The Fallen Leaf (2019)

This review is intended to offer you an opinion of what I thought about this drama. It is not intended to sway you in anyways.

SPOILERS:

OMG YES!!! What a satisfying ending to such an interesting drama. This drama is interesting to watch, but you must have an open mind. If you aren't into cheating, pseudo incest-relationships (that is Nira and her uncle-in-law kissing etc), gender identity/transgender identity, revenge for the sake of revenge, etc...you will not enjoy this. However, we should always remember that there are lessons to learn from dramas like this.

WARNING:

This drama deals with lots of human issues.
1) transgender identities/gender identities
2) cheating
3) domestic violence
4) Mental Illness
5) Suicide
6) Cross dressing
7) Niece (who used to be a nephew) falling in love with uncle-in-law

You name it, it has it. It was a very well acted drama and every single actor did well in bringing their characters to life. MY GOD, that young woman playing Nira was amazing. I have never seen any of her work, but I have read from others how good she is, and I must say she really gave Nira a voice.

My second favorite character, believe it or not, was her father. He was introduced as an abusive, narcissistic, shallow and bigoted person. He was for intents and purpose a character you hated through the whole series until before the last two episodes, where he was humbled by learning the secret of who Nira was. Yes, as a viewer we are led to hating such a person, but his entire flawed nature as well as his realizing how horrible he had been showed how much range and development that character had. He was brought down from his high horse so to speak. I really loved the way his character did a complete 180 and became someone I actually sort of felt pity for. True he was a cheater and abusive to his wife and child, but losing his son did hurt him in some way. And then to find out he was now Nira, but still lost her when she left, left him as a shell of a man.

I was also surprised with the aunt. She was so unlikable and really selfish, just like her brother, but it was sort of sweet how she took care of him in the end and how she also felt sadness for what she did to Nira. It doesn't completely erase how horrible she had been initially, but again just like her brother's character, she too grew and showed more sides of her.

I was completely HAPPY with the ending we got. I was all for Nira either being alone, but happy with herself, than together with her uncle. Their relationship was doomed from the start. IT was obvious.

Nira had some deep seeded hate and her mental illness did not help. She needed to find herself and who she wanted to be, before even thinking of having a healthy normal relationship with ANYONE. I am so glad, that despite her suicide attempt, the drama ended with her staying alive and learning to love herself.

Supporting cast was also great!

Fantastic cast.

Music was nice and nostalgic

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Nira was fantastic!

I loved her! I loved her! I loved her! I didn't get the extent of her hatred towards her father and aunt, but I guess the series wouldn't have been as good if it hadn't existed. She is not perfect. She is very flawed. She is so hurt and broken. And that makes her do so many stupid things. But she is smart, and strong, and brave. I just wanted to wrap her up in a blanket and hug her.

I loved the family Nira had around her - Dr. Ben, Aunt On, Yod, Tong, Uncle Pon. They were all so amazing. I love how there were times when distrust threatened to break those relationships, but they trusted each other enough to let it go.

Chut - OMG. Whoever styles Push's hair deserves all the awards. It makes him look so good. Add to that the suits and that 1000W Smile. I am dead. I wish the ending was happier. But there were too many lies (and I'm not talking about the lie about being Transgender, although that may be one of the many). Chut was already so haunted by the loss of his nephew, and we saw that throughout the show. He loved his nephew so much. I love how patient he was with Nira. I loved how he took care of her.

Dr. Ben - OMG. I loved how he loved Nira. How he accepted all of her. I loved how he was willing to let her go because he knew she wouldn't love him the way he loved her. I loved that he was still there for her despite that. I loved that he didn't let that affect the way he treated Chut or Nira, or them as a couple (except briefly before he kissed Nira). I love him. He is so selfless and mature. He is amazing.

Chom - He was a character I never thought I would ever sympathize with. I hated him and the way he objectified and doggedly pursued Nira. I hated him for the way he crossed the line with her over and over again even with her firmly drawing the line. I hated how even when he got clues, he still ignored them. But over the course of the show I realized that he did love his son. I understand why he was so reluctant to accept Chananthawat being trans. No parent wants to see their child suffer or go through undergo discrimination. They don't understand the internal turmoil the child is going through, they only see that society is going to give them a lot of burden. I can see where Chom was coming from. I don't agree with him, but I get it. He was trying to protect Chun the best way he knew how, but preventing him from being Society's laughing stock.

Rong - I hated her. I really did. Right until the last episode. I think at one point in time she must have been a nice person because Chut must have date her for a reason. He doesn't seem the kind who would have dated her for money. He may have been tricked into marrying her but he dated her of his own volition, so there must have been a time when she was good. I think we see glimpses of that in the last two episodes. I wanted to see more.

Manow & Aunt Jib- What a bunch of fungii! I am surprised people still worked with her with that attitude and horrible work ethic. *puke* I can't believe her cousin gave her those photos. He should have known it was going too far and just stopped it. He knew how toxic she was.

All the side family -
Yod - amazing - What a character! They are strong and brave and face everything head on. I love how much they love Nira, even when they know Nira isn't telling them everything.

Tong - SO ADORABLE! I love Tong! He is Nira's brother! He and Nira care so deeply for each other. Sometime in the beginning I thought he was eventually going to betray her. I'm so glad I was proven wrong because he is probably one of my favorite characters.

Uncle Pon - He is Nira's only OG family. He knew her from when she was a child, and has accepted her as Miss, since she was a little girl. He truly loves her. And she truly loves him.

Aunt On - She is so adorable. I love her.

**SPOILERY SPOILERY SPOILER ALERT**
I wish this show had a happier ending. I wish Nira and her father reconciled because he was willing to love her as Nira, completely. I love that we see that Chom loves his daughter, and that Aunt Rong isn't completely horrid. I wish Chut and Nira had a happier ending, and that he could have accepted her as Nira. But even in the beginning we could see that he was haunted by the ghost of his nephew, so I guess that lie would always have been an anvil over their heads. But they made a beautiful couple. I know too much happened for the Siriwats too ever have become a happy-ever-after family, but I hope maybe someday we can have a season 2 of them building bridges. Maybe Rong goes to find Nira because Chom's sickness takes a turn for the worse and needs to prove to Nira that she isn't the horrid aunt she used to be. And she really has changed. And maybe along the way they really do become friends. And maybe Rong becomes instrumental in bringing Chut and Nira back together because she could see how much happier he was with her? And maybe along the way she finds someone who doesn't take her shit when she has her diva moments... IDK part maybe Dr. Ben. I know he's too good for her, but maybe he can handle her y'know what I mean?

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WARNING: DO NOT WATCH THIS DRAMA IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A CUTE ROMANCE, BE READY FOR COMPLEX CHARACTERS AND DEEPER/DARKER THEMES GO IN WITH THE RIGHT MINDSET WHICH IS: to not expect much and watch it with an open mind, GET RID OF YOUR EXPECTATIONS and just find the right mood for this type of drama (when you're looking for something more meaningful, mature and complicated story)

I just finished watching and I really have to say that you have to watch it til the end to give you that OOMPH impact this is one of those dramas where I recommend not putting down just after the first 2 episodes and I haven't gave anything a 10 for a long long time so this is saying a lot

I started watching this because of Push (the actor) but stayed for how amazing the acting and writing is, this drama does have a bunch of cute and sweet moments, a gorgeous female lead actress and an interesting plot but it's so much more than that

ALSO THE SYNOPSIS IS CONFUSING AF BUT IF YOU WATCH IT, IT MAKES MORE SENSE

It's mainly about the protagonist's growth and dealing with trauma, being trans and its so much more than what I can tell you in a review, but what I love is that the layers unfold gradually as you watch it, our female lead tries her hardest to find happiness, and we as the viewers follow along, during scenes when she's having a mental breakdown you feel exactly how she feels like the walls are caving in, it's hard to breathe and painful to watch but so well executed

STICK WITH IT EVEN IF CERTAIN CHARACTERS MAKES YOUR BLOOD BOIL OR MAKES YOU WANT TO PUKE
It is so worth it in the end,

PROS:
THE SIDE CHARACTERS ARE AMAZING (From the hilarious and loyal duo/her sidekicks, to the doctor and the housekeeper)
-TOP NOTCH ACTING PERFORMANCES ( Baifern especially and even to the evil people which really managed to get under my skin)
-THE MAIN CHARACTER IS SO COMPLEX AND WELL PORTRAYED (the backstory is fleshed out and her state of mind in every scene she's in)
- DEALS WITH HEAVY AND DEEP THEMES WITHOUT FEELING LIKE IT'S FORCED
- the taboo topics are handed so well and realistically
- IT'S ADDICTIVE AF (I spent 2 days just watching this and doing nothing else and I have no regrets)
-THE SWEET BONDS OF FRIENDSHIP AND FAMILY MAKES YOU TEAR UP
-THAT ONE OST IS SO GOOD I found myself singing along even if I cannot speak Thai lol xD

CONS:
- I feel like it could have been cut down to 18 episodes, at some points the evil scheming characters had too much screen time so I had to skim through

But I don't feel like my rating would change it was between 9.5-10 because of that one con but overall the last episode made me love the drama and appreciate it as a whole so much more so I will leave it at a 10

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What a great ride this lakorn was. It was a long time since I was so into any drama. I am glad I gave this one a chance. At first, I was interested because Saint had a cameo but then I totally got hooked to the story and characters. Some parts were a bit too much but overall the story was great and very interesting. The whole acting cast was brilliant in their acting. Especially kudos to Baifern who nailed her role. Also, I really love how she and Saint resemble each other. I enjoyed how they opened all the taboo topics and dealt with them realistically. Also, the messages were conveyed to viewers in a believable way. The end of the series is satisfying. Really refreshing and unique series.

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Now, what can I say, it was just a rollercoaster full of emotions! (BUT JUST A WARNING. DON'T WATCH THIS DRAMA IF YOU WANT SOMETHING LIGHT BECAUSE THIS DRAMA FOCUSES MORE ON DARKER/DEEPER THEMES AND HAS A COMPLEX STORY).

Well anyway, this is a drama to watch if you want something serious, complex, with character development and with deeper themes, as I have mentioned above.

I mostly liked everything about it, except for the fact that Nira (the nephew/niece) had a relationship with the uncle-in-law and the fact that Nira's aunt, Rungrong, was blamed for her husband's infidelity because "she was too possessive of her husband". That just ticked me off. Also, I absolutely despised Manow, it's just like mind your own damn business, why are you getting in between everything? But then again, if she didn't do anything, the story would have probably winded up differently.

Overall all the actors/actresses did an amazing job, I have zero complaints, and the music fits the story well.

The ending was satisfying. It fit the characters very well and in a way, everyone got what they deserved. I couldn't even imagine a different ending. It perfectly shows how the character's actions can lead to either good or bad consequences.

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I feel like all my Thai drama experience has lead me to this single drama - Push being in the first Thai drama I had ever watched U-Prince, Baifern being in My Dear Warrior (the first drama I ever dropped :( ), Ton in the last Thai drama I watched Hua Jai Sila, and lastly, Saint being in my favorite remake Thai drama Let's Fight Ghost. Every time I would go research more into the actors/actresses, this film would always pop up and to be honest, I was scared to start it.

From the get go, I want to say that the main character does fall in love with her uncle, but he isn't blood related. I knew Thai dramas go harder than other dramas, so I was honestly scared to start this and have to root for a relationship that made me uncomfortable. Saying that though, there was a level of that still. Maybe it was me just coming off of Hua Jai Sila and this insane plot of revenge, that I was expecting something similar. Also, maybe it was because I was watching this on youtube, and the subtitles weren't fantastic. I wasn't sure what Nira was trying to accomplish when she decided to come back to Bangkok as a woman, when the last time she was there, she was a 10 year old boy escaping with her mom from an abusive home life. There was a lot of guess work in trying to fill in the blanks.

So here is what I came up with;

This is a story about a girl named Nira who was born in a body that did not feel like her own and was beaten and yelled at by her father who wouldn't accept her femininity. After a long battle, she finally escapes with her mother to London, where they live happily and decide to have a sex change surgery. (Still not 100% if it was her idea or her mothers?) During recovery, her mother dies in a car crash in which Nira decides to go back to Bangkok and get revenge on her father.... by becoming a starlet and beating her father and aunt at their own game(?). She also comes back to be with her aunt's husband, who was the only person apart from her mother that treater her well growing up. Through this process, she makes an enemy of her aunt Rungrong and startlet Manow, her father wants to sleep with her, and Chat falls in love with her. And this drama is basically a story about Nira's journey of coming to terms with her mental health - even if it comes at the very end.

And to be completely honest, as much as I wanted a romantic happily ever after, I believe the ending we got was necessary. There was so much unhealthy baggage being stacked on top of one another in every episode that once we got to the end... if there was a "happy ending," the drama would have been one big plot hole. That being said, we did get a happy ending for each character in some way - Chat finally stood up for himself instead of deteriorating in his marriage or needing a "real" reason to ask for divorce; Dr Ben learned to open his heart to people after his wife's death; Chom learned to be sympathetic to his son and realizing that the life he "attempted" to save him from, he had actually had a hand in creating; and Nira learned that something was seriously wrong mentally and that she needed to seek help.

& Nira was a force in everyone's life, helping them realize that they wanted more out of life. Which is also what she wanted, but didn't know how to get there. She wanted badly to be healed instantly, that she didn't put in the real work. And if there is anything I can do to convince you to watch this drama, it is for the final 10-20 minutes. That scene was super intense and heartbreaking.

For the things that I didn't understand was the ending. I didn't understand that shift in character of Chom & Rung. It was like the moment they had found out who Nira was, they all of a sudden pulled a 180 and wanted to hug and celebrate her. Given, they had found out that their son and nephew was alive... but at the same time, they never cared or reacted when they thought he had died. Shoot, the day of their funeral Chom brought other women and Rung didn't even want to be there except to promote her bar, and neither one of them helped spread their ashes. The only person who helped was Chat who throughout the drama struggled with the death of Chan - Nira's 10 year old self. Knowing this, it made the drama uncomfortable, not knowing what Nira was going to do. Willingly be okay with dating this man who didn't know he was falling in love with this boy he helped raise and thought was dead. It wasn't until the end where I knew it was going to go south, when he was trying to calm her down in the last scene when he found out who she was, and just not knowing how he felt. That was one thing I disliked about this drama was well - we didn't really know much of what people were thinking except that they were mad, where we didn't know how they would react when they inevitably found out about Nira. And it was heartbreaking because I didn't know if what Chat was saying was real to her or just to calm her down. But the moment he said that he loved her and wanted to still get married, but he also loves Chan more than he loves Nira because he saw him as his own son....I flipped out, not knowing what to think with that statement. And it ties in with my original question and confusion - was Nira's sex change apart of a plot to hide away from her father? or did she get it because she wanted to live in a body that matched the way she felt on the inside? Maybe it was the subtitles again, but during this "intervention" at the end, it really made it sound like Chom & Chat were apologizing for making her feel like she had to go through this sex change and that they loved Chan their son. There was a lot of confusion with that intervention and I would like to think it was just a confusion with the direct translation on youtube.

Regardless, there was somewhat of an open ending and I really enjoyed reading the theories in previous reviews. I like to think that Nira went back to London to get the help that she needed in order to fully understand who she is and who she wants to be without feeling the need to hurt others or be better. Not this 10 year old boy who felt like he needed to get revenge for his mother. I also like to believe that the distance was completely necessary in order for Chat to be on his own to heal from his abusive marriage and from the death and "reresection" of a boy he loved like a son, and now needs to figure out if that love is something he is willing to accept into his heart.

The feeling that I got from the ending was that everyone had nothing but time to wait for the people they love to heal completely.

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The overall story was good. It really keeps your attention. As stated by another poster, Definitely watch it with an open mind. I really would not consider this a spoiler. Many of the main points of Ignorance, Bigotry, Homophobia and Racism were discussed openly. But there is a problem with the racism. I am not sure if this is just a Thai thing or just maybe a blind eyed director and costume designer who tried to slip it through the cracks and hoped nobody noticed. This watcher noticed and was not pleased. The character of Baitong: (Banana Print Pants and shirts, Watermelon Pajamas, Hand-cuffs design on his pants). This was a foul move to do to a black male. His character talked about the (racism) very briefly and how he deals with being hated / treated just because he has darker skin.......... A person who deals with the name calling daily would not wear or go around wearing clothing with those designs. There were other points of racism in the series also with the rich characters actions. But I will let you catch it as you watch it.

James Rusameekae Fagerlund (Baitong). I wished that they did not make his (Support Role) funny side kick character as a make up artist so Flamboyant and at times the dutiful serving black maid. This type of gay Male character is known throughout the gay community, But there are also so many others who do make up who are not so Flamboyant or the serving dutiful black maid. ......... Before anyone jumps on what I wrote here, There is Nothing wrong with being Flamboyant....Everyone should be themselves at all times....... I just think its time to start showing gay characters in supporting roles who are not so Flamboyant as the funny side kick character.

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It's a promising idea for a story, unfortunately rather waisted

After watching it, there's a lot I could say. I think they creators had an opportunity to do something amazing and meaningful, but unfortunately they didn't, no, not entirely there yet. As an author and writer myself, I would've proceeded with the story a bit differently, although the plot base is really good. The last 3-2 episodes especially, were not sitting right with the story. They made the whole story way too dramatic at moments, like I know it's a drama, but at some point it's just annoying. I also felt like Nira came to Thailand with a plan for what to do, but she probably didn't, it didn’t look like that at all, and that makes the drama too chaotic. When reading the description I was hoping for a story with a strong lead, who comes back after the transition and takes revenge for what happened, makes peace with her painful past, and in the process she realises her worth, beauty and finds her own confidence in herself. I hoped for something empowering, like a kdrama called The Glory. Unfortunately this was not it. Frankley, if this was produced in South Korea, it would've been better. I didn’t like how they portrayed the female lead as very mentally unstable,especially in the last episode. As someone who knows psychology, and has been through a lot as well, they really portrayed her as way too crazy. In those kinds of stories, if you're mentally broken, you either off yourself right away, or you overcome it, and become stronger, you fight with the trauma by finding happiness in life again. That would've been satisfying to see. So I really don't like how they did that part of the story. All i can say is that there was potential in this idea, and maybe some day someone gets inspired and makes it into something better than before.
PS: Some of you guys in the comments are weird. For those who are saying that it's gross, because it's kind of incest between uncle and niece, even though they are not blood related at all. I don't have a problem with that part at all, after everything happened in Niras life, it makes sense, it is quite sweet actually. And stop calling Chat a cheater. If you have a spouse like his, then you basically have none. Let them be, be more kind and open minded in your approach to others.

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THIS HITS ME HARD

As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, this hits hard because it often feels like nobody truly understands your experience. Even if I discovered this series a bit late, I absolutely love how Baifern, the main lead, portrays her emotions in the crying scenes. The way she handles each moment of sorrow and each act of revenge is incredibly powerful. I can genuinely feel her hatred, her love, her pain, and her untold feelings through her tears. It's almost as if I can hear her emotions while she cries.

Baifern's acting is seriously powerful. She nails every emotion, making you feel everything her character goes through. In the crying scenes, her tears aren't just for show—they hit you right in the feels. You can sense her pain, love, and all those untold feelings.

In the revenge scenes, she's on fire. You can see the determination and intensity in her eyes. She's fierce and you can’t help but root for her, even when things get messy.

Baifern’s expressions and body language say it all. She doesn’t need a lot of words to get her point across. Every look and every tear feels real and makes a big impact.

Her performance is next-level, taking you on an emotional ride that stays with you long after.

I'd say this show is a must-watch. The depth of Baifern's performance adds so much to the story, making it relatable and deeply moving. Her portrayal is not just acting—it's a heartfelt expression that resonates with so many of us who understand the complexities of such emotions. If you haven’t seen it yet, you're missing out on something truly special It’s a must-watch for sure.

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A mental and emotional journey

This series was exceptionally thought provoking. It presented so many layers of the issue of gender identity. The ML and FL were beautiful people so that made the series fun to watch. Nira's abusive father and aunt were despicable. At no point did I feel compassion for their spoiled self centered selves. I thought the doctor was a kind accepting individual and I could have even seen Nira living her life with him. I related to the young boy/adult woman who loved Chut even before she understood gender. It felt a little uncomfortable that the script implied more than was actual fact. It gave their relationship an incestual overtone. I think the bottom line was that Nira needed and wanted to accept herself as who she was. Perhaps she translated her love into a romantic love because she wanted "Uncle" Chut to be a part of her life in an intimate although not necessarily sexual manner. Frankly, I don't see why Nira and Chut's love for each other could not have been a romantic and sexual one eventually. But, perhaps the point was to provoke thought about attitudes in the LGBT community and toward the LGBT community. Perhaps the purpose was to stimulate a more understanding attitude for people that may color outside the lines. Even though Thailand legalized same sex marriage and seems to be more open-minded than some countries, it's painful to realize that intolerance is still prevalent. I'm personally grateful for the opportunity to explore my own perceptions and attitudes.

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