BLISS RATING: ★★★★★
“You know why the sky blushed in crimson hues? It was because I told the sunset about you.” – Quote from I Told Sunset About You
Heartbreaking, breathtaking, and emotionally stunning. This is what this series is. It is not a BL series in the classic or traditional sense but a ‘coming out’ series that shows the pain and heartbreak of acceptance. It is a story about a friendship between two boys.
One is Teh (Billkin Putthipong) and the other is Oh-aew (PP Krit). They meet as children and are so stunningly played as children by Pitchanan Jiemsirikarn (Nobel) as young Teh and Inthanon Seangsiripaisarn (Pipa) as young Oh-aew. I must depart for just a second to commend the director for his absolute commitment to nuisances, mannerisms, and details that were captured by the young actors that carried over to the older ones. It is not easy to emulate the personalities and idiosyncrasies of a person without looking like you are mimicking them; but he did it with these two young actors. They are superb and studied their older characters to display their same characteristics. It is a thing of beauty to watch. Their friendship developed fast and intense as children.
Teh is into being a protagonist in a Chinese play and longs to be an actor. When the school play is announced as a Chinese play, the part of the protagonist goes to Oh-aew who really did not want it. But Teh tells him to take the role and he helps him in it. Oh-aew, after the performance, realizes how much he loved the stage and wants to continue. Because of childhood jealousy and hurt feelings, Teh and Oh-aew said things to each other that were hurtful, and a falling out turns into both going their separate ways. They do not connect with each until later in school when both are taking a Chinese language class. Teh has become a very good student and has excelled in Chinese while Oh-aew has not but has become a much more gregarious person. Both now have been bitten by the acting bug and essentially want the same thing.
As luck would have it, they meet again in this Chinese language class. They are all vying for various positions in university departments. Teh has already been accepted into the university program but Oh-aew has not. He is number one on the waiting list if someone does not accept the position. His only hope is to take the exams and get in by that method. Oh-aew is not a particularly good student and is a sensitive person who feels slighted and hurt by the comments that are made by the somewhat arrogant Teh. Teh still carries this boyhood grudge against Oh-aew.
But as they rekindle their relationship as friends, Teh begins to see him in a different light and is both excited and frightened by it. There remains a tension between the two that festers underneath their renewed friendship. Oh-aew is much more open about his feelings for Teh is or for that matter could be for Oh-aew. But it is so obvious that they are deeply connected with each other without the realization of what that all means.
Both are at different levels of acceptance. While the walls that separate them begin to break down, it also reinforces the underlying tension between them. The more they know each other, the more vulnerable they are to each other. There are some stunning scenes of them running up to a particularly beautiful spot near the beach and to do so by sunset. They profess that they will be together. It is stunning visually with a top-notch screen play. It is romance at its best.
There are no intense romantic scenes here. Almost all of it is through looks and dialogue except for the underwater scene. This scene is one of the most romantic scenes I have ever seen, gay or straight. It is awesome. As they kiss for the first time underwater, it is magical, beautiful, and touches their souls with its intensity. It is passionate and intimate. A brilliant scene. Here again, the director does such a great job of tying the past to the present. Before this scene, the younger boys were floating in the ocean in the same manner that they were before they kissed. Again, it was so profoundly touching that you cannot help but to feel that these two will be together somehow. But Teh becomes terrified of what just happened and cannot take it any further. Because he cannot, he will not.
There are other complications in this story. Teh has a girlfriend, Tan (Smile Parada). Theirs is a complicated relationship. Her part is not thrown in for comic relief or as a side story but one of genuine feelings. It does appear that Teh likes her, and she obviously reciprocates those feelings. Yes, of course, they are both young and are still trying to understand what a relationship is all about. But they honestly do display warmth and likeness towards each other.
However, as soon as the relationship between Oh-aew and Teh intensifies, she begins to realize something is amiss. An awesome scene finally pushes it over the top for her when she realized the color of the flower he uses is red and not purple (this will make sense when you watch the scene; I do not want to spoil it for you). That scene is so telling that at least for me solidified the feeling that Teh has for Oh-aew even if he is unable to process it yet.
The supporting roles in this series is nothing short of spectacular as well. As mentioned, Tan’s role is pivotal in this series because she helps move the story along. Slowly, as she begins to realize something is wrong, she breaks it off with Teh. He tries to rekindle but she has enough sense to realize that this is futile. Of course, she is angry and legitimately so, as he is untruthful to their relationship and to himself.
The other supporting roles as friends and family are very good and never overpower scenes but are integral to its movement along. However, there are two roles here worth mentioning. One is Teh’s brother, Hoon (Nat Kitcharit). His role at first seems secondary but as time goes on, he becomes so integral to meeting Teh’s emotional needs. He is the brother every gay person wishes they had. When Teh finally confesses who he really likes to Hoon, he is supportive and understanding and tells him that he is by his side and will always be there. He never overplays his role and does so with such quiet effectiveness that it is memorable. Indeed, he almost steals the series with his laconic but so powerful presence. He is superb. The other support role is Bas (Khunpol Pongpol). He is a friend to both, but it is obvious that he has feelings for Oh-aew. He defers to Teh, but as that relationship sours, he fills the emotional gap and need for Oh-aew. At the end of the semester, he has the guts and courage to tell Oh-aew how he feels about him and how he wants to be with him. Oh-aew in enamored by him, of course. As Teh listens, he realizes that Bas is expressing the same feeling he has for Oh-aew but it is now too late.
I cannot say enough about the acting of the two main characters. The intensity of connection to one another is simply palpable. Oh-aew is light years ahead of Teh in dealing with his gayness. Teh is stuck, scared, frightened, and still trying to live up to the expectations of family and society. And he hurts Oh-aew in ways he simply does not understand. At one point, Oh-aew tells Teh, “You never understood me. I’m hurt”. And STILL, Teh cannot grasp what is literally in his hands. Finally, when he does, Teh makes a supreme sacrifice for Oh-aew for which he promptly rejects. Although he did it as a sacrifice, it was not taken that way. It is one of the most profoundly sad scenes in a BL series I have ever seen.
The sacrifice is one that will change his future and perhaps even Oh-aew’s. At the end, when we see them together both reacting the same as when they were children to firecrackers going off, you just know that their destiny will somehow be intertwined but will it be in a good way? Does Oh-aew pass the exam? Does Teh pass the exam since he was so emotionally damaged from their last meeting? We do not know. We are left hanging as to what is going to happen,
Who really S.T.O.L.E. the series? This is a prodigious acted series with all the performers top-notch. Of course, the two that bring it all together are Billkin Putthipong as Teh and PP Krit as Oh-aew. Their chemistry is beyond measure here and runs so deep. It is as if they are soulmates but are fighting against the forces of nature to be together. Their connection and show of feeling for each other is breathtaking to watch. It is as if they were meant to play these roles. Just astonishing acting. Kudos to both.
Again, the symbolism throughout this series is so intense and well placed. In the last scene, we see Teh sniffing the papers from Oh-aew which smell like coconut. (There was earlier scene where he yet again went back to hating coconut). This time, however, he sniffs it and rubs them on his face, and we see a faint smile come across. This series left me emotionally drained and feeling for both. Trying to understand who and what you are at that age is difficult even with support. When you feel like you have none, it seems overwhelming. Is it too little too late for Teh? I am sure we shall find out when it becomes sunset.
Watch this series; it is awesome. And unsurpassed.
Leave a Reply