Although the series begins on a somewhat dramatic note, with two university students involved in a fight that leads to the inevitable hospital medical attention of one of them after receiving a blow, the story, in a fast, colorful and fun way, shows us, in tone of a youthful romantic comedy, one of the love plots between boys, set in a university, like the ones we are used to in BL series.
After the painting that is ready to be sent to an exhibition after sleepless nights becomes useless when it is hit by a soccer ball, Pheem will confront Phum, the extroverted and popular, but arrogant university soccer player, guilty of the mess, and in a burst of anger hits him.
Phum then demands compensation from him. But since the mischievous and playful second-year Fine Arts student, who dreams of one day having an art gallery in which to exhibit his own works, cannot pay the medical bills, they will ask him to be at their service and attend to all their needs. whims. But there will be a pact between the two: "No one will ever be able to know that one is a slave and the other is a master."
But Pheem will also demand that the "punishment" not last two months, but until he finishes redoing the damaged painting.
Thus begins the story of Peem and Phum, the protagonists of the Thai series 'We Are', an adaptation of Parawi's novel of the same name.
When the future civil engineer, embarrassed by having been beaten in front of others, begins a plan of revenge against Pheem, at the same time as his demands as a master increase, his feelings begin to slowly grow.
The series draws a parallel between the story that the protagonists live and the story of Penelope, one of the characters in "The Odyssey", the Greek epic poem composed of 24 songs, attributed to the Greek poet Homer.
Penelope uses her cunning and promises, against her will, that she would choose one of her suitors to marry when she finishes weaving the shroud of old Laertes, Odysseus's father. However, what none of those interested in becoming king of Ithaca suspected was that he would never finish it, since although he dedicated himself to weaving it during the day, he also undid it at night.
Peem, also forced to accept a pact with which he does not agree, also uses cunning and the ability to deceive as weapons, and decides not to acknowledge that he has finished painting the painting while waiting to be clear about his feelings regarding Phum. That is to say, Penelope and Peem have a well-kept secret.
In both the series and in the myth of Penelope, "waiting" is the common element, the epic on which both stories revolve. A variation: one undoes what was built, the other denies having built.
Another element they have in common is that concerning deception: both Penelope's and Peem's will be discovered by their suitors.
It is true that Peem's emotional conflicts are modern (it could not be otherwise), but this does not mean that a parallel is made with a classical Greek legend.
A story as short as 'We Are' cannot span as much time as the myth of Penelope. She spent two decades waiting for Ulysses from the time he left for war until his return, but only four years from when the suitors began to stalk her. The pact proposed by Phum, instead of two decades, is two months.
Penelope has several suitors. In Kluem, Peem also has suitors. Peem, like Penelope, cannot avoid her lovers, but as soon as Phum stubs her finger, she abandons her suitor and goes to take care of her Ulysses.
Penelope's story speaks of a woman who represents fidelity and self-sacrifice, but also of a woman who waits, idealizing a situation that will probably never arrive. There is nothing closer to Peem's dreams and desires in his waiting.
Penelope and Peem are archetypal characters. That is, they synthesize a series of values ​​and skills that make them the ideals of being for a society. The creators of 'We Are' are aware of the need for people like Peem in the fight against discrimination and exclusion faced by members of the Thai LGBTIQ community.
As for the ending of the story, there are different versions about it. The most widespread, and the one we like to hear the most, says that "they lived happily ever after." I have no doubt it will be the same ending for our two protagonists.
If we change the names of the myth for those of the protagonists of the series and the poetry for the painting, we better understand 'We Are', especially the moment in which Phum discovers the painted painting: «Did you tell me that you haven't finished it because do you want to have me close? You also didn't agree to cancel our deal. You like me?".
The world is small and a university is even smaller. Being students at the same university, faced every day in their status as master-slave, leads the two young people to collide with each other again and again until both boys fall in love.
Phum's affectionate and tender behavior, the constant emission of "doubtful" vibrations, the sexual tensions created around the two, have not gone unnoticed by Pheem, who feels attracted to his "master" from the moment he meets him. known.
In that daily struggle of who dominates who, underneath it all, the two have begun, perhaps without realizing it, as an involuntary act, to take care of each other.
Through the eyes of Pheem, the main narrator, the viewer will be able to enjoy the birth and evolution of the romance between two a priori incompatible people who, however, enter into a love relationship that, like all relationships, has a lot of imperfections, but this It will not discourage them in their efforts to find happiness side by side.
The main arc of the series begins in the usual youth romantic comedy style, with the boys' characteristic pranks; studies, which we are sometimes terrible at; falling in love, which in many cases is the first in life; coming of age, the transition from adolescence to early youth, the joys and difficulties that young people must face, friends who ignore us or, on the contrary, annoy us to no end, but are always present with his wise advice; the song that seems to save us time and time again from "sinking", the parents who do not understand us, the work that will come (or not) in the future, the differences in social classes... all these themes used mainly in function to provoke laughter, but also to make you reflect.
Starring PondPhuwin, a ship formed by actors Naravit Lertratkosum, who plays Phum, and Phuwin Tangsakyuen, in the role of Pheem, whom we have already seen together in 'Fish Upon The Sky', 'Never Let Me Go' and more recently In 'Our Skyy 2', the drama brings us characters with the classic cliché of "strangers to friends and friends to lovers." Phum and Pheem are two beings who are finding themselves and discovering their most intimate desires.
But theirs will not be the only romance. In addition to Phum and Pheem, as a bonus, we have the expected secondary romance between WimmySatang, a couple made up of Thanawin Pholcharoenrat (Winny), as Q, the mentor, and Kittipop Sereevichayasawat (Satang), as Toey, the apprentice, who in 'My School President' left us wanting more.
Q, Pheem's best friend and who likes to sing in a night bar, has been Toey's inspiration to decide to study Fine Arts. Secretly, he has been in love with the final year student of that major for some time. Admiring his talent and personality has led him to love him, but Q is unable to see the signs that are constantly coming to him. Will Toey have the chance to confess his love? Has Q really been so blind? These two will also have an agreement: Q will demand from Toey: "Don't tell anyone that you are my apprentice."
And also a third BL romance, that of AouBoom, a duo made up of Thanaboon Kiatniran (Aou), as Tan, the cheerful Engineering student, and Tharatorn Jantharaworakarn (Boom), as Khaofang, a sensitive and shy young man from the Faculty of architecture. In this relationship, Tan will ask Phum to help him flirt with his brother in exchange for the location where he can find Pheem. And Phum, despite initially telling him that he is not the ideal boyfriend for his brother, will give in to his friend's proposal in order to take revenge for the humiliation received.
There will also be a fourth romance: that of MarcPoon, the duo made up of Natarit Worakornlertsith (Marc), as Shane, and Poon Mitpakdee, as Pun. This relationship deepens as the two friends grow closer and get to know each other even more as they try to trick Q into believing that Shane is in love with Toey, in order to get him to declare his love. Although these three couples are secondary, they manage to win the hearts of the viewers.
The series highlights the different side of each of the four couples, their journey of discovery and acceptance. The eight young people will not fail to make you fall in love. As you get to know the four couples and see how the relationship between them evolves, you will be able to decide which one has stolen your heart the most and why.
With a vast body of work within the genre, with titles such as 'Love by Chance', 'Until We Meet Again' and 'Make It Right', among many others, the director, screenwriter and actor Siwaj Sawatmaneekul (New), gives us one of those romantic series that have the stigma that, despite their multiple flaws, they are products that are easy to devour and that seduce all audiences, due to their light, tender and addictive packaging.
Modern, real, entertaining and, above all, addictive, this series joins others with themes of first youth and first love, with the university as its setting, which has always had a negative connotation, since many ( (not to say all of us) it is difficult for us to admit that we have become hooked on some of these dramas, due to their ability to entertain the viewer from beginning to end.