Emotional Gorya, Psychotic Hanna, Smitten Thyme and Cool Kavin didn't disappoint

EP5 was so emotional, so powerful. I have no doubt now that this adaptation is the best thus far of the franchise. So many details to talk about in this EP. In the bar scene, Thyme was pissed at Gorya & perhaps at himself too for doubting her. And pissed off Thyme is so sexy! I was so touched by MJ & Kavin's concerns for Thyme. So lucky to have such great friends who are smart, caring, capable, good at fighting & helps solve your problems!I hated Hana for what she did to Gorya and almost to Thyme. But the way Hana was portrayed, I also understood her and her pain. Well done, June! Btw, “Gorya” from Thyme's (very shapely and scrumptious) lips was what saved his virgin self from Hana!Thyme was so delicate when it came to handling fragile but dangerous Hana. He didn't give an inch to her but also protected her at his own expense and apologized for his past action! His "the person you should love the most is yourself" line makes him the best ML of all versions! Gorya is amazing with the emotional scenes. She cries the hardest when her friend's motorcycle is destroyed, not when she is treated badly. You can really feel her pain. During rescue, Thyme wanted to punch Gorya's bullies but he restrained himself against his own instinct. That was very moving for me. It shows Gorya and perhaps his sister are a growing part of his consciousness. Thyme cried along with Gorya when he apologized to her for causing her troubles, for showing up late, for not believing in her. And I cried along with them. I also appreciated this small detail: not sure how he did it, but he grabbed Gorya and her short skirt in a way that protected her as well as her modesty. Such a good boy! Best EP5 scene for me was the closet scene! My ovary exploded when Thyme held Gorya's face in his hand and his thumb gently touched her face. 😭😭😭 And the way his hands shook when we delicately pulled Gorya into his lap! ARHGG!! Can a shaman help send my spirit to occupy Gorya's body? Oh, the way Thyme thanked the maids! You could tell the word "thank you" was awkward coming out of him but he was trying to be a better self! It was also very sad and poignant that he couldn't really be himself at home and had to hide in the closet in his own home. 😫 I LOVE LOVE LOVE the fact Thyme just so casually said to Gorya that he fell in love with her. No 2nd guessing. No calculation. So pure, so open. He has such a strong loving heart and he bared it all without even thinking that Gorya might not be ready to return his feelings I think smitten Thyme is the best Thyme!! He got so giddy having Gorya on his lap, getting a tiniest brush of lips. The tender way he poked and pinched Gorya was just so lovely and adorable. Thyme looked so good in this scene! I have to say I was not ready at all for Ren to come back. I want MORE of Thyme and Gorya. They have awoken the teenage heart in me and it wants more of their cute interactions. Love Thyme and Gorya so much.Can't we skip to next Sat right now?? Very well done! Kudos to all the cast and crew, especially Parb Dee for excellent script, direction and production. Bravos to Tu and Bright and everyone for bringing to life such a great re-telling of this decades-old story with refreshing updates. F4 Thailand rocks!

Read More

Excellent treatment of the red card/bullying issue

EP 11: The Atonement.I was impressed by how much time EP 11 gave to the back story of Talay and Bupha. It's a conscious choice on the production team's part to bring some resolution to the whole red card and bullying issue. Needless to say, this version is the best among all the adaptations to tackle this issue. Thyme has truly learned his lessons and worked to repair personal harms he inflicted on the victims involved.On whether this issue is dealt with in a way that brings about a complete, satisfactory conclusion? Of course not. Though still minor, all the people involved in bodily harms of others could arguably be charged and trialed for a criminal offense. This legal aspect was not addressed but if it were, Thyme, Talay, other bullies would all be subject to such a process as minors.The corruption of the authorities and adults involved in taking bribes and protecting Thyme and F4 from consequences of their bullying was also not addressed YET. This is a systemic, structural issue where money prevails over truth and justice. And a root cause of that is Thyme's mom, but it goes well beyond that.In Thailand, the King, one of the wealthiest men in the world, is untouchable. Thanks to a draconian Lese Majeste law, any faint criticism of the royal family could land you in jail. Worse, several vocal people have disappeared without a trace. What I'm trying to say is that the problem of the injustices of wealth, influence and corruption is so big it requires an overhaul of Thailand's social, cultural, legal and institutional landscape. True justice cannot be served until it is dealt with systematically.F4 Thailand reflects just a small slice of this system. And Thyme, even a small part in the small world that the show tries to convey. He has come a long way from a tyrant king to a man kneeling to ask for forgiveness for his past behavior. The redemption we see in this EP is a personal one. The more structural part of this equation is not directly addressed yet but at least alluded to. We'll see how that gets resolved in later EPs.But what I really want to address is the comment about Thyme needing to be jailed (for justice to be served). While I agree the potentially criminal nature of the violence and abuse needs to be addressed, jailing is not necessarily the way. There are two main approaches to repair harm and achieve justice: one is punitive, the other is restorative. Unfortunately many countries's laws have adopted the Western approach of punitive punishment (locking up, jail terms). But this is equivalent to "an eye for an eye" way of inflicting suffering, and doesn't necessarily bring about true healing and repair of hurt. A better approach is the restorative way (many indigenous societies around the world use this approach and some Western countries have now started to incorporate this approach into their legal and criminal framework) where the perpetrators and victims get to both reconcile, repair harms and heal, which is closer to what Thyme was trying to do.I know what this EP did could not satisfy everyone and address everything, but I sincerely applaud the director and scriptwriter for giving weight to this important issue of injustices and healing. This EP is especially relevant given what's been in the Thai news recently (rich, influential people causing an actress to drown under mysterious circumstances, paying off the police and others involved, and likely escaping legal persecution).Thyme has learned what's right and wrong and tried to atone his past sins in his limited way. But the journey is not over. Now we'll see how he, with support from Gorya, can work to challenge his mom and change the corrupt, unjust patriarchical system that has raised, protected him and is also grooming him to be its "king," to bring about a more just world.As a Thai, I give this EP 10/10!! The relevance and timeliness of the social commentary cannot be applauded enough!

Read More