TYPE OF REVIEW 
: FIRST IMPRESSION REVIEW
No spoilers. Click here for Hindsight Review.
If you want a soapy good time, GMMTV’s Only Friends (เพื่อนต้องห้าม) is just the show for you. It’s been a crazy, wild, scandalous and, most importantly, very fun ride so far.
The series follows the tangled web of relationships between a group of university students and their friends. “Friends” being the keyword. As the title suggests, or maybe contradicts, the relationships of the six main characters definitely go beyond being just friends. “It’s complicated” is an understatement as their pasts, secrets and lies clash with insecurities, jealousy and betrayal.
Things aren’t always what they seem at first. And it has so far been a juicy ride watching the relationships develop while each characters’ layers are slowly peeled back.
Only Friends features established GMMTV pairings like First Kanaphan Puitrakul & Khaotung Thanawat Ratanakitpaisan and Force Jiratchapong Srisang & Book Kasidet Plookphol as well as fresh pairing Neo Trai Nimtawat & Mark Pakin Kunaanuwit.
So it might be clear which pairings are supposed to be “endgame,” so to speak. Yet the series has managed to still offer up opportunity for intermingling and partner swapping in a way that feels natural and fitting to the story. Perhaps more importantly, the characters are actually still the center of attention. And of course, that keeps open the possibility of far from happy endings for any or all of our main characters.
Each of the episodes so far have provided solid character development for the six leads. Though each episode also gives a greater focus to a specific character in a way that moves alongboth their own respective stories as well as the fast-moving soapy drama for the entire group. Each character has their flaws, maybe quite bluntly too. But that helps maintain a measured approach to how they and their related stories are able to continually move forward.
The level of character-driven story is well-balanced with its soapy twists and turns. And yes, with a heavy dose of steamy scenes as well.
It is that perfect mix that makes Only Friends a legitimately fun, soapy ride. And one that maybe you might not normally see from GMMTV. At least, for me, this is definitely the first of its kind that I’ve watched. And it’s been an enjoyable ride so far.