I Promised You The Moon (Thai Series)

I Told Sunset About You was probably the single most liked series of year 2020. I have not heard of anyone not liking the show. It was so refreshing and different from other BL shows in so many ways; so when I came to know about. This sequel, I was naturally super excited. But also part of me was nervous because plenty of badly made sequels have successfully ruined the story that we came to love so much.

Teh And Oh-Aew are both students in Bangkok now studying in separate universities. After initial adjustments moving to a new city, the duo have gotten adjusted and are officially a couple. Oh-Aew has made a set of new friend, a quartet of four very friendly people, whom for some inexplicable reason The doesn't like very much. On the other hand Teh has joined a drama club which keeps him very busy with his friends Top, Khim and Jai. Top is a famous teen actor and Teh's idol. As days pass and because of their work schedule, Teh and Oh-Aew spent less and less time together. When Oh-Aew realizes that acting is not for him and moves his major to advertising, it creates a further rift between them. Meanwhile Teh starts to get feelings for Jai, whose play he is acting in. Oh-Aew starts to notice and even catches them kissing leading to a very ugly break-up between the duo. The university life is almost ending. Thanks to the play, Teh is now starting to get many acting gigs and is getting popular and finally Oh-Aew has gotten over him and is working as a trainee in advertising firm. A chance meeting between two after a few years, Teh apologizes to Oh-aew and tells him that its been no one else but him who he has ever loved. Oh-Aew doesn't want to risk getting played with again, but timely intervention by a close friend makes him realize that we cannot make life long promises. We can falls in love and be in moment and talk about any problems that they may have as a couple. The show end with a happy ending for the viewers.

Like the prequel, this shows again 5 episodes of just over an hour each. And as expected, there was a realistic approach to not just the storyline but also its execution (barring a few flaws that we will talk about later). As actors both Teh and Oh-Aew continue to do a great job with thankfully much less crying this time around, although there is still plenty of it. I still can't stand the puppy eyed face that Teh makes with a slight pout and eyes closed. Anyway, there are many many things that I enjoyed here. I loved how the realities of moving to a new city are shown. Missing home, traffic of Bangkok, loneliness of leaving friends, struggles of making new connections; all these are shown brilliantly. I also appreciated how both the characters were shown individuals and made their own sets of friends as per who they are. See, we forget that young love is bound to change for multiple reasons. You are barely 18, you probably don't know many people, haven't seen big city life and even if none of that was true, people do change with age, especially in and after college. So, its no surprise Teh and Oh-Aew change. They still love each other very much but are they 'in love' with each other still? They don't know. Or at least aren't sure. Part of me feels they feel obligated to be with each other. It was interesting that in different episodes you could understand and empathize with different points of views. I found myself siding with Teh and Oh-Aew at other times. Its but natural. Teh with Jai was bound to happen sooner or later. I liked the way it was handled too. The makers never forced any sexual tension between Teh and Jai but they just showed how things progressed naturally. As they spent more time with drama and common things between started to expand, it was just a matter of time. Doesn't mean what Teh did was right but what I am saying is that I understand why. Not sure if many people noticed, but initially Teh and Oh-Aew talk about things, try to discuss their problems and issues but the lesser time they spent, the communication between them starts to get awkward. 

Lets briefly talk about the side supporting characters. I am so so so happy that they were not here just as fillers. Even with their very small roles, the four friends that Oh-Aew makes have character and strength to them. They all stand for each other and support each other. Had it not been for them, Oh-Aew would not have been able to survive. A couple getting in that friend circle was so cute. I think they deserve their own spin-off story. Talking of spin-off, I have to admit that Jai was my absolute favorite character this time. Actually I should say that about the actor. He was so dreamy and charming and cute and everything. I personally wish we saw more of him. I would like to see so much more of his side of story. His relation with his x-boyfriend, what's happening in his life, I wanna see more of this guy.  Even him got plenty to do and had an important part to play, that makes Oh-aew realize to go for what he truly likes rather than going for what he is supposed to like. Top was my least favorite. Talking of some flaws, I felt somewhere in-between Oh-aewwas sidelined quite a bit when the story focused on Jai and Teh. Also the annoying mother made a comeback but thankfully only for 10 minutes each in first and last episode. Also when there are so many good things about the show, you start to nit pick on certain things. People take a couple of seconds between getting a notification on phone and checking it which clearly seem fake. No one does that in real life that too with a 'ooh' reaction. Just these minute little things. But other than these things, the sequel is a befitting tribute to the original story and a very worthy story to take forward. I am sure this will be loved and lapped up with same respect, love and admiration as the original was. No only if the production houses stop serving us with the same crap in their series where we wait for 12 full episodes just to get a kiss in the end, life would be so much better. lol

Ending the series in beautiful Phuket again was gorgeous. This is where it all started and despite the hiccups, it felt like a perfect setting where they will amend things between them and get back together. The sequel showed us a nice story where a newly couple grows as a pair and also as an individual. They learn how their personal choices affect others and their own perceptions of what is right or wrong, bad or good, and the maturity they need to overcome the obstacles that might settle in their own way. (8/10)