Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram) | Click here for a shorter audio version
A romantic comedy with a time-travel twist? Bring it on. The 2023 Thai series “Be My Favorite” stars Krist Perawat Sangpotirat as protagonist Botkawi, who is stuck in a boring subtitling job and is heartbroken when he receives a wedding invite from Prae Mai (Aye Sarunchana Apisamaimongkol), a friend he has been in love with since college but loses her to campus hottie Pisaeng (Fluke Gawin Caskey). In an unimaginable stroke of luck, Botkawi gets his hand on a crystal ball which takes him back in time and gives him a chance to turn things around. However, “fixing” the past isn’t as easy as it seems, and instead of making Prae Mai fall in love with him, Botkawi attracts the affections of his love rival, Pisaeng.
Directed by Waa Waasuthep Ketpetch, “Be My Favorite” consists of 12 episodes and features a charming pilot episode that will immediately captivate romantic comedy fans. The original soundtrack, particularly the catchy and lively opening number titled “Redo” (sung by Krist), plays a significant role in establishing a breezy and engaging mood for the series. A lot of the background music is reminiscent of GMMTV’s other hit show “Bad Buddy”. The cinematography adopts an autumn theme, incorporating numerous peachy shades and pleasant blue/green tones, adding a youthful charm to the proceedings.
Krist Perawat Sangpotirat is animatedly funny as the sulky Kawi, who decides to have the time of his life when he thinks he is in a dream, the first time he uses the crystal ball. However, when he realizes he really is back in time, he freaks out. Kawi makes you smile, cry, laugh, and coo over him, all within a span of a few minutes. As the plot progresses, Gawin Caskey’s portrayal of Pisaeng emerges as the standout character of the show – an exceedingly sweet and sensitive guy who grapples with coming to terms with his sexuality, yet remains remarkably patient and kind to those around him. After having played smaller roles in series like “Enchante” and the political-themed college thriller “Not Me,” where he appeared a bit miscast as an honest cop, he definitively proves his lead role potential with his layered portrayal of Pisaeng in “Be My Favorite.”
Both Pisaeng and Aye Sarunchana Apisamaimongkol as Prae Mai are warm and likable, with their characters displaying loyalty and maturity in dealing with negative people around them, despite being college kids from affluent families. Aou Thanaboon Kiatniran plays Botkawee’s friend Max, who is out and proud, and isn’t afraid of giving his friends a reality check when they get ahead of themselves. Kawi’s character, on the other hand, is goofier and immature, as he naively believes he can somehow solve everybody’s problems. He becomes a bit of a busybody, poking his nose into everybody’s business. The “rivals to lovers” trope is executed smoothly, with Pisaeng’s love for Kawi being genuine from the get-go, and his persistence, patience, straightforwardness and unconditional loyalty prove to be his lasting traits. A turning point in the series is the acoustic track “Unable,” which Pisaeng plays for Kawi in episode seven, and the lyrics are perfectly tailored to encapsulate Pisaeng’s emotions and love.
The time-travel adds a lot of entertaining drama to the story, demonstrating how small actions can create significant ripple effects and alter the entire course of a person’s life. Since the story is not chronological, there’s of a lot of back-and-forth between different timelines, and the creators utilize its comic potential, peppering episodes with a lot of funny and light moments. Even though “Be My Favorite” starts as a story about a miraculous second chance at life, the writers emphasize the importance of living the best version of oneself with the single opportunity you have. Each time Kawi turns his crystal ball, he ends up making things worse for himself, although each change teaches him lasting lessons. The rules of time-travel are kept simple, unlike the confusing and messy series “609 Bedtime Story.” In “Be My Favorite,” once Kawi spins the crystal ball to go back in time, he cannot go back further than his last rewind. For example, if Kawi went back to August 13th, 2022, and spent ten days in the past changing things, leading to disastrous results when he returns to his present in 2032, he cannot undo the damage and can only travel back to August 23rd, 2022.
While the primary focus of the series remains on Kawi’s adventures with time-travel and romance, some of the other characters also receive ample screen time, but they are eventually forgotten as the episodes unfold. For example, Prae Mai is given a generic happy ending, and some viewers may feel robbed for not getting to know what really happens to her, especially after the makers familiarize viewers with Prae Mai’s family and her struggles with relationships. The last two episodes weren’t as exciting, comedic, or entertaining as the rest of the show, but they provide primary protagonists Pisaeng and Kawi with a stable and wholesome climax.
Overall, “Be My Favorite” has a lot of fun elements and is a fun watch for the weekend. You can stream the series on GMMTV’s YouTube channel.
Read Next: Heartstopper Season 2 – Brings Back Butterflies!
Embedded Below is a shorter audio version of the “Be My Favorite” Series Review
