An awkward, hot-headed debt collector with flame-colored hair.
A trio of life-long friends.
An ethereal debtor.

All of the above combine to create a refreshingly fun summer comedy that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Actors Boun Noppanut and Prem Warut return to the screen as Sun and Arthit in the Thai BL Even Sun the series, bringing the chemistry-laden, comfortable rapport that fans of BounPrem are drawn to.

And they don’t disappoint.

I didn’t go into Even Sun with high expectations, especially with the looming November release of Between Us the series. Instead, I saw it as a light comedy bridging the time between Boun and Prem’s upcoming anticipated return as Win and Team and the present, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the first two episodes. There were a few awkward transitions, but all in all, it delivers as the rom-com it’s meant to be. I giggled a lot, which is a nice change from the mass of tears I’ve been shedding over the more intense currently airing series.

In my part of the world, summer is in full swing, the humid, hot air off the Gulf of Mexico keeping temperatures unbearably high. The grass is green, growing too fast for the mowers to keep up, and the insects are taking advantage of the climate, especially the mosquitos. So, for me, Even Sun feels like a cool sip of lemonade or an iced sweet tea. A large part of how well a romantic ensemble comedy does depends on its cast and when it airs, and Even Sun enters a BL drama landscape currently saturated with dramatic plots and intense themes. This plays in its favor and also works against it. For viewers looking for an escape from emotional angst, Even Sun gives it to them. For viewers who have gotten used to the more mature content with in-depth production quality, Even Sun falls a little short. So, its reception depends solely on the viewer.

For me, it’s undoubtedly becoming an escape. Despite its often awkward dialogue, which I blame primarily on the subtitles and partly on the script, Even Sun is allowing me to step back and turn off my mind.

And it’s doing so with a much stronger cast than I expected. While I am familiar with many of the actors from other series, especially Boun and Prem, I have been impressed by how well the entire cast pulls off this drama. It’s easy to see an actor’s strengths when they’re part of an emotionally deep drama, it’s harder when they’re working on a lighter story. But the power in this series is most certainly in its cast, and it’s noticeable. Mainly by the way they pull off the emotional moments that do transpire amidst the comedic timing, choppy zoom-ins, minor plot holes, and oddly translated dialogue. Through it all, the actors all believably present the friendships, couple tension, and relationships between the debtors and creditors, despite any shortcomings. And that takes a lot of strength.

One of my favorite things about this drama is the friendship between Sun (Prem Warut), Mek (Koklian Parinya Angsanan), and Ashing (Lee Long Shi). They are lifelong friends who’ve managed to maintain their friendship amidst debt, complicated paternal relationships, and differing personalities. Their affection for and loyalty to each other are palpable and endearing. Enough so that I find myself completely invested in each of their separate stories simply because of their friendship. It’s the thread that pulls together the entire drama.

This brings me to the potential couples. Even though most of Sun’s (Prem) growing relationship with his debtor Arthit (Boun) has consisted of them glaring at each other while Arthit repeatedly tells Sun to return to Bangkok, the essence of what makes Boun and Prem so strong together on screen is there. Time will tell how powerful the love between them becomes, but I’m anticipating the complicated story of misplaced trust that seems to be forming.

The same goes for Ashing (Lee Long Shi) and his potential love interest Mangkorn (Top Nathas). Like Sun and Arthit, their interactions have primarily consisted of glaring, avoiding each other, and various ways of basically saying “none of your business.” But the chemistry is there, as is the emotional depth needed to make their story endearing.

Even Sun falls short in its editing, but the acting makes up for it. For now, I am wholly invested in the developed friendships and relationships forming, enough to keep me tuning in.

For a funny summer drama with some surprising depth, escape into Even Sun the series. I feel the acting, forming couples, and the individual stories will be strong enough to overcome the editing and writing that weakens it. Check it out now on WeTV/Tencent Video.

Rating- 3 out of 5