Khemjira – First Episode Review
So… Khemjira just dropped its first episode and wow—what a start. If this is the opening, I can’t wait to see where it goes. The production, the acting, the atmosphere… solid 8.9–9 material already. Which is why I find it baffling—no, downright peculiar—that some people are out here giving it 5–7 ratings. Not because the quality isn’t there, or because it lacks chemistry, but because they apparently don’t want it to outshine their favorite pairings. That’s not “critical reviewing,” that’s petty fan politics. Humans are strange creatures.Now, let’s talk about the OSTs—beautifully atmospheric, perfectly complementing the suspense and mood without ever feeling overbearing. They’re not just background music, they’re part of the storytelling.
As for the chemistry, even though we haven’t been given much yet, the sparks are there. It’s in the way their eyes meet just a fraction too long, the subtle shifts in body language, the slight hesitations in speech. It’s understated for now, but you can feel the undercurrent. If they build on this slowly, we could be looking at some seriously captivating dynamics ahead.
And as someone who genuinely enjoys horror (yes, I watch them like comedies sometimes), I was impressed. The tension, the visuals, and the subtle unease were on point without relying on cheap jump scares. It’s a rare balance, and Khemjira nailed it right out of the gate.
And again—mind you—this is just the first episode. So to the people pulling those ratings out of your back pocket… maybe wait until you’ve actually processed what you watched before scoring. Or better still, don’t rate what you haven’t watched or have no intention of watching. You’re being a loser.
Khemjira is off to an amazing start, and if the rest of the series keeps this momentum, we’re looking at something truly memorable.
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The overall score of the first 2 ep
Despite the fact that "Khemjira" has only just started airing, I already believe that this series will be a success! The actors are well-chosen and very similar to the characters in the novel. I also can't help but notice their visual appearance. The series is beautifully shot and features pleasant colors, as well as spine-chilling music. It immediately immerses you in the atmosphere of a Thai village and its traditions. I love how everything unfolds gradually, allowing my thoughts to coalesce into a cohesive narrative. I highly recommend watching this series.Was this review helpful to you?
“She was young and very beautiful, but pale, like the grey pallor of death.”
Yupp those are goosebumps . A state of the skin caused by cold , fear and excitement . I am glad that they are not making same typical doctor , engineer dramas , they are helping the BL drama industry to show their different sides . I have no words to describe how good this drama is . The actors / actresses are exceptionally handsome / pretty . When I was watching this series , I literally could not imagine anyone in these characters except them , the background music was adding frosting to the cake .Sound is a vital element in creating a successful horror movie or drama . It's not just about the visuals; sounds , music, and the use of silence all play a vital role in building atmosphere, coldness , and fear. And I was surprised to see how professionally they made each scenes , there were literally no boring scenes , at every second , each horror scene literally freaked me out .
And about make up , in this budget , they did a good job , the actors are professional , sometimes I was like ' You guys are acting right ? ' because the way they were giving micro expressions wow wow .
Give this drama a try , I am 100 % sure , you guys will not regret .
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This review may contain spoilers
Let's start with the positives - the horror genre is definitely present and well-developed. At times, the atmosphere is tense and the mystical elements are visually well-executed. However, there's "too much" horror. It completely dominates the screen time, leaving little room for the development of other storylines. Some rituals are just plain weird, often feel out of place, and at times are outright cringe. It's hard to understand their purpose or why these unnecessary scenes take up so much time.Now, about the BL aspect (yes, that's boys love, in case anyone didn't know). The relationship between the main characters progresses painfully slowly. Meanwhile, straight drama is somehow front and center - which really shouldn't be the case in a BL series. By the end of episode 7, we "do" see some progress between the leads, but even the "one" kiss that was clearly supposed to happen gets cut off. They leave the audience hanging at the most crucial moment - and it's not exciting, it's just "frustrating".
The contrast is especially clear when it comes to the secondary characters - their relationships develop "too" quickly, with barely any buildup, as if the writers were in a rush to check boxes. In the end, it all feels chaotic - some things move at a snail's pace, others race ahead without any balance. The story doesn't unfold in a natural or harmonious way.
Honestly? After episode 7, I'm not sure it's even worth continuing. If things keep going like this, there's really not much point in watching further.
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This review may contain spoilers
strong start that slowed down
Overall: I was impressed with the horror/supernatural elements in the first episode, but several plot elements/pacing have been disappointing. This is based off of a book which I haven't read and I'm reviewing the series on its own merits. 12 episodes about 1 hour each. Airing on iQIYI https://www.iq.com/play/khemjira-episode-1-wraawu50u8?lang=en_usContent Warnings: jump scares, attempted murders, blood, past death off screen, intimate partner abuse and violence, punch, past; manipulation, suicide, death, grief
Watch Suggestions (to focus on sweet/steamy parts)
- read the synopsis
- skip episodes 1-4
- episode 5 watch 8-end
- skip episode 6
- episode 7 watch 7:45-20:40 and 49:20-end
What I Liked
- Jet as a supportive friend
- mystery of what happened in the past, how things came to be the way they are
- that Khemjira helped someone (or rather 2) in episode 1
- good consent and intimacy with the side couple
- the Thai culture and spirituality (not sure if that's the right word) aspects
- production value
Room For Improvement
- the second domestic violence was handled very poorly, why didn't Khem tell him right away, it seemed like they only stepped in to help her because the guy was possessed and then how everything seemed fine and dandy at the end
- there is a difference between a slow burn and one character constantly rebuffing/hurting a sweet character, it was not enjoyable to watch
- the horror aspect kind of vanished during later episodes
- love rivals
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Episode 8 Made Me Write This Review
I don’t usually write reviews, but Episode 9 of Khemjira (the double episode / 2-hour special) left me no choice — it was that good.This episode contained everything a BL watcher hopes for and more. Even though Khemjira is technically a horror BL, it hasn’t relied on jump scares up to now. Instead, Episode 9 was a perfect mix of funny, emotional, lovable, exciting and genuinely scary moments. It gave us progress in both the main leads and the second couple, revealed important backstory, showcased amazing chemistry, and still managed to end on a heart-stopping cliffhanger.
This is the episode that truly made the show. It reminded me why we all tuned into Khemjira in the first place — and why we’re proud to call ourselves Khemjira fans. 10/10.
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This review may contain spoilers
Horror, mystery, ghosts from the past and more!
This is by far the best Thai drama I have watched in terms of cinematography! I just can't seem to get enough of this series! 1 ep every Saturday is making me go crazy lolWe need all eps ASAP
Ep 8:
OMG after the drought of 7 episodes we FINALLY got to see the most awaited Master and Khem kissing scenes! They really went all out with this ep! We got kisses, hugs, secret looks, NCs and then we got the Horror cliffhanger 😭😭😭😭 mannnnn what a way to end this episode! Master and Khem had one blissful night together and now they are gonna have brush with death DAMN!!! The scene with Grandma Si was so terrifying OMG 😲 I screamed!
This episode was really a good mix of comedy, romance and horror 👍👍
Ep 7:
I thought I had seen the best of Khemjira, BUT Episode 7 tops my list rn! Wow! Just WOW!! EVERYTHING ABT THIS EP was ART! Poetry!! Everything!
From the performance regarding the rebellion, the soudtracks that really enhances the vibes of the storytelling, the dancing and the way that evil ghost was dealt with by the ghost of holy ppl! Lovely!
And then we got Jet and Charn going all out with the NC scenes! It was so beautifully done! The lighting, the expressions and the blissful looks on both their faces! Wow!
And lastly our Master trying to control his feelings and failing, and almost KISSING Khem and then that cliffhanger ending! Damn!
Now I gotta suffer for another week! 😭😭
Ep 4:
We finally got the backstory of Khemmika and Mr Yod and Wat. Poor Mr Yod really did suffer alot 😢 Even though he had a chance for reincarnation he insyead tied his soul to Khem and watched over him for so many years 😭
I hope his next life is a peaceful one.
Our handsome Shaman is slowly but definitely falling for Khem!! I can see it!
Ep 1:
Fantastic first episode! The elements of horror, the bgm, and the way the story is unfolding between the past and present! Really liked it all!
Ever since the first trailer came out I have been waiting for this series to release! And with so many handsome faces 😍 what's not to love!
The eerieness of the first few minutes really had me on the edge haha! Its not something for the faint hearted
Tbh I found the pacing to be good, not too slow and not too fast either.
I'm trying to find the actual book to read, while waiting for the next episode to be released!
Hopefully we get a lot of BTS episodes to make up for the wait!
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Rewatch: 100/100
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Okay! This project has my attention...
I am genuinely impressed... The narrative unfolds seamlessly and captivates the audience. The production team along with the actors are successfully animating the story. My confidence in Domundi had waned somewhat, yet this project is slowly reinstating my belief that DMD still holds promise. However, I am convinced that there is room for enhancement in certain performances, yet I remain fully dedicated and engaged with this series!Was this review helpful to you?
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The straight wishers can kindly fuck off.
Guess what, gay people are also just human beings living their lives, anyone who gripes about this show being a BL- go talk to a wall.Initial thoughts - Horror/supernatural elements work well. Jump scares actually made me startle. The story is somewhat fresh, especially for a BL. Decently made-frames do not look cheap. Story is messy but Screenplay is decent (could be better). It's interesting to see all these thai rituals and customs. The music is good, especially the title track, scares me everytime.
The few things I don't like so far is the product placement. It's subtle, unlike some people we know (yes, I'm looking at you GMM) but for a serious show it's definitely an eyesore. The subplots are questionable, what was that thing with the DV (very poor handling). Acting is just meh. Have to see how the rest of the episodes pan out.
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This review may contain spoilers
Most wasted resource and time 2025
I was really enjoying this show so far, but the way episode 2 handled domestic abuse was just absolutely horrendous, I will not be watching the rest of the show. You already established that side of him by having him be a complete fool for the whole of the first episode, you don’t need to make that point again, especially not at the cost of dragging women who experienced domestic abuse through the dirt. The show had a really good storyline established, but wasted it by making a point of women in abusive marriages having to ‚work‘ to establish a ‚stable‘, ‚loving‘ home. There were NO repercussions for the husband, none at all, he should be behind bars or at least never be allowed to step near her again, but instead the show decided to make a point of ‚relationships are hard‘ and ‚both parties need to work on it‘. I am in no way blaming the actors, this isn’t their fault, but I am blaming the creators. The show probably went trough many stages of reviewing before release and I can’t get my head around how no one stopped for a minute and went like „hmm maybe they way we addressed the topic wasn’t the best“. I would have loved to continue this show for the plot, but I will not be supporting this kind messaging and will not continue watching it. The drama lack so many pleaseWas this review helpful to you?
Slow Burn Perfection and Worth Watching
Khemjira is one of those BL series that sneaks up on you, it’s heartfelt, emotional, and surprisingly layered. After a few episodes, I’m hooked and can’t wait for the next ones to drop. Khemjira is an absolute must-watch for me and right now I’d give it an 8.0 out of 10 but honestly, if it keeps up this quality, it could easily become a full 10/10. The chemistry between the leads is incredible every scene, every glance, every little gesture feels so real that you can’t help but root for them. The story takes its time building their relationship, and that slow burn makes everything so much more emotional and satisfying. Yes, there are a few slower moments here and there, but they fit the tone perfectly and make the emotional payoffs hit even harder. Visually, Khemjira is gorgeous, with great cinematography and a soundtrack that just pulls you in.Was this review helpful to you?
