Love By Chance: Thai Drama Review

The Gist: Timid, rich college student Pete's (Saint Suppapong Udomkaewkanjana) life changes when engineering student Ae (Perth Tanapon Sukhumpantanasan) hits him with his bike. The two develop an immediate friendship, with Ae stepping in to help handle a student threatening Pete because of his sexuality. The strong bond of their friendship begins to pose questions for Ae about what he feels for Pete and if it goes further than friendship. Ae's porn-obsessed, nosy roommate Pond (Yacht Surat Permpoonsavat) is desperate to help the naive Ae succeed in his romance, by any means necessary. But Pete's friend, Tin (Mean Phiravich Attachitsataporn), can't help interfering in his relationship because he believes them to be in a different class from Ae and his excitable friend Can (Plan Rathavit Kijworalak).

This. This. This. THIS! Pete and Ae are serious relationship goals. Aghhhh. In the beginning of the show, Ae never makes Pete feel bad about being gay or that they have to draw boundaries in their friendship because of it. Ae is always extremely honest with Pete and never lets misunderstandings survive between them. This develops a strong trust between them. When Ae starts having romantic feelings, he tells Pete about them. When he feels jealous, he tells Pete about it. What I love best is that Ae is not dumb about Pete's feelings. He guesses that Pete feels romantically for him and he says that he can tell the way Pete looks at him is different from the way he looks at others. So may characters like Ae can't take a hint if it hits them in the face, but Ae doesn't press Pete, but is very aware of the way they treat each other. I love that Ae wants to see Pete constantly, even before they start dating.

Let's talk about the physical stuff. Man, LBC really goes for it on that regard. Rather than a chaste kiss here and there, Pete and Ae can't keep their hands (mouths, bodies, lives) off of each other). I am usually happy for a few kisses in a drama, but this goes way beyond it. To borrow a phrase from Maggie Steifvater, both boys were hungry, but Ae had been starving longer. Once he touches Pete, it's like the floodgates were opened. He can be gentle, or throw Pete against a locker long enough to get his tie off. What is great is that Ae always checks for consent with Pete, when it's their first kisses or when they have sex, Ae always make sure Pete is OK with it. Bless poor Ae for needing to google how to have sex with Pete, but it's good to see that he is fairly insecure, even when he acts so confidently with Pete. The physical side of their relationship is built up on how strong their emotional bond is.

So, Pete has to come out to his mom in episode 1 and she is my hero. She is sure to make sure Pete knows she loves him not matter who he loves. She fully embraces his independence and Ae. She can tell that Ae is a good man and is wholly supportive of them. I always love when a drama goes for a supportive parent, especially because it makes such a difference in LGBT relationships. I am glad they show Ae meeting Pete's mom and her approving of him. It's very important to have this kind of representation in this age.

Let's talk about Pond. I was super annoyed by how openly perverse he is (who watches porn this openly???), but he is a surprisingly complex character. Although he is overly nosy, he really does want to support Ae. He may tease him but is happy to give him advice and set him up on dates. He even offers to buy Ae lube and slips him condoms. Ae doesn't want this much interference, but it's so nice that Pond really looks out for him. What really pushed Pond over the top for me is his experience with ChaAim (Cherreen Nachjaree Horvejkul), who you may recognize from Puppy Honey. He is so aggressively flirtatious with her at first, but when they finally start dating, he is so respectful of her body and choices. He is willing to go at her pace and never wants to pressure her. Really he has even more restraint than Ae does. I wasn't sure how they were going to resolve the way he is, but ChaAim handles him perfectly. Pond needs someone who can boss him around a little bit and ChaAim is perfect at that. Moreso, I love how supportive Pond and ChaAim are of Ae/Pete. Neither makes them feel weird about their relationship and I love the scenes with all four of them together. Actually this show is overwhelmingly supportive of Ae/Pete overall. It has a good message of tolerance.

Let's talk about Tin/Can. I think this show draws out their antagonism too long. I love hate to love relationships, but Tin is just a jerk for way too long. Pete gives him too much leeway. I get that he's got trust issues, but you can't just treat people like garbage without repercussions. In that sense, Can is a perfect foil. He doesn't let Tin get away with anything, which makes him more trustworthy to Tin. I think the change in Tin happens too fast. He goes from hating to pursuing him really quickly. No wonder Can has whiplash. Still, it's great to see Tin soften up. He is much more handsome when he is being vulnerable and kind.

I think aside from these stories, LBC is trying to tell too much. There's also a will they/won't they? thing with two stepbrothers and a weird high school student chasing the soccer coach thing. The story-lines are so randomly inserted and spread out that I just really didn't care about them. I was somewhat invested in the stepbrothers storyline, but the whole story is like less than one episode long. I don't think it builds it up enough and the entire story is just the younger brother keeping a secret while the older brother is supportive. It just didn't mesh well with the rest of the show. If they were going to keep these stories in, they should have built them up a bit. Otherwise, I'm just not sure it's worth keeping them in.

Final Grade: A

Because This is My First Life: KDrama Review

The Gist: When assistant drama writer Ji-ho (Jung So-min) quits her job after being sexually harassed and has to move out due to her brother's recent marriage, she's desperate for somewhere to stay. When mutual friends score her a great deal living with Se-hee (Lee Min-ki), she leaps at the chance, unaware that Se-hee is male. When they both realize the mistake, they are already comfortable living together. In classic drama logic, the fix to both their problems is simple: a two-year contract marriage. Naturally, it's hard to keep feelings out of it when you're living together for the first time. Ji-ho's best friends have their own issues. Marriage-desperate Ho-rang (Kim Ga-eun) can't seem to get her clueless boyfriend Won-seok (Kim Min-seok) to propose. Serial dater Soo-ji (Esom) can't seem to shake the friendly CEO Sang-goo (Park Byung-eun).

This is a good show, but it just wasn't the show I wanted it to be. I picked this show because I wanted something light and heart-warming. While it has the benefits of sweet romance, it is definitely a more melancholy show than I was expecting. I appreciate the show's frankness about the harassment of women. Ji-ho faces it through working with her director and her co-workers try to wipe the harassment under the rug and assure her that it's not a big deal. Ji-ho stands up for herself, but in a realistic sacrifice, she has to give up working on her project to do so. Soo-ji constantly faces unwanted advances from her co-workers, but has to put on a smile to keep her job and keep her reputation. Even though they're in the wrong, she's the one who will be judged if she kicks up a fuss. Even the younger cafe co-worker Bok-nam (Kim Min-kyu) is a harasser. He doesn't back off when Ji-ho says she's married and uninterested. I appreciate that Se-hee wrecks his motorcycle. Even though it was a "misunderstanding," him being young and hot doesn't excuse his behavior. It's not OK to comment on a woman's looks or touch her when you work with her.

This show spends a long time examining marriage as an institution an it is often fairly bleak in its portrayal. Still, I appreciate how deftly this show handles Se-hee. Se-hee is initially shown as inept at love, maybe even a little high-functioning autistic in his life skills. Yet, we realize as viewers that we are assuming a lot about Se-hee. Just because Ji-ho is inexperienced, we assume that Se-hee's behavior is due to his own inexperience. Yet, there is a neat twist in the last 2/3 of the show, where we realize that Se-hee is not inexperienced, but is unwanting. His behavior is meant to push people away and build walls. He has experienced and is dealing with his own pain. He knows what it means to be in love and hasn't fully processed his own experience enough to open himself up to more pain. While he is not overly smart with social cues, he is drawing boundaries to protect himself from what he doesn't think he deserves.

I also appreciate the care that is put into Ho-rang's relationship. Their relationship is not healthy by any means throughout most of the show. Their goals are not aligned and they can't communicate clearly. I was worried this show would just patch them up and push them together and I admire the bravery to break them up. It's short-term pain but for the good of both of them. By the time they get back together, they've had a chance to examine their feelings and their goals.

 Likewise, Soo-ji seems flippant, but like with Se-hee, you realize that her careful walls are built to avoid further pain. I appreciate Song-goo's willingness to accommodate the way Soo-ji is and why she's wary. Her ability to break down her walls with him are hard-earned.

My shining star is Bo-mi (Yoon Bo-Mi), who's the only female working at the Don't Marry, Date App. I appreciate that even though she fits in with the boys, she insists on wearing frilly, pink outfits. I also appreciate how much Se-hee and Bo-mi are alike and understand each other. Even though she's understated, she can let loose and party with the best of them. Bo-mi is my hero.

I have serious issues with the end of this show. So, Hi-Ho asks for a divorce. Even though she loves Se-hee. For... reasons? As far as I can tell, she just wanted to break him down completely so that he'll be honest with her and to me it just seemed... cruel. I get it if she wanted to travel and such, but she said she wanted to make love her priority, but rather than just talking to Se-hee like an adult about his past, she tortures him and makes him think she doesn't want him. Especially when she knows that he's going to confess and has real feelings for her. This just felt like such a drama move. Why have a conversation when you can have a dramatic divorce? This is just compounded by the fact that they end up registering their marriage anyway. Don't get me wrong, they needed to work some stuff out. But I think it would have been better to just talk like normal people rather than going through some huge "break-up." No bueno.

Final Grade: B-

The Untamed: Chinese Drama Review

The Gist:

Now: Wei Wuxian (Xiao Zhan) wields the most feared name in the lands - the Yiling Patriarch. Rumored to raise the dead, practice wicked sorcery, and spread destruction alongside his Ghost General, the Yiling Patriarch is assumed dead after the Bloodbath of the Nightless City. Yet, 16 years later, Wei Wuxian has returned and is trying to avoid discovery by his nephew, Jin Ling, and adopted brother, Jiang Cheng. But famed second-son cultivator of the strict and proper Lan Clan, Lan Zhan (Wang Yibo), has been looking for Wei Wuxian and has never given up hope of finding him alive. When Wei Wuxian pulls out his signature spiritual tool, the flute, the two are destined to meet again.

Then: Teenage Wei Wuxian travels to the Lan Clan's Cloud Recesses alongside adopted siblings Jiang Cheng (Wang Zhuocheng) and Yanli (Xuan Lu). The three are inseparable, even though Wei Wuxian is a notorious free-spirited trouble-maker that often gives the Jiang Clan a bad name. He immediately clashes with Lan Zhan upon arrival to Cloud Recesses. The two are yin and yang, black and white, undisciplined and trained, energetic and reserved. Yet, in terms of skills, the two are evenly matched and Wei Wuxian will not leave Lan Zhan alone. When the two are brought together to uncover the secret of Yin Iron, a dark spiritual tool that the fiery Wen Clan is using to manipulate and murder people and cultivators, a bond is forged that develops as the looming battle grows. Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan will need all the help they can get from their peers: Nie Clan's quiet and nervous second-son (Ji Li), the medical specialist Wen siblings, Wen Ning (Yu Bin) and Wen Qing (Meng Ziyi), and the arrogant Jin Zixuan (Cao Yuchen). The Wen Clan's power grows as they continue to accumulate lost pieces of Yin Iron and slaughter at the hands of the assassin Xue Yang (Wang Haoxuan). Will Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian be able to stand together when they suffer immense loss and trials? Will Wei's unorthodox personality be an asset or lead him down a darker path? Can Lan Zhan save him?

You'll notice by this description that this drama is a deep departure from my usual fare of sweet romances between plucky girls and cold boys. The Untamed is a sprawling fantasy epic that touts a huge cast of characters and a well-developed magic system. Yet, at its heart, it is a romance. Chinese censorship laws don't allow Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian's relationship to live up to its original explicit romantic intimacy, but the two have a bond that goes beyond regular friendship. The Netflix summary calls them soul-mates, a word usually reserved for romantic bonds in Western use, but it is an apt term for their relationship. The two are drawn together and move in sync. When Lan Zhan finally puts his trust in Wei Wuxian, it is unwavering. Even when the entire world turns against Wei, Lan Zhan's faith in him is constant. Likewise, Wei Wuxian has an unfaltering trust in Lan Zhan's character and abilities. He puts his life in Lan Zhan's hands over and over again without a second thought. While the character-building in the first half of this show is important, the story truly shines when the two can spend more on-screen time together in the second half of the show. There are many great characters, but the relationship between Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan is the shining star of this drama.

I found starting this drama to be a bit intimidating as there are so many characters (with so many names!) and multiple timelines. Yet, each character feels lived-in and well-developed. They each have well-defined strengths and weaknesses. While it took a while to learn them all, they are each a crucial piece of a larger puzzle. Between the Jiang siblings, Wei is so likable, Cheng is serious and harsh, and Yanli is a sweet angel. I had long worried for Yanli since we didn't see her in the beginning of the show. Spoilers follow: After seeing how close the three were, I had to wonder what inspired Cheng's strong hatred of Wei. It became clear somewhere around episode 20 that the only thing that would really drive them apart is if Wei is responsible for Yanli's death. This realization did little to soften the blow when she was killed, as she was the only person aside from Lan Zhan whose faith in Wei was always strong. The pain of Cheng's betrayal is magnified because when his Golden Core is taken, Wei doesn't even hesitate to provide him with his own spiritual energy. Wei bends over backwards to help Cheng, but Cheng's faith in Wei is fragile. The jealousy he feels poisons their relationship over the course of the show.

In the present timeline, I was so impressed with Jin Ling (Qi Peixin). He has the most reason to hate Wei Wuxian, but he is conflicted because he can see that Wei is a good man. If anything, he shows more reasoning than Cheng does. While there is definite resentment between them, I appreciate that the two were able to take the steps towards forging a relationship. Additionally, when the viewer finally realizes that the young cultivator in the Lan Clan (Zheng Fanxing) is little Yuan, my heart felt so full. Lan Zhan is a man of exceptional character and it's beautiful that he was able to save and raise Yuan, in completion of the work Wei Wuxian was trying to do.

This show constantly asks questions of morality: what is right and wrong? Lan Zhan struggles with this as Wei continues down an unorthodox path, but ultimately he can recognize what is right for himself, even when others would judge him. The Wen siblings are an interesting case of this. Trapped under the evil influence of the Wen Clan, Wen Qing is constantly complicit in evil acts, and is resistant to rebel in order to keep her weaker brother safe. That brother will not stand idly by however. When Wen Ning sees injustice, he does what he can to help. When Wei Wuxian needs help rescuing Cheng from the Wen Clan, Wen Ning does not hesitate to commit to helping him. The two ultimately can't help doing what's right, even when it ultimately results in their punishment and separation. All of the characters suffer, but the Wen siblings get beat up quite a bit. In all of that though, Wen Ning continues to aide Wei Wuxian. Even when he is judged as the Ghost General, he continues to do what he can.

Let's talk about the fact that this show spans 16+ years. If you look objectively at the actors, I would guess most of the main cast is in their mid-20's. Which is an issue when for more than half the drama they're supposed to be teens. OK, fine, lots of 20-somethings play teens. But then 16 years are supposed to have passed and everyone looks EXACTLY the same. I mean like same hairstyles even. I don't want people to look super fakey aged, but it's awkward to adjust how old these characters are supposed to be when Jin Ling is suddenly grown up but his uncles haven't aged at all. Oh well, I'm not really sure what they were supposed to do, but having everyone in the exact same look seemed like an odd choice to me.

This show layers character development alongside action-packed fight scenes. I usually avoid these kinds of shows because I am not one for monologuing villains and drawn-out plot machinations, but this show really shines in its characters. I think the pacing is a bit off between episodes 20-30as I was in a hurry to get an explanation about how we got to where the show started. Still, the amount of catharsis at the end of this show is infectious. Wei Wuxian gets to clear his name, Lan Zhan's stance is vindicated, and the plot is uncovered. Revenge is taken and people thought lost are recovered. After the pain the characters endure, it's a well-earned conclusion. Also, there's so many adorable bunnies. So. many. bunnies.