With this sunset comes two rising stars, Billkin & PP

This Thai series has only five episodes, and from episodes 1 to 4, each minute is well-spent. The story unfurls at an unhurried pace, allowing scenes to breathe. And yet no scene is left to waste.

Oh-aew and Teh, best friends since childhood, have a falling out just before junior high. After years of ghosting each other, Oh-aew and Teh meet again, and they renew their friendship. But this time, Teh is gripped by the stirrings of newfound feelings towards Oh. And as he tries to grapple with it, Oh also senses this attraction, and he goes for it.

ITSAY excels in examining, in a measured and meticulous way, how the two boys navigate through the different emotions that evolve between them. Picking up the broken pieces of a shattered friendship takes time, and the series takes its time to show how painful reconnections can be, when the unspoken is at last spoken. Teh’s attraction to Oh, Oh’s shift in interest from Bas to Teh, Teh’s confused handling of his relationship with Tarn, Teh’s conflicted feelings at home — whether they're caused by outside forces or from inner motivations, decisions are made and words are spoken, and they have consequences.

And when the series touches on societal issues (particularly those relevant to the LGBTQI+ community), these issues are woven seamlessly into the narrative and not just tacked on because they're part of an agenda.

The series is all about the details. Gorgeously shot in picturesque Phuket, the cinematography and production design combine to produce lyrical images that match the series’ poetic title. The languid pacing allows for silences to be heard and pauses to make their point. Most importantly, Krit Amnuaydechkorn as Oh-aew and Billkin Putthipong Assaratanakul as Teh give affecting, heartfelt performances that evoke all sorts of nostalgic Love Of Siam feels, and this series cements their status as a top-tier BL couple. Billkin, in particular, is amazing as he externalizes the push-and-pull of his inner conflicts through awkward movements and a glazed, puzzled look in his eyes.

Oh-aew and Teh’s story may not be groundbreaking, but such as story is still worth telling. Because for some of those in the LGBTQI+ community (and some confused ones as well), their story is our truth. And ITSAY shows us how affecting our stories are when their told well. Or to paraphrase an ad agency’s credo, “It’s our truth, well told.”

(P.S. - I’ve yet to watch the finale, but I’m calling this the best BL/gay series of 2020. And while I don’t think it’s a perfect series, there’s no 9.75 in the MyDramaList ratings, so I’ll just round off my score.)

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Very LGBTQ-positive series

As a low-budget production, there's a lot to criticize: cinematography and lighting, editing, sound design, etc.

And in terms of acting, I still find it jarring to see "overacting" as a comedic tradition. Still, I guess that's more a cultural thing (even other cultures use exaggerated acting when doing comedy).

What's surprising (maybe even groundbreaking?) is how positive most characters are toward a male-to-male relationship. This is something I rarely see in Japanese shows and movies. And in this series, the two male leads are shown kissing one another openly and not "cheating" by angling their heads so that they only appear to be kissing or cutting away before their lips touch. What chutzpah!

Also, can someone tell me the name of the actor playing Sota, the younger brother of Masumi?

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