Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
‘Duang with You’ follows art student Duang relentlessly pursuing Music major Qin. Why? It’s love at first sight.
Directed by Kla Nathawat Piyanonpong (‘Naughty Babe’/‘To Be Continued’/‘Your Sky’), the college romance stars TeeTee Wanpichit Nimitparkpoom as the titular Duang, a lovable, golden-retriever-energy softie, while Suppakarn Jirachotikul plays the icy Qin, who Duang is determined to win over. Fun fact: the two leads are also real-life musicians and part of the Thai boy group DEXX.
But coming back to ‘Duang with You’, the story focuses on whether the eternally positive, energetic Duang can win over the emotional guarded Qin and become his boyfriend. And even if they do become a campus couple, can things truly last between the college students who are poles apart?
Duang’s best-friends Jamie (North Chatchapon Pranotphong) and Pae (Wave Thanaphat Tansakul) don’t think so, in fact, they’re pretty sure he’s wasting his time chasing the popular Qin. Still, they comically support him in all his silly attempts to get his crush’s attention, like plastering heart stickers with his face everywhere, from college notice boards to Qin’s music room. In one of the more hilarious show of support, Pae goes as far as cat-fishing Qin’s friend to help Duang.
So yes, ‘Duang With You’ sticks to the classic campus rom-com formula: a persistent protagonist chasing an emotionally distant crush. And, predictably, Qin turns out to be soft and kind at heart, with a traumatic past that keeps his guard firmly up. But what does make this Thai series quite fresh and entertaining in its first half is how Duang carries his heart on his sleeves, goes all out to get his crush, and doesn’t even shy away from barking with excitement like a literal dog to amuse Qin.
TeeTee Wanpichit Nimitparkpoom endearingly portrays the highly adorable and mildly annoying Duang, while Suppakarn Jirachotikul has the more challenging role of playing the non-chalant Qin, and while he convincingly pulls his part off, but falters in the emotional scenes.
‘Duang with You’ ultimately is better version of ‘Your Sky’ by the same director. It’s less hare-brained, more visually aesthetic, and the chemistry between the leads is also more memorable. If that already sounds like something that’s worth checking out, go ahead and stream the show.
Watch Duang with You on iQIYI.
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