I’ll start by mentioning I’ve seen the original Korean version of this show so there’ll be comparisons here and there, but this review will primarily focus on the Thai version as its own thing.

I will say as a remake it follows the original plot pretty closely, but the writers did a top-notch job adapting the script. They managed to improve an already solid story by fleshing things out a bit more, making the characters and events feel more grounded and believable.

The plot deals with some heavy issues, including bullying, attempted suicide, and the enormous pressure parents can pile on their children’s shoulders, and doesn’t shy away from showing how damaging they can be. Despite that, it balances the darker moments with a hopeful tone, exploring themes of finding yourself and the bonds of friendship and family, and how those things can make you a stronger person. It also touches on the courage needed to admit your mistakes.

The script has a lot of meat to it, and the cast, main and supporting alike, rose to the occasion. It was interesting to watch the dynamics unfold between all the characters, which in some cases had the added wrench of a sometimes-unknown identical twin thrown in to complicate matters.

As far as the main cast goes, the actress for Mind/Meen was downright phenomenal in her dual roles and successfully made each twin a distinctive character through her expressions, mannerisms, and the way she carried herself. Tida’s actress also thoroughly embodied her character of a cruel bully who doggedly clings to the belief that she’s blameless. I feel like both actresses outperformed their male co-stars, but even so the actors for Na and Gun did well in their respective roles as each character goes through their own emotional highs and lows. In particular, I love how convincing the strong friendship between Na and Meen seems.

The supporting characters are also well-developed, with each one coming across as a unique individual facing their own challenges. A few standouts to me are the stoic class president Pete, his single-minded mother, and Lyla, the sweet but less outgoing of Meen’s friends. My favorite supporting character is probably Na’s dad though, because I simply adore how supportive he is of his son without ever pressuring him. He’s the epitome of a good parent.

The music compliments the show quite well, though there are only about three or four main songs including the instrumental piece in the opening. Nevertheless, each one is excellent and I never once skipped the opening or ending credits because I enjoyed the music so much.

The closest thing I have to a critique is actually more like wishful thinking, but it feels like the romance is actually unnecessary to this story. It’s done well, yes, it’s just that the other themes are so compelling I think they could carry the show by themselves. Had it stuck with only platonic relationships and exploring the idea of what makes a person uniquely them it could’ve stood out even further in the “high school drama” genre.

On the whole, I enjoyed this show and despite the improbable premise, most aspects felt real with characters behaving in believable manners. The ending was generally satisfying and even impressed me with how it handled certain relationships. It allowed sufficient time to resolve all its plot threads and show how each character is doing.

There’s something about this story that keeps me coming back to it (in one version or another) so I definitely expect to rewatch this at some point.

And lastly, here’s a quick comparison of this version and the original for those who might want an idea of how they stack up. As mentioned earlier, there are mostly minor changes, like this version dropping the short “video interviews” at the beginning of the first few episodes and instead going into more detail on other things, particularly the early bullying scenes which seem more vicious and unrelenting here. The affluent twin also feels like she has a little more depth in this version. Finally, there’s a plot thread that relates to the female lead’s actions way back in the beginning that’s ignored in the original version but actually gets acknowledged here. Overall I consider both versions worthwhile with great acting in each, but I enjoy the story slightly more in this one, while the music in the Korean version manages to edge out its counterparts here.