Rainbow Lagoon – Series Review & Episode Guide

Kung Ten and Khao Nueng are two young men who antagonize each other over liking the same girl. However, she dumps them both and runs off with another guy. Afterwards, the leads meet again at a restaurant where Kung Ten works. Kung Ten is rude to his former love rival initially. However, his mom encourages him to treat the customer more respectfully.

Khao Nueng is willing to call a truce between them, putting aside their feud in the past. They start chatting casually and get to know each other better. Khao Nueng respects Kung Ten's close relationship with his mom, who is in a wheelchair. It makes Khao Nueng see Kung Ten in a different light than before. Despite their differences, the two become friends and start hanging out together.

Rainbow Lagoon is the latest work from Wayufilm Production. This indie studio specializes in making short BL series like Country Boy and other similar gay romances. I watch their projects regularly, hoping they'll amaze me with something extraordinary one day. So far, it hasn't happened yet. The most recent drama is around the same quality as their portfolio of work. Sadly, Rainbow Lagoon is an unsatisfactory effort hindered by lousy storytelling.

My first impression of Rainbow Lagoon is negative. This youthful BL drama feels too juvenile, like the writer has the mindset of an immature teenager. Within the first fifteen minutes, there are multiple instances of the characters farting, pissing, and vomiting. The leads also comment on penis sizes and boners. I'm not against these bodily instincts, but their inclusion sets a vulgar tone in the narrative. The uncouth antics cheapen the image of Rainbow Lagoon, making me perceive the series as tacky and tasteless.

Beyond the crudeness, the disjointed narrative doesn't flow smoothly. The leads meet under odd circumstances, bond over little in common, and form an attraction based on shallow interactions. Their relationship feels forced. I don't understand why these guys are suddenly chummy or hang out all the time. In addition, Khao Nueng has no development, so I don't know who he is as an individual. Kung Ten receives more nuance, but his backstory is clunky. The character's angsty melodrama gets dropped into the narrative without subtlety or grace.

The second episode is better than the first. Even though the homophobic conflict is awkwardly introduced, I like how Rainbow Lagoon handles the resolution. A few gentle exchanges redeem the series to an extent, highlighting its empathy and sentimental LGBT messages. I also enjoy the first kiss between the leads, which is sweet and intimate with an age-appropriate wholesomeness. The actors (Mon and Oak) have worked on various BL projects together, so their on-screen chemistry becomes more comfortable each time.

Rainbow Lagoon is filmed in the beautiful outdoors, achieving a cozy, relaxed ambiance. The camerawork is solid and steady, especially for an indie company. I never had an issue with the production values in their works. My main problem is the clumsy, childish scripts that don't meet professional standards. If Wayufilm Production wants to improve its future projects, it must invest in a more sophisticated story. Otherwise, the studio will continue churning out subpar products like Rainbow Lagoon, which can't compete with many well-written BL dramas.