The Sign (2023)

Good effort, overcrowded plot

The Sign is a very ambitious project by Idol Factory and I have to give them kudos for their efforts. The efforts aren't wasted either, most of the series was highly enjoyable, and you can feel that this was made with passion. However, this series is overcrowded with ideas that the execution for each doesn't feel 100%.

Here are the good:
- Amazing chemistry between Billy and Babe. I was not familiar with their game before this but now I am hugely obsessed because of how electrifying their chemistry is on screen. Even from the very beginning where they had minimal physical contact, they've always maintained an amazing amount of tension that keeps the viewers going.

- Their first case as detectives was actually interesting. Honestly this was the more interesting case compared to the main case that they worked on - it was also presented better. I was actively rooting for the murderer to succeed because of how good they sold the motives to me but also I didn't end up hating the cops either. They showed a good balance of humanity for both sides which made an interesting watch.

Room for improvement:
- Premise is super interesting but you need moderation with everything, including excitement. The reincarnation, detective case, and the whole folks tale/fiction thing proved to be too much for one series. The plot is overly crowded and I wish they toned it down slightly or expanded it over a longer series. 12 episodes and 1 special episode is not enough to properly contain all of these stuff.

- Some characters are not written with enough purpose. What was the purpose of Dai? What's the purpose of the last scene with the murder of the employee? What was the reason that the first death happened in the training area? I get that they are used to progress the plot but I wish there was better writing around this.

- I do wish that the handling of the one case with a mentally unwell suspect was done with more sensitivity. The doctor was actively feeding incriminating answers to a mentally unstable suspect and the detectives just let it be. I think it's important in crime series to highlight that people with mental illnesses are way more likely to be victims than perpetrators. This series did manage to kind of relay that in a not so obvious way, but the initial hammering and emotional pressure they put unto the suspect was quite triggering.

The bad:
The acting of the girl who played Dai really needed huge improvement. All lines delivered were stiff and felt like she was reading off a teleprompter. Surely there were better actresses.

Overall this isn't bad but it's a case of flying too close to the sun with this one.

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A Mesmerizing Tale of Eternal Love

"The Sign" is a captivating series that masterfully intertwines elements of fantasy, mystery, and romance, ensnaring viewers from the onset. As the narrative progresses into its dramatic and intense latter half, it manages to maintain a grip on its audience with unwavering intrigue and escalating stakes.

Central to the series' allure is the electric chemistry between the leads, Phaya and Tharn. Their dynamic is the pulsating heart of the narrative, radiating both tenderness and tension that is palpable. This duo is enchanting, their interactions marked by both intense sparks and profound concern for each other, setting a high bar for on-screen romantic chemistry. The love story of Billy and Babe challenges cosmic forces, presenting a romance that defies the odds and captivates the audience's imagination. Complemented by stellar acting, the chemistry between the cast, and breathtaking cinematography, "The Sign" offers a compelling viewing experience from the very beginning.

A heartfelt appreciation is extended to the production team for showcasing Thailand's rich culture, myths, and folklore with such elegance and authenticity. The depiction of these elements adds a unique depth to the story, enhancing the overall narrative and setting "The Sign" apart from other series in its genre.

At its core, "The Sign" revolves around two souls, Phaya o Sakuna (Billy Patchanon Ounsa-ard) and Tharn Wansa (Babe Tanatat Phanviriyakool), who have loved across centuries. Reincarnated and brought together at an academy for future police officers, they find themselves amidst a journey filled with visions of their pasts and a mysterious criminal investigation that tests their love.

The series shines in its action sequences and fight scenes, which are executed with precision and aesthetic grace. The integration of various genres, including action, thriller, fantasy, and romance, is seamless, offering moments of sweetness, humor, and suspense that are equally well-crafted.

The ensemble cast delivers performances that resonate deeply with the audience, with particular praise for the leads, Phaya and Tharn, whose portrayal is nothing short of stunning. Surprising is the level of acting prowess displayed by all, especially given that for some, this marks their debut.

"The Sign" stands as a testament to the dedication and hard work of its crew, evident in every frame. It's a series that deftly avoids cliché and unnecessary fan service, focusing instead on genuine storytelling, authentic chemistry, and well-choreographed action. The background music, authentic soundtrack, and visually appealing cinematography further elevate the series, making it a must-watch for fans of the BL genre and beyond.

In summary, "The Sign" is a beautifully crafted series that not only entertains but also showcases the depth of talent within its cast and crew. From the laughter and camaraderie of supporting characters to the intense love story at its center, it's a series that leaves a lasting impression, making viewers yearn for more.

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Highly ambitious, but faltered along the way

The Sign has everything I adore in a series: romance, mystery, action and that infallible touch of mythology, which is my weakness. Under these circumstances, my rating should be higher, also considering the story is interesting, the plot is airtight (plot holes are one of my peeves), and the chemistry genuinely chemistry - fies.

Not that this is a bad rating, but again, I would generally rate something like this much higher. So let me explain my thought process, starting with the mystery/action aspect. It's solid, it truly is. Albeit slightly predictable and simple, it was consistent. I genuinely loved that they solved multiple cases that umbrella - ed as one big case, and as far as I took note, there were no loose ends or plot holes. Every case they worked seamlessly tied up with the major case through the players, and it even seemed like they would link the mythological aspect to this plotline.

That's where I was wrong. Let's clear this up first: I know it's difficult to incorporate mythology/history into a fictional account. It requires tons of research, poring over books, journals, documents, and so much more. I also understand that when you're working with mythology and history, it's a difficult situation to maneuver, (especially when you're talking about two major characters who's stories have wide and varying interpretations). But there's still room to work with. Without giving away too much, let's just say I expected more. They promised grandeur and complexity, but what we got was absolutely none of that. The entire mythological plotline was tied up to the romance between the leads and not much more.

Which then leads us to.. the romance. I'm going to be completely honest, Billy and Babe, they have chemistry. I did say the chemistry chemistry - fied, and I wasn't lying. They have a hot and cold relationship in the beginning, which I'm going to chalk up to a genuine plot point, it was understandable. Even when you felt they were being bratty, frustrating or just a teensy bit hypocritical, they turned the situation around pretty smoothly and soon. It's really too bad we didn't get to see enough though. This is a totally subjective opinion, but they spent so much time focusing on solving the cases, and the mystery of their past that there was barely any romance. At least for me. And I know it's ironic because I said I appreciated the well developed story, but I wanted romance as well. That's more of a me thing, but I just wanted to mention it.

Let me segue back to my rating now, because despite the positives, I did kind of end up saying they could have improved upon it. That is the reason for my rating.
The truth is, I genuinely enjoyed watching the series. The plot was innovative, the characters were endearing and you all know that I already have a slight bias because of the mythology plot they used. When you watch the series, you can tell they put a ton of effort into this. The cast, the crew, everyone. But I just wanted that little bit more. Again, that's a me thing.

While I do wish they had changed a few things, tied up the loose ends that inevitably cropped up, it was a decent series, and truly one of a kind: I don't see a lot of mythological BLs and it was a rare treat in that sense.

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Really lackluster, I was so bored by the end of it with the anticlimactic scenario

I was super disappointed by this BL action drama. The first couple of episodes were interesting enough when they were training and I kind of liked the mythology with some of the fantastical elements. However, it quickly got very boring with the various investigations...I got so bored by the script that I had trouble to finish it. The conclusion was super anticlimactic for both the investigation part as well as the fantasy plot.

It is unfortunate, I wish they developed much more the part of the story relating to the supernatural elements as well as done a better job with the "fated mates" trope. Overall, I wish the scenario would have made the characters spent much more time at the Police Academy. Once outside of it, all we had was relatively amateurish police work, no interesting side cases and not enough tension with the villains being really one note.

The visual FX were okay but not great. The action scenes were overall good but not remarkable. The acting was also clearly a let down for me...The chemistry between the leads was okayish but the scenario really did not offer a lot of room for development of the characters and their relationships. The side characters were really just there to be there and fill a bit the void...And I really wish the actors playing the enemies (especially for the fantasy role) had been better and more compelling to follow to amp the angst.

I will not recommend this to people as I was pretty bored for most of the drama. The mediocre scenario and acting, as well as the anticlimactic ending totally brought down my enjoyment of the series which missed the mark on the compelling elements that could have been developed. Indeed, there are too many things I wish would have been done differently especially on the fantasy aspects of the story. I would have loved the focus to go there and not on tedious and amateurish investigation.

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Interesting & Complicated Plot but falls short in Writing/Execution. Could have been better!

Subjective Gut Rating: 8.25 (0.25 bump for an interesting plot)

“The Sign” started off really strong with a lot of fun scenes while the characters are in training. The action scenes are fun, and the interaction between the characters are interesting. The flirting and naked men took over the feeds when the drama first started airing.

The biggest selling point should have been the very interesting plot. It’s quite uncommon to find a Thai drama that mixes folklore, action/crime investigation, past lives and romance all in one. This is a very brave attempt. If the writing and execution are done right, this would be a winner. Unfortunately, I feel that the drama falls short. I wonder if the novel is a lot better.

Instead, the best thing about “The Sign” is the chemistry between Phaya and Tharn. Of course, romance takes center stage in the plot, and it’s not a bad idea to have strong chemistry between the leads. Initially, I thought Phaya would be the cool and cold-on-the-outside character. I was quite surprised when he became clingy and totally smitten. Not the direction I anticipated or liked, but it sort of works out since Tharn has been the more cautious one in this relationship. Billy (Phaya) and Babe (Tharn) deliver great scenes together. Their kisses are passionate and believable, while their intimate scenes do feel very intimate and romantic (give me “I Feel You Linger in the Air” vibes).

Acting is average (at times above average) all around. Even for the leads, there are some scenes that call for more subtle acting but I don’t think the actors quite deliver. It’s Babe’s first role and for that, I think he did a really good job. I do think the acting gets better as the drama goes on. I’ve seen some pretty bad acting in Thai dramas but at least no one sticks out like a sore thumb, just a few below average (Doc and Dao). It’s also a nice change to see Akk/Captain not playing an evil character. I’ve seen Akk in other dramas before and his acting is always pretty good. He’s solid here as well and looks mighty fine in uniform.

I was hoping for more action and police work, especially when the drama started off strong with all the training and missions. So, I am a little disappointed in that respect. The middle of the drama has a lot of talking, and not a whole lot of action. It’s probably also because the folklore/past connection takes more of a center stage. It’s interesting to see how Phaya and Tharn are truly connected together and Babe looks quite pretty as a girl/Naga. I am still a little confused about the Naga, and not quite sure what Tharn has done in the past to warrant being ‘cursed’ in the present time with people trying to hurt him. The writing is weaker in the second half. It either glosses over certain things (e.g. why Doc is so obsessed with Tharn, or how someone could be saved so easily), or when the drama decides to tell us instead of show us (e.g. the last episode and what happened between Tharn and the Doc). If the drama is longer, maybe it can really show us and explore the background story all characters in

Overall, I applaud the attempt to create such a drama with an interesting and complicated plot. Although I wish it had been better executed, I still had an enjoyable time watching. Babe/Tharn’s first role and he did quite well. I wish to see more of him in future.


Other Random Observations:
1. There are also many shower scenes of men posing naked with blurred out butts in weird positions.
2. The blurred butts also take away the very romantic feel I get from the intimate scene.
3. Thai dramas have the best grandmas! We have 2 in this drama. Thai dramas have the worst parents, and luckily we see none of them here.
4. The classic music played is a little too much during the art case arc.
5. I like Yai. I thought he would be a useless sidekick, but he ended up being the better cop than the leads. Tharn was so strong at training camp and seems to lose the ability to fight later. Yai beats him big time!
6. In C-dramas, you know to expect your fav supporting character might not survive till the end. With Thai dramas, it’s harder to tell which way it will go.

Completed: 2/24/2024 - Review #407

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People, really?

Are we really doing this? Are we writing reviews before even the last episode dropped? Are we crazy?
Well, I guess we are! Crazy in love with The Sign.
The cast is composed of eye candies, who also manage to show all those strong emotions that the plot requires them to. In short, beautiful and talented. OK, I didn't like the acting of one side character, so here you go, I'm objective, right?
The plot lets you follow a complex criminal case and learn about Thai mythology at the same time. You see Bangkok, but also venture out of the capital, which is always interesting. You follow the boys, as they their crazy training from Mr Inspector. You also get to see a modern dance performance and action painting, and oh my, what awesome action is that!
It's like if you asked the showrunners, what else are we going to have in this BL, and they simply answered "YES".
So it's a big YES from me.

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The sign

The overall concept is unique and interesting. Even the chemistry between the actors is so electric. But here's the deal: as the series rolls on, the drama cranks up, and at times, it's like they're pushing the limits of over-the-top. Still, it’s a fun ride, and you might have to roll your eyes a bit, but hey, it's still got that something that makes it worth a shot.

"The Sign" is a mesmerizing blend of fantasy, mystery, and romance that gripped me right from the opening scenes and though towards the later half it gets dramatic and I feel like it could have been executed better but it's still good. The fantasy and mystery element keeps you hooked. This series is intense from the very first second. To add up, there's a mystery surrounding the leads, and when I say mystery, I don't just mean the supernatural mystery but also murder mystery. Also, the chemistry between the leads, Phaya and Tharn, is the beating heart of the series. Their chemistry is seriously electric. I can see the sparks and concerns so clearly. They are absolutely adorable, and the tension between them is seriously intense.

Now, let’s talk about the crew. Yai, Thongthai, Khem, and Singh – these guys are the real MVPs. They bring the laughs and the serious vibes, fitting into the story. Whether they are playing the role of doting or teasing friends or serious comrades, they ate up their role. And may I add I am in love with the chemistry of Khem and Thongthai. Khem is seriously so whipped for Thongthai and they are so adorable together.

Also, Freen, portraying Wansarat, deserves special mention; she looked incredibly pretty and radiated in every scene, from her appearance to her expressions. Also, Doc Chalothon I don't really like his character. Oh my godd!! he gets on my nerves. Heng really did a good job portraying Doc's character. Talking about Mayris, I think she is kind of cool but her airpods kind of annoys me. The whole cast really did an amazing job portraying their character.

Definitely recommending it.

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Captivating from start to finish

I stumbled on this series after watching an edit of it and I’ve been captivated from episode 1. It has some really high quality CGI, great acting, an amazing storyline and great directing. Babe is a brand new actor and had a few consistency issues but other than that he has great acting chops. Billy is a seasoned actor and he really brought Phaya to life. My only complaint is that editing seemed a little choppy here and there, but honestly it didnt take anything away from the series for me. Now the ending was one of the best, it wrapped everything up perfectly, explained everything and gave PhayaTharn a really nice ending. People were worried about plot holes at the ending but I think they did a great job with the ending.

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One word - masterpiece

Oh my god.. what a 1st episode. Amazing. I didn't expected anything from this series, but from the start to the end, i didn't even get bored for a second. 'Masterpiece', that's what I want to say about the starting. 1st episode have to be engaging and they have done it so well mainly by developing the characters and portraying the tension between the main leads. And by the way, their chemistry was overflowing. who made this casting deserve an award, because they were living in their role. And my precious baby kaownah , he made a guest role and gave his best.
Overall I loved everything from its 1st episode itself and I'm going to watch the rest of the episodes for sure. Do not miss this series because nowadays it's rare to find a different story like this.

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This movie came in like a rocking ball

Honestly, so far, i avoid thai bl because of their cringy storyline, romance and acting. When i saw the sign trailer on YouTube,i wanted to avoid it because billy had acted in "secret crush on you" and the romance and story is cringey but i had a second thoughts because of the new actor 'babe'. God! I'm so happy that i had a second thoughts. The actions are worthwhile,the story is not filled with unnecessary suspence and it's not sloppy as it developed itself fast. Also, the romance is 'a good one' . i fantasise having the kind of romance between phaya and tharn in reality. The OST!? . God! I love the slow and fast tune and the lyrics is catchy. I plan to memorise it despite the fact that i don't know Thai language. I don't think I'm getting tired of 'The sign' anytime soon

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