It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of a chase, and that’s exactly what the Thai BL You Maniac offers.

It’s a “playing hard to get” manual that’s heavy on the tension and edging toward romance.

Starring William Jakrapatr as Dean and Est Supha as Moth, with Kin Thanachai as Pun and Barcode Tinnasit as Ten, You Maniac begins with what should be a relatively simple favor between friends.

Ten has feelings for Pun, but Pun is interested in Moth. Hoping to clear the way for himself, Ten asks his friend Dean to distract Moth. And Dean seems like the perfect person for the job. Handsome, charming, and accustomed to partying and seducing whoever catches his attention, Dean enjoys the chase without ever wanting to be tied down.

There’s just one problem.

Moth isn’t interested.

An artist with a personality that contradicts nearly everything Dean is used to, Moth’s indifference turns harmless flirting into a challenge. The more Moth pushes him away, the more determined Dean becomes to win him over. And somewhere along the way, the game starts becoming a lot more personal.

If you’re looking for a playbook on how to catch charming but lonely men who seem too good to be true, then You Maniac is definitely for you. It’s a fast-paced haze of clubs and pounding music centered around two very different types of “irresistible” men: the playboy and the tsundere.

As I get older, I find myself less drawn to men like Dean and Moth. But I have to admit that while the types of men they are aren’t as appealing to me in real life as they were when I was younger, what I do find appealing is watching them stumble upon each other.

It’s fun watching them “play” the dating game against each other. Not simply because Dean has mastered the art of “playing” the men around him while Moth has mastered the art of pushing them away, but because in messing with each other, it’s quickly becoming obvious they’re struggling inwardly with the same problem:

Loneliness.

Dean surrounds himself with people but doesn’t seem interested in allowing anyone to get too close. Moth keeps people away before they get the opportunity. They approach loneliness differently, but it’s still there. And that’s what makes watching them slowly get under each other’s skin so much fun.

On the other hand, Ten’s crush on his dog’s veterinarian, Pun, is sweet and awkwardly relatable. While Dean and Moth seem determined to turn attraction into a competitive sport, Ten’s feelings bring a different romantic energy into play that’s endearing and cute.

The chemistry that makes William and Est work so well together on screen certainly isn’t lacking in You Maniac, and it’s building the kind of anticipation and tension needed for a series about two men who are total opposites in how they approach love but surprisingly similar in why they avoid it. One chases. One runs.

And somehow, neither seems prepared for what happens when the other one stops playing along. I’m here for the roller coaster of emotions this promises to deliver.

If you’re looking for an opposites-attract, rivals-to-lovers story where the chase may turn out to be much easier than figuring out what to do once real feelings get involved, You Maniac is right up your alley.

For a series that promises to be fun while also delivering a heart-pounding, sexy romance, check out You Maniac, now streaming on Viki, iQIYI, and GMMTV.

Rating- 4 out of 5