My School President (2022)

Charming and well-written

I loved this series, mainly becaus of the stellar main pair of Tinn and Gun, played by Gemini Norawit and Fouth Nattawat to perfection as teens experiencing first love.

The side characters are all well-written and acted, especially Tinn's mother, who is the school principal, and everyone has to love Mark Pakin as Tinn's best friend Tiw.

The story is wholly unoriginal, but it's the best realization of this type of plot.

The actors also sing all the music, which is always a plus., with Ford Arun being the standout, although Fourth & Gemini both have lovely voices too.

This is not a world where homophobia doesn't exist (although it only barely exists), and issues like parental concern over the future happiness of their gay children, or whether or not they did anything wrong, were all realistic and sensitively handled.

What prevented this from entering the top rank of BLs, however, is that although this contained one of the most breathtaking scenes in all of BL - the dance - you'll know it when you see it, and the progression of Tinn and Gun's relationship was magical, it peaked early and stagnated, leaving the second half at a lower energy level and at times quite dull. I don't need kissing in a high school story, but I know that I do not want an endless string of kiss fake-outs, which is cheap and started to feel homophobic.

The central dramatic conflict, that the music club's rules forbid Gun to date before a competition at the end of the year is contrived and the path to the context uninteresting, and the overreaction to a setback for the band was one of the only sour notes that felt out of character and lacked the authenticity of the rest of the series.

Fourth is so cute that there were a couple of time I cried a little just looking at him - that outfit at the prom was fatal. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of him and Gemini - they are both highly talented, and easily hold their own with more experienced actors here and even in Midnight Chicken.

I would rate the first four eps a 15/10, then declining to around a 7, hence the 8.5. The first few episodes were so good I thought this would displace all others and become my favorite of all time - but unfortunately it deflated a bit as it progressed. Still, I wouldn't hesistate to recommend this to anyone and everyone.

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My expectations were too high.

I get why everyone is obsessed with this show, I really do… it just wasn’t for me. There’s nothing wrong with it; it’s adorable and the characters are funny and the songs are catchy, I was just so bored the entire time. I almost dropped it twice but I didn’t and I kept watching, but overall I was really underwhelmed.

I don’t know if it has to do with the fact I watched Moonlight Chicken first and fell in love with HeartLiMing, but I could just not get as invested with msp. I’m more disappointed than anything that I didn’t love it.

But Fourth slayed as always and I really liked Sound and Win, they were the highlight for me and I needed more of them.

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Unrushed & Well-Paced Highschool Romance

GMMTV did not disappoint with this heartwarming high school romance. I think what the GMMTV/ Thai LGBTQIA+ audience can agree on is that "My School President" is one of the most respectful and unrushed series that was produced in the last few years. I feel like they are really taking our critiques to heart and trying to improve the delivery of these sorts of stories without including UNNECESSARY toxicity - let me clarify that some level of toxicity is always needed for a show to be realistic because that is what our lives look like. The extent and amount are what´s important and of course the circumstances. (e.g. The story of Kinnporsche was built up in an already toxicity-thriven environment and therefore there was a higher level of toxicity)


PRODUCTION / MUSIC 8.5
Let´s start with the production and filming/ writing of the scenes. Throughout the entire series, there were a lot of detailed and heartwarming scenes. The screenwriting was overall extremely satisfying, nothing felt rushed. Maybe sometimes I felt like the pace got a little slow, but they managed to not make it uncomfortably slow. One thing is certain, professionals are at work. Both the filming and editing, but also the individual usage and choice of (self-made) music are very unique. I am fond of the OSTs and the MV - GMMTV really thrived to surprise us here.


STORY / PLOT 7.5
As I said before, besides a few slow-paced moments, the story is entertaining and heartwarming. I have rarely come across a series that thrived on so much positive talking-phase energy. It felt not rushed at all and the respect for boundaries was really something I have been waiting for a long time. They gave their love time to prosper, and neither Tinn nor Gun forced their tempo of opening up to each other. It made me happy (and a little bit proud in my cheap seat at home).

'My School President' is also one of the first series besides 'Bad Buddy' that had me mainly engaged in the main couple. Don´t get me wrong, the second couple did not disappoint me, I was just not as hooked with them as I was with Tinn and Gun.

ACTING / CAST 9.0
With incredible visual and performance chemistry, Gemini and Fourth really rocked their roles as Tinn and Gun. When I saw their age, despite having a quick existential crisis, I was so overwhelmed with my respect for them. Who would have thought that they would nail every interacting scene so professionally intense that my own heart began racing? Everything I was hoping for in an acting performance in the main lead was right there. Just some of the side cast slightly bothered me to give the actors and their performance 9.5 or higher.

REWATCH VALUE 6.5

OVERALL 8.0
In a nutshell, this show is everything and more the LGBTQ+ film community has ever wished for. The story is respectful and unrushed, the actors are outstanding and the edit is pleasing. The use of self-made music has been merged with the entire awesomeness of this show. Every expectation is being met and it´s honestly nothing you should miss.

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Approved By The School President

Slice of life type dramas can be hit or miss. Too close to reality and they can stray into dangerously mundane territory, too far from reality and they run the risk of the story becoming ridiculous. My School President manages to toe that line very well, staying pretty well within the lines of reality while delivering a heartwarming story.

The main focus of the story is on characters Tinn and Gun. Due to some unfortunate circumstances the previous year, Gun's Music Club is at risk of being cancelled. In order to save it, Tinn, who has harbored a two year crush on Gun, runs for and succeeds at becoming school president. There are two problems though: Tinn is the principal's son who is leading the charge to cancel the Music Club and Gun has no idea that Tinn is on his side. With the help of his friend Tiw and his own brains (it also helps that Gun and his friends are not the sharpest knives in the drawer), Tinn succeeds in convincing Gun that he is on his club's side so that they can bring glory to their school by winning the Hot Wave music contest. And what started as a reluctant partnership start to develop into something more.

Part of what I really enjoyed about this drama is that while it is most certainly a BL, that is not the sole focus. Friendship and family also play huge roles throughout. I really appreciated the realism of the boys' friendship. Like any group of friends going through high stress situations, they had their ups and downs, but in the end they always made up. Despite their differences in personality, they meshed together really well, and I really loved their friendship, how they were there for each other and how supportive they were. I also enjoyed their comedic side which could be a bit over the top and overdone at times, but for the most part I liked it. Gun and Tinn's families played a large role in their lives and it was so interesting to see the difference in parenting styles. Both families obviously loved their sons tremendously, but the more freewheeling style of parenting the Gun's mother had with him meant that their relationship was much more open. Unlike Tinn who was terrified of his mother finding out about their relationship, Gun was able to calmly tell him mom about it and it really wasn't a big deal. For her, his happiness was most important. Tinn's mom obviously loved him as well, but had more of the focus of him having a stable future and was more concerned about how he would be perceived and what trials he might face with his sexual orientation. It becomes clear that she's not homophobic, it just never crossed her mind that her son might be gay, and, again, she's afraid of how the world is going to treat him. The way she defends him and Kajorn with the homophobic teacher though was positively glorious. Seriously, dude, never screw with a kid in front of his mom, big mistake!

Every part of the pacing of this drama was well done from the story itself to the romance. I didn't feel like there was any lag, there were no filler episodes, it all just flowed really well. And again, I have to point out the realism of this drama. I feel like some BLs cater a little too much to everything must be rainbows and unicorns and I really liked that the characters had to deal with real life trials and disappointments. I was really up in the air on whether I wanted them to win the Hot Wave contest. On the one hand, I do like happy endings and I honestly wouldn't have minded if they did win because they had obviously worked their butts off for it, but on the other hand, realistically, in a final competition, the other bands were going to be pretty dang good as well. And I appreciated that they didn't just bounce back after their loss like it was nothing. Again the realism there. Some people are capable of just moving on, but others aren't and I liked that it was explored a little more. The development of the romance felt pretty natural. I liked that while Gun obviously thought and hoped he was the one Tinn liked, he didn't just blurt that out. Once again, I found that realistic. You want to believe that you're the one, but the fear of voicing it because what if you're wrong? My one complaint was the constant blocked kisses got a little bit old after a while. It was kind of cute initially, but after the third or fourth time it felt like it was time to move on. I enjoyed the side couple of Win and Sound. I felt their relationship was pretty well developed and I liked the way their characters interacted. They weren't this picture perfect couple, they were both a bit hot headed, but, in the end, they did care about each other. On the other hand, Tiw and Por was a sideish couple that I felt came out of nowhere right there toward the end. I honestly was not a fan of them because I didn't feel like there was any buildup. It really felt like they were just thrown in there out of the blue. I think they could have been cute, but I needed more time to see their relationship developing.

The music is definitely the highlight of this drama. These are some seriously talented kids. While the music isn't original, and they're all covers, they still brought their own flavor and style and there wasn't a song that I didn't enjoy. There were a couple that I actually enjoyed more than the originals frankly. The songs fit well within the story and, in general, were just well chosen.

For a bunch of newbie actors, I was pretty impressed. There were definitely moments that it was obvious they're still pretty green, but for the most part, they delivered! Gemini and Fourth had really great chemistry together, they seemed comfortable, their interactions were natural and not forced at all. Separately, they could both be a bit hit or miss in some of the more emotional scenes. Fourth has great facial expressions, he really emotes, and he has expressive eyes. Gemini's emotions didn't always reach to his eyes, I noticed, but I thought he made good use of his body language. Again, for baby actors all around, they did great and I can't wait to see them in future projects.

I honestly cannot recommend this drama enough. It is just so well done on every level. We are treated to healthy relationships, both romantic and otherwise. There is none of the husband/wife nonsense, they are just boyfriends which is so refreshing. Despite having a relatively large cast, the characters are well developed and nuanced. Even the more minor characters are well done and have a purpose. It has a plot that it sticks to and carries out well. There is just so much that it does right and so little that it gets wrong. This is definitely not a drama you want to miss.

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SLOW but Cute

LIKES:
Cinematography, location settings, colour pallet and lighting.
Editing: was done well and I didn’t notice any production issues, like shaking camera or overly zoomed in shots.
Acting: was good (some of the supporting characters were just okay) and the cast well chosen for their characters.
Writing: I liked that for once there were no obvious toxic themes, which is dominant in Thai BL stories, especially in the last few years.


DISLIKES:
Writing:
I do like a slow burn romance, but this is simply ridiculous how many time their “first kiss” is interrupted or they delay it. There is no progress with their relationship and the support is too one sided. When Tinn had a meeting to further his dream of being a doctor, he gave it up to support Gun AGAIN. None of the characters show any growth throughout the show. But even if they didn’t kiss, where is the chemistry beyond just the staring into each other’s eyes. The teasing that is usually done really well in Thai BL stories, doesn’t seem to exist here. There are a lot of “filler” moments, that could’ve been removed, to give time for the actual relationships of all the couples. They are in high school, not middle school, people kiss a few times if not do more by the time they are finishing the first year of high school. This is 2023 where physicality isn’t as taboo as it once was.
Also the plot about the whole band winning Hot Wave was also drawn out way too long.
It’s like they are dragging everything out, just so they have more product placement time, which was made over the top obvious.
Pacing was an issue and the ending seemed too rushed, especially with how the sexual bigotry in the last episode was resolved.
After episode 9 and everything was delayed again, I started to get bored, to the point of almost dropping it.
Music:
Music was okay, but normally I don’t like too much singing. That was a little too frequent here and so their big stage moment was anti-climatic.
Directing:
There were some overly long delays in reaction, but the rest of the directing was okay.

OVERALL:
I understand why others are rating this BL story so high, but there just wasn’t enough depth to the plot and writing in general. Pacing really was noticeable too, which brought the score down for me. I would recommend it to people just starting in the BL genre and anyone wanting something cute and gentle compared to what is usually shown to us. I won’t watch it again and feel like it could’ve been a lot shorter too.

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So far the most wholesome series this year

My School President is essentially a live evidence that even young romance can be magically mundane. The fact that this show has a heart is what I admire about it the most. Though we look for angsty stories, we always return to storylines that make us laugh, characters that take our breath away and make us swoon, and songs that fill us up with pulsations after pulsations of joy. This is because it expresses emotions so vividly and delivers humor immaculately.

Without the necessity for kisses that most BLs display, MSP provides us all the wonderful emotions, but instead shows us the puppy love of two high school boys becoming in love through Tinn secretly assisting Gun to both of them finding comfort with one another and maturing. And the harmonious bond they share serves as a benchmark for relationships. Understanding and communication.

From the story, acting, and music, it was beautifully well done. Especially, fourth, bro is going places for sure.

Oh the songs are all bops!

A hundred percent recommendable. Even myself back then, promised not to watch anymore high school theme and yet here I am. <3

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Catered for BL fans who like fluffy cliches and tropes

Oh, great! Another convoluted high school BL. My School President is a BL series, perfect for those with a taste for childlike fluff and jam-packed BL clichés. This show seems tailor-made for young girls and adults obsessed with the same tired old fluffy BL clichés. Also, it’s for a certain type of BL fans who complain about there being too many bad BLs and would like more adult BLs but still rave about this. And don't even get me started on those irritating sound effects that haunt every scene like a bad dream. Prepare yourself for the cringe-worthy sound effects that pierce the eardrums like a thousand daggers.

The school principal, oh, what a gem! Abusing her power to crush a music club because the male lead dares to offend her in the last semester, the epitome of pettiness. She happens to be the male lead Tinn’s mother. I can’t believe they gave her a glossed over redeeming arc. As for Gun’s mother, she hides her sickness to "protect" her child, leaving him with no closure again after losing the father. But don't worry, this series just brushes over it like it's nothing, and the die-hard fans? Oh, they'll gobble it all up, no questions asked.

Then we get the never-ending "will they ever kiss" nonsense that has the comment section going berserk. Seriously, BL fans treat this garbage like it's the finest filet mignon money can buy. And as for the teeny bopper songs, ugh, not my cup of tea at all. It's like watching a cringeworthy version of High School Musical but if this is your thing then you’ll love this series.

This school BL is for the kiddieish crowd who see are into feel good fluff without substance. Diehard fans of this type of school BL will gloss over bad acting and plot holes in favor of fluffiness where they are very unforgiving in other series. I can't believe I had to endure this mind-numbing drivel just because I was watching it with someone else. Of course, they had to throw in the "no dating" plot device to drag this disaster to a whopping 12 episodes. God forbid we get a genuinely interesting series.

Oh, but wait, there's a second couple with an enemies-to-lovers trope. Sounds promising, right? Nope, they managed to ruin it by giving it absolutely no thought, and suddenly, we're all supposed to believe they're madly in love. Spare me the agony.

Thiu, the one redeeming character, started off as a lovable wingman to Tinn but became a hot mess when he developed feelings for Pat. It felt like the director couldn't decide if they wanted a throuple situation, especially since I initially thought Pat and Por were a couple during the music video shoot. It's just sad to see Thiu paired with Pat while Por ends up in the friendzone. The inconsistency in character arcs is truly disappointing.

And then there's "OurSkyy 2: My School President." I had to fast-forwarded straight through the series to review it, and even the fan I was with couldn't stomach it till the end and had the good sense to abandon ship before the end. That should tell you everything you need to know about the quality of story and acting of this abomination. Save yourself the pain and avoid this at all costs if you’re not into delightful parade of rainbows and unicorns nonsense.

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Sometimes typical can be amazing!

My School President is exactly the reason why typical troupes still exist, its because having them well executed can create a masterpiece like this whole series.

MSP just brings something different to the table, where as an amazing soundtrack each episode, a good build up on the main relationship, an exploration to different kind of relationships, specially with family, and real struggles teenagers came with.

Since the first episode you can definitely tell this series were made with a lot of love, despite being the first series of P' Auf. Gemini Fourth were definitely the stars here, their acting just went through the roof despite them being rookies, specially Fourth.

There's just something about the characters you can't help but love, their willingness to be strong, their selflessness and their neverending journey that one as a viewer can't help but cheer for them.

Tinn at first glance can be your typical ML who does everything by book, but he's more than that hes a pretty intelligent and lovely boy that knows his battles and knows his ways of pursuing his love for Gun. Gun at first glance can be your typical distracted MC, but hes more than that he's a hard willing man, always putting his loved ones first and being strong minded despite everything.

I'm not gonna lie and say it didnt had plot holes, not everything is going to be flowers and rainbows. Some scenes where edited pretty weirdly and we could had have a better pacing in some important scenes. But, after gave it a thought, the good things end up being more important than the bad things.

But the most important thing MSP gave me as a viewer is to enjoy a healthy first young love. If you want to feel young again and feel that rush and those butterflies in your chest, MSP is definitely a must watch.

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Has all the right elements to get you hooked!

GMMTV has done way too many BL with school setting that I really kept my expectations low. A lot of them before and after BBS had terrible storylines and awful acting. So I was pleasantly surprised by the first episode. They delivered and sustained it each week that I was soon invested.

The incredible chemistry of Gemini and Fourth was enough to carry the whole show. The dialogues were heartfelt, natural, and funny. How many times did I laugh when Tinn was throwing tantrums while lying on his bed? The comedic timing worked. They can also demonstrate a whole rainbow of emotions especially Fourth. His eyes were so expressive, he can make me feel things without talking.

The gang of friends were also very entertaining. While I thought WinSound was not given enough screen time to develop, each member of the Chinzilla band brought something special to the show. The story of their friendship was earnest and well done even if most of the time they were endlessly fighting and bantering with each other. Mark as Tiwson was really a standout. He was effortless in his delivery and is so darn cute. He needs to lead his own BL soon. That boy is a star. Lastly, the two women playing mothers were golden. They strongly delivered the importance of acceptance and unconditional love, an important aspect that needs more representation.

Music is such a treat, the very best a BL can offer. Some of the songs were very well done and demand repeat listening. GMMTV really raised the bar high on this one and was one of the show's stronger elements that got me hook from the start. My favorite vocalists were Fourth and Ford. Ford's voice is smooth like butter.

The story was very lighthearted and ordinary. I wasn't an avid fan of the repeated tease that led to the kiss. While other viewers may find it adorable, I found myself rolling my eyes. It didn't bother me too much though. With colorful characters, great acting, and catchy tunes, MSP is a beautiful coming-of-age series that demands to be watched.

I can't wait for their feature in Our Skyy2.

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Secret love, high school romance, tons of pining, YA journey of finding yourself

GMMTV gave us a classic high school set Thai BL with tropes like messy boys singing their feelings that made this one Love Sick for the modern age with all the gentle sweetness and pining ache, but none of the dated damaging tropes or issues. Yes, we’ve seen it all before, but I still ADORE this. And there is a lot to be said for the classics being executed perfectly. Who let my BL be this wholesome and funny? This show was fantastic, it’s only flaw was the singing (and that’s my baggage). My favorite GMMTV BL offering to date. And yes, I've watched them ALL. Gemini and Fourth were spectacular, I hope we get tones more of them (check out Moonlight Chicken, they're excellent on that too.)

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