Bad Buddy (2021)

Good or Not?

Bad Buddy gained massive popularity and many fans. For many reasons I understand it because it has many things that other BL drama lack:
- Good cinemography
- Actors who can really act.
- Budget
- Realistic characters that are multidimensional

If I rated this show till episode 6 it would be 10 out of 10. But after finishing watching this show I feel it wasted its own potential. Storyline after episodes 5-6 went suddenly downhill. It was repetitive and messy like the screenwriter needed to make so many changes that he no longer knew how he should fill the remaining episodes. When I liked the show tackling some common misconceptions, there is a very clear difference in plot quality. People who watched Game of Thrones and saw horse meme know what I mean.
I know that the plot is based on the book, personally, I don't read or speak Thai but I can bet that main problem of this show (SCRENWRITTING) is related to changes they made to the plot of the novel which would also explain the subtle changes in characters personality in laters episodes.
Some people reading this will think - you ask for too much, it was already very good for BL! But I ask you to compare for yourself do you really think episodes 7-12 were as good as episodes 1-6? Having skilled actors for main roles they really wasted their great chemistry.

Leia Mais

Best BL out there!

I waited over 10 months for this show. I rewatched the teaser a thousand times and wondered if it would turn out as amazing as it looked. It turned out to be even better! I'm still shaking and teary-eyed from the last episode but I feel the need to write a review to the most impactful BL of my life (and I've watched many others, since 2018),

While watching the last episode I thought to myself "If this show manages to surprise me once again and not be like other shows once again, I'll give it 10 stars for sure." And that's exactly what happened! Amazing, coherent and satisfying until the very last minute. P'Aof worked really hard on the plot and the storytelling in this series and it shows. The way each episode progressed always made so much sense, and it all seemed to tie up at the end, like a complete circle! This made the story much more enjoyable than any other BL I've watched so far. Simply lovely. Even though the first few episodes gave the impression this series would be like other GMMTV shows, full of petty and out of the blue fights and exaggerated sound effects, it progressed beautifully and got better and better, even when we all thought it wasn't possible. And the dialogues are super memorable and iconic. To sum up, it was written perfectly!

Of course I couldn't not mention the holders of the best chemistry in this industry: OhmNanon. These two were made to act beside one another. The way they connected on-screen and off-screen is one of the best things that happened in 2021 (and hopefully, it will continue to be that way forever). PatPran are amazing characters as they are, both are relationship and maturity goals, and completely different from other BL characters we had known before. But I believe they wouldn't be the same if they weren't portrayed by Ohm and Nanon, who are some of the best actors in Thailand right now, and who go together like bacon and eggs (this analogy wouldn't work for vegan readers, I'm really sorry). They delivered every single line and unspoken line with so much truth and love for the story and the characters that it made me emotional in pretty much every episode. I had never seen two men portray a romantic relationship so comfortably and accurately, so it was really touching and refreshing. I believed every stare, every dialogue, every smile and every tear, every touch and every kiss. I really hope they can work together again (which they will! Thanks GGMTV), and hopefully work again as a romantic pair. This is the type of pairing that comes once in five years, if I'm being completely honest. And trust me, it's been 5 years since my first BL series and nothing comes even close to Ohm and Nanon's chemistry.

I adored watching this show as it was airing and freaking out with everyone on Twitter. I will always be part of this fandom and I know I'll be rewatching this series from time to time, even if we don't get another season or another OhmNanon show together as lovers. Unforgettable and forever in my heart. A literal icon and the cultural reset the BL industry needed. The standards are so high right now thanks to Bad Buddy! And I can't help but look forward to what the following years will bring us, as the result of this one show. Deserving of 10 stars.

But for real though... who is gonna come get us out of this rooftop???? It's getting dark... Help?? Shall we just stay here? Yep... let's just stay!

Leia Mais

Exceed Expectations!!!

At first I thought this series is one of many, not unique and mainstream. I was right and I was wrong. Yes, BBS is one of many but it is so unique that it vanquish all of the cliches in typical BL dramas that we loathe. I would like to dissect this series in few criteria:
1. The Actors & The Acting
I have watched Nanon and Ohm in their previous works and no doubt that they are good but BBS has elevated them to the
point of being great. Their chemistry is out of this world. Whether its spoken dialogue or mere body language, they both
nail it. I could feel the pain of jealousy and the pain of longing just by looking at them. Not many actors can do this. The
supporting casts also nailed their character. Pat's father and Pran's father make you wanna punch them in the face.

2. The Story Line
Yes it is a university theme BL but its not the focus of the show. Pat & Pran's relationship still the major focus how they
navigate their feelings and uncertainty overshadowed everything else.

3. The Realistic Reality
- What I love the most about BBS is that it shows Asian cultural point of view in realistic way. The obedience of the
children to the parents no matter how naughty they may seem. The un-selfish family-first attitude and conflicts being
not resolved with words of apology. Unlike normal series, the happy ending comes fast and certain, BBS shows that it takes
time to heal.,,, and time can heal.

4. Directing
- Aof proving that he is indeed the director of choice for BL world. All the cliches and bulls***t of BL he vanquished it
in BBS. Aof also managed to fool the viewers by the of episode 11 with the trailers for episode 12. It made me depressed
for a week in waiting for the finale. It is nothing like it seems.

5. The Music
Nanon is indeed a very talented singer and musician and the theme song revelation by the end of the series makes us
appreciates the series even more.


Do watch this series and I hope Netflix pick it up for the whole wide world to watch.

Leia Mais

Like any phenomenal BL series, the last episode is always a bittersweet experience.  It's sad because it has ended; it's happy because everything is resolved and you can finally remember the characters in their sweetest moments.

Bad Buddy was aired after almost a year its trailer was released on YT. The first episode didn't actually had that impact to be honest. However, main leads Ohm and Nanon magically made the series really fun and enjoyable to watch. 

Of course Ohm and Nanon are great actors. Ohm has been in the industry for a number of years so he knows his craft.  Although it's Nanon's first BL series, he played his character very well. Their being good friends really helped their on-screen chemistry. Even the kissing scenes were realistic.

Another main factor that made this series different from others is that Pat and Pran already were flirting with each other early on.  They became boyfriends way before the last two episodes. Because of that, they had a lot of sweet moments together. You can also see how their characters and relationship develop.

Thank you Pat and Pran for making our Fridays special for the past weeks. We will surely miss both of you. Of course, thanks to Khun Aof for creating characters that will be remembered by BL fans for a long time.

Leia Mais

forbidden fruit is always sweeter

i’m definitely going to miss this series. it’s probably the best thai drama i’ve seen yet and one of the best mlm romances i’ve seen. with bad buddy, p’aof created a series with such a healthy relationship that counters all the toxicity and fetishization that happens in so many of these dramas. he confronts multiple of the harmful stereotypes through this story. it’s filled with both adorable and emotional moments. it includes both wlw and mlm. it’s got some absolutely beautiful shots. and, last but not least, ohm and nanon have such a comfortable friendship with each other that their chemistry is one unmatched—they’re so close with each other that it really makes their relationship feel real.

what i think is most important in this though is that p’aof is, himself, a gay man. so much of mlm media is created by women. so much of it is created for the sake of fetishization. this show is great because you can tell how much love and care p’aof squeezed into it: through the actors, through the writing, through its entire being. it’s going to be a long, long time until i see an mlm drama that surpasses bad buddy.

Leia Mais

One of the best Bls ever made

Maybe I shouldn't confine it to just a bl, this show was one of the best foreign tv shows I've ever watched. The storyline gave me Romeo and Juliette vibes but without all the death and gross age difference. The relationship was one of the healthiest ones I've seen in a bl and they called out some of the very annoying tropes that plague the industry such as the Hubby Wifey even though they are both men and the "I'm straight but I love you" trope that annoys the hell out of me. They were also super freaking cute together. Also, GMMTV, give Ink and Pa their own tv series, please. They are so so cute together and I need more of them. Also, screw their parents, they suck. No spoiler but what made the parents hate each other is valid, I'd hate anyone who did that to me(this is related to something later on in the series, not the reason we first get. That reason is super stupid). Please watch this, it is one of the best bls GMMTV has ever released and over all a really good show

Leia Mais

Truly masterpiece.

My standard of thai bl is so high after i watch Itsay, but bad buddy meet with my new standard! It's SO GOOD. The acting is so natural! No awkwardness, no cringe scene. Hands down to Nanon and Ohm for their acting! The storyline is actually basic but the chemistry between the actors made everything better. And also healthy gay relationship? Yesssirrrr. Finally thai bl series that actually give us a healthy relationship, both gay and lesbian couple! And the way the called out other thai bls on some scene lmao. Best GMM series so far!

And i really want highlights about them doing the advertisement???? Damn-

Leia Mais

It's what happens when the stars align

The story is not a new one - two kids whose parents hate each other end up falling in love. It's a classic tale of forbidden love. The twist with Bad Buddy is not in the plot but in it's delivery. With a story that's been so played out in many forms of media, it was necessary to have near perfection in direction, acting, cinematography, music etc... and this show really delivered in spades.

My favourite thing about this show is not just the wonderful cast, but the storytelling. I love when I watch something and it's easy to see that care and thought and passion have gone into not just the performances, but also the way they are presented to the viewers. The story unfolded in a such a beautiful and intricate way that by the end, it felt like I was not just watching a show but like I'd spent quality time with these characters and we were all old friends.

My 10/10 for this comes from the journey we (myself and the characters) went through and how fulfilled and satisfied I was at the end of the show. I can see these characters existing in the real world and actually living the lives they have in the show and I love that.

A special mention has to go out for the music of the show because not only was the music lovely to listen to, but it also played a key role throughout the show.

Leia Mais

recommend for anyone’s first bl

never in my life have i ever watched a bl while it was airing, and i don’t mean like after the so drops, i mean while the parts are coming out, LIVE.
i would recommend this to anyone who was never seen a snippet of bl in their life but damn it would set their standards so high bc this truly outdid itself. like any other series this has its imperfections which make it oh so perfect. the right amount of angst, thr perfect amount of comedy, romance. the intimacy that patpran shared, and not just through physical touch but also their gazes and stares, even when they didn’t like each other it showed how much they cared for each other. every time i rewatch an episode, i find new things that just add to the series and make it even more interesting and entertaining. aof truly outdid himself AND DURING A PANDEMIC. you could guess the struggle of filming prefect shots w/o catching ppl wearing masks, or the places that shut down bc of covid and left them to think of something else last minute.
i could talk about this series for days and days on end but let me tell you, if ohm and nanon weren’t the ones that played patpran, it wouldn’t have been this good. it wouldn’t have been this outstanding and i don’t take criticism. i am so happy that nanon got to act in his first bl with his best friend, someone he’s comfortable with and outdid himself and i’m so happy that ohm acted in a bl where he trusted and loved his partner wholeheartedly.
thank you ohm nanon aof jimmy drake prom jiran pd dp and everyone else for making this series as amazing as it is. i hope to see more projects in the future from them, bl or not.

Leia Mais

Best series I've watched so far

I've been rewatching this drama for so many times already I swear I've never seen any drama who can compare to this series I just love everything about this series. After watching this I can't seems to watch any bl drama because bad buddy makes my standard in dramas too high..btw the chemistry between nanon and ohm are off chart. Also I love how healthy their relationship are.
You won't regret watching it. Now I'm crying 😭 I can't watch any drama besides bad buddy
It's perfect from the plot itself to its cast and alsoo I love the plot twist in the end I love the song

Leia Mais

Bad Buddy showed everyone that you can make a fantastic series without weird tropes or plot twists

Bad Buddy will certainly remain among the best series produced by GMMTV, EVER. Despite the plot being simple, they managed to engage the audience and just make everything work out so well. I actually cried when I finished the last episode because it's hard to say goodbye to such a heart-warming show. Please, don't hesitate and go watch it NOW.
- The Production:
The colours were beautiful and I especially liked Pran's room. The way they used the smiley sign on the door throughout the show was very clever and the smiley decoration in Pran's room was a nice touch. The same thing with the constant use of the "friend" shirt, I love this kind of motif. All the roof scenes were splendid and the place has so many associations in my mind now. In some episodes of the middle of the series, the editing was a bit off between the scenes but overall, it was a well-produced series. The pacing was great but every episode seemed to have its own mini-plot with the resolution at the end.
- The plot:
Well, the plot was simple, easy to follow and not confusing at all. Maybe one of the only flaws of this series is that it doesn't take many risks? But really, can we complain? They had a great cast, great chemistry, great side-character and relationship so I would have been mad if they had ruined it with some weird plot twist. They wanted to make something simple and straight to the point I think it came out well because the character could really shine and develop with such a basic plot. The classics are always the best.
The conflict with the parents is so deep that I am thankful they didn't make the parents become friends again. Also, in the end, I was mad they didn't face their parents for their relationship but Pat wanted to take over the family business so it was more realistic I guess? But I'm not sure about the message it's giving? "Live hidden to avoid conflict and preserve your relationship?" I'm not sure why it was necessary to hide from everyone, even their friends, if their parents were the only ones against them?
+++ bonus point for not a single problematic trope in the series, they even addressed some of them directly which was a nice change !
- The characters:
Pat and Pran were incredible. Aside from Ohm and Nanon chemistry, I loved their bickering SO MUCH? Pat and his puppy energy was the cutest thing ever and Pran cheeky and fussy attitude was incredibly endearing to me. One of the things that I liked the most watching this is that even after they start their relationship they don't change AT ALL. They keep bickering and they don't turn all lovey-dovey out of anywhere.
Pa and Ink. PA AND INK. We need more people to talk about them. I loved seeing their relationship blooming during the episodes, Pa had some character growth and it all felt so natural. The sapphic representation was all I needed as a lesbian myself. Both of them were cool characters that I enjoyed watching interacting with all the other characters.
Wai was a freaking a**hole, let's make that clear. I'm a bit mad they didn't address how fucked up it was that he outed his BFF, but aside from him, I loved the interaction between the two groups of friends even though they were real jerks at the beginning. When Korn had his miraculous character growth, he became a nice sidekick for the couple.

Leia Mais