Why “US” Became a Healing Drama for So Many Viewers — and Why EmiBonnie Felt So Real
One year after watching US the Series, I still think it’s one of the most emotionally healing Thai GL dramas ever made.
Not because the plot is groundbreaking.
Not because it’s dramatic or shocking.
But because of how genuinely warm and emotionally safe the relationship feels.
In a genre often filled with misunderstandings, toxic dynamics, emotional chaos, and painful breakups, US felt surprisingly gentle. Watching Pam and Rak slowly fall in love honestly made many viewers—including me—want to fall in love too.
The story itself is actually quite dramatic on paper.
Rak (Bonnie Pattraphus) is the daughter of a wealthy hospital director but leaves home because of family conflict. Pam (Emi Thasorn) lost her parents and approaches Rak’s family while carrying emotional baggage tied to revenge.
There are multiple setups that could have easily turned into exhausting melodrama:
- “I fell in love with my brother’s girlfriend.”
- “I fell in love with the daughter of the person connected to my parents’ death.”
- fear of same-sex love
- family pressure
- separation
But somehow, US rarely feels emotionally cruel.
Every time the story approaches a dramatic explosion, it softens itself through understanding, communication, affection, or forgiveness. Pam and Rak consistently choose empathy over emotional manipulation.
That’s probably why so many viewers found this series comforting.
Their relationship feels unusually mature for Thai GL.
They communicate honestly.
They don’t constantly jump to conclusions.
They protect each other instinctively.
Even during conflict, you can still feel the love underneath everything.
For me, PamRak might genuinely be one of the healthiest couples in Thai GL.
And then there’s EmiBonnie.
Honestly… their chemistry is absurd.
Not in an overly sexualized way. Not in a fanservice-heavy way.
They simply feel real.
The eye contact.
The tiny pauses.
The unconscious smiles.
The soft physical touches.
The way they naturally move toward each other in emotional scenes.
Many moments felt less like “acting” and more like watching two people genuinely in love.
Some of their gazes honestly felt like soul-level kisses.
One of the most unforgettable scenes is still the EP3 drunken kiss.
Rak drunkenly confesses her feelings and keeps asking Pam not to hate her. Pam finally loses control of all the emotions she has been suppressing and kisses her.
The scene is emotional rather than flashy. Awkward, vulnerable, trembling, full of hesitation and longing.
It’s still one of the most moving kiss scenes I’ve seen in Thai GL.
What impressed me even more was learning that many intimate scenes in US were partially improvised. Apparently, the famous watermelon kiss in EP7 was originally just written as “cute watermelon eating.”
EmiBonnie somehow turned that into one of the sweetest kiss scenes in the series.
That natural intimacy is impossible to fake.
Another reason US stands out is the directing style.
Director Kanittha Kwunyoo captures intimacy between women with remarkable tenderness. The series never feels overly performative or exaggerated. Instead, it creates a quiet emotional atmosphere that lesbian viewers immediately understand.
The lighting, framing, soundtrack, and pacing all feel soft and intimate, almost like an art film at times.
And the OSTs are incredible.
“Like a Bird,” played during the EP3 kiss scene, perfectly amplifies the emotional tension instead of overpowering it. Emi and Bonnie are also genuinely strong singers, especially Emi, whose voice is honestly one of the best among Thai GL actresses right now.
But beyond the romance, I think what truly made US special was its emotional warmth.
Watching Pam care for her grandmother.
Watching Rak reconcile with her mother.
Watching two people repeatedly choose love instead of pride.
The show creates a world that feels gentle.
Even the conflicts rarely leave emotional scars on the audience.
Maybe that’s why so many people described US as “healing.”
And honestly? I understand completely.
A lot of Thai GL dramas are entertaining.
Some are addictive.
Some are chaotic fun.
But US made me feel emotionally cared for as a viewer.
That’s much rarer.
And EmiBonnie?
They somehow made the entire relationship feel so natural that many viewers started joking that they weren’t acting anymore.
At some point, watching EmiBonnie fall in love genuinely felt sweeter than falling in love myself.
If you’ve already watched US, I’d love to hear your thoughts after one year.
And if anyone is interested, I wrote a much longer full review here:
https://glthai.com/review-us-the-series-english/
