Amigo de Cama (2023)

Jumping Out Of This Bed

Going into this drama, I really didn't have high expectations. Based on the title alone, I figured it would be something pretty mindless, something I wouldn't have to concentrate on too much. And in many ways, I was correct. It suffers from a severe lack of story or plot, the characters, while charming in their own ways, are not well fleshed out, and thus far, there's just a lot left out. That being said, it also has some nuggets that I actually really appreciated like the focus on consent, the way mental health is addressed, and the absence of a few all too common tropes. Those nuggets don't make it a good drama, but the fact that they are present is promising and makes me hope other dramas will follow suit in that regard.

Again, the storyline/plot is severely lacking. While I wasn't expecting anything deep, I did expect there to be some semblance of a plot. Instead, the first 6 or so episodes is essentially made up of our leads flirting, mostly on King's part, and a fair number of awkwardly cut bedroom scenes. And then suddenly, it's like they decided that they actually did have a story to tell and the sex scenes all but disappeared and now its time to focus on Uea's trauma and fixing everything. On the one hand, I like that justice was served, but it also didn't flow with the rest of the story. The final episode didn't add anything really other than more lovey dovey scenes between our leads and introducing Tutor's character of Mai from Middleman's Love.

Speaking of Uea's trauma, good lord did they dump on the poor guy. What I initially expected and could have gotten on board with, was something where both Uea and King had some kind of trauma which came to light as their FWB relationship developed into something more and they helped each other cope. Instead, everything falls on Uea. He's abused by his mother and sexually assaulted by his step-father, his ex AND his boss and those are just the big ones. How he's functional at all is beyond me. And King? Well, there's nothing really wrong with his family other than his parents wanting to arrange a marriage for him and his mother seeming a bit hard-headed. Again if the trauma had been shared between King and Uea, I think it could have created something interesting, but with it all belonging to Uea, it just feels like overkill. The sexual assault perpetuated by his boss, however, does open the door for two positives. First, the fact that even though Krit is related to the main boss, there is no leniency. It was gratifying to see someone higher up in the company taking care of his employees, to the point that he gives Uea information to see a psychologist. The second positive is the fact that Uea's deteriorating mental health is addressed at all. He talks about seeing the psychologist and he's on medication to help keep his mental health in a good place. With so many of these dramas you have characters that clearly need professional help, but their mental health is never addressed or is skimmed over and it's treated like having a hot boyfriend solves all your problems. No, it doesn't. It helps to have someone there to support you and love you, certainly, but they can't replace actual professional help.

The character's themselves don't make much sense. A good part of that is because they're so one dimensional, King in particular. And maybe I'm just forgetting, but I don't recall Uea's animosity towards King ever really being explained other than he just doesn't like the fact that he's a player. For the way he treats him initially, it felt like it should have been something much more personal. I understand not being a fan of a player, but his reaction felt over the top. There also wasn't enough background information to understand his relationship with his family. All that's shown is the trauma and nothing else. I know trauma affects everyone differently, but I wanted to know more about his state of mind. With the level of abuse he suffered, why did he maintain any kind of contact with his family aside from his sister? Why, as an adult, did he let his family continue to treat him the way they did until he finally just snapped? Same with Krit, he was clearly being sexually harassed, and yet, he didn't even try to report it? And his interactions with King showed that he could stand up for himself and speak his mind, so why didn't he with others? There's just so little to the character that it was impossible to even begin to try and understand his mindset and what he was thinking. Same with King, I don't have a good feel on why he loves Uea so much aside from physical attraction. And some of his reactions just don't make sense. His assumption that Uea was willingly with Krit the night Uea was assaulted was completely irrational. He knew Krit was harassing Uea, he knew Uea didn't like it, so where did that thinking come from? Furthermore, with the whole arranged marriage, why he didn't shut that down right off the bat didn't make sense either. Why was it so hard to tell his office mates that he had no interest in this girl, he loved someone else, this was being forced on him by his parents and he was looking for a way out? I'm aware that both these instances were likely included to fuel the drama and to create a rift between King and Uea, but if you're going to create drama, at least make it believable to some degree. I also took issue with Uea's treatment of King even after they were together. There were times where he was clearly baiting him, daring him to break the rules he had set in place. I didn't appreciate that, especially when it came down to refusing to let King touch him in any way there towards the end, even in a non-sexual manner. It was so clear that he was taunting King and enjoying himself doing it. It's one thing if it's mutually understood that this kind of behaviour is okay and desired by both parties, but I never got that impression from King so it just made it uncomfortable to watch.

The one positive with both these characters was the aspect of consent. Considering what he'd been through, consent was obviously a big deal to Uea and I liked the fact that they laid out rules before beginning their FWB relationship, although King didn't always strictly follow them. I also appreciated that King really did respect Uea and made a concerted effort to follow his rules for the most part and always made sure that he was okay. The one downside is that Uea was drunk their first time together and I'm guessing King was not fully sober either. However, this is somewhat addressed later on when Uea gets drunk again and comes onto a sober King who does not let the same thing happen twice. Uea even mentions afterwards when King asks for a reward for showing restraint that he behaved as he should have. It's something that's not often seen in a lot of BLs, certainly not repeatedly throughout the drama and I found it's inclusion to be a big positive.

The acting is hit or miss. Net and James are both attractive young men, there's no denying that, but to be an actor, you need to be more than just a pretty face. They are both old enough and have been in enough other dramas that I expected more from them. James' acting felt wooden at times and he is not good with emotional scenes. The crying with no tears got old fast. It feels fake and takes away from the emotional impact the scene could have had. Net is better, but his expressions got a bit monotonous after a while. He did have some great moments where he absolutely nails a scene, he has the ability to convey a lot of emotion with his eyes alone. Their chemistry was also hit or miss. There were times where they seemed to match really well and other times it felt forced. I liked Yim in Cutie Pie, his acting and character were two of the only things I liked in that drama, but here he just felt very one note. It doesn't help that Jade just isn't that interesting of a character, but I feel like he could have done more. He also suffered from the whole issue of crying without tears which seemed very fake. Honestly, the only actor that I felt gave a good performance thus far was Ya Janya as Uea's aunt. I know she's barely featured, but her emotions and reactions felt more raw and real than anyone else's.

The production value is a bit meh. There's some awkward editing, scenes that were just cut weird. Some of the cinematography got a bit repetitive. There were angles that just didn't work, odd lighting and in general it was just a hodge podge because there were some really beautifully shot scenes, it's just that none of it was consistent. The music was overall pretty forgettable. I gave it a 7.5 because while it wasn't memorable, I also didn't find it distracting.

As expected, the final episode didn't make much of a difference. It's basically forty minutes of fluff and not much else. I think this drama could have been a lot more than it is, I think it could have gone deeper and been more than just the sex scenes and trauma, but unfortunately that's not what happened. It has a few positives and I will say that I think they are major positives, but the negatives just far outweigh and overshadow them. Here's to hoping that Middleman's Love is better than this mess.

Leia Mais

A deeper story than FWB

If you read the reviews and discussions, you'll notice many people didn't get the storyline, doubted whether there a plot at all, or just skipped around to see NC scenes. And there are some like me who were thoroughly invested in the characters and the story, even though it may not have been what we were expecting, given the Bed Friends title. And there were some who were upset about having to deal with and to be triggered by Uea's trauma. As someone who can be triggered myself, I do ask on Reddit, check MDL Discussions and/or review the MDL Tags, so I have some idea of the content. Tags: Gay Romance, LGBTQ+, Trauma, Mean Mother, Adapted From A Novel, Child Abuse, Expressed Consent, Family Abuse, Sassy Male Lead, Workplace Setting

At first, I thought this would be just pure fluff, but given the MDL tags and the first couple of episodes, it started to become clear to me that it would be a much deeper story. Things that stood out to me:
- King was already fascinated by Uea the first time he set eyes on him at the club. And he made it his goal to get Uea's attention ever since, which only back-fired because Uea just thought King was a player.
- Uea's cold demeanor is his wall. Trauma survivors often need this, or some other survival mechanism, to function.
- Even though they had clearly spelled out FWB rules, they each acted more like boyfriends even from the beginning. True FWB don't necessarily check in that often with each other. Nor do they have meals together, text good night, text "I'm home safe."
- The mother-child relationship is complicated. As many times as your own mother abandons/uses/abuses you, you keep hoping she still somehow loves you. It's easy for people to judge Uea for returning home, but it's a really difficult boundary to set, esp. when you have siblings still at home.
- I felt powerless when Uea's boss Krit showed up on the screen. He was creepy and my relief was palpable when he was gone.
- Early childhood trauma have been shown to change brain chemistry. Instead of perpetuating the stigma against mental health, the producers and writers normalized therapy and prescription meds. We don't often see that in BL.

I highly recommend this series. The main leads' acting was great. Their NC scenes were incredible and their chemistry was scorching!

Leia Mais

I MISJUDGED THIS SO BAD

First of all: I think the title, trailer and synopsis of the series lead people to misunderstand what the series is about. It's more about coping with trauma and having someone help you heal than about them being friends with Benefits.

When I watched the first episode I the first time I fully stopped watching because of their first time since Uea was drunk and I thought this bl was just gonna be like others, I thought they'd just ignore the fact that it was a relation without consent (since drunk people CAN'T give any form of consent). HOWEVER after a couple months I went back to watch it because I saw a lot of people saying how good the series is, and I finished it in roughly 2 days, so here's a list to why this series was so amazing for me and thing I think they did REALLY well (slight spoilers ahead, nothing that I think it's major):

- Uea feeling guilty about their first night (since he was drunk and was thinking that he should've controlled himself when it happened) and King telling him that it wasn't his fault.

- (this refers more from the middle to end of the series, after King's character development) EVERY time King reassured Uea with words and respected his time and decisions, not asking why Uea didn't feel comfortable in certain situations. Also loved every time time King made sure to let Uea know that if he doesn't want/feel comfortable in trying some things he's fine with it and it's okay, cuz it was really important for Uea to not feel pressured to accept things.

- Depict how trauma always affects us. I think Uea's trauma with sa was really well depicted, specially when he was sometimes triggered by King's actions. It didn't matter that he trusted King, people with sa traumas can be triggered by anyone, even if it is their lover, best friend or family.

Now some things that I disliked:
- Every time they communicated like shit, since up to this point they always seemed to try and communicate.

Final Note: Loved how after they start dating we didn't have NSFW scenes as graphic as when they were just friends with benefits, that goes to show that now it is a meaningful and private thing between the couple and not just something periodic that they were doing just because.

Leia Mais

Shocked

I gave my rating and I wasn’t going to write a review but I am too shocked at some of the low ratings. I gave this 10/10 and it’s one of my favorite series. At the time of this writing, I have watched this series 3 times and I’m sure there will be more.

There are many reasons why I love this:
- Visuals - Net is gorgeous and James is beautiful. Put them together and, wow.
- Net and James can both ACT. Net has one of the most expressive faces I have ever seen. I could feel exactly what he was feeling.
- This series hits EVERY EMOTION.
- As the title alludes to, the bedroom scenes are plentiful and steamy. Episode 6 is especially great. Meow.
- The cinematography was outstanding. The beach scene with their silhouettes was absolutely stunning.
- True love triumphs over every obstacle.
- Loyal friends are invaluable.
- The bad guys get what they deserve.
- The music was spot on.

Don’t let the reviews dissuade you from watching. Decide for yourself.

Leia Mais

Very disappointed from Bed Friend Series!!! I Expected So Much More.

2/10 dropped/disappointed (from Episode 4 until the End of the Episodes).

Negative:

1. 1-2 episodes were disappointing. I expected a bit to happen with the lovescenes.
2. The Most of the Lovescenes were not so good and sexy. Lovescenes were too short.
3. It would have been interesting if there had been an affair between the Boss Krit and Nuea. And i wouldn't have had a problem with the two of them getting together. Anyway, not much happened with the Maincouple in the Lovescenes. Not much happened with kissing either. I got more and more annoyed from episode to episode. Boring.
4. The Witch Mother of Nuea. She was a total disaster.
5. The Series implementation was unfortunately not good at all.
6. The kiss has Nuea as good as always refused. That was very annoying and unnecessary!!!


Positive:

1. Acting was really good of the Characters in the Series.
2. The Maincouple

Leia Mais

Good watch but Lol

It was a visually pleasing series, the actors are so good-looking, the story was also good up until episode 4 or 5 where it felt like they were dragging the plot. But definitely would recommend cause omg Net and James!!! 100!!
The side characters I didn't bother with so much because they didn't really add value to the story or series in general, I think the writers focused too much on the main characters that they forgot to actually build the side characters as well and yeah.. lol! The stylist for James and Net tho, the movie wardrobe wears were like a 10/10. Every outfit on the main characters looked really classy and hot.

Leia Mais

Left a lot to be desired kind of

I kind of have two opinions that keep fighting internally. I keep going back and forth of "well it was better than expected" and "but it still felt kind of off".

I appreciate that while this is clearly a very sexually implied series, the NC scenes didn't seem too random and aimlessly thrown in just for "fanservice". I felt like this with previous Mandee shows and was honestly expecting worse. With this show, they managed to show us intimacy outside of sexual intimacy. Thus I was able to buy into them actually developing a bond and growing to love each other. I attribute that to the actors chemistry - it's amazing. I feel like James really ountshines the cast though.

The story overall fell kind of flat. There wasn't really a lot of plot except for trauma after trauma for Uea. Uea's "character developement" - if we can even call it that - feels super cliché and clumsy. While there was visibly none for King. His only characteristic is being head over heels for Uea. But why? Why did he suggest being FWB first when he acts like a lovesick boy immediately? I feel bad that this character is solely used as a "magic cure" for Ueas struggles.

I must say though that I enjoyed watching the show as it aired. I call these kind of shows a "good acquitance". I'm not left at the edge of my seat and WAITING for the next episode nor did I particularily look forward to watching it every week. This show accompanied me well through 10 weeks, but it didnt pull me through.

Lastly, I hope Mandee keeps developing in the direction of less fanservice and more plot.

Leia Mais

Loooove it

I love this series. I watch it then I go on YouTube and watched the reaction with shaqiii. He literally have you screaming 🤣🤣🤣. Am into episode 4 and I loooove it. The only down side what I don't like is I need Uea to cuss his mother TF out. I know Thailand it's all about respect and what not🙃 but it's time for him to put a serious cussing on his mother. She is are B***, and for that stepfather he needs a cutass and the EX also. I was literally watching episode 4 and am like this MC . In life sometimes you need to block and remove some family members from your life.

Leia Mais

TO BE HONEST I LOVED IT AND FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART !! SORRY IF YOU DIDN'T

This was more than the title "BED FRIEND" .
It was not only about the NC scenes it was about life, healing, acceptance. I don't know why people are finding so many flaws where i actually liked it this much !! Nvm this is the postive review you probably need.


Their acting was the plus and biggest point. They nailed it and only because their acting was so natural some scenes didn't feel cringe to me or even if it was i would just blush and giggle!!! You can just tell by the KISS SCENE when they kissed while only being BED FRIENDS and then as LOVERS. Their first kiss as lovers got the whole ZOO in my stomach!! I almost had diabetes ༎ຶ⁠‿⁠༎ຶ coz the last few eps were too SWEET for meee !!! They just stole my heart 😭❤️ and i was giggling like crazy !!


The cinematography was so beautiful!! Especially the beach scene in last ep and the song, King's stare and the atmosphere it was alllll just magic ✨.


Their story was all about " you can find that someone in anyway, anywhere coz everything is fare in love 🤷🏻‍♀️ and then the person will say 'we can fix this together' 'you don't have to be strong when you're with me' and yesss just like that UEA found his little happiness KING who was head over hills for him ~ AND I'M HOPELESS ROMANTIC coz of them 😭


However i don't think this series deserves these much hate or criticism !! People are so negative nowadays, no series literally nothing can fully satisfy them 🤷🏻‍♀️ .

It was cute sweet funny a little sad and i loved itt !! If you're up for a decent storyline, rom-com, good acting, amazing chemistry and acting and a little cringe cliche plot then yess go for ittt ❤️❤️

Leia Mais

Great Leads and OST

"Bed Friends" gets off to a slow start but builds to a strong conclusion, giving my final rating a solid 10.. Net and James are outstanding in the lead roles, probably because their off-screen chemistry is off the charts. Unfortunately, this is the main weakness of the plot in that Uea (James' character) plays it a bit too cool with King (Net's character) right to the end of the drama. Yes, Uea and King do get a bit closer as King comes to understand Uea's backstory on sexual abuse, but even in the final scene, Uea seems a bit too surprised or skeptical of King's offer of marriage. I think there was a missed opportunity to do more with Jade's (Yim's character) as he's a real scene-stealer whenever he appears. HIs best scene is when he joins King to select a ring for Uea. (I'm going to have to go look for dramas where he's the lead.) Thai BL dramas set the gold standard for romantic scenes and "Bed Friend" breaks new ground over its DOMUNDI predecessors like "WhyRU?" Still, it seems a bit odd that shows like this go out of their way to avoid shirtless scenes. Maybe the actors don't feel they have the "6-pack" physique to pull it off? I also have a minor complaint with the Uea being drawn as a stereotypical BL uke. These dramas would be far more interesting -- and realistic -- if the characters were equally masculine. If you're new to BL, "Bed Friends" is probably one of the best dramas you could start with. The 10 episodes move along without being burdened by too much padding. The plot is fresh and the main characters are all likable. Highly recommended. I'd love to see Net & James in another drama where their characters are more like their real-life personalities, though.

Leia Mais

Not much impressed

Although actors had very potential but script didn’t go well with them I felt really bore at some plots unnecessary scenes were too much believe it or not I finished this drama in 1 day that means I forwarded more scenes continuously I wasn’t impressed with the script it is really a kind of lousy but I like the actors and somewhere story was good but they dragged it like a war I hope bl series directors shud understand although we expect intimate scenes but that doesn’t mean entire series will be based on those scenes lol you can see tharntype kinporsche series we have such bold scenes but drama was good they had story but here it literally nothing but most of the korean dramas I’m giving 3 4 5 ratings compare to those this drama was good anyway all the best to actors I really hope they can get a well drama next time they are so cute and chemistry and their acting was so dawn amazing

Leia Mais

The Uea Chronicles

I was completely captivated by this drama. From the enchanting original soundtrack to the flawless performances, everything was exceptional. The chemistry between the characters crackled, and the romance was beautifully depicted. Those intense scenes? They were scorching hot! I found myself glued to the screen, grinning like a fool. This drama truly swept me off my feet.

In every drama I watch, there’s always a character I deeply connect with. In this one, Uea was my absolute favorite. From the moment I laid eyes on him, I thought, ‘That’s the one.’ He exuded sass, sexiness, and incredible handsomeness, yet he carried the weight of his painful past with strength. His graceful movements and expressive face drew me in. His journey was heart-wrenching, but when he finally found someone to lean on, someone who cared for him, it was a moment of relief. His mother never believed in him, his stepfather was… his ex was a pain in the *ss. Every time he was hurt, it pained me, and I despised seeing him cry. To me, he was nothing short of an angel—someone worth protecting. His performance was outstanding.

And then there’s King—handsome as hell, possessive, patient, loving, and protective. That jawline? Absolutely mesmerizing. I don’t know if I’m the only one obsessed with it, but it’s impossible to ignore. Anyways, he has my utmost respect. The way he safeguards what he loves is incredibly sweet. His patience with Uea, understanding him and giving him time, speaks volumes about his character. I vividly remember when Uea asked him if he’d wait for him, and King simply replied, ‘Tell me when.’ That’s a green flag right there. I adore him, and I’m thrilled he saved my beloved Uea and was always there for him.

Now, let’s address the red flags: Uea’s mom. I can’t fathom why someone would carry their own flesh and blood for nine months, endure the labor process, and then emotionally and physically abuse their child. It’s beyond my comprehension. Uea, despite everything, even saved his mother’s number in his phone. When he heard she was in the hospital, he rushed there, only to be mocked. I officially despise that woman.

And Uea’s stepdad? Well, let’s just say I wouldn’t mind someone snipes him or chops off his limbs and makes sure he feels that pain but doesn't die in the process before I do.

The other actors delivered flawless performances—I love them.

This drama is definitely worth watching.

I highly recommend it.

Go watch it!

Leia Mais