Jai Son Rak (2024)

One of the BEST Thai GL Series

I was left in awe after finishing this series.
Definitely not a slow-burn series, considering it's only 8 episodes.
It's pretty fast-paced, the FIRST episode is the most important in a series and they did make the most out of it.

Both of the female lead's acting feels so relatable and natural, especially their crying scenes.
When they are at their most devastated, it was so heart wrenching...

Both Lada and Earn's actions in the series was understandable, not once did I feel that their actions were out of place. The way Lada treated Earn after Earn came back to find her, and Earn trying ways and means to see Lada, it was understandable. Audience would probably know what I meant after they watch this series. :')

Their attires in this series was stunning too, every time they change their attires, it was refreshing.

Finally, Ling and Orm's visuals are simply *chef's kiss* . Outstanding. Extremely pleasing to the eyes. Can't get enough of them.

I hope they would star in another GL series, with more episodes. 8 episodes are simply too short...

Lastly: You probably won't regret watching this. :)

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This GL series has a strong premise, but as episode 4 happened, it started to become silly with a jealously trope between the main characters and the supporting characters, especially when these are grown adults who used insults and water to show their hatred for each other. However, I liked the miscommunication between the two women because every relationship has problems with the lack of communication, showing what it means to care for each other and sacrifice for their own happiness. It's weird that Earn's character is more likeable than the one in Blank, where Neung is pursuing Ar-Neung, refusing to stop like here with Earn and Fahlada, maybe because their ages is the big difference in this despite Fahlada and Earn with a 6 year age gap compared to a 16 year age gap in Blank.

I also really like the guy Tan in this series. I don't see enough male characters who strongly support their main female characters, and I hope there is more media portrayal between men and women who are platonic.

The chemistry was okay to me, some parts of the acting was good here and there. I do feel like the story deserved to be more fleshed out and longer because some GL series are 12 episodes long versus this one to be 8 episodes.

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a neater, though not necessarily more polish gl

The Secret Of Us is a wonderful change of pace in Thai GL. With (relatively) mature leads, minimal boyfriend drama, and cleaner production values it's easy to get swept up in enjoying the drama and antics of these women's lives. An entertaining story, charismatic actresses, and a good sense of pacing carries this story above the pack in a GL-heavy year (and I hope there's many more to come). That said, the script is still relatively weak and focus on being pretty sometimes overtakes the opportunity for a more heartfelt performance. It's a step up, but I hope we don't stop here!

-The Full Review-
STORY:
This story is a bit... shaky. While Earn and her devotion is quite sweet and charming, the context behind it is paper thin. Despite the break up hinging on her mother's health, we almost never see Earn interact with that mother again. Likewise, there are many other plot points (and characters) that are treated as vital to these women's lives... only to disappear the second their entertainment value is spent. It feels... sloppy. I enjoy the chance to get to know adult women with prior history and firm ambitions, but the script struggles to fill out their lives.
Additionally, I found the finale episode to be quite weak. A large piece of plot is introduced and solved in 3/4 parts, leaving the final moments to largely montage wrap up. It felt oddly rushed and empty at the same time, leaving a rather pale impression after so many weeks of enjoyment. I would have liked to see the plots more connected throughout the episodes leading up to a finale that resolves them in a more satisfying manner.

ACTING:
This one is tricky. I think Orm and Lingling are both enormously talented... but the show did not truly showcase that. The chemistry is undeniable and the character work consistent, but everything is plastered over with perfect hair, perfect make up, perfect costumes, and perfect lighting. There is no real sense that these are real women, rather than actress dolls. It severely undercut the emotional pay-off of the more dramatic scenes, despite these actresses clearly giving it their all.

PRODUCTION:
This whole show is very shiny. Everyone has is perfectly dressed with glass skin and designer clothing, living in magazine houses with sports cars. I'm not sure this was always the right move or mood for the story. It made the characters and their problems feel more distant and false, creating a detachment to the story instead of getting to explore the circumstances of these women and their love.
That said, it was a beautifully shot show that was easy to watch. The lighting was always gorgeous and romantic, creating a strong tone for the story to build off of. I especially loved Juepak's colorful and lively costuming, and the levity it brought to the story. Each prop specific to Lada and Earn was well designed--especially the puzzle, Earn's scarf, and the music box girls. Their appearances helped tie the story together.

INTIMACY:
I really enjoyed Orm and Lingling together. Despite Ch. 3 mostly offering low-heat and... poised intimacy, they brought a real affection and comfortability with each other. It was easy to believe these women were in love and desired to be near each other, and truly beautiful to see the way they gently cared for each other. While I'm always advocating to allow women to be as sexual and present as their male counterparts, this seemed like the right tone for this company and this production (as opposed to a cop out). I really enjoyed it.

In all, this was probably one of the cleanest GL productions I've seen yet, but I'm not sure it was my favorite. I would like to see some of the improvements made here mixed with the heart and passion of less-polished works. I enjoyed the lead actresses immensely and would love to see them in something again soon.

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The Secret of Us e a Comédia de Recasamento

The Secret of Us é uma comédia de recasamento sáfica tailandesa, e como toda comédia de recasamento, sua graça vem do processo de reconquista de Ling por Orm, não de seu amor, que nunca deixou de ter, mas do seu direito de recebê-lo, desfrutá-lo, e não retê-lo ou resisti-lo, como um propriedade que se quer controlar.

Desde A Megera Domada de Shakespeare até The Awful Truth de Leo MacCarey, o popular gênero começa pela separação do casal por falhas de caráter das próprias personagens, embora essa falhas sempre reproduzam as questões de ideologia e propriedade do seu meio, especialmente o machismo e a diferença de classes, fazendo do gênero muito rico na busca de alternativas concretas para esse embates, pessoal e coletivamente. The Secret of Us se encaixa na problemática familiar, já que a separação de ambas se deve a intervenção da mãe de Ling a mando de sua classe social e heteronormatividade da ideologia dominante que a serve, mas esta separação pouco ou nada tem a ver com falhas de caráter e incompatibilidades pessoais, sendo as duas representadas como vítimas de suas circunstâncias de classe e gênero.

Compreensivelmente, Dr. Fahlada (Ling) rejeita as investidas de Earn (Orm), pois após o término em que Orm declarou-se hétero, colocando para Ling uma preferência inalcançável, esta sentiu-se roubada de seu amor, não investimento, mas um roubo, do qual a ladra se quer desfrutou. É claro que o término delas se deve à intromissão da mãe de Ling, zelando pelo hospital e a respeitabilidade da família, propriedades nas quais inclui a própria filha, não querendo permitir-lhe escolher sua sexualidade ou a quem entregar seu amor.

Como em todas as comédias de recasamento, temos os concorrentes de uma pelo coração da outra e vice versa, no caso de The Secret of Us, o casamento que a heteronormatividade e capitalismo exigem na figura da matriarca, o pretendente das aparências e da propriedade para Ling, Doutor Nu, cuja existência foi peça fundamental nas mãos de sua mãe para levar Orm a terminar o relacionamento de ambas, e a concorrente cabível na sexualidade de Ling, de moral e meios questionáveis, mas bela, a atriz Rati. Pelo amor de Orm, atriz que não responde às mesmas pressões de prestígio e propriedade que a ex, Ling terá de competir com a bela e generosa atriz Ingfa, que diferentemente de Rati, consegue abrir mão do próprio desejo pela felicidade da mulher que ama, Earn.

Nos alegramos quando finalmente Ling e Orm redescobrem mais do que seu amor mútuo, que sempre tiveram, a possibilidade de manifestá-lo, primeiro uma para a outra, e posteriormente para a sociedade, inclusive coroando o processo com a tradicional cerimônia de casamento, com as bençãos da mãe desconvertida da ideologia dominante heteronormativa, classista e homofóbica.

08/09/2024
09/09/2024
Revisão: 09/09/2024

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Chemistry is over the top!

This is really a good serie, I read some of you value the story weak, there's something off about it, but I wouldn't say weak, maybe like it lacks of something, like it could be more articulate, not more dramatic, but like more accurate in detail maybe.. but that said it's not like it's bad, it's a really good story and a really good serie, so god job!
The chemistry of the actresses is another story, it's almost unbearable! Really they are so good together that sometimes you close your eyes for cuteness!!! The chemistry between Orm and Lingling is really really something out understanding..
They are really good acting on their own, their crying moment are really touching, and the fighting was really good, I think my fav scene is when Lada gets mad and took it on the puzzle! Lingling was amazing! But I have to say that all the cast was good.
It's not easy for someone outside Asia to get used to their acting, I watch lots of kdrama, but at the beginning it was hard to get used to them, to their acting, to their comicity, it takes some time until you get used to their style, the same with Thai style.
I could say I would prefer more realistic scene about kissing, but I was lots of serie and lots of gl and I can see that it's kinda normal, so it's not like they kiss bad, on the contrary, they are so good together that their kissing scene are really good even if really "innocent" (sometimes exagetating with kissing it's not going to turn positive anyway). I can say that their "sexual" scene are really innocent but they serve anyway, because they really transmit everything. I think that the most amazing part of this serie is that LingOrm was really capable of let you feel everything, tha's why The Secret Of Us is my fav GL,and one of my fav serie in general.

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Love the actress but not the series

The drama happened due to misunderstanding and character (earn) not hurry to clear things up which make so frustrating that I can’t keep watching. Really love the actress’s performance but they keep making stupid decisions and making each jealous for no reason, in short they just don’t know how to communicate. The cinematography was good and so many different scenes/outfit compare to blank (production was good) but characters facial expressions was not good enough (earn, just my opinion ) i can’t feel the character's emotion. However, i willing to try and continue watching the next episode hope i can change my mind later.

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The Secret Of Us is a high quality series varying in many different attributes for viewers to enjoy

The Secret Of Us has become my favorite gl and show in general that I've watched. Ling, Orm, the rest of the cast, production, and directing team do such a good job protraying and delivering each scene. I especially love the story of Fahlada and Earn, I can't wait to see how the rest of their story unfolds! I personally love the strangers to lovers and enemies to lovers trope and it's even better that this series gives me the best of both worlds. The mix of fluff and angst is perfect. I'm a sucker for osts and I can say the ost for The Secret Of Us is one of my favorites, Lingling's voice is so beautiful and she perfectly conveys the emotion fitting to the series. As the ost plays, it isn't sudden neither is it unfitting, it flows in perfectly within the scenes. And as much as I'd hate to see The Secret Of Us end, I can't wait to rewatch all of the episodes over and over again, from beginning to end. As I said before, The Secret Of Us has become one of my favorite shows I've watched and I'd recommend it to anyone and everyone, this series is something that should be shared and watched all over the world!

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