The term Enemies-to-Lovers describes a narrative arc in which protagonists begin as sworn enemies or adversaries, only to gradually discover a deeper connection that transcends the initial animosity.
A common pretext in romantic movies and series is the enmity between the protagonists to end up together in an enviable love story.
Although it is a cliché, some dramatized have become classics of film and television for showing that there is only one step from hate to love.
'Big Dragon' is one of those stories in which the protagonists appear to be polar opposites and end up attracted by a chemistry produced throughout the series.
This 2022 LGBTIQ+ themed Thai romantic comedy-drama is directed by Puwadon Naosopa in his debut as a drama director and writer after directing the special 'Secret Theory of Kissing' two years earlier, who co-wrote the script with Boy Mitpracha Outtaros. Both acknowledge that the decision to explore homosexual romance comes in response to what fans wanted. They wanted to "redress the balance" and write a typical romantic comedy, but with young gay people.
The creators bring to life a romantic story, in which everything happens in a more realistic way. It is a story about the search for human connections, about discovery, about acceptance, about the difficulty of discovering one's identity and finding a place in the world, and someone to share it all with. In short, it is about young people who want to be something more and who embark on a clear transformative journey.
However, what began as a natural dislike between the two gradually turns into romance, which is complicated due to Mangkorn's father's wishes for his son to marry his childhood friend's daughter and the pressure Yai has a family relationship with a dead mother and an absent father and now in a new relationship that Yai opposes for the wrong reasons.
What makes romantic comedies so irresistible? Is it the certainty that its structure, already quite well known, gives to the viewer? Or is it the joy we get from seeing two people we know are made for each other fall in love on screen? For whatever reason, through romcoms we have been shown many of the dynamics of falling in love and romance, which is why it is appreciated that in more recent years their stories are about more diverse groups than the typical heterosexual white couple.
'Big Dragon' is an example of this: a beautiful romance between two young adults separated by their social contexts.
It is beautiful how they live, separately and in different ways, the process of accepting homosexuality, denying that they like a person of the same sex, stating that what happened between them was motivated by alcohol and drugs, asking friends for guidance, looking for women as a way to confirm heterosexuality, or even getting into fist fights.
Based on the best-selling Thai PG-18 novel of the same name by Aiden N Vivienne, the series stars Mos Panuwat Sopradit and Bank Mondop Heamtan, as Mangkorn, and Yai, respectively.
Mangkorn is a fifth-year architecture student, attractive and confident. Yai is a rich, self-centered and spoiled student at the same university, but majoring in Business Administration. Both have the power to cast a spell on the public with just a look.
Yai believes that Mangkorn is his romantic rival, imagining that he is also in love with the girl he likes. So he seeks to make him look ridiculous. One night, at his father's newly inherited pub, Yai and Mangkorn drink together. His nefarious plans fail due to the mistake of his bodyguards, whom he had ordered to mix something in Mangkorn's drink. This is how he and Mangkorn end up spending a night of wild sex together.
When he wakes up, he discovers that Mangkorn has taken the images of the hot sexual encounter between the two. Realizing that he has been outwitted and now his prestige is in the hands of Mangkorn, who could do the same thing he planned to publish the video to take revenge, Yai vents his anger in the pub.
He hopes to forget what happened between them. So, he requests the services of an architecture company to carry out renovations to the premises with the intention of erasing the memories of the sinful night, but he soon discovers that one of the members of the team of hired designers is the person he wants to forget.
The new frictions that arise from having to see each other frequently lead them to start a romance and discover their sexuality together. What they did not expect is that feelings stronger than hatred would arise between them. The classic romantic trope of "enemies to lovers" becomes relevant when two presumably heterosexual young people are involved.
Just like the dragon and the tiger, the two couldn't be more at odds with each other. But their destinies become inseparably intertwined, leaving resentments behind and managing to turn their hostility into love.
The tumultuous relationship will cause both boys to find love for the first time in their lives, in addition to growing as human beings.
'Big Dragon' sounds like fan fiction and looks like it too. However, as in any worthwhile romance, the director gets us to support the transition from cheeky couple of rivals to boyfriends, before becoming bed partners. Puwadon Naosopa is supported, and convincingly so, by the cinematographer, who portrays the protagonists with such adoration, that you almost expect them, between kisses and sensual moans in the frequent sexual encounters, to turn towards the camera and promote a bottle of perfume.
Queer romantic narratives have found a solid place in BL series and this drama is positioned as a testament to this advancement.
There is a bit of a twist in everything, since the situation is somewhat complicated for the two protagonists, but in the end it is one of those stories that leave you with a good taste in your mouth, and lifts your spirits, in addition to the strong chemistry of the two boys and the solid performances of a debutant Mos and Bank in his first leading role, for the brilliant visual effects, its majestic soundtrack and the greatness of the cinematographic skill.
It is truly an irresistible couple between Thai actor Mos Panuwat Sopradit and Thai-American singer ISBANKY, who also lends his voice to sing "Dancing with the Devil", the main theme of the series, and "Just Smile".
In the technical section, the weight falls almost entirely on the development of the relationship and charisma of its stars, who are surrounded by a luxurious and aspirational dreamlike environment.
The series is also packed with enough romantic tropes to bring together that fuzzy, familiar feeling of any formulaic on-screen love story. There are 'enemies to lovers', 'opposites attract', 'forbidden romance', 'he fell in love first, but he fell in love harder' and in the endings a 'pen pals/lovers' interlude.
The main strength of 'Big Dragon' is Mondop Heamtan, whose charming performance is helped by the fact that he has most of the best lines and manages to border on being arrogant without becoming conceited.
The sincere but impetuous Mangkorn is a more difficult role, but Mos Panuwat Sopradit manages to give the role enough gravitas to achieve dialogue like "I want to stay here with you. And one more thing: I've wanted to fix things with my family. No I can run away from the problem forever."
The story embraces and demonstrates that the growth of queer young adult fiction reflects a generational shift toward a more open and inclusive attitude toward gender diversity and sexual orientation.
Historically in romance, queer characters have been unhappy, or even killed off. However, in 'Big Dragon', homosexuality leads to happiness.
Mangkorn and Yai not only have the possibility of beginning a journey that will lead them to experience a true individual transformation by falling in love: they give voice to the desires of queer and diverse young people who want to see a "happily ever after" represented on screen that resembles them.
Puwadon Naosopa understands that the key to success for any romantic comedy-drama is the chemistry between its protagonists, something that Mondop Heamtan ISBANKY and Panuwat Sopradit have plenty of. Although they are both very attractive, this is not enough when it comes to presenting a successful on-screen romance: we have had countless examples of unconvincing gorgeous couples in film and television. However, that is not the case here, since both prove to be good romantic interests and this work has been the first in which they have been able to exploit their gifts as romantic protagonists, and which have subsequently been able to give them new dimensions in other dramas, such as ' SunsetxVibes' and 'Y Journey: Stay Like a Local'
Despite social pressures, jealousy, the presence of a new love interest who will try to come between the two, the need to separate for student reasons, the relationship between the two develops organically and gradually: the romance is credible and you melts the heart.
The social context also adds a credible burden of difficulties while helping to develop their characters beyond the romantic relationship. Although the conventions of the romantic comedy are followed to the letter (something very typical of the genre), its characters and situations move away from clichés. There is also an honest approach to homosexual desire, the interactions in sex between two men and the conflicts of expressing their love in an environment guided by appearances and heteronormativity.
Thanks to the charisma, tenderness and attractiveness of its protagonists, its social context and irresistible romantic plot, 'Big Dragon is a charming love series made for fans of this type of content. It doesn't break much of the mold in terms of its structure, but its characters and situations are unique enough to avoid falling into stereotypes. As far as modern romantic comedy-drama goes, it has my vote.