Everyone seems to be on the same page here about this series.

Another d*mn reboot. Why the Thai BL industry thinks this is cool is beyond me. Nearly every BL uses all the same tropes, enemies to lovers, high school crushes to college lovers, naive innocent nerd and popular elder classmate, Campus Moons, etc. So if you're going to make a series with all these tropes (especially if you're doing it with an entirely new cast), why not just create a new story - rather than force us to watch the same characters in the same scenes, with the same outcomes. If I wanted to see Pha and Wayo in EXACTLY the same story, I'd just go back and re-watch S1 (ps: I don't). I asked this in the comments section, but I'll ask it again here -- does the Thai TV industry do this with hetero series? Or do they feel that only the BL audience is pathetic enough to feed the same sh*t twice and call it S2? So frustrating.

That said, I found S2 much better than S1. I hated S1. The only thing I liked were all the side characters, but virtually everything else about it was horrible. Here, they suffer from the same casting issues... the two main characters are the least interesting and least charismatic of the actors and the side characters and actors are all much better and more interesting to watch. But thankfully, it's not as cloying and melodramatic. The pacing is much better and the direction is serviceable, although not memorable, but at times the cinematography felt phoned in.

The story is the same as S1. Yes, they truncate a lot of the action into fewer episodes, so they can focus more on the 2nd and 3rd couples, but even some of that is just a retread of S1. Is it compelling, interesting, fresh? No. It's all the same we've seen in every other BL as well. By shortening the MC's story, they actually removed some of the drama and conflict that occurred between the two. Both side couples have the same story. One aggressive pursuer, the other initially reluctant. There aren't any real conflicts between the two side couples. They introduce some drama and conflict late in the series when Pring and Park stir up trouble, but it's over and easily resolved. All that to say, don't come for the story.

There are plenty of questionable story choices. Wayo asking Park to the movies is so far out of character it makes no sense. Kit's got conservative Chinese parents, but he brings Ming home with him. Kit's brother's about-face in one evening. Beam's sudden attraction to Kit. But everything flies by in a flash and there is so little real weight given to any moment that none of it was horrible.

However, I wish the producers looked a bit harder at some of the messages they send. Pha is possessive with clear anger issues. I'm not a fan of people saying things like "you belong to me" and telling their boyfriends they can't do things without approval. People are not objects to be owned, and they have outside relationships that should be allowed to continue. Get jealous if you need to, but allow your BF to have his own life. Were these novels written in the 50s? Ming is too aggressive. Kit tells him countless times to back off, but he doesn't. Yes, that's their story - but what kind of a message does it send? Stalk people and eventually you'll wear them down? Forth is not quite as bad/aggressive, pursuing Beam, but maybe they could have tried to tell two different types of love stories, instead of just the same story with different characters.

The one thing I did enjoy this time around was the Angel Gang. There are some moments where they are treated as comic relief, but for the most part they are accepted by everyone (of course, everyone in this entire series is gay, so maybe that's why). They act as good friends, protectors and even help resolve some of the conflict. While they are stereotypes with no real dimension, they are not played with just the right amount of "over-the-top" qualities. I actually wanted to know them all more (c'mon... who wouldn't watch the twins in a ship with Ming?)

It's the incredibly handsome cast you should come and see. Again, the MC are the least appealling, but Ming, Kit and Forth are all worth watching. Wayo is horrible. He doesn't fit this character at all. There was nothing natural about his performance. Pha has some minor appeal. He's not an actor I would cast in a lead soon, but I think he can grow into a decent actor (He reminds me a lot of the actor Marc who plays Itt in MGAYG.). Ming is just adorable. Quite charming and obviously can do a lot more. And he's got a bit of a belly (at least from what I can tell). I love a funny boy with an average bod! Kit is my ideal. I would so fall for this guy IRL. I know some did not care for his acting, but I found it believable. He has a tough job playing the "i'm pretending to be angry while I'm secretly melting inside" and I thought he toed that line quite well. Even Beam is good, with the little he's got. Yes, his sudden attraction to Kit comes from out of nowhere, but you can't blame the actor for bad writing. Both Beam and Kit are so cute when they are being flirted with and trying to hide their excitement. Those sweet moments were everything. But Forth is the stand-out. This guy is destined to be a BIG STAR.

Here's another question... are any of these actors 100% Thai? Many of them didn't even look Asian. I know this is a big issue with Thai and all Asian entertainment... the light skinned, mixed race-looking actors are promoted above the more indigenous looking actors. But honestly, this cast could have been from Europe.

I enjoyed the intimacy. I admit, I do watch these series with the hopes of seeing boys kissing (even just a little peck is fine). Yes, I want great characters and a good story, but a little steam never hurts. Pha and Yo at least seem like a real couple. There is some decent chemistry between the two. And while Yo is that odd character who remains freaked out about intimacy long after they are a couple (even though he's been lusting after Pha for YEARS... like he hasn't imagined them kissing or having sex before!) I felt they handled the first sex scene well and even appreciated cutting away before any clothes were removed. I could loop the moment where Yo comes out of the shower in a towel to find Pha and Forth staring at him. I was thankful they actually acknowledged that boys have sex with Forth and Beam, and that sometimes you have sex for the wrong reasons, and that sometimes you have sex on the first night and that sometimes that can lead to actual feelings. That's real. It was laughable when Beam climbed into the hospital bed with Forth, but I forgave that moment, since it was so late in the series and I knew they had to ship these two before the lights faded out.

All in all, a piece o light, retreaded cliche fluff that I still enjoyed. I won't watch it again. It's just not compelling enough. But nothing angered me here. It feels more like great background tv while I'm doing chores than something that requires all my attention. I hope there is no S3.