A Brilliantly Scripted Thriller

I grew up on a stable diet of Indian mythological (Ramayana & Mahabharata), both have been remade again & again with different casting. The central character that remains at the heart of both mythologies is Lord Vishnu (both Lord Ram & Lord Krishna are his reincarnations). So, when the trailer for “The Sign” was released, I was intrigued; because it had two main characters based on Indian mythology. I was surprised to say the least; Garuda is the vahana/vehicle of Lord Vishnu while Sheshanaga is his mount. Although we know about the enmity between Garuda and Nagas, their story was never properly described/depicted beyond the fact that they both serve Lord Vishnu. So, to see two divine figures from the Indian mythology in a Thai drama was quite riveting. It was only after the show started that I realised that Thais have their own myths about Garuda & Nagas. The show is hugely based in modern era, but is fantasy drama based on the age long enmity between the two demigods. In Buddhism, Garudas are enormous predatory birds with intelligence and social organisation. The Garudas have kings and cities, and some of them have the magical power of changing into human form; as can be witnessed with Phaya’s characterization. The Garuda are enemies to the nāga, a race of intelligent serpent- or dragon-like beings, whom they hunt. Nagas are believed to live in either water bodies or in caves and have different clans; as witnessed by their attire. Tharn is mostly shown wearing green clothes, which depict his noble status while Chalothorn is show wearing black clothes which signify the fact that he is a royal. “The Sign” cleverly combines these age-old mythologies with the concept of reincarnation to script a thriller that is incomparable to most modern dramas in the BL world.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/05/25/the-sign-series-review-ep-3-to-12/

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Be on Cloud's Attempt at Scripting a Thriller Fails

“Dead Friend Forever” (DFF) started out rather slowly paced, gained a lot of momentum in the middle, however, by episode 8, the show provided too much unnecessary exposition and plot that did not quite tie in, and fell short in their resolution which resulted in a subpar finale. However, as a slasher/horror series, it delivered on the scares, gore, and delved into the horrors of the human mind which acts as a cautionary tale against bullying and being complicit in the face of others’ wrongdoings.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/21/dead-friend-forever-series-review-ep-4-to-12/

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Not Exactly An Entertaining Watch

I’ll be honest from the beginning. This is not going to be a very positive review. If you’re an OffGun fan who loved the show and don’t want to read anything negative about it, I would suggest to stop reading this review right now. If you’re an OffGun fan who was massively disappointed by the show like I was, go ahead.

As a long-time fan of OffGun, I had literally teared up out of excitement when “Not Me” was first announced, and to this day it remains one of my favourite BL’s. I am a big fan of the magic that they have created before, not just in “Not Me” but in “Theory of Love” as well. After doing great shows together, as I said in the first impressions, I was simply confused as to why they would choose a project that seemed to pale a little in comparison.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/08/cooking-crush-series-review-ep-3-to-12-cut-version/

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Pointless Drama and Over Melodramatic Storytelling

This series is marred by something, and I wrestled with trying to find the most appropriate word to describe that. A word that is strong enough and powerful enough to impart disconnect to what is happening in this series. Finally, I found the precise word: Eschew, which literally means ‘to keep away from or shun, avoid, circumvent, boycott, or dodge’. Quite literally everyone in this series does what he can to avoid telling the truth, or face reality, or abstain from communicating effectively, openly, or honestly. It seems to be the driving force of Thai BLs to be as evasive and elusive as you can to create artificial dramas. This is another sad example of that artifice.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/07/for-him-series-review-ep-1-to-12/

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A Short Slice of Life But Could Be Better

Strongberry, a name Boys’ Love fans know internationally as one of the most honest and profilic gay production companies in Korea comes back with a short series titled “Happy Ending”. After the success of “Choco Milk Shake” I was pleasantly pleased to see actor Kim Seong Hyuk who plays the silly Kang Dong Ho, in this new series. In the three episodic series, he is paired with Park Jun Mook who plays his good friend Hyun. The pair exist in a pre-established story already in progress which is how Strongberry normally does it.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/03/02/happy-ending-series-review-ep-1-to-3/

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Most Disappointing Watch of 2023

There is no myths here; that went extent along with the dinosaurs. Instead, it is a jumbled incoherent mess of disorganized shifts of scenes packed with individuals for the most part that are astonishingly unlikable, dumb as a box of rocks, naïve, and caricatures. Some are decidedly despicable creatures as well.

The whole universe of this story centers around one of the densest characters I have ever seen. Not only is he naïve and remains so throughout, but he is also the biggest milqutoast and nebbish individual ever in any BL. It was exacerbating to watch him not be able to fend for himself in any meaningful way, with conviction and simply ‘forgive’ people for astonishing bad transgressions against him without making it very clear how he really felt or where he stood. He gives a new definition to the term wimp. I am talking about, of course, the apple of so many guys’ eye for whom I simply could not figure out why. Rak (Kong Montree) who consistently walks around looking lost and functioning in a dream world of his own making. To say he is naïve is to be kind to him. It goes deeper than that. It is as if he wears a sign on himself that says, “Yes, I am really this clueless and as dumb as I look. So go ahead and use me. I really won’t figure it out but oh when I do, I will simply forgive you and move on. Thanks.” For example, his boyfriend had been cheating on him for a while with his own best friend. His passive acceptance of this along with his wounded look made it appear as if it was his cross to bear, and he wore it almost like a badge of honor. When he finally breaks up with him, he allows and tacitly accepts his former boyfriend to visit and harass him without making it abundantly clear that it is finally over, period. At one point, his former boyfriend attempts to rape Rak, and still, Rak forgives him.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/01/05/dinosaur-love-series-review-ep-1-to-8-final-story-ep-910/#more-14438

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A Realistic Depiction of Teenage Romance & Relationships

The human heart is a stormy place, and when paired with thought, it becomes even more tumultuous. Love isn’t logical—it’s a force that heals, torments, and binds, sometimes all at once.

When mixed with thought, love can often feel like madness.

Adapted from the novel Mou Mou by Mu Su Li, the Taiwanese BL The On1y One defies expectations while exploring love amidst emotional turmoil. Starring Liu Dong Qin as the studious and friendly Sheng Wang and Benjamin Tsang as the reserved loner Jiang Tian, the series follows two boys with their own personal traumas who are brought together as unexpected brothers.

I’ve started this review a thousand times—not because I’m sad, though I am, but because The On1y One gave us so much to think about and feel.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/10/03/the-on1y-one-series-review-ep-3-to-12/

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A Beautiful Pairing with a Complicated Romance

Adapted from a novel of the same name, this mini-series is a spin-off of the famous GL “Gap The Series”. This an age-gap GL between Khun Nueng (Faye Peraya) and Anueng (Yoko Apasra), though I want to make it clear that the characters are at the right age to date, so the age difference doesn’t seem inappropriate. The series is a fresh breath of air in between lots of cringy and plain situations. The chemistry between the leads is cute and Yoko’s acting has an innocence to it that will make you adore her with all your heart. Faye as Khun Neung is brilliant, her acting is commendable, her expression doesn’t seem forced or awkward and is very detailed. She has put a lot of effort into her role and while watching the series you won’t find awkward pauses, forced acting, or expressions. Faye has grasped the very essence of Khun Neung’s character, who can mask her feelings.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/06/07/blank-series-review-ep-1-to-6/

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Not So Good, Not So Bad

“Bad Guy My Boss” started off as an interesting and provocative watch, however, as it progressed, it became quite monotonous and resulted in a tedious show that lost me as the audience. While the story of a situation-ship between a boss and their subordinate is titillating, and the progression of the relationship dynamic can be interesting, the way in which the show tackles the relationship and the characters was subpar, and with little to no character growth, the story seemed to be stuck on the first half of the series, and the relationships did not grow organically, but the growth was moved by outside factors pertaining to the business, instead of internal factors affecting the relationship.

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https://theblxpress.wordpress.com/2024/12/17/bad-guy-my-boss-series-review-ep-4-to-12/

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Something Different and Intriguing!

When I first started to watch this series, I frankly was perplexed by it. It certainly grabbed my attention and honestly, I did not identify the same actors playing different roles. Sincerely, I thought they were different actors as the roles, setup, and stories were so vastly distinctive. But as each of the storylines developed, I did observe that the essence was the same. It was well into the third storyline when I had my epiphany and realized the actors were the same but each of the stories was wildly different. Two young men find each other, fall in love, and form a nexus. However, not always with happy endings. Each character represented different personalities and certainly different outlooks on life. Yet, something always draws the two of them together. And that something of course is love.

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https://theblxpress.wordpress.com/2024/12/06/every-you-every-me-series-review-ep-1-to-8/

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There’s something undeniably magical about War Wanarat and Yin Anan when they share the screen. It’s more than just chemistry. Maybe it’s their friendship. Maybe it’s their uncanny ability to tap into nuanced emotions while weaving romance effortlessly into their performances. Whatever the reason, they consistently bring a depth to their characters—a depth that resonates even when the story itself falls a little short.

The Thai BL Jack and Joker: U Steal My Heart is a perfect showcase of the magic Yin and War create together. But it’s also a reminder of how much more they could achieve with a series that truly challenges their abilities—one as well-written as the performances they deliver.

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https://theblxpress.wordpress.com/2024/12/03/jack-and-joker-u-steal-my-heart-series-review-ep-3-to-12/

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This short but unsullied movie, broken into 7 episodes, is surprisingly effective and very entertaining. While a few cringe worthy scenarios brought it down a few notches, there is one big framework that catapults it back up into the stratosphere, making it exceptionally rare for a KBL. This is an obviously low-budget production that has essentially two main characters and only a smattering of other characters. Thus, it is character driven.

Sales Team 2 has just received word of its dissolution because of a management crisis. Han U Jin (Jung Jae Bin) is the team leader and must wrap things up with all the partners in a few months. With no one left to assist him, Yun Su An (Jeon Ju Bin) is assigned to help him with closing details. Unbeknownst to Yun, Han harbored a previous fascination with him. For reasons unknown, he has awakened within Han memories of meeting him many years ago while Yun was working at a coffee shop. He became enamored with him then. Han is now surprised and delighted to see him standing before him as his new assistant. Han is rather inept at trying to win Yun’s attention over and comes dangerously close to harassment on several occasions. That indeed could have been handled better. The term ‘awkward’ comes to mind immediately.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/11/23/my-damn-business-series-review-ep-1-to-7/

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Had So Much Potential Which Was Wasted

Eccentric Romance starts strong, quickly grabbing attention with its intriguing mix of romance and mystery. The first episode set a thrilling tone, opening with a murder scene that transitions seamlessly into the lighthearted friendship between Jay (Save Saisawat) and Seong Hun (Yoon Jun Won). The initial chemistry between the two leads creates an intimacy that anchors the series, even as the alternating language shifts occasionally feel awkward. However, despite its promising setup, the series quickly loses focus.

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https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/11/22/eccentric-romance-series-review-ep-3-to-8/

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Star Crossed Lovers with a Fantasy Twist

“Reverse 4 You” is an interesting take on “star-crossed lovers” who have to overcome their fate and find a way to be together, not just with each other, but with their loved ones. I believe that the show would have benefitted from telling stories of Jattawa (Mae Methakarn Anektanasuwan), Vivi (Manao Natnicha Polsombat) and Four’s (Christine Gulasatree Michalsky) past and/or alternative lives to drive the story and add tension, instead of following just one timeline, because it left the ending feeling too rushed and the pay off was lacking because some crucial things were not explained or dealt with. With enough care and thought, this could have been a very compelling series, but it because boring very quickly due to the writers focusing on all the wrong aspects of it.

Read the complete article here-

https://the-bl-xpress.com/2024/11/21/reverse-4-you-series-review-ep-4-to-8/#respond

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