My Stand-In

(I already wrote this whole review, but it disappeared, so here I am again.) When I first read the description of this show, I didn't understand it one bit, so I had no clue what I was going into, but I definitely wasn't expecting this. I laughed, I cried, and I yelled in complete frustration. It was a torturous cycle of emotions, and I loved every second of it.

There is the absolute sweetheart everyone loved, Joe, and there is a fairly controversial character, Ming; Joe stole my heart from the beginning; he is such a kind person with almost 0 flaws, while Ming, on the other hand, is filled with them. I am pretty lenient with main characters in films usually, but Ming brought out such a rage. I liked him, then I caught on and I hated him, then I hated him some more and more; he felt irredeemable. Nonetheless, I forgave him- he made me forgive him, I rooted for him, and in the end, I actually loved him. Were they toxic in the beginning? Yes, definitely, 100% but I think he really proved himself to be good at heart, despite others' opinions. This series is (my favorite saying) a must-watch.

Initially, I wasn't sure what to make of it and almost stopped watching after the first episode because I thought it would be confusing. However, I'm glad I persevered, as the story eventually clicked into place. If you're tempted to drop it early, I encourage you to keep going.

One aspect I appreciate about this series is its portrayal of flawed characters, particularly Ming. While some viewers might find his actions hard to accept, I think it's refreshing to see realistic, complex characters. Ming's journey from a place of hurt and possessiveness to one of growth and self-awareness is compelling. Yes, he crossed a line by hurting and locking up Joe, and being a bad and insulting boyfriend at first. This made some of the viewers tough to watch. But what's admirable is how he acknowledges his mistakes, apologizes, and works towards change.

It's also heartwarming to see Ming realize his true feelings for Joe, distinct from his earlier infatuation with Tong. The character development and emotional depth make My Stand-in a worthwhile watch. If you are not into toxic story then don't watch this. Surely you can't handle this. It's a heavy series and not light.

But they can never make me like you Ming. Great delivery but the actor who played Ming. He was so hateful in the book and he delivered. Poor Joe , love is surely madness. I loved the series,I didn't skip anything and I usually do that when watching Thai bl. Great chemistry from the actors, great visuals, you could feel the feelings Joe felt. That role was well executed. I love me a Joe on and off screen. And Ming,Ming,Ming you were so annoying and you served that role. I can't wait for more from these two. Thumbs up to the production team and the writer. This was a gem. I don't want to repeat it though but would love to forget and rewatch it.

This series has a longer run time than most Thai BL series. That made me worried if this series going to be long and boring like other boring series I've watched so far. But after I finished watching it, I can safely say that I shouldn't have such doubt. Right from the beginning to the very last scene, there's no such boring moments, no dull unnecessary long scenes. Every minute was integral for the plot. And even though I already knew that this series has a happy ending, I'm still hooked and made curious about the process to get there. Not to mention, the acting from most actors was decent. Take it from me, someone who has seen what bad acting looks like, so many times.

Some toxic couple leads the protagonist to his own tragic death, but the destiny decides to give him another life chance at a reincarnation. Could be to deliver revenge? To fix the toxic relationship? Or to find the full truth about his own death?

Besides the toxicity relationship along the series, the actors worked with such great chemistry and the plot even when some details are missing, we can really enjoy a fantasy plot with such deep emotions about death, second chances, mother's love, and more.

Prepare yourself for a lot of angry moments, a real sadly touching moments but also great mystery during the series as the reincarnated one wants to recover his older life that is not longer for himself in that new body.

One of the top most-watched series of 2024, I cannot say this is a must-watch because I miss so many holes in the plot about reincarnation, but the production, acting and the development of the story does compensate a lot about the plot issues.