Colorful Melody – Series Review & Episode Guide

Day is a musician who plays the violin. He's preparing for an upcoming audition for an orchestra, even though the positions are competitive. In the meantime, Day has relocated to the countryside. He enjoys the peacefulness of the rural setting. Day begins a new job as a volunteer teacher, giving music lessons to schoolchildren. His friend and colleague, B, introduced him to this job position.

Day meets the other teachers, including Mem and Toy. They have a group meal to celebrate the new teacher's arrival. Day and Mem start talking more, getting to know each other better. Mem is an art teacher. He loves to draw, even in his free time. Mem likes going to various outdoor locations with his drawing kit and paints for hours. He's perfectly content working in the countryside. Mem has adjusted to the serene and leisurely lifestyle.

Day and Mem discover they are neighbours. They hang out even more outside work. The pair spends the day sightseeing, from visiting shrines to taking boat rides. Their neighbours and colleagues observe that they have grown closer. While hanging out by the waterfall, Day and Mem are alone in the wilderness. Mem approaches Day and tests the waters with his budding feelings.

The most spectacular part about Colorful Melody is its picturesque outdoor filming locations. The story takes place in a rural setting and showcases the magnificent views outside the cityscape. It captures so much of the serene beauty in the surroundings. Every shot of the sea, the shrine, and the sunset evokes astonishment. The second and third episodes are like tourism ads, making me want to board a plane and go sightseeing. Colorful Melody dazzles with its cinematography and transports viewers to a stunning world.

Many fans have watched A Tale of Thousand Stars, one of the classics in the Thai BL genre. The famous fan favourite has inspired several copycats, including Colorful Melody. Both stories feature a volunteer teacher who leaves the city and resides in the countryside. This series changes a few character details and plot points to avoid direct plagiarism. Nonetheless, it draws obvious comparisons by borrowing such a similar premise. Unsurprisingly, the imitation is never as good as the original. Colorful Melody feels like a shorter, less charming, and unimaginative rip-off.

Colorful Melody has a calm, relaxing vibe. The protagonists get along blissfully without conflict, so there's little drama for most of the series. On the one hand, I appreciate the mellow scenes as the couple enjoys each other's company. On the other hand, the uneventful plot loses my interest during the slower moments. Episode 2 introduces the first source of tension, yet the characters move on by skirting around the issue. This low-stakes series avoids confrontation and minimizes grittier storytelling. It coasts on casual relationship fluff for the first three episodes.

The mesmerizing backdrop helps establish a romantic atmosphere. It's easier to believe the characters have fallen in love when surrounded by natural beauty. However, the couple's relationship scenes are mundane. They chit-chat casually and smile gently before the camera pans out to show the landscape. There are also a few cozy montages to summarize their bonding moments. While these scenes are fine, they don't excite me too much. As the characters exchange pleasantries, I don't sense sparks between them. The scenery is more memorable than their interactions.

I recognize Day's actor (Ter) from another BL drama last year. However, he hasn't left much of an impression on me in either series. In both cases, he portrays a generic protagonist without much personality. The narrow scope of the roles doesn't allow the performer to shine. I like his costar (Team) slightly more. He's a cutie with lots of sincerity in his expression. His character, Mem, is a humble art teacher in the countryside. Yet, he strips off, climbs on top of his partner, and makes out passionately during a sexual encounter. Whoa, his transformation is fierce!

The last episode is my least favourite part of Colorful Melody. With little build-up, the gentle story suddenly plunges into tragedy and melodrama. The over-the-top plot developments, from mysterious illnesses to convoluted childhood backstories, bewilder me. WTF!? Where did all this angst come from!? The contrived sad ending is so tonally jarring from the rest of the narrative, undermining everything that made it enjoyable. I hated the finale so much that it ruined the series for me. Colorful Melody goes from casually pleasant to catastrophically overwrought.