This review may contain spoilers
Sparkly package but the contents were lacking
The reason I wanted to start watching Thai BL dramas was because I saw a video about this series so I was really looking forward to it. Overall, not a good story for sure by any stretch of the imagination. But damn, she really do be pretty as hell.Set/Cinematography/Costume:
It would be wild to not comment on the attention to detail and consistently stunning visuals of every piece of this show. It’s a pretty important part of a story about royalty and they nailed the hell out of it. So gorgeous. And the staircases in this show… damn babe, yes please.
Acting:
Not bad, but not outstanding. No one really shone, and no one was unbearable to watch. I do think that Zee did a good job with his expressions as his character grew throughout the show. Coming from Boom’s performance in Top Form to this was tough, especially when there were scenes where a character was having a breakdown. Like, someone get my man Boom over here to teach these boys how it’s done.
Characters:
Chakri, my day 1 fudanshi king 10/10. For a London-raised 20-something-year-old guy, Khanin was not at all defiant. Like sure, he had some brat and sass to him at times, but like I’ve met wealthy 23-year-old guys from London, and Khanin was not giving the right energy here. Charan… I would like to see a list of all the things that he was in charge of. Like how are you gonna be the head of the royal guard, lead investigator for the crown, fencing/archery coach, tutor, art professor, and I’m probably missing a few more duties. Like what are we talking about… Bodyguard who do good art is believable, and anything more is dumb.
Writing/inconsistencies:
Oof. For all that this show is beautiful, it is also dumb as hell. So many things were just so poorly planned and written. Screenwriting is partially to blame, but the main issue is the storyline itself. I genuinely could not believe that they wanted me as the viewer to give a flying fuck about that wrinkly ballsack of an old man on his deathbed. Like, did we not just finally establish a couple scenes ago that this mf is the main villain???? We’re gonna forgive him and give him a long and tender scene with Khanin, who has absolutely no reason whatsoever to care about him..??? Wild. After revealing sharkboy as the “big bad guy” you could have either had our protagonists join him or deal with his punishment and then go after the real big bad guy, which is obviously the crusty bitch king. But no.. we’re just gonna act like everything is fine. There is so much more wrong with this story I could sit here for hours analyzing it but I’ll just leave it at that.
Chemistry/Romance/Kissing:
Wouldn’t say the chemistry was entirely captivating but it was present. As a romance it was alright, I just wish they focused in on one or two specific dynamics. Like to me, there’s the bratty guy x the stoic yet kind guy. And at the same time there is the prince x his protector. But they didn’t play into those dynamics so it was a bit all over the place and lacked the depth of flavor I enjoy in these types of romance. The kissing was alright for the most part. I think it is undeniable that episode 14 took the cake.
Side Couples:
Oookay so at first the second couple was defnitely giving that couple who unironically growl at eachother in the local hot topic, ya know? Like girl.. you did not just put on a collar with a leash in the front seat of the car on a college campus… WILD. But I gotta give it to them, I liked their story and how it translated to their NC scenes especially because it was more than a representation of intimacy, it was a telling of their struggles with abuse, the grappling with the desire for sadism and masochism birthed from trauma, and the bond that all that has created for the two characters. Loved all that but definitely was a bit odd to see as a second couple in this story. The third couple had potential to be cute but like we saw them for 5 minutes so idk why it was necessary to have them in there at all.
NC Scenes:
At least there was mood building ig? That being said, I’m not gonna sit here and lie.. Zee’s little moan in episode 14 was a pleasant little gift as I was not expecting that, good work out there my guy. I just wish we had more of that “say please” energy throughout the series in their dynamic bc that had a kick to it.
Music/SFX:
Songs with lyrics in them need to be toned down for the love of god. You’re killing me with the emotional scenes where the absence of words holds power, and then you go and add a song with these corny ass basic lyrics about “I will protect care and love for you kiss kiss under the moon” bullshit. And I get having my guy Nunew sing like sure, whatever I’ll allow it. But damn… That protest musical scene was ummmm.. a choice.. SFX were pretty good for the most part. However, in a show where most of the buildings have marble flooring, I need more crisp shoe click clacks, ya feel me?
Definitely did not blow me away, but I wouldn’t say it was even among the worst things I’ve ever seen/read. Like Idk how I see people giving this a lower rating than they gave My Stubborn.. That’s actually insane behavior. Disappointed and confused, but I can’t deny it was sparkly through and through.
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Good production but the plot is lacking!
The casting was good, and the actors performed really well. The story was nice, and the production quality was impressive, it looked like a well-funded project. However, as the episode went on, it became increasingly boring. Hope they had twisted the plot more and explored more on the relationship of the two lead actors.Was this review helpful to you?
Big budget disaster
Well… to start this series did a great job with location, cinematography, wardrobe etc. Amazing 🤩 they made our beloved actors look good on screen.Sadly this is where the positives end for me. It was a painful watch. The story started off promising but quickly dwindled into a mess that was difficult to watch. I have been a fan of Zee and New in cutie pie however nothing since then seems to be all that great, cutie pie 2 was a hard watch for me. Zee was great in club Friday! I also have to credit new he is a fantastic music artist.
I do hope that their future projects do better. I definitely will not watch this again.
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This review may contain spoilers
Everything was great except the plot...
I love ZeeNunew, so I was genuinely excited for this drama, but unfortunately, it fell short. While the costumes, cinematography, and soundtrack were stunning, the plot was messy and unfocused. The show couldn’t decide if it wanted to be a royal romance, political thriller, musical, or BL wattpad fanfic and in trying to be everything, it didn’t fully succeed at anything.That said, I can’t deny the visuals were stunning, costume design, cinematography, and the original soundtrack were top-tier. In fact, those elements were probably the reason the rating went up for me.
The tone was inconsistent. One moment you’re watching serious political protests, and the next, Khanin is singing with piano music in the background. It felt out of place and took away from the emotional weight of key scenes. As for the main couple, their relationship lacked development. Khanin quickly became a lovesick character who forgot that his lofe was taken away from him in London, while Charan remained stoic and emotionally distant. Even their big romantic scenes felt like it was fan service and chucked in there for the sake of it.
The second couple, Ramil and Paytai, actually had a compelling dynamic, but barely got screen time. Ava had potential too, but her arc was constantly undercut by the plot. The side characters were more interesting than the leads, which says a lot.
Despite the high production value, it felt hollow and empty. Product placements were also distracting and constantly there so got a bit repetitive. All the relationships lacked development. I could tell all the actors had great chemistry but it came off robotic and flat, most likely due to the poor scriptwriting and a plot that didn’t give their characters the depth or space to grow.
I wouldn’t recommend this for someone looking for a deep, well-developed plot. But if you’re in it for the stunning visuals, cinematography, costumes, and aesthetics, it might still be worth your time. I don’t agree with the very low or very high reviews out there as the show has clear strengths, but also major weaknesses that can’t be ignored.
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Uhh I ended up liking this more than I expected
This series is the Thai version of Princess Diaries (kinda) but with a BL storyline and some serious family drama.When royal bodyguard Charan Phithakdheva is assigned to protect the family’s new heir, their relationship starts off with immediate fireworks and sexual tension. While navigating royal life and politics, they tiptoe around their feelings for each other and their interactions become increasingly layered with subtext.
While some other BLs may have used love scenes to grab attention and keep viewers hooked, the NC scenes in The Next Prince didn’t feel like a cheap gimmick. It seemed more like a natural progression of Khanin and Charan’s relationship and a sincere expression of their intimacy.
Also, this story is so much more than just about a college student assimilating into his life as a prince. This competition between the heirs is set against a backdrop of assassination attempts, political infighting and rebellion, and a looming political crisis involving an environmental problem.
Unfortunately, the resolution was not entirely satisfying and way more could have been done to show off Khanin’s leadership potential and how he would seriously tackle issues affecting the population.
But on the whole, I thought the whole royal kingdom universe was going to be cringey and over the top, but ended up liking this more than I expected.
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Rewatched it 2 times, this is and stays one of my comfort shows
Holy sh1t, where do I begin... first time I watched this, it was extremely confusing, I had no idea what was going on and I just didn't understand the lore. But the thing is, that doesn't matter, this show is about Khanin, who is new to the nation of Emmaly, just like us lol. Even though he grew up hearing about it, it is also his first time coming there. Everything is and will be exlained, aside from that, I was personally really confused with which region was which and who ruled which. But based on the colours of their suits, you can tell them apart.Now for my second rewatch, I really enjoyed it more than the first time, even though nothing was new, I felt like I understood the series so much better. It was just clearer and still as comforting as the first time. The main reason I love this series is because of the SUPER well written side characters, the story follows a pretty realistic timeline and Khanin and Charan's relationship was soooo adorable. Also I love ZeeNunew and they definitely did a good job once again! :3
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This review may contain spoilers
Really bad and not in the fun way
oh boy...where do I even begin?The biggest (and honestly only) issue here is the writing.
The music, the set-design, THE COSTUMING and the directing are all phenomenal in my opinion. And the actors are all doing an amazing job, sometimes they're given whack dialogue (looking at you JimmyOhm) but they all give solid performances.
Unfortunately none of these things are able to save the atrocious writing here. Some examples:
- The progression of both Khanin's character and the romance between him and Charan are terrible. They both start out really well but after the first couple episodes both just fall into a kind of routine and NEVER progress beyond it. It makes the show really boring to watch since both of these things are the most important parts of the story. (Like a good 75% of the time it feels like there is NOTHING going on because those two just sit there and flirt and it's like "hello we have a story to get back to!".)
- Another thing that didn't get any progress/isn't fully explored is Charan's character and specifically his childhood-trauma. The fact that his mother's death was partly caused by the monarchy has seemingly no impact on his actions later-on and his relationship to the royal family.
- The two side-couples: RamilPaytai and CalvinJay are super underwritten. The first one has an interesting dynamic (that was honestly more intriguing than the main couple's) that is never explored to it's fullest potential. They almost seem to be written into the story more as a way to add more NC scenes rather than to tell an interesting, emotional story. CalvinJay are almost not worth talking about. Again there is a lot of interesting story just left un-executed.
- The only woman in the competion for the throne is Ava. Her whole story is basically about the inequality that women in Emmaly face. She has to convince the other's to let her compete. This was all fine and dandy until the last few episodes where she just drops out of the race. Her character is fully irrelevant after that and to some extant even extranuous to the story.
- Other than the characters the plot and it's progression is really bad too. We spend the first couple of episodes not even close to the place where the entire plot of the drama takes place. Once we finally arrive in Emmaly the actual competition takes a backseat in the story very fast. (Mind you, it is the big draw of the show!) We spend the next few episodes in different places in Emmaly following Khanin as he attempts to resolve smaller and bigger problems in the country. (I just want to iterate that the competition is basically not happening throughout all of this!) The last few episodes focus on the competition again but by this point we are so far past the original plot of the show that it is super startling to come back to it. There are so many details, places and people introduced in the story that are never in a any way relevant to the plot again. For exaple: We spend one episode in the university where Charan teaches just for it to never be a relevant place in the story again. The fact that Charan is a professor whilst being a guard is also weirdly irrelevant.
-The story also has a little bit of a problem with it's message and what it wants to be. Is it critical of Monarchy?, I honestly could not tell you. It's stances on feminism and activism are very convoluted and it also fails to make a real point about abuse and love within hierarchical structures. It attempts to discuss these issues but cramming them all into one show whilst simultaneously being a political thriller (?) and a cute romance whilst attemting a hunger-games-esque plot simply does not work.
-And between all of this the show is somehow INSANELY BORING. Side characters just sit down and have long, seemingly deep conversation about the plot multiple times per episode. They speak in riddles and metaphors because the writers think it makes the drama cool and them seem smart but it just falls completely flat. Montages of the main couple seem to last forever while the other couples that are in dire need of more screen time just get nothing. We were told that the main plot of the drama would be the competition yet it is apparently a complete afterthought for the writers. We spend episodes watching the characters walk around aimlesly. The show is really good at making it seem like something is happening but there just isn't.
All of this is very dissapointing to many because we were all waiting for this grand, amazing, show-stopping drama. And this just was not it. I've seen a lot of people explain the bad writing by saying that "it just displays the real world and how not everything is perfect" but I have to disagree. The show does not have this dark, serious tone to justify this reading.
I think the thing that we can learn from this is that a drama like this should 1) always have an awareness for itself and 2) try to not be more than that. I don't want to discorouge reaching for greatness but just pick one ot two things to be and stick with that. Don't try to save the whole world in one 14-episode-show.
In a way I think that the show should have been longer to fully explore all the themes and storylines mentioned above but then again, look at what they did with the time that they did have. So maybe it is better this way.
At the time of me writing this (january 2026) the show has a rating of 7.6 and I am usually not the type of person to care for stuff like that but it truly doesn't deserve a rating this high. It pains me to say this but I truly would not encourage anybody to watch this. This is unfortunately not even good in a bad way I did not enjoy waching it one bit. I only did because at that point I was to far along and my ego did not allow me to just drop the show. It is not worth it's time not even for a hate-watch.
If you enjoyed the show I am more than happy for you, we probably just have a different opinion there :)
This is no shade to the actors by the way, I love them all.
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Why The Next Prince Deserves Your Love
(Unpopular Opinion Alert) I know, I know. Scroll through the comments and you’ll see a sea of negativity, but I’m here to tell you that The Next Prince is, for me, a top-tier BL drama. And no, I’m not writing this because I’m a dedicated fan of the main couple; I’m writing this because this BL drama has genuinely secured a spot in my all-time Top 5 favorites.😍• A Royal Romance That Captivated Me
From the moment I started watching, I was hooked. The Next Prince does something that many other series often miss: it crafts a world that feels both regal and grounded. The premise, revolving around a royal successor and his unexpected entanglement, is classic, but the execution here is what truly shines.
The pacing felt just right, allowing the relationship between the two leads to develop organically. It wasn't a sudden, jarring leap; it was a slow, deliberate build of genuine affection and understanding. The quiet moments, the stolen glances, and the subtle shifts in their dynamic spoke volumes, often more eloquently than lengthy dialogue.
• The Performances and Chemistry :
Let's address the elephant in the room: the chemistry. I found the connection between the main actors to be incredibly compelling. Their performances were nuanced, portraying the internal struggle of their characters—one bound by duty and the other by circumstance—with genuine emotion. They managed to convey a tender, protective love that felt earned by the end of the series.
The side characters, too, were more than just filler. They added depth and complexity to the political and familial struggles of the main plot, making the world of the drama feel richer and more lived-in.
• Why It Stands Out in My BL Collection
Yes, The Next Prince may have its flaws—what drama doesn't?—but its strengths, particularly its romantic heart and well-structured plot, elevate it above the rest for me. It’s a series I’ve rewatched multiple times, and each viewing only solidifies its place on my list. It’s a beautiful, emotionally resonant story about love transcending duty and expectation, wrapped in a gorgeously produced package.
If you dismissed this drama based on negative comments, I urge you to give it a fair chance. You might just find, like I did, that this overlooked gem is a truly magnificent watch.✨👍
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Overhated
honestly.. this series is too overhated. I‘ve been reading many comments since episode 1 aired and and most people here are just haters.I really liked the series. It was very good. It was more simple. It‘s just about an ordinary guy who suddenly found out that he is royal and got taken back to the kingdom because he was in danger and to win the royal competition. Nothing more, nothing less. Y‘all already knew that since the trailer so i‘m sorry but idk what y‘all expected lmao.
I think CharanKhanin‘s story was lovely. They are one of the very few green flag couples. People see a healthy couple and call them „boring“. And it’s just so hilarious how people try to find anything to talk about the characters 😭😭
I think it was a very cute lovestory. Charan was a guy who had only one thing in his mind: his duty. He was a royal guard his entire life. He had to see his mother passing away and leaving him completely alone. He only had the king who adopted him and „took care“ of him. Some were annoyed that Charan was too much into his duty not caring for Khanin. Uhm- it‘s his job? He lived like this forever and can‘t change in a few days ?? I mean if you‘re working and your partner comes and wants your attention would you just leave your work for them? 😭😭 like come on just think a little bit lmao. And people are mad that he didn’t say anything about Khanin‘s father. Like i kinda understand but we knew that he was kinda in danger and Khanin would‘ve risk a lot and go see his father. But after some time Khanin starts to understand Charan and his duties and that he couldn’t say or do a lot. And that‘s wonderful imo. If Khanin didn’t get mad, why did you? 😭
The only thing i agree is RamilPaytai and CalvinJay‘s story. I agree it was poorly written especially RamilPaytai. CalvinJay was okay and ended well. Well i wish we would‘ve gotten a lot more. Tbh i didn’t gaf about RamilPaytai. I just don‘t like this kind of couple and they were too toxic for me and i hated Ramil with all my heart. But i really started to like JimmyOhm more and wow Ohm is just gorgeous.
Ava and Mira disappointed me the most 🥲they shouldn’t even have mentioned them being a couple bc they obviously weren’t.
But honestly many people are overdoing it. I mean, it‘s okay to feel disappointed with a series. It‘s okay if you didn‘t like it. But why is it such a crime if there are some people who actually enjoyed it? If someone liked the series it‘s just „fangirls who love everything they favs do“ and calling them tasteless people and idk what else. Like- you‘re cancelling fans for disagreeing with haters(!!) but you are literally calling fans names bc they enjoyed a series you couldn‘t? I‘m sorry but that‘s immature.
I also feel like most haters don‘t even have any idea of characters and facial expressions and idk what else. They call Charan a rock. He is a royal guard? Idk what royal guard you saw but that‘s how they look 😭 he had this look for years and was only comfortable when he was off duty.
And the most hilarious thing i saw was that ZeeNunew doesn’t have any chemistry… (that was during their first NC). Guys… idk if you‘ve noticed this but- that‘s a CharanKhanin series. Not ZeeNunew. Charan is an inexperienced man who is very cautious. He literally treated Khanin like porcelain 😭He needed time to be more and more comfortable with him and he finally did. Peopke also saying that this series is only NC. That‘s 3 NCs in a 14EP series? Tbh i loved it and it‘s more realistic. They were also doing really great and improved so so much in acting.
What‘s more funny is that the first people who comment here are disappointed people who „force themselves“ to watch this because „they never want to drop a series in the middle“. Bro i‘m sorry but if you don‘t like a series just drop it 😭 if you don‘t want to bc you „don‘t like dropping series“ then that‘s your problem 😭 I‘m sorry but why spending your time on series you don‘t like?? The thing is.. when i don‘t like a series but still want to see if it gets better i actually watch the episode after 2-3 days. But they watch snd comment immediately like they‘ve been waiting all week just to hate and complain 😭😭
Not every series needs the biggest drama, toxicity, jealousy, ex partner drama, ep 11(or in that case ep13) curse and idk what else. Those things don‘t make a series „good“. Everyone has their own opinion and it you don‘t like it it‘s fine. But finding all excuses to hate on the story or characters or idk what else is just lame 😭 especially hating on the actors like bro.
It‘s okay if you don‘t like a storyline. It‘s okay if you don‘t like a character. It‘s okay if you got disappointed. It‘s okay if you expected something else. But that doesn’t mean that a series is bad.
Also people complain that it was high budget, yet a „disappointment“. Y‘all should realize that this was a royalty series. Royalty is expensive it you didn’t know yet. If they didn’t have a high budget people would‘ve complained that it looked too cheap lmao. I love that they spent all that bc the cinematography was 💋 and the OSTs were wonderful. I had goosebumps everywhere.
They could’ve made it better. Ofc. There is no perfect series. I wished they followed the novel a bit more bc it was really really good but well. Every series can be better. Still doesn’t make it bad.
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A total disaster
This BL was highly anticipated, which led people to have very high expectations. The main issue with this series is the plot, first and foremost, followed by the mediocre acting from most of the cast. A series with long episodes (something many Thai productions insist on doing), sometimes over an hour long, requires strong story development — which doesn’t happen here. The story drags, lacks development, and fails to move the audience. The truth is, people watched mostly because of the main couple, rather than anything else. The production and budget were probably among the biggest ever seen in BLs, but it still wasn’t enough to make a decent series. In the end, all that’s left is disappointment — and the hope that in the future, the focus will be, above all, on ACTING and SCRIPT.Was this review helpful to you?
had so much potential
Not one for posting reviews I usually like to watch and see the drama. But im a fan of the main leads so when they announced this and seeing the trailer I was excited for it.First of all I gotta say the acting was good, I didn't see anything wrong on how they acted they did good to what they could from the story.
The story was pretty poor, the first couple episodes draws you in and you think 'yea this is going to be good' but when he becomes the prince it changes and the story really just drops and it gets pretty boring after that. I don't like using the word boring on dramas as I am a big BL fan but thats what it was. I was disappointed especially with the ending. this drama did have so much potential and could have been made better but it really was a let down. but like I said the actors did what they could and their acting was good and it's the only drama of the main leads I was disappointed in, I have liked them in their other dramas they have done together, this one was just a nope from me.
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The cast delivers phenomenal performances — each actor brings authenticity and power to their role, especially the lead, whose character development is both moving and inspiring. The direction is meticulous, with stunning visuals that elevate the experience and a soundtrack that perfectly matches every moment.
The Next Prince is not just entertainment — it’s a reflection on power, identity, responsibility, and the weight of choice. It’s a story that stays with you, that makes you think and feel.
If you’re looking for a series that will leave you breathless, with episodes you’ll want to binge all at once, this is it. An absolute 10/10, a must-watch for anyone who loves masterful storytelling.
Bravo. 👑✨
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