#sine inthira

[waitmyturtles]

Absolute Zero, episode 3: This show is still gorgeous and sumptuous. I have a quibble, I'm going to work through the quibble, and then celebrate a moment in the show that I loved.

Adult Suansoon is deciding what to do about his appearance in his past. He's separate from young Suansoon -- they are two separate entities. Adult Suansoon is clearly working through if he'll intervene in the past, if he'll direct young Ongsa's attraction to adult Suansoon to another direction.

We see adult Suansoon hovering on the line of making decisions to remove himself entirely from young Ongsa's life, and dancing around that line. We see that that's VERY difficult for him. We see that adult Suansoon just may not be realizing and embodying FULLY that he's the adult version of himself, as clearly, he's transported back into love for Ongsa, no matter if Ongsa is a teenager or an adult, as adult Suansoon keeps a picture of adult Ongsa on his phone, and enjoys his time with young Ongsa in the coffee shop.

What I need from adult Suansoon is a little narrative recognition that he's either 1) the adult in the room, and/or 2) that he IS an adult. I'm not sure I know enough about Suansoon yet, young or old, to understand why he hasn't embodied this fact. He's clearly falling in love, and/or has been in love, with young Ongsa, and just a click, just a little note of -- oh shit, we have age gap here, folks, and we know it -- would help the show a touch.

But also, I think I need to know, as a viewer, if we ARE going to go towards age gap, a bit more, verbally, about adult Suansoon's mindset. I need to know if he's confused, if he's unable to direct himself -- something.

We might get it with the conversation he'll have with the video store uncle next week, or at least, that's how the previews are setting it up.

Anyway -- this being New Siwaj, am I surprised this is happening? Unfortunately, I am not surprised -- but I trust, considering the higher quality of the acting and directing in this work than in his past recent works, that this issue of a lack of narrative communication will hopefully be resolved soon. Fingers crossed.

So, all that being said:

1 ) Teng Krist Kanist and Tor Supakorn, our age-gapped pair, have EXCELLENT chemistry. Are we supposed to be a bit wibbly about it? Maybe?

2) Will I not see more of these two together?!

Now this pair?! I WANNA SEE MORE OF THESE TWO TOGETHER! Teng and Sine?! Didn't know I needed 'em, but I need 'em!

I'm really, REALLY glad to see so much of Teng Krist Kanist -- I loved him in Gay OK Bangkok, and I'm glad to see him make such a huge return as a lead actor in this prominent show. But by episode 3, I need more narrative direction, because we only have 12 episodes to tell what I think is going to be a pretty intricate time travel story, and we gotta move a touch.

[respectthepetty]

Love Upon a Time's pilot trailer is being released this week. Love Tractor starts this week. Step by Step returns this week. Our Dining Table, Star Struck, and Our Skyy 2 end this week. La Pluie and Be My Favorite are bringing me well done messiness this week. The Luminous Solution well just bring me mess this week.

But the one thing I am most excited about is

@waitmyturtles IS WATCHING HE'S COMING TO ME!

And although she has perfectly valid reasons for this trek through BL history, and even though I love the show, the God's honest truth is I just need more people to experience Sine's beauty, so y'all can understand where my obsession with her began.

Yes. This was a Sine's appreciation post.

I hope you enjoy your watch @waitmyturtles and my girlfriend's face acting.

[i-got-the-feels]

MY QUEEN INTHIRA IS THERE IN THIS SHOW??

First khaotung not having coconut hair and now this

And backaof is producing it??

My expectations are no more moderate.

[gillianthecat]

[theflagscene]

Don’t mind me, I’ll just be over here completely unable to get over Teacher Waree’s beauty.

[vegaseatsass]

Important information about the world I didn't have until I watched He's Coming To Me (2019): Love Pattranite played Ohm Pawat's mom before she played his sister!

[littleragondin]

I'm stuck at home and already in pain so I guess it's time for:

Absolute Zero Wednesday!

Last week's first episode suggested that I would get everything I expect and want from a melancholic story directed by New Siwaj, so I am going into episode 2 pretty confident.

- That little breakfast scene between the teens is adorable! "Where's your boyfriend, being so nice?/ Where is your boyfriend, being so cute?" I am not immune to young love being sappy.

- This is going to be a Hands Show and I am so, SO here for that.

- I am so happy to see that Ongsa's parents have welcomed Suansoon in their family, really. Also I knew the casting was stellar but it's always a pleasure to see Um Apasiri!! (Tom Phollawat too)

- teen!Ongsa is really far too chill with being followed like that by a whole grown man, even if I agree with him that sad adult!Soon does not look very threatening.

- on that subject, Teng Kanist's sad eyes and soft voice are incredible. I always expect excellent criers from any New's production, but I am so taken by adult!Soon and the way he exudes melancholy, it's not even funny

- Sine Inthira!! (*˘︶˘*).｡.:*♡

- Ongsa's friend group seems perfectly darling, even if Ohm is risking his life a few times in there, and I am happy that we'll get to see a bit more of them.

- Ah. None of the softness could make me ignore what was to come, and the come back of the ticket situation to finish the episode was a nice and expected (if painful) thrill.

Overall, that second episode was as beautiful as the first one. The visuals are still a delight and the pacing is still working perfectly for me.

Ongsa's crush on adult!Suansoon is absolutely adorable, baby boy truly likes them soft and sad uh. The way he pretends to need tutoring right after we're being told he's good at physics?? throw me back to my 17th year lol (never had more interest and better grades in physics than the year I had a crush on the research assistant and his pink sweaters xd)

I also like how obviously Suansoon's affection for Ongsa bleeds out of him, in the way he looks at and interacts with the boy he fell in love with and who will become the man he shares his life with. He is in such a tender and painful place when he time travels: he just went through the loss of a major mentor figure in his life, and he is now losing the love of his life. I can see why he would go with the flow when given that strange opportunity to spend some more time with Ongsa, even if it's the one from ten years ago (after all, it is the same person, the same smiling and caring person he loves in his present, the one he will love in his past).

Things are going to become really serious 'time shenanigans' wise next week! Of course I read the synopsis so i have some ideas, but I can't wait to see how Suansoon is going to impact his own future and how this is going to play out for the four of them.

[bengiyo]

Absolute Zero Ep 2 Stray Thoughts

Last week, I returned to my roots as we watched Suansoon, a lonely gay Catholic cinephile, have a meet cute at his local theater when he and Ong-sa each went to see a romcom alone and sat next to each other. They hit it off and Ong-sa eventually asked him to be his boyfriend at the end of The Love of Siam (2007) under a meteor shower. We know these two remain adorable for another ten years and are happily together and watching movies in their shared bed together. However, Ong-sa gets hurt in the future and now it's time to start the time travel portion.

The intro for this show really is so elegant.

"Will a cup of coffee be even bitter if there's a tear drop in it?" WE ARE SO FUCKING BACK!

I wonder if headaches will be a regular problem, or a sign of things to come.

These two are adorable. This is where New is at his best. We get to see a lovely couple have beautiful moments as we know of the horrors in their future.

I'm glad we know that Ong-sa's parents also love and support Suansoon and treat him as a son. You know this is lived-in because Suansoon is so comfortable around them and feels fine to leave Ong-sa with them.

I'm so glad Teng is back in BL. These are the kinds of tears someone who has loved a long time cries.

When you with upon a star...

I hope we don't have a magic uncle like in Be My Favorite.

I'm not sure what I would do if I unknowingly walked into the past and saw the boy I loved again.

Ong-sa isn't stupid. This bodes well for the drama.

I wonder if this is the same police station they used in A Boss and a Babe.

Interesting. I like him telling Ong-sa his name, because we can suspect that this is before they've met.

Hm, I'm curious about cutting back to the future when Suansoon is in the past.

A single tear from a comatose person gets me every time.

Fascinating! Future!Suansoon thought this was a dream.

They got Boy Sompob humming over a crying sip of a latte. I'm home.

Interesting! It seems like Ong-sa liked movies on his own.

SINE INTHIRA!!!

At least we're facing practical realities like food, shelter, and money.

Well, well, well, what does this old man know or suspect?

Ah, so he went back to the day before he went to the cemetery. We also read correctly that Future!Suansoon was already in the past and they passed each other last episode.

I like that they told us Ong-sa was good at physics already, because now this definitely reads like flirting. Is Suansoon going to be a wingman for himself?

Kinda glad I didn't get to watch this until I got home because it's gorgeous.

It's captivating watching these scenes because we have to suspect that Future! Suansoon will have to do something to redirect Ong-sa to his younger self later even if everyone around Ong-sa can see his crush on this older man.

Oh ho! Free tickets to the movie and he gave him seat G7. Here we go!

Really fascinated by the role both Suansoons are going to play in Ong-sa's life.

This is New Siwaj at his best. He often gets lost in the details of other shows and is concerned that every gesture or moment has meaning later. Time travel stories are good for him. This show is setting up for a long windup, but there are some layers developing that have me intrigued. It feels like we're in the type of story with a single timeline, and I think that's why we're checking in with the future.

[telomeke-bbs]

OUR SKYY 2 x BAD BUDDY x A TALE OF THOUSAND STARS – THE WOODS AREN'T LOVELY, DARK AND DEEP

Looking at the structure and the mechanics of the thing (yes, engineering reference here) – the OS2 x BBS x ATOTS forest search is a metaphor for Pat, Pran, Phupha and Tian's journey not just to "find" each other (i.e., to discover new truths about their partner) but also to discover new truths about themselves.

So they started off with Phupha and Pat looking for their other halves Tian and Pran, each paired with a somewhat-opposite of himself – stoic/guarded teaming up with open-hearted/outward-oriented, in order to understand perhaps the POV of their respective significant others.

And then they switched things up with Pran and Phupha alone in the forest looking for Kampung, and learning things about themselves at the same time, with Pat and Tian getting alone time to trade lessons too. (Did Pat really injure his leg that badly? Or was it just the leeches? 😂)

I haven't looked in detail at what those lessons are (because it was just a first watch and I was drinking at the same time, hah!) but I think we all know that they're for the betterment of each couple's relationships, and for resolution of their fundamentally conflicting dynamics.

Little Kampung was the catalyst for both expeditions into the unknown, and I wonder what significance we'll find if we dig a little deeper. I already find his name intriguing from a linguistic point of view. Does anyone know how it's spelt in Thai?

A brief note about the forest. It's not a merry walk in the woods, even though we saw large chunks of the journey taking place in bright, open clearings fringed with bamboo.

The tropical southeast Asian forest is dense and dangerous, hiding death in every corner if you fail to give it respect. It's not just the larger carnivores on land like leopards and tigers (though their numbers are on the decline), or crocodiles in the water, or the poisonous scorpions and snakes in the undergrowth (watch your step!). Large herbivores like the elephant and gaur can easily dispatch an unarmed human if they feel threatened. And wild boars will turn into vicious meat-eaters if given the opportunity.

Death also lurks from above. Sometimes it's pythons laying in wait (their favorite modus operandi is to throw themselves onto prey from branches above, and in the confusion coil and strangle their unfortunate victim). And even the trees themselves can kill – tree branches weighing the equivalent of a dining table can and do break off due to weakening from disease or rain weight, and any larger living creature caught below will be a goner.

Villagers who have to venture into the forest learn early on to respect it, and this respect for the risks of nature has translated into the forest acquiring a dark, supernatural dimension for many cultures (i.e., the idea that the forest is also home to different spirits, many malevolent, and who need to be appeased and/or whose permission needs to be sought for any act deemed too intrusive). A Thai movie example that somewhat illustrates this is Nang Nak (there's also a version starring a young Sine Inthira, for any fans of hers out there 💖).

Unlike the tribes who live with and within the forests themselves, settled peoples from outside may not always have the life skills to cope with all the jungle throws at you once you enter its realm. People can disappear without a trace – the two most well-known in Western media are Bruno Manser and Jim Thompson (because, you know, missing white person syndrome), but of course there must be legions more unnamed locals swallowed whole, never seen again and never named outside the country's media. 🤷‍♂️

So I think this awareness of how the forest can swiftly take away your life underlies our four (OK five, including Kampung) heroes' struggles in the wilderness – it's life and death in there, so in living out the metaphor PatPran and PhuTian were in more than one sense battling for the survival of their own pairings (because fundamental differences in each partner's approach to couplehood can also kill a relationship, no matter how strong the love).

It's unfortunate that the optics that were finally presented seemed much lighter than they should have been. This was not a walk in the warm embrace of bright country woods. And it gives weight to Pat saying "I can't live without you" to Pran at the end (Ep.3 [4/4] 9.18) – he wasn't actually saying he couldn't bear to be physically parted from his soulmate (with an eye on Singapore looming here). He was saying that Pran is life itself to him (also a reference to the meaning of Pran's name in Sanksrit here too, see this write-up here), and without Pran alive and well (which is what the risks of the forest journey represented) Pat's own existence would be devoid of life. And Pran has learnt his lesson well too, and returns the sentiment immediately.

This understanding that each lives for the other is what allows them to be parted when Pran goes to Singapore to further his architectural career, for they'd learnt that after their own life-and-death situation they can weather any storm. Physical separation isn't the important thing, because they know what they have will transcend that. My boys! 💖

[waitmyturtles]

Absolute Zero, episode 2: I've spent the past 40 minutes trying to figure out what to write, which means this will be short, but how can I best put into words the feelings that this show is conjuring for me? As of right now, only two episodes in: this show is crisp, it's MOVING in its DELIBERATE pace, and it is playing with a LOT.

Adult Suansoon has moved to the past, and is connecting with teen Ongsa, which means age gap, and damn it if it's not being recognized and handled with GRACE by young and old alike in teen Ongsa's community -- including by Nan, the ultimate coffee auntie played by SINE INTHIRA, HELLO GODDESS.

And, just. Krist Teng Kanist's ACTING here. He is just, whoa. Adult Suansoon's gotta make some decisions about figuring out WHY he moved to the past, while adult Ongsa recovers from his terrible accident, all while adult Suansoon is just ENJOYING the moments he's getting with teen Ongsa, meeting teen Ongsa's friends, enjoying the life moments he's sharing in teen Ongsa's life with Nan, how teen Ongsa shows his caring side for adult Suansoon.

How Krist Teng is allowing his adult Suansoon to take his time in thinking about the move he needs to make to change the past for a better future. This show is giving him the room to start making some huge decisions, and in this episode, we got to learn a lot about adult Suansoon's emotional pacing, which will clearly be valuable information moving forward.

I took a note during the episode about what he means that Suansoon has spent the majority of his life parentless -- and how that will play into his decision, whatever that decision is, to mess with the past. I am wondering in the back of my head if Suansoon has, say, a fatalistic assumption that he will always end up alone. But -- would Ongsa's love, either from the past and/or the present, infiltrate to keep that from happening? I wonder. But I'm clocking this.

We have good BL elders in this show. Sine, Um Apsari (Pete's mom from Love By Chance), Tom Phollawat (Loong Krit, Korn's brother, from Until We Meet Again; Pear's dad from Be My Favorite).

But, man -- is Krist Teng ever mounting a comeback here. I didn't know that Nat from Gay OK Bangkok had this in him, but what an EVOCATIVE performance in this episode, managing everything from time travel to a dalliance in age gap, with attention and intention. This episode was so quiet and so huge. And WHOA -- just BEAUTIFUL to look at, exquisite filming. New Siwaj is just damn spoiling us.

[respectthepetty]

I know we are supposed to dislike Teacher Waree, mostly after she humiliated Akk in front of the entire class this past episode, but..

LOOK AT HER!

I'd let her yell at me. I'd gladly sit in that front row every day so she could yell at me.

The show couldn't put activist Sine Inthira in this role and expect me to hate her.

You want me to be mad at Thun's mom from He's Coming to Me?!

Not going to happen. I can't do it.

[plaidcladjuno]

gmmtv is about to announce their series lineup for next year, what's your ultimate wishlist? it doesn't have to be reasonable or plausible, just go wild.

ooh that's a good ask! thank you!

i have sooo many wishes on my list! putting aside any realistic expectations, here are some projects i'd love to see from gmmtv:

a gl featuring namtan tipnaree as one of the leads

and/or a project featuring both namtan and gun atthaphan in which they'd be the most attractive badass stone-cold bitches — a revenge story or something. bonus point if you add jennie pahan to the mix.

a bl featuring joss wayar — i'd have loved to see him paired up with mek jirakit but alas he just left gmmtv. their vibe and chemistry in the player was impeccable, i'd have greatly enjoyed more of that.

fluke gawin caskey, first kanaphan and khaotung thanawat as a poly ship

another offgun project because i love them so much together 😭 and/or a tayoffgun project (as a poly ship also? yes, why not? no more love triangles in 2023!)

a neolouis-led series — they've got the range, darling

another gl this time featuring sine inthira — gimme older characters as the leads! and older female characters in particular! perhaps paired up with namfon sueangsuda?

[pandasmagorica]

First watch: 3 Will Be Free

tl;dr - Even though I'm not a big crime series fan, I loved this series and had to weigh whether to promote it to my top ten (I didn't, but it was close). There are some cringe moments and plenty of gun violence, not that much assault but still some. The plot holes weren't too distracting. Transgender viewers may be uncomfortable for episodes 1-3, but there's a real payoff for sticking with the series with a super-strong trans character.

This post is intended to be PG but the series itself is rated 18+ (I think for violence) just so you know.

Had been putting off watching this because it's not QL, even though I've watched other Thai non-QL (Gift Shop for People You Hate, 55:15 Never Too Late, and Midnight Museum). But after seeing some positive mentions about it here on Tumblr, decided to give it a try. And was very glad I did. And also questioning the take that it's not QL.

After seeing Tay Tawan in Dark Blue Kiss and the DBK prequels, as well as a guest turn in Midnight Museum, I totally did not expect his Shin character in 3WBF. Mostly mild mannered, a big contrast to his character in the three Kiss series, but don't underestimate him - he can take some wild action as well if that's his only choice at the moment - and there are some moments.

I also knew Gunsmile from his wisecracking ghost in He's Coming to Me. Here he's quite dark as a hitman.

As for guest appearances, I knew Sing from the same series as well as in Not Me and The Warp Effect, and Sine from brief appearances in He's Coming to Me and Secret Crush on You as well as her long-ago star turn in the horror movie Nang Nak. Sing's and Sine's appearances here were quite brief, but the story is the story and hopefully I will see them again in other work.

I've seen director Jojo's work before on Gay OK Bangkok and its sequel, which I liked, well, okay, but didn't love, as well as The Warp Effect, which I greatly enjoyed.

Enough introduction. On to the series itself.

The story gets off to a quick start. Neo (Joss Way-ar), a hustler and stripper, is having an affair with Va (Sine Inthira), the wife of a mob boss. When the husband Mr. Thana (Big Sarut) finds out, he sends hitmen Phon (Max Nuttawut) and Ter (Gunsmile Chanagun) to kill Neo, but Ter winds up accidentally killing Va instead. Neo runs from them to a dance bar run by Miw (Mild Lapassalan) only to discover Shin (Tay Tawan), who he seems to know, in the men's room. Phon chases after Neo only to be killed by Miw after being surprised to discover Shin (who he calls Mr. Shin, because Shin is Mr. Thana's son) and dropping his gun during the ensuing fight.

So now Neo, Shin, and Miw are on the run. The rest of the series is them trying to dodge the people who want to kill them and find a way to safety.

Except...Phon's lover Mae (Jennie Panhan), a transwoman (so is the actress), insists on joining Ter on the pursuit so she can get revenge for Phon's death.

This story had me with severe split allegiances: I wanted Neo, Shin, and Miw to get away safely, but I also found myself rooting for Mae as well. While the show mostly focused on the trio and their relationship, they gave ample time and character development to Mae and Ter. I'd say Mae's character underwent the most transformation of any of the characters, and that's not a pun. In the eyes of this queer, admittedly cis, male, this show has major positive transfemale rep. She is an incredibly strong characters.

On to the cringe moments: For a series that was as positive about a major transgender character, Neo's trans landlady and her roommate were absolute cringe and there only for comic effect. Their screen time was mercifully brief, but instantly too long each time they showed up. It also happens early in the series, before we've been able to fully see that Mae's character is going to be handled well. Their parts could have been eliminated with zero impact on the plot. I am completely mystified as to how a series that handled a major transgender character so well could fail so badly for the guest transgender characters.

So, I would recommend this show to my trans friends with the warning that it might be rocky going the first few episodes.

Spoilers follow

Okay, there are definitely some plot holes, mostly having to do with logistics: Why is Shin in the dance bar when Neo comes in? Why do some characters, such as Boss John, put themselves in danger when they don't need to? Why would the maid give Miw her uniform? How does Mae find Mr. Thana at the end? Why isn't Mr. Thana protected? With all the flashback reveals throughout the series, it's strange these aren't addressed.

But, aside from all the deaths along the way, it's a mostly happy ending for the trio. And Mae gets the right-sized amount of revenge and affirms her existence, at the cost of learning some hard lessons of the lengths she's willing to go to.

Is this QL? I tend to be expansive in what I'd consider QL and I'd say yes. The development of the poly relationship (even though it doesn't stay that way) is fairly queer as in LGBTQ+ and features at least one of the tropes, attraction at first sight. It doesn't matter to me that it's not the main focus of the series. Your mileage may vary.

It's a great series and I could eventually watch it again.

[i-got-the-feels]

Just two Thai actresses who weren't the main character mom and step mom of main characters but still made me feel some sort of way.

Ple Paradee Yoopasuk/Sine Inthira Charoenpura

[waitmyturtles]

SINE! AS A COFFEE SIS! TATTED! OMFG WHAT IS THIS SHOW GIVING ME