#dff non

[themundanedumpling]

it's funny how everyone at school probably thinks that non is a little weirdo who is probably bitchless and is into horror stuff meanwhile he was in an active fwb relationship with the hottest guy in town who turned into his boyfriend LIKE MY MAN NON HAS THAT RIZZ THAT NOT ONE BUT TWO HOT GUYS FELL FOR HIM

[syrena-del-mar]

The Nine Circles of Hell: Dead Friend Forever, Episode 7

First, a trigger warning: I'll be discussing themes of revenge porn, grooming, statutory rape, sexual coercion.

I'm going to discuss this episode with as much upmost care as I can, due to the sheer amount of sensitive material that came out of this week's episode I will also not being using any explicit scene screen captures from this episode. If there's anything you'd like to me to take out or want a more in depth conversation, feel free to use either of my message boxes.

Last week I said DFF had more to offer than just being a campy 90s slasher remake. While I first thought we were already in the depths of hell, thematically, with Non getting beaten by the mafia, I didn't expect this week's episode to somehow double that pain. But here we are. I was lulled into false security with the 5 minute montage of getting to know what Phee and Non's relationship was like. I should have remembered that I'm definitely watching the wrong genre when I expected more of those moments.

Non and Phee

This episode really continues and expands the idea that humans are not these clear-cut, unambiguous, good-or-bad beings that idea has now been depicted through Non and his relationship with Phee. Non has so much love to give and so much want for being loved, it's what leads to Phee in the first place, but it's also what leads to his downfall. Because Non loves so much and so hard, it's also why he wasn't ecstatic that Phee had to lie to his father and say that he was involved, just to get him out of trouble with the police. What started like a sweet date turns a bit bitter, because Non is seeing the consequences of his actions not only affect himself but also the others that he loves. It's also why he couldn't tell Phee about the sheer amount he owed Tee's uncle, because he was now well aware that if Phee found out, he would get himself involved.

Non lies and manipulates Phee, he tells him time and time again that nothing happened between him and Mr. Kreng. Non swears to Phee that he isn't lying to him and that he won't keep any secrets from him anymore. It pains him to do so, he's barely holding himself together by the end of a thread thread once he's Phee's arms and his face is hidden from Phee's view. Yet, he does. He keeps it a secret how big of a hole he has found himself in, because he doesn't want to drag Phee down with him. Non says it himself to Jin, he doesn't want to be burden, he'll figure it out himself. It's a direct parallel to the bigger issues that Non is finding himself in beyond just within the 'movie set'. He has the 300 million baht hanging over his head, his parents (in his point of view) regret having him and find that he does is bring embarrassment to the family, and now he has another adult willing to give him the 300 million baht with a fake sense of care. So he found, what he believes to be, a solution that would get rid of the 300 million baht debt and all it requires is giving up a piece of himself, but at least it won't come at a cost of burdening his parents or Phee.

In trying to protect Phee, his lies ends up costing him the one he loves the most, Phee. Now from this point on, this is all speculation, but when Phee accused Non of 'always doing this', I'm not in the camp that believes that Phee is accusing Non about being a serial cheater. I see why people are in that camp, but I initially jumped to that conclusion as well. Now, I'm more in the line that Phee is accusing of Non always feeding him lies, even after explicitly promising him that he wouldn't. After putting his neck out for him, after letting Non do things his way as long as he promised to tell him the truth, Non goes back to telling lies. Phee lashes out, and at the end of the day he's still a teenager, so he hits Non's weakest point. Just get lost and die. The very words that likely haunt Phee in the present-day, now as an adult. And Non's holds the broken bracelet, punishing himself, because he knew that there was no coming back from losing his lifeline.

Non and Mr. Kreng (Please keep my trigger warnings in mind, they will be heavily discussed in this section.)

Statutory Rape. Grooming. Coerced Sexual Relations. Nonconsensual Sex. Molestation. Sexual Assault. Sexual Abuse. Those are all words to describe the relationship that occurred between Non and Mr. Keng. Let's call exactly what it is. I think I'll lose my mind if I have to see someone another person call Non a cheater. There is no cheating when there is statutory rape.

Non is literally at the end of his rope, Mr. Keng clocked that immediately. He knew that Non was isolated, that he was completely othered by his classmates, he believes that Non has nobody else to turn to, and he knows that Non is in deep in a scam that target teens. In his eyes, he found the perfect victim.

Non is taken advantage of by a person in power, a person that he should be able to trust. Non isn't naïve, he clocked that Mr. Keng wanted something from him since the moment they first met. But he is vulnerable. He's being extorted by the mafia and he sees someone offering him the money that he needs to put an end to that. In his eyes, it was a way out, a means to an end that just cost him a piece of his soul. I truly think Non rationalized it to himself as prostituting himself, because he knew that money was never coming without a price. No matter how much Mr. Keng tried to sell it as 'brotherly' love.

But at the end of the day, it does not matter what Non believed or rationalized, because Mr. Keng was the adult in the situation. He had a duty, as a teacher, to protect Non and provide a safe classroom environment. Instead he target, manipulates, and coerces Non into having sexual relations with him. He knows the power imbalance he holds, first as a teacher and then with the 300 million baht he 'gave' him. Mr. Keng, knowing that Non's not close to his 'friends', physically isolates him. He takes him to his office that's half-lit, located in a long hallway with, seemingly, very little foot traffic. He prods at Non, asking what's been bothering him and has him visibly become emotional, before offering his care. He's a complete and utter predator, in every sense of the term.

I hope he dies a long, painful death.

Non and Jin

First and foremost, whether or not Jin was ultimately the one that posted the video does not matter. Filming a classmate being sexually assaulted is still child porn at the very least and, possibly, revenge porn (if he disseminated the video) at the worst. I was on the same boat as @respectthepetty and their take that Jin had to be the worst of them all. Like they said in that post, Jin is a coward and he even admits to it. There's nothing more cowardly than hiding behind a door, filming you supposed 'friend' getting sexually abused by your teacher, and then even considering putting up on social media for revenge because your heart is broken.

Yes, Top framed Non. Yes, Por demanded (and bullied) money from Non. Yes, Tee brought Non to the mafia. Those are all very bad things, don't get me wrong. All the physical and mental abuse they put Non through was hell. Yet, Jin was the only one aware that Non had already been seeing someone, which seemingly had upset him already. Then he sees him with Mr. Keng and instead of reporting that his alleged friend was being assaulted, he gets angry and films Non at his most vulnerable point in life. Even Fluke didn't want any part of that.

Jin takes away Non's dignity. And at the end of the day, it doesn't matter whether he uploaded it online or not, he was still the one to film, transfer that file onto his computer, and contemplate whether he was going to post it or not. At every point since he found that Non and Mr. Kreng were in that room, he rendered Non powerless. That video would have never been uploaded if it hadn't existed in the first place. With just a point of a camera and click of a button, he is revictimizing Non every. single. time. that video is opened and seen by another person.

There are no words to fully describe or explain that kind of trauma that he has subjected Non to.

Final Thoughts

This episode was nauseating. It honestly took me about two hours just to get to the end. Usually, I can watch through a show I enjoy really quickly, but this episode was so hard to digest. And that's simply due to how realistic they are approaching the subject of Non and Mr. Keng.

Barcode and Ta really are the stars of the show. I'm not saying that the other castmates aren't amazing in their roles, but man TaBarcode really know are hitting every single emotional beat. I was never a TaBarcode nor a MacauChay girlie, but man Be On Cloud has truly brought out their best this time around. Even though I fully know we are heading towards an incredibly heart wrenching ending for PheeNon, I can't help but want to hoard and scramble for moments of them together.

It's crazy how well, everyone was able to pull their weight this episode. There were so many moments that with less talented, less experienced actors, could have fallen flat, but they didn't. Ta and Barcode's PheeNon was so incredibly heart-beating, butterfly inducing before we were brought back into their reality outside of their relationship. 2J and Barcode's scenes were.... so disgustingly real, for lack of better words. I knew that storyline was never going to end well but it had been more than I ever expected Be On Cloud to release. They're tackling such real issues that weigh on teens with incredible tact, there's no romanticizing what happened. Even Phee's reaction was so understandable when you put yourself in the shoes of a teenager. I'll reiterate again and again, whatever you think about Be On Cloud as a management company, as a production company, they really are breaking boundaries and doing something right. Whatever happens in the second half, I think I'll be here, recovering, for a long time.

[sherrymagic]

Barcode Tinnasit as Non Thanakorn, Copper Phuriwat as Jin Jinnaphat and Ta Nannakun as Phee Ratthakiat DEAD FRIEND FOREVER (2023-2024)

[kinnbig]

my final girl ❤️🔪✨

[crysta1ized]

crazy how por was the only one in the whole show to realize that mr keng took advantage of non!

[raelle-writing]

DFF Theory: It was Fluke's laptop that was used to post the KengNon video

So this theory is that it was Fluke's laptop that was used to post the video of Keng and Non, though Fluke himself likely wasn't the one who posted it. The theory rests on the assumption that while Jin recorded the video, he wasn't the one who posted it in the end. I talk about that more in detail in this post, but the short of it is this:

There's a discrepancy between what is shown on Jin's laptop and what is shown on the screen of the person who posted the video, which is highlighted with these two screenshots:

Along with what Fluke says in episode 4 when he points the finger at Tee for releasing the video when Jin isn't even around. Top corroborates that (though he is, admittedly, crazy/possessed/drugged at the time).

So with that established, the question is: why would Fluke even know who released the video if he wasn't involved? If he wasn't a part of the video being released, then he would naturally assume it was Jin who released it, considering he was right there when Jin filmed the video.

When we're shown the posting, here's what we see. I grabbed two screenshots of them clicking into the video itself, because it feels like they only showed it because the details are important.

So we see Canon and Epson software, then Adobe Suite. And in the second one we see an x-ray. The Canon and Epson as well as Adobe suite COULD point to it being Jin, since we know he's into photography. But it could also point to the person who was helping with the editing and effects of the movie, and who says they're working on the effects? Fluke.

Jin also isn't shown to do much photography so far in the past, except for handling Por's camera. Granted, I won't discount that it could be Jin's laptop given those softwares and the Adobe suite and his later interest in photography. But I think it's equally likely to be Fluke's, given what we know of the two of them so far.

That brings us to the x-ray. This one puzzled me, because it's a hip x-ray. We know Jin has a history of shoulder dislocations so why would he have a hip x-ray? And who would have an x-ray saved on his laptop? Maybe a future medical student?

Fluke isn't shown to talk much about medical school in the past (at least that I found) but he stresses about his portfolio, which implies that he already has his field selected and knows it'll be difficult to get into.

Jin and Fluke are the closest of the friend group, since they're repeatedly shown hanging out one-on-one together. They're always side by side, in almost every shot we see of them. The friend group has some mini-cliques within it, and it's clear that Jin and Fluke are one of them.

Jin also helps with the movie editing, just like Fluke.

I find it pretty easy to believe that Jin and Fluke would share a file storage location, so Fluke would have access to the video just like Jin. Whether just because they're close friends or because of the movie, I'm not sure.

Fluke has always been a bystander. He repeatedly says he doesn't know anything and isn't involved in anything.

I find it hard to believe he'd do the video posting himself, considering he doesn't seem to want any part of the bullying. But yet, he knows about it in the present. He also shushes Jin when Jin tries to say something about the video to him, which to me reads guilt more than it reads "leave me out of it."

I think it's likely that Fluke told the others that Jin recorded that video and what they'd seen, and that his laptop was then used to post the video, because whoever posted it knew Fluke would have access to the video Jin recorded. It was likely Top or Tee, since we see them catch Non and Keng together earlier that episode. And Top texted Tee right after Non gave him the money to ask for a favor, which was clearly to follow Non and found out where he'd gotten the money.

If it was Fluke's laptop that was used, it explains Fluke's panic at what Jin was about to say in the past. Jin started with "I didn't" and would likely continue to say he didn't post the video, which Fluke knew would implicate him if Jin carried that thought through, so he cut the conversation short.

It's also why Fluke is so paranoid of being implicated in the present, but also why he knows that it wasn't Jin who posted the video, and instead points the finger at Tee. Because if Fluke wasn't involved in the video posting, I doubt Tee would tell him about it. That would be messy, considering how tightly-lipped Tee has been about everything else that happened in the past.

Oh and before I end, in episode 8 Por's laptop is shown to also be a Mac that uses dark mode, so I compared screenshots of his Mac to what is shown in the video of whoever posted, and it doesn't look the same. Not to mention, in the present, Por seems to carry the least amount of guilt and panic at the thought of people finding out what happened to Non, so I doubt he was involved in that particular part of Non's undoing.

So in conclusion: I think it's highly likely that it was Fluke's laptop that was used to post the video of Keng and Non, which is why he knows enough in the present to point the finger at Tee.

All of these details feel very intentional and important, and it will likely come out in future episodes. This feels very right to the plot to me, considering what Fluke seems to know in the future, but we'll all see as the remaining episodes unfold!

ETA: I was wrong, it IS established that Fluke is planning to study medicine (episode 5).

[mousydentist]

guess who’s still wearing his bracelet 🥲

imagine non’s still alive by next episode. imagine he meets phee again and still has the bracelet. imagine him seeing phee doesn’t have his bracelet on.

[glazecaramel]

Goodbye Non and New 🕊

[the-pink-quill]

KimChay vs PheeNon Parallels

If you take the couples themselves with no regards to their situations and history, just how they work together and treat each other and react to each other's actions, then Kim is to Chay what Non is to Phee.

And I know what you would think. Feral Kim and Poor Little Non? Similar? But yeah, in my opinion, they are. And that makes the way people react to Chay and Phee blocking them very very interesting.

First off, of course, is how the relationship began. Chay and Phee asked Kim and Non out respectively, and Kim and Non both just kissed them in lieu of giving a proper answer.

Of course the way PheeNon's whole dynamic works is a lot more high heat and high stakes than the coffee shop AU feels that KimChay gives, but I would say the depth of their feelings was the same, since KimChay's relationship probably lasted a few weeks (giving allowance for the pictures), as did PheeNon's.

Chay felt betrayed because he felt used for the entire duration of their relationship, however long that may have been. Phee felt betrayed because he found Non being intimate with the someone he already suspected Non to be involved with.

Remember a year ago, when Chay blocked Kim after having all of the latter's lies exposed, we cheered him on. Kim's trauma - which undoubtedly existed considering all the points made in all the fics and meta posts we all have read - was irrelevant; we were all clapping Chay for prioritizing his own mental wellbeing above that of his ex's.

Why then, are Phee's different? Why is he villainized for priortizing his own mental wellbeing over Non's, which the later was never forthcoming about as is?

Kim was traumatized by an adult (Korn), So is Non (Keng).

Kim cannot take solace in family (I think we all agree he was aware about Korn faking his own death, but never told his brothers, for reasons talked about in about 114 meta posts). Neither can Non.

Kim lied because he did not want Chay involved in his problems. Same as Non.

Chay was hurt by Kim's rejection, even after giving him a chance despite his lies. Phee was hurt by the video, even after repeatedly asking Non to come clean about his problems and Keng.

18-year old Chay blocked Kim because regardless of the background information, Kim hurt him, and his own feelings took priority.

Explain to me like a five year old why 15-year old Phee is wrong for the same reaction.

"Because the situations are different?"

In regards to their age, relationship-duration and their knowledge about their significant other's situations, HOW. Just how.

[vegasthehedgehog]

Okay so I have some thoughts about episode 7 of DFF.

First off, I fucking knew there was something up with Jin. I knew there was a reason he felt so guilty. Honestly, fuck him.

Spoilers ahead so be warned

Everyone failed Non this episode. Why did not a single person think "a teacher shouldn't be sleeping with a student". Instead we have a bunch of people treating Non like a slut. Nobody thought to even ponder than maybe there is more to it. And Jin taking the clip was messed up enough, but posting it? What the actual fuck.

Also Phee literally knows that Non is suicidal and fucking says to go die? Also it's okay to be mad he cheated and break up with him but really, nobody blamed the adult for sleeping with a kid?

Also now I'm wondering if Phee and Jin got together in a fuck you to Non situation. Everyone except the fucking teacher turned their back on Non so quick.

Also, Jin really seems like one of those nice guys finish last mf. He's nice until he realizes he isn't getting extra special treatment for it.

Oh and don't get me started on these mfs!

This asshole is the epitome of a spoiled rich kid who has never had to think for himself.

Top may very well be a sociopath because he knows everything. The money, tee, the horse accounts and obvi the camera.

Tee knew the danger and put it all on Non. So he's a fucking ass.

[fracturediron]

Regarding Non's ultimate fate, something I hadn't considered until now is that Non might've ended up institutionalised rather than dead. It feels like the narrative is so strongly pushing the idea he's dead (and him being alive and happy seems really unlikely in this show), but if he was alive, what would've needed to happen for some of the others to think he's dead? And for him to not be around in the present?

There are things I can't really explain happening without a supernatural explanation, but something to consider is that the closest thing to a ghost sighting where you can see the ghost's actual face is Kru Keng (and Kru Keng in life knew everything that happened to Non). The group (or at least Jin) seem to be involved in his death, so if there is a ghost terrorising them, maybe it was never Non, but Kru Keng? And Non being the ghost or killer is just a red herring.

There's still one last shitty thing for Por and his friends to do to Non that we haven't got to yet, that could still mean they either tried to or accidentally think they killed him, left him in a dangerous situation where they think he must've died or think they drove him to suicide.

Only, in a twist, Non ends up discovered by someone else (possibly Phee or New?) who manages to save him, but he's forever mentally damaged by all he's been through (or brain damaged if he tried suicide via pills) and ends up institutionalised, unable to care for himself anymore.

Cue revenge quest of terror by his loved ones.

[themundanedumpling]

did he really take jin to the place he used to take non?!? MEN ARE ALL THE SAME

I ONLY CARE ABOUT NON AT THIS POINT

[syrena-del-mar]

"Aren't you sad that I'll go abroad for a very long time?" "No. Whether you're here or not, it doesn't make any difference." "I'm sorry for never being a good brother."

Dead Friend Forever (2023) || Episode 9

[velvetshirtnumber3]

And here we thought Non would fall in love with Jin....turns out it might be the other way around and now we know Non has a thing with Phee!

Now I'm torn because I kind of liked Phee and Jin as a ship but I liked the ghost-ship of Macau and Chay and now their actors are playing characters who are going to become a couple so... I guess we'll see what happens.

[lovelyrickyyy]

This is non + white 😔

[crysta1ized]

phee’s character in the present is just so confusing

we saw that he clearly feels something for jin, pretty much moved on from non, and isn’t that involved in tan’s plan (just went to fuck jin and didnt get any info like he was supposed to) and even seems to want to spill at least some part of the truth to jin

but despite everything that just happened in the house, he isn’t against tan either. he’s unpredictable, just standing here in the middle, not taking any part in the chaos that is unfolding.

in a way that behavior kinda reminds of fluke’s, seeing everything that unfolds but not taking any side

after watching ep9 i was mad, like damn phee how could you? we all believed in you but you just went ahead and fucked one of the dudes that made your bf’s life miserable and eventually led to his disappearance, have you got no shame? i mean i was pretty on board with all the ‘phee and tan are the masterminds, they’re the ones behind the masks, they’re here to take revenge for non and kill everyone’ theories so obviously i was a bit disappointed…

but still, phee didn’t really take any side (yet).

tan told him he planned on drugging everyone in that house and he clearly didn’t look in his right mind in that moment. then por was impaled on a branch. all of them started having hallucinations. fluke got a gun and is waving it at everyone. top clearly looked possessed and is becoming violent. now fluke almost shot someone and has white at gunpoint.

all of that was caused by tan’s drugs. (except the 9th person and the uncle that got decapitated but that’s for another time)

mixing hallucinations with a gun, a knife, deep-buried secrets and fear is not a good recipe. one of them already died and that’s only adding to the chaos.

once again, all of that was caused by tan’s drugs, in a butterfly effect kinda way.

phee knows that. tan was only planning to use them to get the group to confess everything under the influence and finally get answers. or was he…?

whatever phee thinks of tan and of his plan, everything snowballed and led them here. but tan is still the reason things are the way they are. but phee didn’t confront him. didn’t reveal to everyone his real identity and intentions. no, he’s just watching from afar. he didn’t intervene, didn’t add to the chaos, yet didn’t do anything to keep things under control or do damage control…

he didn’t use the antidote.

i thought he dropped off tan’s plan as he got too attached to jin and kinda forgot abt why he was here in the first place, but maybe everything’s that’s unfolding put him back on the right path?

his non-action is an action in itself.

even tho he maybe believed the drug wouldn’t be that hard, he could’ve stepped in so things wouldn’t worsen a thousand times. he could’ve given them the antidote a thousand times for fuck’s sake! he could’ve revealed everything to them a million times too.

later on he will have to pick a side, tan’s (aka non’s) or the others’ (aka jin’s). that’s kinda ironic that it means he’ll have to choose between his 2 bfs (maybe this is all a love triangle after all *gunshots*)

on a legal pov, he would technically be responsible for por’s death and the ones that will follow right? maybe not on the same level as tan or as whoever will pull the trigger/stab one of them but the drugs are the main reason they’re acting like that and he knew abt them and did nothing, so he’s technically guilty too right?

why would he decide to do nothing and just watch the chaos unfold if he didn’t enjoy what’s happening or think they deserve it at least a little bit?

what will he do? who will he choose? be wise, phee, i’ve got my eye on you.

obviously all this theory could be proven wrong in the matter of seconds in ep10 if he decides to spill everything to jin (which id be VERY pissed abt, the d cannot be that good?!??)