Whale Store xoxo: Episode 9 {Watch Party Wednesday #8-GL}
Hello, Internet, and good mornight to you all!
My name is Taffryne, shoppekeeper of Midnight on Memory Lane, and it is my absolute delight to welcome you to the GL-type post for this week's gathering of Watch Party Wednesday!
'Tis a pleasure, 'tis a pleasure indeed.
As the title of this post says, we're going to be talking about the ninth episode of the Thai GL drama by GMMTV staring MilkLove, Whale Store xoxo.
I humbly present my thoughts for your enjoyment and consideration. Accordingly, please mind that there will be spoilers ahead!
MyDramaList Link: click here!
Disclaimer: I apologize if there are any crucial cultural notes or nuances that I misunderstand or fail to recognize. I, unfortunately, must trust the accuracy of the translated subtitles to accurately represent the story and characters.
Trigger Warnings: Post-Breakup Sadness, Dubious Motivations for Helping Someone, Non-aggressive Homophobic Behaviour from Parent towards Child, "My Daughter is Dating a Girl" Crisis, Kissing
Episode 9
Recollection
- Flashback to Wan and Mahnmook's relationship starting out sweet until Mahnmook turned sour on Wan and ditched her
- Wan reflects that Maewnam is the person who taught her to trust and open up to others again...but remarks that she's ultimately still "a mess"
- Noey comes to the store to give Wan the land deed she paid for with the money from Maewnam, which understandably makes her break down crying
- Noey tells Maewnam to give Wan space, but that she's not mad
- Chom's Mom is still being weird bout the girlfriend-thing, but Chom and Tonnam aren't hiding their relationship anymore!
- Wan and Maewnam both keep clutching onto their happy memories and getting sadder because of it
- Mahnmook shows up to (allegedly) help Wan's store, but then Maewnam also shows up and it becomes a whole thing
- Chom's Mom accidentally burns the ear of Chom/Tonnam's boss with her straightener after the boss tells her that they'd been dating for 3 years and only hid it out of fear towards Chom's Mom
- Chom's Mom is also just messing up a lot at her salon since the news
- Mahnmook's social media campaign helps the store, but Noey (and myself) are skeptical of her actual intentions
- Chom finally confronts her mother about her behaviour and how she hoped that her mom wouldn't care if she just had time to accept it
- Chom's Mom says that she's not against her daughter being a lesbian, but upset with herself for making her daughter feel like she had to hide it and because she doesn't know her daughter
- Mahnmook and Noey flashback and bicker with each other over who's the one who actually has unrequited feelings for Wan and acting underhandedly
- Wan ends up drunk texting a long, sappy apology to Meawnam
- Maewnam takes up the opportunity to onboard Wan into "Wan Service" to pay back her debts (and also win back her heart)
- Wan and Maewnam make up and are happy girlfriends once more!
I'm so happy that Wan and Maewnam got through it and are back to the cutesy, lovey dovey stuff. I think it felt a little rushed since they didn't have an actual conversation. Granted, there's not really much point in stewing on it since the bank has already been paid. It's not a reversible thing, ya know, it's a need-to-move-on thing.
Chom's Mom...I'm not sure how I feel about you. I'm glad you're not a raging homophobe or something, but I don't quite get your stance. Maybe it's just because I was raised without any prejudice towards the LGBTQ+? I'm glad they had an honest talk about it and that they can now be on the path to make things right. It really shouldn't have gotten to this level...
Of everything in this episode, the contrast between Noey and Mahnmook was by far the most interesting point. They're 100% just two sides of the same unrequited-love coin. Toey is the one who has (for extreme lack of a better phrasing) "made peace with the friendzone" and just wants to preserve the relationship she has with Wan in her life. She's the never-had. Mahnmook, on the flip side, is the used-to-have. At one point, she was the apple of Mahnmook's eye. Unfortunately for her, she fell off that tree and Wan's moved on and doesn't want her back.
Arguably, both of them could be playing the swoop-game of trying to see if Wan will ever pick them over Maewnam. However, Noey plays it passively by enjoying the friendship for what it is while supporting Wan in purusing Maewnam. Mahnmook plays it where every action feels ulterior in trying to dissuade Maewnam. Maewnam and Wan are the winning couple, so, I wonder how those two will react when the knot is tied.
T/N: If you ask me, they should start a hatemance because there was TENSION in that stand-off
On the bright side of all of this, I'm glad that the Whale Store is doing well! I'm a little bit concerned that it has such frequent peaks and valleys, but hey, that's retail for ya!
I did also chuckle at the "Wan Service" montage. Maewnam really makes it all look so effortless. I know I would totally be in the Wan corner struggling to lift a 15kg (~33lb) bag of rice (I really need to workout more...)
Episode 10 Preview
Yay for the mother coming around but, uhm, what do you mean someone's "leaving"???
The Questioning Queries
- Do you think the money issue will ever come up again for Wan and Maewnam?
- How do you think Noey and Mahnmook will be by the end of the series? Think anything will happen with them at all?
- What're your feelings towards Chom's Mom? How would you judge the way she's been handling this whole ordeal?
Thanks for Reading!
I hope you've been able to watch and experience the story for yourself!
If you haven't, that's okay too! My thoughts are here to keep you updated and entertained in the meantime.
That'll be the end of this post, so off into the nighttime I go to publish the next one shortly!
May we always meet at Midnight!