WhyRU is a wonderful Thai show that I’m currently obsessed over. If you haven’t watched, what are you doing here? Seriously, go watch it. Right now. It’s amazing.
Links to the series are here:
WhyRU – Fighter/Tutor Intro and International Links/
This analysis will be retrospective, piecing together all we have learned from Episode 7 and what has been said by the author, cast members, producers, directors and acting coach to combine into a cohesive narrative of Fighter and Tutor’s relationship up until now. I hope this makes sense. I’ve had way too much fun doing this, and i hope you enjoy, Please leave any comments below because I would love to talk about this with you guys.
Episode 1:
We see Tutor introduced in the first episode as part of Zon’s dream. In this dream, Tutor approaches Zon, we seen him tell Zon that everyone is acting strange. Zon agrees and tells Tutor they must be in a dream. Then Zon see’s Saifah, and as he turns back around he sees Tutor walking away holding hands with Fighter. Zon reflects that if this is a dream of what is to come, could it be possible that Tutor and Fighter become close? This tells us they are not close now because Zon is surprised they are together.
The next scene we have is our first introduction to Tutor. He’s pleasant looking, smiling earnestly at the student he is teaching. He is his namesake, a tutor.
Then we see Fighter. He is the stereotypical athlete, sweaty, confident, good looking. And we see the setup coming a mile away. They are going for the romantic comedy trope of the jock and the nerd hate each other but fall in love.
Seconds after we are introduced to Fighter, a stray basketball flies through the air and knocks the coffee out of Tutor’s hand as he is walking away from his tutoring session. His response is everything. The first thing Tutor says when he see’s Fighter is “When will you stop teasing me?” He has an annoyed face, which sets us up to see they clearly have a past history which makes him think this was intentional. However Fighter said it was an accident and apologized right away, offering to help pick up papers and help. Tutor’s response is classic Tutor, which shows you his personality and how he view Fighter.
Flashback Time: This is one of my favorite set of scenes. as it shows how Fighter becomes interested in Tutor. We see the initiation into the faculty of Engineering that all freshman must go through in the Thai College system. Fighter is pulled in to replace a girl while she’s on break. He’s starts writing name tags to students who come to the table. He looks bored, uninterested as each freshman wai’s him, politely requesting a name tag. Then Tutor approaches, doesn’t wai at his seniors, and sullenly asks for a name tag. Fighter is only half listening, so he writes down a name written differently than Tutor’s name. Tutor accepts the tag, then tells Fighter he spelled it wrong, causing Fighter to snap in embarrassment that he wanted to spell it that way., But Fighter actually looks at Tutor, he’s intrigued. Most people revere and respect him, here’s this kid who doesn’t wai him and has the nerve to correct him. He’s interesting.
Later Tutor has to ask for Fighter’s signature in his book of names. This is a scene similar to the scene of SOTUS with Kongpope and Arthit. When Tutor asks, Fighter makes Tutor run laps to get it. However, Fighter only gives him one letter and says “Come ask me again for more letters.” Fighter walks away with this smile on his face. Teasing this guy is fun, he’s interested in him. Fighter doesn’t look bored anymore.
This next scene shows the developing feelings of both Fighter and Tutor. We see the time has come to tie the string to admit the freshman into the college. Tutor hesitantly comes over to Dew and Fighter. Before I say anything else, let me say what I’ve been told. The freshman can choose who gets to tie their string, and admit them. Tutor chooses to come over, he wai’s both Dew and Fighter. Then this scene unfolds. The look in both of their eyes show something, some sort of feeling developing. Tutor fears he’s not welcome because of Fighters teasing so says what he says. Fighter says and behaves warmly towards Tutor for the first time.
This is the look on Fighter’s face as Tutor walks away. He’s so soft for him at this moment. He likes him, but he doesn’t know what to do with these feelings.
The next scene cements it in my mind, they are flirting with each other. Fighter doesn’t know how to approach someone, how to show he cares, how to flirt. Tutor proceeds to tease him, showing him what he should do and say. When Hwa and her friend show up, Fighter kinda panicks and offers Hwa the soda, as if to say to Tutor, see, you don’t want it, someone else does. Tutor looks annoyed and surprised. When Hwa mentions she knows of him, we later find out that her mother and Fighter’s dad are dating and want them to meet each other. Now I’d like to point out, Tutor has always been super sweet to Hwa, and I can see where Fighter might get the idea that Tutor is interested in her. We know from episode 6 that his dad ordered him to pursue Hwa.
Six months pass. Then this scene happens. Realize that Tutor is still wearing his white bracelet that was tied around his wrist by Fighter. This shows me he is feeling things for Fighter, whether it’s friendship, or more, he cares. I think he had a crush on Fighter. Which is why this scene pisses him off and hurts him. However we now know that Fighter was basically ordered to date Hwa. And by this point, he thinks that Tutor has a crush on Hwa because of the way he dotes on her. So this taunting is his frustration at having feelings for someone who he believes has feelings for a girl he has to make his girlfriend.
This is the end of the WhyRU episode 1, Tutor and Fighter relationship analysis. Hope I didn’t bore you. I’ll probably put up my thoughts on 2,3,and 4 tomorrow.
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