Hidden Agenda (2023)

Hidden Plot

I wasn't expecting fireworks from Hidden Agenda, but I also didn't expect it to be as bad as it was. I anticipated the name to play a far larger role in the story than it did. It was barely a blip in the bigger picture. The acting, bless Dunk and Joong's hearts, is subpar and it definitely brought the quality down. The OST is kind of fun, but severely overused and it got old very fast. It ended up being a complete train wreck.

The plot was nearly non-existent. There's a bit of an over arcing focus on the debate competition, but it's pretty thin. Besides the romance between Zo and Joke which was underdeveloped, the drama, beyond Episode 5 or so, is mostly made up of various filler story lines that get wrapped up far too quickly to have any kind of meaning. Aspects like Zo's past with Puen, the whole stalker scenario, Zo's and Joke's conflicts with their parents, etc. all were introduced fairly quickly with very little meaningful background and then the issue was typically resolved within an episode or two. The sad part is that several of those story lines could have been interesting. The stalker part had potential, I actually thought it was going to play a much larger role than it did, but it ended up being incredibly lame in part due to how quickly everything was worked out but also because of foolish decisions characters made. The issue with Zo's and Joke's parents could have been introduced much earlier and played a bigger role in the characters' actions and behaviour. Instead they fell flat because of how late in the drama they came in. And then there's the whole "hidden agenda" which was just very poorly planned out. It felt forced and while Zo had every right to be upset, his reaction seemed excessive. In general, it felt very scatter brained and incohesive. The pacing while initially relatively smooth if slow, quickly became inconsistent. The filler episodes were tedious to get through and it felt like the story was going nowhere.

The characters were fairly lackluster. The few that actually breathed some life into the story were unfortunately underutilized. It was disappointing that they weren't given the chance to shine as removing a lot of the filler and giving them more screen time would have significantly improved the drama. Joke and Zo, despite being the main couple, lacked a lot of development in their relationship. There were moments where they seemed to be on the same page, but then there would be conflict out of nowhere. Joke in particular seemed to lack a sense of self. Everything about him was focused on Zo and yet it's never clear exactly why he's so in love with him. Zo's emotions were hard to read which I think was mostly an acting issue, but it made it difficult to identify with and care about the character. There were also some awkward moments between the characters. One that stood out to me was the scene where Joke and Zo have sex for the first time. Zo says he doesn't think he's ready, then apparently changes his mind two seconds later and then looks absolutely terrified when Joke goes to take off his shirt. Joke's actions also felt out of character. Considering how caring and attentive he had been towards Zo up to that point, he felt too assertive in that moment. I imagined him taking things much slower to make sure Zo was comfortable. The energy and emotions just felt very off for an intimate scene. Characters like Jeng, Pok, Kot and Pat added a necessary level of dimension to the story, but were never given full rein to develop into fully realized characters. Jeng and Pok in particular were a great addition as an established couple and frankly I found them to be far more compelling than Joke and Zo. They faced legitimate issues in their relationship that unfortunately were rushed but did provide a nice reprieve from the monotony. Kot and Pat were filtered in mostly as a source of humor, but I generally liked their characters and I think with better planning, they could have served as more than that. I found Nita to be fairly boring. She had some good lines, I did think she deserved to win the scholarship as her answer was the best thought out and compelling, but otherwise she didn't impress me. She felt like the token female character that needed to be present for the lead to crush on before realizing he was actually into guys. As a side note, the whole conflict between Wave and Trin was incredibly contrived and unnecessary. Why they couldn't have just had Wave not like the guy because their personalities clashed or something less convoluted is beyond me. The ending between them felt cliche and unresolved.

The acting, particularly the leads', was underwhelming. Dunk is a sweetheart, he seems like a genuinely nice and good guy, but when it comes to his acting, he really struggles. It felt like he was playing a very slightly different version of Daonuea from SIMM. He either under acts or over acts depending on the scene, emotional scenes are painful to watch, he fails to emote, and he does this weird thing with his head sometimes that I don't even know how to describe. Frankly, I don't know as he's so much acting as just being himself. It's just no bueno. Joong felt like he was portraying a less closed off Khabkluen from SIMM. His performance wasn't bad, just not great either. And the thing is, he can act. He had a small role in Home School recently and I really liked his performance. Here though, he was a bit boring. I do think some of that was the way the character was written though. Joke doesn't have much to him. The chemistry between Joong and Dunk wasn't great which is both surprising and disappointing because off screen, their chemistry is fantastic. But in this instance it felt forced and unnatural at times. Aou was one of the bright spots in the cast. I've seen every drama he's been in and he has yet to disappoint me. I don't think this was one of his stronger roles, but I'm chalking that up to the writing because he didn't have a whole lot to work with. Boom was another bright spot. His chemistry with Aou is great. They seem comfortable with each other and it shows. I love Louis. He's such a versatile actor and I found him entertaining in this role though I wish we'd had more of him. I like AJ, but I feel like he typically plays the same kind of characters. I'd like to see him in a different role. Jamie is a gorgeous young woman, I liked her in Home School, but here I just found her to be wooden. She lacked expression a lot of the time or seemed to only use one expression. Her performance was just bland. I felt she could have done a lot more with the character.

My biggest problem with the production was the sheer number of inconsistencies. Every drama is going to have them, but this one stands out in terms of how blatant they were. In the scene where Zo almost falls twice and Joke catches him, arms were in different places between takes. Same with the scene where they cuddle in bed. In one take, Zo's arm is under the cover, in the next it's on top of the cover. In the scene where Joke takes his roadside shower which was weird to begin with, there was a smear of grease on his arm that kept appearing and disappearing. And probably the most glaring instance was, in the shot right before Zo finds the smashed ceramics, as he's closing the door, you can clearly see them, still intact, on the shelf behind him. There were a few others, but those ones really stood out to me and to me it just showed a lack of attention to detail.

This is not a drama that I can in good faith recommend. It was too inconsistent and too poorly acted to make it worth the time to get through. There are some sweet scenes, but they're not enough to make up for all that's lacking. Unless you are a die hard JoongDunk fan, steer clear of this one.

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Failed Agenda

This was so boring. I feel that fans of Joong/Dunk aren't being honest with them.

Dunk needs to work on his acting and why does he keep moving his head like a bobblehead It's so funny. Zo is Daonuea(From SIMM) 2.0. He hasn't improved his acting skills yet, he showed only limited expressions.

Joong needs to take challenging roles more cos his character was exactly the same as his previous movie(Kluen).

They have more chemistry as Joong/Dunk than as Joke/Zo. They only upgrade was in their kisses, which doesn't matter if chemistry is too poor. They should either separate them to work on different projects and actualize their full potentials or give them better roles and serious acting lessons.

The story was so weak, I skipped so many episodes, it was like a combination of 2gether and Fish Upon The Sky... The background was so cloudy that their faces looked unreal and my eyes were aching from it. The sound engineer was just placing the ost at random places, it was so distracting. Don't get me started on the debate stuff, every member of the debate club needs an apology from them because what was that?
In all weldone everyone. I'm giving this 3.5/10 and that's for Joong's pretty face. 😍

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wasted 12h of my life

honestly I'm highly disappointed with this series because of how many "good reviews" that made me watch it.. the storyline? boring and shifting back to back, in the middle of the series I completely lost track on what the storyline even is about. like is it about school crush? college hardships? revenge of ex lovers? strict family? or any of 100 random things that appeared yet still failed to make this series interesting. I'm the type of person who doesn't like to drop a series after couple episodes and I always give series/movies second chances and finish them despite not being into the plot but I don't remember last time I had such hard time watching anything. Not only the storyline is boring but also acting? I mean don't get me wrong those actors are still new and have full right to lack some experience but the chemistry between main couple was nowhere to be found. I feel like we took twenty steps back from having good BL series back to when it all was just starting and the famous "mechanics" were about to take over.. just gotta be honest with you - instead of watching Hidden Agenda, take a 12h long nap. it'll be more beneficial for you.

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Oh No! Oh No! Oh No No No No No!

Joong, Dunk, Why?

I had so much hope for this series, but it let me down big time.

It was slow, boring, and the storyline was almost nonexistent.

Even Joong and Dunk who have such big personalities and great chemistry in real life were lifeless in this series.
The actual performance was decent, it’s not like it was super bad acting, but I think the jacked up storyline probably made it difficult to portray their characters. ALL the actors from this series that I have seen in other series acted much better in the other series.

The music was good, Joong sings lovely.

I will not rewatch this series, I can’t sit through it a second time.

Overall… this series is not good.

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chaos

I was so hyped for this series, considering that Star In My Mind wasn't the best, but I liked the pairing. I was hoping they would get better series together especially with the "Hidden" Agenda. Which.. WHAT HIDDEN AGENDA? I see nothing hidden.

Don't get me wrong, I love joongdunk. Although they don't have the best series together, their chemistry is pretty good. But that isn't enough to save this.

First off, the story? Where was it supposed to be going? It didn't start off strong. Just a boy that likes a pretty popular girl and asks for help by that girls ex. While wanting help, he falls for the ex. This story fell apart BIG TIME. The average "take off your glasses to not look like a nerd and look hot" thing is very stupid tbh. At that point, just start him off looking "hot."

The random stalker plot was NOTTTT it. It lasted an EPISODE. SINGULAR. I would rather have that for AT LEAST like 2-4 episodes, or just scratch that idea entirely, because, what was the point in the first place??

The debate thing was a little cool I guess. It was different from what I've seen, but I wish it took more part, especially in real world problems.

And the random part where Pat basically sold out his information to Joke? Honestly, I WOULD NOT be happy. I don't care if they throw a dumb lil party for me and expect me to forgive them. Where's the trust? I feel like they should've touched up more on that instead of just having Zo basically forgive them right away.


The acting? Meh. Nothing to point out specifically.

In my opinion, in the nicest way possible, Dunk needs to take acting classes or something. He always has the same expressions, the random things he does w his head, his acting is just. It's not it..😭

Joong? His acting could be better. But, he needs better roles!!!!

Together, I believe they both have potential. Just, they ain't there yet.


Overall? Would NOT recommend.
If you REALLYYYY like JoongDunk and the chemistry, then go for it. Personally, I wouldn't waste your time. It just seemed like SIMM with different characters and with them in a debate club.

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Hidden Agenda???

I could do something productive rather than writing a review for this puppet show. I'm just venting it out. I don't mind if it's a platonic or non-platonic show. No kiss, No sex. I don't mind as long as it's enjoyable or bearable. I'm saying this because some fans would simply say " if you're that bored, Go watch porn"... Why I have to watch a BL drama, if I want cheap porn? If someone wants to watch explicit scenes, they can always directly go to a porn website. They don't have to search for a decent BL. It's simply the crazy fans who can't take negative comments, always bring up this meaningless argument.

Every year Thailand produces dozens of BL series, but only a few are watchable. One thing for sure, if it's a straight drama, they will get only a few viewers. So the production team knew well that they would get more views only if it's a BL. it's not like that they're supporting LGBT community. The companies are using BL fans pretty well to get more money. But I wonder where on earth did they get all the money to produce cheap and dumb shows. Its like gambling. Anyway I don't care. I truly hope that the production companies should stop making BL's for money and luring fans in.

When they introduced the JoongDunk couple, they resembled a lot like Sarawatine. Joong's acting is ok, better than Sarawat, but Zo's acting is nowhere close to Tine's performance in 2gether. I don't hate Dunk. But after reading lots of comments I felt the need to say that he has zero acting talent. He doesn't even know how to walk. He's good looking but he hasn't improved his acting skills yet. So far there's no improvement. he showed only limited expressions. Of course there's room for improvement but still he's not ready for a main role. It's a puppet show, so it doesn't matter if he can't act.

Some actors have natural born talent where they can make anything believable, it doesn’t matter even if they’re rookies, some actors need acting lessons to enhance their performance, and some will learn out of experience. But as for Dunk, I can’t say that he can improve after taking acting classes. To tell the truth, his acting is pretty bad. His facial expressions are emotionless. I can’t get connected emotionally with that character. This is just my opinion, based on what I watch onscreen. If he improves his acting skills, I would simply say he’s an amazing actor. But so far there’s none.

So why is this even named "Hidden Agenda", and what are they hiding? I wonder what's the story behind it.
It's probably nothing. They're cheating BL fans. If they release a new BL, of course I would watch it without thinking, but it's simply a production teams trap to get more views to get more money. Every time I fall for it without shame. Never mind. I'm forcing myself to watch this drama since it's a BL. maybe I'm a masochist. These days comment section has a better script and conflicts than the actual show. It's pretty amusing and entertaining than the original series. I always get excited if there's a new BL, but after watching this, I realized that I got excited for nothing.

This show has everything.??
Does this have a story?
Yes, It has a so-called script with almost everything, romance, betrayal, misunderstanding, lots of fluff and so on, but poorly written and it's extremely badly executed. It's very childish. Its also cringeworthy. It looked more like a child's play. This show has a high quality drama set with some kissing scenes.

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i love joongdunk with all my heart but i feel like this wasnt it 😭 lets just say if its not joongdunk, i honestly would not (??) watch this. very questionable storyline and like i dont get where its going like whats the main point. the first few episodes about Zo liking Nita and Joke being the third person were actually so investing, i feel like starting from there they could’ve just add more about it and not about those random debate club thing that doesnt really matter 😭 and then it started becoming a story about families like 😞⁉️ also jeng/pok or aou/boom NEEDS MORE SCREENTIME. they barely even get any screentime and i love them sm. i thought i would get more on the last episode but no 😭

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A disappointment.

This show is so disappointing. for start, I had liked the pilot, especially the activist plot that the side couple seemed to have, and the final product ended up being anything but what the pilot offered.

the acting are meh the ost is meh the story is all over the place and doesn't seem to be cohesive at all.

The relationship between Zo and Joke started with good communication and then it didn't because they needed drama between them. (at least they have chemistry, but a what cost?)

The side couple is the most painful thing about this show, criminally wasted potential, they went from having what seemed to be a promising subplot about a public and activist couple to the trope of a closeted soccer player and their screentime was nonexistent, so sad.

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A not so hidden Hidden Agenda

FINAL REVIEW:
TL; DR: I deeply regret watching this series, despite my love for JoongDunk and everything they do. Unfortunately, Hidden Agenda didn't showcase their full potential. While it may not be the absolute worst BL drama of 2023, it comes dangerously close to claiming that title. I made an effort to defend the series by highlighting a few well-done aspects (although there weren't many), but eventually became tired of its repetitive nature. Off-screen, JoongDunk has a natural and adorable chemistry that translates somewhat onto the screen. However, it becomes apparent that there isn't much variation or difference in their on-screen dynamic. Additionally, I can't help but notice several flaws in their acting abilities that could have been executed better. The storyline follows a basic trope similar to Star in My Mind and even incorporates some identical elements from there. Overall, both the script and acting left me feeling disappointed by the end of it all. Despite accepting these flaws and trying my best to overlook them, improvements are definitely needed. When comparing Hidden Agenda with GMMTV's concurrent airing BL series like Dangerous Romance and Only Friends, it falls short in terms of overall production quality. I am eagerly anticipating the release of JoongDunk's new series, but I hope they don't stick to their usual school-setting theme. I would love to see them explore more mature roles and storylines. Despite my review, I still encourage everyone to give it a chance and form their own opinions about it. Personally, I don't think it's terrible, but rather a perfect drama for those evenings when you're enjoying dinner or need some entertainment while working.

Full:
The series begins with Zo, a university student who has a crush on a girl named Nita. After mustering up the courage, Zo decides to pursue Nita and finds himself face-to-face with Joke, her ex-boyfriend. Despite their initial awkward encounter, Joke ends up helping Zo in his pursuit of Nita. However, as they spend more time together, Zo starts to question his own feelings. As time passes by, both Zo and Joke find themselves developing unexpected emotions for each other and eventually fall in love. Now as a couple, they navigate through various challenges that come their way. From dealing with family problems to misunderstandings within their relationship and even having to confront a stalker, they manage to overcome all difficulties thanks to their strong bond and unwavering love for one another.

When I first stumbled upon this series through an Instagram reel, I was immediately drawn in by its promising storyline. The initial episodes were enjoyable and left me wanting more. However, there were certain aspects that I felt could have been expanded upon or elaborated further. I do wish they expanded the enemies to lovers story, like the “Hidden Agenda” part of the story because the rest was not hidden. I found the pacing for the story at the beginning a bit too slow and towards the middle and near the end, it began either dragging a lot or too rushed. Episode 12 in particular was a disappointment for me, as everything felt rushed and I found myself losing track of what was happening. One major issue I had with the storytelling was why they chose to reveal Joke's backstory in episode 12. It would have made more sense to explore this earlier on and allow for better character development throughout. In terms of plot potential, there were glimpses of fresh takes, but overall it relied too heavily on familiar tropes that we've seen before. I really wanted to see more depth in the characters' relationship and witness their struggles firsthand. It would have been interesting if they delved deeper into their chemistry and showed us how they overcame obstacles together. However, any potential hidden agenda seemed to be revealed early on in just a few episodes, leaving much of what followed feeling like pure fluff. There is definitely room for improvement in the script of JoongDunk. Currently, it lacks depth and fails to offer significant variations or major developments. It's truly disappointing that such a talented cast like JoongDunk is given such a terrible script. How could something be so bad? The writing itself feels incredibly sloppy and unprofessional, making it challenging to decipher whether the show aims to tell a cohesive story or merely string together random scenes. It's disheartening because the concept behind JoongDunk is genuinely intriguing and has great potential. However, this potential remains untapped due to the lack of attention and care given to the execution of the script. With some improvements in terms of storytelling, character development, and overall coherence, this show could truly shine and captivate its audience. It deserves better than what it currently offers - a missed opportunity for greatness.

Now moving on to characters, the main focus is of course JokeZo. I must say that they do have fantastic chemistry, which adds an extra layer of depth to their performances. However, while their on-screen presence was good, it didn't completely captivate me. Don't get me wrong, the quality of their conversation was commendable as it showcased a more mature and honest dynamic between them. They truly helped each other overcome their insecurities in a way that felt authentic. One thing that stood out about JokeZo's relationship was the abundance of cute moments shared between them. From small hugs and kisses to those steamy NC scenes, these adorable interactions were enjoyable to watch and brought a smile to my face. Despite this, I couldn't help but wish for more development in JokeZo's relationship throughout the series. Let's talk about Dunk's acting skills. While I love his character portrayal overall, there are times when his acting comes off as cringe-worthy or slightly irritating. It seems like he tries too hard at times instead of just being natural and true to himself on-screen. Perhaps taking some acting workshops would greatly benefit him in honing his craft and delivering even better performances. Even though it's not good enough compared to Khaotung or others, I still believe that there have been noticeable improvements in his acting since Star in My Mind. While he used to rely on bland facial expressions, I now sense a greater range of emotions and feelings coming from him. However, there is still room for growth and development. One aspect that stands out is the chemistry between him and Joong. Their relationship feels natural and comfortable, which adds depth to their performances. Nevertheless, there are areas that require further attention. His facial expressions and body language could use some refinement in order to fully convey the intended emotions. To enhance his acting skills even more, he should dedicate time to practice regularly. By doing so, he can fine-tune his techniques and become a more polished actor. With continued guidance and support from experienced professionals, I am confident that he has the potential to excel even further in his career.

I have to express my overwhelming love for JengPok (AouBoom) - they are truly a remarkable pair. Ever since their appearance in Vice Versa, I have already drawn to them, but it is in Hidden Agenda where their chemistry and character development truly flourished. The story of JengPok is nothing short of beautiful, and what makes it even more special is that they started off as boyfriends right from the beginning! It didn't take long for me to become deeply attached to them; so much so that I found myself shedding tears during their scenes, especially those towards the end. Their acting skills are simply astonishing - I couldn't help but rewatch their scenes over and over again. In fact, I found myself watching more of JengPok than any other couple because they are outstanding actors who know how to captivate an audience. They flawlessly executed their roles and portrayed them with such authenticity that it's hard not to be completely mesmerized by their performances. AouBoom deserves nothing less than being the lead in a BL series. GMMTV, if you're listening, please give them this opportunity! With all my heart, I wish them immense success in all their future endeavours.

Overall, this series has been a source of enjoyment for me in the past. It became my go-to comfort zone on Sundays, providing a sense of relaxation and escapism. Despite its complicated and unorganized storyline, as well as some barely acceptable performances, I found myself overlooking these flaws because of the overall entertainment value it offered. However, one aspect that always caught my attention was the cinematography. While many may appreciate bright visuals in a show or movie, I often felt that the brightness level in this series was excessive. It sometimes even caused discomfort to my eyes while watching it. I couldn't help but wonder if this intentional choice by the creators or just an unfortunate coincidence from the colorist's perspective. Regardless of whether it was intentional or not, this particular aspect added an extra layer to my viewing experience. It made me question and ponder over artistic choices within the show itself. Perhaps there is a deeper meaning behind the overly bright cinematography that adds to its narrative or thematic elements. In conclusion, despite its flaws and occasional eye-straining cinematography choices, this series managed to captivate me with its overall appeal and served as a reliable source of Sunday entertainment. I'll still miss everyone, Joke, Zo, Jeng, Pok, Nita, and how could I not forget, Grandma! You were one of the things that I continued to stay. That's it, my journey on Hidden Agenda ends here, farewell.

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standard Thai romcom

Overall: I would call this an old school Thai BL and wish they had changed a few things to make it feel more fresh. 12 episodes about 45 minutes each. Aired on GMMTV's YouTube channel. If I were to re-watch I would start at episode 4, skip 5, 6, and 7, watch 8/2 2 min and the end of ep 8 thru 11, and episode 12 part 4.

Content Warnings: stalking, vomiting, punches, manhandling, manipulation

What I Liked
- the intro animation was unique though it didn't grab my attention
- Joke's dream
- cute/sweet moments
- that they both talked about the importance of boundaries and communication (but then both didn't take this advice at various points)
- an established couple with a realistic problem, wish they had more screentime
- Zo's friends
- the grandma
- kissing/intimacy

Room For Improvement
- Joke's approach/"plan" made no sense to me
- poorly written plot such as the stalking plotline, the Joke backstory in the final episode, the 3rd couple?/friends? introduced almost at the end with no real resolution
- why did Joke like Zo there wasn't even a love at first sight
- very tropey (2 accidental falls in one episode for example)
- pacing was off at times, series could have been fewer episodes
- a "makeover" where they took away his adorable glasses (and in total contradiction, Joke said to stay true to himself)
- talking about owing Joke
- non realistic debate stuff, and then the debate stuff in general
- choppy at times (episode 5 was suddenly the next day)
- (neutral) comedy sound effects

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It started well, but then .....

Yes, the first 4 episodes did excite me, and started to wonder where the hidden agenda was. Ok, i got it. Then afterwards, it became boring and the story seems to be dragging with no excitement at all except for their cute faces. I like Joong, but didnt quite like the character Joke, who is sort of dominating and possessive in a non-aggressive way. As of Dunk, I think he could have done better. How come he was so expressive in episode 1 when doing a story telling session with an animation, but then his acting and expression became monotonous?. Not sure if i wanted to continue to the end, but oh well, I've reached episode 10 anyway/

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