Ahh, soap operas... who doesn’t love them once in a while? This is my very first Thai Lakorn which, I confess, I only watched for queer romance in a historical setting (with a bonus NOT tragic ending). As soap operas go, this is one of the most bearable ones - no temporary amnesia, love triangles or 100 episodes worth of meandering plot. That is not to say it’s without the signature genre traits: there’s an overabundance of scheming family members and misunderstandings and crying and repetitive conversations but it’s worth it for the gorgeous love story and the unfading bond between two brothers.

When Thailand is offering a gay romance and a soap opera all in one, it would seem a moot point to hope for fleshed-out female characters, right? WRONG. I was pleasantly surprised that women not only dominate the cast (the only men of importance are the three leads) but they are overall, besides glitter and romance, the best part of the drama. The actresses are by far the better performers, each given at least a couple scenes to really shine; the women are different and complex, and every single one is given more depth by the end. Rightfully, it seems that all the budget went into their costumes, while the city this takes place in was relegated to the same three (3) streets. I cannot tell how accurate the dresses were to the time period but they were certainly beautiful and eye-catching.

I only have a few other things to say to convince you to watch this: glitter poison fights, a straight romance that is as adorable as it is watchable, Tian's secret, scissors, women murdering men.