#thamepo meta

[thebroccolination]

THE EXPERTLY LAYERED WRITING IN THAMEPO'S FIRST EPISODE

My dudes.

The last time I was this jazzed about a series from the very first episode, I was watching Be My Favorite, which went on to become my favorite Thai series. Some of that was because of Krist's talent and charisma as Kawi, some of it was the chemistry between Krist and Gawin, some was the music, some was the production value overall, but most of it was the writing.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE WRITING IN THAMEPO.

While I was watching the premiere of ThamePo yesterday, I messaged @hallowpen to rave about the script. "It has stakes!" I wrote. "A time limit! Character arcs!" Then they asked me who the director was, and when I told them it's Mui (Aticha Tanthanawigrai), they essentially said, "That makes sense."

Because Mui isn't only a director—she's primarily a scriptwriter.

And she definitely seems to know what she's doing.

The first episode has to do so much right to hook an audience and create a solid foundation for subsequent episodes.

It has to introduce the protagonist in their normal circumstances, then quickly endear them to the audience, establish what they want, show the obstacle(s) in their way, and give people a reason to keep watching. Do this while avoiding the traps of info-dumping or weighing down the narrative with too many characters at once. You have to build just enough of a structure to pique curiosity, but not so much that people can guess where the story is going.

ThamePo did all of that, and beautifully.

In the first scene, Po is interviewing for a creative job so he can return to his passion after spending three years helping Earn, his ex-boyfriend, achieve his goals. This interview shows us that Po is earnest and honest to a fault, which is helpful for endearing him to the audience, but a well-written scene is usually doing more than one thing. At the end of his short interview, the interviewers tell Po that his reason for taking a break was off-putting, and they advise him not to be quite so truthful in the future.

I'm curious if Po learning how to use his natural earnestness effectively will be part of his character arc. Because later in the episode, Po decides to embrace a mild level of dishonesty to get the job with ONER. He reluctantly agrees to give them a resume that his friend edited to sound more flattering, and in his interview, he…embellishes the truth.

This is the first time we see a flashback to the one time Po went to a MARS event to take photos for his friend, and it's fairly unremarkable on the surface. Just a quick shot of him in the crowd—one of many—and then a shot of him editing the footage at home.

No sign that this is setting up some fantastic layering in the script.

Now, before I go on, I just want to say that, y'know, stakes and character arcs and obstacles and time limits are all extremely basic facets of a story. The reason I'm excited that ThamePo has them is because a lot of the queer Thai series I've seen throughout the past five years…haven't had them. Especially in the onslaught of hundreds of BL and GL series produced in the past two years, the vast majority of them just seem to have been slapped together. A rough first draft kicked onto a smoking conveyer belt bleeding text and plot points.

But Be My Favorite is as good as it is in part because Waa campaigned for more time to work on the script. And ThamePo was apparently in the works for five years before Mui found the cast she wanted.

Good stories take time to create, so I'm glad that there are a small number of series actually getting that time.

Okay, so!

Let's talk layering.

Thame's first words to Po are, "Are you a sasaeng?"

For the uninitiated, sasaeng fans are an ever-growing concern in celebrity spaces, and given how much leeway GMMTV has given to sasaeng behavior in the past, I'm surprised and glad to see them allowing them to be a negative plot point.*

*Truthfully, I don't think you can tell an authentic story about modern-day celebrities without at least mentioning the horrific effects that sasaeng culture have on them.

Later, we find out that Thame saw Po at the fan meeting, and Thame gives Po the options of quitting on his own or being fired after Thame exposes the footage he's found.

So now we've seen this fan meeting twice: once from Po's perspective as a job he did for a friend, and now from Thame's perspective noticing some guy in the crowd.

We're incrementally getting more information as it becomes relevant.

And then, finally, after Po convinces Thame that he isn't a sasaeng or even a fan, Thame reveals the part that matters most to the story going forward:

The reason he remembered Po is because, in a crowd of people screaming to get his attention for their own sake, Po was the only one trying to help someone else. And I think that's another hint at Po's character arc: Earn took advantage of his earnestness and his selflessness and hurt him deeply, but he shouldn't have to give up that gentle side of himself to be happy.

This third layer shows us the most important detail of this moment and why the episode keeps coming back to it: this brief memory meant something to Thame.

I think the reason Thame was so aggressive to Po in the office when they met for the first time wasn't just that Thame suspected Po was a sasaeng.

Look at Thame's face in that last screencap: it touched his heart to see someone he assumed was a fan helping a younger, smaller fan. In a cut-throat industry where fame is mercurial, the public is vicious, the media poisonous, and fans fickle, little moments of genuine humanity and kindness must be priceless to the celebrities at the center of it all.

So, from Thame's perspective, recognizing that same "fan" at his workplace? Thinking that fan was intentionally filming a vulnerable moment between him and the CEO? It probably spoiled that precious memory. Maybe even introduced the possibility that Po just used an innocent child that day to manipulate Thame's emotions.

How little does Thame have in his life? We don't know yet, but maybe little moments like that are all that's propping him up anymore.

And we can garner all of this from the gradual layering of one scene.

That one fleeting moment from their shared past shapes everything for Thame and Po going forward. For Po, he was doing a favor for a friend and added an offhand gesture to a child. But for Thame, it was a ray of sincerity in a dangerously murky world he seems to feel strangled by.

One of my favorite directing and character choices in this episode is that Thame is soft-spoken in both anger and vulnerability. He's so tightly controlled at all times because of his public-facing job, and he's in such a low place emotionally, but he hasn't lost his kindness, either. Once he knows Po isn't a threat to him or his fellow members, Thame compliments the work Po's done, and he asks Po to continue his documentary work.

Thame isn't Earn. Po projects that onto him and quickly learns he's wrong.

(I really hope earnestness ends up being one of the main motifs in this series, because it suits both characters so well, and the world they're both in now makes living earnestly extremely challenging.)

All in all, the first episode exceeded my high expectations. I loved the teaser, I loved the trailer, and I'm delighted with the first episode. I hope the rest of the series lives up to this level of quality, but I'm not worried.

Judging by the writing, I think this series is in good hands. <3

[athousandbyeol]

keep up the thamepo [episode 5]

i was a bit frustrated with myself initially because, after the first watch, I was left confused... and jaded... and a bit dissatisfied with this week's episode.

it has nothing to do with the acting, but I thought it felt a bit fragmented? nano's story arc didn't flow as smoothly as jun's or dylan's? i was trying to make sense of it—why it felt like there were still missing puzzle pieces in nano's portrait. but I guess, after making another observation, I guess nano was the last puzzle piece. i didn't realise it until I watched the episode again.

i wonder if this has to do with how the story is told from thame's perspective? the simplicity, somewhat straightforward nature of how everything unfolds kind of reflects thame's perception of his feelings for po? how he thought that po was just wanting 'to be friends' with him. how he didn't know he was in love with po—not until pepper provided a different approach for him to understand and come to terms with his feelings?

therefore, in this week's recap, it'll be a bit shorter than my previous posts because this episode was quite straightforward in terms of storytelling. however, I do want to address some apparent parts that itch my brain, which are, jun and thame's dynamic, the parallelism between nano and po, and also po and thame's upcoming love arc.

1. jun and thame — one who ignites the fire; one who is on fire

i think 80% of the confusion comes from me not understanding what on earth jun was doing.

in last week's post, i said that jun might be fond of po in the sense that he was concerned about him because of his closeness with thame? jun might have an idea of po and thame's emotions for each other, so this is his way of showing his concern.

however...

everything he did somehow sent me to the edge. it made me assume that he might... like... po? romantically. i mean, if I don't know jun and po the way I do now, I might assume that they have feelings for each other (or at least, jun has feelings for po).

but then again, when i watched the episode, I didn't think jun likes po romantically? it's more like jun's trying to test the connection between po and thame—or he was just testing thame all along.

but one thing that i really like about the whole 'jun answered all of thame's calls on po's phone' is how transparent thame's jealousy is to everyone, but it's still transparent to him.

it's so interesting how thame is visibly uncomfortable with the idea of jun being close to po—at least in his eyes—romantically. because I feel like thame has always tried to conceal some parts of himself from the world due to his selflessness. yet, in this week's episode, I can safely say that thame has finally shown his selfishness.

and it kind of makes my heart skip a beat because po is the reason. thame's behaviour and demeanour in this episode stem certainty in me that aside from his dreams of making everyone's wishes come true, making po happy and loved is his new dream. and it's not forced, this dream of showing and giving po the whole world—it's because he genuinely loves him. (but at this point, thame didn't realise it yet xD)

a quick shoutout to pepper for being the group's observer. he's closely monitoring the group, helping thame bridge the members together, and giving advice to thame from the perspective of an outsider—a watcher. I'm thankful that thame has pepper as the vice leader because in my opinion, pepper judges with this sense and intuition, while thame makes decisions more on his senses than feelings. so it's great that thame and pepper are the leaders of the group because they complement each other well; pepper emotionally supports thame and helps him get a better grasp of the smaller picture—thame's way of helping pepper will unfold next week, I assume (and I'm excited/nervous for it to be honest...)

but again... the jealousy thame portrays is delicious.

it's fascinating because thame's jealousy is directed solely at jun and not po.

he could still smile at po. he was excited to have a conversation with po. he was always looking out for po.

but whenever he was looking at po, there was jun.

i like that in this scene, po was really just genuinely sharing about his day (I could imagine them being exactly like this when they start dating). he was so happy to talk to thame (po's so precious I'm actually devastated T_T). but as soon as the mentioned jun... thame just... he was set aflame. and it's so satisfying to see him this way. he's finally being selfish for once.

and jun kept pushing thame's buttons, all the right ones. and he was on edge. he was jealous. he was fuming. he was confused. he was... dejected.

however, i wonder still if everything jun said to po holds an opposite meaning? was he trying to tell po that "can't you see? thame really likes you?" what are your thoughts on jun? i really want to know (because I still don't understand his intentions t_t)

thank you pepper for helping thame realise his feelings for po :(

i like the idea of thame's inexperience of never liking or having a crush on someone makes his feelings for po appear stronger, bolder and limitless. thame has so much love to give po once he accepts the buzz in his head and the heaviness in his chest as I'm in love with phi po.

i think, the moment of epiphany for thame is beautifully done. the self-acceptance, the happiness and the relief that he finally understood his fondness for po are gorgeous. (so, jun, stop teasing thame and po, will you? po is definitely thame's type and thame's definitely in love with po.)

2. nano and po — a shadow, a reflection, two hearts

i'm actually geeking out at the idea of nano and po as a shadow, a reflection and heart to the people who regard them as important in their lives.

nano is just... beautiful.

to me, nano navigates his thoughts and feelings as a member of MARS with his heart. it makes him somewhat pure and innocent. he just loves his members. he loves MARS so much.

but it's heartbreaking how he doesn't see his significance as a member of the group—as the group's core.

all these stills of nano building the tent, helping the members, etc, illustrate his importance to the group. to me, he enhances each member's charms. he brings them to the spotlight. he helps clear the mist clouding them so that people can see MARS in all of their glory.

however, i do realise that nano is struggling with self-confidence. he doesn't know if he could ever make it without MARS. he's unsure if he could ever exist just as nano and not nano of MARS. he feels like a shadow underneath the members' feet. he doesn't feel he holds any importance.

nano reflects po. nano parallels the old po.

it's a beautiful parallelism—these two broken hearts were just afraid of disappointment. of uncertainty. of grief. of incompetence. of falling apart.

but i'm so thankful that po steps up to help nano realise that he's important—he's the heart and soul of MARS. with his portrayal of honesty from past experience, I love how sincere and raw po's words are. i surely believe it's everything nano needed.

(and i absolutely love how nano and po are wearing the same shade of yellow, indicating that both of them experienced similar scenarios. i think po will be nano's favourite phi in the future. he'll emotionally lean on po the most because po understood him through and through. it's so sweet T_T)

i think it's also healing po emotionally. he has finally confronted his past emotional trauma by indirectly talking about it to nano. it must've been tough to share a part of our utmost vulnerability with someone, but I'm glad po was strong enough to make a truce with everything he experienced in the past and helped nano see just how important he's to MARS. thank you, po <3

i love that MARS finally feels complete now—they finally feel like a family again.

even if the future is uncertain, at least they have each other to lean on (I'm just going to cry in the corner when that time comes...) and nano being in the centre? that's MARS's heart and soul right there. <3

3. thame and po — one step closer, 5 cm

finally, thame and po are physically close.

episodes 1 to 4 did an amazing job of showing us how thame and po build their emotional closeness through heart-to-heart talks, helping each other out, eating sandwiches together, remembering one's phone number, etc. thame and po are already close without thame realising, without po thinking.

i'm obsessed with how thame's deepest feelings now overboil once it's constantly triggered by the idea of jun and po's ambiguous connection in his eyes. i think it's how most of us realise our first crush on someone—the intensity, and the confusion are somewhat daunting. but again, I'm glad pepper was there for thame to understand his feelings—and jun was there for po to doubt if it was ever true.

this shot is INSANE.

my heart really skipped a beat. really.

i think it's because thame initiated this touch and it was the first time that they've ever touched this intimately (at the waist—in my head it's one of the most intimate places to touch) and it was after he made a move to understand his boggling feelings for po—

(distant screaming and screeching)

the shock and happiness and yearning and intimacy is just SCRUMPTUOUS I'm honestly jumping off—

just the notion of thame finally coming to terms with his emotions—finally understanding that he likes po and he likes everything about po and it makes sense now is just gorgeous.

the happiness on thame's face... my heart is aching. i hope he'll be happy for a long time.

(AND THE HUG! THE HUG! instead of holding po's hand, thame hugged po. i like the idea that they are chest to chest, heart to heart, listening to the sync beat of their thundering hearts, realising that oh, I like phi po. ph, phi po likes me too. INSANE INSANE THAME I SWEAR THIS IS THE START OF A HAPPIER JOURNEY FOR YOU DON'T WORRY LOVE PO LOVES YOU AND YOU LOVE PO AND THAT'S ENOUGH)

but...

what will happen next week? are we finally getting pepper's (devastating) story arc? and what's up with the heartbreaking tension between po and thame? and why are we getting jun's "between phi and thame, it's impossible" next week? I'M NOT EVEN MENTALLY SANE TO TAKE IT—

*jumps off* *crying* *screaming* i don't know anymore.

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

2024 BL Wrap Up

Welcome to my 2024 bl Wrap Up!

A quick look at my stats this year, so that we can get it over with: I watched 60 BLs, most of which are from 2024. 24 of them came from Thailand, 15 from Japan, 14 from South Korea, six from Taiwan and one from China. I created 209 gifsets and had to deal with several heartbreaks.

Somehow 2024 was an intense year for BLs, at least for me. Even though I watched significantly less than in 2023 and skipped many series to save them for later, many of the series I watched touched me, both positively and negatively.

But what did the year actually look like for me? What are my thoughts today, looking back on 2024?

China, Japan and South Korea fought it out to see who could bring the saddest characters to life and write the saddest stories. On the one hand, we have China's re-entry into the BL world with Blue Canvas Of Youthful Days.

A series whose characters have suffered so much, healed together, supported each other, only to end up with a double noble idiocy and and a time skip so they see each other again in the last two minutes of the series and we get a half-hearted happy ending. I would have loved this series much more without this giving up your own happiness in hopes the other one is happy. Just talk to each other and find a solution together. Please.

Secondly, there is Our Youth from Japan.

Both characters suffer at the hands of their parents. One with domestic violence, prejudices and hatred and the other with absent parents, disinterest in his own personality, prejudices and separating parents. In both cases, they are neglected and find the support and trust in each other that they miss in the world. They feel misunderstood and learn about their own desires and needs through their affection for each other. The series is not yet finished, but it is one of the bluest series this year.

But Japan is not entering the race with just one series. Happy To The End is also a contender for a top spot at the Hurt-Mountain.

The story of two maltreated souls who somehow manage to find a little love and trust in a life full of darkness and pain. The series had left me with strong feelings and a dear friend gifted me the Mangas for Christmas. I can't wait to dive into their story again! And don't forget our super-villain of the year! This series had it all!

South Korea entered the race with Let Free The Curse Of Taekwondo.

I don't know who suffered more in the end, us as viewers who watched the suffering of both protagonists without being able to give them a warming hug and to tell them everything is going to be fine or the protagonists themselves and their attempts to hold up their own walls and tear down the other one’s. Those two have come a long way to at least talk to each other again. Such a good storytelling!

Meanwhile, Thailand thought it would be nice to start a little competition to see which of their series could be the fluffiest of them all. ThamePo is not included in this calculation, because I'm too biased when it comes to this series. They could present me green slime dancing in the rain while Po is staring at it lovingly, and I would celebrate it.

At first, I thought Every You, Every Me was going to easily win the race, but suddenly, they bring in death and the series is elevated to a weird, way too complex and under-explained meta-level where actors are trying to end their relationship because reasons?

I would have liked to have seen more of the multiverses in which our soulmates fall in love with each other again and again. The first four episodes were so good and so different than our usual bls. I couldn't stop loving it. But I guess the trophy will go to Your Sky after all in this case.

God, I'm blushing and giggling to myself with every episode. Fah and Rak are just so cute together. The series is pure fluff so far and even though I don't know what to expect from the remaining episodes, I know that the two of them will surely be happy together in the end.

The award for best performance goes by far to War Wanarat from Jack & Joker.

His diversity and ability to immerse himself in the different personas and play them believably was great cinema this year. The series might have some plot-holes or characters who could have had more screen time together, but the series was interesting and Joke was the best!

And while we're on the subject of Jack & Joker and Your Sky, let's move on to the trophy for this year's best kiss. The crown would have gone to Jack & Joker, but then Your Sky came around the corner with this great first kiss and wow. I was in a bit of a quandary until I remembered that this is my recap. So I'll just make two categories.

The best and softest first kiss this year goes to Your Sky.

The best and hungriest first kiss this year goes to Jack & Joker.

Kidnap didn't necessarily have an exciting and well thought-out plot, but Ohm's Puppy Eyes were unbeatable.

And yet ThamePo clearly won the staring contest with only three episode aired. I mean, hello? Who wouldn't fall head over heels in love with one of them when they look at you like that?

And contrary to all assumptions, neither Kidnap nor ThamePo has the biggest baby girl of the year! No, this is what Taiwan brought to the screen with The On1y One and let's not kid ourselves, Tian loved making everything possible for his Wang and taking care of him.

And who would have thought that the most romantic scene of the year came just close before the year ends? ThamePo! What have you done you beautiful, beautiful series! And how could the remembering of a phone number be the most romantic shit of the year? And yet here I am loving everything about this scene and the series. Oh the wait was so worth it!

While in most cases it was clear that the couples would get together at the end of the series and our little BL bubble would remain intact, Japan made it a little harder for us to predict a happy ending. 25 Ji, Akasaka de probably thought it was funny to play with our emotions like that. My Strawberry Film was probably lying in the corner, laughing at the fact that we believed its misdirections about being a bl. And in Hidamari ga Kikoeru, they remembered at the end that it is a bl and that the audience has been waiting for a long time to see the protagonists together in a scene again and conjured up an unspectacular happy ending with one of the most uncomfortable looking hugs in bl history.

Taiwan, on the other hand, didn't care whether their series had a happy ending or not and simply cut one of the best series of the year with strong acting and a great story in the middle without knowing whether there would be a second season.

And so The On1y One hangs somewhere in cliffhanger limbo and we viewers are desperate enough to search the internet for bad English translations of the story to at least find a little bit of closure. It's worth reading the bad translation though.

And while the world around me was already falling apart, Taiwan and South Korea were fighting over who could tear my heart into smaller pieces by the end of the series. While I was obsessed with Unknown and even bought the final episodes as early excess,

Love For Love's Sake managed to crush my heart into the finest powder. Never before have I been so heartbroken as after this series. I didn't know what to do with myself and my emotions for days. It was terrifying and yet so beautiful. One of the strongest heartbreaks I've ever felt. Clearly the best series this year for me.

Quietly and secretly, Thailand then surprised us with a pretty good adaptation of the much-loved Japanese classic Cherry Magic. And Tay and New surprised me with the fact that they can actually kiss each other without looking like they're in pain. The chemistry was on point and their love scene at the end... wow!

I also discovered a new format for myself in 2024. While I've always stayed away from watching shows on my phone because it's just too small, I came across Match Play on social media and just knew I had to watch it.

And that's how I slipped into the universe of vertical mini-series. My ADHD brain is happy about the short, entertaining nature of the episodes. And yet I was so hooked by the series that it's now my most rewatched show. And that's despite the fact that I don't really like doing that, i.e. repeating series. But I can watch it whenever, whereever.

I was able to watch with my best friend how two people fell in love with each other and are still together and happy.

The Boyfriend was an experience that I would never want to miss, not only do my friend and I now regularly watch shows together, but the show briefly gave me back my faith in love, not for me, but in general.

I finally found another show this year where I really liked OffGun.

The Trainee was a great show with good humor, great characters, honest problems, and an Off that I actually liked in his role. I don't often get that with him.

I had to learn once again that South Korea is not yet ready to introduce a queer couple in one of their big productions. The hints were there and so was the chemistry!

But unfortunately there was no happy ending for my poor heart and Sergeant Kim in Sweet Home 3. But he did make it onto my phone as a wallpaper. That's something too, isn't it?

But South Korea also surprised and sent a terrific adaptation of the novel Love In The Big City to the screen with a cast to be proud of and a story that was worthy of being filmed so well. The biggest plot twist for me came when it was revealed that No YeongSu was a toxic and utterly homophobic asshole. God, I loved the two of them together and would have loved to see No YeongSu come to terms with his own sexuality, but the show has just been too realistic for that. But their scenes together? Chef's kiss! The best lift of the year!

But not everything that tried to shine this year was gold.

On the dark side, Japan and Thailand both tried to piss me off this year by letting series that started so well and would have definitely been my favorites, had they kept it up, hit the wall in the middle or near the end. Seriously Thailand, what was that about Last Twilight? And Japan, I hear the sunspot was so good until you decided to put in a character that was so unlikable that many of us just got angry and until you decided that our protagonists just couldn't have any positive character development and just stopped communicating with each other. And that had been their strength all along!

Wandee Goodday wanted to be this cool show, with sex positivity and sex buddies, but quickly became a romantic sludge that was as predictable as every other GmmTV story. I'm not saying that's always a bad thing, just a little unnecessarily schmaltzy and sweet at times.

South Korea gave us a brief scare once when it thought it wanted to produce a series together with Thailand. I don't know, but I just can't take Mew seriously since then. Love Is Like A Cat was bad. The acting was really bad, the plot didn't know what it was supposed to do on set any more and it simply left midway through the series, never to be seen again.

Unfortunately, this didn't improve the acting and so it was more a case of just not giving up. Sometimes I also wonder what's wrong with me that I keep watching those series and why I'm doing this to myself (yes, I'm looking at you Dinosaur Love).

What 2024 really had a few of, however, were stories with a very unique plot. There's Love For Love's Sake, where someone gets a second chance through a computer game. Or Century Of Love, in which a centenarian in a young body waits for the love of his life and is surprised when they are reborn as a man.

Or Caged Again. I'll wait until I can binge it myself, but the story of a penguin and a panther who fall in love as humans sounds great! Or 4 Minutes, in which time was so confusing that I lost track at one point. Or who could forget our first Omegaverse series Pit Babe?

Which was somehow a little lacking in Omegas and made people questioning everything after finding out that Pavel wouldn’t be on top. Or Playboyy, a series that I think is underrated and which style is so artistically pleasing. Yes, the story was messy af, but the manner in which this series was shot and filmed was exquisite. And Love In The Big City and The Nipple Talk, two very good, very adult series that I wish could get more attention.

All in all, 2024 was a great year with interesting stories and fascinating characters that I will certainly be returning to from time to time.

And with you, my dear friends and followers, creators and viewers. Your presence in 2024 has sweetened my year and made my feed happy! Thank you to all of you out there!

May 2025 treat you well and delight us all with great new stories!

[projectjasper]

info about me 🫶

archer (или юра) - 22 - he/they - gay trans masc - autistic - slavic

follow & like from @elek-tavor. previous urls: jojotichakorn, khabkhluen, gawincaskeyy, ohmpatwat, bl-archer.

pond naravit stan. jojo tichakorn appreciator. certified hater of shitty parents from qls.

[SCROLL THROUGH MY FAVOURITE POND NARAVIT POSTS]

[my meta] [my memes] [my quizzes] [my icons] [my gifs]

currently live blogging : the heart killers, thamepo, us the series, perfect 10 liners

more fandom-related info under the cut:

started watching bls in august of 2018 [list of dramas i've seen]

favourite dramas : never let me go - the eighth sense - my school president - we are - only friends - semantic error - enchante

favourite characters : phum (we are) - khluen (simm) - palm (nlmg) - peem (we are) - boston (ofts) - jae won (the eighth sense) - kenta (pit babe) - kongthap (mlmu) - mork (dbk) - akk (enchante) - pat (bbs) - tinn (msp)

favourite actors : pond naravit - joong archen aydin - perth tanapon - fluke gawin caskey - force jiratchapong - ohm pawat - fourth nattawat - book kasidet - mark pakin - phuwin tangsakyuen - neo trai

favourite acting pairs : pondphuwin and forcebook

[le-trash-prince]

my GMMTV 2024 pt 2 thoughts

What I plan on watching while it airs:

Ossan’s Love: no surprise to literally anyone who knows me, I will watch every single version of OL. I’m very happy with the mock trailer and they haven’t even started workshopping yet. I know it’s different from what they’ve done together in the past, but I think EarthMix are perfectly suited to the chaotic bickering and domestic love that MakiHaru have. I hope they really get to stretch their comedic chops with this show. I’m also fine with them not closely following the 2018 version, since the HK version already followed it close enough—I don’t need that much of the same thing. Also the 2018 version already made significant changes from the 2016 version—the constant evolution is part of what I enjoy about this franchise.

The Ex Morning: this looks really fun, the meta aspect is highly entertaining, they’re not students—I’m seated.

What I’ll probably watch on a delay (I only watch so much at a time)

Revamp: I’m going to check out all the vampire shows so

Heart Killers: I think this is going to be excellent, but a large part of FK fandom gets on my nerves so I gotta mute this tag and watch this in isolation from the internet lmao

ThamePo: really intrigued by this one, but my brain tends to check out when it comes to idol stories—idk why! I’ll check it out but not getting my hopes up that it’ll hook me because I know my brain.

I think Us looks really good, and I’m a sucker for Cyrano de Bergerac stories, but I can really only do this level of grounded-in-reality drama when it’s movie length. 😩

Also the dentist show………. Why did it have to be a dentist show….. sorry to my dental friends but I’ve got trauma

[thebroccolination]

THE FANTASTIC SOUND DESIGN IN THAT ONE SCENE FROM EPISODE 6 OF THAMEPO

One of my favorite parts of ThamePo's narrative/editing structure is when we see part of a scene or, indeed, the whole scene, and then the show doubles back later in the episode to present a different perspective or additional information that changes the audience's perception of what we saw earlier.

For example!

In episode 6, Thame goes to Po's uncle's suit shop to end things before they get too serious. We see the scene twice from Po's perspective and later from Thame's, and the sound choices in both parts are so good!!!

Po's POV is dotted with silence and sad instrumentals, and it's clear from the tears on his face that he (correctly!) assumed Thame was there to end things. What he didn't understand is that Thame changed his mind in the moment and his "take care of yourself" was meant as encouragement, not a gentle let-down.

That high-pitched frequency as Thame speaks was so stupidly smart it upsets me. Like, you can see Po thinking, Not again. Not so soon. He was just starting to feel something real, and the thought of having Thame walk away from him is already that raw and painful.

(I'm gonna cry so much when they have their inevitable We Cannot Be Together moment.)

BUT when we get Thame's POV later in the episode, the music is more upbeat and lilting, likely representing Thame's optimism for their future. Thame has already changed from the character we were introduced to because Po's inspired him to believe and hope again, so his music cue reflects that.

I love when sound design gets real attention and consideration in these series. It's one of those signs that the show isn't just one of a thousand cash grabs inside the BL tidal wave we've seen throughout the past few years, but instead a genuine production that matters to the people who worked on it.

:')

episode 7 pls?

[thebroccolination]

THE WRITING IN THIS SERIES MAKES ME SO HAPPYYY.

Episode six was indeed about Thame persuading Pepper to fight for his relationship AND his place in MARS, and it was pretty much what I expected, but even better written!

I love that Thame tried to end things with Po and couldn't bring himself to do it; I love that Po is already so devastated by even the threat of losing Thame that it made him cry; I love that Pepper and Gam's relationship is solid enough that they're not afraid, just cautious.

In general, the level of maturity of every major character on this show is really, really satisfying. The writing isn't leaning on anyone's immaturity or penchant for miscommunication, and it makes the story that much stronger.

What I didn't expect was that even the members of MARS wouldn't know who Pepper's dating! So that entire mini-arc of them trying to figure out who was incredibly fun. Especially the fake-out with Sammy and Drake.

I gotta say, though…

If Pepper and Gam have been wearing those rings regularly, there are 100% fans who already know they're dating. I once watched Arashi fans figure out that a member was dating a reporter by identifying his art book on her coffee table in the reflection of her eye in a mirror selfie. And then recognized his leg in a photo of a fish she took on a fishing trip. Fans can be terrifyingly observant individuals, y'all, there's no way they'd miss rings.

I mean, I fully realize that rings are an easier identifier to use for the audience and they don't have time in the show for a longer investigation, but speaking as a fan who's been Terminally Online in multiple jpop fandoms, even your average obsessed fan would have spotted matching rings by now. This isn't a quibble or a nitpick, to be clear! I just watched this part thinking, Aww, maybe their fans are too nice to say anything.

In our universe, there's already a dedicated corner of Twitter that sends Gam death threats daily!

Speaking of! I've had a prediction since episode two that I want to share!

I think fans are going to realize that the hand in this photo doesn't belong to anyone in MARS. I think that'd be a fun, ironic way for the public to find out about ThamePo since they weren't even close to dating at this point.

I was so happy to see Thame explicitly telling Pepper he can have both. :') Not only because it's what he himself wants with Po, but because he clearly loves Pepper and wants his friend to be happy with someone who makes him just as happy as MARS does.

Nano encouraging violence!

Jun being my favorite menace!

AND DON'T EVEN TALK TO ME ABOUT THE LAST TEN MINUTES

What I'm interested to know now is how much Miss (queen goddess future wife) Pemika knows about Pepper's relationship and how she's going to put pressure on Thame and the group to prevent them from reforming.

She definitely knows something.

And I have a small prediction about Jun.

I think he does like Po, and he's trying to manipulate the situation at any given moment to make Po happy. Ultimately, he knows that's Thame, but his character is fascinating to me, so I think it's possible that if he thought he actually had a shot he'd give it a go.

ANYWAY THIS SHOW IS MY LIFEBLOOD LONG LIVE THAMEPO

THE STAKES! THEY’RE STAKING! [THAMEPO EP. 6 PREDICTION]

I continue to love the writing in ThamePo, because although the series’ conflict is simple enough (idol has to choose between his group’s success and his ~new forbidden love~), the path to getting there isn’t predictable, so it makes the journey so much more fun.

And it looks like episode six will serve the purpose of foreshadowing the risks of Po and Thame’s developing relationship through Pepper.

From the lines in the preview, it seems like Pepper will be found out to be dating someone, and his position in the group is on the chopping block as a result.

This is such a smart obstacle for two reasons: first, we haven’t gotten a dedicated episode for Pepper yet, and it’s clever of the writer(s) to have him rejoin the group without protest and then slam down a conflict that Pepper won’t object to (I imagine his line above shrugging off being kicked out is going to be accompanied by a stance of: “if you make me choose between the group and the person I love, I’ll choose the person I love”) but that Thame, as the protagonist, will have to convince him to take on. It also fits well with the pattern of reigniting each member’s love for the group so they’ll have a motivation to fight for MARS. (For Jun it was Thame’s happiness, for Dylan it was feeling appreciated, and for Nano it was security.)

Second, my guess is that Pepper is dating a woman in order for the narrative to show how how much more dangerous a relationship between two men will be to MARS. If even a conventional relationship is enough to threaten Pepper’s status in the group, imagine one that isn’t.

My prediction for episode six is that Thame, having realized he’s falling in love with Po, will try to convince Pepper that he can have both. He can date and be part of MARS. In Thame’s mind, if he can establish a precedent for a member dating and not threaten the group’s survival, then Thame and Po won’t have as big of a struggle convincing the company to let them date.

But to satisfy the narrative structure of the stakes rising while disrupting the so-far smooth sailing of bringing MARS back together, I think Pepper will feel pressured enough to break up with the person he loves for MARS.

This will put Thame in an even more uncomfortable position: he’ll have seen the risk of pursuing something with Po, he’ll have seen a friend’s relationship ruined and thus potentially feel guilty for pursuing something with Po, and we know he’ll choose love anyway because that’s the kind of show this is. (And y’know, because we’ve seen the trailer.)

There have to be established stakes for Thame’s relationship with Po, and I think episode six is going to be a very significant episode for their Developing Feelings for Each Other.

ThamePo is so damn good, I’m having such a great time. :’) Definitely in my top five already.

[athousandbyeol]

keep up the thamepo [episode 3]

this episode is deliciously insane. so many things happened and there are so many things I want to say. but in this post, I think I want to focus on some little details about thame and po/thame and jun the most.

at this point, i shouldn't be surprised at how good thamepo is at switching the narratives, allowing us to perceive the story from both ends. but I'm still pleasantly blown away by every watch. I'm really happy that thamepo is courageous to show the story from two sides. i think it gives us (the audience) the liberty to choose or relate to the side we favour more. maybe it doesn't work that way for others, but I love how these multiple perspectives allow me to weigh the characters from both sides and not only one, somewhat giving me the chance to either 1) be biased of one side or 2) be open to both. i just think it's very well-executed and thought out. kudos to p'mui and her team for thamepo's wonderful structural premise.

it's such a treat that we're introduced to the friend arc in thamepo. it's about time we entered the minds of the members, while still laying out thame and po's thoughts and traits in the open. maybe it's just me (or how I actually write my stories) but I'm so amazed at p'mui's storybuilding and characterbuilding. i find it so fascinating because nothing feels rushed or uncertain. every choice she and her team made was perfect for the past three episodes. I'm in awe, really.

but the thing that surprises me the most in this episode is how the story is mainly focused on jun and thame, but with the lingering presence of po as the 'healer' or 'fixer'. he exists as a binder that glues thame with his members. and it's fascinating to see how po somehow camouflages himself to every member's personality and need, offering a different approach (with thame's guidance). po and thame made such a great team. i understand now how and why they'll fall (heels over head) in love with each other in the future.

1. after thame, jun loves mars the most

i was a bit scared last week because I never foresaw someone from mars to betray thame. it was never in my head. so when I saw last week's teaser, I believed jun wouldn't be the person some might assumed he would be. but thamepo has always been a surprise and very good at twists and turns, so I tried to be more open about it.

so… jun's a bit like a diva to me? he's kind of… a lot (at least to someone like me, jun intimidates me beyond my comfort zone). throughout this very awkward exchange between thame and jun, one thing I realised after I watched the episode again was they were actually covering up each other.

thame was trying to send jun a signal. jun received it. but he didn't think it would be a smart choice to talk about it in front of the reporters. so that's why he steered the conversation to (presumably) thame's benefit, in hopes the media wouldn't doubt him (because at this point the news of thame going on a hiatus was already released by the company). i think it's more of jun trying to save thame from further damage than breaking their friendship apart even more.

it's very smart of p'mui and the team to 'paint' jun as the bad guy initially because he did seem like a person that might stab someone's back for his benefit. i think it's the typical stereotyping of characters that appear aloof or unbothered—this coldness that jun exuded—many might assume jun would definitely go against thame.

but he didn't.

and it's an exceptional twist! (for me, it really is!)

thamepo is breaking the norms i see in many dramas of the past and like I mentioned, it's so refreshing to look at the story from multiple lenses all at once, but it was unveiled at the right pacing and time. very, very well done!

another thing that i find very interesting is when po carried out the interview with jun, even though it was mentioned that this was scripted, I believe this is everything jun wanted to say to thame.

again, they're switching the perspective here. in the previous episode, we knew that thame followed the script he was given because he lost his voice. his words no longer hold importance in the company. everything thame said to po for the interview was what the company wanted him to say. we (the audience) are aware that those were lies.

but here, i believe this is what jun wanted thame to know. he might never get a chance to say it to thame in this manner (because I see that jun is the kind of best friend who would say he hates thame when in fact, he loves him the most). it's 'PR' friendly but it holds this sincerity; everything that jun silently wishes for thame (when he embarks on a new journey in Korea).

it's amazing how they give us two things to ponder about the significance of these scripts: 1) a forced responsibility for thame, and 2) jun's inner voice that he couldn't express aloud (perhaps because jun doesn't want to sound/look sappy in front of thame [very very best friend behaviour right there hahaha]).

it's so heartwarming to me that thame isn't alone, after all. like baifern to po, jun is thame's best friend, someone he can confide in. I'm glad jun saw everything that thame tried to hide from the members. I'm glad jun really saw him.

and i have to say, this scene made me smile because thame is so leader-coded through and through. he took the blame for jun because he didn't want khun pemika to 'punish' jun (and take away jun's chance at debuting). thame's selflessness goes beyond everything I have in mind. I'm so excited to see to what extent thame helped the other members in the past because that would be one of the reasons for them to reunite—they just love thame as much as thame loves them.

along the way, thame might think he lost jun, but that's not the case. i guess both of them just needed something (or someone) to break the (very fragile) wall separating them. these two have so much love in their big hearts, but they aren't the best at communicating. so this is when po plays an important role as their messenger.

po is so crucial to mars because he advocates communication and peace. honestly, it would save po from a world of heartbreaks if he just minded his own business and got the documentary over with. but he is just selfless and has too much love and is too kind for the world—so he definitely would want to help his nongs. the bond they'll share is going to be so beautiful and heart-wrenching. God knows what will happen to po and mars (and us) once the company forces another separation between them (I'm ready to jump and cry my eyes out).

i can't help but think maybe some of mars's fans ship them (and I can see why xD). but these two are better off being the best frienemies. (but maybe in an alternate universe… who knows… they might be a thing…) [slaps myself] [drags myself away from the mic] ok that's enough delusional talk for today…

2. thame and po; "i find comfort in you"

when messages from the company buzzed into thame's phone endlessly, thame was visibly restless. he knew what he did was causing more damage to the company. but damage to the company equates to chances for his friendship to mend. so, thame took every chance he had to seize it, despite the circumstances.

in this scene, po addressed that thame should at least give a call or do something to clear the air. but I think thame has better judgement and control over the issue, that's why he ignored it and turned off his phone. clearly, thame was searching for a distraction. he didn't want to think about this problem now. he just wanted peace. and being with po gave him peace.

so they did this activity together; thame threading the thread into the needle while po was doing another fixing. it's a therapeutic activity for thame, and we can see how he immediately relaxes once po stops pushing the idea of confronting the problem right now. it's so thoughtful of po, and I'm happy that thame noticed it too.

all the while, his eyes were always at po. he was looking. studying. understanding. i think thame found so much comfort just in po's presence because of po's quietness. he's such a grounding figure, and I think it helps thame both grasp the essence of reality while also indulging in this dream-like sensation whenever they're together.

the stares… thame's smile. oh. by now I know, thame's feelings for po are certain. but how about po? i don't know about others, but to me, po's still struggling. still healing. still scared. but he's slowly opening up again towards the end of this episode. it's so bittersweet.

it's also very heartbreaking how po quickly apologised because he thought he caused another trouble for thame—and thame did the same, insisting he was another damage po needed to fix. these two deserve each other because they'll help each other realise just how important love and sincerity are. these will be their strongest suits when they're in a relationship, but also be a double-edged sword if they don't overcome their weakness: communication.

some words don't have to be spoken to be understood. this is when thame and po are speaking the language of love and affection. but they tend to keep everything to themselves whenever danger arrives. i hope they can deal with this together because if they don't, it'll be another gut-wrenching heartbreak for them.

i don't know if thame is aware of how po's world has turned downside up whenever he offers a promise of sincerity and comfort. i also don't know if po is aware of how thame's world has turned upside down whenever he offers a promise of peace and assurance. i hope they do. someday.

3. messages po didn't send — "i see you in ways I didn't before"

early on in episode one, we were informed that po was a clingy lover. it might be one of the things that earn despised (I'm just assuming this because they made po being clingy as a negative for his character).

po was restless. he knew thame would handle it well with jun, but he couldn't help but worry. it's clear that thame has become an important figure in his life, but to what extent? i think po's still clueless about it, too.

these messages, he kept typing and deleting. he wanted to send them, but he didn't want to come off as 'clingy' in thame's eyes. he didn't want thame to be annoyed or—hate him—for worrying—for caring.

but i believe, in one way or another, thame will enjoy this attention from po in the future. the messages po will send to thame definitely will help thame emotionally. it's going to be so vital in their upcoming relationship as they have to be secretive about it. these texts will save and heal them. i hope it won't destroy them, though…

throughout the episode, i was a bit frustrated because thame—friend—how can you not save po's phone number? or at least give him a call from po's phone so that you could have his number immediately?

but when i watched this episode again… i realised… perhaps the reason why thame didn't save po's number—not until his friendship with jun was salvaged—was probably because it was at this point that thame was certain of his feelings for po.

thame has always had feelings for po, even from the first event he saw po briefly. but this was the time that thame knew he liked po, romantically. some might say it's too fast, but for someone like thame who might never have a chance for romantic relationships throughout the years of being in mars, meeting someone as incredible as po, how could he not harbour feelings?

when thame said he wanted to remember po's number, it was him wanting to remember po's existence forever—he wanted to keep po in his memory for a lifetime. it was thame accepting that he's in fact… in love with po.

the severity of his emotions is still on the surface, but it's more than enough for thame to act on it—to have po in every way possible. thame wouldn't want to forget his saviour, his future lover.

when he repeated the number after po, it echoed and reverberated not only in thame but also po. maybe at this point, they're almost reaching the same line, but po needs a little more push to come clean with feelings. and I have a feeling next week will be po's trigger in accepting his fond feelings for thame. (the smile on po's face is so precious... :( I hope he has more reasons to smile now because of thame...)

but at what cost?

if i can make speculation, next week's episode will be rough and heartbreaking because thame's going to confront someone who holds a grudge against him—the fire in the group—dylan.

it's either dylan will burn thame to ashes, or thame will let dylan burn him to cinders, or po will tame dylan's fire for thame. it could be all. and I'm so excited about every possibility.

[athousandbyeol]

keep up the thamepo [episode 1]

there are some parts in the first episode that itched my brain and made my toes curl and my eyes hot and just—very very visceral reaction from my whole body. honestly, this episode did make my heart skip a beat (see what i did there hehe)

beforehand, i would like to apologise for the lq of the photos. i watch thamepo on netflix, and i can't take screenshots there so... i tried looking for raw videos and found this one online. i hope it's understandable.

1. blue

there's so much blue in po. and all over him. i think it's used to emphasise his sadness. he clearly hasn't moved on from earn, and that's fine. but when he started oversharing that he had just ended his relationship with the panels, i realised that maybe, po didn't have an outlet for his grief.

we could see him trying to swallow it all. when one of the panels stated he didn't work for three years. when he was talking to the sandwich guy. when he had the conversation with baifern. po was struggling to let it go, but he couldn't because it wasn't easy—loving earn all these years wasn't easy to let go. he kept it all.

in fact, he still has photos with earn, the mug. i guess po had a hard time discarding these because it's so unfair. how could earn move on so quickly, but po was still struggling? was their love that easy to forget?

but in this frame, there is less blue. i feel like po has absorbed the blue, and he became the product of it. the sadness. the heartbrokenness. it was all in him now.

when we compare these two frames, we can see there's blue everywhere. i think it could be a sign of the impending doom of their relationship. and it's so interesting that we usually associate danger with red, but in this case, it's blue.

i guess it fits po's quiet and calm nature, or maybe it's his obliviousness—unknowing that the ship he's in has so many holes in it, and he's the only one trying to fix it.

po was wearing blue too during earnchop's soft-launching. i guess it's always in him, with him. but po didn't realise it yet. not until that night.

2. po looking at thame's picture — taking an interest?

this one makes me so... giddy. i think it's so... sensual? //this is my favourite moment from the episode hehehe// i think it's just me hahahaha.

when baifern asked if there was no one in MARS that caught po's eyes, he was looking at their pictures, and when his eyes landed on thame, there was this flicker. it was so pretty.

he was indifferent at first...

but then......

see the very very very subtle shift in his expression? (EST SUPHA THE ACTOR YOU ARE THIS IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHY YOU'RE SOME OF MY FAVOURITES AHHHH—)

i can't praise est enough for portraying this spark of interest in his eyes. it's so evident. it's somewhat... intimate? i don't know how to explain it (i'm actually screaming atm) because it feels like a very delicious foreshadowing of their relationship in the future; how po sees thame, how he consumes him, how he admires thame.

i'm going to share this video evidence because pictures don't do this very fragile and intimate moment justice (i need people to go insane with me).

3. thame and po's first meeting — the tension

i think we were all expecting the elevator scene to be their first meeting. honestly, i forgot about it while i was watching the episode because their first (real) meeting was just as intense!

but this tension is somewhat suffocating? i was actually scared for po... the way thame looked at him was so cold.

i think this was intentional to set the foundation, to let many people assume this is how we're supposed to see thame; cold, heartless, distant, quiet, and hot-tempered.

but maybe this is just a facade. the real thame isn't this.

i wonder if this was thame projecting his disappointment in realising that po was potentially a sasaeng? because later on, we knew that thame remembered po from the event, even though it was brief. because thame said po was different—so i wonder if this was thame feeling disappointed because po wasn't how he perceived? //also because i assume many fans applied for a job at oner with the purpose of stalking them... which makes sense to the thame's hostility and anger at their new staff members?//

and it breaks my heart how po looked like he was about to go through another emotional breakdown here. Lord... he has endured so much to get here, and now, one of the members he was supposed to work with already had assumptions about him?

//me this episode: constantly wiping my laptop screen when po was crying... patting his head when he was sad...//

4. their confrontation — a projection; a closure; a realisation

i think many people have talked about the scene when they were talking, and po projecting his truest feelings while talking to thame—who happens to 'leave' his members when he got a better deal for himself. but we know that's not the case. thame isn't like earn.

and i think it's so interesting how this drama shows these two perspectives, especially from the lens of the doer. we always connect more with the 'victims'. maybe—just maybe—some perpetrators aren't all evil.

i think po saw thame as earn's reflection. he considered everyone who left to be selfish and cruel. but again, the narrative was reflected, and we could observe from both perspectives.

after the conversation they shared, after po poured his heart out, and when thame said the ones who left felt the pain—perhaps as much as the ones who were left behind—the moment of realisation was now reflected on po's face. we could really see his 'oh' moment.

and clearly, we know, thame was in pain.

it's interesting to me that thame didn't let his tears fall here. but—

5. a budding relationship — a moment of vulnerability

thame cried here, when he was looking at his members smiling and happy—the way they initially were, before all of them went astray.

thame immediately wiped his tears away when he saw po. he might not want to show this vulnerable side to anyone because he's the leader, after all.

to people who are familiar with the dynamics of a k-pop group, leaders are usually the strongest. they're given responsibilities not only to represent the group but also their well-being and everything in between. therefore, this is no different.

i guess, thame was used to this—hiding his emotions. it's sad just to think of it—how thame didn't have a shoulder to cry on. //but later we got to see the members comforting thame... but at what price?//

AND THEN! WE KNEW THAT THAME REMEMBERED PO!

and i wonder if it's... love at first sight? because when thame said po was different, he was wearing this expression—

what is this? is it longing? yearning? hoping? i think it's all and nothing...

and poor po because he was genuinely confused when thame said that T_T

and yes, this is the beginning. this is where it'll start making sense.

i can't wait for them to be closer! and i'm so intrigued to see how po approaches the other members because from the trailer, po seems like the bridge that connects everyone, and i'm excited about that! //but i'm scared that the bridge will start falling apart once everyone is connected... and po feels like he's being an 'outcast' again, even though thame said he didn't.//

[athousandbyeol]

keep up the thamepo [episode 4]

good Lord, so many things are unfolding in this episode! it was quite an overwhelming watch for me, to be honest. i didn't expect the story to change its pacing for the first three parts of the episode. it was a pleasant, surprise! and I believe it was intentional because it had to do with dylan's 'fire'. it's so well done!

therefore, aside from addressing the symbolism of dylan's fire as the rage that affected the pacing of the early parts, I also want to delve into the relationship between thame and dylan and the physical distance (but growing emotional connection) between thame and po. additionally, I want to address the potential parallels between ep 4 jun/po and the possible ep of jun/po because something's going to happen and it won't be as pretty. also, other thoughts will come to mind as I'm writing this post xD

1. dylan as the fire; thame as his water — easily sparked, easily distinguished

dylan is such an interesting character to me because his rage is rooted in his feeling of betrayal for thame. i didn't see much dylan and thame in the official trailer, thus I was unsure how their story would unfold. but it's so crazy to me how thamepo is showing us these perspectives—like I mentioned in (all of) my posts—from every character, not just one. they serve as reliable narrators, providing insights into their emotional turmoil and the intentions behind their decisions.

it's a dylan-centred episode and i was honestly overwhelmed with how fast the first three parts of the story went. not putting it negatively, but i was used to the slow and languid pacing of the last three episodes, so this one felt like a hardcore punch in the face.

i wondered why it was constructed this way—because it wasn't rushed at all—it was just happening too quickly—like a spark of fire.

oh.

dylan is the fire.

that's why this episode felt like I was on fire while watching it. it burned and hurt and dissolved so quickly and I was shell-shocked at how well they incorporated this motif into the story, blending it with remnants of dylan's anger toward thame and the resolution of their conflict. it's so beautifully done. (I don't know, probably it's the lit side of me that regards this as something so groundbreaking because I don't really see that much infusion of symbolism/motifs in a story this seamlessly. I'm so proud. i adore p'mui and her team even more now T_T they know what they're doing really.)

however, i do feel like dylan's story could be explored just a little bit more. to me, jun's storyline was perfectly told, seasoned with the right amount of ingredients that made us resent, understand and root for him. yet, dylan's story feels more like on the surface level to me, even though his story has so many interesting points to talk about—social commentaries on idols vs artists, the industry's demands for in-trend music instead of authenticity, and the company's ability to stun an artist's growth.

i was hoping they would show snippets of dylan rapping to his songs or joining these underground rapping competitions and comparing his experiences doing these as a solo rapper and an idol rapper. i think these scenes could contribute to a better understanding of the origin of dylan's passion for rapping and producing, as well as unveiling the 'undiscovered' sides of idols/idol rappers in the underground scene—also the spark of betrayal that began because of his crushed dreams and witnessing his best friend 'ruining' everything they built together.

it's just me... but i really wanted dylan's story to be stretched just a bit more because it's not strongly tied to thame the way jun's story did. but I still respect p'mui's decision to tell dylan's story in this manner.

i love thame's persistence in wanting to bring dylan back first before nano because dylan is indeed very important to the group.

i think these two are the producers in the group (along with pepper), but they shared a deeper bond because dylan was difficult to approach, but thame befriended him anyway. (why are they reminding me of namjoon and yoongi T_T)

i love this found-family trope in thamepo, and every time they showed us how thame found the members—found the real them—my heart swelled.

and thame saw dylan's potential. he saw how enthusiastic dylan was in writing and producing. he saw dylan as an artist—an art—that should be appreciated. and it's so beautiful. :(

as mentioned before, the members loved thame as much as thame loved them. it's so obvious. the reason behind the drift between them was miscommunication, wrong/rushed decisions and the company's intervention and ability to twist the narrative to their liking. perhaps, all of these could be solved if thame and the members talked it down, but it's easier said than done. so I understand why the strain in the group happened/appeared. it's not easy to let down our egos, but I'm thankful that (with the help of po) thame could finally breach the line between him and the members, hence reviving the group before they crumbled.

moreover, i love how thame effortlessly switches his elements to suit the members' elements. jun was like the wind to me, and thame became the earth that kept him from flying away. dylan was fire, and thame became the water that distinguished his fire with sincerity and another promise that wouldn't be broken. (i have a feeling nano is the water, and thame might be the fire that boils his love and passion to be in the group again, to work together and reach for their dreams—as promised.)

2. physical distance, emotional connection- it makes thamepo's heart grow fonder

ok... so... the thing that's going on between thame and po is CRAZY.

again, i'm so surprised that the scene happened so early into the episode. i thought it would be around the middle (because from my observation, the intimacy of thame and po's exchange would only escalate towards the middle or end of an episode). but they were hitting us as hard as this in the first part and I was honestly struggling to breathe.

i LOVE these shots. it's so intimately captured. po was looking at thame from the spaces, and thame's focus was instantly on po once he saw him in the storage room.

there was a respectable distance between them (probably because of jun's presence in the room). i think it sets a foreground for us in future episodes, especially after they're already in a relationship: in the eyes of the public, there should be this distance—this five-metre distance—so that they could be accepted—so that they could exist without hurting each other.

and when p'mick came, they were 'forced' to hide and huddle so close to each other. this was when everything was unveiled, the rapid beating of their hearts, the golden light raining against their bodies, the yearning stares, the confusion, the hesitance, the answer, the need.

i personally love the idea that thame and po were in the moment, but the world was still revolving around them. p'mick and jun were still talking in the background, but thame and po were spiralling in this juncture of intimacy, of connection, of understanding their feelings and making no sense of everything they were experiencing—the oh moment.

because i think scenes like these are often a form of hyperbole: time stops when I look at him/her. the construction of similar scenes would often go the route of slow-mo or focus shots to emphasise the weight/message of the scene. to me, it's always overly done (and I find it a bit cliche... I'm sorry for saying this T_T). but this scene doesn't feel cringy to me. it's really subtle and sweet and purposeful.

but their moment ended too quickly.

again, the fire symbolism not only reflected thame/dylan's dynamic in this episode but also thame/po. (and I find this so CRAZILY WELL DONE!!!)

however, something about fire with po... i don't think they go well together because...

i think, po was all elements for earn's fire. earn wanted to build a career. he wanted to be successful. he was a blazing fire. and po changed himself according to everything earn needed, complimenting earn when he was indeed of something.

but this fire left him. this fire betrayed him. this fire destroyed him.

thame is all elements for MARS, too.

but when it's po and thame, who are they and what they'll become?

throughout the episode, we didn't get much of thamepo, not until the conflict between thame and dylan was resolved.

in my opinion, po is really the best partner for thame (and honestly, everyone) because of his diligence, patience, kindness and warmth. he's willing to search for the lyrics, going through boxes, and piecing the shredded lyrics together just to give it to thame—just to help him reach his goals.

he did all that to earn, too.

the shot above broke my heart because po felt the physical distance between them. he was already thinking about the conversation he shared with jun. he was already doubting himself. he was already self-destructing.

when he saw thame and dylan on stage, smiling, he was happy. he was glad and relieved that thame was okay and he achieved his goal of reuniting with his teammates. however, at this point, po might have thought that, oh, I was used again.

but we know it was never thame's intention to make po feel so helpless and worthless. thame knew what po's ex did to him. the emotional trauma/distress po's experienced couldn't easily be discarded. we can see some moments where po just stared into space. his anxiousness of always checking on his messages. po overthinks everything, already making scenarios in his head of the worst-case what-ifs.

earn took so much of po that po was still trying to find himself again—still wishing that the world would treat him better.

without po realising it, he was already emotionally depending on thame. because thame saw him. thame appreciated him. thame made him feel like he was po again, not earn's shadow, not a nobody.

but thame didn't reply to his message. thame didn't come to him afterwards. so po thought it was just in his head. it was impossible for thame to see him. everything thame said to po was—perhaps—only because of the spark of the moment.

but i'm thankful that thame called po before he could destroy the last ray of hope in him.

the conversations they shared were so heartfelt. even though they didn't meet the whole day, thame knew everything po was experiencing. he knew po was overthinking. and that, to me, is a sign of devotion. and it made me realise that thame and po were emotionally closer, emotionally connected, closer than their bodies could ever be.

thame apologised. he helped po regain his self-worth. he assured po that he would always be here. he would always feel for po. he would always care for po.

and po learned a lot about thame—he was closer to his dogs than his parents. he loves reading. he loves writing his thoughts down. everything so small and insignificant to others, but meant the whole universe for po.

and they became each other's safe zones.

i'm so sorry, but i relate to po in so many ways. i see myself in him the most (throughout all of my years of watching dramas). so I might be biased and root for him the most... and when he feels the most pain, I feel it too :( and when he's so happy talking to thame, I was over the moon. //i'm happy for thame, too. finally, he could give his neverending love to someone who needs that genuine devotion. thank you, thame :((//

and they were on call for nine hours??? and thame waited for po to wake up so that he could serenade his soon-to-be lover with his favourite song??? romance is restored! the slow burn is slow burning!

//this scene is too sweet that ants are starting to swarm the screen...//

3. potential parallels (aka upcoming heartbreaks) and nano/pepper's story arc

ok, so this is something that i couldn't stop thinking about after I watched the episode.

jun saw po. he saw right through po the way he saw straight through thame.

he knew po liked thame. i think he had an inkling that thame liked po too.

however, everything he said to po here was hurtful.

it reminded me of his story arc in ep 3. he was bad-mouthing thame, but it was for thame's benefit—it was his way of showing he cared.

i would like to indulge in the idea that jun cared about po too because he was the only one who knew thame's true intention behind everything he did, and who was helping (or enabling) it in the first place. he knew po was special to thame. but...

the nature of being an idol, i think jun knew it too well. he didn't want either thame or po to suffer in the future. because it'll be difficult to navigate their feelings, to hide their relationship, to behave like they don't mean anything when they're in public. i guess, jun was giving po a head's up, telling po that he wasn't thame's type, crushing po's fantasy of having something different with thame—not in a condescending manner—but rather i don't want you to fall too deeply. there's still a chance for you to move on from this.

but of course, they end up falling.

and this is the price they shall pay.

nano's storyline will be interesting because he's the youngest in the group—the maknae. usually, from my observation, the maknaes love their big brothers/sisters the most. they want nothing but the best for them. and they're willing to sacrifice themselves for them. they felt the most pain when their brothers/sisters experienced anything difficult, and vice versa. (I'm sorry if it's wrong... but this is what I gathered as a k-pop fan for more than ten years hehe...)

it's heartbreaking to see nano behaving this way. i think he was certain that the members didn't need him anymore. MARS was better as a four-membered group. he wasn't important to them how they were important to him.

but... we know that's not the case.

i'm so excited to see how nano found love and purpose in thame. we saw how important thame was to jun and dylan, so seeing it from nano's perspective will definitely serve as a treat (and more pain).

and pepper's story arc... oh God. i have a feeling he's the easiest to return to the group because he holds no grudges. he understands thame and sees the decisions he made were for the group. he's the mediator and also the connector of the group, and potentially thame's relationship advisor.

however... i think pepper's story arc will be the turning point in this story, the conflict, a reflection of thamepo's relationship in the future.

in the trailer, they held a press con and pepper was sitting in the middle. i think he would be involved in a gossip that might affect the group's reputation. but at that point, they'd already reunited, so all members were present to support him. AND ALSO, it was when thame kissed po in the storage room (?) so yes... so excited to see how pepper's story will unfold.

ok, before i end this post, i also want to add...

i think khun pemika knows that thame (and MARS/po) are plotting something behind her back because it's impossible for a company's CEO not to know what her artists are doing? she has many observers... it's not possible for another betrayal arc initiated from the people closest to MARS/po in the upcoming episodes...

[athousandbyeol]

keep up the thamepo [episode 2]

this episode, to me, is hopeful. i like the contrast of tone and mood from episode one. episode was indeed very sombre, melancholic and sad. but episode two, at least from how I perceive it, is hopeful.

there are some scenes that scratched my brain and made me giggle because we're seeing po experiencing this 'feeling' he couldn't describe yet. but I'm so happy that it's here, and we're seeing it happening now. i think they set the pace quite well, allowing us to experience po and thame's emotional growth and acceptance this early.

1. Mr. A and Mr. B

it's so cute that po has a best friend he could rely on. I'm so glad he has baifern to listen to his random rants and thoughts. i always feel like po doesn't have someone he could be transparent with.

baifern is really a great listener, and I'm glad she's somewhat realistic while po is idealistic—she gives po the reality check he needs—since in my opinion, po is such a dreamer (he seems like an F to me).

although po denied his crush on Mr. B (thame), I think, without realising, he's actually taking an interest in thame? one of the reasons might be because 1) thame left but he was hurt (po wanted to know why and how he could feel hurt even though he wanted to leave thame) and 2) thame is mysterious but isn't entirely cold either. he assures po a lot in this episode even though there's still this respectable distance between them. it's not yet a romantic crush, but more of wonderment and curiosity.

so... when po shared this Mr. A and Mr. B analogy, I think everyone knew he was talking about himself and thame ;) it's honestly so cute! i know he's just curious—he thinks about people's feelings and ideas a lot—some call him a people pleaser. he definitely felt a bit icky after saying this to thame:

i think it's quite interesting how thame's understanding of po's words was he would drop the sasaeng allegation on po, while po thought that thame misunderstood his words by thinking it was 'romantic'.

i assume thame actually knew what po meant, (and I might be preaching) but I guess their feeling is already mutual? both of them are interested in each other. honestly, I'm unsure who fell first because it could be both in different situations. thame might think po was interesting and 'different' when he first saw him during the event. po might fall during this—

2. po wears his heart on his sleeves (yet again)

everything about this moment is so tender... and romantic. i can't really explain but the air shifts between them at this time and forward. but it's somewhat bittersweet.

although it's cute, i feel like po kind of resents himself? when he looked at his hands, he was shaking his head, hoping to discard those feelings bubbling inside him. it's so sad because the fear of placing himself in this situation again—to bear his heart and soul for someone—to love again—still haunts him. i like how we still see him subtly drowning in his past. it shows that emotional trauma can't be discarded or healed overnight. it's a process.

but i also like how thame was watching po all the time... his eyes are always on po (although some shots of thame are blurred), it's obvious he's attentive to po, yet po didn't realise it yet.

3. the gifts and scripts — po becomes an opener to thame's deepest feelings

the whole set-up of the gifts and everything is so... eerie. although I'm sure there's still sincerity left in this world, it's the truth (to an extent). the entertainment industry is a stage play—everything is constructed to look perfect. it's kind of heartbreaking to witness this bitter truth; not everything we perceived on screen is true.

but i'm glad thame actually brought his own gifts—gifts that really mattered to his friends. he's attentive and sensitive. some might say because of his role as the leader, but I feel like thame is inherently kind and big-hearted. no one loves MARS—the members—more than thame.

and when po found it, i felt relieved. ah. po. of course, he would notice. of course, he would know.

i had a conversation with lia (@treasurebook) about this, and she said that thamepo becomes each other's map. when they meet, their life's trajectory shifts from what the company and po's past relationship wanted them to do to this—fixing and healing each other's wounds.

po and thame share the same grief but for different reasons. both of them seek answers and solutions. po wants closure, and thame want a starting point. both of them are giving that to each other, a mutual exchange.

clearly, thame and his friends didn't get to sit down and talk about this. it was a decision made by thame solely from the pressure and responsibility. i guess this could be considered as thame's 'mistake' because he thought he could handle this by himself. his decision would definitely help the group.

it's thame's selflessness and strong sense of responsibility that urged him to carry the group's burden alone. he didn't want his members to go through anything painful or unpleasant. he promised he would grant everyone's wish.

but this is the price he has to pay in the end; the conflict. the broken friendship. the mistrust.

i believe this is a message that is clear to us: communication is key, especially if we're leading a group or in any form of relationship. i think it's appropriate for thame to discuss the offer of releasing a solo song with mars, 1) as a sign of respect, 2) to avoid future conflict, and 3) to receive input from the members. yet, it is what it is. thame didn't. and I don't want to say that he's entirely at fault. it's something that could be done but didn't.

additionally, the idea of thame abiding by the script to the t is haunting. becoming mars, becoming a leader, becoming the company's money maker, he lost his voice. he lost his stance. he lost everything. he became the company's puppet. his feelings don't matter.

his initial intention was so pure, to the extent of naivety. he did everything for the sake of mars. he thought he was helping mars to reach stardom, to be in a better position. but absent-mindedly, all these solo projects and opportunities led him astray from the group. and when he wanted to do a song with mars again, khun pemika said it was no longer necessary.

clearly, the company (especially khun pemika) manipulated and gas-lighted thame into believing he was the reason behind mars's downfall and their friendship.

it hurts because thame truly believed he was the cause, and he couldn't fix it. he should just run with this narrative since his friends hated him too, right? and the media often painted him negatively too.

but not until po. not until po assured him that he should try and work things out. he should at least be sincere with his feelings for once before he left everything behind—before his solo debut in Korea.

when thame admitted he couldn't say anything but I'm sorry, I think, for this moment, it's more than enough. it takes a lot to accept and acknowledge our mistakes, and even more so to apologise. it's so brave of thame to finally come to terms with the truth that has been haunting him all this time.

4. "i fixed this suit" — a foreshadowing of a budding friendship/companionship

this whole sequence drives me insane because so many things are happening!

i honestly didn't expect po to admit that he had an ex to thame this early. i wonder if it was a slip of his tongue because the silence afterwards was heavy with tension. it's like thame was analysing everything about what po said and how he behaved around him, was it because of his ex?

and po... he was surprised with his response, too! sometimes I think po didn't want to show that vulnerable side of his, but it came out unexpectedly... maybe he was getting comfortable with thame?

po looked like he wanted to run away (he did) and um... if I were thame... i think I might fall for him right there and then (sorry for this).

it's so cute! po is just... adorable. and he's so loveable. he's so honest with his feelings and I think thame really loves that about po. po's directness pushes thame to be frank with his feelings too.

(shoutout to est and william for turning every scene romantic and intimate when it was intended. i can't imagine how I'll react once they start feeling more than just friends... I'll pass out for sure.)

this! thame was looking at the suit po fixed—and he would ask for po's help to reunite the group! genius! this is an amazing shot and direction, really. I'm obsessed (p'mui, I adore you T_T).

and this freaking sandwich! i can't believe po no longer has to feel uneasy or guilty about taking two sandwiches because he finally has someone to share it with! cheers to po and his new-found (future) love! it's also a sign of mutuality and acceptance to help each other out. what a sweet ending to the episode!

i can't wait for the next episode. jun is going to be in it and I love how they're setting up a possible conflict; thame trusting jun but jun going against him. it's either jun is really plotting something devious, or it was just his plan to 'distract' khun pemika/the company from discovering their true agenda. i hope it's the latter because I can't handle one mars member being the antagonist :'( it'll hurt so bad...

[athousandbyeol]

i know no one actually cares hehe but i don't think i'll be writing my weekly keep up the thamepo post this week (for episode 6). one, i think the episode is pretty straight-forward and it's quite easy to detect the subtle nuances. two, i just moved out of my rented house (still recovering from the fatigue 😅). and lastly, i think i'm currently having an allergic reaction to a medication i took last night ㅠㅠ i'm feverish and weak atm so yeah... (i was vomitting and couldn't sleep until 3 am 🥲 it was hell).

but i have another (short) thamepo fic idea in mind so i might post it within this week :)

[wanderlust-in-my-soul]

Do you have any favorite bl dramas or bl series that you watched that came out this year? What are they if you have any?

Hi Anon 🥰

It is finally the end of the year and I can answer this ask. It was more difficult than I thought. Not because there were so many series that I loved, but because there were so few that I completely liked. There are some really good shows out there that I haven't watched yet, I definitely watched less shows this year than I did in 2023, but I was able to find ten shows that I really liked and enjoyed and would recommend without a second thought.

So here we go, in no particular order.

ThamePo

Well this series has only three episodes out and I am completely in love with it. If this is going down bad in the end, I don't want to know yet... It is just the most romantic shit I have seen this whole year!

Let Free The Curse Of Taekwondo

This series hurt us all at some point... or during the whole middle part. But it was such a real series and so good produced and with great acting.

Your Sky

And another series that is still ongoing. This is the cutest series right now. They make me blush really hard every sunday!

Jack and Joker

Yes, this series has it flaws and plot-holes, but I loved every bit of it. This series had some of the best characters this year, especially the grandma! A real hero!

Love For Love's Sake

I would say, this is my favorite show of the year. I loved every second of it. There was a meaning behind everything and reading all the meta about this show was a delight.

Cherry Magic Thailand

Who would have thought that Thailand could produce such a delightful adaptation of this popular Japanese classic? It was adorable.

Unknown

My second favorite series this year. The spell this series put on me was something else. I couldn't think about anything else at the time.

The On1y One

My beloved stepbrothers without a chance of telling the other one that they love each other. I am still upset about the ending. But the stuff we had until then was so good!

The Boyfriend

Yes, this is a dating show. And I was obsessed with it and especially with Dai and Shun. The fact that those two are still a couple is so great! It is really worth a watch.

The Nipple Talk

I have the feeling nobody talked about this show. But it was good! It was entertaining and mature and a little bit over the top at times. I had a blast watching the group of friend manoeuvring through life.

Well that was my little list of favorite bls of 2024.