see Kim’s character following Copter’s around, but this time it changed and it’s like fresh air to us, fans. KimCop did such a good job!! I truly think they always have the perfect mix of comedy and romance. It’s a fact that 18 or so minutes are also enough to let us know they can do a masterpiece with the plot and JediRay.

We’re all really thankful to the staff and production. We hope they consider these two actors for more projects in the future.

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