Episode 16 of F4 Thailand: Boys Over Flowers (YouTube, GMMTV, Viu) kicks off the final episode with news reports of a former business partner stabbing Thyme at a press conference. The assault is all over social, including one post speculating he may have deserved it.
At the hospital, he’s reported as critical but Roselyn is determined to move ahead with her corporate plans (see Ep 15) without delay. Tia insists it was no accident – Roselyn’s methods led to Thyme’s attack.
Roselyn returns to work while Tia and Thyme’s friends wait and agonise. When Thyme does wake, Roselyn is enraged as staff report potential brain damage due to blood loss.
She tests his memory, reinforcing his goal to rule Parama Group. Thyme doesn’t recognise Gorya and has forgotten the last four years.
Thyme’s friends note that Roselyn is blocking them and deleting Thyme’s social accounts. In response, Kavin creates an elaborate scheme to connect with Thyme.
When Thyme finds Gorya in his room, he doesn’t believe what she’s saying. In frustration, she round-houses him and a few memories flicker. As Gorya presses him to remember, Roselyn returns.
Outside, Gorya confronts Roselyn who bans her from the property. The gates shut her out but Gorya remains staring at the house.
As night and rain fall, Gorya maintains her silent protest. Eventually Roselyn reconfirms standing there won’t work. But in a moment of insight, Gorya understands Roselyn’s love for Thyme and her determination to build him into a leader.
Mirroring Tia’s message, Gorya notes Roselyn hasn’t asked what Thyme wants. She points out that Thyme’s interest in Parama Group is to earn his mother’s love.
Nearby, Thyme overhears the conversation that was beginning to soften his mother’s heart. But he denies ever feeling anything for Gorya. She professes her love one last time before Thyme closes her out. Roselyn looks torn for the first time.
As meteors fall, Thyme finds Gorya’s necklace and is flushed with remembrances. He chases after her and they squabble – eventually he’s lying in her lap recalling their first kiss. He posts a photo and everyone rejoices.
With a reset, Gorya’s family returns and she prepares to finish her final year in school. Thyme heads to the US for four years to repair the company, asking her to wait for him. On the news he’s still misquoting colloquialisms.
Ren delivers a prom dress from Thyme and Gorya makes the final payment on her debt (Ep 15). Later, as everyone else enjoys the dance, she’s still working. Then Glakao accidently drops her dress in mud.
By the time she arrives, still in school uniform, the prom is over. Gorya laments that things never change but finds a red card with a map to the old stadium.
On a massive screen, Thyme questions her outfit and asks if she misses him. She claims to be fine but egged by F3 he finally appears in the flesh. With a snap, the stadium becomes an afterparty complete with guests.
Thyme’s finished his work early and returns from the US for good. To everyone’s surprise, he takes a knee. But he’s tying his shoe… to stave the awkwardness, MJ kicks off the party.
Dancing with all of F4, Gorya recalls how much she’s grown from knowing each of them. Characteristically, MJ announces ’10 Seconds in Heaven’ and we close on the infamous necktie kiss.
F4 Thailand wraps with some behind the scenes footage of their final day; the filming of the after-prom scene.
So much packed into our final episode, both classic scenes and an ending that cleverly wraps the whole 16 chapters. The team deftly expresses everyone’s growth plus the changing of Roselyn’s mind around Thyme, Gorya and Parama Group, offering a happier future for all. And as Thyme already had a plan in motion, a new path exists.
What we don’t see definitively – the only piece left a bit vague – is the next step for Kaning and Kavin. There’s a flicker of indication that he’s changing his ways too, that he’s become more reliable. But as we’d spent time watching their courtship develop, it would have been pleasing to have her at the after-prom. In fact, it seems a little off that she’s not there. Were you looking for her too? Or would that have broken some invisible Thai tradition? Maybe it’s a members only thing (sans the jacket).
Regardless, between flashback memories and happy celebrations, we review the progress of all the characters. There’s a double-down on the idea that it’s people and relationships that make all the difference.
Also, if you’d been following the blatantly product-placement-focused MJ-led ‘Secret Story of Iris’ that we’ve covered in our preview stories, the conclusion returns us to the fight at the basketball court. The rival team leader’s Dad shows up to scold everyone.
Kavin steps up and the father immediately apologies to ‘Master Kavin.’ A shocked Aum looks to MJ. Privately, she tells him not to return. As we arrive back to the present, MJ finishes recalling the whole story to Gorya. She searches Aum, who looks to be realising her baller dream. Then Aum suddenly appears at the court, apologising to MJ and saying she thinks of him whenever she passes by. So MJ gets a potentially happy ending too, even if it is only in ad-service.
All in all, loving this tight conclusive instalment that both wraps the story and feels like there’s more to tell should someone wish to create it – or reprise it. In a first for this story, an idea that Ren has a beautiful future ahead – and perhaps another story – is raised.