Hemp Rope (2022)

WOW

Spoiler Filled Review--You Have Been Warned.

Ok.

Ok.

There are 12 episodes in this series.

That's how many times I have seen this show.

12.

And counting.

So I've read both "The Red Thread" and "Hemp Rope"(waiting for the rest of the English translation about killed me, but there you go).

I've see UWMA(like a month ago so I didn't have to wait as long as everyone else for more WinTeam) and now I've seen Between Us.

UWMA BROKE ME (in a good way).

Between Us DESTROYED ME(in a good way).

How. HOW is it possible to tell such a RAW, EMOTIONAL, CHARACTER-DRIVEN story that won't get out of my head. HOW? Boun has an uncanny ability to act with just a flick of his eyes, and he makes me want to squeal, or hug Win, or strangle Win, depending on the situation. Prem tugs on my heartstrings and delivers Team's survivor guilt trauma to perfection. When the two of them are onscreen, the chemistry crackles. And yes, I'm not going to lie and say that it wasn't there before, but it UWMA, they were the side couple--the bad boy and the comic relief--but this time they are FIRE!!!!

We see almost immediately why Win has his bad boy mask, and Team has puppy face. Team's PTSD struggles and Win's "I don't want to love anyone because I don't want to lose anyone" issues perfectly balance and the flashbacks of Team's drowning and the revelation of Win's difficult home life helped flesh out why they acted the way they did. Both of them have adapted personas to hide what's really going on an that's so true to live that I LOVE IT! The way Win makes Team feel safe and Team makes Win feel needed makes me both squeal and cry.

Also, consent. This starts off as a Random Situationship, but even then, Win never pushes Team to do something he deosn't want to--even though it's a One Night Stand ("I'm not going to do this if you're drunk, or unconscious...Are you dating anyone?"). And when Team asks him about it from the beginning, it's there that this is relationship has consent("We're both benefiting, right? No one is being taken advantage of, right?" "Yes.") Win truly cares about Team and wants him to feel comfortable in whatever the situation is(just like Boun cares so much about Prem). So bravo for including that as part of a healthy relationship(which they have, even if it's complicated because they won't COMMUNICATE properly. It's fine, I'm fine.)

Some reviews have said this show is boring because there is no plot. But WinTeam ARE the plot. Neither of them are willing to confess their feelings out loud(because both are afraid to lose the other one) and so the relationship gets more and more complicated because they basically start word fencing("are you asking me to be your boyfriend" "if I say yes, then do you have answer for me" "did you really mean to ask me that" UUUUGH JUST SAY "I LOVE YOU "YOU STUPID BOYS) which, again, is so true to life.

The show also takes it's time with Win and Team coming to terms with their feelings individually and then as a couple(Team avoiding Win after their One Night Stand and then realizing he's in love after talking to Pham and ABC Gang--who I also LOVE; and Win basically running away from Team after saving him from drowning and then realizing he's in love and it's ok after taking to Dean/Waan)It's slow burn romance/relationship GOLD.

Whether you've read the novel or not, or seen UWMA or not, it is clear from the second you see these two how much Win needs Team and Team needs Win, and it was nice to see them taking care of each other, especially when:

1. Team breaks down over his winning of the gold medal and the first person he calls is Win, so

2. Win drops everything goes *on a two hour bike ride* to Team, consoles him while he cries *in the pouring rain*, takes him to a hotel to sleep(yes *just* to sleep) and then

3. Win gets sick from riding in the rain(I mean, who wouldn't, all he had was a WINDBREAKER and the WINDCHILL factor is real, even in Thailand) so then Team stays up most of the night to take care of him

I find the above sequence particularly beautiful because Win is someone who doesn't like to rely on anyone to the point where he almost passes out in Team's room rather than tell anyone--including Team--that he's sick, and when Team asks him why he tries to bravado it off even though he feels like shit but falls asleep as soon as Team tells him to lay down. The little scene of Team giving Win the meds and trying to bring down the fever has very little dialogue and it's a short scene but shows how much Team actually truly cares for Win, which I thought was a very nice touch.

Also, the fantastic scene about how to handle homophobia(and one of my favorite parts of the novel) was PERFECTION. "We can't control everyone. But we can choose not to care." Yes. SO MUCH YES!!! That quote is now on my wall.

The Confession.

OMG THE CONFESSION.

Yes, it took it's sweet time to get there and yes, it was in the second to last episode, but you know what? It was perfect.

I read this scene in the novel and I cried.

I saw the scene in the series and I was a blubbering mess(do you know how hard it is to get through emotional scenes when you can't see the screen--it's insanely hard)

I loved the songs, I loved the rollercoaster of emotion, and I loved that Team asked Win to confront his personal feelings before his romantic ones ("Do you even know who you are? You..help everyone...But I've always wondered, who takes care of you" open heart, insert dagger), and was brave enough to say "if you won't say it first than I will", and Win's "enough I love you, do you hear me". Boun and Prem acted the HELL out of that scene and it was truly a highlight among Love Confession Scenes.

Ignore the haters, go read the novel if you're unsure, and then watch this series. Then watch it again, and again and again, because you will never get sick of it.

Leggi di Più

Most dissapointing bl

This series only has commercial value, it was created due to fan's responses, but really, it doesn't have that much deep value.
I loved Until We Meet Again, the story was interesting, and the music was top tier(which Between us completely ruined for me, the music effect are the most annoying thing in Between us, I really don't understand how their music got that much worse).
In UWMA the main leads were a bit too cheesy for me and without the second leads it would have been overall an ok series. Because of Team and Win it became a great one.
Team and Win really shined in UWMA, they brought to the table what Dean and Pram didn't and they really balanced the whole series. If they gave them a bit more screen time in UWMA they wouldn't have needed this series and it wouldn't have ruined them.

The plot in Between us is excruciatingly slow.

From the eight episodes I have watched, this is what has happened:

-Team and Win had a one-night-stand on their first meeting
-Team goes to sleep to Win's room basically every night
-Team is traumatized because he accidentally drowned someone when he was young.
-Win has lot of family problems

The same thing happens every episode: Team "rejects" Win, neither of them can figure out their feelings for each other, Team has a bad dream- with a flashback- and Team goes to sleep to Win's room. And most of this information we already knew from the prequel.

Honestly, the whole eight episodes could have been only two, which makes me feel like if they gave them enough attention in UWMA this series wouldn't be necessary.
It's like they are exploiting this relationship to the maximum for profit but there's not that much to give.

Also why so many second-lead couples? I don't care about them and they take a lot of screen time

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My Broccoli heart got destroyed by the writing

*Happy ending for all couples*

First off, the premise is a massive click bait for me. The first few episodes are hot, emotional and exciting. However, as the episodes go on, it became a bit dull for me. The actors' acting are what kept me going.

At the latter episodes, especially the last few episodes, I felt that they are trying to fit almost every BL concept we know of into 12 episodes:

One is that we have 5 couples in this series, all with different issues and all issues are solved in one to two episode (which is about 11-12) which gave a feeling of being rushed and too much. Also, because of that, there was not much focus on WinTeam.

Secondly, most issues discussed in this series are deep, but then they are all solved haphazardly? The scenes are too short, and it made the resolutions of each story too subpar.

Other things I didn't like are that of WaanTul couple. The story about them is great, the actors are great, but the romance thing, doesnt work for me. They kiss too awkwardly and it shows onscreen. They got together so rushed as well. So weird. BeePrince couple acted more romantic than them.

Same goes for PhruekManow couple. My Lovesick heart jumped for joy when Sammy finally got an onscreen partner who will love her and not just have her for comedic effect. However, I feel no connection to the couple they acted in.

By the time of episode 9, I am already watching the series with a deadpan face. The story writing really destroyed my broccoli heart.


However,

BounPrem's acting are chef's kiss. I really cried in their crying scenes even though I can't relate much to their issues. Boun is also very hot and I can feel his love to Team. I finished the 12 episodes because of them.

All in all, I suggest you to try and watch it. It's good, but I'm sorry my beloved BounPrem, I will not rewatch it again.

Leggi di Più

Started great, ended.....

Let me start this by saying that I was one of those fans that after watching Until We Meet Again, I (im)patiently waited for this story. Even while watching UWMA I felt more interested in Team and Win's story more than Pharm and Dean. But sadly, Team and Win as a main couple does not do it for me. There are many amazing things about this show, but considering the main plot and story being told, it is really hard to connect with. The cinematography was gorgeous and definitely something that caught my attention. The OST was nice, and well-chosen. Though that is probably where I'd end that list. I am a big fan of most of the actors in this drama, including but not limited to, Boun, Prem, Santa, Sammy, and etc. I really want to give props where it is due, Sammy and Santa embraced their characters fully and that kept some interest for the show for me.

Now back to the storyline. There was a good amount of depth portrayed in Team's character. Though the way it was portrayed was something that made me feel a bit off. There isn't too much I can further speak on about Team's character, so I will leave it at that. I love Prem as an actor and I'm in no way speaking bad on his acting. He did really well. I just have some confliction about Team's character that I don't think I should get into on here.
Now that I'm thinking about it, there isn't much else to say besides by episode 8/9 I was almost tired of this show. I waited every week for the new episode, sitting on the edge of my seat. But at some point and I can't necessarily pinpoint when, it got repetitive and slow. Not that I would prefer the story to be rushed, but it seemed like I was just watching the same thing happening every week. Then at the point of episode 8, all the screen time the main couple had was the same thing happening. I don't know. There isn't much else I feel I should say. This started as an exciting show and was ultimately disappointing.

Leggi di Più

Loved it

This was a show that made me anxious for every sunday to come. I spent all my weeks thinking about this (this rarely happens to me). Even though I'm not a fan of Until We Meet Again I absolutely LOVE BounPrem and their characters. The way they start from just being sex partners and then can't get off of each other was beautiful and exciting. They were able to make me feel very warm with their relationship based on support, since Team had an unresolved trauma. The way Win took care of him was really sweet, knowing Team was very stubborn most of the times. I sometimes had a few problems with unnecessary drama between those two, though. The side couples are very okay. I Honestly just don't like the fact that Manow is so annoying, everytime she said or did something I was so done with her. The couple BeePrince did not sell anything to me, it felt like they had 0 chemistry. I do love that Santa was in it, he's the cutest.

Leggi di Più

A beautiful, sweet series to watch with a nice plot and great acting.

I loved the cinematography and the way Between Us was shot, was beautiful. The sound effects added for comedic purposes were hilarious and never failed to make me laugh. The acting is amazing, everyone did a fantastic job and we get to see more of the characters, learn more about their backstory and see more of their relationship in Between Us.

I loved watching the love story of Win and Team unfold as well as the other side ships. I enjoyed seeing how the other characters got their own happy ending and they weren't just there for the main characters to interact with; they had substance and a purpose.

The plot point of grief really got me. It starts subtle and then when you learn more about what happened and how it effected Team into his adult years. You realize how much grief can affect you in many different ways.

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It had it's moments

When this series was announced, I was so super ecstatic as this was one of two Thai BL series that i was waiting for to air in 2022 (the other one will be airing in 2023). And now here we are at the end of this series. And well...it had its moments while some parts I couldn't care less for.

Story-7.5/10
This is the story of Win and Team which i have been waiting for since the end of 'Until We Met Again' in 2019. And... I actually liked their storyline. Yes, there were a few parts that was a wee bit draggy, but I still liked seeing their story unfold. However, what annoyed me was about two and a half out of the four supporting couples. I really did not care about the relationship progression of Pruek and Manow, Bee and Prince and later on about Dean and Pharm (they did not annoy me in the beginning). I did enjoy the supporting couple of Tul and Wan. So, I am glad that they got their happy ending. Also, while i don't like the introduction of the trio A, B, C, I guess they were there for Team to have friends on the swim team. As for that, I'm giving it a 7.5 due to Win and Team and Tul and Wan as I basically just watched this for them.

Acting/Cast- 8/10
The acting was actually kind of good for me. I felt that they were all able to portray their characters good. So for that, I am giving an 8.

Music-7/10
While the music is nice, i had to replay it again to remember it. and while it is catchy, I have to give it a 7 just because of the fact that I couldn't remember the music.

Rewatch Valu-6/10
While I will not be eagerly running to watch this series over again, I must say that I do see myself watching it again, or at least the part with Win and Team and Tul and Wan. So, for that, I will give a 6.

Overall-7/10
Overall, I give this series a 7. It is not one of New's best work, but I am glad that I watched it as I was able to get the story of Win and Team.

Leggi di Più

I think others have left better more detailed reviews and I have very few things to complain about with this show but I just wanted to express my love for it a little.

If you're someone like me who likes interpersonal drama and a focus on romance you will likely enjoy Between Us. The plot isn't anything crazy but the show is well-paced and written, giving the lead couple a lot of time to grow into their relationship and overcome their difficulties. For some it may be a little slow, so if you're someone that prefers a lot of action and a quick plot this probably won't be for you, while no specific conflict is dragged out too long, the show has a very slow methodical pace that can turn a lot of people off. I'm happy with either so it worked quite well for me.

The lead actors have done a fantastic job, their characters work together so well and I found their relationship really compelling. The scene in episode 11 was so perfect and they really pulled out all the stops to tug on your heartstrings. I like how much they check in with each other, and how comfortable they are with each other even early on.

I watched UWMA right before and while I liked it well enough, this show was a much more enjoyable experience for me. I was really happy to see many of the characters again, especially since the friendships were one of my favourite parts of the original.


There were a few things that I didn't enjoy about the show, but they were minor enough that they didn't tank my enjoyment. IMO the biggest issue was the number of couples, while I liked all of them, the show was just trying to do a little too much and as a result the side couples ended up feeling a little rushed (particularly Waan and Tul) or underdeveloped, and having so many interruptions to the main story for so many short scenes affected the flow and pacing. I'd hate to cut any of them because I thought they all had interesting storylines and were all terribly sweet, but I think they should have removed at least one.
There were also some times (this happened with UWMA too but it was less egregious here) where they used a few too many flashbacks. I think it made sense for Team's nightmares, since it gets you into his headspace but sometimes it felt like a little much.

All that said I did really enjoy this drama and I'll definitely be rewatching quite a few bits of it. It was exactly what I was hoping it would be ^^!

Leggi di Più

Did I expect too much after UWMA?

To start off with, I loved UWMA. The storyline was interesting, and despite that having more episodes than between us, I was kept interested throughout till the end. In between us, it felt like there was too much family drama, too much emphasis on side characters that I’ll be very honest, in the later episodes I skipped the side characters scenes, esp the ones between the actor and the swim club friend. it just felt very left field for that couple. Was there even a need for them? The last few episodes seems to have become a studio wabi sabi trend, a crying fest, which instead of triggering sad emotions, it just makes you feel annoyed. What I do appreciate is having Dean and Pharm reprising their roles, and the series did try to keep in line with the initial storyline. I would have been more interested if the story wasn’t always on the issue of family.

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A lot of people are saying they were disappointed with this series. The only thing I'm disappointed in is the low rating and negativity surrounding it just because people were expecting something different. As its own series, Between Us was good. But because it is attached to such a fan favorite like Until We Meet Again, it is being held to the same standard and formula.

If you want another supernatural, fated mates sweet slow burn, this is not for you. If you want a closer to realistic drama that deals with PTSD and Survivor's Guilt but still full of heart and passionate characters, then please consider giving this a try.

But I beg of you, don't go into it planning to compare it to its parent story, It deserves its own recognition. I admit, when I started this series after reading all the bad reviews, I found I kept waiting for it to "get bad," if you know what I mean. Usually people are waiting for a show to get better but I had heard so much about disappointment that I had braced myself to feel the same but it never happened. The show was intriguing all the way through although I admit there were a couple of times I thought they probably could have shortened it by one or two episodes. Mainly because there was a lot of flash backs to the same scenes as characters recall and reflect on earlier conversations.

Aside from that, I found it to be a good show and I feel almost guilty going into it prepared to be disappointed. I feel like I owe the series another go 'round since I was watching with tinted pre-conceived notions.

A lot happened in the first few episodes and then it slowed down somewhat but it never got boring. I think because the main couple came out of the gate with such sexual tension and relations, people kind of expected it to stay that way. But it was during these more solemn moments where the characters get their biggest development and they are important moments.

If I WERE to compare the stories of the main couples from UWMA and Between Us, I liked that Win and Team were practically the polar opposite to Dean/Pharm's relationship where there was intimacy first then love rather than love first then intimacy. Dean was searching his whole life for his missing piece while Win wanted nothing to do with love and all the hard feelings that came with it. Pharm struggled with conditions that were beyond his control from a past life he somewhat recalls in dreams while Team struggles from Survivor's Guilt after a tragic accident from his own childhood.

I get that people think the MC relationship was inconsistent but I didn't see it that way. Win and Team understood lust, so they acted on it, then they had a very reasonable and expected internal meltdown when they started feeling more above the belt. Relationships begin and grow in many different ways and it's nice to see different situations portrayed.

While I don't really have any issues with any of the side characters (as they were entertaining in their own right) I think there were just too many of them. It was almost like every character introduced had to end up with someone and to keep track of that many relationships in one series is just overkill.

Overall, I really enjoyed this series and I will definitely watch it again, especially knowing that it wasn't going to be as bad as a lot of people were saying. I think it's unfortunate that the show gets a bad rep because of other's expectations.

Leggi di Più

Kinda FWB to a relationship so beautiful and healing

They started out on the wrong foot - a one-night stand, then friends, then lovers. But gosh the development of their relationship is just beautiful. Both are scarred and carry heavy burdens from their pasts, in Team's case it's his brother's death, in Win's case it's his middle child syndrome. But they help to heal each other through a long, arduous, but loving process.

I've seen comments of how it took them until ep11 to confess, but what did you expect from 2 guys, both heavily scarred, both equally as afraid to confess their true feelings to the other? When is love ever easy? The confession in ep11 was done perfectly, it was heartbreaking, yet absolutely stunning, and most important, they TALK and bare their hearts out. Well technically Team did most of the talking, but because of his bravery in taking the first step, he managed to break through Win's gold plated metal barrier.

Onto the other characters: We see little snippets from the og series 'Until We Meet Again' with Dean and Pharm being the absolute cuties that they are. We also see a lot more of the friendship between Dean, Win, and Pruek.

Pruek x Manow and Bee x Prince are just the doses of sugar I needed throughout the series, cuz Win and Team gave me lots of angst tbh. But I do wish we could've gotten a bit more on Tul and Wan's relationship, especially since it's of such a complex nature and Tul seems to be on the edge of starting to explore this.

I feel like the name of the series 'Hemp Rope' actually carries significant symbolism for Win x Team, unlike Dean x Pharm's red string of fate, they're relationship is a lot more grounded and realistic. It's a lot more 'unromantic' in a way, a truly even Team said once that Win is an unromantic person. But while less fantasy-ish, there's no better way than using a 'hemp rope' to describe their relationship. It's one that's rough, been through hard patches, yet creates the strongest unbreakable bound between them.

Overall, the series is just a masterpiece, and I must also mention that i absolutely love the 3 brothers' close connection in Win's family.

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