BLISS RATING: ★★★★+
“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
This series is way more interesting then perhaps it is given credit for and in my opinion one of the best series out there. While the BL aspect may be thin, it is full of profound love and connection. There is really only one BL relationship, somewhat. But there is so much more going on for it. Before, I get to my review, I just need to state that this is one of THE handsomest ensemble casts I have ever seen, including the support roles. These guys are stunningly handsome that cannot be overlooked. The female leads are also extremely beautiful but none of that matters in this story. This is just extraordinarily good story telling.
The story is about a group of young college students who are given the opportunity to intern at a prestigious hotel to gain experience in hotel management. The top two will be awarded prestigious certifications as well as immediate employment at the hotel while others may be given opportunities to work in their hotels abroad. They must rotate in three areas to gain a full appreciation of the hotel management business.
Housekeeping, reception, and kitchen. Points are taken away from each for infractions or breaking the rules. For me, this was an amazing study in human psychology and character development. Since this IS a competition, the two persons with the most points will be given immediate jobs. So obviously there is competitive behaviors, back-stabbing, manipulations, and downright conniving. There are some real bad characters in this series who are arrogant, manipulative, and take advantage of the predicaments that others are in. They all to some degree want to see the others fail but as time goes by, there is a bonding that develops between them that transcends differences and even allows for forgiveness of some awful things that were done to them. Very intense relationships are developed among some of them. Life’s lessons of illuminating the job and the intricacies of each department are all part of the learning curve of knowing what need to be done.
Some of these situations are presented in very humorous ways while others are shown for their true grit and awfulness. But a valuable lesson that they must learn, and do, is how to get along, how to overlook the weaknesses of others, how to pull together as a team, and how to forgive. And most importantly how to love. This is one of the best series or programs that I have ever seen where these people learn to ‘love’ in its absolute truest and best form. There are countless examples of this throughout the series in which some are subtle while others are life changing.
Only one couple, Neung (Pleum Nachkhun) and Kay (Tae Karann) show any signs of a gay romance. While they have been friends for quite some time and are very close, in this situation, rooming together, they begin to realize that their feelings are perhaps so much more than an intense friendship. It is all so very subtle but so adorable. (OK, there is a kiss). You do want them to be but only time will tell.
There has been criticism of this series as not being BL, but it truly is. It explores their love for one other but not in sexual terms but in emotional, deep friendships, and trust. For me, that is worth so much more than merely making the end product a sexual relationship. They also explore the inner feelings of these characters and in essence what makes them tick. When Tone (Tae Darvid ) must leave to take care of his mother who eventually dies, there is such support and understanding that is shared by all of them towards him. That scene between him and his mother is so profound and moving that it left me in tears not only for its message of love but for how alone he felt and the pain of losing your mother and feeling responsible that maybe you did not do enough. He goes back to work where he finds his second ‘family’ happily waiting for him. There are tender moments like this throughout this series that are so raw, real, and genuine that this story spills over into real life situations.
Some of it is ugly such as the manager trying to take advantage of the young female intern named Ying (Ploysai Thunyaluk). While her specialties are manipulation and trouble for others, she slowly begins to see the effects of her negativity has had on her and the others. The other female intern, Nook (Orm Norrawan) realizes she has made a major infraction and one of the interns, Pong (Copter Panuwa) tries to comfort her. Through some sinister manipulations, Nook is led to believe that Pong caused her to get into trouble. But of course, he did not and while he likes her, over the course of time, he realizes at best he can only be friends with her. He learns to say sorry sometimes for the betterment of himself and the others even though he is not in the wrong. An extremely valuable and adult decision to make but also very, very difficult to do. He is one of the characters that grew from adolescence into adulthood in a most convincing way. He also learned the hard reality that sometimes, you just do not get the girl.
But the character with the most integrity, honesty, and who ends up making the most supreme sacrifice is Ak (Tee Thanapon). He sets up a scenario in which he gets himself disqualified as the number one intern so his friend Tone can move into one of the top two spots instead of himself. This is a sacrifice beyond friendship and displays a deep personal love for his friend. It is far greater than sexual. They had a bond of friendship that was so beautiful that it literally made me cry. It was the ultimate act of altruism. This was the highest act of self-sacrifice for the well-being of his friend. What a beautiful and breathtaking story to tell.
Who really S.T.O.L.E. the series? This is one of those rare series where there really is an ensemble group of actors and actresses. Each had fine moments and every one of them had a moment in the sun. So, for this distinction, all of them deserve this distinction. It is also one of those rare human dramas that come together at the end, where you just know they now have become perhaps lifelong friends.
Each of these characters had charm and growth. All developed a sense of purpose, responsibility, and commitment and perhaps, and most importantly, lifelong friendships. Each also had to come to terms with that they did to negatively manipulate others to fail and learn to forgive themselves and admit to their errors.
This is a beautiful story that just spills over into a BL series because of its intense bromances and the shared deep, deep love for each other. This is a most memorable series and I hope people will watch it. Its ending is rather melancholic for us but hopeful for the young people who are now ready to face the world; all of them better for the experiences they received in this internship. I cried at the end; not because of sadness, as they are all so hopeful for their futures. But for the remembrances of the intense friendships and intimacies they shared with one another.
Some individuals come into our lives that may have been fleeting but were so profound that they helped us change our lives or guided us along in a direction our lives are going. If you have not experienced this yet in your life (as a young person), I hope you do. It is life altering and gives another meaning to what it is like to have an intimate relationship. This is an EXCELLENT series, no matter what you label it as.
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