Remarkable. This was the first word that came to me in how to describe this distinctive series from Cambodia, a country ostensibly not known for its BLs. But this word seems woefully inadequate, I am afraid. Maybe words are unwarranted here; perhaps only feelings are fitting. And my feelings are profound sadness, heartache, and a sense of betrayal. Yet, what still remains is just the meager shred of strength fed by the faintest spark of love.

This is a hapless story of a young man named Phano (Ly Kimchay) who is anchored in the knowledge that he is gay but is tormented and discriminated against because of it. Deeply in love, he finds out abruptly that his boyfriend, Toy (Phom Chounat) is leading a double-life and has a girlfriend on the side for 2 years. All along, he has simply been using Phano, ironically as a ‘toy’ for his amusement, pleasure, and convenience.

Distraught beyond any sense of comfort, he seeks refuge in a coffee shop where a young handsome barista takes pity on him and befriends him by giving him warm milk. His name is Prince (Sorn Rotana), the irony of his name should not be lost on anyone. Phano is hit at the weakest and most vulnerable time in his young life. Everything that could go wrong, does. College assignments are rejected. He cannot get a job. The bullying, particularly at the coffee shop, intensifies and his rescuer in all cases is a ‘prince’ in every sense of the word. Along with his best friend Cake, (Phern Chanbopha), who also provides him with a sense of stability, friendship, and emotional support, Phano would have no one in his life. As the days pass, Phano begins to spend more time at the coffee shop and slowly almost inevitably, Prince becomes a stalwart in his life, and he, in return, to Prince as well. They begin to share deeper feelings, not of love but about love. Circumventing a platonic relationship yet there is a spark in both their eyes that seems deeper than mere infatuation with one another.

In one particularly difficult moment when Prince helps Phano see Toy’s real toxicity and abuse towards him, the relationship shifts even more. They understand each other now even more deeply than they both realized. Suddenly, however, Prince is gone. No good-bye. No parting words. Nothing. Just emptiness. Why?

This is a remarkably well-made and well-acted series. While all are outstanding performers, one stands out with exceptionalism. That is Ly Kimchay as Phano. His range of emotions was limitless, as he had to display so many raw emotions – anger, frustration, heartache, bitterness, yet remain strong. He lost faith in himself at times, but Prince was always there to remind him of his inner strengths and to push on and not let the bullies and abusers win out. Although he did not have many ‘happy times’, we could still sense and feel within Phano that he was capable of that and wanted to be a loving, kind, and sharing individual and partner to someone. He was capable of giving so much more than taking, and he showed that. His performance is nothing short of remarkable in depth and intensity. Kudos for a remarkable portrayal of a character who could have easily been an object of pity or consumed by bitterness, but they never made him that. He always had, even in his lowest point, a sense of dignity and grace as to who he was, and he was determined not to be beaten down. An astonishingly memorable impersonation.

We do find out why Prince left without saying a word to Phano. I shall not give that away to you as that is the experience of this introspective series. Suffice it to say, Phano handled it in the only way he knew how; with a hurtful acceptance, yet not with anger. His words were, “I failed.” Not because of who he is but for what will never be. I wept with him. I cried as much as he did as so many of us have been in similar, if not the same, circumstances. We understood.

This series is a human story. One might think tragic. Maybe so, but it is a reality check that happens all too often. This is so much more about pragmatism than the most highly produced BLs. We tend to not want to see what is; but what is illusion, fantasy, make-believe, or manga.

The production of this series is outstanding except that the night scenes or dark scenes that are just a bit too dark making it hard to see any action. That needed a bit lighter to assist in seeing what was going on. The cinematography was exceptionally well done. This also has some of the finest translations into English. Kudos for making this series so easy to follow in English. As such, it has affected me deeply, and, in its native language, it must be even more powerful. In addition, the naming of the characters is so profoundly germane and fitting that it enhanced the imagery of this story.

This is a simple, precise, no frills, no cliches, or tropey BL. It is focused on one individual who finds another individual at vulnerable times in each other’s lives. Unfortunately, their paths are not destined to intersect; only run parallel to each other. While never destined to converge, they have been embedded. Intrinsic yet intangible.

For me, this is one of the finest BLs this year because of its poignancy and sharp, personal message. It is not glamorous or splashy. I was anguished for Phano and wept alongside him as we got to feel how deeply painful loving can be. You experience it along the way with him, and if you are not touched by its loss, then you are not human.

On my List for 10 Best BLs for 2023.

Rating- 4 out of 5

Streaming on- Oxygenz Station YouTube Channel