Love Sick: The Series (2014)

A little late to the game, but I just finished Season 1 of this series (for those in the U.S., it's available on Netflix). Overall, I'd say this is a good drama, notwithstanding the fact that it deals with themes we see repeatedly in the LGBT genre. Here, we primarily follow high school students Phun and Noh as they work through their sexualities and feelings for one another, a journey that takes up most of Season 1. Both actors portrayed their characters and their struggles well. Although the kiss scene sucked (don't watch this for that), it is through portraying the small, subtle details where these boys shined. Be it the exchange of soft looks, holding one another in private, or reaching for the other's hand during times of confusion and turmoil, these small actions conveyed the passion and yearning that Phun and Noh had for one another. They made the story all the more beautiful and tender.

Regarding other characters, I liked the group of guys that made up Noh's gang, and it was fun to see them interacting with one another. They gave off natural 16-year-old-boy vibes without the immaturity of Make It Right. I also really liked Earn, and hope to see more of him in Season 2. Though not given much screen time, he stood out to me because of his virtue and confidence. When the all-male school hosted cheerleader tryouts, he steadfastly supported the ladyboys and more effeminate students who worked so hard to make the spots. Time and again, he stood up to the more conservative students and culture who pushed back, proving himself to be a good person and ally.

The main female characters leave me feeling mixed. I hated Yuri, Noh's girlfriend, and I groaned every time her whiny voice filled the screen. I didn't mind Aim, Phun's girlfriend; she didn't have many parts and didn't really play the villain, though I'm expecting this to change in Season 2. And sweet Pang, Phun's sister. She is me, right down to the BL addiction and Viewfinder manga.

Aside from Phun and Noh, there are a couple of other non-BL couples that honestly, aren't really worth mentioning. Both couples had potentially interesting story lines, but so little screen time was given to them that their stories felt either rushed or pointless. It's not a deal-breaker, as I didn't really care about either of them, but it left my wondering why there were even included as they didn't really add to the main story at all, nor did they really have any meaningful interaction with the main characters. You could remove their scenes entirely and still have a complete drama.

Going back to the story and plot, again, nothing new to this genre, but it was executed beautifully. It felt very real and raw, different from the lighthearted fluff you see in a lot of other dramas. I thought the pacing was good, and I'm looking forward to what's coming next in Season 2.

Leer más

It's 2020 and there are many amazing BLs out there but Lovesick remains my absolute favorite. Lovesick is one of first BLs and can be known as a legend in the BL world. The ost is is so good everyone in the BL world should know its ost. With that said, though I love Lovesick I agree that it isn't the best one out there. The story is bland in a way and there isn't much action but you got to remember this was made in 2014 as one of the first BLs so of course there's less possibility for this series. The first episode can be overwhelming because they just throw the whole main cast in our face but it gets good I promise. It follows the friendship and love between two high school boys who are still confused with their own lives. I've grown to love the cast so much especially Captain. The boy glowed up so beautifully.

Leer más

I find it puzzling to call this a boy love series although its true the two protagonists are boys. As Noh says " I am not gay I just love one guy" or something like that; This is a love story about following your heart and not about pigeon holes like gay straight etc. Its an age old story that happens in almost every highschool in the world.
I read the novella on line and found it was not nearly as good as the tv series. Mostly it was tediously long. many good scenes between acres of writing that is mostly filler. But Chonlathorn Kongyingyong (Captain) is badly under rated in his performance of by far the most real life sized character in this series, not surprising though as the book is written in the first person as Noh. This is about him and his journey through the mine field we all navigate in high school. He does not fit any preconceived notions of gay straight etc which is the most refreshing and most important message this series has to offer. Let me repeat this is the most important concept of the series. Its about not falling into the old cleche about gay straight. If he thinks he is gay then he will identify with all that gay cullture tells him he should be which in the end is every bit as much a prison as any of the convenient lables/
This is not for me a bl show its a show about being yourself and to hell with the labels
As awkward and amature the cast is they are believably high schoolers. Nohs character is by far the most believable. I feel his pain his wonder his confusion
brovo for that performance Chonlathorn Kongyingyong (Captain) your my hero for creating Noh who I find so easy to love/
John

Leer más

The Show That Started It All

In episode 8 of Love Sick, Noh asks Phun, "If we ignored everything and forgot about who we are, what would you want to do?" Phun's answer to this question changes the path of their lives forever.
If you enjoy watching the explosion of BL series out there today, you must watch Love Sick. This is the show that launched a genre, the careers of many young actors (you'll be amazed at how many people you recognize...and they're so young!), and that of the singer of the theme song Shake, Boy Sompob.
The show is long with 48 episodes (you can't watch season one without watching season two...nothing is resolved at the end of one) and it has a large cast and several sprawling plot lines. At the center of it all is the development of the purest, most innocent love story I've ever watched unfold between two people of any gender.
As mentioned in other reviews, the actors are young and inexperienced. Unlike western high school dramas, these actors really are teens. To me, this lends authenticity to their actions and makes the story very believable with all of its confusing emotions and stumbling along the way.
Some of the characters do get annoying (Yuri for God's sake), but the journey is well worth it. In the last few episodes it all comes together, and the bird cage scene in the final episode is my favorite ending of any BL, I was just bawling.
After completing Love Sick, be sure to watch ReminderS, the short three episode mini-series where we catch up with Noh and Phun grown up and now in university.
Love Sick literally wrote the book on Thai BL series and will remain a classic for years. I'm sure you'll love it.

Leer más

This is my favorite Bl drama and one of my favorite dramas in general. The setup is pretty cliched but it works because you can feel how the characters fall for each other. The actors in this drama did not have much experience but I felt that it added to their performance of young teenage boys who are confused, love each other, and become inextricably attached. The title for this show perfectly encapsulates this show. The characters Phun and Noh become lovesick. Their feelings for each other eat them up inside and they crave each other and even though there is a terrible amount of censoring you can feel the sexual and LOVE tension. haha.

***Spoilers***

Phun is going out with Aim. They've been together for several years. An acquaintance of his rushes in to see someone from the student council because of a problem with the budget. The only one in the room when Noh enters is Phun who is the student council secretary. Noh has a big budget problem and asks if there is anyway Phun can help. Phun promises to help if Noh becomes his boyfriend. And this is the start of their story. The first episode is a mess. You can hardly tell who are the main characters and the execution is poor but keep watching and you will see one of the most beautiful love stories of all time. I loved this show so much I've watched it around 5 times (both seasons) and read the novel a couple of times. There are other BL couples in this and I won't say I didn't find their stories amusing but the major draw is Phunnoh. Its made me cry, laugh, giggle, blush, and ache. You will become love sick with Phun and Noh's story. Also, the music is perfect, catchy, and just wonderful to listen to. I've replayed several of the songs on youtube many times and downloaded the soundtrack. Watch this show, you won't regret it!

Leer más

I came into Love Sick The Series after watching Two Moons The Series and Make it Right The Series Season 1. I watched Two Moons first (my first foray into Thai BL TV), loved it and moved on to MIR, which was cute but definitely a lot more raunchy than I expected. I tried watching MIR Season 2 after that but felt it was so bad, I had to quit watching it after episode 3. So, thirsting for a good BL drama, I started on Love Sick The Series after reading comments of comparisons between Tee from MIR and Phun from Love Sick. Out of all the three, Love Sick Season 1 (I haven't seen Season 2) is the best.

Despite the totally fanfic-cy premise of how the two leads got together (hell yeah fake boyfriends, the best fan fiction trope amirite??) and the short time in which the two characters fell in love, the growth of their relationship felt sweet and natural. They go through rough patches, angst and have internal struggles all the time. They want each other but can't leave behind their fears of what society will think of them, which is constantly pushed into their faces by their friends and girlfriends. Seemingly, the only person who has their backs is Pang, Phun's younger sister, who is a fujoshi (a generally-negative Japanese term for a BL fangirl who fetishizes BL) and will never understand the struggles gays have to go through if they want to be together. I don't know if the pay-off for sitting through several episodes of angst is worth it yet since I haven't seen season 2. The cute scenes between the two mains we get in between the angst... instead of calming my stormy heart, they just make me sadder because it's like the show yelling at us, "THIS IS WHAT THEY COULD BE BUT THEY'RE FORBIDDEN SO WE'RE TAKING IT AWAY FROM YOU."

So fair warning, this show has a *lot* of angst. I felt a lot of grief while watching this, as compared to 2 Moons where the two leads are always so cute, loving and they didn't care what anyone else though of them. Besides, everyone around them was so supportive. So if you want a feel-good, happy BL drama to watch - go for 2 Moons, but *don't* go for Love Sick.

I rated the acting pretty low, but I really like the charm of this "poor" acting. It's bad and stiff acting, but at the same time adds to the characterisation of the characters? Like, the characters in the story are kids going through puberty, the whole stiffness and unnaturalness when they're behaving or saying things in certain ways feels realistic. I wouldn't let the acting keep me from watching this drama!

One thing I'd really like to praise about this drama is the absolute golden dialogue. The joking around, the teasing, the jibes between friends and two main leads are all so natural and realistic, lines that are familiar, as if I have said them to my own friends too. The writers really know how teenagers interact with one another, and that's something very difficult to get right, especially when you're not their age. Also!! There are some very, very sweet lines that I would like to keep in my heart forever. <3 Those lines made me want to learn Thai just so I can understand them in their original language. :')

Overall, I love this drama and highly recommend it. I can't wait for the countless of sleepless nights and unproductive work days spent thinking about Love Sick The Series all the damn time as I start on Season 2. :)

Leer más

Great plot idea, but never gains momentum

I was really looking forward to this one. What a great plot idea: Two guys pretend to be boyfriends for whatever reason, then end up having feelings for each other. There's even a brief love triangle with 3 guys. But the plot just coasts through 12 long episodes and doesn't really go anywhere. Of course, they're setting us up for a sequel which has more than 30 episodes. Ugh. "Love Sick" is one of the early BL dramas and I have to say they've come a long way in 6 years. Too many cliche gay stereotypes and some surprisingly graphic descriptions, even while the onscreen action is uneventful. Lots of production problems: bad sound, bad lighting, bad editing, bad camera work. But the leads, Puhn (White Nawat) and Noh (Captain Chonlathorn) are appealing in the scenes where they get serious. The other third of the triangle, Earn (Ngern Anupart) had a lot of potential but doesn't get developed until too late in the drama. Sorry to say, I'd recommend skipping this one and just starting with Season 2.

Leer más

It's a cute first BL series to see, it's a classic!

Oh and also, at least most of us can agree that the first episode was weird. I had no idea what was going on and I didn't know who I was supposed to focus on. Thankfully I stuck to it til the end because I read the comments about continuing it and that it gets better. I became a fan!

"Are you sure you're straight?"
"wanna try me?" 😂😂 they're seriously the cutest things and lmao OMG I couldn't get through the first episode, I had to skip most of it till like the last part. it almost made me stop watching the series

It has been years now. Things have been changed, I believe. Still, there is a long way to go. We cannot change others. But we can change ourselves by being non-judgmental toward others. People have their right to do whatever they wish as long as it does not offend others and themselves. If we respect one another and do not interfere with other people's business, we will surely be able to live together in peace.

Leer más

Cute for the first

This was the very first Thai BL I ever watched and it was all brand new to me. When I found this show I fell in love with the characters and the story line. Imma just say a few things about what I liked and disliked.

Storyline: To be honest, this was a good plot because you have a rich male lead and another male lead that needs the money for his school band. Phun wanted Noh to date him so that Phun’s sister could talk their dad out of Phun dating his dads friends daughter. A very supportive family if you have a sister trying to convince her dad that the guy her brother is dating is better than her dads friends daughter. There were cute moments between Phun and Noh during the series. They had a lot of deep moments like kissing and wanting to do other things to further their relationship. A cute story not going to lie and I rewatch it every once a year because it’s something I just can not come back to. Ultimately, White is my favorite actor and Captain will always be too. A couple I’ll always remember.

Earth: Okay look, I loved this kid to death but he really wouldn’t get a hint when he knew Phun had Noh wrapped around his finger. I love Nergn and his acting skills showed in the movie he starred in Water Boy. He kinda disappeared then came back out of nowhere and we never got to see if he found someone else in season 2. But he was head over heels for Noh and it showed. At first I wanted Noh to choose Earth but when I saw the chemistry between Noh and Phun I said Earth can come another day.

Side characters: There were some cute side couples but the stories didn’t really stick with me unlike the main couple did. Season 2 was a lot better when it came to Noh and Phun finally confessing their feelings but nothing else on the side characters. To be honest I was kinda mixed up with them. The one side couple I really liked was Noh’s friend Om who developed a liking into someone else. But can we talk about Jeed and how she doesn’t know when to leave an abusive relationship?? Like the man cheated on you, pushes you around but you still stay??? I’m just glad her childhood friend came back and showed her she’s worth more than a douchebag.

If Love Sick is your first ever BL I recommend this to be it because it’s cute and subtle. Nothing too serious about it but has a nice plot line and amazing chemistry when it comes to the lead couple.

Leer más

Lakorn Sickness

ADDENDUM : J'ai appris par la suite de cette critique que cette série était LE premier BL Thaïlandais, sans lui, aucun autre n'aurait vu le jour. Ce qui explique beaucoup de choses que j'ai trouvées contraignantes et ma critique me paraît, du coup, trop dure.

Je viens (enfin) de finir de voir les deux saisons pour écrire la critique de cette série mais je ne parlerai ici, bien sûr, que de la première saison.

Alors, il ne faut pas s'arrêter au premier épisode car celui-ci est tellement nul au niveau de la réalisation, de la caméra qui est vraisemblablement tenue par quelqu'un qui doit se tenir sur un skateboard ou qui a abusé de boisson alcoolisé qu'il en devient dur de voir ce qu'il se passe à l'écran. Le jeu d'acteur est particulièrement mal dirigé, tout le monde parle en même temps de tout et n'importe quoi qu'on ne peut pas traduire tout ce qui est dit et quand il sont seuls ou à deux, les répliques sont poussives et mal jouées.

La romance des leads principaux, le ship Phun Noh reste au ras des pâquerettes sur une sorte de jeu, « je t'aime moi non plus » auquel on pourrait rajouter « dégage ! » quand il est question des réactions de Noh face aux avances de Phun. Les mimiques que fait Noh sont rigolotes au premier abord mais, au bout de 10 épisodes, le personnage n'évolue que trop peu pour que ça reste mignon. Il est refoulé au possible et ça en devient navrant.

Concernant les autres histoires, elles sont abordées mais je trouve que c'est de façon trop anecdotiques pour que ça prenne de l'importance et, à la fin, on passe en mode « on a plus le temps » donc on nous montre des conclusions rapides, trop rapides car on a bien souvent pas eu le temps de s'attacher aux personnages.
J'ai aimé voir l'évolution du personnage de Jeed, joué par l'actrice Gale.
Dans le couple principal, je trouve que Phun, interprété par Nawat joue de manière très juste à la différence de beaucoup d'autres acteurs de la série.

Si on aborde la question des personnages, toutes les représentations féminines en prennent un sacré coup. Les filles sont montrées comme des gamines caractérielles et/ou superficielles. À faire des crises pour des choses sans intérêt, qui ne pensent qu'à se faire payer tout et n'importe quoi par les garçons et sans s'inquiéter une seule seconde des autres, en bref des quiches de toute beauté quoi. Seule quelques-unes sortent un peu du lot mais pas trop quand même, c'est très décevant.

J'avoue également m'être particulièrement ennuyé.e tant l'action est absente. Les moments de silence ou contemplatifs sont trop longs et mal amenés. Pour finir, on parle de la censure ? Sans parler des baisers qui sont, déjà bien rares, mais aussi systématiquement switchés pour passer hors caméra. Mais surtout la censure de langage, les jeunes parlent comme des jeunes, donc avec un langage parfois grossier ou argotique et on nous coupe à chaque fois, soit en coupant simplement le son quand c'est au début ou à la fin de la phrase, soit en mettant des « bip » ou des bruits de canard, à tel point que j'ai cru m'être égaré.e au milieu d'une basse-cour.

J'ai déjà pas mal de BL et de séries asiatiques à mon actif et je dois avouer qu'il m'a été difficile de finir cette saison. J'espère que la deuxième sera meilleure.
ADDENDUM : J'ai appris par la suite de cette critique que cette série était LE premier BL Thaïlandais, sans lui, aucun autre n'aurait vu le jour. Ce qui explique beaucoup de choses que j'ai trouvées contraignantes et ma critique me paraît, su coup, trop dure.

Maintenant à vous de vous faire votre avis.

Leer más