@incandescentflower / incandescentflower.tumblr.com
May I say something? Well, they say when a man buys you a shirt, it means he wants to be the one to take it off. There's a theory like that?
I don’t want to see the sunset anymore- I’d rather see your face.
CHERRY MAGIC [TH] | EPISODE 11
Thinking about Karans reactions to him getting kidnapped.
Was thinking today about Cherry Magic Thailand, and all respect to the writing (which deftly navigated the challenging task of adapting a full-on classic) and the rest of the cast and crew, but has any QL series' success hinged so much on a single actor going above and beyond in a performance as Cherry Magic Thailand does on Tay Tawan's portrayal of Karan???
That character could have fallen so detrimentally flat. He is perfection personified. Even after Achi discovers his so-called 'imperfections' (which are just that he sings bad and is crushing extra hard on Achi), the writing doesn't ever let Karan come off his pedestal. He remains put together, impossibly patient, and admirably righteous. His stress in life is that people don't respect his hard work because he's so beautiful! This character, in theory, should not really strike an audience as likeable. The writers could have used the one facet of his family-drama that emerges in the penultimate episode to build a deeper character in the writing, but elect not to even hint at it any earlier in the series.
So much heavy lifting is left to Tay, and the performance is a wonder to behold. Tay Tawan is certainly attractive in the way Karan is supposed to be attractive--fit, tall, handsome--but Tay's face and earnest dorky demeanor are unique in a way that seem far too rare in the influencer era. The breadth of his nose, the goofy joy in his smile, the clownish clumsiness, the nerdiness of his interests (the GMMTV actor most likely to be reposting a popular science article or rare animal sighting): Tay brings all of these elements of himself to bear on the poised idol of Karan, playing all the parts of the romantic hero while letting his own characteristics distill onto it so that the character actually contains valuable tension for the audience between his faultlessness and the slow reveal of his sincerity. That dynamic lies at the core of the show, and it's a less explored one in media, so all the more challenging to do.
But Tay understands the assignment. He goes full-in when Achi hears Karan's inner voice, squealing and talking manically fast (a real-life Tay Tawanism as well as a wonderful connection to Japanese performance styles). Once the characters begin their romance, so much effort is put in to have Karan looking at Achi, not just with love, but with the deepest gratitude. That's what most often had me crying. In fact, it often looked like Karan was on the verge of happy tears, overwhelmed by the fortune to love and be allowed to love Achi.
Being able to appreciate Karan's sincerity opens up an avenue for the audience to care about his challenges that on the surface seem so superficial. Tay is able to take this character's struggle to be taken seriously and make it as worthy and pitiable as any narrative about women in the workplace struggling with that issue, and that's not an easy feat in this day and age. Whether in Karan's affections or disappointments, Tay exhibits such humility and unabashedness in his performance throughout the series, it renders the otherwise familiar messages about the value of the small unappreciated things in the world as enchanted and life-changing.
And incredibly amongst all this, the series REQUIRES by its very title for Karan to have a sex drive, and even that desire threads through Tay's portrayal of the character as he interacts with Achi, maintaining an incredible balance between a fun and dorky excitement about sex and a potent sensuality (it's such a great sex scene when it finally comes).
Tay took a paragon and made him such a fully fleshed-out and realized character. I just can't imagine the series working without such a masterfully crafted performance. The whole cast did great work, don't get me wrong. Tay's is just one of those magical reminders about what the art of acting can achieve.
Cherry Magic TH: Comic covers & Series posters (5-8)
CHERRY MAGIC 30 ยังซิง (2023) dir. X Nuttapong Mongkolsawas
Rewatching Cherry Magic Thailand and I'm still not over this and I probably never will be. It really is one of the best first kisses.
100/10 no notes.
The softness stops my brain functioning.
+ BONUS
They consented. They were hungry. And they ATE.
Original title: 30 Yang Sing | 30 ยังซิง.
This is one of the fics open for claiming...
Cherry Magic 30 ยังซิง | Cherry Magic (Thailand TV 2023) #018 Title: A Little Help from a Friend Pairing/Characters: Achi Achirawit Jittawisut/Karan Wongkarun Rating: Explicit | E Warnings/Tags: No Warnings apply Summary: An AU where Achi does not discover Karan's feelings before Karan finds out that Achi has mind reading abilities, Achi becomes more and more distressed about his abilities, and Karan offers to help and they slowly work on Achi "losing his magic."
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#an important intermission.
↳ requested by anonymous ♡
randomly my favorite thing about this specific kiss is that Karan is checking in on Achi for the second time over the course of a couple minutes. like in addition to stopping to observe the beauty inherent in having Achi beneath him, I think he's looking for signs of anxiety or discomfort. but Achi looks near euphoric and is following after Karan's lips, so Karan continues onward.
Congrats to Karan and Achi from Cherry Magic for getting married on a random Wednesday the day after the Thai government passed the marriage equality bill.
The lovers the morning after.
