6
10
JulesL
This review may contain spoilers
For me, this lakorn is fun-filled, full of comedy and slapstick humor. The show has some twists and turns but nothing angsty and the issues get resolved within an episode. It is not perfect, but I still enjoyed it a lot and binge-watched all 17 episodes in 3 days, which was quite a feat considering each episode was almost 2 hours longs. I am picky when it comes to lakorns because I am uncomfortable with some more acceptable themes in Thai dramas. So I am glad that I came across Sapai Import and felt compelled to write a review. Min Peechaya, as Lisa is absolutely gorgeous from her hair, face, and clothes to her strength and confidence. She's the complete package when it comes to a smart, strong, and independent female lead. Admittedly, she is a little too violent, beating/hurting the ML and, at times, too shrill for my liking. Still, it is tolerable for me, knowing that this is a lakorn, and most female lead characters are usually portrayed in an extreme way. This is the first time I watch Mik Thongraya, and he portrays a rather fine-looking Don. I like how Don constantly teases the FL, and Mik plays the ML well, switching between an adorable and sweet guy to a moody, sarcastic but clueless dork. Mik is a triple eye candy threat with his looks, height, and sex appeal, and in general, he is a great actor. That said, I am not so sure about his facial expressions in some scenes when he seemed a little stiff. However, it could be due to the video and sound quality on dramacool. The chemistry between Min and Mik is amazing, and they have many cute interactions throughout the show. There are a few funny transitions where romantic scenes suddenly become ones where Lisa is beating Don up. It's also especially funny how Don becomes hornier and tries to get more intimate with Lisa after they acknowledge their relationship! I do wish the kissing was better, though; at least more than just locking lips and staying frozen for ... minutes.
The supporting characters were just that, the supporting characters I didn't find them that remarkable but a shout out to the amazingly supportive mother-in-law and sister-in-law!!! At least we don't have to deal with an evil scheming MIL; instead, we have a mean grandmother who is bent on Don married to Ratree, who's absolutely psychotic! I feel terrible for Ratree, and ideally, the show should have had her getting treatment. Unfortunately, that was not addressed. The other villains are just so annoying and I did skip through some of their scenes because I simply could not tolerate their greed.
I can't say much about the OST since the videos' sound quality was not great, and I probably would rewatch if I can find another platform with better quality.
Overall, I rated this show pretty high because it kept me interested and entertained despite having to deal with not the best video quality.
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I started watching this show after finishing Chef Fang (another show that I highly recommend), and I really enjoyed it. This show is uncomplicated and endearing with messages of staying true to oneself as well as emphasizing familial bonds. Bear in mind that this show has a low angst factor, so do not expect an emotional roller-coaster. In fact, my favorite thing about this show is how I am NOT STRESSED watching it, although at one point, I got worried that the writer was going to throw in a huge melodramatic plot twist and ruin it for me. Fortunately for me, that did not happen!
The chemistry and believability of an OTP can make and break a show, and in the case of Chef Hua, the two leads shone! The pace of their romance is good, and even though the show is conservative (i.e., no steamy scenes), the interactions between the OTP are so sweet and romantic. I love watching how Meng Yi Huai gradually falls in love with Hua Xiao Mai, who already has a crush on him, and how they stay steadfastly true to each other throughout the show.
Despite being set in a historical period, this show feels contemporary with a smart, competent, and independent FL, and a male lead who respects and supports the FL's ambitions. This is the first time I have seen Yang Kai Cheng, and his low-key looks won me over. I have to point out how impressed I am with his posture - his stance so tall and imposing - he looks really good in his outfits. As the multi-talented Meng Yi Huai, he portrays every girl's dream man who is decisive, strong, and protective and at the same time, gentle and sweet when it comes to his lady. You can practically feel the love and admiration he has for Xiao Mai, and I would say that Yang Kai Cheng did a great job emoting, and his microexpression is on point.
Tang Min is perfect as the bubbly, optimistic, quick-thinking Xiao Mai. She is quite lovely, and I hope to see her in more dramas. I like the FL's character; despite being young, she is steady-minded and confident, especially when it comes to cooking. I thought it was brilliant how the scenes of Xiao Mai cooking competitively against others subtly shows this - for example, how her competitors would constantly look over to check out what she is doing, while she focuses only on her own cooking. She can be quite bumbly when it comes to her beloved Yi Huai, but she quickly grows to understand and complement his character well.
The supporting cast does a great job as well, with a special shout out for Yi Huai's mother. What a great character - traditional and fierce, but loving and supportive of Xiao Mai and Yi Huai at the same time. There is some side story development, but except for a couple of key supporting characters, there is not a lot of focus on the other characters. I guess some could complain that certain plot lines are left unresolved. However, I myself do not mind the open endings left for them. For the OTP though, what a satisfying ending!
I cannot sing enough praises of the OST. Niko Sun has the perfect voice for those period songs, and I am happy that I found the whole soundtrack on YouTube music.
I rated the re-watch value above average but not a 9 or 10 because I probably won't watch the whole show. However, I have already re-watched the delightful scenes of the OTP. Yi Huai can say the sweetest things at times :D
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I really felt that I was on a guided tour, vicariously traveling with the characters through various destinations in France. Of course, the cinematography was amazing. The pace was just right, and I found myself relaxing as I watched the adventure unfold and got drawn into each character's story. There were emotional ups and downs as I watched each character develop, and each couple navigating through rough waters in their relationships. Many times, I found myself really hoping that everyone had a happy ending.
The acting was excellent, so sincere that it felt genuine and authentic. This is the first time I have seen Jung Yong Hwa act, and he is simply adorable. There were an earnestness and honesty that he brought to his character, San Ma Ru, and boy, can that man kiss! I loved episode 7, where there was a kiss scene within a kiss scene within a kiss scene! He and Lee Yeon Hee had such great chemistry as the main couple. Lee Yeon Hee is lovely, and she portrayed Yun So So well. As for the supporting cast, there were no individual shout-outs since it was evident that they all really poured their hearts into the drama.
I cannot even find fault with the music as the selection was absolutely perfect and fitting.
The story is written so well, and there were many poignant scenes as well as memorable quotes. I would definitely re-watch this drama. My only gripe is that I wish there were a couple more episodes to tie everything up neatly but that is because I am a hopeless romantic and I want a fabulous big-bang ending. I still liked the ending because it made sense and it did work out for everyone.
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Ultimately, I caved after watching the trailer a few times and was drawn in by the amazing chemistry between the ML and FL. I have not seen "Eternal Love", so this is my first time seeing Xing Zhao Lin and Liang Jie act together. They complement each other so well, and I loved the scenes with them together. Not just the romantic ones, but also the ones filled with heartache and anger; all tugging at my heartstrings. For me, the rewatch value of this show is high because of their moments together.
Before anything else, I have to comment on the music track. It is simply well-done! Every song was great and perfectly suited the scenes. The way each piece was incorporated into the scene just elevated the mood of the moment. I particularly like the duet that was sung by Xing Zhao Lin and Liang Jie.
Even though this show is a remake and stayed true to the general theme of the original, the screenwriter incorporated enough plot twists to enable the show to stand on its own. Other than knowing the dramatic turns that were coming up and preparing my heart for them, I did not find myself comparing this version to the Korean one much.
I thought the pace of the show was good even though some reviewers thought it was draggy towards the end. Would I have preferred more sizzling episodes of them finally getting together and being all lovey-dovey? Absolutely!!! However, I personally enjoyed watching the push-pull relationship between Wang Xi Yi and Chen Jia Xin. How the story evolved and ended felt right to me, and the actions of the two leads totally relatable. The personal development of these two characters was a delight to watch.
True, a couple of episodes like episode 34 were kind of painful, and I did skip through the scenes about Shi Anna' back story. As much as I loved staring at gorgeous Dylan, I also skipped scenes about her in general. Anna was such a limpet, and I had no interest in her at all. The rest of the characters though, were awesome! Grandma (Xi Yi's grandmother) and Lin Xi Shi (Jia Xin's mother) were such fantastic role models, showing wisdom and strength and both so protective of the couple. I also found the progression of the secondary couple, An Son and Si Qi, entertaining. Xi Yi's aunt and cousin went through some personal growth as well, and they were actually quite nice in this version.
Acting-wise, the cast did well. Both Xing Zhao Lin and Liang Jie portrayed their characters well, although I think Xing Zhao Lin did a better job of emoting via his facial expressions. His look of determination after he's decided on something for example, was so endearing.
Overall, I would recommend this show, and while it is probably not easy, I think people should try to avoid comparing it to the other versions. It is really a great show to watch!
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Still, it is a delightful drama that I would recommend for passing the time.
While I thought that the chemistry between the main lead couple could have been more potent, they did match each other quite well. The progression of their relationship was plain adorable and funny. I wished that there was more natural skinship though; after all, the characters were adults who should not be blushing or have strong reactions when it came to holding hands and quick pecks on the cheek.
Lawrence Wong is a definite cutie, and he did a good job playing Ye Fei Mo, the male tsundere CEO type who was also pretty clueless when it comes to bold romance. His micro-expressions were well-delivered and his crying scenes on point. It is the first time I watched Lawrence Wong, and I just discovered that he is Singaporean. It is awesome that a non-Chinese actor is able to star in a Chinese drama, and I look forward to seeing his show with Zhang Han, which I hope will happen.
Personally, I did not find Xu Hao as Wen Xiao Nao that attractive, and her acting felt a bit forced at times. Again like many other c-dramas, the female lead was dressed terribly; I don’t get why all the female characters EXCEPT the lead were styled well. In general, Xu Hao’s portrayal of the female lead was fine, but to me, it was really Lawrence Wong and the other actors that carried the show.
The relationships between the other couples were endearing. Usually, I find that having to follow the stories of multiple couples too distracting but not in this show. The two other secondary couples were attractive together, and in a way, each had more chemistry than the main couple. I enjoyed Wu Hao Ze's and Bai Xin Yi's portrayal of the BFFs characters of the two leads. These BFFs were the "voices of reason," always providing insights and advice, which fortunately the two leads heeded most of the time. Otherwise, there would have been too much unnecessary drama. Ni Han Jin as Li Can was really suave and Ye Fei Mo's mother and Jing Jie were total badasses! The way they teamed up to support the leads. Such great rapport; makes me wish that I have such people to lean on in real life.
Music-wise, the selection was good, and each song fit the scene well. I did like some of them enough to add to my playlist.
Overall, this show is sweet with just the right dose of comedy and a satisfyingly cute ending. I probably will re-watch the scenes with Lawrence Wong in them just so I can admire his perfect profile :D
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This review may contain spoilers
If you can look past the messy story with multiple unnecessary plot lines, but enjoy slapstick humour and cheesy fluffy romance, you would likely enjoy this show. I certainly did! Just remember that the drama is supposed to be fantasy-based like a comic book.The writer tried to pack too much into the show - romance, comedy, family drama and a triller with a serial killer. I think the writer is really good in the romance department - there were plenty of swoon-worthy scenes involving the male and female leads. The humour can be a bit low brow - I dislike that the writer used homosexuality for jokes but at least, they were not too crass or mean. In general, I found myself laughing out loud throughout the show. Where the story failed to impress was the whole dark triller bit. That sub-plot by itself was not bad but to counter the dark scenes with the romantic comedy bits was just too jarring for me.
There were a few fillers or scenes like the whole set up between Bong Gi and Hee Ji. As I mentioned, the show tried to do too much. I'm not surprised by some of the lower ratings since the story-line was all over the place and the scene changes did not flow nicely at times.
Acting-wise, I think the cast did a phenomenal job. The three leads (Bong Soon, Min Hyuk and Gook Doo) really played their parts well, and the supporting actors delivered great performances too. I have to say that the cast was filled with good-looking actors. Even the villain kidnapper played by Jang Mi Kwan was nice to look at during his crazy moments.
Park Hyung Shik as Min Hyuk is my most favourite male lead character to date. That boy is so lovely to look at, and he acted the different aspects of a besotted CEO so well. As Min Hyuk, he was arrogant, super confident about his looks, intelligence and ability. At the same time, he was dreamy, so sweet and puppy-like when he was with Bong Soon, for whom he fell hard and quickly after seeing her in her super-strength mode. I love how smooth he was in dropping hints of his love for Bong Soon, how he was so earnest and yet not overly aggressive in his pursuit of Bong Soon. He always gave her room to breath, and instead of demanding, he requested - like when he asked her to "Please love me", or when he asked her "Will you come to me?" before their first real kiss. His confessions and lead up to the proposal - just perfect! Well done, screenwriter! There were just so many scenes of how he looked at her, and spoke to her that made me squeal and my heart flutter :D. The final episode was packed with his charm and lovableness! I truly enjoyed watching his micro-expressions especially during his constant gazes directed at Bong Soon.
Park Bo Young was perfect as Bong Soon, our heroine with super strength. She is just so adorable and it seems like the role was written for her petite cuteness. To be honest, I was kind of annoyed that like many k-dramas, the female lead was portrayed as somewhat clueless, with an inability to think rationally during times of peril. Perhaps it is because I usually prefer the female leads to be smarter and more sophisticated, plus I expected more from a show that was supposed to be about a strong female character. Still, I got over my irritation and was won over by the great chemistry between Park Bo Young and Park Hyung Shik. Also, Bong Song did grow into a wiser, more thoughtful heroine towards the end.
Speaking of chemistry, I also enjoyed the bromance between Min Hyuk and Gook Doo. Those two had some great moments together. Ji Soo as Gook Doo was another perfect eye candy, and he can also act. He looked so dejected after being friend-zoned by Boon Soon that I had really hoped that the ending had him together with another female character. I truly felt for him because he realized ultimately that it was all about timing, and he missed his chance despite having had many years to express his feelings to Bong Soon who crushed on him throughout that time.
The OST was good - the music chosen fit the scenes and I did add a couple to my playlist. I like Heartbeat, the song that played initially when Bong Soon saw her crush Gook Doo, and then Min Hyuk.
I will probably rewatch the scenes between Min Hyuk and Bong Soon when I am in the mood for some fluffy romance and cheese. Episode 16 would be one that I will watch again and again.
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This review may contain spoilers
Underrated and misunderstood
I am so glad that I gave this Lakorn a chance! After reading all the comments, I was hesitant to start it, but it ended up being the first Lakorn where I was compelled to watch half the show un-subbed after 12 episodes. Luckily, I was able to find episode cuts and music videos that had English sub-titles for the remaining scenes, and those provided a lot of context for me.A few commenters may have expected this drama to be mainly about Fah and Ben, and were upset that the later episodes appeared to be more about Pipi and the other characters. However, the drama poster was a dead giveaway that Fah and Ben were not the plot's focus. To me, the show was well-executed, balancing multiple characters and their stories. There was the relationship full of anger, feelings of revenge, and hate between Orawee, Tharn, and Vichuda, the "friendship to love" development between Aek and Narin, the growth of Pipi and Ron, and of course the "hate to love "romance between Fah and Ben.
Even though I enjoyed the different plot lines, admittedly, I was most invested in Fah's and Ben's journey,. They were the reason why I finished the show. which is why the ending was somewhat disappointing for me. The last episode was when I felt the show was not as balanced. After spending so much time on the show-down between Orawee and Vichuda, and the happy results for Aek, Narin, Pipi, and Ron, I thought I could finally see Fah and Ben properly starting over. But....no! The show had to throw in a new character, a totally unnecessary plot twist.
I applaud the actors - they were excellent! Since I could not understand most of the dialogue in the un-subbed episodes, I relied on studying the actors' facial expressions and body language. Almost everyone emoted so superbly that I could tell what the characters were supposed to be feeling in their scenes. Except for the last character introduced during the final plot twist, there were no other unnecessary characters - everyone had a purpose.
I first saw Bie Thassapak in "My Girlfriend is an Alien" and became a fan. He did not disappoint in this Lakorn either. He did an amazing job portraying Ben, the smooth playboy who turned over a new leaf after falling in love with his unwilling bride. While his character was one that I usually hated, there was enough character development that ultimately made me sympathize with him. That said, I think the writing could be better in showing how Ben started falling for Fah. The transition felt somewhat abrupt.
For a newcomer, Fah Ngamkasem was great as well, and I liked her character, Fah, who was not the usual weak crying prop. In fact, the women in this drama were all pretty fierce! Some scarier and crazier than others, like Orawee and Vichuda. Those two were in a league of their own, and kudos to Yardthip Rajpal and Ying Rhatha Phongam, who played them so fantastically!
The music selection was good. The songs and instrumental pieces enhanced the scenes. It is too bad that I could not find the OST on any of the usual streaming platforms.
I honestly hope that the whole show would be fully subbed soon so that I can re-watch and appreciate this Lakorn better. All in all, I think that people should give this show a chance and keep in mind that it is not focused on one primary couple.
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This review may contain spoilers
Light, fluffy rom-com with a super adorable couple
Even though waiting for the English subs is somewhat torturous with no regular schedule, I still enjoy this show enough to wait for the upcoming episodes and their subbing. At least, GMMTV makes the dramas available to international viewers via YouTube, and I appreciate that.Mr. Lipstick is not like the typical Lakorns; It is lighter, shorter with fewer annoying characters. It is also a lot more fluffy with not much of a storyline other than the primary romance and some side villain plotting. That said, many of the cliches and elements that make a lakorn are very much in use here. For example, dramatic background music and sound effects that I would only accept in Thai lakorns, two irritating nang rais (one schemingly vindictive and the other stupidly loud), and a petty older relative that holds grudges like nobody's business. If you expect a thought-provoking plot with character development and a brilliant script, Mr. Lipstick is not it. However, it's truly a sweet rom-com. Also, I have to give credit to the Thais for knowing how to use situational comedy, slapstick humor, fitting sound effects, and witty dialogue (as much as I can trust the subtitles) to tickle one's funny bone.
For comedic relief, the show includes two over-protective brothers of the nang'ek, and I must say that I find those two plus her parents endearing. Contrary to the p'ek's older sister, the petty unreasonable elder, we have a warm, lovely family on the nang'ek side. The whole family is good-looking! I also like how the show features Thai desserts - the way they are highlighted makes me try them all!
The biggest attraction of this show is, of course, the lead couple. Aom Sushar as Mod and Pae Arak as Kao are adorable together. They have good chemistry and look good as a couple - I love the height difference, but then again, that's one of Aom's charms - she is so petite and lovely. I also like her voice. Unlike Chienese dramas that use dubbed voices, I like that the Thai shows use the actors' real voices. Mod is a terrific FL whose physical appearance belies how tough and plucky her character is. It's great that she prioritizes her self-development over love, and the ML is equally amazing in allowing Mod time and room for her to grow into her own person. Kao is confident in himself and their relationship.
I like Pae's hairstyle here, but he looked great in "oh My Ghost' too with a cleaner cut. I really like Khun Kao - he's a wholesome male lead who knows how to draw the line clearly and not mislead the interfering nang rais. He respects his sister but is matured enough to acknowledge his feelings and stand his ground. Even though he is slightly narcissistic, he is so sweet with Mod. There's lots of accidental skinship (yes, "mostly the trip and fall into his arms" and the "oops, I turned my face and my lips accidentally found his" kind), but since these two are so cute together, these scenes only heighten the sweetness factor for me. Honestly, I think they could have done better showing Kao's growing attraction for Mod. The show explained why Mod already has a crush on Kao, but it is not clear to me when and what is the turning point for Kao falling for Mod. I also want to know what exactly happened between Tul and Wi. I do think that the whole love triangle between Tharn, Dao, and Teacher Mod is unnecessary. Still, I forgive this show for all its plot holes and flaws since I already expected it as a lightweight Lakorn, kind of like a web series that is typically too short for good character or story development.
Other things that I find most satisfying is: 1) how Tul is always one step ahead of Wirarong and manages to sabotage most of her evil schemes, and 2) seeing Wirarong's frustrations when she fails to get what she ultimately wants. I love it when the nang rai fails!
Music-wise, I really like the featured songs like the one by Aye Sarunchana:
Meua Rai Ja Tueng Jai Tur (Far away) (OST. Tam Ruk)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuJsPyXPeng
The opening song is super catchy and reflects the positive and fun tone present through most episodes.
Plain Ka Nan Pen Fan Dai Mai (LOVE SCORE) by Sizzy and Nanon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ds5B9jzk1A
I also like the instrumental pieces that underscore the sweet and romantic scenes with our endearing main couple.
Rewatch value is so so; I will probably watch the cute Kao and Mod moments while browsing through YouTube.
Overall, this is a sweet series that I would recommend for passing the time while waiting for your main show episodes to air or for a quick watch when you are in the mood for some romance with just a tiny bit of angst.
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This review may contain spoilers
Cute rom-com with a creative and engaging twisty-turny story
To be honest, I struggled to finish this drama. I found most of the show enjoyable, but the villains became more ludicrous and the palace politics more tiresome towards the end. The reason for the main antagonist turning evil was not even convincingly justifiable. Furthermore, the ending for certain people was not what I expected from a light-hearted rom-com. It was not a satisfactory wrap-up for me, even though overall, it was a happy ending for most characters.Still, I gave it a decent rating because the pros outweighed the cons and the drama really packed a lot of quality content into each episode. Despite being primarily fluffy and funny, there was no lazy writing in the script, and there was a lot of creativity. For example, triple comical kidnappings all in one night, the main couple's attempts to save each other from poisoning by tricking each other with the antidote back and forth, or people scheming against each other while pretending to be allies. There were so many twists and unexpected turns that I remained engaged for the most part. At the same time, though, the show also left clues from the beginning foreshadowing scenes near the end. I wish I had paid more attention so that I could have prepared myself for moments that I never expected.
The romance between the OTP was cute, provided a lot of sweetness, and made me smile a lot. Zhao Yi Qin and Eleanor Lee had good chemistry, but I found them almost too cringingly cute at times. Acting-wise, their inexperience showed, but both being young actors, I look forward to seeing them hone their skills further in future shows. I liked Eleanor's character, Chang Le, who was intelligent, skilled in inventing gadgets, and well-trained in martial arts. She was a great counterpart to the Crown Prince Li Che, who was a brilliant strategist. For a focused man with a plan who constantly had to guard against his enemies in the palace, he became pretty goofy around Chang Le. These moments provided some comic relief. I was also intrigued by the second couple's romance and the way they started falling for each other, but I did not find the romance between the third couple, Li Heng and Zhu Yan as interesting.
Another reason for my higher rating is the OST. Some songs were catchy, and others were touching but all fitting for the scenes. For posterity, I have noted the ones that I like the most in this review. Eleanor Lee has a pleasant singing voice, and I enjoyed the two songs that she sang for this drama.
有你的陪伴 (With You) (Yǒu nǐ de péi bàn) by Eleanor
相遇 (Meet) (Xiāng yù)(The Ending Song) by Li Fanyi
最后一句晚安 (The Last Sentence Good Night) (Zuì hòu yī jù wǎn ān)by Don Chu & Shuang Ding
寻常人家 (Ordinary People) (Xún cháng rén jiā)(The Theme Song) by Eleanor
一叶秋 (Autumn Leaves) (Yī yè qiū)by Rita
回 (Return) (Huí) by Don Chu
斷舍離 (Breakaway) (Duàn shě lí)by Wang Chenrui
雪花叹 (Snowflakes) (Xuě huā tàn) by Ding Funi
Overall I recommend that you watch the show and decide for yourself. I truly enjoyed it for the twisty-turny plot, cute OTP and their sweet romance.
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Cute and sweet, with a fabulous cast and lead actors.
A light, simple romantic comedy that's filled with hilarity and fun. The language barrier sets things up perfectly for some outrageous moments, and the supporting cast is so over the top that I laughed out loud so often. This is truly a feel-good movie with lots of heart and humor, one that is guaranteed to make you at least smile.Great rapport among the cast in general, but the chemistry between the male and female leads is fantastic. They play off each other so well, and the dialogue and interactions between them just flow so smoothly. It's a slow burn romance, which is fitting to the plot. I love watching the sweet moments between them and how the sparks begin to fly as their relationship develops. Ice Preechaya Pongthananikorn shines as Pleng, my favorite kind of female lead who is pleasing to the eye with a great fashion sense, smart, sassy, and plucky. Sunny Suwanmethanont is smoldering as Gym, and he emotes so well with his eyes. I think Ice acted better, but overall, the two leads did deliver a good performance.
I could not give it a higher rating because I wanted more romantic scenes and a more intense happy ending, with a proper kiss between the leads. That's the only thing missing for a romantic like me.
Great use of music and the songs fit the scenes. The ending credits is also worth the watch.
Overall I recommend this rom com if you want to enjoy some good laughs.
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This review may contain spoilers
Easy fluffy watch!
This is a pretty tame lakorn compared to the others that I have seen so far! No slap and kiss, no violent screechy Nang'rai, a SML who backed off easily and no evil relatives. What you get instead is a fun, slapstick and cute show that also addressed certain social issues like environmental conservation, as well as drug and sex trafficking. On the whole, it was a well-executed story. It seems to be a popular show with this being the 5th remake!It was a fun watch and the major draw for me was the really great rapport and interactions among the different actors. There were a few one-dimensional characters but for the most part, everyone played their roles well. There were serious moments but the show did a great job interjecting comedic moments and sound effects so the scenes never got too dark. A warning though - there were guns and violence but nothing makjang or over the top.
Oom Hosuwan and Mai Sirisantana have good chemistry but I personally find Oom acting too cutesy at times as Mewadee and I don't see her matching nicely to Songpao's more matured charms. As adorable as Oom is, Mai is on a whole different level of hotness. I think there was a missed opportunity for the writer to develop Mewadee's character further, as she learned to navigate and adapt to life in the city. They started off well with different elders including Songpao offering life lessons but somehow that messaging got lost. If Mewadee displayed more growth and maturity as she spent more time with Songpao and his family, I would have enjoyed the couple's slow burn romance more. That said, the romance when it finally happened was pleasant. Mewadee was an awesome female lead - strong, smart, brave and pretty but too stubborn for her own good. Songpao was like the perfect male lead, not leading anyone else on, drawing the line clearly with Wan, always decent and charming, and once he realized he loved Mewadee, was steadfast in his pursuit of her. It was funny seeing him trying to stick to being the good guardian who should love Mewadee as a daughter at first. Thank goodness he had his dad to set him straight, telling him to follow his heart especially where there was no wrong doing.
I loved the families - Songpao's parents and Mewadee's elders were awesome, wise and supportive. On the other hand, the secondary couple was so so. Jaet was a pretty bland but upright character. I did like him for his loyalty to his friends and his filial piety to his father while still standing on the side of goodness. His role in the love triangle was more to stir up Songpao's feelings for Mewadee. While Wan was not your typical clingy, crazy second female lead, she was passive-aggressive and scheming hiding behind a virtuous mask. Annoying but nothing that will make your blood pressure rise. The two actors who played Jaet and Wan were fine but in general, there were no characters that required the actors to flex their acting muscles much. That included Mai and Oom.
The music selection was excellent - catchy and fitting. My favourite was เป็นไปได้ไหม /Bpen Pai Dai Mai (Is it Possible?) by Tar Mr.Team & Lookwa Pijika that played during the more poignant moments between Songpao and Mewadee. A shout out to NekoMeowMeow for subbing the show and providing links to the songs.
Overall, I would recommend this show if you are in a mood for a light humorous lakorn that delves into certain serious topics.
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Not the best but still recommended!
Not the best Thai lakorn I've watched but I still enjoyed it. The first 16 - 17 episodes hooked me in and I binged watch those episodes. The pacing was good and the chemistry between Ratt and Dada/fake Looklaew was good. I liked that the show made the characters realistically intelligent enough to realize that the fake Looklaew was actually Dada. At least, the audience was not expected to suspend disbelief most of the time, although I am sure that many would argue that it was unbelievable how blind Dr. Goson's love was for Rachawadee. I personally think that there is such a thing as blind love just as it is believable to me that one would sacrifice one's life for the person s/he loves.Unfortunately, the show got draggy the next few episodes, focusing more on the villain. I did appreciate the plot twist towards the end but they could have wrapped it up by episode 21 when it was clear even to the audience what the plot twist was. Also, it would have been better for me if they made the romance component consistent and having the OTP continue having a good amount of screen time. Instead, they did not appear that much together towards the end and the show highlighted the secondary couple which I felt lacked chemistry in general and did not maintain my interest in their relationship. I did quite a bit of fast-forwarding through their scenes. Due to the lack of good romance during the ending episodes, it was somewhat less satisfying for me. That said, I did enjoy watching everyone getting what they deserved, good or bad!
Generally speaking, the acting was fine but no one really stood out for me except for Pock Mittiraroch as Rachawadee. She was awesome as the primary villain. While I really hated her character and was shocked by the extreme measures that she was willing to take to protect herself, that woman was fierce! It is worth mentioning that her outfits as well as Dada/Lookwaew's were amazing. It was due to Pock's acting and the character's delicious evilness that made me bumped up my rating to 8.
Aniporn Chalermburanawong as Lookkaew /Dada did ok transitioning between her two characters but did not display much range in her acting. Likewise with Film Thanapat Kawila where I think he could do better with his micro-expressions. At least as the OTP, they made a good-looking couple and I enjoyed seeing them at a superficial level. I was not that impressed with their characters though. The FL should be a lot stronger and more of a go-getter like Dada's character at the beginning of the show but instead she became this wuss that let everyone bossed her around even after realizing that she was Dada. That inconsistency bothered me especially when she was behaving like Dada in other areas. As for Ratt, he came across somewhat selfish and possessive to me, even though his actions were supposed to be protecting Dada. Ultimately, I gave Ratt the benefit of the doubt since aren't we all afraid of losing the ones we love and are willing to do a lot to keep them?
Norraphat Vilaiphan, another fine-looking man as Din did a good job in his role as Dada's boyfriend, searching for her and the truth. In a way, his acting was better than Film ; there was more intensity from him. Notable mention: handsome Dr. John. Someone should update Oliver Pupart's profile picture on MDL. I just watched Leh Nangfah and thought that he was hot in that show. I am also watching Leh Bunpakarn which has Tao Watitapun in it. She is gorgeous.
I am not into Thai music very much but the main song was quite pleasant. Rewatch value is not high for me especially after knowing the plot twist.
Overall, I would still recommend this show with the warning that the romance fizzles out towards the end. For episodes with english sub, dailymotion has most of them with the full version. Telegram THLakorn has all has all of them. I would not use watch the Dramacool version because the editing was simply terrible.
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This review may contain spoilers
If you are looking for a light and fluffy rom-com with a low angst factor, this would be a great pick! The plotline is unique, albeit a little silly. At times, it is somewhat predictable, but that did not detract from how entertaining the show was for me.I really found the romance between the two leads so endearing and natural. At first, they disliked each other, then tolerated each other and came to an understanding before becoming friends through many challenges together and finally fell in love. The progression of their relationship was plain adorable and funny. Any misunderstandings were resolved quickly, usually within the same episodes and ending in kisses. Even the clothes they wore match each other's so nicely - SO CUTE!
Yang Shi Ze, as Miao Yu, is one fine-looking actor. Where in the world do they find such tall, chiseled faced men with great physiques?!! I don't think that this character allowed Yang Shi Ze to display a wide acting range but all in all, he did a good job playing the strong CEO type who was also nerdy and pretty clueless when it came to romance. I do think that he could have acted out the cat personality better, but being a dog lover, for all I know, maybe cats are typically just sulky and moody. I have added his next show "Lian Lian Xiao Jiu Wo" to my watch list, which happens to star Xu Kai Xin, who played Ray, the sort of second male lead.
For her debut show, Zhang Lin Yi's portrayal of Wang Chen was surprisingly good, and she played the female lead with lots of charm and cuteness. There were moments when I got so annoyed by Wang Chen acting so childish and unreasonable. However, I then reminded myself that that's how many female lead characters are written in C-dramas. Zhang Lin Yi is lovely, and I look forward to seeing her expand her acting capabilities and take on more roles.
There was a great rapport between all the characters, and I was won over by the team Fluffee and the San San/BiGuan pair! As Ray, Xu Kai Xin, yet another good-looking actor played the chivalrous and refined gentleman role well. I have to admit, though, that I did not like the character Li Zhi Zhi, Miao Yu's ex-girlfriend. She was so annoying, and I was so irritated that the show resorted to using the cliché where the two exes get together. I felt that the scenes featuring them were just filler.
Music-wise, they could have done a better job. I thought some of the pieces did not fit the mood scenes, but I did like the ending song.
The pace of this show was good, although I felt that they could have shortened the show by one or two episodes. As mentioned, there were filler scenes that made it a little draggy in the end.
Overall, this is truly a fun and binge-worthy show. It is sweet with just the right dose of comedy. I would probably re-watch certain episodes featuring the main leads since they are just so delightful together!
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Even the plot was nothing new, the show was fun, and the comedy kept things interesting. A few bits were just too slapstick for me but overall, I was laughing out loud a lot! Sometimes, I feel like slapping the characters because they let pride and ego get in the way too much, when a simple conversation could have resolved issues easily. Of course I should remember that it's typical of most drama shows to create as much drama as possible so I need to stifle my irritation.
The music was fitting for every scene and I immediately saved the playlist! Whoever made the selection should get a bonus!
I would rewatch certain scenes, not the whole thing but that's because I seldom re-watch shows. There's too many to explore.
Overall, I highly recommend this show - it's fun, great chemistry between the leads and the supporting cast, and the ending left a great sense of satisfaction!
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I found the female lead, Wei Wei, irritating for the first 7 episodes mainly because she was so lacking in self awareness and self reflection. Her character was a little inconsistent in the sense that she came across as being strong-minded and can stand up for herself especially with the male lead, yet during crucial moments, she acted all wimpy.
It was after she stopped acting so prideful and began to accept a friendship with the male lead when I started to enjoy the show properly. Otherwise it was too much feeling of wanting to shake some sense into the female lead.
The storyline was very interesting to me. I think the trailer is misleading since it implies cheating. If you watch the show, you’ll find a different plot line. I love how the two leads ultimately still did the ‘right’ thing after struggling against their true desires.
Some may not like the ending as much but I find it satisfying and left me feeling happy for the leads.
I have to also applaud the supporting cast especially the best friend of the female lead. Ke Fei is the kind of friend I want to be and want to have!!!
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