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A heartwarming and melodramatic period romance held back by pacing and too much codependency.
I just want to start off by saying I genuinely think 16 episodes was way too much for this show considering the theme and conflicts it had. It left a lot of room to explore Anin and Pin's relationship which was a huge upside not a lot of GL couples get a chance to do with the number of episodes given to most shows, but in terms of plot progression, it felt dragged. It only managed to truly entertain me during the first and last 3 episodes in terms of the plot. However, we clearly got a depiction of AninPin’s love fulfilling the Love or Romance aspect in GL because of its length, so no complains there. It was such a joy to see AninPin’s love. I absolutely loved their love in this series.
The Loyal Pin gave us another GL trope to be added in the GL trope bingo which is childhood friends to lovers. Can I just say how happy and giddy I was for all the childhood moments shown in the show? I used to have a favorite show when I was a kid (it was hetero) that had a childhood friends to lovers trope and I loved how it made me feel before. Now, The Loyal Pin delivered the same warm and fuzzy feeling to me and that's pretty much a testament to how good first part of the show is, in my opinion.
Let me start off with how well FreenBecky was able to put a distinction between childhood AninPin who genuinely saw each other as best friends without regarding the possibility of a romantic relationship and adult AninPin who realized they could be more than friends and that their feelings could lead them to where they want to be with each other. I think it’s a great marker of the great acting this show had.
Now, let me tackle what what I love about this show: 1) The dynamics AninPin displayed such as the serious x mischievous dynamic, teaser x easily flustered, & oblivious/clueless x flirty 2) FreenBecky's commitment to the characteristics of AninPin. Freen delivered Pin's suppression of feelings really well, while Becky did so well in delivering Anin's cheekiness and whipped nature for Pin. 3) All the sweet AninPin moments that added to their lovestory and depth as a couple. Not all GL shows get a chance to display their main characters’ love in the same level as The Loyal Pin because of short episodes forcing conflicts to take over the story, so it’s definitely one of the things I loved about this show. 4) Prik. Hilarious ass character. Always count on Nam to deliver the best comedy in GL. Love how they softened up the comedic parts though instead of it being all up in your face and loud about it in GAP. 4) How they’re unapologetic about the love scenes. Execution is always top tier as well. To be expected from FreenBecky.
One downside of this series is that it's not particularly beginner-friendly for those new to the GL genre. For someone who's never delved into GL content, recommending The Loyal Pin as a starting point might be overwhelming. The cultural nuances, combined with the series' considerable length of 16 episodes, could present a significant challenge to first-time viewers. They might struggle to fully grasp or appreciate the dynamics and emotional depth without prior exposure to similar narratives.
However, this characteristic isn't much of a negative, it's actually a key reason why the show resonates so powerfully. The extended runtime allows for a deeper, more immersive exploration of Anin and Pin's relationship, giving their love story the time and space to develop organically. This immersion is precisely what makes the series impactful, as viewers can connect more profoundly with the characters and their journey. In many ways, this depth and authenticity make The Loyal Pin a gem in the GL genre, even if it might not be the ideal gateway series.
Not only this, I’ve developed such a deep appreciation for Thai culture after watching this. Which I understand is from their partnership with Thai embassy. It’s just that this also meant it felt like this entire dragged 16 episode ad for Thailand and its culture, which would have not been a problem if only they added more engaging aspects to the plot which would have made watching it easier instead of it being so linear that causes it to be a slow watch.
Lastly, AninPin being way too codependent ruined things for me. The constant jealousy over the same people was a bit too much for my liking. Them not developing outside of their relationship in the series also was a lacking factor. Aside from each other, they have no other motivators which again goes back to their codependency and why it was a problem for me. Having to keep witnessing Anin having to leave for somewhere over and over again and Pin being devastated to be used as an ingredient for angst was another dragging and boring factor for me.
Despite all the downers I had, I grew to appreciate this show a lot. It healed a huge part of me with its great execution of acceptance from Anin's family and Pin's aunt. Something I found to be a signature by Idol Factory by now considering the impactful closure they did with GAP as well. The Loyal Pin is a gem worth trying to watch especially if you're into period drama and melodrama.
2024 GL Ranking: https://mydramalist.com/list/Ln8MOBO4
My Top 10 GLs of All Time: https://mydramalist.com/list/4vGQqnb1
The Loyal Pin gave us another GL trope to be added in the GL trope bingo which is childhood friends to lovers. Can I just say how happy and giddy I was for all the childhood moments shown in the show? I used to have a favorite show when I was a kid (it was hetero) that had a childhood friends to lovers trope and I loved how it made me feel before. Now, The Loyal Pin delivered the same warm and fuzzy feeling to me and that's pretty much a testament to how good first part of the show is, in my opinion.
Let me start off with how well FreenBecky was able to put a distinction between childhood AninPin who genuinely saw each other as best friends without regarding the possibility of a romantic relationship and adult AninPin who realized they could be more than friends and that their feelings could lead them to where they want to be with each other. I think it’s a great marker of the great acting this show had.
Now, let me tackle what what I love about this show: 1) The dynamics AninPin displayed such as the serious x mischievous dynamic, teaser x easily flustered, & oblivious/clueless x flirty 2) FreenBecky's commitment to the characteristics of AninPin. Freen delivered Pin's suppression of feelings really well, while Becky did so well in delivering Anin's cheekiness and whipped nature for Pin. 3) All the sweet AninPin moments that added to their lovestory and depth as a couple. Not all GL shows get a chance to display their main characters’ love in the same level as The Loyal Pin because of short episodes forcing conflicts to take over the story, so it’s definitely one of the things I loved about this show. 4) Prik. Hilarious ass character. Always count on Nam to deliver the best comedy in GL. Love how they softened up the comedic parts though instead of it being all up in your face and loud about it in GAP. 4) How they’re unapologetic about the love scenes. Execution is always top tier as well. To be expected from FreenBecky.
One downside of this series is that it's not particularly beginner-friendly for those new to the GL genre. For someone who's never delved into GL content, recommending The Loyal Pin as a starting point might be overwhelming. The cultural nuances, combined with the series' considerable length of 16 episodes, could present a significant challenge to first-time viewers. They might struggle to fully grasp or appreciate the dynamics and emotional depth without prior exposure to similar narratives.
However, this characteristic isn't much of a negative, it's actually a key reason why the show resonates so powerfully. The extended runtime allows for a deeper, more immersive exploration of Anin and Pin's relationship, giving their love story the time and space to develop organically. This immersion is precisely what makes the series impactful, as viewers can connect more profoundly with the characters and their journey. In many ways, this depth and authenticity make The Loyal Pin a gem in the GL genre, even if it might not be the ideal gateway series.
Not only this, I’ve developed such a deep appreciation for Thai culture after watching this. Which I understand is from their partnership with Thai embassy. It’s just that this also meant it felt like this entire dragged 16 episode ad for Thailand and its culture, which would have not been a problem if only they added more engaging aspects to the plot which would have made watching it easier instead of it being so linear that causes it to be a slow watch.
Lastly, AninPin being way too codependent ruined things for me. The constant jealousy over the same people was a bit too much for my liking. Them not developing outside of their relationship in the series also was a lacking factor. Aside from each other, they have no other motivators which again goes back to their codependency and why it was a problem for me. Having to keep witnessing Anin having to leave for somewhere over and over again and Pin being devastated to be used as an ingredient for angst was another dragging and boring factor for me.
Despite all the downers I had, I grew to appreciate this show a lot. It healed a huge part of me with its great execution of acceptance from Anin's family and Pin's aunt. Something I found to be a signature by Idol Factory by now considering the impactful closure they did with GAP as well. The Loyal Pin is a gem worth trying to watch especially if you're into period drama and melodrama.
2024 GL Ranking: https://mydramalist.com/list/Ln8MOBO4
My Top 10 GLs of All Time: https://mydramalist.com/list/4vGQqnb1
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