I know I’m tardy to this party, but I have actually decided to step out into the real world of Japan and actually touch some grass. It’s been amazing. But sadly, it means I have been running a bit behind in the world of BL.
Luckily a recent cold had me down for a few days so I was finally able to finish the GMMTV religious drama Ticket to Heaven.
God Damn.
First and foremost props to P’Aof, Gemini and Fourth for tackling such a serious topic and exploring it with grace, dignity, and vulnerability. As actors Gemini and Fourth have always had something special, but this series really allowed them to showcase the depth of their talent. Each episode was a master class in the emotional confusion of a young man realizing he’s not the person everyone (including himself) wanted him to be.
It was something I was very much able to relate to.
Tanrak (Fourth) is the model student. Orphaned young, he has built his whole life around the church and a single goal: earning his place in heaven. Then Barth (Gemini) shows up. Bitter, guarded, and resentful of pretty much everyone, he is everything Tanrak’s carefully ordered world isn’t. What starts as a good deed turns into a friendship, the friendship turns into something Tanrak doesn’t have a name for, and every certainty he has ever held is shaken.
Told across two timelines, the series follows a young man being forced to ask the hardest question of his life: can he be who he is and still keep his faith? It’s less a story about choosing between God and love than about discovering that growing up means there are rarely any perfect choices. And it never reaches for the easy “religion is the villain” narrative. Instead, the message it keeps coming back to is one many followers of Christ still struggle to grasp: Christ is love. Period.
The supporting cast also did a fantastic job and (as always) the soundtrack was absolutely stellar. The Thai title เด็กชายไม่ไปสวรรค์ literally translates to The Boy Not Going to Heaven, which makes the drama feel like it’s going to to be much darker than it actually is.
Aof (Noppharnach Chaiyahwimhon) not only directed the series, but was also one of the co-writers with Kittisak Kongka (Best) and drew from his personal experiences. He is one of the best storytellers in the genre. I can’t recommend this series enough.
