O Eclipse (2022)

This would have been great if GMMTV cared about good writing.

The poor writing and direction that has been a staple of most 2022 GMMTV BLs could not even spare First and Khaotung. After looking over the promising synopsis and cast, I am disappointed we ended up with a very shallow mystery political plotline, and a charming but cliched high school romance.

I think the cast is great. The acting was the only thing that made this script seem slightly believable. Khaotung being the standout actor, and Neo exceeding my expectations. Ayan is my favorite character. He is clever but kind-hearted, and I loved seeing Khao’s full range of acting.
Kan’s character turned out to be far more multifaceted than he seemed. Neo made the most of subtle facial expressions and movements. You could always tell what was on Kan’s mind without it being explicitly said.
First is a phenomenal actor, but Akk’s character writing was not strong enough. He is cliched, stubborn and dense. Despite this, First did the best he could, and you can’t help but root for Akk.

The romance was the main draw that kept me watching this series, though it fizzled out into something standard. First and Khao had great banter and chemistry. Thua and Kan also had quite the interesting relationship, and one of my favorite kiss scenes of all time.
Unfortunately by the end both couples degenerated into common tropes and cliched roles. Though I was disappointed, nothing was exceptionally bad (let’s ignore the accidental kiss), and I still found their relationships endearing.

One of the things I noticed first was that this “strictly governed leading all-boys school” didn’t seem very strict at all. The only “strictness” that was emphasized in the story was dress code and no phones in class. These are very common school rules. The only time the rules started to seem extreme was towards the very end when free speech and protesting started to get limited. I also thought that the World Remembers group would be a bit more of a threat than three guys protesting the dress code.
A few characters mentioned that Suppalo had a point system. I think if they should have made something like a highly competitive point system the main tension of the story. Then the other rules could build on top of that tension, and the dissension among the students would be far more believable.

Now the so-called “mystery.” Throughout the story you are warned about the dangers of the Suppalo curse, but it’s never really specified what the Suppalo curse will do aside from some vague harm. The stakes are never established so the viewer is never fully invested in the mystery.
I think they should have kept Ayan’s motives secret for longer, or involved Dika a little later in the storyline. This would have improved the mystery aspect, and help pacing feel less dragged out towards the end. Instead the writers opted for poorly set up plot twists to make the “mystery” feel exciting.

Now for the plot twists. Spoilers ahead. Throughout the show I was always underwhelmed by Thua’s character. He is soft spoken and a little boring, but I could still see his appeal. Based on how Thua had acted for the majority of the show, I thought Thua is a smart character who would rather directly confront rather than cook up a two-faced plot. I don’t think the plot twist was worth going against his established character. But seeing as the conflict was quickly resolved and thrown under the rug, I suppose it didn’t matter much either way.
Thua’s plot twist I could almost see coming, but when Chadok’s reveal happened I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Did they really expect us to believe that the most unlikable character, the person who pushed Akk to threats and harassment, was actually a big romantic? The writers attempted to redeem the last person they could shift the blame on. The viewers are left with a mystery that has no culprit, and only the “rules” to blame.

The final thing that caught my attention was the poor sound mixing, music, and editing. There is a lot of background fuzz during dialogue. The soundtrack is okay, but highly repetitive. I noticed a lot of weird cuts and timing. Some notably being the awkward fade transitions and cuts during the middle of kiss scenes. While these things are not a deal breaker in my book, a lack of refinement in these details further cheapened an already cheap plotline.

As long as you don’t come for an engaging plot, enjoy the flirty rebel x straight-laced student romance. Relish in the perfection that is Kan and Thua’s kiss scene, and reminisce over Ayan and Akk’s dreamy kiss in the dorm that was too good to be true…

Though this series has it's faults I can't help but remember the good. So if you like anyone in the cast, this isn’t going to be a particularly bad watch, but don’t get your hopes up for anything revolutionary.

Leia Mais

the eclipse was a really special show.

the tone and mood was perfectly contradicting from one moment to the next- there was the mystery / curse part of the show, and the youth / romance drama part of it, and i enjoyed both immensely.

now, was the eclipse a perfect show? definitely not. there are lots of valid criticisms to be made against the plot of the show and how they could've made it stronger, but for me at least, the show really delivers its core message well by drawing the right metaphors and not making things too unrealistic or dramatic.

like, the show still very much feels grounded in reality despite the grandiose themes of rights and revolution it's aiming to tackle, and i actually appreciate that!

it's like the show allows you a choice: you can look past the surface and into the intricacies of the plot and the metaphors they're drawing up (for example, the fact that orwell's 1984 is literally a major plot point in the series and therefore obviously a source of inspiration for the story) OR you can choose to take the story at a surface level, where it's a tried and true coming-of-age love story focusing on themes such as friendships, family, and redemption.
notice how even the 'surface level story' highlights indubitably important and worthwhile themes? exactly.

the eclipse is worth watching both for its heavier themes, and for its lighter ones, because they are both done SO fucking well!

apart from that, the cast is just amazing, and makes it real easy to forgive the narrative faults of the show ♡

overall, the eclipse was an absolute joy to watch and witness, and i personally adored every bit of it!!! 💗🥺

Leia Mais

THIS IS THE BEST DRAMA OF 2022

I'm not being biased in any way shape or form this is a 10-star drama there was nothing wrong with this drama it's a very typical school based thai drama it's a normal plot , there's nothing unique it's nothing rare we've seen it a lot in Thai dramaland but the execution is so phenomenal that it surpasses so many other dramas this year.

The acting is one of the best I've ever had the privilege of watching Khaotung is a phenomenal actor, you can feel his emotions through the screen and because he's so good he kind of like brings up the other actors as well. First Neo Louis and AJ are great actors as well but Khaotung acting with them just put them on another level. You can feel him giving his emotion and energy to them and they reciprocate and it's just phenomenal the acting of everybody in this drama from the younger ones to the older ones was just chef's kiss. I genuinely don't know their names like I've never seen them in any drama the only elder actor I've seen in another drama is the female who plays First's mom, she acted in Something In My Room earlier this year and she did a great job in that drama and she did a great job in this one as well but any other actor I've never seen them anywhere else but they are veteron actors in the thai industry and they're so good they helped push the narrative and they truly truly did well with the acting, they were able to tell the story perfectly that kept you captivated and hooked and never bored. Even though the drama itself doesn't have the most spectacular action-packed plot it so very mundane plus as I said it's a very basic we've seen it before but they executed it so well. The acting when there is a sad scene and they're crying or in pain or anything, you feel that pain. You feel it through the screen and you feel their emotions through the screen, they really put themselves into their role they were not First and and khaotung and Neo and Louie and AJ no sir they were Akk and Ayan and Phupa and Wat.

This helped boost their role and it was just exceptionally well done I can say with confidence that the acting itself is 10 out of 10.

Next let's talk about the plot. The plot itself is a very basic plot, it's avery mundane plot, it's nothing that we've never seen before I need to keep saying this anybody going into the drama thinking it's going to be this big Supernatural drama, no it's a very normal plot but it's very basic plot is directed so well by and the script writing was just perfect, the pacing is done in a way that you never get bored, they were definitely a lot of chances to make this drama lackluster and with another director and another scriptwriter and maybe even different actors the plot would have felt like it was missing something it would have felt like a drag. In all honesty there's another drama that was airing at the same time of the eclipse and I was way more excited for that drama than the eclipse and that drama my only 12% staring Earth and Santa I love Earth ever since until we meet again I became a huge fan of him and I was super excited for my only 12%. The plot was another very basic story that we've seen before but somehow the pacing and execution wasn't done very well and I found myself being very bored. I'm currently behind by six episodes and I sadly have no interest in continuing the drama. The Eclipse however is the complete opposite, it had me coming back every week to see what happens next even though the plot wasn't anything phenomenal.

Now that we spoken about the acting let's speak about the story so as I said earlier the story itself is very mundane and normal we've seen it before it's nothing unique or new but the execution and directing is everything absolutely everything there was so many opportunities and chances for this drama to flop or go downhill but it never did it stay just getting better and better and better and just what I thought that maybe was going to just stay being a norma drama that's just has superb at acting boom a plot twist that I never saw coming happened. I don't think anybody watching the eclipse saw that plot twist coming, you could think outside the box as much as you want you will never get this plot twist there was no signs there was nothing not an inkling of a thought passed through any viewer of the eclipse minds, none of us got that plot twist its was most perfectly executed plot twistI have ever had the honor of watching, just amazing. They also paced the drama in a way that you never feel like you have something else you want to watch like I'd rather be doing this. You never get that feeling. Every Friday I'm ready to watch the eclipse there's nothing that I'd rather do than watch that new episode and that's how good the storytelling was because as I keep saying this is a very normal drama there was so many chances for the drama to dive bomb but it never did The story was just enough that it kept you intrigued,not every episode ended on a cliffhanger but there was enough to make the new episode something you judt had to see. not only were you interested in the story in the sense of what happens with the curse and everything you're also interested in the characters, and their development and their stories, their relationships, their bonding, you're so interested in every aspect of the drama that you keep coming back and that I have to give props not only to the actors but of course the director because she's so talented this was the best drama it ate and left no crumbs they didn't even leave the platter they ate everything. Another thing that I wanted to touch on really quickly was the chemistry, now I don't really think this has anything to do with acting because two of the greatest actors can come together and have zero chemistry together but the connection between these actors were phenomenal beside relationship-wise with the first and second couple there was also just the Friendship connection, you felt their pure and genuine friendship through the screen and honestly it didn't even feel like you were watching the drama it felt like you were a fly on the wall and watching normal people's lives,it did not feel like you're watching a drama the friendships between First, Neo and AJ was just amazing and of course the relationship between and Neo and Louise and Ayan and Akk was again really well done. Even a physical non-friendship relationship between teacher Sani and AJ was just gorgeous, it felt genuine, it felt pure and it was just amazing another thing I really truly enjoyed about this drama that I want to touch on really quickly is the fact that it didn't rely on any spicy scenes because there are no spicy scenes in this drama like there's none, it also doesn't have any shock factor there was only one or two plot twist and they both came in the same episode so it didn't rely on shock factor. The drama itself was relying on the character's chemistry and the character's development and and that is something we need more of this year I have watched a lot of Dramas and most of them at least the boy loves have been relying onmore of the spicy scenes and while we enjoy it Kinn Porsche hello while we enjoy it sometimes you just need a breath of fresh innocent air and that is what the eclipse is, it's just what I needed. The kisses in the drama was just so pure and their relationship was mainly built on Raw emotion no physical touching it was built on Raw emotion and beautifully spoken words, eye contact, like a hand holding or the grabbing of somebody's hands when they needed moral support, mental and emotional chemistry is what this drama relied on not sexual and it was just the perfect fluffy break you neeeded. You know the serotonin you get from playing with a puppy or a kitten is the same serotonin you get from watching the eclipse like it's such such a beautiful story.


Next, music, okay so I love music and I love a drama with good music, there's only one OST for this drama compared to other dramas that has multiple but this one OST was enoug it's sung by khaotung and it's played at the beginning and ending of every episode. It's the first OST I've fallen in love with this year which is quite sad because last year had quite a few. I feel like the OST are a little bit lackluster and mundane they're only three dramas this year I can think of that has amazing osts the first one is KinnPorsche then of course Big Dragon has a really really good OST I highly recommend and of course The Eclipse OST. with this soundtrack it gives what an official soundtrack needs to give, l you would listen to this song and you would feel exactly what the drama wants you to feel, the pure, raw, love and emotion that the two characters give to each other is exactly what you feel when you listen to this song it's a song that if you're driving in the car on a rainy day and you're listening to, you're going to probably think about your first love or the love of your life because this this OST is really good I found myself listening to it even when I'm not watching the eclipse like I have it downloaded on my phone and I would randomly need to listen to the song besides how gorgeous Khaotung's voice is the song itself is breathtaking. I do not understand Thai at all and the song is sung in Thai but I feel all the emotions the lyrics put out I truly do recommend you go listening to the OST if you haven't listened to the full thing and if you've never watched The Eclipse and you're watching this review simply because you want to know if you should firstly yes and secondly go check out the full OST like it's really phenomenal

Next the rewatch value. I'll definitely rewatch this drama. There's a certain serotonin you get from watching each episode each week when it's airing but there's a different level of serotonin you get from binging a whole entire drama so I'm going to binge it tonight that's how good it is there's only one other drama that has gotten me to rewatch and that's the Chinese drama Word of Honor, but it's very rare for me to rewatch a drama especially one that I recently finished watching.

But with that being said I truly hope you enjoyed my review if you did please give this video a thumbs up, comment down below what your thoughts on the eclipse were if you watched it and if you didn't I highly recommend go watching it. You can watch it on YouTube all episodes have already aired, I also highly recommend go listening to the OST and of course watching behind the scenes because their chemistry is not only on screen it's also off screen.

Leia Mais

The best BL of 2022 so far for me

I started watching it when the 1st episode came out without much conviction but only because First my favorite BL actor was playing the main character.
And as soon as i started to pay attention to the plot it punched me in the face by the topics this serie deals with even beyong the BL gender. This show is relatable in every way by the diversity of issues the characters are experiencing.
For me, Akk was the character i related the most with, as young LGBT+ person who had troubles to accept my true identity, Akk is a character that is realistic in the way he struggles with self acceptance and self love it was like seeing my own struggles in his. But i'm sure other characters will relate with you based on your own,experience !
It's a show that also makes us question our own vision of good and evil and understand that everything isn't always black of white. The characters ain't flat they evolved through the whole serie learning from their mistakes in order to find their true self !
As for the cinematography, everything in this show is amazingly beautiful and aesthetic !
I think i could talk about this show for days but i'll let you discover by yourself !! But The Eclipse is one of the best serie I've ever seen even beyond the BL genre !

Leia Mais

Best GMMTV drama ever

Best GMMTV drama ever, and one of the best dramas in general, it was perfect from the beginning until the end ,
I don't think I have watched such a perfect Thai drama ever, yes, there were couple of good dramas, but these was allsome, it was a journey and a process ,real,

Story 10/10
The story is not predictable, it is a journy of a soul, and developing a character, growth of a person inside and love and values, it is not cliche in any way , it is very "new" if we compare it to other Thai dramas.
It's completly about gays and go out of the closet, so you could say it's not even a standard bl but more a real gay drama.
Very exiting to watch how 2 people falling inlove and get out of the closet.


Cast 10/10


the actors are all amazing, and offcourse Khaotung Thanawat that is beyond amazing, he is Beyond any word, I really love this actor, it could be my one number Thai actor, there isn't a single moment I feel he is out of the character, he is always the character fully.
First is a great actor too, he too not easy role, and he made me cry a lot.


Music
I can not give a score to the music because usually I don't like Thai ost, but this time it was very nice and suitable to the plot, I don't think you need here a music to make you cry,
I liked they didn't use acapella for sad moments. I was very reliefed and it's helped me feel more, I hate thai acapellas,

Rewatch
It is something to remember, and something that stay with you for years, it's not some drama you just forgeting, that is one of the dramas that getting into your heart,

12 episodes was just the perfect lenght to a closer and it was not draggy or boring even for a second.

Leia Mais

2 solid couples, this is how you do a BL!!

I believe many of us have long moved past the phase of watching high school shows, but you have to trust me on this one – Eclipse is a masterpiece. Although the trailer came off as mediocre when GMMTV first unveiled it, the plot is anything but tired.

The BL is solid. The storyline is solid. I can’t ask for much more.

It’s rare for a BL to have 2 extremely solid couples – but I was as excited to watch Akk and Ayan as I was to watch Kan and Thua. Both couples absolutely nailed it.

This is the first time I’m watching First and Khaotung being paired together, and gosh, it is worth the wait. Khaotung generally takes on roles that are ‘softer’, so watching Ayan is a breath of fresh air. Because of his personality, Ayan is always looking to push the boundaries, especially with Akk, and it’s this confidence that defines the main couple’s dynamics. Pulling Akk’s face closer to his, kissing him on the cheek – Ayan constantly taunts and challenges Akk, just to see how much he can get away with before Akk pulls away.

I never thought I would see Khaotung being a bad boy, but here we are. Did he pull it off perfectly? Oh yes, watching them really makes my heart flutter.

Neo often plays the joker, but in Eclipse, he’s serious and intense. And I’m so glad we get to see this side of him. He and Louis first appeared in Fish Upon The Sky, where their chemistry was largely forgettable. Eclipse really brought out the best in them.

Full review: https://asianblreviews.wordpress.com/2022/10/28/eclipse-2022-review-bl/

Leia Mais

There is something about this series, something special I can’t explain.

First of all. I'm VERY late writing this review but here is what I thought of the show :)

(SPOILER ALERT SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF MY WHOLE TEXT)

"There is something about this series, something special I can’t explain what it is but it is literally my comfort. Maybe I’m to attached to the series... Idk what to do with my life when this show ends. I want new episodes to air every friday for the next of my life. My fridays will be so empty without new episodes and there won't be a friday that i look forward to anymore :( I know that there are still 2 weeks left but I’m not ready to let go. Idk why or how but Eclipse is 24/7 in my head... Can we also appreciate Khao and First? They're so talented and literally the 2 perfect actors to play Akk and Ayan. I recommend this series to everyone who is seeing this right now."

That was my short review about The Eclipse back when I just almost finished it. The reason i'm writing this review so late? Because i was too lazy to make a mydramalist acc. I forreal made this account to rank The Eclipse high and to let yall know how AMAZING this show was. The story, as u have seen in a lot of reviews here is PERFECT, BUT 2 little things that triggered me was that they forgive Thua that fast AND Wat x teacher Sani. It was kinda weird tbh.
But for the rest, I loved that it wasn't just a normal high school drama but with an interesting, mysterious touch. The plot-twists were also very interesting and I was shocked of some. ONE OF GMMTV'S BEST WORKS. The whole aesthetic and cinematography still blows me away.
know this show is not for everyones interest but I would give it a try if I was you :)
THE ACTING. FIRST TIME THAT FIRSTKHAO PLAYED MAIN ROLES AND K1LLED IT!!! Untill this day I'm still so amazed of Khao's acting and ofcourse First too. The whole story was well balanced and it really deserved all the recognisation. The Eclipse will always be on eof my favourites and I recommend 10/10. Nothing unproblematic or weird just a healthy, cute, mysterious show. It's an all-pack with every genre. Loved it so much. (rewatched it for like 10 times already)

Leia Mais

Eclipsed mystery, shinning love

This show is phenomenal, a must watch indeed. However, i got to say i was expecting a little more on the mystery and somewhat kind-of-supernatural aspect of it.
Of couse it had great plot twist and reveals that i was not expecting, but some other things just felt rushed and not very well planned out or just thrown at us.
Good thing, however, was the acting and the cinematography of the whole thing. I had my jawdropping every now and than while experiencing and seeing the feelings of all the actors, specially the main couple, just pass by their eyes, slight expression changes and voice tones. It was trully incredible, not to mention the music; when i say that i just could not get myself to jump the opening sequence even once, i'm not lying. It was just that good.
If you like the political, revenge, enemy-to-lovers, fight-for-what's-right kind of story, this one is a good one. Just don't come for the mystery.

Leia Mais

The story captured me from the beginning

This BL series has gotten some bad reviews. I thought it was brilliant. Its message was perhaps lost in the way the story unfolded. That is too bad because its message and meaning is quite significant. For sure, this story twists and turns in sometimes strange ways and does not smoothly transition from beginning to end. But if you understand the intent behind it, it is quite an impactful and moving story. Remember, this is yet another never-ending Thai BL about high school boys. But with this one, I took the time to see it from the perspective of a Thai teenage boy. And guess what? It is messy, uneven, illogical, immature, and chaotic. Just like a teenage boy IS. This was one of the few times that I thought these endless school BLs finally captured the essence of a teenage boy. Silly, impressionable, vulnerable, passionately committed, searching for truth, making mistakes, failing, and falling deeply and hard in love. Have we forgotten?

Leia Mais

I'm happy again

It's been hard y'all. It's been very difficult to watch every current BL, but this time they got it right. I'm finally feeling ACTUALLY happy about a drama. The casting is perfect, of course it helps. The boys were great, It was well directed, the story was amazing and had plot twists I didn't see coming. It's the first time in a while I watched something weekly and anxiously and I didn't wanna it to end. The chemistry between First and Khaotung is unbelievable. The development of First's character, Akk, is so well done. I always love Neo and seeing him in a serious part was nice too. Also, I really like him with Louis, they make a great couple. AJ surprised me too, now I like him more. I almost cried so many times, it got really emotional and sad but it's because it shows reality in an important way.

Leia Mais

A curse? What curse?

The story in itself is promising but the execution is a bit messy.
Three episodes in and there are pieces of the plot I wished were more installed and others I wished we'd discover later in the story to keep things fresh and make us feel like everything is planned out.
I'd have enjoyed the idea of a very present threat, of a curse every student believes in, to create a real tense and heavy atmosphere. As for Dika, I'd have liked it better if he was introduced a bit later, thus making Ayan look even more mysterious since we don't know his true motives.

A lot of things are put out there and it creates a bit of a messy development: the curse is mentioned but it's hard to know if students strongly believe in it or only think of it as a kind of joke or unrealistic threat, Ayan's uncle has come into the picture thus revealing Ayan's presence in Suppalo, Khan and Thua's relationship is unclear too since they both give each other the cold shoulder but at the same time, they seem to care about each other... and how can a powerful and elite school like Suppalo feel threatened by three students who aren't even that rebellious (they're only shown once or twice with casual clothes in school and end up complying with the rules even though they dislike it!)?
I think the further we go in the story, the more everything comes into place but it's a bit of a shame that the title of the series and its premise feel like it's just a mere detail of the story.

Of course, I do enjoy the "cat and mouse game" between Akk and Ayan. One teases the other, consequently, the other gets flustered... it's cute and quite well-executed (though it drags on for a long time). Akk and Ayan's actors have nice facial expressions and lively eyes.
I think Khan and Thua's relationship evolves nicely too (that scene when they're sleeping next to each other and Khan's owning up to his feelings...absolutely adorable!). It's a good thing that they've changed the dynamics they had in Fish upon the Sky, this way, it doesn't bring a sense of deja-vu.
Dika's story is, in my opinion, what is the most interesting aspect of the plot, and I found myself looking forward to knowing more about it while the curse is just a plot device that is not well used (at least at the beginning of the drama, the "mystery" behind the curse unfolds later and gets clearer).

Some dialogues and some scenes feel a bit stiff, nothing too cringy but there are silences that drag on weirdly between two sentences or the way the dialogues are delivered is not very natural with some actors.

No matter my criticisms, I've not dropped this series and it was a rather pleasant drama to watch!

Leia Mais

Masterpiece... if the story was fleshed more

I really loved this show. It was so fantastic. The cast chemistry was so good and the characterisations were absolutely brilliant probably some of the best characters in a BL.

The characters were probably the best part of the show. I was amazed with the detail put into each character's personality and background and how that directly carried through into their actions. For example, Akk comes from a humble upbringing and every action he does goes to trying to make his parents proud. We see it from Ayan who begins to conform to the system because his boyfriend and we slowly begin to see him lose his steadfast values. The characters also beautifully develop as the show progresses and we see the effect each one has on the other.

The one thing I am impressed in the show is that the queer identity was really well told. I feel that a lot of BLs are written from the perspective of two straight guys who turn gay for each other, so it was nice to follow Akk's storyline. We saw him struggling with his sexual identity and and how difficult it was for him and the work that was required. It felt massively realistic and authentic.

If I'm going to be completely honest, the show did fall a bit flat in the story department. I thought the way the major conflicts - Dika's death and mysteries of the trouble makers was neglected throughout a significant part of the show where some of the romance and character storylines stretched out too much. The story resolutions were also a bit weak. The Dika's death and Eclipse storylines were somewhat surprising but didn't give the full satisfaction it should have given especially with how I felt like there was too many easy resolutions in this show. Firstly the short film decoy felt very weak to me and after the way Thua going to all this trouble to keep the curse up and vented his frustrations would agree to do the short film felt unusual. The resolutions felt very easy and minimised the seriousness of the conflicts that had depicted.

Overall it's a really good watch with a bit of a few weak storylines. I definitely recommend this to everyone watch it though and I hope to see more BLs like this.

Leia Mais