#uwma rewatch

[waitmyturtles]

Turtles Finds a Coping Mechanism: The Until We Meet Again Rewatches

I've been so committed to crushing through the Old GMMTV Challenge that I kind of didn't allow myself to think that life's blips and bloops would shake me from my pace.

Well, real life has SLAYED ME as of late, SLAYED ME, and as @lurkingshan has noted to me -- yes, there's a CERTAIN amount of dissonance for my watching UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, OF ALL SHOWS, as a coping mechanism, but here we are. I wanted to copy @bengiyo and rewatch UWMA anyway as a means of preparing for New Siwaj's Absolute Zero, which will be premiering at the end of September -- a time when my life will be calm-ish (???) again -- so I decided to take the plunge to see if UWMA would be a salve to my frayed nerves. It is, it totally is.

So here's some stream of consciousness notes, quite unlike my usual comparative/analytical style, just to honor what a ridiculously fabulous show UWMA is. (In my OGMMTVC analyses, I don't always get to gush over the cute stuff anyway because my posts get so long, so I'm doing a little of that here, too, ha.)

I knew that as soon as I watched it the first time for the OGMMTVC that I desperately wanted to rewatch it, so I just gave myself the go-ahead to eat the leum kleun candy. I've already completed one rewatch and am well into a second rewatch -- this show is so damn good, and now that I know the beats much better, I'm just having a lot of fun seeing in-depth the little nuances I missed the first time.

1) On my first watch, I did not appreciate how clearly Pharm was into Dean from the very start. The way Pharm flips through the photos of Dean that Team sends him from the first beach trip; the photo of Dean eating Del's breakfast; the way Pharm looks at the Facebook photo of Dean holding up the leum kleun. And how Pharm reacts when he saves Dean's phone number in his phone -- that ENORMOUS grin. I knew a lot going in the first time about Pharm's blushing maiden approach and how he was gunshy with intimacy for so much of the show. But I forgot in those early episodes -- homeboy was really into his crush! Taking that secret photo in the library, etc. He acknowledged it pretty immediately -- especially in that whispered conversation Pharm has with Team and Manaow in their English class. I had also forgotten that the show began with Pharm possibly questioning his sexuality, but being solidly knowledgable that it was Dean that was causing him to catch feelings.

2) Speaking of that fleeting moment in the library: after having watched the entire series the first time around, and remembering that Dean had saved that very first Post-It that Pharm had used to write a quick note on the papers that Pharm gave back to Dean in the library in... episode 2? Pharm had originally erased his name on that Post-It. It didn't click with me until this rewatch that Dean was able to make out Pharm's erased name from that Post-It -- which caused Dean to save the note, and use it as reference in the very last scene of the series. So cute.

3) I finally took the time to read about Phra Aphai Mani, the prince of the legend that Dean and Pharm talk about in the aquarium. Remember how Pharm says to Dean that Pharm doesn't like players?

DUDES. HAVE YOU READ ABOUT PHRA APHAI MANI? I guess, like, yes, if you're gonna have a super-long epic poem, a lot of shit needs to happen, but Aphai just kept marrying WIFE AFTER WIFE! FOUR WIVES TOTAL! One ogress, one mermaid, and two maybe humans? A half-ogress son here, a half-mer/son THERE, prince of THIS, king of THAT. Homeboy's life was COMPLICATED! I'm all EXTREMELY SYMPATHETIC to chaos, but this takes the damn cake. (And maybe gives me a touch more context into what's happening with that second marriage in I Feel You Linger In the Air, without the actual monsters/mermaids.) (Oh man -- imagine the Only Friends version of Phra Aphai Mani.) (NO.)

4) The first time around, I kind of though that the bits about Alex hitting on Pharm were a little extraneous and maybe a touch unnecessary, à la New Siwaj's style. But after my first rewatch, I stopped thinking so, and I actually began to enjoy them -- not only for how ridiculous they are, but I also recognized that that was the first time in the show that we see Pharm establishing boundaries. Of course, we see Pharm in his blushing maiden era forming boundaries with his P'Deeeean. But the way he's very clear with Alex, putting up as many walls as necessarily, and being exact in his communication that he likes someone else and is VERY not into dating Alex -- Pharm showed clarity and strength there. While Dean clearly liked to care for Pharm and treat Pharm as his younger companion -- Pharm also had agency, and knew he owned his agency, and I liked how that agency was first demonstrated vis à vis Alex.

5) I totally forgot about this, but -- I think it was the second time they had breakfast together in Pharm's condo? the third? that scene where Pharm's wearing the yellow shirt and he drops the bowl -- remember when Pharm asks Dean if he's mixed-race? I don't think I still understand the meaning of that. I'm guessing Pharm is asking if Dean is Thai-Chinese? I want to think on this more, because -- in episode 16, when Pharm goes to his uncle's/grandpa's house, it is clear that the house is a Thai-Chinese household. There are banners with Chinese script on the walls. I wonder if that was meant to indicate that Pharm was under the impression that he himself (Pharm) was fully ethnic Thai -- but with his relationship to his dad's side of the family being more revealed, it would turn out that Pharm himself was also "mixed." I did think it was cute that Pharm said, "I like it" to Dean after Dean's answer -- another instance where Pharm was being clearly flirty, despite the whole blushing maiden thing.

6) I did not appreciate the first time around, how good Ohm Thitiwat's acting was in the car scene when he's processing Korn's suicide. At the end of the series, I was so taken by the condo scene that I failed to give props to other intense moments, and that car scene was one of them. When Dean arrives at the building where Pharm and Sin lived next to each other -- a part of me wondered if he had originally intended to visit Sin, before hesitating to knock on Pharm's door. I'm not sure, and I wasn't sure after this rewatch. But that was a hell of a recognition moment on the part of Ohm's acting, and it was really damn good. (In fact -- it was my thinking about that car scene, and my wanting to watch it again, that prompted these rewatches in the first place.)

7) It may have been a little confusing, but: I really liked that the Korn x Intouch flashbacks were never presented in chronological order. I liked that the show had Dean and Pharm piece together their dreams and nightmares to come to a collective understanding about the trajectory of Korn and Intouch's relationship, even before Dean receives the background information from Sin. I know I was always a little confused during my first watch as to what moment in time I was watching with Korn and Intouch, but I recognize now that that was a reflection simply of when Pharm and Dean were receiving the same information themselves -- and I liked that the viewer was going through the same process that Dean and Pharm were going through.

8) At the way beginning of the series -- episode 2, maybe? episode 3? -- I like that Dean slyly figures out where to park himself on campus to see Pharm coming out of class. This is before the electric transformer explosion. Dean already was so swayed by Pharm. So cute.

9) I think it first struck me as a touch weird that Manaow and Del (Dean's sister!) were the admins of the DeanPharm chat group. But now that I can think more about it -- I wonder if they were doing that maybe as a way to help Pharm through his hesitancy and protect him from the fans. That being said: one of my absolute favorite moments was when Del first leans about Dean's first sleepover at Pharm's condo -- the way she jumps up and down and tries to calm her smile down. I was CRAAACKING up.

10) Maybe it's because I'm Indian, and used to very large and complicated families, that the relationship between Dean being a part of Intouch's family and having Korn's spirit, and vice versa with Pharm, wasn't confusing to me. But what really got me during my first rewatch was: Fluke Natouch's just INCREDIBLE acting when Pharm first meets Intouch's sister/Dean's grandmother, and Intouch's niece/Dean's mother. When I first watched the scene of Pharm meeting Dean's grandmother, a number of friends commented on loving that scene as well. GOD. It struck me as hard the second time around as the first time. And I think I was even MORE moved the second time around to see Pharm meeting Dean's mother.

Dean's mother had to process a LOT in the moment that she met Pharm. She had to process that her son had a boyfriend, that that boyfriend was there in her house in the first place, and that she'd have to tell her husband (Dean's dad) that their son's boyfriend was sleeping over. AND, that was all BEFORE Pharm had his reaction to Dean's mom once he was finally awake and processing things again. And THEN, she knew that Dean HIMSELF would have to tell his dad the next day and ask for his blessing. Moms have to go through a lot (do I ever know that life), but that was a LOT for Dean's mom, and god, I just gained a new appreciation for those scenes and how Dean and Pharm managed the whole damn thing together. (Also, now that I've seen The Love of Siam, as well as, of course, KinnPorsche -- and, OH, Be My Favorite, too! Kob Songsit. LEGENDARY BL DAD!)

11) My initial flip-out on the condo scene still stands. During my rewatch, I rewound it, like... three times? Fuck, man. One of the BEST BL scenes, ever, ever.

12) I loved taking my time to watch the very final scene, when Dean and Pharm have had the same dream of Korn and Intouch thanking them, and they get back together. I really loved paying attention to how all the Post-Its came back, the meaning of Never Forget, all the little notes and memories of when they had first met. Intouch's ring, the very first note Pharm wrote to Dean, all of it. Dean was such a sentimental simp from the start.

(Because I'm on such a DeanPharm kick -- and I know this is against better advice, but -- I'm considering a fast watch of Between Us just to see DeanPharm's conclusion. I know! The side couples are supposed to be chaotic, but, but. Once I get more time.)

13) Last note. Again, when I have time again, I'm wanting to write a Big Meta on separation. I've noted in some of the most important GMMTV BLs, that separation is often a key theme. But I think Pharm asking for a break was also incredibly key, and keyed into his continued commitment to setting boundaries. I think I probably fell most for Pharm as a character with him doing this -- strange, I know, since I love DeanPharm incessantly, but his standing up for clarity for his feelings meant so much for the internal strength he had gained by surviving the ordeal they had gone through. He was going to stick to his guns to make sure the relationship was authentic FOR HIM, and he did just that.

GOD, THIS WAS CATHARTIC! If you read this, thanks for going through this with me! I'm addicted to writing and this was a fun break in the midst of life chaos. I promise the OGMMTVC will hopefully continue without interruption, but that being said -- I'm watching Not Me, slowly, and having a great time with it. But UWMA is my woobie at the moment, and I just love having fallen in love with this show.

[toastofthetrashfire]

@joohoneylv @slayerkitty @brazilian-whalien52

A perfect likeness 🤣

[saturnskyline]

just came to the astoundingly late realization that dean's father in until we meet again, leo's father in don't say no, and kinn's father in kinnporsche are all played by the SAME GUY. a varied bl parent resume indeed

[dandydemidoesfandoms]

Between Us Continues to have no Chill.

End of Episode 7

After sweet little declarations of support and coming outs, we see most of the group together chatting at this very clearly NOT a Gay club?

Where are Dean and Pharm (UWMA)? Probably traumatizing some poor person in another library by staring longingly at each other.

And Pruek continues to defend his title as the #1 Support Boyfriend. (Between Us & UWMA)

The A & C are teasing B about his situationship with Prince.

Bee, who is ready to join the ranks with Pruek as a supporting boyfriend, perpetually understanding and deflecting because he is, in fact, dating/with/will be? a private person who is already in the industry.

And then the advice about not beating around the bush begins.

Hit dogs holler, huh boys?

Of course, Team, who runs away from his feelings, and Win, who silently broods and represses his, are not appreciating it.

Which leads us to ✨The Bathroom Scene™ ✨

They still aren't ready to talk about it, and even though the concern and feelings are filling the air so much its as thick as chowder. As usual, the boys decide to fuck about it instead of talk about it.

But, for real, even though this bathroom looks cleaner than any I have seen in a bar, club, or even a cafe, you have to be that horny, that in love, and that desperate for a connection to do this.

It's wild, a little gross, but painfully telling.

[italianpersonwithashippersheart]

I saw the @slayerkitty list of comfort shows listing Until We Meet again first and it made me want to rewatch it.

And man, that first scene. It's not super obvious the first or even second time you watch it, but Kao is doing such an amazing job as Korn.

Because the thing is, Korn is suicidal, he had been suicidal before he meet In. It's been a possibility in the back of his mind for years. He probably didn't stop because of his brothers, because it was enough to just think of them, later of In. But then in the moment, it's like he gives in into it. Like suddenly it becomes the only way he and In can be free. Like the thing that always stopped him before are just not enough. You can see the moment it becomes the only thing in his mind.

I just noticed but I think Korn goes to look for the gun. He knows it's there. At first viewing you could think that it's spur of the moment, he sees the gun and decides to grab it. But I don't think that is it. I think he was sure he was gonna die before he even goes to his knees to say sorry to his dad. He moves so quick towards the gun. His eyes widen a little not in suprise but more like self resolve. He knows his father has guns, probably knows where he puts it. How long as he been hyperware of his father's guns? How many bad nights and bad days did he spend thinking about how easy it would be to reach for one of them?

I never acrtually self harmed, but there was a period there, a couple of years were I was hyperware of the fact that we have knives in the house. That I could do it. That it on the edges, floating close to me. I am not in that place anymore but for a while there was truly on bad event away from doing it, taking the jump, for not doing that to my family to not be enough to stop to me.

Does his brother know. Did he ever just not told his own son where he put his gun just so he would never have to think about it.

The things I love the most about this storyline is both that Korn feels at peace in that moment. And the fact that the ripple effects of the suicide are so prevelent and so loud. It's broken families, and broken friends and trauma that literally followed them both on their next lives.

There is also something so comforting about Dean being Korn next life. About Dean being steadfast and self assured and secure in his love for Pharm. It's healing. IDK if I can explain why.

[sunshinechay]

Rewatching Until We Meet Again always makes me want to grab Korn and protect him from just everyone…except In

Boy is clearly scared out of his mind that something or someone is going to hurt In that he doesn’t know how to handle anything.

Couple that with the emotional and physical trauma he no doubt has from his father and just, boy needs to be protected at all costs.

[sparklyeyedhimbo]

Guncher, Until We Meet Again and Mangkorn for the ask game!

Guncher:

When I started shipping them: when cher made him this stupid coffee cup wit that stupid chibi and the stupid whatever [affectionate]

My thoughts: they need to talk more and tell eachother clearly whats bugging them because both of em are on the spectrum

What makes me happy about them: when they have their shit figured our and be littel shits to eachother

What makes me sad about them: when they misunderstand eachother and do stupid things that hurt themself and the other

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: i haven't read any fanfition of them yet...*hides*

Things I look for in fanfic: ^

My wishlist: more communication, the mother has to go and more phi gun and also for cher to..you know work somewhere else

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other:.. for cher? jack. for gun? therapy!

My happily ever after for them: them being happy maybe married (and cher not working as a employee for gun anymore) living near a beach or something.

Until We Meet Again: it's been a while for this one ohh

Favorite character: team

Least Favorite character: the gun intouch and korns fathers

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon): intouchkorn, winteam, deanpharm..are there more..man i really should rewatch uwma i'm mixing them up with the ones in between us. But they are happening at the same time so i should put the others there but also not??

Character I find most attractive: all of them? 👀

Character I would marry: none of them

Character I would be best friends with: tun mew? 🤔

a random thought: why is yachts character called mew in uwma and is called tun in between us 🤔

An unpopular opinion: -

My Canon OTP: deanpharm (p'deeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaan)

My Non-canon OTP: like the other ones? that are not canon in uwma but canon in between us?

Most Badass Character: INTOUCH LIKE DAMN just walking up to the grumpy scary looking mafia son and just starts flirting

Most Epic Villain: the gun

Pairing I am not a fan of: team/panicattacks

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): don't all of them have dealt the worst cards? i am guessing again 😭

Favourite Friendship: phramwinmanow

Character I most identify with: with none of em..maybe manow

Character I wish I could be: win

Mangkorn (Big Dragon):

How I feel about this character: he is my pathetic taylor swift loving idiot

Any/all the people I ship romantically with this character: yai and yai only they are made for eachother they can be shitty and in love together ❤

My favorite non-romantic relationship for this character: he and that damn flashdrive

My unpopular opinion about this character: i don't have any

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: well..there is season two so all i want is more..pain..no more humor..eh no more DRAMA

Favorite friendship for this character: Ajo Fiances to best friends <3

My crossover ship: i never really thought about THAT..ohhh

want me to answer more?

[heavenhellandhumanity]

Just finished watching the first episode of Between Us and I’m delighted with it. This is what I wanted from it, UWMA but from Team and Win’s perspective so Pharm and Dean’s story is still going on but they’re a side couple. We got more scenes of Team&Pharm&Manaow, Dean&Win friendship, as well as seeing a little more about Win’s family and how he feels about everything.

Win was a little mean towards Team in the first episode and it made me laugh so much. Then wound tending and building tension in a hotel room, it was all really delightful. And you can see that Boun and Prem have acted far more together since UWMA, the physical contact between them looks far more natural.

Tul’s character isn’t really delighting me so far and A, Bee and Sea are just there, but I do appreciate Team having friends on the swim team. And I’m mostly going to ignore the subtitles changing the spellings of some names.

[dengswei]

you know what i love about the deanpharm scenes in between us? they’re from dean’s point of view

[waitmyturtles]

He had such a tiny role in Until We Meet Again, but Perth was so good in it.

[derylaintshit]

Controversial opinion?

P'Arthit Krup > P'Dean

[littleragondin]

"-Look at our names. They all start with K, our names are alike. This is embarrassing. -Why? I think it's good. People will know immediately that we are brothers. "

"Who were we without him? Incomplete. Brothers go away sometimes." - The Heliades, 'Wake, Siren' by Nina Maclaughlin

[dandydemidoesfandoms]

Breadcrumbs and Red Strings

Now before the dunk tank we are gifted with some Dean/Pharm progress and another failed attempt of the Win/Team "Get the other to say their feelings first".

Win being jealous of Pharm and Team's friendship is super precious. (Between Us)

Meanwhile, Dean and Pharm (UWMA):

Because bruh....ain't nobody getting between our star-crossed lovers...not even air.

Crumbs at the bottom of Team's chip bag. Win cannot catch a break.

[gunsatthaphan]

I don’t know if it’s because until we meet again came out forever ago or what but I don’t remember Win being such a dick (I think he’s a dick in between us and I know it’s only been 1 episode lol). Was he like this in the first show and I’m just remembering his character wrong? I probably should have rewatched before between us started.

oh? I don't think he's a dick. What did he do? lol.

I never had a connection to the winteam plot in uwma but that was just because their characters were shallow and thus I never cared about them which is not the case anymore though. Their characters + acting are a lot more defined in BU which I like a lot! 

xxx

[fondofeveryprickle]

Between us has such a good first scene! With less than two minutes it really introduced the main characters and their differences. I love it so much.

I already loved Win, but now I love him even more. He's good.

No, he's better.

Who said consent is not sexy???? That last scene??? Ohhh fuck. All the questions while just holding each other and breathing the same air. I got chills.

Amazing, perfect 10000/10 recommend

[usodeshou]

Current Status:

Taking turns smiling soppily at my screen and full-on gross-sobbing while watching UWMA for the first time ❤️😭

Random 3rd mood: wanting to strangle Alex (like. dude. get a clue. back tf off. 😒 <- judgy face)