Love Area - Thailand

[antistatic]

 

The makers of this series have been drip-feeding snippets of info (mainly about the cast) for about a month now but are still keeping the actual storyline under wraps. Each of the characters has their own 40 second video which comprises of a photo and a basic character trait (in Thai). I've added them here for the completists but once you've seen one you've seen them all.

Here's the main cast:



and links to the actual teasers:  Valen  /  Kaitoon  /  Non  /  King  /  Peet  /  Sean  /  Sonja-June-Bill  /  Win-Tee-Atom


The character traits:

Valen was born on Valentine's Day, yet this young man has never received love, even from his parents. But then he meets Kaitoon who is going to change everything.

Kaitoon is a good looking boy with a positive attitude and is always helping others. An orphan since he was young, he's hardworking and strong willed.

Non is a nerd, gentle, kind, little talkative, warm looking, Chinese home. High expectation to become a doctor, but knows that he doesn't like women and remains closeted.

King is reserved and talks less, like an artistic kid. Believes in love and is open about liking boys.

Peet is quiet and naive. From the Faculty of Medicine, he's someone who has love problems and doesn't know how to hurt.

Sean ... is an enigma.


Here's the MyDramaList page. It will have 10 episodes and the series is due to start on Saturday 8th May on Ch9 with a replay on AISPLAY. No info on an international release yet.

[antistatic]

First teaser has dropped:

[mizuryuu]

Interesting that Jeff Satur is the singer for the OST

[kevvoi]

Here is the OST that Mizuryuu posted about:

[kevvoi]

Second Teaser:

[antistatic]

Channel 9 MCOT HD have released a statement to say that this show will no longer begin this coming Saturday 8th May.

It has been postponed until further notice due to the COVID situation.

[kevvoi]

Trailer courtesy of Love Area the Series (No subs):



It looks like the premiere date is now July 17th.

[antistatic]

English subs have now been added to the trailer.

Once again it looks like we're going to be at the mercy of AISplay who control distribution rights.

They are still reluctant to answer requests concerning any proposed international release.

[antistatic]

This series has now been rescheduled to begin on 17th July.

Still no information forthcoming from AISplay about an international release.

[mizuryuu]

It is AISplay, don't expect english subtitles. The best we can hope for is there will be fan subs

[antistatic]

No wonder AISplay were keeping quiet about an international release.

They are planning to keep this show exclusive on their app for 6 months before allowing it to be made available to international fans!

(Sigh!) They really don't like us, do they?  

[dmagiclight]

Jul 11, 2021 9:17:43 GMT -5 antistatic said:

No wonder AISplay were keeping quiet about an international release.

They are planning to keep this show exclusive on their app for 6 months before allowing it to be made available to international fans!

(Sigh!) They really don't like us, do they?  

I feels that way

[mizuryuu]

It is probably more like they don't get a lot of revenue from international fans, so an international release just isn't a big concern for them.

[antistatic]

The series had its domestic debut yesterday on AISplay and seems to have been poorly received so far. Admittedly, this first episode was a special introductory episode rather than the start of the series proper, which will happen next Saturday, so hopefully it will pick up a more decent audience then.

I did a quick check about an hour ago on the AISplay platform and it had still only managed a viewing average of 233 views across its three parts. Oops! If only there was an eager International audience out there to help support the show...  Oh wait there is, but they're not wanted by AISplay. Well, not until the backend of January 2022 when they will finally make it available to everyone. I've got a sneaky feeling inter-fans will have already found somewhere else to watch it before then.

[antistatic]

The (semi) good news today is that Love Area is now going to be made available on GagaOOLala from 27th August complete with English subs. 

I'm not sure what has prompted AISplay to have a change of heart over their adamant claim of six month exclusivity for this show but I strongly suspect the poor viewing figure the opening episodes have so far garnered on the AISplay app have had a major part to play in their decision.

Personally, I'm glad it is going to get wider availability as I've watched the first couple of episodes and I'm liking it. I think the series could easily capture a much bigger audience than what it seems to be getting at the moment and while it's nothing barnstorming storyline wise, I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I've immediately taken to the main characters. Pak Chavitpong is giving a great performance as Kaitoon, one of life's eternal underdogs who has a constant struggle to keep his head above water, and I'm certainly liking him much more here than I did when he was Nite II in The Cupid Coach.

To be honest there's nothing really ground-breaking so far but they're handling the usual tropes well enough, although I will admit the need for the first-aid box is being overused. None of these boys are able to go anywhere near a sharp or broken object without getting a cut leading to the familiar swab dabbing and gazing into each others eyes!

I guess it will probably end up hidden behind Gaga's paywall but will now likely find its way to the regular places much easier than it does at present.

[mizuryuu]

That's good. It would help with the drought in BL we are experiencing due to the covid filming restrictions in Thailand.

[antistatic]

The first episode has been released on the GagaOOLala platform with English subs. Although you are required to have an account with them, a free one will do.

Episode 1

[antistatic]

Love Area was always promoted as a 10 episode series so it's a bit of a mystery as to why they've finished it at episode 6 (claiming it to be the end of the 1st season) with the remaining episodes to be shown 'soon' as season 2. There has been no official reason given but circumstantial evidence suggests that filming of the later episodes has been greatly affected by the stricter Covid restrictions placed on the filming industry by the Government.

I'm still enjoying this show but I'm not liking the way Kaitoon has thoughtlessly stood up Non on two dates now. I'm torn because I'm happy for Valen and Kaitoon finally getting together, but I hated seeing Non sitting all sad and bereft by himself at the ice cream parlour. He so looked like he needed a big cuddle... I'd give him one! (said in my most innocent and saintly manner 😇)

[antistatic]

In the run up to the second half of this series GagaOOLala are keeping up interest with the release of a special Episode 0:

[mizuryuu]

I want to like this show, but I feel so bad for the main character's neighbour. Forgetting about him once is okay, but twice? Also, he had a phone and couldn't send a message letting his friend know he can't make it?

[dmagiclight]

Oct 8, 2021 6:14:02 GMT -5 mizuryuu said:

I want to like this show, but I feel so bad for the main character's neighbour. Forgetting about him once is okay, but twice? Also, he had a phone and couldn't send a message letting his friend know he can't make it?

I feel the same way of course he will say he sorry and the friend he stood up twice with out even a text will forgive him in stead of telling him what A lousy friend he is

[antistatic]

Teaser for the premiere of Part 2:



The series will return on 1st January.

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New poster from GagaOOLala for Part 2:



The episodes will be made available worldwide by GagaOOLala at the same time they are released in Thailand.

[mizuryuu]

hope part 2 is better. Watched part 1 on 2x speed

[antistatic]

Official trailer for Part 2 is out. Unusually for GagaOOLala, there are no English subs, but hopefully they'll be added soon: