#dmd friendship the reality

[blharmonycreation]

WE HAVE LOST HIM SINCE DAY ONE 😭

WE CANNOT DENY THAT HE IS SO IN LOVE WITH HIM

[itsallaboutbl]

Can friends flirt with each other?

[itsaymylove]

The Space Between Two People

[qwoolz]

your sky is such a breath of fresh air

1: healthy relationship between all friendships and couples in the story

2: both leads having supportive loving families

3: asking before kissing (consent is sexy)

4: grumpy x sunshine but the grumpy isn’t really grumpy he just has a bad temper but he never takes it out on anyone he loves

5: cutest side couple ever (realhia ofc)

6: adorable realisation of feelings

i love sad and tragic stories but sometimes you need something like this

[soujux]

DMD Friendship The Reality — Thoughts

The year is yet to end, and Your Sky is airing, so I think I still have the time to talk about Domundi Friendship The Reality.

Totally not a dating show, by the way, but kinda functions similarly, which is perfect for a bored aroace girl in a limbo during holiday break. I also have no idea who these people are, so that adds to the experience.

DMD Friendship The Reality is a reality show by Domundi where they have 8 of their talents live together for several days. They do missions, get rewards, bond, and search for a partner to potentially win the Best Couple Award and become the main leads to a new series. There are 6 episodes of the actual show, and 1 episode of them doing a Q&A. In retrospect, it's basically an acting, performing, and chemistry workshop, because the missions all revolve around the contestants honing their skills in the areas relevant to their careers as DMD artists.

The participants are as follows according to the introduction:

Keng (24)

FirstOne (23)

Namping (22)

Latte (23)

Teetee (18)

Kong (20)

Thomas (22)

Gems (19)

I honestly thought it was too calculated to have 8 contestants—an even number—when they are supposed to each choose a partner at the end, and DMD probably thought the same after awhile, because in episode 3, they introduced Tle (25). Overall, the show had 9 contestants.

First Impressions on the DMD Artists

FirstOne is the lovechild of Mix (GMMTV) and Seokjin (BTS). He has very soft, but manly features, and his mannerisms are very boyish.

He moves a lot during interviews. When he talks, he smirks and grins almost in a playful way. He looks like the popular naughty kid in school. He has a face of an it-boy.

Also, I don't know if it's him or Keng, but one of them kept saying "Annyeong!" and it was kinda funny.

I find Kong to be so cute. I adore his braces, but what really sold me was his fudanshi tendencies.

He knows more than me, because he obviously clocked KengNamping really early in the show. There was a conversation around the authenticity of the show, because Keng and Namping was fairly established upon entering, but more on that later.

It was so interesting for these celebrities to introduce themselves by their educational attainment, because I don't see that everyday. Most of the contestants are degree holders, and Kong, for example, is a sophomore taking up engineering. He balances work as a DMD artist and his studies. He even talks about it twice with Thomas later on.

I really enjoy the premise of the show. Just chill guys in a chill mansion doing chill missions. We don't often see a reality show that doesn't isolate or restrict its contestants from the world. I love to see them use their phones before going to bed.

KengNamping as Contestants in DMD Friendship The Reality

Starting this show with no background was confusing. Did KengNamping work together before entering the show? Did they have a project lined up together? I felt like being in a new friend group and I don't know the inside jokes, so I just have to go along.

So, starting off, I had to establish that:

Keng and Namping are KengNamping.

They are always together and making Tiktoks together. (Source: FirstOne)

They will be one of the couples by the end.

Kong is the captain of the KengNamping ship.

However, I did enjoy the drama in the first episode. Absolutely nothing prepared me for the shame and disappointment awaiting Namping, but I appreciated Keng's reasoning behind it.

Context for those who don't know or forgot: Keng won the first mission and was rewarded a fancy dinner with a partner of his choice. Everyone and their mothers expected him to choose Namping, but he ended up choosing Teetee, leaving Namping embarrassed and disappointed. Teetee was so shocked and confused, but neverthelss, grateful. In Keng's defense, Teetee is a new addition to the company, and the dinner was his attempt to get to know his junior (in this context, his nong.)

Although, I have to admit that I got "salty" over it. I wrote a long rant about it in my notes, and it goes a little something like:

"Keng and Namping entered the show with the contestants having this preconceived notion that they are the KengNamping. That's why it was a big deal when Keng chose Teetee over Namping for a dinner date, despite his good intentions, because they are expected, almost pressured to always choose the other when they win special awards. Otherwise, it's an act of betrayal."

All of their interactions after that, especially the one in the suite, to me, felt a little forced. I kind of felt bad for Namping, because I saw it as Keng feeling sorry for him. I'm sure they do care for each other, but the dynamic between them and the contestants was not a wise set-up. If Keng and Namping were given a little more independence; it would have been interesting to see them interact with other people, like how Keng dined with Teetee, before seeing them actively choose each other.

FirstLatte and ThomasKong Dinner Dates

May I introduce my favorite dinner "date" in the entire show?

Everything about this dinner was perfect—yes, even the mosquitoes! From the announcement, the arrangement, the editing, and the results. It was well-thought of, and underappreciated.

After Teetee departed to eat with Keng in episode 1, the remaining contestants are given the chance to also have a fancy dinner with a partner. But here's the catch.. the dinner can only happen if you choose each other mutually.

These were the results:

Thomas chose Kong.

Namping chose Kong.

Latte chose FirstOne.

Gems chose FirstOne.

Kong chose Thomas, and FirstOne chose Latte. They have dinner in the garden.

The editors did such a great job at this, because they didn't reveal Kong and FirstOne's choices until during the announcement. It was so well-thought of.

It was one of those moments where I was sure ThomasKong and FirstLatte was gonna be a thing. The aspect of the dinner happening because you both chose each other in secret is very romantic. No fancy dinner in a cruise or suite could ever match up to it.

At this point, it's obvious that I forgot to stop treating this as a dating show. I started to get delusional the moment FirstLatte declared that they'll choose each other as partners over and over again. I began kicking my feet when Thomas said that he found the partner he was looking for.

Althought FirstOne eventually ended up paired with Tle in the future, the moment he shared with Latte in this dinner remained special. FirstOne will go on ahead and choose to spend his next dinner rewards with Keng and Tle, but it is not a dinner that rewards you for choosing each other.

I Guess, I Really Like the Implication of Being Chosen (ThomasKong)

I lied. I actually had a surface level idea of who Thomas and Kong were, because I watched 6 episodes of Your Sky before watching DMD Friendship The Reality. In my defense, I only knew them as Muenfah and Teerak! So, I did not really lie about not knowing who they are as DMD artists.

But oh, ThomasKong. What a couple. Watching them in the reality show felt like watching two people in your friendgroup that are obviously dating, but didn't tell you.

I didn't know that they were close before the show (or off-camera). They don't really talk, even though you always see them sit beside each other. So, I was honestly surprised when Thomas sent his postcard to Kong, and Kong to Thomas.

Not only that—they constantly chose each other all throughout the show.

We talked about the perfect dinner™, where they had the cutest "date" that felt so spontaneous and earnest. Although they never really explicitly said that that they would choose each other as partners, the qualities they mentioned when describing an ideal partner ultimately referred to.. well, each other.

"I want someone I'm comfortable talking to, and someone who is older."

Kong said this while talking comfortably with Thomas, his Phi.

"Just someone I'm comfortable with. Someone I can be my true self and be happy with. I think I've found him."

Well, do we even need to discuss Thomas' response?

It is quite a popular comment in each episode that Thomas locked-in on Kong from the get-go, but I honestly believe that Kong is no better. Kong also sent Thomas the postcard, chose Thomas for dinner, and it's Kong who chose Thomas during the acting mission.

The acting mission was one of my favorite episodes, because I was thrilled to see a script interpreted in several ways. My best pick in acting from the show were Gems, FirstOne, and Thomas' performances.

Thomas and Kong won this mission, and I think it's a pretty significant win. While they still lack in the acting department, they were the only group that leaned into the romantic subtext of the script, and delivered. They delivered it so well that the judges (and I) were left giggling and blushing after the scene. They were capable of selling a character to you, and it was an immersive experience.

They were rewarded with a night together in a suite. Then the dinner, mosquito bite joke, and the exclusive video happened.

I am absolutely fond of how comfortable they are with each other. They gave us several swoon-worthy moments, but I am the most at awe when Thomas checks up on Kong, when Kong trusts Thomas with everything, and when they feel safe enough with each other to talk about personal topics.

Their conversation about choosing each other and being 200% certain is very important to me. They make a promise, and it's a promise for years and years to come.

Issues With DMD Friendship The Reality

I'm not surprised that there are scripted interactions. I honestly think the entirety of episode 5 is scripted, if not, orchestrated by the staff to happen.

They revealed quite a lot about it in DMD Friendship The Reality Last Ride, and it was kinda funny, because they weren't even hiding it.

Some of the confirmed orchestrated moments in DMD Friendship The Reality:

Teetee and Kong's conversation in the rooftop. The conversation (probably) was not scripted, but the location and the timing was decided by the staff.

Thomas' "jealous" reaction to Teetee calling Kong. Thomas admitted that he was curious, but the staff told him to act a certain way. He thought it was funny that it made him look mad.

Tle interrupting Latte and FirstOne's conversation.

Keng and Namping talking about being each other's partners by the pool.

Scenes that I think are either orchestrated or scripted, but not confirmed:

Teetee and Thomas talking about Kong.

Thomas and Kong talking about being each other's partners on a random deck. However, I don't think the polaroid joke was scripted, because that's something only Thomas can think of.

Thomas and Kong's exchange after the red string journey. The blockings and the "From now on, please, take care of me, Mr. Kongpob," "Please, take care of me, too, Mr. Teetut," felt too unnatural. Plus, Kong was obviously acting.

I also heard a rumor about KengNamping and ThomasKong being fixed from the very beginning, and that the show was made to make them sell, but I'm not entirely convinced. I just think it's a waste of time and money for DMD to conceptualize and create a whole reality show for that purpose. However, it's also not far-fetched. After all, both couple won Best Couple Award, because they apparently tied.

Anyway, In Conclusion..

I really enjoyed DMD Friendship The Reality. I think it did a great job at fostering healthy bonds between colleagues, and developing DMD artists in several departments. It also did a great job at presenting male friendship as something that shouldn't fear closeness and vulnerability. I enjoyed watching a bunch of friends go on dinner dates after missions, and share beds without being scared of it seeming inappropriate.

As an aroace person, I adore the exploration of profound connections between ThomasKong and KengNamping. Actors in partnerships like this got to be my favorite queerplatonic relationships.

[thomaskong]

From this:

To this:

[chinzhillas]

⠀⠀💭⠀⠀⠀kong★jiro ⠀⠀. ⠀⠀⠀.°⠀⠀⭐

[jiwoonged]

new chapter 🎊

[thaiblinc]

The scream I just scrumpt 😭😭😭😭

[hinmotion]

DMD GEN3 Fan Meeting in Bangkok "Friendship Never Ends" Fancams links & my personal notes

Disclaimer: I watched all the performances on my Twitter timeline. All the photos, videos, clips are not mine. This is just for archival purpose.

I think of fan meeting as a way for a company (especially small like DMD) getting more money to invest in their productions and pay their talents. Therefore, even though the performances might not be perfect, I still view them positively and try to appreciate them for what they are. I know there are people dislike actors singing and dancing, call them "idol wannabe" but a fanmeeting is 3-5 hours long, you cannot entertain your fans by just playing games. Besides, some actors actually enjoy performing and some consider it a way to pay back for fans. So yeah, in general, I don't mind actors singing and dancing. If I don't like it, I will just ignore. And I have soft spots for the DMD Boys always, there's that.

GEN 3 – ศูนย์รวมความน่ารัก (Cuteness Center)

I unironically love this song. I love boy group, bubble gum pop songs. And this song is just like that. Simple cutesy catchy. This fancam is the only full member fancam I can find on Youtube.

SOLO PERFORMANCES:

They cut it short so each performance is around 2 minutes. I enjoyed all of them. I don't know if they all just stood behind the doors waiting but I can kinda see some of them in some camera angles XD My favorite solo performances is TeeTee's (boy group pop song, tropical vibe). My most surprising performances are Namping's and Firstone's, they both usually sing but they tried something new this time.

TeeTee — LOLAY (โลเล) by ATLAS

Thomas — "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" by Frankie Valli

Gems — "พบรัก (Preview)" by Ink Waruntorn | @minshawol_ on Twitter

(cannot find a good photo of him singing ＿|￣|○)

Kong — "หมวยนี่คะ (Muay nee ka)" by China Dolls

Latte — "Good Morning Teacher" by Atom Chanakan

Tle — "ถ้าเธอรักฉันจริง" by Three Man Down

(cannot find a good photo of him singing x 2＿|￣|○)

Namping — "เปิดใจไม่เปิดตัว (KEEP IT LOW KEY)" by TIMETHAI

Firstone — Liar by BUS

Keng — "โต้ละลิม (melt)" by NONT TANONT

(Namping acted as the love interest in this song's MV, directed by Third from Tilly Birds :") )

DUO PERFORMANCES:

MarkGems — "น่ารักมั้ยไม่รู้ (Narak Mhai Mai Roo)" by Butterbear

The reason why Mark was in the bear costume until the very end, I believe, was to surprise fans. Because before this, they showed a VCR where all the established pairs in Gen 3 were all paired up (duh?) via lucky draws. It ended with TeeTee, Latte and Gems opened their draws and acted surprised. And then Gems started his performance on his own, tricking fans into thinking he would perform solo again I supposed.

There are better fancams on Twitter but they are all vertical and I don't like how Twitter requires login to view so...Anyways, Gems is cute and Mark has long hair XD

LatteKim — "ต้องชอบแค่ไหน (FIRST LOVE)" by PRETZELLE

Latte was just so endearingly bad at dancing I couldn't help but falling in love with him. He know he's not good but still he earnestly tried his best :") It is better if he has something to act on (i.e a storyline, or with another characters rather than alone on stage). The way he pulled Kim in and Kim's reaction at the end, I was screaming. I was a fan that was satisfyingly served. Nice song too, +1 in the playlist.

PorTeeTee — "ดีดี (UNEXPECTED)" by JAYLERRxPARIS

Cuties 🥺 Love the bubble gum pop song, the idol boyfriends vibe. They are good at dancing and singing. Added a new song to my playlist +2. I was a fan that was satisfyingly served +2.

Por also posted on Twitter about taking his personal in-ear monitors out for this stage and feeling thankful to be on stage again after a long time, and I'm like :') I don't know if those are the same one he got when he was in DVI, but still :') His ex bandmate also replied to the in-ear monitors tweet :') (I know he technically got on stage before in the DMD Charity but it was more for funsies and not officially with elaborated stages and back-up dancers like this). Happy for him and TeeTee for getting the chances to do what they love as parts of their jobs.

TleFirstone — "Die with A Smile" by Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars (+ a little interview after the performance)

When it comes to singing, TleFirstone always delivered. Great harmony. They sang it a little "lighter" (if that makes sense?). However, I have listened to the original too many times, I just cannot listen to this more than twice without getting tired :'( which is a shame. Also, why did they stand 5 feet apart, finding a decent photo with both of them in it is hard =)))))

Tle apparently got sick when practicing just 1-2 days before the fanmeeting and had to get an injection and then hurriedly went back to practice :(

ThomasKong — "Green Tea & Honey" by Dane Amar

They were having so much fun together and so was I :"). Cute and romantic. The song is not for me but still, I was a fan that was satisfyingly served +3.

KengNamping — "งานเต้นรำในคืนพระจันทร์เต็มดวง (A Dance on the Night of a Full Moon)" by Cocktail ft. New Napatsorn

They sang beautifully and they got a little dance together near the end. And then Keng just starred at Namping for at least solid 10 seconds before lightly brush Namping's hair. I felt like a Victorian man seeing a woman's ankle for the first time. I was a fan that was satisfyingly served +4. Added a new song to my playlist +3.

JUMPING SCISSOR PAPER STONE GAME:

This moment from ThomasKong that made everyone on stage lost their minds.

Full video from @tinyJmouse23 on Twitter

Photos from @punniex25 on Twitter. (There is a clip of Keng holding his arms out and going in circles during this but I cannot find it. Man really go into NPC mode.)

SURPRISE SPECIAL GUEST "BUTTERBEAR"

They were genuinely surprised when Nong Noey came out, the crew kept secrets from them entirely.

Here a clip of DMD Gen 3 members received Hi-Touch benefits from Butterbear at the fanmeeting LMAO (Video from @jengphleng on Twitter)

GEN3 — "หากเธอเคยรักใคร (IF YOU LOVE)"

Cannot find a fancam that have all members, only focus cam :')

GEN3 — "รักเธอเต็มฟีด (LOVE FEED)"

Same as above :') Technically, they didn't sing much, they went around the venue and threw little signed plastic balls.

They also played the project video made by the collaboration of all the official fanclub of each member. Namping Official Fanclub tweeted to say thank you to every FC in this project and for Kong Official Fanclub, they are thankful that although they fought at that time, they still cooperated to finish the project XD.

There is this one line in the video that I really like "For as long as I exist, you will be loved." (which may or may not inspire me to write a love story.)

Miscellanies:

I'm so normal about them. (When they kiss in Khemjira, I'm gonna be an annoyance to everyone.)

Keng and his armpit protection saga. (It honestly hilarious how when taking selfie for the whole DMD Gen 3 in the DMD Charity event, he was STRUGGLING to hold onto his sleeves and fans caught it on camera =)))) )

The theme was sleeping and look at TleFirstone vs everybody else (Photos from: @TThisperson on Twitter)

Thomas got absolutely blasted by all the confetti. (Photo and video from @babii_uu on Twitter)

TMK and KNP (Video from @arawusbb on Twitter)

Keng vs Kong ft. a dramatic Namping (Video from @bcpsx1 from Twitter)

Conclusion:

Everyone is great. They have improved a lot :") All the performaces are enjoyable to me. Love how many fans came for their faves but still wholeheartedly supported and cheered for everyone in Gen 3, and even Marks, Kim and Por. I saw many accounts that dedicated to one members posting fancams and praising other members. Remind me of K-pop fandom a lot :") A nice fandom experience. 10/10 ❤️❤️❤️

[blharmonycreation]

the way nobody is topping this thomaskong valentine's day photoshoot like GAG OF THE CENTURY

꒰⁠ #โทมัสก้อง #thomaskong #tthomastc #kongjiro ꒱⁠˖⁠♡

[itsallaboutbl]

Our communication skills are improving, and so are our kisses.

[earthmixsclowderofcats]

-

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NetJJ moments in DMD Friendship the Reality: it takes two ep 2

[teerakna]

[kenjiyabuki]

dmd ftr ep 5 shenanigans: surprise, bitch. i bet you thought you'd seen the last of me

when this episode was nearing the end, it felt bittersweet as i got attached to watching these boys weekly and upcoming series will probably gonna take forever to come out (i am sure they will keep on being active by doing dances on tiktok and selling products on lives etc but i find those contents very tedious, i like my actors acting more). i was wishing for this not to be the end and then, to my surprise, BAMMMM a preview for another episode started playing!!!! but then it was still bittersweet bc it was revealed that they will be singing and dancing throughout the whole episode...

like many other BL fans, there is nothing that turns me off faster than BL boys singing. personally, more than the boys' voices, its the songs themselves i find unbearable to listen to. to my dismay, Thai BL industry loves generic pop and slow ballads, two genres i cant stand listening to. anyhow, i enjoyed the fuck out of My School President, songs and all, so i am open to surprises!!! in fact i am begging to be proven wrong!! and i am glad that they seem to be choosing the winners based on their skills, not by vote or smth else!!!

now back to the episode::::

How Well Do You Know Your Bro challenge was kinda boring because questions were not that riveting but i thoroughly enjoyed Thomas being put down about not getting to play w Kong. i will comeback to that Tee & Kong situation soon.

finally KengNamping won and they got to have some lil old✨💫💞The Special Friendship Time💕💫 ✨. is this what we are calling having a heart to heart on a pseudo-date with your potential work partner nowadays???? during their Special Friendship Time, i was busy taking hundred of screenshots of Namping because he looked so damn good in his fit!!!!!!!!!

pink lipgloss, Celine shades, rainbow mesh sweater, bracelets, Adidas Samba OGs.... cmonnnn

it was sooooo sweet to see them openly talk about their lives and dreams. they had such a progress across these 5 episodes!!! they were finally open about how they want to work together but also things they need to better in order to do so. i cant help but just love their blushing and awkward demeanor!!! it somehow works in their favour.

so funny how keng is admittedly a hard to crack introvert but sometimes his awkward bluntness somehow leads to UNBEARABLY cute moments. like i was climbing up the wall when they were having their final discussion on the bench and keng was being like "who else would i be talking" OR "can we get this over with" while looking Namping in the eye LMAOOO and Namping cant help but just giggle... just some yummy novice fanservice <3

back at the house, Thomas getting jealous over TeeTee & Kong having a talk was funny to me because the it was kinda one of the most obviously produced/edited scenes of this show. i am not going to blame them, maybe they were worried about the show being too conflict free. honestly, i did actually expect Tee to ask Kong to be his partner because nothing gets past me just like Thomas::

we know in all boys sent postcards to each other episode 1 but the show didnt reveal who sent which. well actually, Domundi X account shared a picture of the postcards and (if you have too much free time like me) you can pair the cards w info given by boys themselves in that episode;

another brilliant investigative work i've done in collabration w Paint. also peep Namping's cute duck drawing. honestly what this man cant do???

so hey, Tee sent his postcard to Kong!!! so while folks were on social media making fun of Thomas being overly possessive, my dude was actually onto something!!! his radar was going off and he had to settle the matter!!! i get him, he is like "i''m already an established actor and have a fanbase, just let me get my man so we can maximize our joint slay and leave" and he is so right.........

since the first episode, everyone was tickled by how this show is working like a dating show, me included. but after seeing this comment and similar ones made me think further:

if you think about it, they kinda WILL date??? not on some delulu shit, think about it: they will be shipped, will do fanservice & skinship, spend most of their time together, travel together, co-habit if its required, not just work together but also will be required to take care and trust and depend on each other, FOR at least a couple years if it works out. they will be stimulating "dating", even out of a tv series. being branded pair is a long term job that requires a lot of trust and compatibility. they are also rookies in the industry, so of course they are taking it seriously and discussing their future like choosing a romantic partner.

so, while i felt really sad for Latte as he seemed really worried while trying to look chill about everything, i am glad TeeTee and First chose to not rushing into a pair just to win the show and were honest about still needing time to hone their craft and building chemistry. and i'm not opposed to TleFirst but i still want to see LatteFirst in LUAT as the side couple. i enjoyed them in the pilot trailer and think their roles is going to fit them well. i also dont want to see an actor lose a job for a ship, cmon...

Gems broke my little heart again ahhhh. TBH, Tle clocked his tea when he said Gems should be more confident in himself. its not easy to do so in front of an audience and i'm sure the industry feels like horse race but i hope Gems will be more sure of his abilities in the future and finally have his moment.

on a bigger twist, KengNamping & ThomasKong were the finalist couples!!!

honestly, i have NO IDEA which couple i want to see win. mostly because both pairings give off very different vibes to me. for me, my choice would depend on the plot of this supposed new series, but i dont even know what it is even about.

i was thinking what kind of series i would like to see them in. when i think of ThomasKong, i can see them pulling off a fun and youthful series like My School President, Kieta Hatsukoi or I Will Knock You. w KengNamping, they would look good in a period series like I Feel You Linger in the Air or To Sir, With Love, even though Domundi has already LUAT (which will hopefully come out in this century). i just want to see them in something angsty but also incredibly romantic. should the unimaginable occur and someone from Mandee Works is reading this, feel free to steal ideas!

i am excited for next week, i will be glad no matter the outcome. cant wait to see the crazy stage putfits!!!!

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EPISODE

keng's pink socks, same colour as the namping's blushing cheeks hehe

teetee threatening to drown thomas lmaoooo 🤨im telling yall thomas was onto something w his suspicions, tee is praying on thomaskong's downfall!!

thomas finally being called out for laying it on thick because enough is enough!!!

lattefirst bickering about meat...

idk this is a translation thing or not but gems getting brother-zoned gagged me

keng's glasses taking a dip in the water. you lose some, you win some. his glasses are gone but at least he now has a partner. thank god it wasnt the celine sunglasses...

yes king!!!!!!!!!!

[thomaskong]

Watching dmd friendship the reality: it takes two ep5 back to back with your sky ep10 for maximum KO by auausave…