This might be one of the first BL dramas that I’ve decided to patiently watch weekly as episodes aired almost live. I think if any series deserved it, it’s We Are.
Given how much I liked Never Let Me Go, I knew I was going to be watching Pond and Phuwin’s newest series that advertised a much different vibe to that crime drama. This time around, they play college students who are put at odds in the very first episode when Phuwin’s art student, Peem, has his artwork ruined by the soccer playing engineering student, Phum, played by Pond. Peem’s exacted revenge results in some hefty medical bills that he couldn’t even begin to imagine paying back, so rich boy Phum demands he be his “slave” instead. Peem agrees to only as long as it takes him to finish a new painting.
It doesn’t take long for Phum to become smitten with Peem, though he follows with the same feelings not long after. The two keep the arrangement going longer than necessary solely because they’re too afraid to find out what will happen once their not “forced” to spend time together. As with most BL dramas I watch, I am most frustrated by the lack of communication between the leads, but I realize that’s what creates the “drama.” Still, I don’t think anyone I know in real life skirts around feelings like this for as long as they do! Of course you know it sweetly works out between the two of them, so nothing to fear.
Aside from Phum and Peem, we are treated to a bunch of other friends and couples! Some appear easily and almost immediately, like that of Fang and Tan, but another pairing took until the final episode to blossom (here’s looking at you, equally sweet, Chain and Pun). Given an almost equal amount of slow burn and drama belongs to Peem’s best friend, Q, and his mentee, Toey. It’s obvious to everyone besides Q that Toey has a crush on him, but when a bit of their past comes to light revealing a connection, it’s all rainbows and butterflies for them the rest of the series. There is one student introduced meant to cause some conflict between Peem and Phum, but thankfully nothing nasty transpires. These two are into each other and that’s the kind of confidence I love to see!
I will say, despite how much I liked Pond and Phuwin in Never Let Me Go, they seemed to have lost some of that chemistry in this series. As a brand new pairing, Marc and Poon were absolutely adorable as Chain and Pun. Winny and Satang need a little bit of work, too, but I have confidence that with another series they can really nail it. The superior couple of this show for me though was easily Fang and Tan. Given that this was Aou and Boom’s fifth series together, they just have such an convincing and easy flow. I think their real life friendship is genuine and if this series doesn’t help them secure lead spots ASAP, I’m going to be a little bit mad.
We Are was by no means the best BL I’ve seen, but it still left me smiling each week, and for that I’m satisfied.