The Trainee (2024)

What do we have here? Oh, that’s right, MY PARENTS’ SERIES. ?

I swear, OffGun could breathe, and I’d be out here screaming, “YASSSS, SLAY, SERVE, DELIVER.” They are *everything*, okay? If you’ve been riding with them since their first series, you KNOW they never miss. People were whining about *Cooking Crush* (I still don’t understand why, btw), and now some of y’all have beef with this series because it’s “coming of age” and not *fully BL*? Excuse me, WHATCHU MEAN? They kissed! In my book, that’s BL enough. Stop complaining and enjoy greatness.

Now, let’s talk about Ryan. OH, GUN, YOU LITTLE KING OF COMEDY. He *eats* these roles up and leaves no crumbs. Ryan is such a relatable mess—clueless, chaotic, slow as a dial-up modem. Honestly, he’s giving “me during my intern phase,” and I’m not even mad about it. His energy is a big mood.

And Khun Po? Off ATE. He’s the grumpy mentor we all love to hate because, deep down, we know he’s just trying to make you better while simultaneously making you cry in the bathroom. The dynamic between Ryan and Jane was *chef’s kiss*—progression, tension, and those “OH MY GOD, THEY’RE GONNA GET CAUGHT” moments that had me gripping my pillow. The comedy? Hilarious. The suspense? So good. My only beef is that they focused so much on the work drama that the romance was like, “Hello? Still here?” But the ending? CUTE. Just wish we had more ~swoony~ moments.

Now, let’s talk about the SIDE PAIRING. SEA. BEING. STRAIGHT. *Nightmare fuel.* Why, WHY did they have to put Tae back with Bahmee? Like, Bahmee is cute and all, but y’all could’ve had her end up with Judy and then hit us with a Jimmy cameo at the end to hint he likes Tae. The potential for DRAMA, HELLO??? But noooo, y’all just HAD to take the boring route. Tragic.

And Poon? THAT MAN IS CHAOS INCARNATE. Every time he showed up, I couldn’t stop laughing. He’s the *perfect* goofy relief. But listen, if you haven’t seen him in *Terror Tuesday*, you’re missing out because that man can ACT. From comedy king to horror legend, he does it all. We stan versatility.

Overall? The plot was good—just a few tweaks here and there that could’ve elevated it to iconic status. But listen, I’m *biased*, and I’m not even sorry about it. OffGun are my faves, and they’ll stay my faves. You can keep your opinions; I’m out here thriving. Bye. 😂

Leia Mais

a good series that could have been a GREAT.

is this a bl? yes and no. the two main characters do have a happy ending but if you're looking for a series that focuses mainly of the main relationship then i wouldn't recommend this drama. i enjoyed this series a lot because i personally love the cast but i think there could have been a lot of changes made to the storyline. i wish we could have seen a lot more from ryan and jane as they're the 'main characters' but personally it didn't really feel like they were the main characters together(?) more as, i felt like we were just watching both of their stories separately. we could have gotten a lot more from them romantically if there weren't other pointless subplots. this is one of those series that i feel needed more than 12 episodes considering how many characters and sub plots there were. overall, if you're looking for something cute and light to watch with a fun entertaining friend group and a happy ending then i recommend this series.

Leia Mais

Not for Me

I watched three agonizing episodes, and I can no longer do it. Mind you, it took me four tries to get through episode 3 cause each time I kept falling asleep. Something about this felt completely off, and after skimming through a couple of reviews and comments, I've come to the conclusion that this isn't really a BL, and that was honestly all I needed to know.

Let's Dive In.

Can't believe that I'm even dropping an OffGun series, cause I will quite literally (or use to think at least) that I would watch any BL series with them in it, but I don't think I can do this. Already starting off in episode one, it was extremely slow-paced and just down-right boring. The build up of the characters felt entirely too dragged out, and I kept feeling like something was off, but I couldn't quite put it. Then I watched two more episodes and it was agonizing. I couldn't even try to continue watching this even if I didn't come to realize it's not (really) BL, cause the sneak peek of episode 4 looked extremely dull. I'm glad I'm going to end this here, because there's nothing pulling me to continue watching, and I mean nothing.

I've said in the past that I don't like side-BLs cause if they're not the majority of the storyline then I'm usually bored, and that's exactly what this is. The GL seemed promising, but not enough to keep watching. I liked Poon and Sea in this, and then of course there were my babies OffGun. But this is where my journey ends with them. Oh well, until Burnout Syndrome I guess.

Ratings:

Story: 4.5/10: I liked all the little definitions of film lingo at the bottom of the screen. The story was extremely tedious and agitating to get through. OffGun couldn't even save this for me.

Acting: 8/10 - Fine. Nothing bad, nothing overly amazing.

Music: 5/10 - didn't pay it any attention.

Recommendation Value: 2/10: Not (really) BL, but OffGun, so watch for them if you really want to.

Leia Mais

might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it's definely mine

Even though the development of the main pairing janeryan could be a little better, I was glad that The Trainee spent so much time showing the characters struggles as an young adults who still don't know that much about themselves.

It was honestly very refreshing to go from teenage stories to something that I can personally relate to! It also soothed some of my own desperation to get everything right when I watched them suceed after so many failed attempts, it was like being gently reminded that we're still learning who we are and we're still finding out how to do this right.

I know a lot of people didn't really enjoy ba-mhee's storyline, and even though I didn't love it I honestly found it to be a very interesting and honest take on how we sometimes might deal with relationships.
I just wished we could see Judy getting her happy ending when it comes to romantic relationships.

overall, it's not perfect, some characters could be better exploited, but I do think it's still a very good watching experience.

Leia Mais

A Great BL Drama Focusing on the Behind-the-Scenes of a Production Company

I was looking forward to OffGun's new series! And this series turned out to be a very well-done "workplace drama."

The story unfolds from Gun's character Ryan's perspective.
It was really enjoyable to watch Ryan, who initially had no specific dreams or goals, slowly discover the meaning of his presence in the workplace, work hard, and grow through his daily job. And Off's character Jane was incredibly charming.
Off has played many roles so far, but I think this cold, seemingly aloof but actually kind and sincere character suits him the best, and it's my favorite portrayal of his.

However, in the latter half, Jane made Ryan anxious by not expressing his thoughts at all, so I wished that part had been explained more.
Also, I wasn’t a fan of the plotline where the trainee Jane was mentoring fell in love with him during the training period.
Speaking of which, the relationship between the trainee Ba-Mhee and her mentor Judy also developed into romance.
Honestly, from an ethical standpoint, this part of the story was uncomfortable to watch.

That said, it was still a great drama, showing young people who initially didn’t know what they wanted or what their real dreams were, eventually finding goals and dreams as they worked with professionals, and growing into accomplished individuals over three months.

My favorite characters are Pah and Pie.
These two were really well-written, relatable young people who faced their jobs and their friends' problems earnestly, without being forced into romantic relationships.
I really liked that.

Thanks to this drama, I learned a lot about how production companies work.
I hope more dramas focusing on professions like this, not just love and relationships, will be made in the future.

Leia Mais

OffGun magic is eternal

If you are looking for realistic yet fun drama this is for you. The trainee is going to resonate so much with you if you have ever interned or worked in your life. Some moments even hit home and makes you tear up a bit. The production is high quality for this one with subtle lessons to the viewer.

Its wonderfully written except a tiny flaw and that is Bahmee and her development in emotional phase. Professionally her growth wad perfect. Pah is a great character for someone like me who came from a small town and studied in an average college and yet har big dreams. He made me cry with his insecurities. Loved Pie because we all want to be her. Hard working and a great friend.

But all my heart goes out to Jane and Ryan. Ryan for being cute and shy yet so assertive when it comes to sharing his feelings and incredibly mature for his age. He is a kind soul and doesnt hold back his feelings. Gun did an incredible job of playing the innocent yet resilient young trainee. His is very convincing and we cry and laugh with Ryan.

Jane steals the show though. Off as hot, strict mentor wad everything. He is bit harsh and high strung on outside but he is an incredible mentor. He takes responsibilities, allow his mentees to learn, give him chances and guide them right. He is all about tough love or in Ryan's case just love. Watching them fall in love was beautifully and made me giggle and kick my feet in air after a long while. Their slow burn wad hotter than lava tbh. JaneRyan burned us all with that scorching chemistry and that's ever green offgun magic for you.

One of the better 2024 BLs. Highly recommend.

Leia Mais

Had potential but ended up average

I really enjoyed the first six episodes, the slow burn was great but after it started to concentrate on the second pair, it became a big disappointment for me. The screentime belonged to Ba-Mhee and her "love interests" while JaneRyan barely spent any time together and if they did, they were jealous, argued, Jane was moody... they had some cute moments but it really wasn't enough after so many eps. It got better in ep 11 but ep 12 was disappointing again as they did the time skip, Jane disappeared for five whole years to study and didn't contact Ryan at all which made him think that he lost interest and his selfish excuse that he wouldn't be able to control himself and stay in Hong Kong... man, Ryan knew nothing about you. He could be worried sick, feel abandoned, rejected, heartbroken and you just can't at least text him without seeing his face... when Anin and Pin can send letters to each other in the age without phones, you can lift up the phone and send him some lovely message so he wouldn't feel worried. It'd be realistic if Ryan found someone else and Jane realized that Ryan was not there to wait for him for those years without getting any texts from him. And then the house hunting being their online chat... I liked it but giving them a scene where they found a house and moved in together would be great. They really could get a special ep just like KhaiThird which would show the domestic moments which they could have without any interruptions

Leia Mais

The most relate story ever

Good story and good acting, this is combination that I love the most. I love BL series, and love to see my fav couple being sweet on screen, but as writer and someone with background in filmmaking, I love well writing stories the most. Honestly it so hard to find a BL series with a good story or well-written script. I feel so lucky to find this series. As someone who work in the field, I find it sooo relatable to me, both in Ryan point of view and Jane point Of view. I been a trainee before and eventually a mentor too. I was so surprised to see something new from Off Gun. This is so different from their past series and I love that they still offer fresh character. Jane and Ryan characters develop in the most natural way, I love it so much. It been my attention to how the writer put effort to side character to grow. All the trainee characters in this series is so relatable. My most fav sequence is probably in episode 6 when Jane asks Ryan why he sulking. Ohh how I love the conversation, it such as good dialog. I hope in the future a creator will put a lot of attention on character and story more than just "Pairing".

Leia Mais

Wasted potential

Honestly this show started of so so good, even from watching the trailer you could feel it would be a good one. Though as we kept on watching the story slowly felt like it was losing it's path and instead of going forward it started moving to different paths. One (and the most important) was the love triangle between Judy, Bahmee and Tae we wasted so much precious screetime for our boys and main couple may I add to a story that not only did it not live up to its hype it threw off the overall vibe of the series. Bahmee going back to Tae because she apparently missed him (more like missed playing mother and child) really did it for me. She completely forgot about her personal growth and her promises to not only Judy but to herself, lost all personality and became once again just Tae's girlfriend that also happens to work now as an AE. It's sad seeing gmmtv waste another gl by turning it back to a heterosexual ship. Gmmtv truly needs to open their eyes and understand just how big GL shows now are. Their actresses deserve so much more and so much better especially since many of them are way better at acting than many of their main men actors.
It was really disappointing seeing how the story ended up especially since they promoted it as a GL couple, I honestly wish they just never did it and use the time to build up Jane's and Ryan's relationship since we barely ever saw them at some point of the series. It got so bad that we got our first kiss and second kiss (the only to kisses between the MAIN couple) at the last two episodes. I hope gmmtv will learn their lesson and not waste such a good show again, because if done right the love story along side with the humour, the beautiful friendship between the interns and later on their mentors, the world building and the directing, the show would have been an easy 10/10 and one of the best shows they ever released.

Leia Mais

Title on point

Off-Gun new drama, of course here I come... As usual, their chemistry didn't disappoint us. But turn out this drama offer us more than typical BL drama. Fair warning, this drama does not focus on Off-Gun relationship, but rather a group of internship & how they become mature in their workplace.

Story about a group of intern that get their first step into workplace. As ordinary people, these bunch youngster also don't know what they did & what to expect in the workplace. They did a bunch of mistake, get yelled at & finally become good at what they did.

Ryan:
> A man that put his feet into the wrong place. Ryan comes to Good Pick to accompany his friend, but mistakenly been called into the interview place. But since Ryan also looked for place to do his internship, he decided to stay around, accepting his position in Good Pick.
> In the Good Pick, he got the fiercest mentor, Jane. Many bad rumoured around the company about Jane, at first, he also almost quit. But when Ryan work with Jane, he realizes Jane not as bad as people talk about him. And of course, since their our main lead, their feeling toward each other also blooms with their closeness.

Tae:
Your typical geek friend. He got internship for editing team. He did his best in the editing team, but that's also mean he started to abandon his girlfriend, Ba-Mhee. And this later will trigger problem for them.

Ba-Mhee:
The girl that went to Good Pick just to become close with her boyfriend, Tae. She got internship as Client Relation (CR). She first thinks CR just pretty girl that sit around do nothing. But when she did her internship, she found out, this work not that easy.

Pah:
Your slow friend. He got internship as art team. He is one slow mind people, not in action, but rather in the way he is thinking & loading information. In Indonesia, we call this kind of friend as 'lemot'. But he's one loyal friend.

Pie:
Lastly, we got Pie. Your awesome friend. She knew what she did, or think she knew. Cause she's ever made short film & get award for it. So, she's got used to with shooting place. But as we always said, work for small project and big project/firm is so different. So yeah, she also got shocked by how in the Good Pick she's nobody & know any better.

That's pretty much the story about our character.. Now what I like & don't

What I like:
+ The pretty realistic workplace. How the intern been treated, Good Pick is really good place to train the intern.
+ How much our groups grow into adult that ready to take their place into workplace.
+ They never shy to said sorry, even if their higher up in the company. Like the Accounting manager, for yelled at Pah several time, but when she knows that Pah literally don't know what he supposed to do for the finance report, cause no one teach him in the team, she apologizes to Pah for being so harsh.
+ Ba-Mhee & Tae learn how to be better in their relationship.
+ This drama for talk about the sensitivity of sexual preferences. I mean with Ba-Mhee, how she confuses of her feeling between Tae & Judy.
+ How trust your partner. Like in Jane & Ryan case in the last episode.
+ How to find your passion no matter how old you are. Like in Jane case.
+ End scene. There are explanation of production house / shooting related at every episode before the credit scene...

What I don't like:
- Their communication are really sucks. Jane - Ryan or Ba-Mhee & Tae

Overall, this one really one good drama. If you hope for romance, just stay away from these. Because we got so little almost no romance, especially Off-Gun.

Leia Mais