Fish Upon the Sky (2021)

Funny and cute though not exceptional

The episodes for this series were released on GMMTV’s YouTube channel on Friday nights after the impressive and much-praised 100stars ended. It seems that this invited some comparisons, but this is a much more typical BL.
In Fish Upon the Sky, the main characters are university students (what’s new?) and we have a main and side couple. But Thai BL series this year seem to have a greater tendency to be self-reflexive, displaying and sometimes questioning BL conventions. This is in many way a typical BL, but like Lovely Writer, it also critiques the dark side of the BL fandom’s shipping.

The main couple is Pi and Mork. We see in Pi a rather familiar ugly duckling trope. GMMTV probably has to try harder to convince me about the ugly part, but it is interesting that Pi’s transformation to a swan takes place quite early in the story. This makes it a somewhat different spin to the ugly duckling trope – Pi remains awkward and diffident in many ways (though this isn’t always made obvious). But Pi’s behavior must be seen in this light. At first, he has a crush on Muang Nan, and seems to be a total dick to Mork, who secretly likes Pi and wants to befriend him. For a while, Pi rebuffs Mork regardless of how nice Mork is to him. This is quite plausible since Pi, as an ugly duckling, is used to people wanting to make use of him when they talk to him—he simply doesn’t believe that people would want to be his friend. (The affable Muang Nan, who doesn’t try to get close to him or get anything out of him, may be different in his eyes,)

When Pi and Mork eventually becomes a couple, Pi’s demands seem a tad unreasonable as one of the conditions is that Mork must keep their relationship a secret. This clearly isn’t because Pi is in the closet—he is quite openly gay except to his parents (earlier in the story). But I believe this is quite likely for someone who feels insecure—he neither wants to be mocked for being with a guy beyond his league nor be laughed at should the relationship not work out. The fact is that he has fallen in love with Mork even whilst he’s trying to convince himself that he is still in love with Muang Nan (his vehement denial that he is actually in love with Mork proves the suspicion). There is a beautifully shot scene of Mork helping Pi wash his hands after a lab session, which shows how in love Pi is.

The side couple is Duean and Meen. The series calls this “The Story of a Firth Year Student”—and the focus is on Duean, Pi’s elder brother, who should have graduated but has to retake a course before graduating. While the Pi/Mork parts of the series can be funny, the really comic parts are in the Duean/Meen segments. They aren’t really that interesting as a couple and they do not even become one by Episode 11 despite Duean’s open admission to Mork (Meen’s brother) about how he feels towards Meen. Nevertheless, Duean’s silly behavior can be really hilarious, especially in the first half of the series or so. He may not be someone you would want to meet in real life, but he’s entertaining as a character. He often behaves like an ass only to end up regretting his behavior and having to make up for what he has done, like when he gives Meen’s bottle away and then has to go through a whole lot of trouble to get it back when he thinks that it is a present from Meen’s late mother (she’s very much alive).

Unfortunately, Duean and Meen do not get developed much as a couple. There are obvious couple vibes from early on, and we know that they are supposed to be the side couple, but there isn’t that much of a love story despite the entertainment the scenes with Duean provides in the series. With Pi and Mork, we do at least get to see the transitions from hostility to tolerance and then to friendship and romance. With Duean and Meen, we get to see Duean’s diminishing assholery towards Meen, but there could have been more. I actually like The Story of a Fifth Year Student and wish there had been more attention on it.

This series will certainly not be everyone’s cup of tea. You are not going to get Tharntype’s sort of skinship (hey, the actor for Pi has not even turned eighteen). Neither will you get the 1000stars sort of touching grown-up love story. But you do get quite a decent BL comedy with rather high production values. To me, it’s better than recent offerings like the somewhat disappointing Tonhon and Chonlatee, the rather forgettable Gen-Y and the disjointed The Cupid Coach.

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Watching hidden in plain site.

Is this BL cliche and absolutely goofy/unserious? Well yeah, it's Fish Upon the Sky babes.

But with that being said, the ridiculous and insanely unbelievable antics that go on within this BL don't take away from the heartfelt moments between the two male leads. Moments that have lived in my head rent free years after first watching. Even the cliches come off more as endearing than annoying. For example, Mork revealing to Pi that he has always cared and loved him from afar is something I would roll my eyes to with a small smirk on my lips in any other BL. But Pond portrays the character with such an earnest and captivating charisma that I can't help but smile and giggle to myself while kicking my feet. Even with Phuwin's character, who should be highly unlikeable and irritating to watch. Is found out to be rather sympathetic and relatable. Which makes you want to root for Phuwin to end up with a man who truly cares for him deeply and admires him. The way he deserves to be, even if he's initially against the clearly destined romance. And despite being yet another University BL, Fish Upon the Sky has always been so different and unique, holding a special place in my heart as my favorite BL. Even after watching hundreds of them at this point. And no other has seemed to be able to match it's energy in how animated it's story and characters are, at least not without being so silly to the point of borderline unwatchable. Nor have they been able to capture such a genuine and loving connection like I feel Pond and Phuwin are able to give us every second they're on screen.
Oh and PondPhuwin >>>

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The chemistry is crazy!

"Fish Upon the Sky" is a charming BL series that will leave you smiling from start to finish. Follow the lovably awkward Pi (played by Phuwin Tangsakyuen) as he navigates university life and unexpected encounters with the enigmatic Mork (played by Pond Naravit Lertratkosum). What begins as a series of comical misunderstandings quickly blossoms into a heartwarming journey of self-discovery and unlikely friendships.

One of the highlights of "Fish Upon the Sky" is its delightful sense of humor. With its witty banter and zany antics, the series is sure to tickle your funny bone. But it's not all laughs; "Fish Upon the Sky" also explores themes of acceptance and staying true to oneself, making it a truly uplifting watch.

The chemistry between the cast is undeniable, with Phuwin and Pond delivering standout performances as Pi and Mork. Supported by a colorful cast of characters, each with their own quirks and charms, "Fish Upon the Sky" creates a vibrant and engaging world that you won't want to leave.

So if you're looking for a feel-good series that will leave you with a smile on your face, look no further than "Fish Upon the Sky"! It's the perfect blend of comedy and heart that's sure to brighten your day. Dive in and get ready to be swept away by the magic of "Fish Upon the Sky"!

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Perfeito ♡

Ent primeiramente os atores...Eu já os seguia no instragram os principais do caso, fiquei feliz em ver eles nesse drama, eu gostei muito, tanto da história, da atuação dos atores, do próprio elenco, do humor, da produção, do romance e afins...Eu realmente gosto do humor tailandês é um humor que eu racho de rir, pode ter pessoas que n goste mas eu gosto muito, enfim cada um tem sua opinião :) Eu realmente amo quando tem esse dinamismo de casais, quando não tem só um casal na série, pois fica algo mais dinâmico ;) A química dos casais foi algo que eu sempre notei e acho q td mundo acaba notando e eu vi que os casais tinham uma química muito boa e esse foi tmb um dos motivos que eu gostei muito. Eu realmente recomendo esse dorama, vale muito a pena ^^

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Fish upon the sky

Comecei essa série com uma expectativa alta, mas me decepcionei.
Primeira coisa: Na minha opinião o enredo do casal Mork e Pi seria mais interessante se não fosse tão óbvio que Mork era o amigo secreto que conversava e dava conselhos pelo telefone. Se ficasse uma dúvida sobre a identidade dele, daria um tom de mistério que faria a trama um pouco mais convidativa. No Ep 3, a cena do beijo até agora está me incomodando, pois não consegui entender a lógica do Pi completamente sóbrio se declarar e beijar alguém tendo certeza que era outra pessoa, e essa pessoa (Mork) receber a declaração que não era pra ele e se permitir beijar, sendo ele maduro o suficiente pra entender que isso deixaria Pi frustrado, não fez sentido.
Outra coisa que não gostei na construção do relacionamento entre Pi e Mork, foi o fato de que quando finalmente eles se acertaram, Pi querer continuou tratando mal o Mork, deixando o personagem como um verdadeiro pateta, se submetendo a ser mal-tratado de forma ridícula, com a desculpade não se achar suficiente para ele. Acredito que casos como esses existem, mas pra dar veracidade a esse contexto usassem um ator feio, pois o ator que faz o Pi é lindinho demais.
Um ponto positivo com certeza é o casal secundário. A fofura do Meen (inclusive me apaixonei por ele cantando a música de abertura da série) e a forma como foi construído o relacionamento dele com o Duean foi mais convincente que o casal principal. O Duean mentindo sobre o curso pra não parecer burro, e a comédia que foi o relacionamento entre os dois, com o Duean descobrindo os sentimentos e tentando fugir deles, foi a melhor parte da série.
No mais, boa atuação, ambientação praticamente toda na universidade e na casa do Pi, trilha sonora gostosinha, e o pesonagem Mork entrando para a lista dos maiores gados dos bl’s, e apesar dos furos eu recomendo a série com certeza.

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This show is soooo adorable

Getting into this show I thought I wouldn’t like it. But from the first scene I was hook to the story line as well as the characters. Every actor played their part amazingly and made the show very special. The story between Pi and Mork is one of the cutest love stories I have ever seen. This show never failed to make me laugh. But there was also some serious moments that made me cry. Also the story between Duean and Meen is the most wholesome story and they both played their parts to their full potential. I really love every thing about this show and I am looking forward to watching it again.

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PONDPHUWIN

I started this drama because I was pestered by my best friend, and did i love it? I absolutely adored it. This was my first Pond Phuwin Drama and I would say, they captured my heart in first episode as purely cute couple as Bookforce, firstkhao did when I saw 'A boss and a babe' and 'The eclipse' respectively.

The plot was good ngl but there could have been better development, I mean a socially awkward guy x popular guy and the awkward guy gets a crush on one other popular guy and it is doomed cause the other guy is just nice to everyone and never particularly interested.

The side story of Deuan and Meen is just so cute, the misunderstanding/deception about Deuan being a dentist student was so funny when they went on a field trip. BTW Neo can be shipped with a literal table lamp, he is so shippable (like mark but since he is not here, ignore)


The relationship are soooo healthyyyyyyyyyy......10/10 for it

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Neither one or the other.

Thailand media is definitely leaning towards quantity rather than quality so, as expected, many of their dramas are falling into a copy-paste situation. This one is a clear example of that. Is it good, or is it bad? It depends on the person watching.

~ Story:
Here is the thing: it is not a bad story... if you're someone who's new in the genre and hasn't seen a lot of dramas from it. In my case, however, I found it quite repetitious due to the fact that I've already watched so many dramas with the same tropes to the point I am left unimpressed by what's happening in the story. Like I said: copy-paste situation. Nothing new, nothing unique, nothing special. Just your basic go-to story. But don't get me wrong, please, because I did find it to be one of those series you can sit back and relax with a cup of tea (or glass of wine, in my case) since it's a very simple plot that doesn't require you to pay attention to small details or anything of the sort. It was a nice little drama to spend a lazy weekend at home watching.

~ Cast:
Surprisingly, I don't have a lot of complaints about these actors. Although it was predictable acting, most of them did a decent job. Sometimes I wonder, though: Do they train all these actors in the same school? Because it's crazy how ALL of them (not just in this drama) act in the exact same way. That's what I mean with predictable. It's not bad, but it feels like they are following a book instead of coming up with their own individual acting. Very few actors step out of that box and, unfortunately, none of the actors here did that. Let's talk about some of them.

~ Pi: Decent. To be honest with you, from what I have seen, a lot of Thai actors are not really that good at acting comedy, so Phu was a little rough around the edges during those scenes. However, everything else was quite good. I am Latin American and the "Ugly Betty" story is very dear to my heart, so I now have a fondness towards this actor for acting a role inspired by this iconic and beloved Colombian character. Good chemistry with his partner, too.

~ Mork: A little better. Was I found successful about Pond is that his character was so serious that his comedy scenes were delivered better since it's something unexpected to come from a character that keeps his composure.

~ Duean: I am going to be biased here: I do not like this actor. Not because he is bad at acting, no, he's okay if okay to you means very predictable. But my problem lies in his voice. I absolutely HATE IT. He's one of those people I wish could shut up because his constant yelling is drilling into my ears giving me a headache. I had to endure it for the sake of his partner, but I wanted to skip every single scene he was speaking in.

~ Meen: Probably the most cliched character and ultimately one of my favorites. To be honest, he and Duean were both annoying, but Meen was on the cuter side making him more likeable than his partner.

~ Editing and Pacing:
Excellent. Everything was coherent and well put together. There's nothing really tricky about the plot and that helped the editing feel a lot more smoother and easy to follow.

On a side note: this is the first drama I've seen that doesn't have a beach or planting trees episode! Thank goodness cuz that was getting so tired.

Sis, this show has everything: Makeovers, hidden agendas, cyber bullying, moaning, a bitch you wanna slap, and balloons. I recommend it, specially if you're new in the genre and are looking for something simple and easy to follow.

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