Only Friends (2023)

Finally the real gay community

I was so excited to see the chaos this would be. I was so proud of GMMTv for the audacity. Realistic stuff always get me, it's a love-hate thing.
But let's go to the character analysis.
Everyone sucks. The only character who is an actual angel is Sand.
Mew: was descent until he became Harley Twink and turned toxic as well.
Force and Boston: both can't keep it in their pants. Except Force was willing to join monogamy at the end, but Boston couldn't, that's not who he is.
Nick: did some fucked up shit and was very colorblind when it came to red flags, but he was not a bad person at the end of the day and I'm glad he teamed up with the best person in the "group".
Ray: messed up, poor little rich kid... nah 'cause Ray fucking sucked and would make a scene out of every little thing. He definitely doesn't know how to deal with anything and that could be because he doesn't got a mom and a present dad but took him too long to even want to try to be a better person. He hurt too many people. Sand was a saint for pulling up with all that shit.
Sand: I think he is flawless, but he gave too many chances to Ray, also kinda colorblind. It went well at the end, thankfully.
Chuem: I was so happy that this actress would be gay in the show. Also was so happy that she was dating Nanon's sister. But damn, she was so annoying and had no own opinion. She would just believe anyone that came up to her and said like '"your girlfriend said "blah blah"'. She wouldn't even ask or talk about it, she would just come for the person. There was also kinda of a lack of chemistry between her and April tbh.
April: is only there to be Chuem's girlfriend, barely appears.
Yo and Plug: I wish their story had more screen time, cause they meant nothing to me (which is sad 'cause I love Jennie)
Atom: bro was filthy. I tried to understand that he was very confused and fell for the first guy he hooked up with right after he found out he likes men too, I was kinda sorry for him but he fucked up still.

We can see most characters are very well written and developed. I really liked that and the fact that everything was very real, like getting out of that romantic perfect bubble. I kinda wish the couples wouldn't end up together, because that could be like a lesson about real life: some things don't work out and that's okay. I loved that Nick and Boston didn't get together in the end, Boston tried but he was unable to be monogamous, so he should just try and stop making other people's lives miserable. Overall the drama was very nice to watch, chaos is very entertaining. Seeing our beloved actors getting out of their comfort zone and playing shitty characters was an experience.

Lire davantage

Crazy, but Fun

Like the title of this review, Only Friends was crazy, but fun. There's a LOT of drama, but that's the whole point of the show. If you're looking for a gentle, sweet, kiss-on-the-cheek drama, check out 2gether or something like that. This show is NOT for the people wanting the innocent first love story. This show is meant for the people that want the drama that comes with boys that are capital M - messy!

Story:
I gave the storyline an 9.0 instead of a 10.0 because there were so many misunderstandings. Don't get me wrong, I love me a good misunderstanding, but it felt like there was a point where the only drama for every couple was the a misunderstanding arc. Use it once or twice, but don't keep reusing it in the same fashion for every couple. Communication is key!
I will say, the ending was pretty good and the way that the characters reacted to things was fairly understandable/reasonable for their characterization. This is to say that the reactions may not have been reasonable in a modern IRL setting for an everyday person, but for the characters and their stories, the reactions and motives were fairly on point.

Acting:
First/Khaotung were amazing as always. Their chemistry is OUTSTANDING. I loved them in The Eclipse and I loved them here. They were messy messy, but they were real in a way that I appreciate. Sand stayed firm in his boundaries and Ray learned how to see himself through Sand's eyes leading him to loving himself more than he had in the past.

Give it a go if you're looking for a far more mature series (and you're not afraid of a little mess.)

Lire davantage

Sin dal primo trailer non avevo grandi aspettative perché la storia a mio parere non sembrava avere tanto senso per questo l’ho semplicemente nominata “serie in cui si cornificano a vicenda”. In realtà se dovessi descrivere la trama di Only Friends direi quest’ultima frase, non saprei spiegarla in nessun'altra maniera, è tutto così incasinato e complicato per riuscire a spiegare che tipo di serie sia.
La mia opinione non è risultata cambiata quando ho visto il secondo trailer, semplicemente sono rimasta scioccata, ero senza fiato perchè non mi aspettavo di vedere quello che ho visto.
In ogni caso sarò sincera dicendo che il tipo di trama che troviamo proposta qui è una di quelle che evito perchè sono incasinate e sinceramente vado molto più per un amore puro e sincero, non amo i tradimenti e sono rancorosa quindi non sopporterei questo tipo di trama, ma alla fine l’ho vista lo stesso per due motivi:
1. so che se ne sarebbe parlato tanto e volevo provare l’esperienza che amo di più, ossia il vedere video e opinioni delle persone su una serie mentre questa è in onda;
2. questo è il punto determinante. IL CAST. Inutile fare, se mi avessero proposto un altro cast molto probabilmente non l’avrei mai iniziata perchè questo è veramente ottimo, spettacolare, se fossero stati altri attori non mi sarebbe interessato. Per non parlare della presenza dei miei amati First e Khao.
Quindi ci pensai un pò e mi dissi vabbè proviamoci.
Adesso come adesso posso dire che la serie in sè mi è piaciuta sin dall’inizio per il suo vibes, è fresco e pungente, mi piace.
Però inutile dire che la storia è un fottuto casino, non amo dover parlare di persona o coppia in persona o coppia ma con questa serie è l’unico metodo, tanto so che farò mischi assurdi.

Incominciando da colui che sin dall’inizio mi è sembrato colui che fosse più marcato, quasi come fosse il singolo protagonista, ossia Mew.
Dico che sembra come il vero protagonista perché alla fine tutto rimanda a lui, tutto gira intorno a lui.
Sin dall’inizio l’ho amato veramente tanto, insieme a Sand, ma a una certa mi è sceso veramente in basso; partendo proprio dall’inizio non ero sicura che Top potesse essere un buon ragazzo e di sua parte ho amato come Mew sia stato attento nel verificare se Top potesse essere serio o meno. Insieme li ho anche amati ma non tantissimo, mi hanno dato fastidio varie cose ma la cosa che più mi ha sfracassato le palle è stato quando Mew ha chiesto a Top di smetterla di fare uso di droghe e Top ha deciso che doveva essere ricompensato sennò non faceva come Mew aveva detto. Lì inutile dire il nervoso che mi è salito, Mew te lo dice per il tuo bene e te pensi solo a un modo per obbligarlo ad andare a letto con te! Ho odiato questa cosa ed il fatto che Mew veramente lo abbia “ricompensato”. Non mi è piaciuto.
Un’altra cosa che ho odiato è stato assolutamente quando Top si è arrabbiato vedendo il video del bacio tra Mew e Ray. Dico io allora sei coglione perché mo vabbè che Boston è un altro coglione di merda ma cazzo, te l’ha pure detto che l’accaduto era di due anni prima, che ti arrabbi a fare! Lì scioccata perchè veramente si è solo avuta la conferma che usciva con Mew solo perchè era vergine e voleva farlo con uno vergine, quindi quando ha avuto il dubbio del fatto che Mew gli abbia mentito o meno gli ha dato fastidio.
Il vero problema è che se ami Mew e sei serio con lui, a te non dovrebbe fregare più di tanto di una cosa di due anni prima, manco fosse di quel momento; e la cosa ancora più assurda è che si è sentito così superiore da farlo con Boston per la rabbia. Inutile fare che ci sono rimasta di merda, questo è tradimento a tutti gli effetti e sinceramente per me Mew non l’avrebbe dovuto neanche perdonare.
Ho amato come Mew abbia fatto sapere a Top che il tradimento non era più un segreto, è stato fantastico.
Poi sinceramente Mew mi è caduto parecchio in basso.
Mi aspettavo una bella vendetta, non lui che si facesse trasportare da tutto e diventare una persona che non è, ma alla fine non gliene do una colpa perchè lui è la vittima.
Innanzitutto non mi è piaciuto come abbia fatto la mossa di andare a provarci con quello per prendere il video dalla sua chiavetta ma bho allo stesso tempo ho amato come abbia usato saggiamente questa cosa contro Boston. Proprio il fatto di presentarsi a casa sua, parlarne col padre come se fosse un progetto di recitazione facendo cagare sotto Boston, ho adorato poi soprattutto la maturità del dirgli che anche se si è procurato quel video, lui non è una merda come Boston e non gioca sporco. Amato.
Poi di lì è caduto in tutti i sensi e se in un primo momento ne ero incazzata, poi ne sono stata triste perchè l'ho capito. Top è pur sempre stato il suo primo amore, è ovvio che vedendosi cornuto avrà pensato a cose come “Non sono abbastanza?" “Sono noioso?” e altro ancora. Per questo l’unica cosa che è finito a fare è stato cercare di non sembrare noioso per fargli vedere cosa si è perso, però nel tentativo di cercare di riaverlo.
Ha iniziato a fumare, bere, fare festa, lo stile è cambiato, ma soprattutto il suo atteggiamento, e poi ha deciso che bha avrebbe dovuto amare l’unica persona che veramente c’è sempre stata per lui e lo ama, Ray. Lì scioccata che stesse realmente succedendo, non volevo succedesse anche perchè finalmente le cose tra Ray e Sand stavano andando bene. In questa maniera sarebbe stato rovinato tutto.
Poi sinceramente non mi piaceva l’idea di Mew che utilizzava Ray per cercare di ingelosire Top e Ray di sua parte che se prima era indeciso sui suoi sentimenti, adesso lo sarebbe stato ancora di più. Non mi sembrava giusto per entrambi.
Che poi Cheum disse che era colpa di Ray se Mew era andato a finire così ma sarò sincera e dirò che non è così. Per l’amor del cielo, Mew ha voluto tutto questo e l’ha chiesto a Ray, dimmi te che cosa avrebbe mai dovuto fare Ray che lui in primis è un fottuto alcolista, chi è alcolista come può fermare gli altri dal bere, non sa fermare se stesso e pretendi fermasse Mew. Ma poi anche se fosse, Mew è adulto e può decidere per sé quindi se decide di farlo, lo faccia. Che sbaglia lo sappiamo bene tutti ma da come sta messo mentalmente meglio che l’abbia capito col tempo.
Però veramente Mew mi era sceso un botto, anche se ne ero veramente triste, mi è stra dispiaciuto per lui, si vedeva che aveva amato e amava Top con tutto se stesso, sennò non sarebbe finito in quel modo.
Inutile dire che ho amato quando ha buttato in piscina sia Boston che Top ahahah.
Sinceramente sono una persona rancorosa e odio veramente tanto il tradimento, se fossi stata in Mew manco morta avrei perdonato Top. So quanto è orribile e ingiusto il tradimento, per questo ho sperato tanto che Mew non lo perdonasse ma che ci vuoi fare, Mew è ultra innamorato di Top, avrà resistito un pò eccetera ma si sapeva che alla fine avrebbe ceduto e la cosa che veramente ho odiato è che dopo tutta la madonna di cose successe hanno deciso di mettermi in mezzo pure quel bastardo di Boeing. Lo odio con tutta me stessa insieme a Boston e un pochetto meno Top.
Sinceramente non ci voleva pure tutto sto casino con lui, ha dato solo estremo fastidio.
Alla fine Mew e Top saranno pure tornati insieme ma bho io non sono ancora riuscita a perdonare completamente Top, si vede che è dispiaciuto come non mai e che si è estremamente pentito ma allo stesso tempo per me il tradimento è la peggio cosa.
Però diciamo che ho alleggerito un po ' il cuore sulla cosa per il fatto di vedere finalmente Mew più felice. Cosa che però non è ritornata alla normalità è il suo atteggiamento, si vede che è maturato dalla questione ma data la sporcizia di situazione avrei preferito non succedesse nulla così che rimanesse com’era, ha passato veramente tanto senza meritarsi tutta quella merda.

Per quanto riguarda Ray e Sand, la cosa è tanta.
Una cosa è certa, questa coppia è l’unica che mi ha fatto provare i maggiori sentimenti in assoluto. Sin dall’inizio ho pianto valangate di lacrime per loro, sia di felicità che di tristezza.
Inutile dire che Sand è stato il mio personaggio preferito in assoluto per tutta la serie. Amore mio purtroppo ne ha passate tante.
Sia Sand che Ray sono persone che in amore ci mettono tutto il cuore ma mentre Sand si fa facilmente trascinare, Ray finge di essere trascinato, per esattezza è trascinato dai suoi sentimenti contrastanti che lo fanno stare bene con Sand ma appena vede o sente Mew subito scatta la scintilla per il suo vecchio amore.
Ray è un personaggio molto delicato e purtroppo non è stato quasi mai trattato bene dalle persone, vuole solo un pò di compagnia e soprattutto vuole essere amato.
Purtroppo è così pieno di problemi e gli è stato difficile rendersi conto di se stesso e capirsi, si sarebbe dovuto impegnare sul capire i suoi sentimenti per non far soffrire Sand, eppure coglione com’è non ha fatto nulla neanche quando si è messo con Mew, dato che pretendeva lo stesso di essere geloso di Sand. Infatti io l’avevo sempre cercato di capire ma lì proprio ho detto basta e ho pensato che fosse veramente il momento di decidere perché l’amore non è una scelta e non puoi pretendere di amare due persone contemporaneamente, credi veramente che questo sarà accettato da loro?!
Il suo è stato un comportamento decisamente egoista ed è stato pure il primo a parlare con Sand dicendo che nei momenti passati assieme era veramente felice.
Quindi non volevo proprio capire cosa lo fermasse, era troppo legato ai vecchi sentimenti per lasciarli andare e aggiungerne di nuovi.
Sand è stato trattato veramente male da Ray, inutile dire i pianti che mi sono fatta; una delle scene che più mi ha fatto piangere è quella finale dell’episodio 5 in cui Sand dice: con questa scena piansi veramente tanto perchè si vedeva quanto Sand avesse messo tanto amore in Ray e quanto avesse sperato per il meglio.
Per quanto riguarda di quando Sand è riuscito a convincere Ray a fare riabilitazione, quel periodo iniziale è stato doloroso, ho amato la recitazione di First e Khao nelle scene in cui litigavano e nella scena di riappacificazione dal litigio, purtroppo è vero che Sand non avesse veramente preso quei soldi ma la scena così sembrava quindi ho sentito proprio nel profondo la sensazione di Ray. Si sarà sentito tradito, usato, una scusante e tutti i sentimenti per lui si erano annullati, erano falsi. Quindi capisco benissimo perchè si sia lasciato andare e abbia urlato tutto fuori, questo lo ha anche aiutato a comprendersi meglio e una volta saputa la verità è stato tutto così bello nel vedere lui che correva da Sand per dirgli che senza di lui non può vivere ecc.
Che poi loro due sono stati un roller coaster per tutta la serie perché ogni episodio andava da dio per poi finire male con loro, ero felice e poi mi ritrovavo a piangere e gli ultimi episodi sono stati quelli più decisivi però devo dire di aver trovato un atteggiamento diverso.
Con l’arrivo di Boeing signor pulce fastidiosa anche da Sand, ho trovato che la cosa fosse tornata all’inizio ma inversa; Sand indeciso sui suoi sentimenti mentre Ray era lì super forte. Ho decisamente amato Ray ma purtroppo per me è stato un pò troppo crudele con Sand nella scena della piscina perché mio dio quei pochi minuti sono stati lo stress in persona, assurdi, ero scioccata.
Però cazzo quanto mi sono piaciuti loro, la coppia che più ho amato di questa serie e l’unica che speravo con tutta me stessa finisse assieme.
NON MI PUBBLICA TUTTA LA RECENSIONE PERCHè DICE CHE è TROPPO LUNGA, QUINDI NE HO PUBBLICATA UN'ALTRA

Lire davantage

Khaotung and First were amazing here! Sadly, the rest of the plot wasn't as good.

Only Friends presents an interesting premise, where you dive into how different people in a friend group perceive relationships, and how internal and external factors change the way they interact with other people (e.g, personality, addiction, social status, etc).
I was sad that the plot didn't meet my expectations, but there were good things too.
Namely, Khaotung, First, and Mark did an amazing job. For me, Khaotung was truly exceptional here, with the way he was able to portray so many different scenes and emotions, seemingly so effortlessly. He really brought Ray to life, and it made the show worth watching for me. First was the only possible choice to be paired up with Khaotung, since not only is he also an amazing actor, but also the two of them have incredible chemistry. For me, they could easily become next generation's offgun, but that's a personal opinion.
Mark was also amazing in his emotional scenes, especially given he doesn't have as much experience. I look forward to see him in more projects!
One thing I really disliked was Boeing's plot right at the end. It felt super rushed to me, and like an unnecessary way to quickly shove more drama into the last episodes. I can see how Boeing was this character who used Sand when they were together, and then left him for Top, but it just felt as though him coming back to screw both their relationships felt... very forced and weird. Personally not a fan.
Overall, I liked the series, and SandRay were truly an amazing ship.

Lire davantage

What an incredible messy but fun ride

If you've been in a an Australian/American queer group chat, you might get a little bit of a traumatic flashback while watching this series. I'm actually convinced the screenwriter just snuck into a queer gc and copied their drama as plot points.

First things first. This is messy but also a good representation of extremely liberal slash problematic queer friend groups. I'm convinced all of them should be in therapy and/or a polyamourous commune where they can just mess around with everyone. I just don't think monogamy works for some of these characters and that's fine!

Secondly, while I do agree that this is an accurate rep of the messy side of the queer community, it can be a triggering to see that many topics of cheating, emotional manipulation, privacy infringements, and violence in one drama. So please proceed with caution. It is good to get a rep of the messy aspect of being queer, but also there is mess in all communities really.

Thirdly, I love having a drama catered for nosy bitches like myself. I thoroughly enjoyed this although I do want to do the Gordon Ramsay's sandwich meme to some of these idiots. Make sure your blood pressure is controlled before watching this fr.

I still highly recommend watching this despite my above review.

Lire davantage

Some things were fantastic, some made no sense

My overall impression is the writers/producers/editors knew which couples were going to end up together, but not exactly how they would get there. A LOT of the show seemed improvised, which in my opinion is where First and Khaotung shine through. As much as I genuinely love Force and Book (and I adored A Boss and A Babe, I rewatch and bought the DVD), I don't think they had as much chemistry or coherence in their pairing. As they got together it felt like a competition, then a lot of declaring "I love you" without actually showing what made them fall in love? They have cute dates and cute scenes but in the end it didn't feel believable to me.
I thought the show was trying to make Neo and Mark layered characters, but in the end I don't think Neo's character had any real growth or understanding of what he was doing that alienated people. Mark was fantastic, I am begging GMMTV to give him a lead role again.

Lire davantage

The Only Friends You Need

Talk about a ride! Only Friends was a highly anticipated series and in many ways, it did not disappoint. I had very high expectations for this series, not only because of the stellar cast, but also because the story looked so damn good and messy and intriguing. While it didn't get the perfect 10 I initially thought it might, I still thoroughly enjoyed myself watching it.

Only Friends is not a plot driven drama by any means, but rather is very character driven. There's a very thin plot connected to the hostel and developing it, but otherwise the focus is entirely on the characters, their interactions with each other, their growth, and their relationships. For me, character driven dramas require a truly impressive cast to work because all that focus is on them. They need to have the talent and chemistry to shoulder the entire show and for the most part, Only Friends has that. The pacing of the show was relatively decent. Not perfect, but there weren't too many spots that lagged. Instead the issue was sometimes that the pacing was too fast, especially toward the end. There was a lot going on and it felt a bit frenetic. And because there was so much drama and a certain amount was added towards the end, there were some story lines and characters that didn't get the attention or closure that I felt they should. If there's one major aspect that Only Friends struggled with, it was balancing the drama with the character development. There is a LOT of drama and, in some cases, I think it could have been cut down to allow more screen time for certain characters as well as showing more of that growth.

Despite the entertainment value, Only Friends does actually touch on some more serious topics such as alcoholism, depression/suicide, cheating, and though it's not labeled as such, hypersexuality. Aside from the cheating and the alcoholism though, they more served as plot points than as real points of exploration, unfortunately. Ray's alcoholism is at times concerning to his friends and other times seems to be viewed as a bit of a joke. While they occasionally tell him he shouldn't drink so much, none of them actively seeks to help him that we see. It's not until Sand enters his life and does actively encourage him to go to rehab that he goes and begins making changes. Ray's depression and suicidal thoughts are brought up in a single episode to further establish his relationship with Mew and then are pretty much swept under the rug. Depression is not something you just get over and I think it could have been better worked into the story. The cheating is a focal point of the series and gets the most attention. The various emotions that may come with cheating are explored as well as the reactions and the fall out. Sometimes things work out between people and sometimes they don't. Boston's hypersexuality, like I said, is never really addressed as such, but that's what it seems to be considering he can't seem to go without sex. And while it wasn't a focus, it was shown in the last episode the kind of damage it can do to relationships.

I truly loved most of the characters. There was a rawness and realness to them that made most of them feel very real and very human. Each character had their own demons to battle, some bigger and some smaller. But what I found especially compelling is the way they were filmed. Even though we, as the viewers, knew that their actions were inappropriate or even criminal, there's no judgment and the way they're portrayed makes it harder to judge them. They're not evil, they are simply young men and women full of flaws, faults, quirks, hopes and dreams. I also appreciated that there was none of the gay for you nonsense that still worms it's way into many dramas these days. It was just, yup, this character's gay/lesbian/straight/bi, no questions asked, just the facts. Also had to appreciate having Sand be openly bi as I haven't seen many dramas embrace that. The way the word "friend" is interwoven in their stories is also interesting. There are moments of true friendship, moments where you wonder if they'll ever be friends again, and moments where they teeter on the edge of friendship and something more. It's a complicated word in some ways and I appreciated the utilization of it.
- Mew's journey was an interesting one to follow. He starts out as the sweet, innocent virgin and he's definitely put through the wringer, but in the end, he comes out more world wise, but ultimately still himself. There were aspects of his character that I connected to personally, some his views and opinions. I found the way he handled Top initially to be intriguing with playing hard to get and almost toying with him at times. I did appreciate though his determination not to just be prey and that while he did eventually give in to Top, it was on his terms. His reveal that he knew Top had cheated on him was deliciously devious and while the acting left something to be desired, I liked the scene overall. His reaction to that betrayal felt realistic and while I can't condone his use of Ray to get revenge on Top, it didn't feel out of place either. It also wrought a fairly major change in his character. While he previously displayed a fairly mild personality, post-betrayal he becomes more assertive and confident. He also becomes self-destructive. In his quest to get back at and hurt others, he does damage to himself and those he calls friends. After the Halloween party though, I struggled more with his character as he kept bouncing between forgiving Top and wanting to continue hurting him. I was glad when he finally decided to go ahead and forgive Top, though their reconciliation felt a bit fast as did the decision to move in together. His decision to not rekindle his friendship with Boston felt natural and was understandable. The conclusion to Mew's story felt complete and like he and Top had a solid future together.
-Top was initially somewhat interesting, but he quickly fizzled out for me. Part of the problem with him was just the complete lack of character content. We know he's heir to a fancy hotel and he had a traumatic experience as a child and that's about it. His character's not given the same attention to detail as others are and it shows. I was initially curious to see if his relationship with Mew would continue to be a game or if he would truly develop feelings for him. Given his narcissism and massive ego, it was hard to tell if he was actually capable of loving someone. Even when he started making changes, like no longer taking drugs, it was hard to tell what his endgame was. His decision to cheat on Mew felt weak. He'd proven that he had a solid head on his shoulders so why he so easily gave in to and believed Boston regarding a picture and video from two years previously is a mystery. It was also disconcerting the way he refused to admit to cheating, despite multiple chances to do so, until faced with irrefutable evidence and even then he tried to brush it off and focused more on how Mew got the recording. His decision to win back Mew and the efforts he went to in order to do so felt a bit abrupt. There was less of a gradual change and more of a, suddenly he's a good guy, kind of thing. I will give him credit that he did make changes and he truly did want to be a better person for Mew. And though it was disappointing that Mew had to prompt him, he did eventually apologize to Sand and reconciled with both him and Ray. All that being said, I think the character could have been more effective and interesting in the hands of another actor.
-Boston was one of the most layered, fascinating characters. You want to hate him to some extent, but it also must be acknowledged that out of the group, he is one of the most open characters and least secretly toxic. He calls things like he sees them and he makes no secret of his behaviour. He also has one of the more compelling character arcs as he moves from being a selfish ass to realizing that his actions truly do have consequences. He begins as an emotionally sadistic narcissist who's basically willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants, in this case, Top. He manipulates Top and those around him expertly, his natural charisma helping to disguise his toxicity. What's especially telling though is when Ray confronts him with the recording of him and Top, he showed no remorse and instead tried to justify his actions. Once his friendship with the others implodes though, he starts to realize that actions have consequences. His confrontation with Mew clearly shakes him, Atom's lies cause his friends to cut him off completely and although Cheum does forgive him once the truth is revealed and Ray eventually does as well, his relationship with Mew is irreparable. His relationship with Nick, which initially seemed like a positive change, also implodes when Boston has a quick fling while out on a date. His ending is left somewhat ambiguous. He does move to New York, but whether he's happy there and how his future looks is up in the air.
-Nick is an easily sympathetic character because of the way Boston uses him. He's obviously in love with him, yet it's clear that Boston view him as more of an object than an actual person. He's convenient and he's willing, nothing more. Yet the more you look at his actions, you realize that he's not quite as sympathetic as he first seems and is, in fact, a red flag himself. He made the conscious decision to look through Boston's phone, not once, but twice, and masturbate to a picture found on said phone. He also took a selfie of himself with Boston's phone in an effort to seduce him which worked, but is left unhappy when he wants more and Boston doesn't. He also chose to bug Boston's car presumably in an effort to catch him "cheating" even though they were not in an actual relationship. And there is an element that he's not actually a bad guy, per se, he just goes about things the wrong way. He places so much value into how he's perceived, more specifically how Boston perceives him, going to so far as to try to emulate Top in terms of his style and physique. There comes a point where, after the recording gets out and Boston has rejected him several times, that he's moving on. He gives one final confession to Boston and seems ready to start something with Dan until Boston shows back up and they get together again. That goes up in flames though when Nick witnesses Boston's fling while they're on a date. It's the final straw for him as he comes to the realization that he needs to focus on himself and learn to love himself more. I'd like to hope that he found his happiness in himself and with someone who would truly appreciate him.
-Ray was riveting to watch. He initially came across as arguably one of the most heartbreaking characters. He had a severe drinking problem that, his mother drank herself to death which he blamed himself for, his father is largely absent, and he's lonely and depressed. He's also been in love with his best friend for at least two years. It's a lot for anyone to handle. He feels deeply and you want to protect him from further pain, but he's not blameless in all of this either. He's a toxic narcissist in his own right with an ego to match. He's in love with Mew, but also falls for Sand and proceeds to string him along, knowing exactly how he feels. He refuses to let Sand go and is possessive of him even when Sand is clearly trying to move on. Things eventually come to a head and they confess their feelings for each other and Ray and Mew acknowledge that they really weren't in love, that Mew had been using Ray and Ray knew it. With Sand's help, Ray finally starts taking steps to heal, going to rehab and working on paying his debt to society following his drunken crash. But their drama doesn't end there as a misunderstanding threatens to tear them apart as does the reappearance of Sand's first love and the ex Top stole, Boeing. Boeing mixes things up and causes both Ray and Sand to question their relationship briefly, until it's revealed that Boeing doesn't really love Sand and is promptly put in his place. This instance is another example though of Ray's self-destructive behaviour, as Sand reveals that if Ray hadn't forced them to kiss, his feelings would have remained buried. Still all's well that ends well and Ray seems on the path to continued sobriety with Sand firmly by his side.
-Sand throws the least red flags of the group. There's a sincerity and simplicity to him that is very appealing. He is who he is and if you don't like it, oh well. He's not rich by any means, he works for what he has, and his love and friendship absolutely cannot be bought. Not that all of his work is exactly legal since he sells alcohol on campus and seems to have some other questionable endeavors, but times are hard, I get that. He's a bit of a hot head, that's made clear based on his interactions with both Top and Ray. He has no tolerance for other people's crap and he doesn't appreciate being used. And while he is mostly a green flag, his betrayal of Nick was definitely a red flag. Regardless of his reasoning, stealing the recording was wrong. The repercussions for his actions personally were fairly mild. While Nick was upset, they quickly reconciled. I did love their friendship and support of each other. Sand served as a good sounding board for Nick and gave him solid advice and when he needed it, a shoulder to cry on. His relationship with Ray was definitely a journey. Sand fell hard and fast and he clearly struggled with where he stood with Ray. I appreciated though that even though he loved Ray, he was not willing to sacrifice his own happiness and self-worth for him. He made it clear that he was not going to remain as Ray's second choice. He proved himself to be a deeply caring and loving person throughout, constantly looking out for Ray and helping him. And while he did forgive Ray repeatedly, he also had his boundaries. Boeing's appearance shook him though, understandably once it's revealed that he was his first love. However, once Boeing's true intentions are revealed, there's no further question in Sand's mind and he firmly stands with Ray. It's clear that they make each other happy and the future for them is bright.
-My thoughts on a few other characters are in the comments.

The cast, by and large, did a phenomenal job. The main reason I was so excited about this series to begin with was the cast, particularly First, Khaotung, Neo, and Mark. These are the most mature roles I've seen any of them play and I am once again just blown away by their talent and chemistry. The tension between Sand and Ray is almost palpable. Khaotung nails every emotional scene. I don't know how, but he just dominates them every time. And he's so expressive, it's fantastic to watch. First is more stoic, but he does so much acting with just his eyes. You can see the emotion in them and it's amazing. Neo and Mark were a new pairing, and as it turns out, a very successful one. Their chemistry was a bonfire and they played their roles so well. Neo is such a versatile actor, he absolutely nailed Boston's character. He struggled a little bit with some of the more emotional scenes, they didn't feel quite as authentic, but otherwise, perfection. Mark is equally versatile and really managed to pull on those heartstrings. He maintained that sweet, innocent appearance despite the crap that Nick pulled and made it so hard to judge him. The only two I was uncertain of were Force and Book and justifiably so. There were times when their chemistry was decent and times when it was completely absent. Frankly, Book had more chemistry with Drake and Mond than he did with Force. Book struggles with consistency in his acting as well, sometimes doing really well and absolutely killing a scene, only to struggle in the next. Force maintained his use of only a few expressions that were recycled throughout. I know the man's good looking, but he really cannot act. Their lack of consistency and chemistry was made all the more glaring by the fact that they were surrounded by other very talented actors and it did create an imbalance.

I really appreciated the production value. The cinematography was great, there are some really fantastic shots and angles. The sets are amazing, particularly Ray's music room at his house. Each character's living space felt distinctly theirs. And don't even get me started on the costuming. I like how each character has their own distinctive style that suited both their character and lifestyles. And last but absolutely not least, the music. God I loved the music and there was so much of it! I found so many awesome new songs and groups thanks to this series. But seriously, it was obvious that a lot of thought and care went into choosing the music and it added just another layer to everything.

Only Friends started out incredibly strong and although it did falter along the way, it managed to come to a satisfactory conclusion. While I may be in the minority, I was glad that it didn't end with all the couples working out. I feel that would have been cliche and the way it actually concluded was more realistic and true to the characters. Truly the highlight for me though was getting to see such talented actors spread their wings and explore roles that were very different from what they'd portrayed previously and kill it. If you enjoy messy dramas, I highly recommend Only Friends and even if you don't, I still recommend it. It's a great ride and I have absolutely no doubt that I will be rewatching it again and again. It's one of those ones that never gets old because there's always something new to discover.

Lire davantage

A series ruined by toxic fans, nonsensical theories and the directors themselves

A SWEET BEGINNING: Everyone was looking forward to Only Friends. It was something new. GMMTV usually aren't brave in doing sex scenes, we usually don't even get those scenes, rather they left the spicy stuff to smaller studios like Be On Cloud (KinnPorsche) or DomundiTV (Cutie Pie, Bed Friend). But this time they allowed a new writer and talented directors to add something different. This „difference“ was evident in the first minute of the trailer. We were in complete shock! A sex scene in which everything was seen and heard? With actors who hadn't been shipped before? This new thing paid off; in just a few days, the trailer received a million views. We had everything we always wanted. Messy relationships, intrigue, cheating. The filmmakers told us we could theorize. So we did and it was fun.

It started in August. We were all excited. With each new episode came new theories and discussions. I was involved in them, and I loved talking to other fans on social media. The second episode came out, then the third one. The theories already seemed more insane. Every character was suddenly turning into an evil mastermind who "controlled" a group of normal college students. Probably the fans were watching too many horror and thriller movies. However, I still found it interesting.

TOXIC FANS AND CONTROVERSIES: Then came the turning point. The characters were made into manipulators. Fandoms fought each other on Twitter. "Your ship can't act!" - "No, your ship can't act!" It was a living hell. The directors watched it and cut some scenes, for example, because of the nonsensical hate on Top. I've never seen such unprofessional behavior. The show is supposed to have a SCRIPT, it‘s not suppose be guided by fans! They basically ruined the entire show because of these toxic opinions. I know Only Friends was supposed to be messy, but this much?

There were pointless arguments, the actress who portrayed Cheum had to apologize for making fun of a character, Force and Book were getting hate because of the characters they portrayed, everyone made Top out to be a manipulator and sociopath even though he had changed and really loved Mew...

It was a shitshow. It really could have been a perfect show, with great actors, but it became a toxic mix full of weird theories, arguments and hatred. And the directors didn't help either; they just added fuel to the fire.

CHARACTERS: Ahh, I loved the toxic characters that everyone hated. Boston? Love him. Boeing? Meow. Top? YES PLEASE. Every time someone was arguing about these characters, I was just sitting comfortably. Well.. Unless someone said something wrong about Top or Mew. They were my babies. Top had the best character development. And people hated him for that. They called him a manipulator. Lol. How embarrasing. In the end, he was greener than most of the characters. Sorry to break it to you. He deserved to be happy after all the episodes where he was looking like a sad puppy. I just can't argue with people who thinks he's the bad guy.. Because they are so fricking wrong about him. Every. Time. God dammit, because of this hate, they literally cut his scenes out!!!! WTF!!! Nah. I'll stop. TopMew defender till the end, my friends.

Other couples were okay. SandRay were good for each other. BostonNick were really hot together. That's all I can say to them. Toxic fans literally ruined my enjoyment for them.

OVERALL: A great series, with a lot of potential.. It's a shame what has become from this...

Lire davantage

Simplesmente péssimo.

Eu nunca tive tantas divergências de emoções enquanto assistia uma série. É mais vulgar do que eu pensei que seria. Pra mim, ela consta mais pontos ruins do que bons.
Positivos: a atuação é impecável, cada um dos atores conseguiu transmitir seus papéis com excelência. A trilha sonora é muito boa, me arrancou lágrimas principalmente nos momentos do Sand e do Ray. E a cinegrafia é linda. Passa uma vibe que exala anos 80.

Negativos: Me desagradou em tanta coisa, que surpreendentemente eu dropei na metade do penúltimo episódio. A trama é ruim demais, gira em torno de s*x0, drogas e festas. tem personagens que na minha opinião são um dos poucos que tem senso naquele contexto e sequer aparecem com frequência, que foi a garota (cheum). O que me motivou a continuar assistindo foi somente os firstkhao, pq a história deles, a química e os momentos foram as únicas coisas boas que tiveram. O top e o mew sempre foram um casal meio "nhe" pra mim. Eles não tinham química nenhuma. E quanto ao Boston, sem comentários. Ele ferrou com todo mundo do grupo, até mesmo com a única pessoa que o amava verdadeiramente pelo o que ele era (o Nick). Por falar nele, ele foi um dos únicos personagens que também teve um bom desenvolvimento.

Mais um ponto que eu gostaria de ressaltar: é impressionante que sempre em algum episódio, a gente fica desgostando de algum personagem. Primeiro foi o Boston, mas ele eu continue detestando até o fim. Depois foi o Top, que fez o mew de corno e quis voltar com o rabo entre as pernas, exigindo que ele simplesmente esquecesse que ele o fez de corno e recomeçarem. E depois o Ray (ele foi e é o meu personagem predileto) e naquele episódio da festa onde ele estava bêbado e falou as verdades que ninguém queria ouvir, eu simplesmente amei mto. Mas o que me fez ficar chateada com ele foi quando ele ficou com o mew. DESNECESSÁRIO pq as atitudes dele me lembravam mto o Boston. Ele ficava com o mew, incentivando ele a usar dr0gas e tudo, e ainda ficava dando em cima do Sand, que inclusive amava mto ele, impedindo dele se encontrar com outras pessoas. No final, todos julgaram o que o Boston e o que o top fez (o que foi errado e nojento pra kct) mas faziam a mesma coisa. ate o próprio mew, que namorou o Ray só pra fazer ciúmes no Boston e ainda iludiu ele.

Não recomendo, e não assistiria novamente, talvez somente pelos firstkhao, pq de resto, só lamento.

Lire davantage

It's pointless

I'm dropping this at episode 5, because I can't bring myself to watch this any further. For me it's pointless, and a waste of time.
When this aired, I had zero expectations. I thought it would lack a good story like so many other BLs out there, especially the more sexy ones, but I was pleasantly surprised, because there was some potential for an intriguing plot. The acting is incredible from First, Khaotung, Neo and Mark. Force and Book are almost unbearable to watch, because they aren't able to breathe some life into their characters. Better actors could have done a better job for sure. Well, not the whole cast can be stellar, so that's not the biggest issue here. I was hooked after episode 2, enjoyed episode 3, was bored by episode 4 and started skipping scenes, and now at episode 5 I will end my misery. This series reminds me of some German soap operas, where the couple gets together in a few episodes, they love each other, and you don't even know why, and then they get separated, and you have to watch endless episodes of family, friends, and the jealous ex-girlfriend plotting schemes to keep them separated until they get together in the 99th episode and marry in the 100th. Apparently this concept is very popular in Germany, and most likely all over the world, despite me to this day not knowing how something like this can even be considered an entertaining watch.
What is my point? I don't enjoy people plotting schemes and making their life miserable for no good reason. I don't enjoy the idea of love where you don't even understand why they are attracted to each other. They are all obsessed with someone, while having good potential partners around them. It's just shallow, damn shallow. You can't feel the character depths, which makes it hard to root for anyone here. I don't feel sorry for them, I don't want to see them happy, I'm just annoyed by their dirty little games and their stubbornness that makes them miserable human beings. It honestly feels strange to look at those characters who are played by great actors, some of them I really like, and just thinking: I don't care about your issues. I don't.
Still, I'm not surprised that this series is popular at all. Most people enjoy this kind of drama. I even think it's pretty realistic. We have more bad people than good people in this world, and when it comes to relationships, so many behave like lunatics.
But I personally feel too old to watch some guys f*cking around and being dramaqueens for no good reasons. I feel this is something for people in their mid 20s, especially for those who enjoy the NSFW content, which I normally do, but it cannot save this series.
To sum it up: I don't think it's a bad series. There sure is an audience for it. The acting (most of it), the music (!!) and how some of the dialogues are written isn't bad, some scenes are beautifully filmed too. But the characters are too shallow, their intrigues too dirty and pointless. So it's a no for me.

Lire davantage

A train wreck but in a good way

A hot damn messy is what this show is and I love every moment of it. These characters are very flawed and it shows how toxic friendships and relationships happen. They all need therapy. It's Like a Train Wreck, you know it's gonna crash and burn but you can't look away. The amount of
manipulation, lying, and narcissistic traits a lot of them have are mindblowing. They all put themselves makes you hang on the edge of your seat waiting for the other shoe to drop. Mew and Top whole relationship is built off a lie. Boston and Nick are messed up in the head. Sand and Ray both need to learn better ways to cope with these issues. Ray is using alcohol to mask his pain and it's destroying him. I can't help but think Mew knows his feelings but takes advantage of those feelings. He has other friends but you chose him to call. He made his voice sound a certain way when he called him, knowing Ray would melt. Sand masks how he feels and it's a reason he hates the way he does.

Lire davantage