Enemies with Benefits EP10 Review: Lal and Wine Finally Get Their Happy Ending

The Enemies with Benefits finale delivers the confession, romance, humor and spicy payoff fans waited 10 episodes to see—while quietly proving how far Thai GL has come as a genre.

OPENING REACTION

Ten weeks later and we're finally here.

The Enemies with Benefits finale gave us almost everything we'd been waiting for: Wine's confession, plenty of romance, genuine laughs and enough spice to have #JanJingJing fans screaming into their pillows. While the finale doesn't quite stick the landing from a pacing standpoint, it does reminds us why this series became one of the standout Thai GLs of the year.

What impressed us most, however, wasn't any single scene.

It was how intentional this finale felt.

In one episode, GMMTV managed to deliver a satisfying romantic payoff while making space for conversations about accountability, workplace harassment, mental health, women supporting women and healthy communication—all without losing sight of the romance at the heart of the story. That's an incredible amount of thematic ground to cover, and it's a reminder that Thai GL continues to evolve beyond simply telling love stories. Increasingly, it's using those stories to model healthier relationships, stronger communities and a future many sapphic viewers around the world rarely get to see reflected on screen.

And if the rumors of a special episode turn out to be true?

Count us seated.

We'd happily spend more time in this world.

THE MOMENT

There was never much doubt about our favorite moment of the finale. It had to be Wine's confession.

For 10 episodes, we've watched Wine fall in love with Lal through her actions while refusing to let the words leave her mouth. Every protective gesture, jealous glance and quiet act of vulnerability revealed exactly how she felt, even when she wasn't ready to admit it herself. The finale wastes little time delivering that long-awaited payoff.

Before we get there, however, Lal finally gives Korn the beating we've all been waiting for—and frankly, it was earned. When Korn retaliates and Bas and the others rush in to pull him away, the confrontation becomes about more than defeating the villain. It's the culmination of Lal's character arc. From the beginning, she's refused to stand by while someone she loves is hurt, and this moment reinforces that protecting Wine has always been about love, not pride.

We're still a little puzzled that Wine remained in the car as long as she did, but considering everything she'd endured—and the fact she'd been drinking—we're willing to give the scene a little grace. Because once she steps out, everything changes.

For the first time all season, Wine finally tells Lal what viewers have known for weeks: she's in love with her. That's what makes the confession so satisfying. The audience isn't learning something new—we're simply watching Lal finally hear the words she's deserved all along. By delaying the verbal confession until the finale, the series allows the emotional payoff to belong entirely to the characters rather than the viewers.

The moment becomes even sweeter when Wine confesses in front of their co-workers, turning what could have been an intimate exchange into a celebration shared by everyone. Watching Lal smile, return the confession and ask Wine to be her girlfriend felt like the entire season finally exhaled.

And yes, we were absolutely hugging our pillows.

As wonderful as the confession was, though, it wasn't the part of the finale that impressed us most.

That distinction belongs to everything that happened afterward.

Too often, television resolves harassment or assault by simply removing the villain and asking audiences to move on. Trauma becomes an afterthought, and justice is reduced to a brief conversation before the romance resumes. Enemies with Benefits takes a more thoughtful approach.

Korn is arrested. Wine isn't expected to simply "get over it." Lal is given the opportunity to safely confront the man who terrorized the woman she loves, while their friends rally around them instead of leaving them to face the aftermath alone.

That decision gives the finale weight beyond its romance. By allowing actions to have consequences while surrounding Wine with genuine support, the series reminds viewers that accountability and happy endings don't have to exist separately. In fact, one strengthens the other. It's a thoughtful storytelling choice that quietly elevates the finale and another example of GMMTV trusting its audience to embrace stories that balance romance with responsibility.

WHAT WORKED

a. The Spice Actually Served the Story

Yes, we're absolutely going to talk about it.

After 10 episodes, #JanJingJing finally delivered the passionate payoff fans had been waiting for. More importantly, though, the intimacy wasn't there simply to turn up the heat—it advanced the story.

One of the smartest creative decisions the production made was treating intimacy as a reflection of Lal and Wine's emotional journey rather than simple fan service. Since the series begins with two co-workers hooking up while insisting they're nothing more than enemies with benefits, physical intimacy is never the relationship's biggest milestone. Emotional vulnerability is.

That's why the series' two strongest love scenes feel so impactful. The first follows the beach conversation, when Wine finally lets Lal see how she's really feeling. The second comes after Lal and Wine finally confess their love in the finale. In both cases, intimacy follows emotional honesty rather than replacing it, making those scenes feel authentic and earned. While the series includes plenty of other romantic moments, they're intentionally lighter and more restrained. By saving its most intimate scenes for the relationship's biggest emotional breakthroughs, Enemies with Benefits proves that the best love scenes don't simply showcase physical chemistry—they reveal how deeply two people have fallen for each other.

The direction deserves particular praise because neither scene ever feels gratuitous or designed purely for shock value. Every kiss, embrace and lingering glance reinforces the emotional journey these characters have taken, allowing viewers to experience their vulnerability alongside them. It's intimate, yes, but it's also remarkably honest—and that's what makes both scenes linger long after the episode ends.

And yes, we'd be doing everyone a disservice if we didn't mention Wine's lip bite. Spectacular. Lal's expression said everything, and we have no doubt fans will be replaying that moment for quite some time.

Jan and JingJing also deserve tremendous credit for the trust they place in one another as performers. Intimate scenes only resonate when actors create believable vulnerability, and these two continue to demonstrate why they've become one of Thai GL's most exciting new pairings. If Enemies with Benefits proved anything, it's that the most memorable love scenes aren't necessarily the most explicit—they're the ones that reveal just how deeply two people have fallen for each other.

b. Tangkwa and Proud Finally Get Their Moment

After four series together, Kapook and Ciize finally get the happy ending fans have been waiting for, and it feels incredibly well earned. While Tangkwa and Proud don't receive nearly as much screen time as Lal and Wine, the finale reminds us why audiences continue rooting for them. Their relationship follows a different path than the main couple's, bringing its own charm, humor and chemistry while complementing the larger story.

Someone may want to introduce these two to transfer-proof lipstick because they certainly put it to the test. We also couldn't help but notice Ciize's hand placement—and judging by the reaction online, we definitely weren't the only ones.

Beyond the laughs, the scene reflects how naturally Tangkwa and Proud have settled into their relationship. After watching them navigate their own challenges, it was rewarding to see their story conclude with the same confidence, affection and playfulness that made them so easy to root for.

Tangkwa and Proud relax together at a beachfront café in the Enemies with Benefits finale, sharing a quiet moment as they read a book and enjoy each other's company.

c. View's Cameo Was Worth the Wait

View's appearance in the finale certainly wasn't on our bingo card, but it quickly became one of the episode's most enjoyable surprises. Cameos like these are always a treat because they reward longtime Thai GL fans while giving actresses the opportunity to interact outside of their established pairings. It's a small moment, but one that reminds audiences of the incredible depth of talent within GMMTV's roster and showcases these performers as actresses first, not simply one half of a beloved ship.

It also doesn't hurt that View absolutely owned the moment. That power suit? Incredible. We only wish Mim had turned around to see it, if only for the inevitable reaction. That conversation would've been comedy gold.

d. Healing Matters Just as Much as Justice

One of the finale's most overlooked strengths has nothing to do with romance.

It has to do with recovery.

Too often, television treats trauma like a switch. The villain is defeated, justice is served and suddenly everyone is expected to move on as though nothing happened.

Enemies with Benefits refuses to do that.

Rather than immediately throwing Wine back into work, the company recognizes that surviving trauma doesn't erase its emotional impact and offers her professional mental health support alongside the love she's already receiving from Lal and her co-workers.

It's an incredibly healthy message—one that reflects what workplaces should strive to be after an employee experiences something traumatic. More importantly, it reminds viewers that healing doesn't happen overnight, and asking for help should never be viewed as weakness.

For a romantic comedy, that's smart and powerful storytelling.

Love isn't only about finding the right partner.

It's also about building workplaces, friendships and communities where people feel safe enough to heal.

e. Women Supporting Women

One other powerful moments comes during Lal and Wine's meeting with Korn's wife. In an episode already packed with confessions, romance and comedy, we appreciated that the writers still found time for a conversation centered on accountability, empathy and the realities women continue to face.

Rather than defending her husband, Korn's wife apologizes for his actions and encourages Wine to pursue the case to the fullest extent of the law. It's a refreshing choice that refuses to excuse harmful behavior simply to preserve a family dynamic. Instead, the series reinforces one of its strongest messages: actions have consequences.

The scene becomes even more meaningful when Wine reflects on how refreshing it is to see a mother so fiercely protecting her daughter. It's a simple line, but one that carries tremendous weight.

More importantly, it reinforces one of the finale's defining themes: women showing up for one another. Whether it's Lal protecting Wine, their co-workers standing beside them, access to mental health support or Korn's wife encouraging justice instead of silence, Enemies with Benefits consistently chooses compassion over isolation and accountability over complacency.

That's what makes this finale feel so special. It doesn't just give Lal and Wine the happy ending they deserve—it uses that ending to remind sapphic audiences around the world that love is bigger than romance. It's found in friendship, community, healing and women standing beside one another. For one finale to deliver all of that while still making us laugh, swoon and cheer is genuinely impressive.

WHAT MISSED

a. The Finale's Pacing Needed One More Spark

If there's one thing holding Enemies with Benefits back from delivering an exceptional finale, it's how unevenly the episode uses its time.

Korn spends the final stretch of the series as the obstacle keeping Lal and Wine apart, only for that conflict to resolve within the opening minutes. We actually appreciated that GMMTV didn't drag out the confrontation simply for the sake of extra drama. The challenge is what came next.

Wine finally confesses her love, Lal asks her to be her girlfriend and audiences get the happy ending they'd been waiting 10 episodes to see. But just as we're settling into that long-awaited payoff, the finale pivots into the Japan misunderstanding—and that's where the emotional rhythm begins to lose its footing.

We understand why the writers kept this storyline. It's one of the novel's defining relationship hurdles. But adaptations also have to ask whether every memorable moment from the source material still serves the story being told on screen. Here, we're not convinced it does. Between Wine visiting her mother, walking away instead of talking things through with Lal and the emotional chase to the beach, the finale spends a surprising amount of time creating one last misunderstanding after showing these two slowly learn to communicate better throughout the season.

Ironically, that's where we wish the adaptation had trusted its own character development. Imagine if some of that runtime had instead been devoted to letting Lal and Wine simply enjoy being girlfriends. A slightly longer intimate scene. A quieter confession at home before the office found out. Or even giving us more time to sit with the happiness we'd spent 10 weeks waiting to see.

Perhaps that's why the finale, while thoroughly enjoyable, still felt like it was missing one last spark. It had the confession, the romance, the humor, the intimacy and the happy ending. What it never quite found was that defining "wow" moment that makes a finale feel unforgettable. Instead, it gave us several wonderful moments that arrived almost as quickly as they disappeared.

b. We Wanted One Glorious Office Reveal

This one is less of a criticism and more of a personal wish, but we have to say it:

Give us the office gossip.

These people spent an entire season believing Lal and Wine could barely tolerate each other. Imagine everyone walking into work Monday morning only to discover the office rivals they'd been watching argue for months were suddenly dating. Where were the shocked faces? The whispered conversations? The inevitable, "Wait...those two?"

Romantic comedies thrive on moments like that. While the finale gives us pieces of the reveal, it never quite delivers the big comedic payoff we were hoping for. Considering how much the office dynamics shaped Lal and Wine's relationship, watching everyone collectively process the truth could have been one of the funniest scenes of the entire series.

Missed opportunity.

Delicious, gossipy rom-com gold...left sitting right there on the desk.

BOLD TAKE

Enemies with Benefits proves that great chemistry can overcome a few narrative bumps. More importantly, Jan and JingJing established themselves as one of Thai GL's most exciting pairings—and we'd happily watch them lead another series tomorrow.

FINAL VERDICT

While the finale occasionally stumbles over its pacing, it never loses sight of what made Enemies with Benefits such an enjoyable watch from the very beginning: two immensely likable leads, natural chemistry and a relationship worth believing in.

Jan and JingJing anchor the series with performances that make every confession, disagreement and quiet moment together feel genuine. Around them, GMMTV delivers a finale that goes far beyond simply bringing Lal and Wine together. In a single episode, the production thoughtfully weaves together accountability, workplace harassment, mental health, women supporting women and healthy communication without ever losing sight of the romance at the story's core.

That's what impressed us most.

Many romantic comedies stop once the couple gets together. Enemies with Benefits understands that love doesn't exist in isolation. Love also looks like friends showing up when they're needed most, employers supporting employees after trauma, women standing beside one another and communities helping survivors heal. By weaving those messages into a heartfelt romantic comedy instead of a heavy-handed drama, GMMTV delivers a finale that's both entertaining and genuinely meaningful.

As for the series itself, Enemies with Benefits comfortably lands in our Top 5 Thai GLs of the year so far. Between its confident adaptation, memorable characters, thoughtful direction and meaningful themes, it demonstrates just how much the genre continues to evolve. If Enemies with Benefits is any indication of where Thai GL is heading next, the future of the genre is incredibly bright.

If this really is goodbye, thank you, Lal and Wine. You were stubborn, chaotic, hilarious, frustrating, romantic and completely lovable from beginning to end.

And if that special episode rumor turns out to be true...

We'll happily be seated.