# Cutie Pie (TV series)

Cutie Pie (นิ่งเฮียก็หาว่าซื่อ) is a 2022 Thai BL romance drama television series, starring Pruk Panich (Zee) and Chawarin Perdpiriyawong (NuNew).
The first season aired from February 19 to May 14, 2022, on Workpoint TV every Saturday at 22:30 (BMT) for 12 episodes. It was followed by a special 4-episode second season titled Cutie Pie 2 You (นิ่งเฮีย 2 You) that aired from January 6 to January 27, 2023.

## Synopsis
### Season one

Lian and Kuea have been engaged since childhood because of a promise between their grandparents. Growing up, Lian has become a cold and serious businessman; on the other hand, Kuea is a free-spirited university student who loves motorbikes and music, but he hides his true nature behind a poised facade to please Lian. Unbeknownst to Kuea, Lian is actually aware that his betrothed is not the pleasing doll he pretends to be and that Kuea sings in a bar under the pseudonym of Kirin.
When Kuea finds out Lian doesn't love him back, he declares he wants to break off the engagement and, at that, Lian takes Kuea to his home to live together and try to make him change his mind.

### Season two

After Kuea graduates from university, Lian starts planning their wedding ceremony. In the meantime, Kuea receives an offer to debut as an idol in South Korea.

## Cast and characters

* Pruk Panich (Zee) as Lian Kilen Wang, a young businessman of Chinese descent, owner of Kilen company
** Achita Panyamang as child Lian Kilen Wang
* Chawarin Perdpiriyawong (NuNew) as Kuea Keerati, a university student from an aristocratic family who is majoring in Engineering
* Natasitt Uareksit (Nat) as Thacha Wongtheerawit "Kondiao", Kuea's best friend
** Punnathorn Pornprasit (Kuma) as child Kondiao
* Kornthas Rujeerattanavorapan (Max) as Phayak Chatdecha Chen "Yi", Lian's best friend
** Pakapon Tanphanich (RoodBus) as child Yi
* Pharinyakorn Khansawa (Yim) as Syn-Samer "Syn", Kuea's classmate
* Koraphat Lamnoi (Tutor) as Nuer, Kuea's classmate
* Nakhun Screaigh (Perth) as Jay, owner of Gemini Club
* Ratchapong Anomakiti (Poppy) as Foei, Lian's secretary and driver
* Piamchon Damrongsunthornchai (Tonnam) as Ton-Rak "Ton", Kuea's classmate
* Purewarin Kosiriwalanon (Pure) as Nuchy, Kuea's classmate
* Jirakit Kanjanawaraporn (Barbell) as Pongsatorn "Jab", Kuea's classmate
* Athiwad Sanidwong Na Ayoodthayaa (Ton) as Auea, Kuea's grandfather
* Paramej Noiam (Plai) as Auea's partner
* Noppanut Guntachai (Boun) as Top, Lian's friend
* Warut Chawalitrujiwong (Prem) as Win, Lian's friend
* Sorntast Buangam (Mark) as Black, Lian's friend
* Ornvipa Assavanig as Jennie, Lian's business partner
* Poramaporn Jangkamol (June) as Kewarin, Kuea's mother
* Janya Thanasawaangkoun (Ya) as Ja, Kuea's housekeeper
* Phutharit Prombandal (Wit) as Cai Wang, Lian's father

## Production

The production of a live action adaptation of BamBam's best-selling novel titled Cutie Pie was announced on March 28, 2021. The main cast was revealed between May and June 2021, while, in October, a partnership between Mandee Work, Domundi and WeTV was established. The first trailer was published on October 21, 2021. Filming for the first season started on October 27, 2021 and ended on April 4, 2022.
The second season started shooting on September 22 and finished on November 4, 2022. The trailer was released on December 27, 2022.
For his role as singer Kirin, Perdpiriyawong took drum lessons.

## Episodes

| Season | Episodes | Episodes | Originally aired | Originally aired |
| Season | Episodes | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
| 1 | 12 | 12 | February 19, 2022 (2022-02-19) | May 14, 2022 (2022-05-14) |
| 2 | 4 | 4 | January 6, 2023 (2023-01-06) | January 27, 2023 (2023-01-27) |

### Season 1 (2022)

| No. | Title | Original air date |
| 1 | "Episode 1" | February 19, 2022 (2022-02-19) |
| Kuea and Lian have been engaged since they were young, and there are only a couple of years left before Kuea graduates university and they get married. To please his fiancé, whom he loves deeply, Kuea pretends to be polite and well-behaved, and that he is majoring in Computer Engineering, while he is actually studying Engineering, loves motorbikes and, every Thursday evening, performs at Gemini Club as Kirin, a singer and drummer. When one of their Friday dates is interrupted due to a work mishap, Kuea asks Lian why he has never told him "I love you". Lian replies that their engagement to him is a duty that he promised to Kuea's grandfather, a great benefactor of the Wang family, and that he doesn't love Kuea. Kuea then declares he wants to call off their engagement. |||
| 2 | "Episode 2" | February 26, 2022 (2022-02-26) |
| Having broken up with Lian, Kuea decides to reveal Kirin's identity during a performance at Gemini Club and finally be himself. After, he gets drunk and is approached by a man, but is saved by Lian, who actually knows about Kuea's double identity and everything that the boy has hidden from him. Kuea doesn't recognize Lian, but thinks he's just someone who looks like his ex-boyfriend. While Lian is taking him home, Kuea asks Lian if he can't love him back and Lian kisses Kuea for the first time. |||
| 3 | "Episode 3" | March 5, 2022 (2022-03-05) |
| Kuea wakes up in his secret home, the one furnished with the things he likes, unlike his room at the Keerati Mansion, and wonders how he got there. He vaguely remembers kissing a stranger who looked very much like Lian and asks his best friend Kondiao, who was at Gemini Club with him, if he knows anything, but Kondiao had left first. Kuea doesn't dare to ask Lian, but after learning that his boyfriend has been going to the club, he suspects that he knows about Kirin. The next day, back home from university, Kuea finds Lian at Keerati Mansion, and his fiancé announces that from now on Kuea will live with him. |||
| 4 | "Episode 4" | March 12, 2022 (2022-03-12) |
| Kuea doesn't want to follow Lian, but the latter informs him that he got Kuea's mother's permission so they can get to know each other better; still, Kuea doesn't believe him and calls his mother in Austria to have a confirmation. In the end, he accepts to move in to find out what Lian is trying to do and what his secret plan might be. Kuea subsequently tells Jay he won't be able to perform at Gemini Club for some time. |||
| 5 | "Episode 5" | March 19, 2022 (2022-03-19) |
| Lian offers Jay to become business partners, thus learning that Kuea has quit singing for the time being. The two work out a ruse to get Kuea to sing again, thus sealing the deal. The next day, even though it's Saturday and his day off, Lian drops Kuea off to the university. |||
| 6 | "Episode 6" | March 26, 2022 (2022-03-26) |
| After work, Lian picks up Kuea from university. In the evening, Jay calls Kuea telling him that the famous Korean producer Jong-Kook is at Gemini and wants to see him: Kuea tries to sneak out of the house, but fails to evade Lian. Meanwhile, Lian organizes a date to show Kuea that he pays attention to him. The next morning, Kuea offers to help Lian prepare breakfast, but ends up being harshly reprimanded for his carelessness with a knife. The boy bursts into tears because he's always a burden; when he adds that he understands why Lian doesn't love him, Lian shuts him up with a kiss. |||
| 7 | "Episode 7" | April 2, 2022 (2022-04-02) |
| Lian takes Kuea out on a date at the circuit and then at the supermarket. In the evening they both meet Lian's friends at Pentagon Club, but Kuea suspects Lian is plotting something, as he's unusually nice. Actually, Lian just wants his fiancé to open up to him by letting Kuea into his world first. Lian's friends ask Kuea why he wants to call off their engagement, and Kuea answers it's because Lian doesn't love him. When Lian replies that he has always loved him, Kuea kisses him in front of everyone. |||
| 8 | "Episode 8" | April 9, 2022 (2022-04-09) |
| Lian and Kuea come back home from Pentagon Club and sort out their misunderstandings. Lian confesses that he was the one who brought Kuea home when he was drunk and that he didn't tell Kuea he loves him because he wanted to prove it through his actions rather than words. They then spend the night together; Kuea, however, thinks it's too good to be true and he's scared of getting hurt. |||
| 9 | "Episode 9" | April 23, 2022 (2022-04-23) |
| Kuea accidentally finds out that all the land and property deeds of the Keerati family have been transferred to Lian's name, thus making his fiancé the sole owner of everything. |||
| 10 | "Episode 10" | April 30, 2022 (2022-04-30) |
| Lian asks Kuea to be his boyfriend. Although he accepts, Kuea still has doubts about their relationship if they keep having secrets from each other. In the end, Kuea contacts his mother and asks her if their family is going bankrupt. |||
| 11 | "Episode 11" | May 7, 2022 (2022-05-07) |
| Since his mother has told him that there is nothing to worry about, Kuea decides to pretend to be clueless, but he eventually confronts Lian, finding out that the silk business of the Keerati family is not going well and that the transfer to Lian is just a temporary move to avoid losing everything to someone else. Lian hasn't told him to not put stress on Kuea. The couple then attends Lian's father's 60th birthday celebrations, during which Lian asks Kuea to marry him, but Kuea rejects him because Lian still doesn't know the real him. |||
| 12 | "Episode 12" | May 14, 2022 (2022-05-14) |
| Lian chases after Kuea when he leaves the party. At Kuea's secret house he tells him that he knows all about Kuea's true passions and that Kuea doesn't have to pretend to be someone else because Lian loves any version of him; thus, the couple reconciles. The next day, Kuea tells his friends he wants to propose to Lian and asks for their help, but his attempts fail because they are too predictable. In the end, he proposes by singing a song and Lian accepts. |||

### Season 2 (2023)

| No. | Title | Original air date |
| 1 | "Yes or No" | January 6, 2023 (2023-01-06) |
| One year has passed. Kuea finishes his internship program and graduates from university, so he and Lian decide it is time for them to get married. |||
| 2 | "Love or Dream" | January 13, 2023 (2023-01-13) |
| In the middle of the wedding preparations, Kuea is approached by the South Korean entertainment company Cosmixo Entertainment to sign a music deal with them and debut as an idol. Kuea is conflicted about his future and doesn't know how to tell Lian that he wants to seize this opportunity. |||
| 3 | "Play or Pause" | January 20, 2023 (2023-01-20) |
| Lian accepts Kuea's decision to move to South Korea to follow his dream of becoming a singer. They then attend their bachelor party on the evening before the wedding ceremony. |||
| 4 | "Finally" | January 27, 2023 (2023-01-27) |
| The ceremony is ruined by a series of unexpected events: the chef is sick, a downpour destroys the outdoor setting, the priest can't make it and Lian's wedding ring goes missing, but, when they finally retrieve the ring and it stops raining, Lian and Kuea get married with Jay as officiant. Some time later, Kuea debuts as Kirin in South Korea. |||

## Original soundtrack

Cutie Pie didn't release a full soundtrack album; instead, the songs were released as stand-alone singles. The soundtrack was composed by Amp Achariya Dulyapaiboon.

### Season 2
## Reception

Cutie Pie generated a phenomenon dubbed by the media as "the Zee-NuNew fever". The series trended at #1 on Twitter every week during its run and was popular both in Thailand and abroad, especially in other Asian countries like South Korea, Japan and China. The total number of views on Mandee YouTube channel, where Cutie Pie was uploaded one hour after broadcast, surpassed 100 millions with episode 8 and 120 millions with episode 10. The series' popularity on social media continued with the second season.
Cutie Pie was appreciated for teaching that love is learning to accept each other as who you are instead of trying to be perfect. It was also praised for its photography, and the concise and modern storytelling. After the first episode, The Standard wrote that Cutie Pie took viewers to explore the life and marriage inequality of gay couples, and that it was an important voice for the LGBTQ+ community.