2gether: The Series

Starting off my journey to Thai series, 2gether: The Series, entitled เพราะเราคู่กัน (Phro Rao Khu Kan) in Thai, is the first Thai series I have ever seen and watched. As I have already mentioned in my previous post, I have started hearing about 2gether since the first episodes came out in February. When the quarantine in the Philippines and other countries happened, the series garnered much popularity from home watchers, including me. And I don’t regret it. I consider this series as my gateway to a whole new world of shows and even culture.

The official poster of 2gether: The Series

Synopsis

2gether: The Series follows the story of Tine, a handsome student who considers himself as “Mr. Chic” and has always wanted to have a girlfriend, but failed every time. When he was noticed by Green, he freaked out as he does not feel the same way. In an attempt to chase Green away, he asks for the help of Sarawat, a popular yet introverted musician. After tediously getting his attention, Tine was able to ask Sarawat to pretend that they are a couple, which eventually worked. However, the line between what is real and what is pretend started to blur, causing confusion between the two as something grows between them.

Tine and Sarawat are watching a Scrubb concert. Photo courtesy of GMMTV.

My Review and Thoughts (Spoilers!)

In my opinion, 2gether‘s popularity is not only because of the handsome main characters, Bright Vachirawit Chiva-aree (Sarawat) and Win Metawin Opas-iamkajorn (Tine), or the quarantine period. The story was light and enjoyable for the most part. I found myself squealing at “kilig” moments between the two, such as when Sarawat threatened to show Tine that he will “kiss you until you drop” (EP 1). The acting was pretty much spot-on for the most part, especially Win’s. Upon knowing that this was Win’s very first show, I was really amazed because he exceeded my expectations that I have for first-time actors. He was able to move me emotionally when he cried on EP 10 and 12, a sign of great acting. Bright’s acting was also good whenever his character flirted with Tine and had to keep a straight face while doing so. I would say, however, that some improvements may be done for the crying and sad scenes.

Although some may say that the plot has its cliché moments (two straight boys fall in love with each other), what I liked about it is that it was light and enjoyable for the most part. It can make you feel “kilig” moments and it does not require you to think too much. When I watched it, I found myself smiling a lot during the episodes.

Because the plot is light, the characters having their goofy moments was fun to watch and did not feel out of place. Whenever Green would shout out “TIIIIIINNNNNEEE”, you know something funny is about to go down, and I think the shouting is something I’d always remember of Green. He was not just a plot driver, but a very important character as well. Man is another enjoyable character because we get to see his two very contrasting personalities when he was around Type. Either he was too shy that he had to follow him almost everywhere but still failed to return the pen personally or he was so shameless that he instantly told Type to be his boyfriend the first time they had a “decent” conversation. The way Man chased Type around proves his persistence, even reaching the point where Type was annoyed. I also liked it when he suddenly sang and acted goofy during Tine’s performance in EP 9. I could say he is a supportive friend, and I like that. The friends made the show more heartfelt and happier.

Green follows Tine almost everywhere. Photo courtesy of GMMTV.

Man follows Type in a coffee shop to prove his persistence. Photo courtesy of GMMTV.

Of course, who could forget about Sarawat’s obssession for Tine’s boobs? Or the time when Sarawat introduced himself as “Tine’s boyfriend” and “Tine’s husband”?

Sarawat plays a Scrubb song to Tine’s surprise. This is considered by many as an iconic scene of the show. Photo courtesy of GMMTV.

Some of the more romantic scenes include the iconic guitar scene in Sarawat’s bedroom in EP 3, where he played one of Scrubb’s songs to a surprised Tine. Personally, I thought it was very romantic and it was a scene which didn’t need kissing or making out because it was already intimate on its own.

The sofa scenes on EP 9 and EP 10 also showed some intimacy and were romantic. I liked how Sarawat shared his “pillow” with Tine and held him in his arms so they could fit in. Even Type quickly concluded that they are boyfriends when he woke up the next morning. I mean, who wouldn’t? It’s unmistakably romantic, people! Added bonus would be the head pat that Sarawat did to Tine. I’m guessing it’s their romantic gesture, instead of kissing or hugging.

Tine decides to sleep with Sarawat on the sofa while Type sleeps on their bed. Photo courtesy of GMMTV.

Another romantic scene that I loved is the bus scene in EP 11. When Sarawat told him his back story, about how he already met Tine at a Scrubb concert a year ago and even wrote a song for him, I couldn’t help but gush over that. I mean, Sarawat looked so chill outside but it was actually him who went giddy and jumpy on his friends when he and Tine met again. And the fact that he went to every Scrubb concert just to look for Tine? Wow. I am glad that what he said in that video did not get stuck in there forever.

Sarawat explains how he felt for Tine the first time they met. Photo courtesy of GMMTV.

One thing more, the music used is memorable, especially because they use Scrubb. I listened to some of their songs (and translated the lyrics from Thai to English, of course) and I found them full of meaning and emotion. The opening song, ติดกับ Tit Kap (roughly translated as Stuck On You), is something of an earworm and is easily recognizable. The credits song, คั่นกู Khan Koo, was also very good to listen to. The music video even features Bright and Win, doing their own stuff but still making it romantic. These are songs that I won’t forget in a long time.

As this was my first series, I did not really have much expectations because I had no points of comparison. My only expectation was that like all movies and series, the ending has to be special enough so the audience would somehow miss it once the run is over. And I think that’s where majority of the problem lies.

Personally, I noticed that once Tine and Sarawat moved together, they started acting less and less as a couple too quickly, which kind of killed the “kilig” between them and seemingly de-evolved in terms of romance. This became noticeable during the last three episodes. There’s nothing wrong if a couple does not show their affections by kissing and holding hands too often. But due to the fact that they are boyfriends, maybe they could have acted a little bit more like it and less like roommates. In EP 12, when Tine started feeling insecure on the presence of Pam, Sarawat’s friend and first love, Sarawat did not delve deep enough to actually find out what’s wrong with Tine. Instead, he turned down Tine’s request for a video recording (which I kind of understand due to Tine’s stomach pain), turned off the lights, and slept…facing on the other side, without even a goodnight kiss or hug. What’s more saddening is that Tine listened to a sad Scrubb song, which may have worsened what he felt.

Tine tries to drown his feelings while Sarawat sleeps soundly. Photo courtesy of GMMTV.

In the last episode, I became more invested in the relationship of Man and Type, which has steadily grown and flourished throughout the show. The way Type indirectly admitted his feelings to Man was something I did not expect yet it was interesting. A kiss was not expected from them since they just started out.

Man and Type admitting their true feelings in an interesting manner. Photo courtesy of GMMTV.

In contrast, not a single kiss between Sarawat and Tine, who have been together much longer, was seen after all that fiasco. Instead, we got the infamous high-five, which didn’t seem very romantic to me. If they were too shy to kiss or hug (really? Even after Sarawat confessed his love for Tine in front of an audience?), they could have at least settled for a head pat, which I mentioned a while back as their romantic gesture (maybe). The presence of Man and Type made the last episode bearable enough, believing that it had a good development.

After confessing their love for each other in front of the whole school and after Ctrl + S wins the contest, Tine and Sarawat give each other the infamous high-five. Photo courtesy of GMMTV.

On Phukong, yikes. I felt sorry for him for having to settle as a second choice for Mil. No one deserves to be a second choice, especially if it is love. Also, I don’t think forcing yourself to be loved by someone is reasonable as well. I mean, he got rejected in EP 10. He wasn’t just friend-zoned. He was BROTHER-ZONED! But at least in the end, they got, uhm, together. Yay????

Phukong is “brother-zoned” by Mil after a game of football. Photo courtesy of GMMTV.

One factor for the somewhat messy ending may be the decision to change the order of some scenes with respect to the novel. After watching a particular video about that on YouTube (look it up for more info), I agree with the commentaries that this didn’t have to happen. Pam in the novel was not a bad person, as well as the Sarawat’s Wives group, in contrast to the way they were portrayed in the series, along with other inconsistencies. After watching other Thai series, I felt sad that 2gether started and carried on strongly at the beginning but crashed at the end.

But at least, all ships sailed at the end, right? Hopefully, they get to be together for a long time.

Takeaway Lessons

1. Getting Together vs Staying Together

2gether shows us how getting together with the man or woman you like differs from when you’re actually together. Often, to get the person you like, you would do a lot of things just to get the attention of the other, even sacrificing some things. Sarawat did this by pretending to be Tine’s boyfriend and although he pretended to not care, he bought him food for cheerleading practice (EP 3), taught him to play the guitar, posted implied messages on Instagram, and many other small stuff in an effort to try and win him. This was, for me, the romantic part of the series, and probably the parts that made us squeal.

Tine and Sarawat tease each other while setting up their new place. Photo courtesy of GMMTV.

But staying together and maintaining a relationship can become different and difficult. Eventually, the initial lovey-dovey feelings fade, the excitement that you once had when seeing the person you like may also dissipate, and many other changes. For example, the two of you no longer hug as much as when you just started the relationship. Although I already said I was disappointed in this scene, the scene in EP 12 where Sarawat did not delve into Tine’s problem and just slept shows how staying together differs from getting together.

Couples must find a way to keep their love alive. I believe that trusting each other and being there for one another whenever there are challenges are crucial in maintaining and even strengthening the relationship between couples. If you love each other, then the two of you are responsible in keeping the relationship from falling apart.

2. Consequences of Lack of Communication

One of the difficulties in a relationship, and almost everything, is the lack of communication. Communication is important in relaying information and even problems. For example, doctors and nurses must communicate clearly to give the patient the right medicine and dosage to avoid problems.

Tine cries after seeing Sarawat and Pam hug each other, questioning himself as well. Photo courtesy of GMMTV.

In relationships, being open with one another is important yet somewhat difficult. If something is bugging you, it’s best not to keep it for yourself. There might be some explanation or clarification about it. This was the challenge for Tine and Sarawat in EP 12. Tine did not immediately tell Sarawat that the similarities between him and Pam were bugging his mind, although I commend him for opening up later and receiving the explanation. But the good moment was thwarted after Sarawat immediately grabbed the song from Tine without explanation, causing the paranoid Tine to doubt again. This worsened when Sarawat did not even attempt to call out Tine when they were seen hugging (EP 12 and 13)

Of course, for us to say “Oh, they should have just talked” or “Come on, none of that could have happened if they just talked” is being insensitive since it is not always doable because not all of us are frank and brave enough. I understand Tine in this regard. Sometimes, we have the tendency to not want to hurt our friends or partner when we want to point out something. I’ve been there, and I’m sure many have been as well. So we just stay silent and hope everything just passes. However, there should come a point in our life that we have to learn to communicate properly, especially if it is about problems and wrongdoings. A good person points out the wrong of the other, as well as doing steps in rectifying those mistakes.

Yes, it takes time to learn how to communicate what we want with the people around us, but it’s something that we should all learn as human beings.

3. Having An Open Heart

For me, I can interpret having an open heart to be more understanding, to be able to give someone a chance, and to be risk-taking. All of us must have open hearts and minds so we can understand people more.

This was done when Sarawat asked Tine to give him a chance at showing how he loves him (EP 7). Although it was initially difficult for him, Tine was able to see and understand Sarawat bit by bit because he kept his heart open. It was difficult for him though because falling in love with a man was new to him, maybe even something that never crossed his mind. But he got to see another side of Sarawat, other than the tough exterior that some people see, he was able to love him back. Mil eventually opened his heart to Phukong and started to genuinely (hopefully) love him.

Sarawat asks Tine to open his heart for him. Photo courtesy of GMMTV.

It is, however, difficult for those who were hurt for loving someone to have an open heart because they are just trying to protect themselves from ever experiencing pain again. We have to be careful when we open our hearts for love.

Opening hearts and minds can be exemplified outside of love as well. Understanding the wrongs of discrimination, hearing social concerns of the LGBT community, and other acts can help change us. We become wiser and more experienced, which can hopefully motivate us to act and make the world a better place.

This is how I viewed the series, and we viewed it all differently. If you enjoyed the ending, then that’s very good and I’m happy for that. I was happy too, though I wouldn’t use the word “enjoyable” to describe the ending. Hopefully, with the change of its director, the upcoming five special episodes of Still 2gether: The Series would give some justice and maybe some added background on what happened and what will happen to the characters.

Memorable Quotes

“Do you want to try? Try to get to know each other? You don’t have to like me very much. Just keep your heart open for me.”

Sarawat to Tine, EP 7 (rough translation from Thai to English)

“Ten years from now or even more, our couple will be just you and me. The Nuisance and the Handsome Prince.”

Tine, EP 13 (rough translation from Thai to English)

What did you think of 2gether: The Series? What was your favorite scene in the show? What is the most important lesson that you found in the show?