Burnout Syndrome 1×01 Review: Episode 1

The first episode of Burnout Syndrome, the latest series from Off Jumpol and Gun Atthaphan, offered a fantastic introduction to a story about complex, flawed individuals trying to figure things out. It is the most promising first episode I’ve seen in a while.

I have been waiting for this series for a year. (Literally. The pilot trailer dropped a year ago today.) I am beyond excited to not only have OffGun back on my screen, but to have them in a layered, nuanced show that promises some pretty timely social commentary. It’s a more mature storyline than we’ve seen from OffGun in a while. While I enjoyed their previous two series – Cooking Crush and The Trainee (except for that ending, time skips are the worst) – I cannot wait to see them sink their teeth into a meatier storyline that aligns better with the adults that they are.

Case in point: Jira (Gun) is 28. I don’t think Gun has ever played a character that old. (As a woman in her early 40s, I know that 28 is not old, but it is in BL world, where everyone is perpetually in college.) He may be 32, but I’m fully expecting him to be cast as a student until he retires from acting. Off, at least, has played older characters.

I didn’t realize his character was going to be that old; I was actually expecting Jira to be fresh out of college. It makes the character that much more relatable that he is in his late 20s. There are so many people out there still floundering, trying to figure out what they want to do with their lives. Some of us will never figure it out. (Jira being 28 also makes the eventual relationships much less problematic than I was anticipating. They’re going to have enough issues as it is without the age gap adding to that.)

The plot of Burnout Syndrome seems fairly straightforward, even if the characters, so far, are not. Jira, like many in their 20s and 30s, is still struggling to find his footing post-university. He was an art major (visual communication, specifically), and that is not an industry that is easy to break into. He has problems paying his bills and relies heavily on his friend, Ing (Emi Thasorn), for freelance jobs and the occasional loan.

Jira’s situation is starting to feel hopeless. In the span of the first episode, he loses a photography job when the client suddenly changes his opinion on the concept, he doesn’t manage to book a commercial that Ing is casting, and a promising interview turns sour when the hiring manager asks him if he’s willing to use generative AI – to which the answer is an emphatic “no”.

(Actually, despite him either implying or directly stating that he would do anything for money, it’s very clear that there are some things that he refuses to do. He may be broke and desperate, but he has a core integrity that he won’t compromise. I’m very curious to see how his boundaries will be pushed in upcoming episodes.)

The rise of AI in professional life – but particularly in creative industries – will be a major part of the overall story. It isn’t part of the trailer, but the cast mentioned in various interviews that the script focuses on it quite a bit. Director Nuchy Anucha is somewhat known for taking projects with this sort of social commentary; one of her other series is Not Me, which is pretty widely regarded as one of the best BLs GMMTV has ever produced.

Just as Ing has been keeping Jira afloat financially, she is also the major catalyst for this storyline, as her involvement leads to Jira meeting both of his potential love interests. Ing suggests that Jira visit Burnout Bar, a bar with a unique concept that pairs strangers together as an alternative to therapy, which is where Jira meets – and immediately hits it off with – software developer Pheem (Dew Jirawat). Ing also gets Jira an escort job, and when that goes spectacularly poorly, he captures the interest of Koh (Off).

Koh offers Jira a job, but he is cagey with the details. He provides no information other than the ludicrously large salary and demands that Jira follow him to his hotel so they can discuss it further. Though Jira initially declines, the lure of the paycheck and his previous conversation with Pheem has him chasing after Koh to accept.

Jira has met both of his potential love interests, and they could not be more different. (The Thai BL system of branded pairs takes the mystery out of the romance, but I know many of us are going to enjoy watching it regardless. Gun has chemistry with everyone. Sadly, polyamory is very rarely the answer.) I think both of them appeal to him in vastly different ways.

Jira’s life is currently very unstable; he doesn’t have a full-time job, and he isn’t financially secure. So a guy like Pheem, who has a respectable, well-paying job, seems like a very mature, safe choice as a partner. They’ve only met once, but during their interaction, Pheem was flirtatious but respectful. He’s soft-spoken, and he legitimately seems to think that wanting to go to a rage room is a red flag. (Rage rooms are amazing and very therapeutic.) But Jira admits that he finds red flags thrilling.

So naturally, he meets the mysterious Koh, who throws up actual red flags. From the beginning, Koh has all the power. He has money where Jira does not, and he has enough money that it likely seems like he can ask Jira to do whatever he wants. He dangles an enticing job offer in front of Jira with no information. He all but orders him back to his hotel without even giving his name.

And Jira proves that he meant what he said about red flags by following. He seems perfectly willing to sleep with Koh, even though he had previously told Ing that he didn’t want escort jobs. When he returns to his apartment, he almost immediately sits down and starts drawing Koh – naked. But only after he relieves a bit of his sexual frustration first.

I wonder if we’re meant to want Jira to be with Pheem. He definitely seems like the more stable choice. But we know Jira will end up with Koh, so part of the fun will be seeing how these two fit together. Ing tells Jira that he “needs healing”; is Koh part of his healing journey? Do they heal each other?

Because all the characters are struggling in different ways, and Koh’s burnout seems to have manifested into depression. He has insomnia and possibly a more overall lethargy, judging by the state of his apartment. He seems to be pretty numb to the world around him, telling Jira that he never meets people who interest him. He is mysterious but not shy, as he strips in front of Jira and has no modesty when getting in and out of the bath. He is paranoid.

Overall, the show is definitely a vibe. The music, the lighting, the cinematography. It’s moody and atmospheric. It’s giving very much noir. It’s intense, but it’s also intimate. I love that multiple scenes just focus on Jira drawing. (All of the art in the series is done by an actual artist, but I do not know their name.) I love the eroticism, even in scenes like the one where Pheem is reading Jira’s palm.

Basically, Burnout Syndrome feels very grown-up. And as a grown-up, I appreciate that. It’s nice to see adults being adults.

This is the series that I was most excited for this year, and this first episode did not disappoint. I honestly have no idea where the story will go from here, but I cannot wait to find out.

Author: Jamie Sugah

Jamie has a BA in English with a focus in creative writing from The Ohio State University. She self-published her first novel, The Perils of Long Hair on a Windy Day, which is available through Amazon. She is currently an archivist and lives in New York City with her demon ninja vampire cat. She covers television, books, movies, anime, and conventions in the NYC area.

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