BLISS RATING: ★★★★+
“Home is what you take with you not what you leave behind.” – N.K. Jemisin
This is a saga of three couples, forced together by circumstances, and linked together at the end by a bond even greater – social justice. The story originates in a rural village in northern Thailand with a young man, Than (Pond Kumpanat), who promises his mother as he goes off to school to return someday to his village and her and help improve the lives of the villagers. Before, he can accomplish that, unfortunately, his mother is struck down by a hit and run driver (as an act of revenge for her inability to pay back the loan from the local kingpin).
Having no place else to go, Than returns home with only a small plot of land left as his mother had to borrow against the remaining property to pay for his education. Than intervenes for his aunt who is tasseling with some henchmen from the same local kingpin. One of henchmen, Din (Kawaii San), takes pity on her, no doubt because he is attracted to Than and he does not want to harm anyone. These two then begin to develop an unlikely friendship leading to a love attachment.
The second couple is when the new teacher, Mek (Andrew KIttikorn) is met by the son of the director of the school, Mongkon (Notto Teerawit. Initially resistive to wanting to shadow the new teacher, Mongkon does so at his father’s insistence. As they spend more time together and get to know one other, a romance develops, and they become boyfriends.
The beauty of this story is that Mongkon unveils to Mek the hardship and difficulties of the lives these villagers face and in essence instructs the teacher on the difficulties and hardships the villagers face and the banality of trying to teach their children in a traditional classroom. He tells him that he needs to teach the children work experiences that will assist in helping the family since the family is central to their way of life and existence. Thus, the teacher learns a new bonding, not just with Mongkon but with the villagers and the rural way of life. The families welcome Mek into their society. However, this local kingpin is keeping a wary eye on Mek because Mek is getting the local villagers to rely on themselves and their own ingenuities to make a better living.
Almost immediately, Mek and Mongkon recognize that they both are attracted to each other and want to be together. While there is a former girlfriend who questions this relationship, they have to go to some length to prove that this relationship is real. To do that, a ‘sniff-kiss’ (you will recognize it when you see it) is given in front of all. However, it was not just a sniff but also a kiss on the cheek was exchanged which was not only shocking but solidifying the relationship now even more deeply. (I am utterly fascinated with this demonstration of affection. Most Americans would be taken aback by this gesture).
The third couple is a complex coupling that is thrust upon the two. Dan (X Teerapat Somchaiya) also graduated from college and is a friend of Than. Dan’s parents are murdered by this same kingpin because he is threatened by Dan’s father. He is considering running for public office on a platform of ridding the area of corruption. Obviously, he is perceived to be a threat to the burgeoning crime empire of this kingpin. Dan is rescued by Khet (Nott Jirayu), a rather unlikely savior. Khet and his mother were poor street beggars with Khet buying drugs from this same kingpin. When the mother would not tell the henchmen where her son was to collect the money he owed, they killed her. To exact revenge, Khet decides to work for this local syndication to gain inside information. Although he was able to save Dan at the last minute but unable to warn Dan’s parents. By mutual necessity, they begin to form a union to take down this kingpin but to do so in a very systematic way, by obtaining solid evidence.
It is an interesting story and one where the relationship between the two is a bit more obtuse. While it is very obvious the two care for each other deeply, they maintain a distance from each other emotionally. This relationship was forced upon them by circumstances but slowly, they bond. Inexorably, they see each other not just for accomplishment of one main goal but beginning to see each other as relating and needing one another on many different levels.
In order to defeat this local king-pin mobster, they solicit Than’s help, and he turn solicits Mek’s help as each of these individuals have also been targeted by this kingpin criminal. A solid bond of brotherhood is formed where they are all committed and willing to gather as much information as they can to bring him down. Eventually this band of misfits is able to take him and his organization down, not very gracefully but it is accomplished.
Special mention should be given to the support cast in this series. I cannot find the individual who played the role of Jidlid, at least not in English. It is obviously a trans role but her part in it is integrative to the story and makes the connection to the community and them. Additionally, she is also instrumental in bringing down the mobster as well.
Who really S.T.O.L.E. the series? Grandma, hands down. Unfortunately, I am unable to find who she is (in English). There is no question that Grandma provided the link between Than and Din. Grandma who has taken care of Din his entire life is her world and she is his. Her years of caring, providing, and worrying for him are so evident in her face and her actions. She brought a simplistic charm, grace, and obvious emotional connection to her character. She looked, acted, and indeed was Grandma. She was so convincing and eventually accepted Than as one of her own as well. Grandma also was astute enough to know what was going on even if she did not verbalize it. And she accepted it.
This series had a lot going for itself. The setting is charming and has a feel all of its own since it is in northern Thailand. There is something about this area and the BL stories from here that are alluring and attractive. The characterization of the story takes on a whole new meaning and you can sense that this story is a local story dealing with local issues with wide implications. The music (which I have stated before in these series) is usually not conscious for me but in this series, it added so much to its empathy and feel. The story is laid back, simple, a bit unattached emotionally from the world, yet seems so real and genuine. Although I have never been to northern Thailand, I am guessing that these characters captured the essence of life in that part of Thailand. Much like the United States, Thailand is not monolithic. The West Coast of the United States is very different from the East Coast. There is a certain beauty in these series from that area that charms me, and I feel a great connection to its unpretentiousness. I know it is idealized but it does not negate the longing for a much simpler life.
I know this series is no doubt completed on a shoe-string budget. But it is charming with a tremendous message for social justice and its clear message that it does take a village to take care of each other. The overall acting in this series was so laid back, that it appears almost amateurish. But it is not. Each concentrated on the subtleties of their individual characters that they in a sense owned them. They were very unique and different. That they established early on. But this series lacked was a deeper emotional and physical connection between each of them in their respective relationships. It was there but never fully developed.
Concentrating on looking at each other is not necessarily a good substitute for actual connections with one another either on a physical or emotional level. It was obvious that they liked who they were with. They just could not show it. Than and Din become the most connected physically by holding hands. Mek and Mongkon do call each other boyfriend, and Mongkon planted that sniff-kiss on Mek. As they become boyfriends, the parents of Mongkon perform a ceremony welcoming Mek into the family. Since Mek was an orphan, he did not know the joy and value of family. He cried and so did I.
I found the traditional ceremony quite moving and it solidified their relationship as being accepted by and into the family. I was frankly beguiled by its meaning and its underlying power of acceptance. Dan and Khet’s relationship is harder to read. They are intensely loyal to each other, look out for each other, and obviously want to be with each other, but seems more like a bromance than a romance.
This series is not an in-depth character development driven nor any real sense of emotional connections. Yet, it works and I think they are couples. This series treated their couplings with a matter-of-fact attitude and one almost feeling like it was written in the stars that they be together. Maybe that is why there was no need to go deep with their developments; it is simply meant to be and accepted.
I liked this series!
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