#there's dylan there's nano and then there's pepper

[aprilblossomgirl]

I can’t choose which side to take. That guy is my friend, and so is the other. True. I’m rooting for Thame for sure. Someone like me will never take sides with Jun. No way. Are you saying this because you don’t want Jun to date P'Po? Eh? Of course. Someone like Jun isn’t supposed to date anyone.

ThamePo Heart That Skips a Beat | Ep.08

[miss0atae]

If "Are you for real?" had a picture.

[apathetic-tortoise]

MARS? More like Mystery Gang the way they found out where Po was

Besties had one screenshot of a sandwich wrapper

[athousandbyeol]

keep up the thamepo [episode 5]

i was a bit frustrated with myself initially because, after the first watch, I was left confused... and jaded... and a bit dissatisfied with this week's episode.

it has nothing to do with the acting, but I thought it felt a bit fragmented? nano's story arc didn't flow as smoothly as jun's or dylan's? i was trying to make sense of it—why it felt like there were still missing puzzle pieces in nano's portrait. but I guess, after making another observation, I guess nano was the last puzzle piece. i didn't realise it until I watched the episode again.

i wonder if this has to do with how the story is told from thame's perspective? the simplicity, somewhat straightforward nature of how everything unfolds kind of reflects thame's perception of his feelings for po? how he thought that po was just wanting 'to be friends' with him. how he didn't know he was in love with po—not until pepper provided a different approach for him to understand and come to terms with his feelings?

therefore, in this week's recap, it'll be a bit shorter than my previous posts because this episode was quite straightforward in terms of storytelling. however, I do want to address some apparent parts that itch my brain, which are, jun and thame's dynamic, the parallelism between nano and po, and also po and thame's upcoming love arc.

1. jun and thame — one who ignites the fire; one who is on fire

i think 80% of the confusion comes from me not understanding what on earth jun was doing.

in last week's post, i said that jun might be fond of po in the sense that he was concerned about him because of his closeness with thame? jun might have an idea of po and thame's emotions for each other, so this is his way of showing his concern.

however...

everything he did somehow sent me to the edge. it made me assume that he might... like... po? romantically. i mean, if I don't know jun and po the way I do now, I might assume that they have feelings for each other (or at least, jun has feelings for po).

but then again, when i watched the episode, I didn't think jun likes po romantically? it's more like jun's trying to test the connection between po and thame—or he was just testing thame all along.

but one thing that i really like about the whole 'jun answered all of thame's calls on po's phone' is how transparent thame's jealousy is to everyone, but it's still transparent to him.

it's so interesting how thame is visibly uncomfortable with the idea of jun being close to po—at least in his eyes—romantically. because I feel like thame has always tried to conceal some parts of himself from the world due to his selflessness. yet, in this week's episode, I can safely say that thame has finally shown his selfishness.

and it kind of makes my heart skip a beat because po is the reason. thame's behaviour and demeanour in this episode stem certainty in me that aside from his dreams of making everyone's wishes come true, making po happy and loved is his new dream. and it's not forced, this dream of showing and giving po the whole world—it's because he genuinely loves him. (but at this point, thame didn't realise it yet xD)

a quick shoutout to pepper for being the group's observer. he's closely monitoring the group, helping thame bridge the members together, and giving advice to thame from the perspective of an outsider—a watcher. I'm thankful that thame has pepper as the vice leader because in my opinion, pepper judges with this sense and intuition, while thame makes decisions more on his senses than feelings. so it's great that thame and pepper are the leaders of the group because they complement each other well; pepper emotionally supports thame and helps him get a better grasp of the smaller picture—thame's way of helping pepper will unfold next week, I assume (and I'm excited/nervous for it to be honest...)

but again... the jealousy thame portrays is delicious.

it's fascinating because thame's jealousy is directed solely at jun and not po.

he could still smile at po. he was excited to have a conversation with po. he was always looking out for po.

but whenever he was looking at po, there was jun.

i like that in this scene, po was really just genuinely sharing about his day (I could imagine them being exactly like this when they start dating). he was so happy to talk to thame (po's so precious I'm actually devastated T_T). but as soon as the mentioned jun... thame just... he was set aflame. and it's so satisfying to see him this way. he's finally being selfish for once.

and jun kept pushing thame's buttons, all the right ones. and he was on edge. he was jealous. he was fuming. he was confused. he was... dejected.

however, i wonder still if everything jun said to po holds an opposite meaning? was he trying to tell po that "can't you see? thame really likes you?" what are your thoughts on jun? i really want to know (because I still don't understand his intentions t_t)

thank you pepper for helping thame realise his feelings for po :(

i like the idea of thame's inexperience of never liking or having a crush on someone makes his feelings for po appear stronger, bolder and limitless. thame has so much love to give po once he accepts the buzz in his head and the heaviness in his chest as I'm in love with phi po.

i think, the moment of epiphany for thame is beautifully done. the self-acceptance, the happiness and the relief that he finally understood his fondness for po are gorgeous. (so, jun, stop teasing thame and po, will you? po is definitely thame's type and thame's definitely in love with po.)

2. nano and po — a shadow, a reflection, two hearts

i'm actually geeking out at the idea of nano and po as a shadow, a reflection and heart to the people who regard them as important in their lives.

nano is just... beautiful.

to me, nano navigates his thoughts and feelings as a member of MARS with his heart. it makes him somewhat pure and innocent. he just loves his members. he loves MARS so much.

but it's heartbreaking how he doesn't see his significance as a member of the group—as the group's core.

all these stills of nano building the tent, helping the members, etc, illustrate his importance to the group. to me, he enhances each member's charms. he brings them to the spotlight. he helps clear the mist clouding them so that people can see MARS in all of their glory.

however, i do realise that nano is struggling with self-confidence. he doesn't know if he could ever make it without MARS. he's unsure if he could ever exist just as nano and not nano of MARS. he feels like a shadow underneath the members' feet. he doesn't feel he holds any importance.

nano reflects po. nano parallels the old po.

it's a beautiful parallelism—these two broken hearts were just afraid of disappointment. of uncertainty. of grief. of incompetence. of falling apart.

but i'm so thankful that po steps up to help nano realise that he's important—he's the heart and soul of MARS. with his portrayal of honesty from past experience, I love how sincere and raw po's words are. i surely believe it's everything nano needed.

(and i absolutely love how nano and po are wearing the same shade of yellow, indicating that both of them experienced similar scenarios. i think po will be nano's favourite phi in the future. he'll emotionally lean on po the most because po understood him through and through. it's so sweet T_T)

i think it's also healing po emotionally. he has finally confronted his past emotional trauma by indirectly talking about it to nano. it must've been tough to share a part of our utmost vulnerability with someone, but I'm glad po was strong enough to make a truce with everything he experienced in the past and helped nano see just how important he's to MARS. thank you, po <3

i love that MARS finally feels complete now—they finally feel like a family again.

even if the future is uncertain, at least they have each other to lean on (I'm just going to cry in the corner when that time comes...) and nano being in the centre? that's MARS's heart and soul right there. <3

3. thame and po — one step closer, 5 cm

finally, thame and po are physically close.

episodes 1 to 4 did an amazing job of showing us how thame and po build their emotional closeness through heart-to-heart talks, helping each other out, eating sandwiches together, remembering one's phone number, etc. thame and po are already close without thame realising, without po thinking.

i'm obsessed with how thame's deepest feelings now overboil once it's constantly triggered by the idea of jun and po's ambiguous connection in his eyes. i think it's how most of us realise our first crush on someone—the intensity, and the confusion are somewhat daunting. but again, I'm glad pepper was there for thame to understand his feelings—and jun was there for po to doubt if it was ever true.

this shot is INSANE.

my heart really skipped a beat. really.

i think it's because thame initiated this touch and it was the first time that they've ever touched this intimately (at the waist—in my head it's one of the most intimate places to touch) and it was after he made a move to understand his boggling feelings for po—

(distant screaming and screeching)

the shock and happiness and yearning and intimacy is just SCRUMPTUOUS I'm honestly jumping off—

just the notion of thame finally coming to terms with his emotions—finally understanding that he likes po and he likes everything about po and it makes sense now is just gorgeous.

the happiness on thame's face... my heart is aching. i hope he'll be happy for a long time.

(AND THE HUG! THE HUG! instead of holding po's hand, thame hugged po. i like the idea that they are chest to chest, heart to heart, listening to the sync beat of their thundering hearts, realising that oh, I like phi po. ph, phi po likes me too. INSANE INSANE THAME I SWEAR THIS IS THE START OF A HAPPIER JOURNEY FOR YOU DON'T WORRY LOVE PO LOVES YOU AND YOU LOVE PO AND THAT'S ENOUGH)

but...

what will happen next week? are we finally getting pepper's (devastating) story arc? and what's up with the heartbreaking tension between po and thame? and why are we getting jun's "between phi and thame, it's impossible" next week? I'M NOT EVEN MENTALLY SANE TO TAKE IT—

*jumps off* *crying* *screaming* i don't know anymore.

[thebvbbletea]

You have no idea about how much I love ThamePo. Everything that they try to potray is they doing it right. The storyline, the personality of all characters, the tender sweet moments & healthy relationship between Thame & Po, the bonding between MARS, the cinematography, the atmosphere and the potray of idol's life including the fangirling culture. Everything they done it right.

And I also really want to appreciate Est & William's acting. This is the very first time William's acting gig, but he look so professional already. Est also really good at expressing every single Po's feeling. And to all LYKN's member, I really love how they could bring their own character to life and make them charming in their own way. Even though the ending feel a little bit odd, but I'm so glad that everyone got their own happy ending.

With both Thame & Po and Pepper & Gam (and idc, for me Jun & Dylan is also the endgame couple 🥲) could be openly dating and MARS free from Oner and establish their own company. I dare to say this is one of the best gmmtv's bl works in a while. I FREAKING LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS SERIES 😭

[almayver]

🥺 All the dreams from the tree, came true

[moonchildridden]

ThamePo’s Episode 11. Let’s talk about it

So, I am currently stuffing myself with everything sugary I can find in my kitchen to replenish myself for the amount of energy that I spent watching this episode and trying to calm myself down because my brain is just a cacophony of thoughts trying to make sense but failing miserably. I’m pretty sure I wont touch this episode again in my entire life, not even during my rewatch sessions because everything that happened was engraved in my brain in pure iron and I won’t forget so easily.

I had another post to write (and I still will write it) about ThamePo, but then this episode happened and everything went south in a matter of minutes. Suddenly, my main goal was not to gloat about Thame and how his surroundings shaped his visions of romantic relationships but how this episode was just a visual demonstration of the sabotage Pemika has been making with MARS since day 1. So, yeah, let’s talk about episode 11.

I won't make this post in the format you guys are used to when it comes to my thinking bits about something because I don't even have a clear idea to where to I even start talking about what’s been bugging me, leaving me to do things randomly and hope they make sense:

Pemika’s golden egg is solemnly Thame. Not even Ice, one of her most famous artists gets the “preference treatment” Thame gets, even if it’s not what Thame wants.

This is not something new, we saw this happening time and time again, since episode one, in how Pemika looks at Thame as Oner’s golden ticket to success and will do whatever it takes to make that happen, even if it means sabotaging her other artists. However, in this episode, alongside the last week’s one, made very clear that Pemika, as a CEO, has a very biased and tunnel vision when it comes to her business. For her, Thame is the only one worth investing, the only one worth saving, and the only one worth pushing higher, because is the one, according to her, responsible to push T-pop to new heights. In her hands, Thame it's just a pawn in a game he did not consented to play.

2. Because of that tunnel vision, she never really viewed MARS as what MARS was supposed to be seen as, a five member group, but rather as a stepping stone to make sure Thame could get the attention necessary to align with her plans.

Take what happened after the announcement of Thame’s korean debut: Dylan, who was never allowed to write songs to the company or have his songs recognized by the company, got the chance to write one song with a well known writer; Jun managed to get a lead role in a series/film; Nano got a couch assigned to help him improve his singing and raping. Those things happened very suddenly and in rapid succession, making me realize that Pemika has been withholding opportunities from the members of MARS, opportunities that would’ve helped them develop their talents within the group, because she needed to make the others appear as “weak” compared to Thame, because she wanted Thame to succeed and the other stay stagnant.

Don't get me started on the “I’m helping them archive their dreams by doing this” bullshit because she knew Nano needed to improve in other skills but refused to acknowledge that until Thame was dead locked in going to Korea. She knew Dylan wanted to write songs with other people but refused to let that happened until Thame was forced to leave the group. She knew Jun wanted to have lead roles but probably refused whatever offer was made to Jun regarding that until Thame was out of the picture. The fact that Pepper wasn’t even mentioned in having a specific thing attached to him can be a visual testament in how the company sees him a disposable person, that adds nothing to the group and it’s only there to make MARS be a five member group and nothing else.

What the rest of MARS got after Thame was pushed away was nothing more than a consolation prize, a way of her saying “see what happens when Thame does what I want? You get to have your dreams fulfilled”, because Pemika needs to use Nano, Jun, Dylan and Pepper’s dreams as a trading coin with Thame, as she knows Thame will ALWAYS choose MARS over his solo career.

One thing that occurred to me while having those epiphanies was the fact that all the rest of MARS got after Thame was pushed away could’ve been theirs sooner but Thame reuniting the group paused Pemika’s plan.

PEMIKA. USED. THEIR. DREAMS. AS. CONSOLATION. PRIZES. Change my mind.

*******************************.....************************************

I know I mentioned about Pemika’s sabotage of MARS as the main subject of this post but there’s few more things I would like to talk about the episode:

The words choices from Pemika (again!) when she talked with Po. I may be thinking like that because of the fact that ThamePo have a queer relationship and all that but the words “clean and pure” sounded a tad homophobic to me, specially considering the fact that she was trying to make a “cleanse” on Thame’s image to go to Korea. Again, I can be reading too much into it (not only because of ThamePo but also because me, myself, being queer) but if you guys can bring another interpretation to those words that don't go into homophobic territory, I would appreciate it a lot.

Po and Baifern’s talk, where she explained her feelings towards Thame’s “departure” from the group. She talked about how, no matter how sad she became after the news broke, she couldn't impose her needs on Thame, because as a fan she needed to focus on what was best for him as a person/artist and not what he thought was the best for him; now, tell me, where was that rational thinking when Pepper’s “scandal” happened and she simply decided to close the fanbase because “her feelings as a fan got hurt”. I am in to right to judge other people’s emotions regarding certain things but it irked me the way she could be so rational about Thame (because it was related to his professional life) but couldn't extend the same courtesy to her bias (because it was related to his personal life). Baifern is the fandom stand-in in the series and was used brilliantly to showcase the double standards fans have when it comes to their favorite artists.

********************************..........**********************************

Now, onto things to turn this Friday night even more depressing:

- Thame was forced to watch his members break down in front of him, without having the power to change anything. Even if, this time, all of them saw how important MARS is for everyone, having to confront the news together, instead of second guessing the reasons to why their dreams were being cut again, the pain was doubled because it was live, there, for all of them to see it. Nano loosing it was like ripping my skin apart, being doused with gasoline and lit on fire after, pure diabolical.

- When Earn broke up with Po, he had Baifern to console him and be there for him, while Thame was left alone dealing with the aftermath of the shitshow that was his clash with the rest of MARS. Now, while Thame had MARS by his side, Po was left alone to heal because Baifern couldn't know that he had been dating Thame or it could make things even worse.

All in all, this episode was simply made to make us suffer. I wish I could show you guys actual footage of me crying my eyes out during the breakup scene for you to understand how painful it was to see all that unfold, Thame begging for Po to fight for them and Po having to turn his back on the man he loved, Po alone in his apartment, Thame walking until his house, crying, hurt and confused, trying to understand why things had gone south out of nowhere, being hugged by his members and then having all he wanted stripped away from him because Pemika decided that greed was more important for her than her artists. I hate how hollow and furious this episode made me feel and will need more than a week to forget all I felt today.

If you guys want a place to vent frustrations, cry or just reminisce how we spent a week freaking out because of ThamePo’s first kiss, I’m all eyes. That being said, please, take care of yourselves, I love all of you.

[imlimitedkery]

Fandom: Thame-Po Heart that Skips a Beat

Rating: E

Pairing: ThamePo, JunDylanNano

Chapters: 8/8 (This is just a small bonus chapter, a little gift for you.)

Summary:

They never meant to be like this.

Truly, Thame didn’t expect to be so desperate, so thirsty, for Po all the damn time that he simply doesn’t care where they are, or who could catch them. He needs Po more than he ever needed anyone, and it has to be right there and then.

Po isn’t any better. The moment he catches Thame giving him those eyes, the ones that mean he’s thinking about Po naked and trembling under him, Po drops whatever he is doing and gets ready to be debauched each and every way possible.

aka five (5) times ThamePo almost get caught in the act and one (1) time they do. (+ one (1) time they don’t)

(The End!)

[ndkdrama]

EP 1 | ThamePo | Boy with luv | BL

🔗Youtube: NDK DRAMA

[bellarkeandclintashaandsuch]

Miss Pemika’s trying so hard to make people believe she’s doing this for everyone’s own good. But all these things could happen with Thame still here and in the group, and everyone would be happier with him here, so now what’s your point?

[aprilblossomgirl]

I ruined last night’s date, didn’t I?

ThamePo Heart That Skips a Beat | Ep.09

[heretherebedork]

Jun's absolute disgust at Thame for coming home after watching the movie with Po is the best thing that has ever happened.

While Nano and Pepper can't quite wrap their minds around it.

Just the entire peanut gallery is glorious.

And Dylan just says what they all mean.

These men have their work cut out for them trying to help Thame and they know it.

Jun is now the best wingman, thankfully, because Thame needs as many as he can get.

How many men does it take to explain to one man that dating isn't always literal and sometimes, also, people want to have sex with you.

Four men, apparently, is what it takes to convince this man that he really can do these things and Po wants him to them too.

[apathetic-tortoise]

Pepper, to Dylan, Jun, and Nano: If the thought of something makes any of you giggle for longer than 15 seconds, you are to assume you’re not allowed to do it

[athousandbyeol]

the beauty of thamepo.

[thebroccolination]

I think this moment might end up in my top three of the series.

Like him or not, every action Jun has done in the story has been for love or protection of someone else.

When he encouraged the rift in the group, it was because he’d seen Thame destroying himself to keep them together, and he saw Korea as Thame’s only escape route, even if Thame himself didn’t want to take it.

When Jun was pursuing Po, it was because he believed Thame wasn’t interested, and when Jun found out Thame was, he still pushed a bit just to make sure Thame was serious, to protect Po. Because Jun knew what Po had gone through with Earn—whether that was something Po told him himself or something Jun found out on his own somehow. When he saw how earnestly Thame felt for Po, he stepped back even though it hurt him because he knew Po had always wanted Thame.

In many ways, Jun appears to have the kind of cutthroat attitude that would make him thrive in the entertainment industry. But we see over and over that what he’s truly cutthroat about is love. He loves Thame, he grew to love Po, and he loves his group.

And when Jun realized that there was no immediate way out of their situation in that hallway, he went to the member whose world was most in jeopardy: Nano. The one who’d been most reluctant to come back because he had the most to lose.

And it would have been so easy to show Jun going offscreen like Dylan and Pepper, but instead we see him quietly cover Nano with his own body, even if he can’t do or say anything else. Because Nano agreed to the risk, part of that choice meant gaining back his found family.

So while Dylan rages, Pepper freezes up, and Thame melts down, Jun is the only one left to take care of the youngest, and so he does.

I love Jun.

[bevioletskies]

(thamepo) heart that skips a beat: novel vs. series ↳ episode one

Bangkok’s skyline surrounded the rooftop, city lights glowing like a bokeh backdrop. Po saw Thame standing alone, holding both his camera and ID card. He was watching something on the camera—footage Po had taken earlier of the other band members during their break. The screen showed moments of Jun, Dylan, Pepper, and Nano, all captured with care. A small smile formed on Thame’s face, soft and unguarded, unlike the Thame Po had encountered all day.