Together with Me - The Series
The series Together with Me (TWM) came to my attention via a Youtube edit called something like 'Knock x Korn', as the format of many BL edits usually are. I could probably find it again if I wanted to, but once was enough to interest me in watching the whole series. I also discovered more recently that TWM is in fact a prequel to an apparently so-so BL drama called 'Bad Romance'. I think it makes sense to watch them in chronological order, rather than Back to the Future style. More to the point, I watched some of the first episode of 'Bad Romance' about two months ago and gave up in disgust, so that's even more reason to start here.
SPOILERS WARNING: I've loved this show and want to share as much of my feelings about it as possible without ruining any newcomer's enjoyment of its surprises. I have gone into a lot of detail about the plot in this review, so be warned.
Summary: Childhood friends Knock and Korn were separated when Knock's family moved away, but they are reunited as university students in Bangkok, and they instantly reconnect as best friends. They have a core group of friends at university: hilarious spitfire Yihwa, timid innocent Farm, tomboy soccer player Faii, and cool musician Phu. Knock is dating the very beautiful and elegant 'internet personality' Plern Pleng and they are very much in love. Korn is single but he has a sad dating history. After a drunken night at their local bar, the boys end up in bed together and have passionate sex. Knock is horrified the morning after, and, feeling violated, pushes Korn away angrily. An inter-faculty soccer match turns violent, setting off a train of events that pushes Korn and Knock closer together.
After watching a number of Thai BL dramas that are virtually interchangeable, it's such a great surprise to find one with a distinct personality. Some of it has to do with the setting of the first couple of episodes - the beautiful and photogenic Amphawa Floating Market - but also because the 7 main characters are so well-drawn. True, they are all Types, but they mostly avoid cliché in execution. The reason for this is because the narrative is so strong and full of interest, with some great dialogue. There's some really decent humour here too, with each character getting their own shtick and some fine set pieces. The subtitles alone are worth their weight in gold, thanks to an unnamed translator at Thunder TV Official with a taste for laconic American slang. (A fine example: "Don't say I'm on your side. I'm not on your side. You be tripping.") It certainly also helps that both the lead actors playing Korn and Knock are mouth-wateringly handsome and ripped, and - who knew! - can really act. If ever there was a 'jock' version of an Asian BL drama to point out as a prime example, this would be it. They have sensational chemistry and are obviously very comfortable with each other, more than any other BL couple I've seen. The sex scenes are red-hot, and they have moments of quiet intimacy that show a credible real affection for each other. I have no hesitations recommending this show just on the basis of these two actors, honestly they are that good.
More than any other BL I've watched, the secondary characters and the serious treatment of their subplots in TWM contribute to the interest of the central relationship and to the series as a whole. This is no small feat and really deserves recognition, precisely because it's so rare. Sexual awakening, internalised homophobia, the unethical narcissistic void of gay life, how an age gap can affect relationships, online bullying, revenge porn, the venality and 'snake oil' fakery that can accompany the merchandising of beauty products on social media. There are a lot of serious ideas to take in here, and, this being BL, not all of the subplots and management of their themes have the effort and substance put into them that they should - in particular, Farm's first gay romance with a deeply selfish older man deserved much better treatment than it gets - but the ones that succeed have a wide and considerable impact across the main narrative.
This show is not perfect, as hard as it sometimes tries to be. There are some glaring weaknesses that frustrate and distract. The direction of the editing is especially bad; it ruins some critical scenes by suddenly cutting away to a boring secondary scene, then cutting back a moment later, thereby totally destroying any emotion and tension. Watch for the crucial Knock/Korn/Yihwa scene in the rain on a basketball court to see an example of what I'm talking about here. In some scenes you can see the actors awkward and struggling for air, due to a lack of decent direction. For some reason, most of the drinking scenes at Phu's pub suffer from this affliction, as do Knock's solitary crying scenes . There's also a blatant rip-off of one of the greatest scenes in BL, the paper plane scene from Grey Rainbow. This laziness isn't destructive, but it's disappointing nonetheless. There was an unheard-of opportunity here to create something top-tier brilliant with TWM, and all the while staying true to the essence of BL. The potential in the screenplay and scripting, the characters, the set-up and the execution was phenomenally exciting. But these poor, lazy choices drag down all the good work somewhat. They came so close, and yet...
Once the initial storylines and sub plots are in place about mid-way through the series, and an understanding between Korn and Knock seems just around the corner, the writers rub their hands together in glee and drop a very nasty bombshell. How you respond to this change in the story depends on how BL you want (or would prefer) the focus of this series to be, and how well you can tolerate despicable behaviour - because this change aims for a total upheaval of everything that's gone before it, and the audience's expectations with it. Without divulging any spoilers, one of the key characters is slowly and unexpectedly brought forward to stand up at full height in front of the audience, revealing a lurking evil soul, and wreaking havoc on Korn and Knock in the process. None of the other central characters can withstand this person's manipulations and near-psychotic levels of unscrupulousness. They either become servile pawns, or they are brutally swept aside. This eventually comes off as high-camp 1980s soap à la Dynasty or Dallas on screen, but seeing every single character in either physical or moral peril due to this awful person's machinations and persuasions is something I've not seen in a BL drama before. Buoyed by some sensational writing, it's very impressive to behold, and knocks the show entirely off its predictable axis. Kudos to the screenwriters for going way over the top with this plot twist, and the performance of the actor in question is pitch-perfect, a fine mix of underplayed sophistry and butter-wouldn't-melt deviltry.
It was a dangerous game though, pushing the psycho plot to such prominence. For a while it looks like it's going to work without a hitch, even as it overshadows the Knock/Korn story. Unfortunately it gets pushed a little too far into morality tale territory, and it loses its light touch and coherence in the final couple of episodes. Of course villainy and destruction generally don't win in BL (or shouldn't be able to win - I'm looking at you again, Grey Rainbow), but the TWM villain's apocalyptic collapse is too laboured and contrived. It's a shame, after being so well-controlled and restrained initially, then to see it devolve into hysteria and overkill. The central relationship and the sub plots all tie up at the end, with varying degrees of success and happiness - with Farm's being understated and tragic, and Phu's being almost completely ineffective.
But beyond all its villainy and moral quandaries, beyond all its great strengths and obvious weaknesses, beyond even the beautiful and convincing romance of Korn and Knock, the finest achievement of TWM is the extraordinary Yihwa, one of the greatest characters and heroines in all of BL. The quintessential fujoshi with a penchant for prying into everyone's private business, and the staunchest friend anyone could possibly ask for, she is played to perfection by Maengmum. She risks everything and takes on the villain single-handedly, with the brave selflessness of a person who deeply loves her friends, at a time when even Korn and Knock have despaired and lost hope. She rallies and fights hard, she presses forward and brooks no dissent. She gives the boys the support and courage they need to be able to live their love openly and to be truthful with each other, no matter how difficult it seems and how judgemental other people are. (She also gets the line of the series when she addresses the camera with "Let me put on my evil smile.") She's the embodiment of the motto of the series, "If you're going to love, love all the way!" and its fiercest proponent. So it's immensely satisfying to see her at the finish line with the boys - "together with me", as she proudly says - celebrating their love and bravery even more than they do. By doing so, she earns a special place in my heart.
Rating: 15 out of 20. Must see. Easily one of the best Asian BL dramas.
Ending: Abs-tastically happy.
Best scene: it's not a specific scene, it's more of a 'reveal' that will strike different viewers at different times. It's the moment when you realise in shock that all the oddities in the narrative and strange unexplained violence suddenly make sense, and that they have been pointing discreetly in the direction of a hidden villain pulling the strings all along. Get ready to be floored.
SPOILERS WARNING: I've loved this show and want to share as much of my feelings about it as possible without ruining any newcomer's enjoyment of its surprises. I have gone into a lot of detail about the plot in this review, so be warned.
Summary: Childhood friends Knock and Korn were separated when Knock's family moved away, but they are reunited as university students in Bangkok, and they instantly reconnect as best friends. They have a core group of friends at university: hilarious spitfire Yihwa, timid innocent Farm, tomboy soccer player Faii, and cool musician Phu. Knock is dating the very beautiful and elegant 'internet personality' Plern Pleng and they are very much in love. Korn is single but he has a sad dating history. After a drunken night at their local bar, the boys end up in bed together and have passionate sex. Knock is horrified the morning after, and, feeling violated, pushes Korn away angrily. An inter-faculty soccer match turns violent, setting off a train of events that pushes Korn and Knock closer together.
After watching a number of Thai BL dramas that are virtually interchangeable, it's such a great surprise to find one with a distinct personality. Some of it has to do with the setting of the first couple of episodes - the beautiful and photogenic Amphawa Floating Market - but also because the 7 main characters are so well-drawn. True, they are all Types, but they mostly avoid cliché in execution. The reason for this is because the narrative is so strong and full of interest, with some great dialogue. There's some really decent humour here too, with each character getting their own shtick and some fine set pieces. The subtitles alone are worth their weight in gold, thanks to an unnamed translator at Thunder TV Official with a taste for laconic American slang. (A fine example: "Don't say I'm on your side. I'm not on your side. You be tripping.") It certainly also helps that both the lead actors playing Korn and Knock are mouth-wateringly handsome and ripped, and - who knew! - can really act. If ever there was a 'jock' version of an Asian BL drama to point out as a prime example, this would be it. They have sensational chemistry and are obviously very comfortable with each other, more than any other BL couple I've seen. The sex scenes are red-hot, and they have moments of quiet intimacy that show a credible real affection for each other. I have no hesitations recommending this show just on the basis of these two actors, honestly they are that good.
More than any other BL I've watched, the secondary characters and the serious treatment of their subplots in TWM contribute to the interest of the central relationship and to the series as a whole. This is no small feat and really deserves recognition, precisely because it's so rare. Sexual awakening, internalised homophobia, the unethical narcissistic void of gay life, how an age gap can affect relationships, online bullying, revenge porn, the venality and 'snake oil' fakery that can accompany the merchandising of beauty products on social media. There are a lot of serious ideas to take in here, and, this being BL, not all of the subplots and management of their themes have the effort and substance put into them that they should - in particular, Farm's first gay romance with a deeply selfish older man deserved much better treatment than it gets - but the ones that succeed have a wide and considerable impact across the main narrative.
This show is not perfect, as hard as it sometimes tries to be. There are some glaring weaknesses that frustrate and distract. The direction of the editing is especially bad; it ruins some critical scenes by suddenly cutting away to a boring secondary scene, then cutting back a moment later, thereby totally destroying any emotion and tension. Watch for the crucial Knock/Korn/Yihwa scene in the rain on a basketball court to see an example of what I'm talking about here. In some scenes you can see the actors awkward and struggling for air, due to a lack of decent direction. For some reason, most of the drinking scenes at Phu's pub suffer from this affliction, as do Knock's solitary crying scenes . There's also a blatant rip-off of one of the greatest scenes in BL, the paper plane scene from Grey Rainbow. This laziness isn't destructive, but it's disappointing nonetheless. There was an unheard-of opportunity here to create something top-tier brilliant with TWM, and all the while staying true to the essence of BL. The potential in the screenplay and scripting, the characters, the set-up and the execution was phenomenally exciting. But these poor, lazy choices drag down all the good work somewhat. They came so close, and yet...
Once the initial storylines and sub plots are in place about mid-way through the series, and an understanding between Korn and Knock seems just around the corner, the writers rub their hands together in glee and drop a very nasty bombshell. How you respond to this change in the story depends on how BL you want (or would prefer) the focus of this series to be, and how well you can tolerate despicable behaviour - because this change aims for a total upheaval of everything that's gone before it, and the audience's expectations with it. Without divulging any spoilers, one of the key characters is slowly and unexpectedly brought forward to stand up at full height in front of the audience, revealing a lurking evil soul, and wreaking havoc on Korn and Knock in the process. None of the other central characters can withstand this person's manipulations and near-psychotic levels of unscrupulousness. They either become servile pawns, or they are brutally swept aside. This eventually comes off as high-camp 1980s soap à la Dynasty or Dallas on screen, but seeing every single character in either physical or moral peril due to this awful person's machinations and persuasions is something I've not seen in a BL drama before. Buoyed by some sensational writing, it's very impressive to behold, and knocks the show entirely off its predictable axis. Kudos to the screenwriters for going way over the top with this plot twist, and the performance of the actor in question is pitch-perfect, a fine mix of underplayed sophistry and butter-wouldn't-melt deviltry.
It was a dangerous game though, pushing the psycho plot to such prominence. For a while it looks like it's going to work without a hitch, even as it overshadows the Knock/Korn story. Unfortunately it gets pushed a little too far into morality tale territory, and it loses its light touch and coherence in the final couple of episodes. Of course villainy and destruction generally don't win in BL (or shouldn't be able to win - I'm looking at you again, Grey Rainbow), but the TWM villain's apocalyptic collapse is too laboured and contrived. It's a shame, after being so well-controlled and restrained initially, then to see it devolve into hysteria and overkill. The central relationship and the sub plots all tie up at the end, with varying degrees of success and happiness - with Farm's being understated and tragic, and Phu's being almost completely ineffective.
But beyond all its villainy and moral quandaries, beyond all its great strengths and obvious weaknesses, beyond even the beautiful and convincing romance of Korn and Knock, the finest achievement of TWM is the extraordinary Yihwa, one of the greatest characters and heroines in all of BL. The quintessential fujoshi with a penchant for prying into everyone's private business, and the staunchest friend anyone could possibly ask for, she is played to perfection by Maengmum. She risks everything and takes on the villain single-handedly, with the brave selflessness of a person who deeply loves her friends, at a time when even Korn and Knock have despaired and lost hope. She rallies and fights hard, she presses forward and brooks no dissent. She gives the boys the support and courage they need to be able to live their love openly and to be truthful with each other, no matter how difficult it seems and how judgemental other people are. (She also gets the line of the series when she addresses the camera with "Let me put on my evil smile.") She's the embodiment of the motto of the series, "If you're going to love, love all the way!" and its fiercest proponent. So it's immensely satisfying to see her at the finish line with the boys - "together with me", as she proudly says - celebrating their love and bravery even more than they do. By doing so, she earns a special place in my heart.
Rating: 15 out of 20. Must see. Easily one of the best Asian BL dramas.
Ending: Abs-tastically happy.
Best scene: it's not a specific scene, it's more of a 'reveal' that will strike different viewers at different times. It's the moment when you realise in shock that all the oddities in the narrative and strange unexplained violence suddenly make sense, and that they have been pointing discreetly in the direction of a hidden villain pulling the strings all along. Get ready to be floored.
Comments