The differences between this and the Japanese original will make it or break it for you

Disclaimer: the Japanese drama is not just one of my all time favourite BL; it's an all time favourite for any TV series. I am hugely biased, I can't pretend otherwise.

That said, I think this ended up being perfectly calibrated for the GMMTV audience. It has leads with sweet chemistry, plenty of opportunities to use the platform to push Thai culture to the forefront, and as many boxes of Lactosoy as possible. The storybeats are similar but not exact to the manga and Jdrama, and this is enormously sweet and suited to comfort watching. I can see why many people prefer it.

But, like, go watch the original too.

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Act One divine, act two runs out of fuel

I enjoy a little magic as a catalyst, and this manages to apply it in the best way: it shapes the story, but the characters still make decisions that anyone could make. For better and for worse.

That said, I find our heroine to be a bit bland, and the introduction to aspects of her character beyond the magical premise were slow to materialise. Both male love interests are by turns beautiful and charming, which certainly keeps things afloat.

This dropped in two parts on Netflix in my country and my experience of watching was that the first five built up well and the last five could have been a tidy second act but it felt like the action was split between several plot lines, which took the punch out of the eventual resolution. Cute, but not essential viewing.

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Where everything is beautiful but no one talks to each other

I'll be intentionally vague so as not to spoil anything but the upshot is: A little money smooths the rough edges. They clearly had a decent budget as the locations are gorgeous, the music is pretty good, and the racing action is filmed to feel properly heart pounding. Pavel as Babe really showcases his talent, and I hope season 2 has a bit less angst and gives him something to sink his teeth into. I'm ambivalent about omegaverse in general, but I think that aspect actually made real space for some great twists. I'd recommend this series, and I don't say that lightly.

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Just hop to episode 5

This is hard to review because I can see both what they were trying to do, and where they got lost along the way. Jade could be a bit of a buffoon who finds himself suddenly the leading man, but they went too broad and he's frequently clownish rather than a lovable fool. In the second half of the series you actually do get glimpses of what could have been - scenes where Jade is interacting with his family in particular. He's a lonely man who accepted his role as comic relief or a NPC in other people's stories. His struggle to start acknowledging he has needs and wants could be so much more. Yim did actually hit that emotional note several times, but quite late in the series.

I did like seeing King and Uea as an established couple. Uea seems like he finally feels safe with King. That makes me happy.

I'd recommend Zettai BL ni Naru Sekai VS Zettai BL ni Naritakunai Otoko instead if you want to see a NPC get a story of his own.

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This is not a love story (Complimentary)

In the series itself, Gene was writing BL novels, so the events of his life became a BL story. Beautiful men fall hopelessly in love with him, the conflicts he encounters are intimately tied to the state of his love life, and the resolution leaves him in a new place with regards to his relationship.

In this special, Gene is writing horror novels and his life reflects that. People are acting in ways he doesn't understand, and he's very visibly losing his connection to other people, even the person he cares for the most.

If you're here for more lovely moments between Sib and Gene, this may fall short of expectations. But if you can set the BL aside to enjoy another installation of a writer having a slightly surreal experience and some fun meta about horror genre then this will feel clever and funny and like a fun coda to the main series.

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The meta deserves first billing

Stick with me here I've just come off a Lovely Writer bender. I'm so high off of:
- the acknowledgement of tropes I hate because they're just bad for humanity,
- that weird watermelon button down Gene wears in like episode 5? I want that,
- the cheeky smile Sib seems to reserve only for Gene,
- the unexpected MVPs: Jab & Nueng, who just saw their brothers needed to be seen and loved and did that,
- the acknowledgement of fandom behaviours that hurt actual persons,
- my favourite recurring charafter: the overalls with only one strap done,
- peeled shrimp, and
- whatever combination of scripting, production design and acting that meant scenes of Gene without Sib by his side or Sib without Gene by his side started to feel incomplete. Like, Sib's light dimmed without Gene. Or Gene's entire body leaned toward the empty spaces when Sib wasn't there to fill them.

Was it a flawless series? No of course not. But budgets aren't endless and it is not the responsibility of one crew to turn the industry around though storytelling. But they tried, and I admire them for it.

But, like, please everyone cry faster (walk faster, argue faster, put on sunscreen faster). A judicious edit could have sharpened up some pacing wonderfully.

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How slow do you like your slow burn?

Think the slowest burn possible. (Well, maybe Aziraphale and Crowley are slower.) But the thing about a slow burn is there must be a continuous supply of heat, and I do think these actor brought a great deal of warmth to this couple.

The settings and people are beautiful, and the simmering pain of being unable to ask for what you want is REAL. You can tell this is a cousin to KinnPorsche but with less crime and more coffee.

I'd have loved better pacing, some dramas could have moved quicker, and others slower. But for me, the payoffs were worth it.

There were some characters that were 2 dimensional and used poorly, but unlike so many BLs this had real space for some supporting cast. Grandma and her crew were perfection. And Where are all the awards for the kids playing the 11 year old Phu and Nan?

I can see there was an intention of a second season and I hope they come back to that idea.

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They're all idiots, your honor

This so clearly needs a second season.

I'll keep things vague but maybe add a reply with hidden spoilers below, but in general the comparison to The L Word is spot on. I love overly dramatic soapy shows, and this brings the DRAMA. The music is outstanding, everyone is beautiful and impulsive, the production values are pretty good but not perfect, and the connection to real world things like jobs and how many stripey shirts any one individual should own are tenuous at best.

AND. I finally get why some of the popular pairings appeal to fans, which I didn't before. I might even give A Boss and a Babe another chance based on watching this. I am now officially a Mark fan. I see you, GMMTV.

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I need you to understand what level the acting is on here

This is the purest Enemies to Friends to Lovers arc I've seen in a drama. The fact that both leads have ride-or-die friends at uni indicates early that neither is fundamentally toxic. They're just young and newly moved away from home and figuring themselves out. But then, as they stop looking at each other through the lens of their families, they absolutely bloom under the other's regard. By the time they are head over heels... I can't think of another first kiss on this level. They kiss like it's a confession. No words, just a tidal wave of emotion and complete openness between them. Every acting choice tells a story on multiple levels, down to the final episode. A must see.

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I have a recommendation for you

This was a small budget film, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, but I do think that if you're looking for an adapted manga J Drama you'll be better served by seeing Cherry Magic, which came out the same year:https://mydramalist.com/69463-30sai-made-doteida-to-mahotsukai-ni-narerurashi

It handles the struggle to understand someones feelings and the evolution into closeness with them with a great deal of elegance and humour.

I'm not saying "Don't watch this" because if you like Japanese comedies this fits into that. But it feels dated already in 2024. Cherry Magic doesn't.

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