#ohmnanon my beloveds

[inventedfangirling]

PatPran & the Bet Era™

A week ago Bad Buddy PatPran Bet Era discourse started heating up again and i thought i should finally try to put to words my unending (that's in BOLD so you know what to expect :3) all consuming thoughts about this most brilliant, jam-packed with funny, heartfelt and equally wholesome moments of an episode- episode 7, an episode that I have watched a minimum of 14 times in the past 2 months and so yes finally, here I am, let's go.

Before anything else though I first want to scream about something i realized while writing this post which is that episode 7/ bet era is probably THE ONLY time in the whole show where PatPran truly and completely enjoyed having and keeping their secret. Like they were truly thriving off of the fun they were having at the expense of and with the other. And keeping it hidden only added to that experience.

With the whole world oblivious to what's going on between them, the secret is undemanding, mostly easy and even fun to keep cos the bet was for them and just for them...

...unlike a relationship which they would want to experience around other people too.

But for an episode that leaves you with so many good feelings (after the first watch) it is quite easy to forget just how much it took to get to that ending. Episode 7 Pran still had his reservations about their possible relationship and he still had to work through years and years of repression and trauma. Episode 7 Pat too was not always in the best frame of mind, because while all else was said and done they were still in an in-between, unlabeled, unprecedented and unfamiliar space in their dynamic. One that a simple uncomplicated guy like Pat would loathe to continue to stay in. And yet for an episode set on such an underlying premise for the most part they made this liminal space appear as such a fun, warm, wholesome and enjoyable place to be in that there are times when we forget the shakiness of the foundation of it all -> A still undefined rival-turned-friend-situation-ship.

And in the light of this, episode 7 can easily be seen as a microcosm of their incredibly layered relationship and the show as such and when packaged in such an attractive, intriguing, exciting, seldom seen set-up (that was designed to subvert years of terrible tropes in the industry) who wouldn't sign tf up for it. If i could live in an episode of the show, it'd most probably be episode 7. If i was asked to name an episode to rewatch forever it would be episode 7. If asked to write endlessly on my thoughts about the show again it would be episode 7 that would take a substantial part of it cos i just love it that much.

Here's some secret footage of Pran feeling all warm and fuzzy over thoughts of him and Pat me any time i think about episode 7.

Alright now actually getting into the episode, we know that Pran was still deciding when and how exactly to progress with his now reciprocated feelings for Pat yes, but he was also finally getting a space to express his long held affection for Pat without having to pretend otherwise.

Without rolling his eyes and "reluctantly" letting him in. Without pretending to scold him for "stealing" his breakfast when he had in fact made it for Pat himself. Without stopping himself from getting closer. Without the numerous restrictions he had placed on himself, the bet era finally gave Pran space to care for Pat openly but also unleashed the romantic in him (not that i'm ignoring the fact that Pran wrote a whole song about Pat in high school, but you geddit).

And eventhough none of his schemes to make Pat confess worked, (Pat confessed on his own like he would have on the first day of the bet if Pran had allowed him to talk about it), the baby steps he was taking was crucial for laying the base for their eventual relationship, but also for Pran as an individual making significant strides in learning to be vulnerable and more open.

It not only gave Pran opportunities to try out a lot of things, helping him figure out along the way what Pat likes and what he doesn't, and what Pran himself would like to do to and with him, things that a younger Pran would have died to have gotten the opportunity to do with Pat- the cooking, the feeding, the prolonged charged eye contact, the physical proximity (and I will never stop being devastated but also delighted over the fact that baby gay pran would be thinking that he's dreaming if he could see his future) but also of course the bet gave Pran time to process his own issues while it operated on the familiar turf of competition, with his fav and only rival and boy, and allowed him freedom to think and act in ways he wouldn't have earlier.

The seeds to Pran's "being with you already feels like freedom" to Pat in episode 11, were sown right here in this very episode. What he learnt and absorbed during this time expanded his field of vision regarding the possibilities of his own life and the power he had over his own choices, broadened his emotional horizons and quite literally opened his heart.

While earlier the dark shadow of his closed off heart would loom large over his face each time his feelings surfaced...

....post bet era Pran's face could fuel a couple of hundred thousand solar panels.

Pre-bet Pran loved Pat of course. But the feelings of love that bet era and post bet era Pran exude, is of a wholly different texture. It's borne of a more layered, luminous sort of love. The one that gets to be expressed and is reciprocated. And you observe the look of love on his face and its is as if he glows from inside out.

It's based on the foundation of reciprocation and therefore no longer something that needs to be hidden from the receiver, but it's also as if he learnt to love in a different way, like he learnt that he could love this way too, that he could make use of his heart this way too. Post bet era Pran's love just flows out of him in waves, nice and easy, minimal repression and none of the doubt that accompanied it earlier.

And at this point I can't not mention the swagger that Pran gains post Pat's episode 6 reveal (that he didn't have feelings for ink), finally secure in the knowledge that Pat really feels the same love that he feels for the other, his whole demeanor changes and its something that just hits you immediately.

The assurance and confidence of reciprocation in his face, contrasting with the hesitation and doubt each time he allowed himself to feel pre-bet (as if each time he is looking at Pat 'loving you is a losing game' plays in the background) is just remarkable. And that confidence just increases each episode and i was LIVING for it.

And again, back to episode 7 and my point which is that Pran has loved Pat for years and years by then but all that time his love was something to hide, his heart was closed off and barred from any encroachment no matter how ineffective it was against Pat. It was the bet era that allowed Pran's heart to undergo a renewal, a second coming, a rebirth so to say, of a heart that is no longer so boarded up and closed off, a heart with a lot more windows and a few more better oiled doors and a heart that most importantly Pran would eventually, wholeheartedly hand Pat the keys to.

In many ways we can see Pran's growth beyond this episode, from the "I care about you more" to the "I came quickly because i was worried about you" to "how can i stop if i think of it like that" to the brave way he stands up to both Ming & Dissaya all of it in the span of a few weeks, all of it as borne from the lessons he learnt during the bet era.

Pat also went through his own growth during this time. I have already talked a bit about the episode focusing on Pat's side of the things here. While not as evident as Pran's growth was during this episode (but only because we see him transform more gradually over the course of the first few episodes itself) Pat also learns to use his heart in newer ways that veered off a bit from how he had pre bet era. For the most part though the bet was more of a fun thing for him than it was for Pran for whose sake Pat even agreed to this in the first place.

And so while Pran tries to make Pat confess, Pat defers the confession because he knows that Pran needs more time, and Pat takes to that reality and adapts to it so beautifully, with such wisdom that's so above and beyond what could be expected from a 19-20 year old man, the thought of it still takes my breath away and turns me into a puddle.

Just look at just how careful and gentle Pat is with Pran. And think of how much he has grown and how much he will grow from here. Think of Pat as a child telling Pran to not talk to him in front of people cos "they will think we're buddies". And then years later (in episode 8 and beyond) think of him wishing wishing oh so desperately to proclaim his love for Pran out to the world, for Pran to let him do that, to claim their relationship and celebrate their love. I WILL NOT BE OVER THIS. Or anything in this episode/show actually. Cos it really is that special. Episode 7 Pat my beloved did that.

That being said, it ofc wouldn't have been all easy and he would have had his share of upsets. The confusion, the lack of clarity, the staying in the limbo, the lack of any tangible progress could all have deterred him. There is also the fact that Pat doesn't strike you as a patient guy. He is the first born male child in a patriarchal asian household having been pampered as a result of this his whole life. His every whim and wish probably granted within days. And yet for the bet, for their relationship, for Pran he learns to be patient. He learns to bide his time. He learns to not immediately take action without thinking (the time he silently walks away from Pran's room post Wai's guitar return, he could have said some hurtful things, but he didn't, he bit his tongue, kept quiet and moved on).

{I am totally in the camp of "we should have gotten a 'how could you give it away Pran?' conversation after this scene but i also understand why it didn't happen}

Over the course of the episode and his time with Pran in general, right from the beginning Pat steadily starts learning to put the other person first. To cater to people around him and not for them to cater to him, always. We see this transformation begin in episode 3 itself when Pat just goes out of his way (multiple times) to help Pran out, but that is at least partly in due to his new found need to be around Pran (courtesy his crush that he is still not aware of) and not as much a conscious effort to be better. Although ofc that is there too. His transformation from entitled boy in the episode 1 family lunch scene to the considerate helpful man in the finale family dinner scene is so stark you might think they're two different people, and a lot of that growth is owed to what he learnt and unlearned while he was falling in love with Pran.

He learns to read Pran. The feelings that won't be uttered with words, but the ones he'd have to pry out from his eyes. And he does all of that while still being respectful of any boundaries that Pran may have, while also testing the waters to come closer.

I know i've used gifs from this face cleaning scene thrice already but i just love it so much?? I love how it might look like just a fluffy scene but the layers?? Just how deep and meaningful and just full of substance it is??? I might need to write a whole essay for that itself. And also when you think about it what i said about this scene could literally be said about bad buddy (and the whole of episode 7 for that matter). With an uncritical eye you can watch it as the beautifully executed romance(cute fluffy episode) that it is. But when you unearth the layers whoa boy thats where the real beauty of the show (episode) comes out. But also this is extra special because this is the first scene where we get to see Pran completely softening when Pat tends to him. His adoring melting puddle looks reserved usually for when Pat's attention isn't entirely on him. But this time he lets himself be softened. Lets himself feel. Lets himself be babied. And even if non verbally he lets himself express, agreeing to move closer and tracing hearts on Pat's face. It is more than just a cute moment, it's a small declaration of faith. Among the first in a long series of declarations of faith that led to the ending we ended up loving.

So yes, Pat was learning to use his heart in a different way too, to love in quieter more mundane yet still special ways, but also learning to respond to Pran's emotions, and the repressed ways he sometimes continued to express his feelings, he learnt to read between the lines, not jump to hasty conclusions he would have done earlier and was thus steadily progressing into the partner that Pran could trust his heart with always.

Episode 7 shows us how patpran changed and molded themselves in various ways to fit into the other, but it also shows how they change to accommodate not just the other, but also the world. Not in a compromising way, but in a way that allows them to function in it more effectively and later on in the fake break up era, diabolically using it to pull wool over the eyes of anybody who threatens their peace.

Also i wont go into it in detail here but it is entirely possible that Pat was going through a spiral of his own issues during this time because of worries fueled by insecurities due to the fragile nature of their relationship at that point and the lack of certainty in the situation like I talk about here, but even if he was feeling all of that, even in that in-between state of limbo Pat had tons and tons of fun teasing Pran and trying to outdo him each time and we know that his cheery exterior which he may have put forward occasionally to keep it light for pran wasn't just for show, he really did enjoy the whole push-pull thing they had got going on, his smiles popping out when alone too.

I mean look at his delight each time one of their(Pran's) plans to outwit the other fails.

The bet era was without a doubt a VERY fun time for both of them (and for all of us watching) the flirting, the teasing, the act of courting one another, the familiar feeling of competition and the easy sense of play that pervades their interactions during that period....

...everything, everything, everything was just * chef's kiss *.

And also I still can't get over the fact that it's the only time the secret is theirs and only theirs and they have THE BEST TIME keeping it.

And also if Pran was able to shed his loving you is a losing game attitude to finally accept the love that Pat offered, it was possible in no small amount due to Pat's willingness to lose to Pran over and over again if that meant he was happy. And Pran having had to harbour a long drawn painful unrequited love for years and years, used to all the repression and self denial, he really needed that assurance, that dependability. And Pat readily gave it to him because that's just the way he loved. Fully, freely and fiercely. And you won't ever catch me feeling normal about any of that ever.

And also speaking of things i wont be normal about that scene at the end when Pat arrives to save the day and all eyes are on him and the flashback to Pat's audition with his callback to their rooftop conversation and Pran's 'fuck i love him so much i can't believe he's doing this here' face oozing pure love and then present PatPran exuding the sun looking at eo, with Forever May playing in the background, that scene? That scene is everything to me. I will die for that scene.

So to recap, Pat flexed his emotional intelligence muscles and his literal actual muscles and learnt to be more patient than he had ever been his whole life, meanwhile Pran got to flex his flirting skills, looming skills all while he learnt to let go, express and be more vulnerable.

And also not to forget that apart from all the space for growth that the bet provided patpran it also allowed them to indulge in their love for shenanigans and roleplaying that continues well into their relationship even years later, more on that in the ever amazing miscellar's post here . There are so many more posts of their's and a buncha other accounts i really want to reference but then we'd be here for days if not weeks and so i wont :3

And also I can't not take a second to mention just how wonderful it was that throughout this episode we see the seeds being sown of all the ways they and their relationship would grow, and especially when it came to consent and boundaries. Just how equal their relationship is. How they're always, always meeting in the middle.

No interaction, nothing is initiated without knowing what the other wouldn't want. And of course both PatPran were being respectful of each other's non existent boundaries with eo, they were all up in each other's faces but you just know that if one of them expressed actual discomfort the other would step away immediately.

And thats just so so rare not only in dramas but also real life and i love them so much for it.

Episode 7 showed us not only how patpran became better partners to eo but also better human beings as such, their influence on one another so evident, molding them on a fundamental level into better versions of themselves. Pran who gifts a bottle of liquor (to the man who ruined the better part of his & his mother's life) as a peace offering but also as a sort of pre-engagement ritual, choosing to open up, to be vulnerable, to love more loudly, being a more well adjusted adult and he did it for Pat, because of the lessons he learnt from Pat. And Pat who learns to read between the lines, who recognizes the value of gestures that might appear small but aren't, offering to wash dishes, serving food to his sister and in general taking responsibility and also the importance of order and routine to contribute to society and just be a well functional adult, and he learnt it in no small amount from being inspired from the man he loves, from Pran.

But all of that of course is in full splendor only after the time skip. That being said Episode 8 that comes immediately after this episode shows PatPran taking the lessons they started learning in episode 7 and putting it into effect with them openly communicating, asserting their needs but also compromising their wants for each other and illustrated exactly how and why they work together so well, why this isn't the product of a childish bet but a very serious relationship into which a lot of thought and effort has gone into.

A relationship based on the softest, kindest, most tender (but also often, feral) forms of love even in the more hostile of circumstances. There's a saying in my mother tongue that "What's born in the fire, won't wilt in the sunlight." And that to me perfectly captures PatPran's resilience despite their obstacles. Ming & Dissaya & the Architecture-Engineering rivalry and whatever other hurdles stood in their way never really stood a chance against their love.

TLDR; The bet era played an irreplaceable role in their lives helping PatPran pick up and refine the tools that were going to prove invaluable in their eventual relationship with each other but also with their relationships with everybody else around, but they did that while having (for the most part) the time of their lives where for the first time since they realized their feelings they were getting to act on it, each attempt at getting the other to confess a declaration of their own love, without the pressure of a relationship and...and despite whatever anxieties or worries they may have had during this time, we also can't forget that it ended up in the biggest most content whipped in love smiles known to humankind and a relationship for the ages <3

The work they put in this episode thus laid the foundation for the rest of their relationship and their lives and I'm so glad it worked out in the best way for both of them, that they worked for that together and even more that they grew up and beyond the versions of them that got together and then stayed together as the better versions that they made together.

[nick-nellson]

BAD BUDDY | 1.10

[bevioletskies]

All my life, I was always told not to be friends with this one guy. But we all know that forbidden fruit is always sweeter. From two people who can’t be friends, without knowing it, we became two people who can’t be just friends. I wrote this song for him. Before we get to the final song, I’d like to take this chance to remind you all that prom is your last chance to express your feelings to the one next to you. I know that many of you are afraid. I get it, I’ve been there. It’s not easy as some people are just beyond our reach. This song is for everyone who needs courage.

PAT & PRAN in BAD BUDDY (2021) and TINN & GUN in MY SCHOOL PRESIDENT (2022)

[daomaikeng]

tiw mentioning bad buddy and then naming himself had me yelling in my room, love them or hate them you have to admit, that was fucking ICONIC of gmmtv fr 😭

[waitmyturtles]

Last Twilight, episode 3: reflections

I am caught up with this fabulous show from the holiday backlog, and I think one thing that’s catching me by surprise is how intentionally mellow and straightforward it is, all while it’s honoring the small and large heartbreaks that Day has endured and continues to endure as he progresses in adjusting to his new state.

Other posts have caught the gentle loveliness of Mhok remembering to put his Pink Milk shirt on so that Day would have a better chance of seeing Mhok at the market. I loved every moment of that recognition.

But what got me about this episode was the continued focus on the isolation and judgement of the two men. How Day’s mom is so eager to throw the towel out on Mhok. But in particular: what really haunted me was Mhok discovering how Day has cut himself off from his university friends.

This is the second time in an Asian drama about disability that this has been a large narrative point, clearly one that will be expanded in this series. The Japanese dorama Silent, which aired last year (and one that I HIGHLY recommend, featuring beloved Ren Meguro of Kieta Hatsukoi), was centered on a young man whose progressive hearing loss causes him to disconnect entirely from his high school friend group, literally overnight, including his devoted girlfriend. The series, in part, focuses on his return to that group and how it impacts him and his friends vis à vis his different state.

There’s unintentional isolation — one may be ignored and/or belittled for having a disability. And there’s intentional isolation — the isolation that an individual causes upon oneself out of embarrassment, out of fear, out of depression, all of it. And all of it can compound. And this show isn’t shying away, or offering a cleaned-up version, of depicting this isolation. It’s just doing so in a very evenly paced and growing way.

Last bit. The idea of community — SUCH A HUGE THEME in Aof Noppharnach’s works. Aon recommending a book that Day must read. The university chancellor declaring that he and Day must fight together. The relieved embrace of Mhok to Day after they find each other in the market. Against Day’s best efforts, he’s attracting a new community around him, one that he’ll have to adjust to, but one that’s clearly growing around him to care about him and for him. Community and partnership were bound to happen in this show, and it’s happening just so lovingly.

Damn — this show is such a panacea for me after the fandom craziness of Only Friends. I feel a little less burnt out with every LT episode.

P.S. This is no knock on JimmySea AT ALL — I am impressed by them, I am totally enjoying them. I noted to my friends @neuroticbookworm and @lurkingshan that they don’t have quite the “hormonal sizzle,” if I may quote myself, as Aof’s more memorable pairs in EarthMix, OhmNanon, and TayNew. But again, this is no knock, just a notice, and things may get more sizzly (oh gawd) as the series goes on. I’m becoming a secret Sea stan, and Jimmy as Badass is definitely working.

[charthanry]

OS2xBBS: My Overall Thoughts

This is severely overdue, but I wanted to distance myself from these episodes to make sure that 1) regency bias didn’t seep through and 2) my thoughts don’t get clouded by the cute, swoony moments (all the kissing!) in an attempt to mask deeper plot and characterization issues, and 3) with some difficulty, I try to set aside how desperately I wanted OhmNanon’s reunion with PatPran to live up to the OG series.

So, to address the last item, for the most part OhmNanon’s chemistry was still alive and well, save for a few hiccups. This is a testament to two very experienced professionals. That said, my biggest gripe with these special episodes was the treatment of the Pat and Pran characters that has nothing to do with the actors.

It didn’t feel like a true crossover of two beloved series but instead felt like Pat and Pran’s presence were more like afterthoughts thrown into an ATOTS script. Pat and Pran were merely there to serve Phupha and Tian’s story and that is were I take great issue. In this case, Ohm and Nanon should not have been billed as main leads but rather supporting characters that have extended guest arcs in an ATOTS sequel.

Maybe setting plays a larger role here. I’ve asked myself if I would feel this way if Phupha and Tian got thrown into Pat and Pran’s university life instead. But I can’t imagine a storyline where the inverse of what we got makes sense since PatPran are the more established couple and PhuTian have no reason to leave PPD.

My wish was that instead of a crossover, P’Aof would have let BBS stand on its own even if it meant we got two fewer episodes out of it. While we did get glimpses of Pat and Pran’s life three-years into their relationship, it felt watered down because they weren’t in their own environment but a borrowed one. So, really, more like seeing them while on vacation than anything truly concrete. A lot of ‘what have Pat and Pran been up to and where are they in their relationship’ was left to viewer interpretation, which is all fine and well if what P’Aof had to say about the state of their relationship made any sense.

Fake fighting and cute hijinks aside (Ohm and Nanon can sell these type of scenes in their sleep); what I’m after is the meatier stuff like the end of EP4, the entirety of EP5, EP10, EP11 and EP12. Where is the Pran that got choked up when Pat revealed he ran after him with his guitar; who gripped his hand when Pat volunteered to fake break up to win back Pran’s friends and wordlessly said I’m here to stay. Where is the “but I care about you more” Pran? 

And where is the Pat who communicated so openly with his man? Who served as a walking advertisement of what it means to be a soaring green flag to all those who came before and after him? Why was he reduced to an amalgamation of Harry and Lloyd from Dumb and Dumber? Make it make sense, P’Aof. Pat never, ever, not once, came off as a dumb himbo in the OG series, so why was he reduced to that here?

The script could have been so much better, tighter, just more substantial. And we can't even say that P'Aof didn't have the space to include a meaningful story for them; I call bullshit on this notion. There's so much story that you can tell in a single hour. We've seen him do it with the BBS pilot.

It felt like so very little thought went into the BBS side of the story. Does P’Aof not know how to write established relationships in a compelling way? I know this can't be true because he gave us EP12, but why did it feel like he phoned it in with these bonus episodes? It’s like P’Aof knew he had both boys for a limited time and just threw the entire kitchen sink at them and anything that stuck made it into the final cut. Like, he relied heavily on the actors to bring it home for him. And that really wasn't fair to Ohm or Nanon who really did the best they could with what they were given.

I mean, even if he wanted to show the (realistic) cracks in their relationship, there were so many better ways to show this than have Pran essentially running away, avoiding Pat (basically regressing to who he was pre-relationship) and then treating Pat like a bumbling Barney Fife for following him? There was no fire in either of them to fight for or with one another. They were shown to have grown complacent (and dare I say taking each other for granted?) which is so at odds with what we got in the OG series that I was confused at what I was watching onscreen. It did not feel like a continuation of EP11 leading to EP12, in fact it felt very disconnected from their origin story.

Pat Jindapat. What they did to my guy was a travesty. They took away all his depth and cast him in the role of a bumbling idiot. Don't get me wrong, OG Pat had his comedic moments but I felt like OS2 veered so far into the extreme of 'lets bring the funny' that it fell completely flat. It was NOT funny. It was disappointing and sad to see one of my favorite characters reduced to this cartoon version.

More than senselessly reducing Pat to cannon fodder to merely serve as comic relief, I'm upset that Pran's growth from the series was essentially negated to where he became, in some ways, unrecognizable. More than once, it felt like Pran was just tolerating Pat's presence rather than basking or gravitating towards it. Again, so inconsistent for a guy who longed for his man for literal YEARS.

Gone are the days of "I'm done adapting" or adoringly staring at the space Pat used to occupy with heart eyes. I just don't get how we went from that Pran to this Pran to the Pran who readily committed his life to Pat in EP12. This in-between Pran is a stranger to me.

Final words: I'm both grateful that we got extra scenes with our boys but at the same time wish P'Aof had left them untainted.

[hughungrybear]

Thai BL Favourites List Tag Game

Why would you inflict this torture and cruelty on me, @lost-my-sanity1 😭😭😭😭

Favourite BL:

I said it before and I'll say it again, SOTUS holds a very special place in my heart. Say what you want about the storyline, plot, and actors (although, I will have your head if you come for my beloved Singto). I truly believed that the Thai BL landscape changed remarkably (for the better) when GMMTV released SOTUS in 2016. If you have been watching BLs as long as I have, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

[Image source: Icvr)

Favourite pairing:

Pat and Pran (OhmNanon) have revived something in me that I thought died with so many underwhelming BLs that had gone before them lol (hello, BBS Episodes 4 and 5) 😅 Although MLC's Heart and Li Ming (GeminiFourth) also had me in a chokehold.

More underrated actor:

Sing Harit. If you don't believe me, just look at his very extensive filmography. Also, Slam Dance, The Revenge, and Not Me. Enough said lol

(Image Source: My Drama List)

Favourite character:

In a Thai BL? Again, @lost-my-sanity1, just why???? Have I offended you in some way? Well, if you really must know then Sun (Chimon Wachirawit) from My Dear Loser: Edge of 17. Look, the way that Sun just accepted the fact that he'll never be number one - not with his family or with his beloved In (who sends Sun mixed signals every chance he gets, played by Pluem Purim), sends me into a downward spiral.

(Image source: Pinterest)

Another character that I love is Oh-aew (played by the ultra-talented PP Krit) from I Told Sunset About You. I'm just soft for characters who are oblivious that they are in a toxic relationship, okay? 😅

Favourite side character:

Definitely Pearmai (Aye Sarunchana) from Be My Favorite. Look, it has been a staple in a Thai BL to have (cis) female villains who are caught in a love triangle with one of the main characters (looking at you, Plern Pleng/Aim Satida of Together with Me). She admits she's not perfect and also cries when she found out that Kawi and Pisaeng are a thing. However, she didn't let it affect her friendship with the two. She even turn down Not's not-so-subtle invitation to be an effing rebound guy ("I'm disappointed, not desperate" will be forever etched in my mind).

Favourite scene:

I have so many. I can't just pick one 😭😭😭😭

Favourite line:

Have I talked about the script from Tale of a Thousand Stars? Because I really need to talk about how each effing episode is a nugget made of quotable quotes (For Pete's sake, from the very beginning, Torfun's "Where we are happy, we are home" sends tears to my eyes).

Most anticipated bl and why:

Only Friends because Jojo Tichakorn. Also, have you seen 3 Will Be Free???

Healthiest relationship in a bl:

PatPran. No explanations are necessary.

Most toxic relationship in a bl:

LOL. Where there is MAME anywhere near the writing and production crew, there is guaranteed toxicity in the plot (and not in a good, entertaining way — more like "you should have gotten a restraining order yesterday").

Guilty pleasure series:

I have to admit that I have watched 2 Moons 2 an embarrassing amount of times when there was basically only 2gether The Series in my semi-decent BL list.

Bonus! Most underrated series:

Dark Blue Kiss. I do not get all the hate TayNew has gotten over the years, but really the Kiss Me, Kiss Me Again, and Dark Blue Kiss were all worth watching simply because you can see how Pete and Kao grew as a couple.

(Image source: Pinterest)

Also, 3 Will Be Free deserves more YouTube views.

That's it. That's the post.

And since misery loves company, I'm tagging @dribs-and-drabbles, @telomeke, @ellasaru12, and whoever wants to undergo the same torture as I did when answering these questions lol

[saturnskyline]

getting to know your bl mutuals ♡

rules: answer the questions and tag some people. include the tag 'g2ky bl mutuals 2022' on your post so we can find everyone's answer.

i was tagged by @braceletofteeth, thank you so much!! :)

—

what were the bls that took you by surprise last year?

well... that would have to be kinnporsche. i saw the "i know you feel it too" bathroom clip the filmania trailer and was intrigued, but lost track of it amidst the initial release drama, only to come back around when i saw the first kiss scene (true chemistry fr). i wasn't fully invested until then, but i guess you can say it spiraled from there 😅 it looked cinematic and very horny (spoiler: it was both), but i never could have expected to be so... oh, what's the word..... consumed by it? (case in point: me writing a mini essay in here eh oh el)

what were the bls that you felt a bit disappointed with last year?

i had to really think back for this one bc i feel like there were so many good bls happening last year. the one that finally occurred to me is gonna sound so stupid... but probably kissable lips? 😭😭 i do not know what i expected or wanted it to be, nor do i really remember it that well tbh, but i feel like it did have potential to be better. again though, i'm not sure what standards i was holding it to so maybe it actually did deliver lol. i could be absolutely crazy, who knows!

what was your favorite bl last year?

i have already waxed poetic many a time about kinnporsche on this website, so you already know that one hehe. and speaking of bls that hit me like a truck... between us! (for me, "favorite" and "surprise" seem to be the same. i guess i like to be pleasantly surprised)

favorite bl/gl couples (not just of 2022)

in no particular order:

patpran

seanwhite

kinnporsche

inkpa

payurain

vegaspete

deanpharm

monsam

prapaisky

winteam

kimchay

i'm sure i'm missing some but here's a solid list 🙃

if you had to suggest a bl for someone what would it be?

this one is tricky bc i would want to take the person's preferences into account.... but i am a bad buddy truther through and through 🫶🫶 just feel like you couldn't go wrong with that rec tbh. the acting is incredible, the writing is top-notch, and everything adds up for a drama that is so refreshing and magical and authentically queer. ohmnanon's chemistry has me breathless to this day, and milklove really helped me come to terms with my sexuality :') i can't say enough good things about it honestly, what a special little show

what was your non-bl favorite last year?

that's gonna have to be gap 🙏 technically i haven't even finished it sdhsdfhj, i just don't want it to be over! a true game changer, and it just has a very special place in my heart. freenbecky my beloveds <3

—

tagging @coffeeyuqi @vegaseatsass @theoryofarson @darkthestars @fuckyeah-itme @crystallinemoonlight and anyone else who wants to do this! i'm trying so hard to switch up who i tag in these so i don't spam people lol. as always, feel free to ignore though

[yellowaugustnights]

18 hours of total buzz. Humor and drama going hand in hand make this story multi-layered and interesting. Three couples who are given equal attention, as well as a criminal component in the face of the Chinese mafia. I repeat, everything is written SO humorously that you get high from every chapter you read. Ohm and Nanon - the president of the company and his secretary, respectively. Force and Book - a playboy and a cute rabbit who completely defies his charm. Jimmy and Sea - jilted by his beloved and friend-colleague. The friendship between Ohm, Force and Jimmy with their unique dynamics will make everyone lie down on the floor laughing. Sea, Nanon and Book radiate supportive family vibes, because Sea is Nanon's older brother and Book's invaluable childhood friend. Somewhere in the middle, equally crazy and loving parents, exes, colleagues and friends appear. Reading the story is incredibly interesting. At the moment, the author has taken a break, but I will hope that after the rest, the author will be able to continue this funny fan fiction

[sunsetandthemoon]

[inventedfangirling]

Thai QL Favorites Tag Game

Tagged by @telomeke ! I was surprised when i saw the notification pop up but yaay I loved reading your answers and I'm very excited to try this out too. Thanks for tagging me🤗

Credit to the creator of this game @thatgirl4815 of the Thai BL Favorites Tag Game.

Fair warning, almost the entirety of this is going to be filled with Bad Buddy related responses and it's gonne be the opposite of concise *SURPRISE* so yes lezgo...

Favorite Thai QL: Bad Buddy. It was the second thai QL i have ever watched and THE ONLY reason i decided to actually consume more of thai QL content cos this show moved me in a way nothing i had ever seen until then had. It was queer, it was asian, it intentionally subverted so many tropes i hated, gave us inkpa AND patpran-one of the most beautiful and respectful love stories ive ever seen that culminated in an ending that is as happy as it is realistic and i am still in awe of p'aof and ohmnanon and the gem they made. But also. Just for episode 5. Perfection. Also, Episode 7 my beloved. And Episode 11 the love of my life. Bad Buddy you will always be my favourite <3

Favorite Pairing: OhmNanon -> PatPran ofc! I've never seen the appeal of childhood friends to lovers until i saw Patpran's childhood frenemies to adult frenemies to friends to lovers. Just the most organic growth of a bond whose seeds were sown even before they were born. But most importantly once they grew up and were confronted with obstacles and realities, they chose to love eo and kept on choosing eo. Their love, their regard for eo, the way they cared for eo, it's all so very precious and i just won't ever love a romantic pairing the way i do patpran, and it's half because of just how brilliant ohmnanon's chemistry worked, they are EVERYTHING to me.

I also LOVE First & Khaotung's chemistry. Great Stuff. Also Net & James.

Most underrated actor: I don't know if i have watched enough shows to comment on this since the actors i mention might actually be well appreciated and not strictly underrated but yes Fluke Gawin Caskey is on my list too. I feel that his drop dead gorgeous looks have somehow made his real acting chops appear like an afterthought when in reality it so isn't. Kinda have similar feelings about Net from Bed Friend as well.

I loved LOVE from bad buddy, and i can't wait to see her in 23.5 with Milk. Suar from You're My Sky & La Pluie, and Title also from La Pluie, War from Love Mechanics, First & Khaotung from Eclipse (i know they are well loved but still!) i REALLY enjoyed their performances.

Favorite Character: Pran Parakul my beloved. Pran is in so many ways so similar to me i immediately took a liking to him. I don't know how much my love for Pran is inextricably tied to how Nanon played the part but the pining and the love that was just on display but hidden oh so beautifully, my heart hadnt ached for a character in a romance story in so long. And then the love is reciprocated and then instead of the character doing a full 180 and being unrealistically happy we see him struggle to adjust, we see him learn and grow and finally accept the love he had been wanting all along, and along the way learning to be a better partner too, more gushing on pran here, cos i'm incorrigible.

Favorite Side Character: Pa from Bad Buddy. I love love love Pa and Pat's bond. I love how Pa is like Pat's compass pointing him in the right direction (more often than not) and Pat listens and actually follows up on what she says. And also "men are so boring, and are all men delusional like you" NO ONE DOES IT LIKE PA I SAY. Special mention to Ink & her "It's so gainful".

Also Tee from Gap The Series, Palm's mom from Never Let Me Go, the uncles from My Ride (they remind me of Patpran with all their bickering ahhh), Tien & Bow from La Pluie, Pharm & Manow from Between Us, Pear from Be My Favorite. Oh also everybody in Cher's friendgroup from A Boss and a Babe.

Favorite scene in a QL: I'm gonna cheat cos there is no way i can pick one, so here's 5, all from Bad Buddy: ep 5 rooftop Kiss, that whole scene in ep 7 where pat shows up as Riam and saves the play, the balcony phone call scene ep 8, ep 11 the scene that starts with Pat thanking Pran for "trying to make a silly guy like me happy" and also the scene where Pran follows "i wrote this song for him" up with singing the beautiful song that was "our song" SOBBBS.

But also Thun's coming out scene in He's Coming to Me is so so very special to me.

Okay maybe that's more than 5, but i already said i'd cheat so :333

Favorite line in a QL: So many lines from Bad Buddy I could just go on and on under this prompt BUT okay i'll be good this time if i had to pick one just rn then - "Together, we’ve been through a lot. We’ve experienced wonderful times a lot. We’ve had awful times a lot. We’ve looked out for each other a lot. We’ve been concerned about each other a lot. We’ve been thinking about each other a lot and we’ve been happier, a lot." will just have to be the winner. What a crown worthy answer, my baby Pran is right as usual.

Most Anticipated QL (& why): 23.5 degrees. GMMTV finally releasing a GL show after years and years of BL content. And also MilkLove together after Bad Buddy & INKPA NEED I SAY MORE!?!?

But also "Last Twilight" cos i cant wait to see what P'aof's been cooking.

Healthiest relationship in a QL: Patpran, again xD. This is extra special because they had all the obstacles that could have made this such a toxic relationship and yet they focused on respect and consent and healthy communication and caring for each other and understanding each other and becoming better versions of themselves because of and with each other and the prominent way consent is emphasized in all their intimate moments, it's just EVERYTHING to me.

Also Mork & Tawan from My Ride. Rarely do we get to see such an equally contributive and reciprocal and healthy relationship. It was a pleasure to watch.

Most toxic relationship in a QL: Maybe VeeMark from Love Mechanics. They were cute and shiz but just way too much back and forth and miscommunication just NO.

Guilty pleasure series: Bed Friend

Most underrated series: My Ride, He's Coming to Me, You're My Sky

Tagging @sharingfandoms, @aroceu, @thecriers, @midnightfreeway, @lovelyghostv, @fiercynn, @thegayneurodivergentagenda and whoever else who wants to try this, no compulsion &lt;3

[bearinglight]

a forever kind of love

[bevioletskies]

bad buddy’s one-year anniversary | one scene per episode ↳ episode eight (original air date: december 17th, 2021)

“I’m posting an Instagram Story - telling the world we’re not just friends.”

[jemmo]

p’aof family christmas 2021

@backaof on IG

[feareth-who]

I just finished bad buddy in one day, and don't regret it. I have seriously been missing out. Each episode brings some kind of nuance that we don't expect. we see rivalry, small fights, brawls and then they go full emotional. Nannon being so expressive with just his eyes was something that drew me in. I LOVED IT

hiee

i read this thrice and I loved every second of it.

u hv done an amazing job sitting thru it in one day. yes you had been missing out but here we are! the epis are well timed and the storyline is so well conveyed, i cannot help but watch it again n again..

the rivalry is elite and it's not only to the point when they first kiss but honestly goes on after too and that's not only cute it's more, it gives you the feels you'd never have felt before, it's one of a kind, sure the trope is enemies to lovers but the scream I've given my house these past few weeks shows that the actors have done more than just portray a character- they've bought it to life and my god i love p'aof(director) so much, can he do every bl project cuz godamn I'm stoked.

it's chefs kiss 🤌✨

and we're not going to talk bout NANON being expressive and the fact that I've cried everytime they have but they did sucha great job i (wish there was a word other than love to express this) loved it, i did indeed.

@burn-like-starss @aaftaaab @dimplesnanon another person in <3

[icouldhyperfixatehim]

just wanted to pop by and remind everyone of this nugget of trivia about the local insufferable memelord. Of Course he has minion sheets, i've seen his twitter