Une histoire belle et intelligente
Bien qu'on se retrouve une fois de plus dans un contexte universitaire pour la plus grande part, voici encore un BL original qui sait s'écarter du cahier des charges convenu des autres BL scolaires. D'une part parce que l'intrigue est aussi originale que bien pensée, d'autre part parce qu'il y a peu de temps morts (voire pas du tout) et que l'histoire se concentre surtout sur la romance ainsi que les choix du héros pour améliorer son avenir, donc on ne nous bassine pas avec des scènes inutiles de cantine ou de salles de classe sauf quand c'est vraiment nécessaire au déroulement de l'intrigue. Cela explique pourquoi je n'ai trouvé quasiment que des points positifs à ce drama, à l'exception d'un seul point pas très grave que j'évoquerai en dernier.Au début de l'histoire le héros nous est présenté sous un jour assez peu sympathique, c'est un loser asocial qui n'a jamais pris sa vie en main et qui préfère blâmer les autres que se remettre en question, d'où le fait qu'il est toujours un loser 12 ans plus tard. Le cadeau qu'il souhaite offrir à son amie, dont il est toujours amoureux mais qui va se marier avec le beau gosse de la fac, lui permet de revenir dans le passé à l'époque où il était encore étudiant. Peu à peu il prend conscience qu'il pourra influer davantage sur le cours de sa vie pour améliorer son avenir, réparer ce qui doit l'être notamment au niveau relationnel, et s'offrir une nouvelle chance de se rapprocher de cette jeune fille. Ce faisant, il devient involontairement ami avec son rival et se rend compte que ce dernier est tombé amoureux de lui. Ces événements vont amener des changements dans la personnalité de notre héros, ils le rendent à la fois plus sympathique et attachant au fur et à mesure qu'il prend conscience de l'influence qu'il peut avoir sur sa propre vie et ses choix, et il devient également plus sage concernant les choses qu'il ne peut pas changer. C'est donc une belle histoire d'apprentissage qui fait évoluer notre personnage principal dans le bon sens, notamment sur ce qu'il souhaite vraiment pour accéder au bonheur.
Comme autre point positif, j'ai trouvé que tous les personnages de ce BL étaient construits de manière intelligente et jamais unidimensionnelle, tous ont des personnalités et des motivations qui leur sont propres et cela donne une histoire un peu plus fouillée que d'habitude (enfin je dis d'habitude, mais depuis quelques temps on constate une évolution très positive dans les productions BL thaïs ainsi que GMMTV qui sait désormais nous proposer des programmes de qualité). Ensuite, je n'ai pas spécialement remarqué de placements de produits barbants. D'ailleurs comme fait notable qui n 'a peut-être l'air de rien mais que je n'ai pas pu m'empêcher de remarquer : pour une fois, le crush du héros ne conduit pas une grosse Audi blanche, mais une charmante Mini ! Quant aux dialogues, ils sont sensés et intelligents, bien que les personnages soient étudiants la plus grosse partie du temps, on est face à une histoire mature très bien pensée. Enfin, nous avons affaire à des acteurs qui ne sont plus débutants et ça se voit, leur jeu d'acteur est relativement bon et naturel, ici pas d'hésitations débiles et de phrases qui durent trois heures, les choses se déroulent de manière assez fluide et c'est plaisant. Sur ce point, les lakhorns thaïs plus traditionnels devraient en prendre de la graine parce que la sous-catégorie des BL fait parfois bien mieux ces derniers temps.
Le seul point qui m'a un peu déçue concerne un aspect de la romance. Je l'ai trouvée mignonne, tendre et agréable, mais hélas je n'ai pas vraiment ressenti de réelle passion amoureuse entre nos personnages. Certains disent dans le forum que Krist n'est pas très à l'aise dans les BL et cela explique peut-être pourquoi j'ai trouvé qu'il y avait un léger manque de ce côté-là. Je n'en suis pas certaine mais en tout cas l'hypothèse est plausible, peut-être d'autres personnes auront-elles eu la même impression. Ou alors c'est la manière dont l'intrigue a été conçue, je ne sais pas. C'est un peu dommage mais quoi qu'il en soit, cela reste une très bonne histoire, romantique à souhait et intelligente, confirmant que cette industrie est en train de prendre un tournant très positif. Cela me rend confiante sur le fait qu'on peut s'attendre à davantage de BL de qualité dans l'avenir.
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Le scripte de base a tout pour plaire. J’adore l’idée d’un BL surnaturel et qui sort de l’ordinaire. Les voyages dans le temps, c’est toujours captivant. Néanmoins, si les premiers épisodes nous tiennent en haleine, le tout devient rapidement boiteux. Pas mauvais, certes, mais son originalité semble s’évaporer au fil des épisodes, faisant finalement de Be My Favorite une série universitaire banale qui regorge des clichés habituels du genre.
Kawi m’a d’abord plus. J’avais aimé Krist Perawat en tant que protagoniste du célèbre BL SOTUS, donc j’étais impatiente de le découvrir dans ce nouveau projet. Je ne suis pas déçu. Avec son visage mignon et son jeu d’acteur, Krist est fait pour le rôle du pétillant Kawi. Ce personnage brille au cours des premiers épisodes, créant des moments à la fois hilarants et embarrassants. Il n’a pas la langue dans sa poche et comme il croit être dans un rêve, il agit comme un idiot pour modifier l’avenir. J’aurais aimé qu’il reste ainsi. Malheureusement, plus le temps avance et plus Kawi devient agaçant. Il prend d’horribles décisions et il agit comme un connard avec le gentil Pisaeng. C’est donc difficile de s’y attacher sérieusement. De plus, les fans savent que Krist n’aime pas jouer dans des BL… et soyons francs, cela parait dans ses scènes de baiser.
De son côté, Pisaeng est le « Husbano » par excellence. Beau gosse, gentil, romantique, attentionné… C’est à se demander s’il a des défauts. Pour être honnête, j’ai d’abord été déçue d’apprendre que Fluke Gawin remplaçait Mike Chinnarat dans le rôle de protagoniste. C’était enfin sa chance de briller en tant que tête d’affiche. J’avais aimé Gawin dans Not Me (auprès de l’exceptionnel First Kanaphan dont la présence vol la vedette) et dans Enchanté, mais à cause de sa tête de jeune premier, j’avais peur que le rôle manque d’intérêt. Mes craintes se sont avérées infondés, car son charisme est si fort qu’il fait de Pisaeng un personnage attachant. Il mérite tellement mieux qu’un grognon comme Kawi en tant que petit ami.
Je suis religieusement Aou Thanaboon sur les réseaux sociaux depuis longtemps, car je l’aime beaucoup et j’attends impatiemment une série AouBoom. C’est d’ailleurs ses nombreuses publicités en faveur de la série qui m’ont donné envie de la commencer avant la fin de la diffusion, ce que je ne fais pas habituellement. Quel n’a pas été ma déception en voyant que son personnage, Max, est aussi mineur. Ça pourrait pourtant être un personnage très intéressant! Il s’est d’abord annoncé en tant qu’ancien meilleur ami de Kawi avec lequel il s’est disputé, mais le problème s’est si vite réglé qu’on oublie qu’ils étaient en froids. Franchement… Tout à son sujet a été mis de côté. Son départ vers un autre pays, la dispute, etc. Il devient seulement le gars homosexuel qui aide le couple principal. Fin. J’ai encore espoir pour la suite, car il a tant de potentiel.
Les autres personnages sont passables. J’aime bien Knot (Title Kirati), l’ami connard des principaux. L’acteur l’interprète à merveille et son histoire avec Kwan est intéressante. Ce garçon est une mauvaise influence qui n’est ni trop gentil, ni trop un gros con. Même si ses agissements sont répréhensibles, une part de moi ne peut s’empêcher de l’apprécier. Cependant, à côté de lui, je trouve Pearmai ennuyante. Elle est gentille, certes, mais ensuite? Il lui manque un petit quelque chose.
C’est triste à admettre, mais je trouvais le couple PisaengKawi plus mignon avant leur mise en couple officiel. Ils ont des interactions adorables, mais quelque chose me fait grincer des dents… peut-être est-ce le malaise que semble ressentir Krist chaque fois qu’il embrasse Gawin? Gawin parait plus à l’aise de jouer un rôle BL que son partenaire, à moins que le personnage de Kawi soit écrit de manière à ce qu’il semble amèrement regretter sa décision. Aucun amour n’est lisible dans ses yeux, contrairement à Pisaeng qui pourrait le dévorer et l’ensevelir sous un amas affectif. Je n’apprécie pas les couples pour qui une simple accolade est la fin du monde. Il n’y a aucune différence entre amis et amoureux. Ou presque. De plus, chaque fois que Kawi dit qu’il l’aime, on ne ressent pas grande sincérité. Ça va peut-être s’améliorer.
Bref, Be My Favorite est une bonne série qui mérite d’être visionné pour le divertissement, mais je doute qu’elle devienne un chef-d’œuvre incontournable parmi les BL. Tout est trop simple, sans évènement marquant ou personnages renversants. Cependant, c’est toujours agréable de voir les diverses réalités alternatives que crées les modifications de Kawi.
!!! DANGER SPOIL !!!
C’est dommage que Kawi ait dus voir un avenir ou sa relation avec Pear ne fonctionne pas pour qu’il accepte enfin d’offrir une chance à Pisaeng. Le fait qu’il soit un second choix de dernier recours viens enlever un peu de magie. Ils ont beau dire qu’ils étaient faits pour finir ensemble, mais j’ai quelques doutes.
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1Was Definitely A Favorite
Overall: I really enjoyed the balance of realism, the sci-fi element, seriousness and humor. 12 episodes about 45 min each aired on GMMTVs YouTube channel.Content Warnings: punch, ep 1 very side character intimate partner violence, manipulation, alcoholism, manhandling, two more in a comment with a spoiler
What I Liked
- communication, communication, communication (this was soooo refreshing to see adults communicating with each other)
- realistically flawed characters who learned and grew as the series continued, how Kawi was aware of his flaws and actively worked on them and apologized to others when he made mistakes, Pisaeng also had flaws and needed to work on them
- exemplar for showing time passing without a screen that says "3 years later"
- sweet moments
- Max was a supportive friend (and Pear as well)
- discussing social issues but not in an overly preachy way (examples, I don't think I've ever seen a character discuss the pros and cons of alcohol and I thought it was well done, also the way to show lack of medical privileges for same sex couples)
- Pisaeng was a green flag, he gave Kawi space and didn't constantly push his boundaries like I frequently see other characters do, he stopped something when Kawi fell asleep
- Kawi actively sought communication with Pisaeng instead of ghosting
- funny parts, that dancing was awesome in the beginning
- realistic, shows how our dreams fall apart, not everyone is rich and does great in school, our actions have consequences, live in the present
- touching, the parts with his dad, realizing the mistakes he's made
- the dynamic of the leads
- Pear wasn't a cliche female character, she was a fully developed believable human being
- neutral, I'm not a voiceover fan but it didn't bother me too much here
Room For Improvement
- I wish they showed Kawi checking on his dad first (as I think the majority of people would), he came across as a little too selfish with his obsession of being with Pear
- it dragged a bit in places
- in episode 6, Kawi didn't seem drunk enough to pass out
- there was quite a bit of kissing that was camera blocked/zoomed out
- episode 10/1, Pear kind of threw her friend under the bus, she could have just given her own reasons (and there would be plenty of them)
- episode 10/3, I do not agree with Max, there are people who are asexual and/or aromantic who are dating/in healthy and loving relationships
- freaking out over physical affection felt a bit odd because he was actually 10 years older, also that Kawi didn't have a heart to heart more with Pisaeng about it
- having the Pear scenes interspersed with Kawi/Pisaeng in ep 11 part 1 was strange
- Pisaeng had other reasons and I wish he'd given them instead of "you're cute"
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Cette critique peut contenir des spoilers
Did it manage to be my favorite?!!
This series is cute, funny and so addictive. From the characters to the storyline to it's background music and osts. Damn I love all of it so much. Everything blends and complements the whole setting. The time travel aspect has been used nicely. It's not just a trope that's sidelined as the story progresses, it's the plot in itself. Kawi knows the future and he's trying to amend things says a lot. I am actually glad Kawi's to do list didn't only contain mending love life but also convincing his father for treatment and getting back with his long time friend Max. The overall concept of traveling back in time and finding an unexpected love, it sounds cliche but it's portrayed so nicely and it's interesting.Talking about the characters, Kawii is a confused soul and towards the starting he seemed so selfish but nevertheless he is so cute mahn. Oh damn! the decisions he took made me facepalm myself but then he did feel guilty when he messed things up and he amended it. The way he apologizes, the way he whines, overall the way he behaves around Pisaeng, damn it's filled with cute gestures.
Then we have Pisaeng, this guy right from the very start had my heart. He is such a sweetheart and damn the level of patience he has. He is whipped for Kawii and I am whipped for him. Episode by episode I just liked him more and more. This guy is a walking green flag. He really deserves the world. I can't with both of them. They both manage to shake me up pretty badly T^T. I just can't get enough of them.
And Pearmai, she is sweet, she is friendly, I kind of understand her and she really deserves better. And Max, this guy is the most understanding, reasonable, lovable character plus a great friend and let me add that hairstyle suits him. We seriously need more characters like him. Also the other characters have played their part really well. Like there were so many instances when I wanted to go inside and knock some sense into Knot, sometimes even knock him down. And Kwan, oh my god, I sincerely wanted to see her get over Knot.
And, Yes!! Yes!! this did manage to be one of my favorites. They are so sweet. I love them. The pacing of the story is good, the plot is interesting, the osts are good and so are the characters. Highly recommended!!
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Definitely an underrated gem among 2023 BL series
Incredible cinematography, great special fx, superb writing and incredible color grading. Gawin is absolutely phenomenal as our charismatic love interest Pisaeng while Krist once again proves his impeccable comedic charms as our dorky protagonist Kawi. Both male leads are very likable and easy to empathize with (even when they make bad decisions or say things they don't mean T.T). If people are willing to come to this show with an open-mind, I think it's really easy to fall in love with the series and its characters. Be My Favorite has one of the most promising premises in the roster of 2023 BLs and I think it's definitely a hidden gem and being overlooked despite it being a GMMTV BL series.Cet avis était-il utile?
What did I do with the past? You did something right, Kawi!
I think this is one of the hidden gems of 2023. It has been getting a lot less attention than some other series, but it was a great watch. It’s a GMMTV series, meaning my expectations were fairly high as they are well-established, well-known company that produces tens of series each year. And they did not disappoint. I think the cinematography was amazing, I loved how the scenes were filmed, the lightning, the transitions… The OST was beautiful as well. Both Krist and Gawin are good singers and that definitely shows.Pisaeng & Kawi: Kawi is living his best baby girl life. I find him adorable. He can be so awkward and weird at times but dares to be outgoing when he thinks he is dreaming. Or is not sober. Hiding under his covers whenever things are not going his way is a total mood! And Pisaeng being a very reluctant babysitter to a drunk Kawi was cute! I really like his character; he is both serious but also very down to earth. He can easily read the room and seems to be quite good at understanding what is going on most of the time. I think we have seen a lot of character growth from both characters, but especially Kawi when he realized that there are things that cannot be fixed. Gawin and Krist were brilliant. I really loved their chemistry, and how Gawin portrayed so much through his eyes.
Kawi tries so hard to change the future and even ends up hurting the person that cares about him the most, but I can understand where he is coming from. He knows what the future holds, Pisaeng doesn’t, and he thinks that is not the future he wants or is willing to accept. He is stuck on the idea of loving Pear that he doesn’t think about anything else. He is trying to be closer to Pear and keep his distance from Pisaeng, but at the same time, it is obvious that he cares about him. A lot. Whenever he hurts him, he ends up chasing after Pisaeng. He wouldn’t do that if he didn’t care.
Speaking of Pear, she took me on a rollercoaster. I went from finding her cute, to pitying her, to hating her and to loving her. Her character is incredibly well written, it has a lot of dimension. Aye did really well portraying her, showing emotions and reacting to what was happening. The way her story unfolded, in both the past and present and possible present, showed a lot of character growth. Even if she technically didn’t know about the (potential) future. She wasn’t just a jealous ex or wanna-be-girlfriend which was really refreshing to see.
I believe that Kawi has never been truly in love with Pear. I think he was in love with the idea of being in love with her and what that represented to him. Pear for him represented a good life, a good future, something better than the life he had.
Max. He might be my favorite. I absolutely loved the way his character was written, how he was always there to support his friends, to give advice and to talk some sense into them. I found his presence very calming. He was realistic and did his best to lead his friends down the right path, but he was never pushy about it. He simply spoke what others were afraid to admit to themselves, to say it out loud.
I think we can all agree that Not is the most unlikeable character in the series. And I am not mad about it. It showed that not everyone is a good person, no matter how many chances they get, some people never better themselves. It really drove home the idea that we are responsible for making the right choices, for being honest and good. That is not up to others, even if their actions can affect us to some extent. Just compare how he never changed and how much growth Pear showed.
The series also addressed a few important issues and I think they took a very mature and appropriate approach to it. They talked about the pros and cons of drinking, of what happens when it becomes too much. They let us peak into what it means to not have your relationship be recognized by the country. The confusion one faces when they realize they might be attracted to someone of the same sex. Coming out to parents. And more. But it was also incorporated into the story, it made sense to be discussed, to be shown.
I do think that they mostly incorporated the humor nicely, especially at the beginning of the series when Kawi went to the past for the first time. I do think that it got a bit strange at some parts later in the series, but it wasn’t too bothersome.
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We Must Choose To Live The Life We Never Want To Go Back And Fix
I am in shock by how much I truly enjoyed this show. I saw people recommending it here and there but I kept putting it off until it was already around the time when about 5 or 6 episodes were out.THEY SHOWED UP AND SHOWED OUT ON THIS SHOW!!!
SPOILERS AHEAD
I just wanted to give a brief overview of the main characters…
You have Kawi who is a chaotic, anxious, and lost mess who doesn’t have the highest sense of self-worth and self-assurance but yet still wants to do what’s right, wants to learn from his mistakes, and is in my opinion overall a good person. I think Kawi can be quite misunderstood as a character or some people may take fault with how he goes about dealing with certain situations but I think he might be one of, if not, the most relatable characters on the show. Life is full of choices and we as humans can struggle at times to know which way to go or how to handle things. Also, having to deal with such opposing feelings and the effects that those feelings can have on others around us. He is the perfect example of honesty within yourself and to others.
Pisaeng is BEST BOY TRULY!!! He is the ride or die man!!! He is loyal to Kawi through and through no matter what timeline they are in. Even during those moments where they are still just friends and Kawi is grappling with his overwhelming emotions, Pisaeng is still there. I loved that we got to see a glimpse into him coming to terms with his identity. I also thought that the storyline concerning his mother was very valid and needed attention so I am glad that it was included. Pisaeng is the type that is self-sacrificing, almost too much, but that’s something one can learn to overcome. What else can I say other than that his heart is so pure.
PEAR IS WHAT A FEMALE CHARACTER IN A BL SHOULD BE LIKE!!! I LOVED that we got to see a multi dimensional female character on the show who’s only purpose wasn’t to be going after a man that clearly doesn’t want her. Her relationship with her parents, particularly her mom really made me emotional to see and seeing her hypothetical outcome in the future really made me feel for her even more. She turned out to be such a great friend to Kawi and Pisaeng and that’s how it should be.
Max is the friend that we all need. I liked his honesty towards his friends. People need the truth, you can’t always sugarcoat everything and Max gave that. He really served as a much needed confidant for both Kawi and Pisaeng. I really wish his character could have had more of a storyline other than just as being a friend but I really truly feel like his purpose was to showcase the importance of equality for all.
Now on to what I liked about the show…
Be My Favorite manages to tackle many themes in it’s runtime without feeling forced. It touches on things like discovery/identity, acceptance, forgiveness, healing, liberation, how the past impacts the present/future, friendship, living in the moment, and many more.
Not only that but the pacing of this show is spot on as well. There wasn’t ever a moment where I felt like a scene was unneeded. Everything just flowed nicely. I also thought that the writing on this show was surprisingly wonderful. The dialogue stayed with me and every line felt like it was meant to be there. The plot kept me coming back for more.
I can’t talk about this show without mentioning the main characters acting. Krist and Fluke were an unlikely but wonderful combination together. I thought they both played their roles with conviction and believability. The chemistry was chemistrying for sure lol
I also thought that the show utilized the time travel concept very well. It was actually interwoven into the plot and it seemed like whoever came up with the idea really knew how to execute it well.
There wasn’t much that I disliked about this show if you couldn’t already tell.
All in all, this is one of the best BL’s of 2023 and one of the best BL’s in general. It deserves ALL of the love and praise!!!
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One-Sided Chemistry
I thought the premise of the show was great. I loved that Kawi could not go back in time on subsequent trips to the same moments he'd already gone back to. He got one shot and had to live with whatever domino effect it caused.Gawin did a great job as Pisaeng. It's so clear when his feelings for Kawi begin to develop. You watch him fall in love with Kawi so naturally. Never once did I doubt the feelings Pisaeng had for Kawi.
I'm not going to remark on Krist's acting because it's hard to determine how much is direction, writing and the actor's choices. What I will comment on is his character, Kawi. Kawi was, at times, very likable and easy to cheer on. However he was also so negative and self-defeating he often became exhausting to watch. Like Kawi, I frequently wondered why Pisaeng liked him. He could have done better, to be honest.
I wish Max got more screen time and more of a storyline of his own. I thought he was a really great character and at one point thought Pisaeng was going to end up dating him during one of the incarnations of the past. I liked that they talked about the political realities of being queer in Thailand with the current laws. My own teenage years in the US were similar to where Max was in the past timeline.
Pearmai was an interesting character. I think she could have been handled better in terms of her liking and sort of waiting for Pisaeng even though she knew he wasn't into her. It was also very poorly handled when she decided to give the guy she'd JUST rejected a shot once she was finally rejected herself. That didn't sit right with me. I really liked her development with her parents and the struggles she had going on there.
I really enjoyed the message of living in the present and choosing to live a life you don't wish to go back and "fix." Easier said than done off screen, of course. I really liked how the time jumps connected to the last moment Kawi was present in the past or future.
The thing that really brought down my rating was Kawi's side of the romance with Pisaeng. As I mentioned already, I never doubted for a moment that Pisaeng had fallen for Kawi. However, I never believed Kawi had genuinely fallen for Pisaeng, with the exception of the majority of the last episode. Instead of being together because he finally realizes he loves Pisaeng, to me it came off a lot more like Kawi had eliminated all the other options and what he was left with was a best friend who was indispensable but in love with him. So he decided to get into a relationship to keep this person in his life.
I know that's not the intent of the show but its how it came across to me. When they'd kiss Kawi didn't seem to want to be there or participating in it. He fell into a trope I hate in bl of the more passive partner dodging affection (what couple actively avoids kissing each other ALL the time even in private? this is the trope I'm referring to not specifically Kawi as he wasn't that bad but he had plenty of these moments). You wind up with Pisaeng basically begging for attention and affection and Kawi begrudgingly allowing it some of the time. This 100% came off as "I got the consolation prize but I really wanted the actual prize." (Pisaeng being the consolation for Kawi.)
I won't get into it too much, but the whole scene with Kawi being near-unconscious levels of drunk and kissing Pisaeng only for Pisaeng to continue while Kawi is unresponsive was incredibly unsettling. This felt very out of character for someone who had been very careful and considerate of Kawi during the rest of the series.
Gawin carried this show for me
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Lightyears of Poetry
I believe everyone at one point or another in their lives has wished for the chance to go back and change the past, do things differently, fix past mistakes, etc., I know I certainly have. What Be My Favorite does so well is show that making those changes isn't as simple as we might like to think. It requires personal growth, pushing outside our comfort zone, thinking about more than just oneself and sticking around to maintain those changes, plus a touch of magic, of course. This drama was so beautifully done, so well thought out and executed, it has certainly become one of my favorites.The story, dealing with time travel, could have been great or a total flop. The way it was handled made it great. Rather than getting into the mechanics of time travel and trying to make it too sci-fi, it explained just enough for things to make sense and didn't go any deeper. The story as a whole though did feel deep. This isn't just a fluff drama, it actually has substance and quite a lot at that. It touches on various issues, but rather than being preachy like some dramas get, those elements were added in an organic way that flowed and worked within the story. Those issues included LGBTQ+ rights both as a whole and more specifically the lack of those rights when it comes to medical care, alcoholism regarding both the pros and cons of drinking alcohol and why some may choose not to drink and that is totally okay, and grief in understanding that there are some things that simply cannot be changed and learning to grieve for that loss, but also accept it. Despite the sci-fi elements, there was a very realistic feel to everything. Aspects such as the gap between the rich and poor were shown, how someone does in school does not define them or their abilities, that we won't succeed at everything and failure is a part of life but doesn't need to define it, and our actions truly do have consequences both good and bad.
The pacing is very nearly perfect. There are one or two spots that are a touch slow, but not obnoxiously so. One aspect that I really liked was the way the passage of time was handled. Comments, brief shots of calendars and the like helped make it clear that time was passing. But the crowning touch was the montage in Episode 10 which was absolutely perfect and so much better than a sudden time jump. Not only did it provide a myriad of cute moments between Kawi and Pisaeng, but it also showed how their relationship had progressed over time. Other dramas should take note, this is the way you do it.
I don't think there was a single character that I didn't like in some capacity. No one felt superfluous, they all served some kind of purpose. What helped was keeping the cast pretty tight. Yes, there were scenes with more characters, but they kept the core group small. Not having a second couple helped a lot and allowed the full focus to be on Kawi and Pisaeng which was good since the build up of their relationship was a bit of a slow burn. That focus enabled them to better show their changing feelings, particularly with Kawi. The best part of their relationship though was the communication between them. I cannot even describe how refreshing it was to see such a healthy relationship portrayed where both parties truly respected each other and actively sought to communicate with each other. Even better was that it was shown throughout and was a core aspect of their relationship. And the importance of communication was echoed in other relationships, between Pisaeng and his mother, Pear and her parents, and even with Kwan and Knot.
Kawi was a great character. His growth was so well done as he learned to step outside himself and take his life in his own hands to influence it rather than just letting things happen to him. He made conscious decisions to fix things and make changes to himself. It was his willingness to acknowledge his faults and then correct them that enabled him to change his future. Pisaeng was another great character. Similarly to Kawi, he had his faults, but he too was willing to address and correct them as he actively listened to the criticisms he was given. His obvious respect for Kawi as a person and as a lover was clear and refreshing. Also refreshing were the characters of Max and Pear. Max was not just the token gay friend, he was a fully realized character who served as a sounding board for both Kawi and Pisaeng. And his advice and comments were usually pretty on the nose. He supported them both unconditionally while adding a good dose of humor at times. Similarly, Pear was not the token female friend. Again, she was a fully realized character and, as a woman, I cannot describe how much I loved that. She wasn't the jealous ex-girlfriend or wannabe girlfriend and her only purpose wasn't to be a supportive friend, though she was that. She had her own hopes and dreams as well as struggles that she had to deal with. Communication was again a key element with her in regards to her relationships with both Kawi and Pisaeng. Pisaeng's lack of communication regarding his feelings towards her was actually a source of pain for her, despite the fact that was exactly why he hadn't said anything, so he wouldn't cause her pain. It showed that sometimes silence is not golden and being open is actually the better option.
I've seen most of the cast in at least one other drama if not more, so I had high expectations for them and they did not disappoint in the slightest. Having only seen Krist in SOTUS, I was excited to see him play a character so polar opposite from that of Arthit. He was phenomenal, completely embodying the character of Kawi with all his quirks and awkwardness. And his chemistry with Gawin was fantastic. They played off of each other beautifully and had such a great connection. I will say it's a subtler chemistry than seen in other BLs, but I really liked it and felt it worked within the context of the story. I've seen Gawin in a few dramas and was thrilled that he finally got a leading role. He acts a lot through his eyes and he does so effectively, this time was no different. Despite having less experience than other cast members, he absolutely held his own. Aye is a seasoned and talented actress that I've seen in several dramas. She did a great job at giving Pear depth and really making her emotions and turmoil understood and felt. Similar to Gawin, Aou is less experienced, but I've found him to be quite a versatile actor. He gave a grounded feel to the character of Max as well as a certain level of assuredness that gave his character more substance.
The production was very well done. The cinematography was beautiful and the music was fantastic. Both Krist and Gawin are very talented singers and they certainly did the soundtrack justice.
Despite the numerous lessons and themes woven into the plot of Be My Favorite, I think one of the biggest takeaways is simply to live in the present. Too often we look to the future, imagining how things might be and we miss what's right in front of us. Kawi's life improves when he stops looking to the future and instead lives in the present. I think it's a good reminder for all of us. I cannot recommend this drama enough, it is truly one of the best I've seen, one that I foresee I'll be coming back to multiple times.
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Maybe not my Favourite but a really fun watch
This drama starts off with a whole lot of cringe, second hand embarrassment and a plea from me that one of our leads will please act his real age and not like a pree teen with low blodsugar. The other lead and the girl he married in the first timeline where however the sweetest people ever making me completely fall in love with those two...As the story progressed our main lead finally grew up and all was fun to watch, the pacing got better, the story had me hooked and I pretty much loved every single characters role in this. Annoying elemens more or less went while there was some cringe left Flukes constant flirty moves with his eyebrows pretty much made up for all the wrongs in this drama.
Was it a masterpiece, nope, not at all, did it actually contribute with a great massage or bring something new to the table? nope not really but it was entertaining, pretty to look at and while some of the dialog did provoke me just a little bit by offering some inspirational mumbo jumbo I still loved it. So while I did deduct some points here and there the over all feel is deffinettly an 8,5 maybe even a 8,75.
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AN UNINTENTIONAL LOVESTORY
From high school heartbreak to time travel, this is a very exciting romantic fantasy that will get you hooked from the very beginning and even as the series progresses.
It's been a long while since Kris last starred in a BL drama and I can tell that in BE MY FAVOURITE that he has made an outstanding comeback.
The series is interesting because of a number of things which I am going to point out in detail.
First and foremost, the chemistry of the main leads is very outstanding and can instantly be felt from the very beginning which I admire, Be my favourite touches the spot rather than rotating around in circles which doesn't make it too confusing.
Secondly, since TRIAGE aired back in 2022, it has another element that I have been very eager to see in another THAI BL DRAMA which is TIME TRAVEL which is not much of a cliché, besides the series does away with a lot of our high school BL LOVESTORY STEREOTYPES because this I feel is one of the first mature dramatic plots that have been executed where characters act with some degree of emotional depth rather than psych.
I was about to scream wild ever since our second main male lead FLUKE delivered a heartthrobing performance as a support character in NOT ME the series UNAR and I can't help but keep falling for him in almost every scene.
He adds a tone of humour to the series and self realisation, while he is equally the outgoing type of person I admire his role of being the charmer that he is.
There's also the cliffhanger effect which though rare in a number of BL TROPES, BE MY FAVOURITE seems to have adapted it much better than a number of other series, generally, as there are yet a number of more episodes to air, the best that I can say is that this series has delivered a remarkable message that even mature lovestories are very sweet and the fact that the love between our main characters is unintentional but progressive with every scene, it doesn't get too boring along the way and the pacing seems to hit the spot just right.
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Cette critique peut contenir des spoilers
Why do you like someone like me?
TRIGGER WARNING: Unpopular opinionThe title is a legitimate question considering the utter unlikability of the character of Kawi! I was genuinely puzzled throughout the series, trying to figure out the reasons for Piseang to like Kawi. I could not find any! And when questioned, Pisaeng would reply: "Because you're cute!". No, not possible because Kawi is anything but cute! But, more about that later: first things first!
Having run out of interesting bls to watch, I pulled this highly recommended thai series off of my not interested list. Mistake! Huge mistake! This is the second time in as many months I find myself watching a bl drama where one of the leads, here Gawin, carries the total weight of the show on his shoulders. If it were not for him, this would have gone back to my not interested list. (The other drama is Step By Step.)
This is is story of Kawi, a loser toiling through life and wishing what if.... Until one day a stranger offers to fix his music box crystal ball. When repaired that music box turns to be magical taking Kawi back to the past in order to fix his mistakes. He fails miserably, over and over again until he realizes that his soulmate is not Pear, a kind girl from the university but Pisaeng a cheeky and gruff fellow student with a longterm crush on Kawi. Once he realizes that, everything kind of falls into place and Kawi is happy and satisfied with his life. Episode 11 is mostly pure fluff! Until it isn't anymore!
Time travel and groundhog day tropes are one of my favourites so I stuck with this series. And those tropes were well executed, there were no plot holes and everything went smoothly there. All the support characters were excellent. Behind the time travel there is a romance : who do you love, how do you recognize your soulmate, how to gain acceptance. The series is lightly sprinkled throughout with rainbows and american progressive ideas (pride, islamophobia) I guess speaking to millennials. I am not one of them nor I am the target audience for this series so I found those scenes grating! I do not like ideology shoved into my face: I bit of delicacy please! (Why do you think I do not watch c dramas? Reset was more than enough!). Sorry I am drifting away from the subject in question!
The biggest problem here is Krist who was so tragically miscast as Kawi. I ilke Krist a lot but here... He is too old, his acting is wooden and he is not cute. I did not find him convincing but rather oddly repulsive as a 19yr old student: he was grimacing all the time, because Kawi felt ill at ease, but those facial expression belong mostly in a japanese manga and not here. He did better playing a 30 yr old even though he often fell into the "kawai" trap and spoke with a childish voice. Awful!
Gawin, on the other hand was perfection: he was at ease in his role, everything felt natural and normal around him. Only one thing was missing: the chemistry between them was touch and go! No matter how much Gawin emoted, having Pisaeng express his love in many ways, nothing seemed to bounce off of Kawi or Krist as Kawi. Fortunately, Mike did not take this role otherwise this would have turned into a disaster show; Gawin saved this single handedly!
There were a few scenes that have become obligatory in thai bls: rooftop/terrace night confession, which made me think of Bad Buddy, and a beach at sunset with couples being all lovey dovey! Find other sets, directors, please! I loved the final sunset scene: it lasted a long time but the sun did not moved an inch. How did you manage to film it, I wonder?
DISCLAIMER Even though I am convinced that I am free to give my opinion of a drama, to say what I did or did not like, I know that my opinion will not please some so I would like to say it loud and clear: This is my opinion of the drama I watched. No emotional harm intended to anyone!
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