I Feel You Linger in the Air Special: Scent of Memory (2023)

A lot of laughter after a lot of crying

Like many other people, I cried my eyes out when IFYLITA ended and was anticipating this special episode like crazy. I was one of the lucky people who attended the IFYLITA screening at the Berlinale where the special episode was also shown. I really liked Scent of Memory because it made me laugh A LOT. It's completely separate from the original story and feels more like a side quest. It's hilarious to see Yai in our current time! I especially liked to see Yai and Jom back together and going on dates like people nowadays do. It's a nice change to see Jom taking the lead and explaining everything to Yai. I feared that I would need to cry at the end again, but this episode managed to keep everything light and happy. It was a really enjoyable watch and I hope that now after the first screening in Europe they'll make it available for other international fans as well.

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A very special tribute to the series

I've been looking forward to this episode for a long time, and I finally got to watch it. I believe that this special episode was made with a lot of care and especially for the fans, it has several scenes that refer to scenes from various episodes, one thing I liked is that you can interpret this episode as if it were just a dream of Jom, like the dreams he had with Khun Yai in the novel, I know it's very difficult to do due to the budget, but I really hope this series gets a second season, the actors are wonderful, the production is incredible, this level of quality will be sorely missed, that's also why I hope for the return of everyone involved in this masterpiece. The scent is definitely still very pleasant.

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could have been amazing

Overall: after almost 6 months and no official international release, I was beyond excited to finally be able to watch this (see the MDL comments). Unfortunately, the characters changed and the plot let me down. About 1 hour long.

What I Liked
- some sweet moments
- flashbacks to the series (except for the rap because that was still extremely cringey)

Room For Improvement
- if you had a few minutes or a few hours with the love of your life for perhaps one final time, what would you do? Play a virtual reality game? Check your phone and ignore them over lunch? Do a dance and post it to social media? I was extremely disappointed in the plot of this special. In the first few minutes we should have gotten how much they loved/missed each other and a minimum of a passionate kiss.
- cliche interrupted kiss
- dead fish lip press
- nonsense stuff, ie. why would Jom try to wake himself up from something so amazing, why would he turn something on he should know would scare Yai, where was Yai (also by himself) while Jom was preparing that surprise
- the tonal shift around 40 minutes didn't make sense when Jom seemed so glib up to that point
- still no official international release (I'll add .5 if they ever get one), they could have put this on Vimeo to buy or rent, sold it to a streaming service/s etc

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A message of hope, growth and improvement

In Jom's world, Jom will care for and protect Yai as Yai cared for and protected him in his world.
Tee Bundit Sintanaparadee, the director of the LGBTIQ+ themed series 'War of Y' (2022), 'Hidden Agenda' (2023), 'Step by Step' (2023), 'TharnType' (2020) and 'Lovely Writer' ( 2021), among others, returns us in 'Scent of Memory' to the protagonists of 'I Feel You Linger in the Air', one of his popular dramas.
Jom (Nonkul Chanon Santinatornkul) and Yai (Bright Rapheephong Thapsuwan) have not been able to forget the love that unites them. The possibility of reaffirming that deep human emotion that they experience takes place in the present of Jom.
On this occasion, Yai will be the one who travels in time, to the future, in response to Jom's request to be able to meet again, being convinced that making a wish to the stars during a meteor shower could guarantee that dreams come true.
More than the essence of memory, this Special Episode explores the essence of love, a concept that has captivated poets, philosophers and artists throughout history.
The reunion between Jom and Yai shows that romantic love can transcend borders, cultures and times.
Jom and Yai demonstrate that romantic love is a complex, multifaceted emotion that encompasses a broad spectrum of experiences and expressions.
The bond between the two characters is the very essence of love, as it implies deep affection, deep attachment, and a sense of care for someone beyond oneself.
The two protagonists experience a deep connection, which has created a sense of belonging and fuels the mutual need for connection, intimacy and unity. This manifests itself in joy, support, understanding, empathy, sadness, compassion, the feeling of vulnerability and also security and emotional well-being for oneself and for others.
Audiences will appreciate that love inherently involves vulnerability, as both characters are open to the possibility of pain and loss. By loving each other, Yai and Jom expose their true selves, allowing others to see their strengths, weaknesses, fears, and dreams. However, they are aware that it is through vulnerability that love can deepen and flourish, as they build trust and intimacy.
Likewise, 'Scent of Memory' explores how love can be a catalyst for personal growth and transformation, turning lovers into better versions of themselves, overcoming challenges and striving for personal and mutual growth, providing a nurturing environment that encourages self-acceptance, forgiveness and the exploration of new possibilities.
In 'I Feel You Linger in the Air', Jom travels in time by chance, but in 'Scent of Memory' he makes the trip a transtemporal journey because it is his destiny, because it is what he longs for.
In this dramatized, Yai's role is crucial since he is the one who travels in time to meet Jom again and leads him to reconnect with the past they lived. Through his quest to find Jom, Yai demonstrates his determination and bravery to outwit even the forces of physics and time.
This fairy tale has a dance included, which keeps the romantic and hopeful atmosphere of the series alive, as the protagonists glide through the living room of Jom's house. The dance, supported by an enveloping melody and a captivating rhythm, make this moment one of the most memorable in the audiovisual, which lasts just over 60 minutes.
The magic and charm of Yai and Jom's love story, even if it were a dream, lies in the fact that dreams can come true, even for those who live in two different worlds. Through the power of perseverance, of always remembering the person we love even if they are far from us, of wishing to be reunited, it shows that anyone can find their happiness.
In 'Scent of Memory', the message of hope, growth and improvement is present, reminding us that, despite obstacles, there is always an opportunity to achieve our deepest desires.
Yai and Jom will remind us that love is a deeply human experience, a journey we undertake with an open heart, accepting both its joys and its challenges.

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More of a special episode with no stakes

So, calling this a sequel is a bit of a stretch. I mean, yes, it technically does take place after the main episodes, but content-wise it's more of a special episode, meant to give the audience some cute fan service and nothing else.

If the original drama had been more satisfying with answering questions and providing closure, I might've been more receptive to something like this, but since I went into this hoping it would add more depth to the story, I was ultimately disappointed.

It sort of has the same issues that the main story did, which is how passive the leads were. The time travel happens and they just accept it, barely asking any questions. We get scene after scene of them going through everyday, domestic tropes, before the time travel problem arises again and forces them apart.

Ultimately, I think people who loved the original series and just want more of the main couple would enjoy this, but don't expect any new substance.

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