DOMUNDI delivered it - the best supernatural bl series yet !
I found Kemjira standing up to it's expectations in almost all fronts. It was a great watch and totally worth it.Going into the details, the supernatural part was really captivating as well as realistic. Though, I somehow didn't find it frightening, except first and last few episodes, I felt something was missing for it to be actually bone chilling.
I agree the love story was not a typical soap opera one, but it was the specialty of the series, and they did show it really beautifully towards the end.
The Story was well written, complete. The execution and direction was great. Although, some of the episodes felt slow, and could a bit dragged. But, it was still engaging enough.
I do have to agree with the fact that the main cast were really good looking and "cute", which added to the charm of the series!
Overall, it's worth at least watching once.
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A Well-Executed Supernatural Drama
I watched this alongside the GL series 'Runaway', as both share a similar premise involving a shaman saving their soulmate. I’ll avoid making direct comparisons here. What stood out immediately was the quality of the visuals, the VFX were well done, and the prosthetic makeup added a lot to the atmosphere. While it wasn’t scary for me, the story itself was engaging enough to keep me hooked, to the point where I didn’t even mind the hour-long episodes.One thing I really appreciated was how clearly everything was explained. Every question I had was answered as the story progressed, and nothing felt confusing or poorly handled. The production quality overall was solid, and the narrative flowed well.
Personally, I found myself more drawn to the side characters than the main ones. As for the antagonist, her actions felt justified within the context of the story, I couldn’t help but agree with the idea of long-held, agonizing revenge driving the plot.
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This review may contain spoilers
DMD's best BL out there
At first, I didn't want to watch it because I am a scaredy cat and can't handle horror. But this was fine once you got used to it (after watching with a friend).Khemjira is the biggest BL this year, maybe even in the last few years and if you would have told me a few years ago DMD would be able to produce this kind of BL I would have doubted you HARD.
It's obvious DMD is really picking up on production now, the setting is great. It really takes you to this little village somewhere in the north of Thailand.
The Plot itself is very compelling and interesting, truly unique in the BL game. As a Non-Thai person it is super interesting to watch so much of their shaman culture/beliefs. The characters are all likable, even the antagonist to a certain point. She is not just evil, but a broken woman with backstory. So that was great! Obviously doesn't excuse her behaviour, but makes it easier to understand why she's doing what she's doing.
The acting is, for a BL, quite decent. I say this with all my love for Thai BLs btw. But there are still moments where I feel like I'm getting pulled out of the moment because I wonder what's going on with the acting. Pity. But I have seen far FAR worse in another dramas.
The music is amazing, it really fits the whole setting and 'Mantra' wow what a great song.
My biggest problem is, unfortunately, the final episode.
I don't know if I was expecting too much or something, but the episode was more of a 6/10 for me. I personally didn't really like the way Ramphueng's scene was written and produced. I think it's beautiful that her deepest wish was just to see her child again and that was very emotional. But I feel like the way it was handled was just meh. Also, the whole Khem is getting whipped but barely makes a sound? Eh. Even if he was holding back any screams to spare Paran for example, the camera should have shown that.
Their NC scene is imo one of the weakest NC scenes DMD has produced so far, which is honestly incomprehensible to me because their first NC scene in ep 8 was so beautiful. I had high expectations for this one, but it felt a bit too chroreographed for me. I don't mind awkwardness, but something felt just a bit off. Maybe I have to rewatch it, but I don't feel the need to rewatch it, you know?
I do appreciate them squeezing in a full hour of fluff, so plus points for that. But I'm so confused about so many things. Like why does it feel like in the two years until graduation, PeemKhem haven't met? If so, why? Also, I felt like afterwards, it lacked a little bit of natural flow between the main pairing who has been in love and been together for years and therefore should be without any stilted awkwardness. The latter point is more of a Thai BL problem in general, though.
So in total, it was still most likely the best BL of the year, truly unique in its own ways. I'm glad the leads had such a great break out drama and look forward to their future projects. I try not too have too much expectations for future DMD projects or else I will be disappointed (like with TNP). Would definitely recommend the drama to friends.
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I was promised good Horror and BL-Romance and got neither...
at least the plot and production was good, otherwise I would have dropped this (almost did).Things I liked:
- Production/Directing/Visual Effects/Costumes: Great, didn't expect the ghosts to be so well made. One of the strongest things about the show for sure.
- Plot: It kept me interested for most of the show (there was a slow middle part though). The first couple of episodes were definitely the strongest.
- Backstories: I liked all of the other backstories/former lives that were shown, I honestly wished they would have given those plots more onscreen time.
- The second couple romance: They were super cute. No comparison to the main couple "shudder". Even though it felt rushed, especially liked the GL plotline.
- The end: Really liked the way it was resolved. Made so much sense and was quite surprising to me.
- The magic: The way they portrayed the magic and shamanism was simply great.
Things I didn't like:
- The "Horror": Aside from episode 1 I wasn't scared a single time. That disappointed me so much, because the show was able to do it in the beginning eps, but then just watered it down. Even the end was a total letdown. That was one of the main reasons I was exited to watch this. Oh well.
- Khem(jira): Oh boy, they did something I have only seen prior in female characters: Useless, passive, crying "damsel in distress" character, feels misogynistic without a single woman involved, wow. The woman were written better.... He was a happy-go-lucky guy without much personality (or backbone), who spends the better time of the show crying and sacrificing himself. I was so angry about this, almost dropped it just because of him. Didn't help that the actor is terrible, sorry.
- The Acting: Besides the main character, the other characters were mid-to-bad usually. The only person I liked was the female ghost actress. Honestly raised the bar all by herself.
- The main couple: Whatever the opposite to good chemistry is, they had it. I'm sorry but I cringed anytime they had a romantic scene. It just didn't work. They had zero build up. It seemed like the only reason they fell in love with each other was because of their former life. Personally felt Peem was a better actor and he was trying to create chemistry with him but the other guy just...didn't.
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Khemjira is peak.
I still haven’t recovered from this BL. I have already watched it 3 times and I cannot get over it. I watched this every week in my flat with all my friends and it became Khemjira Saturday. I don’t think I’ve seen a BL that all of my friends have enjoyed to this extent before.The supernatural storyline mixed with romance was pure gold. I was so happy they didn’t go crazy with the sound effects like in some other shows and showed a more mature approach. The emotional connection between characters and how you slowly learn more about everyone and see how their love unfolds really keeps you captured, all while seeing how they’re going to make it through unexpected challenges.
Keng and Namping really outdid themselves, the soundtrack is still on repeat and the whole setting of the show was perfect. I am so jealous of my friends who watched it as their first Thai BL.
I really can’t get enough of this series and don’t think I’ll ever get over the impact it left on my life. I am probably being dramatic but it was genuinely so fun to watch and I will definitely watch it again.
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Romance and mystery – Great chemistry between new BL couple
Khemjira is a 12-episode Thai BL series that mixes supernatural elements with romance. The story follows Khem, a young man cursed to die before 21, and his journey to break the family curse with the help of Pharan, a skilled shaman.The series wasn’t quite what I expected, but I got drawn in anyway. The new actors did a great job, and the lead couple had fantastic chemistry that made their relationship feel real and engaging. The second couple also had good chemistry, but their romance felt almost unnecessary in the story. It seemed a bit forced to fit in so many gay couples, which slightly took away from the authenticity of the main narrative.
Khemjira feels fresh compared to many other Thai BL series. The story is exciting, and the supernatural angle makes it stand out. It might have been a little long at times, and the plot could have been tightened up, but it kept me watching from start to finish.
Overall, I really enjoyed the series and the journey of the characters. I hope the lead couple gets to star together in more projects because their chemistry was one of the highlights. It’s a nice change from the usual Thai BL shows and worth watching if you want something a bit different and a little more adventurous.
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This got me back into Thai BL!
I actually really enjoyed **Khemjira**It was such a refreshing change from the usual cookie cutter school BL dramas
I loved the ancient curse, paranormal, and spiritual elements—they made the story feel unique and kept me invested from beginning to end.
Another thing I really enjoyed was that I didn’t know most of the cast.
The only familiar faces for me were Net, Nammon, Mark, and Jab, who all appeared in guest or cameo roles.
Going in without knowing the main or supporting leads made the experience even better.
It’s been since **The Next Prince** that I’ve truly loved a Thai BL. For years they were my go-to, but I felt like they lost a bit of their spark for a while\. Recently, though, I’d been hearing that the newer dramas were getting really good again, so I decided to give them another chance.
First I watched **Love Upon a Time**, which completely won me over. Then I moved on to **Khemjira**
Two incredible dramas back-to-back! I’m so happy to see Thai BL finding its magic again, and I can’t wait to see what I watch next.
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A Unique Gem!
Khemjira is definitely the surprise BL of 2025 for me. I basically had no idea what I was getting into when I started to watch this whilst it was airing. This is also my first Domundi production and I will have to say that there is a clear difference in style and storytelling compared to GMM.Firstly, Khemjira offers a twist on the supernatural & traditional beliefs often seen in Thai BLs. I really appreciated this and how it really went all in on it. I liked how the show didn't overexplain every little detail of the world, but rather allowed the viewer different interpretations. I think the show did the horror elements of the show very well and almost wished they did more of it later on in the show.
The chemistry between both couples in the show was good and the acting in general was solid. I'm generally not someone that likes the whole “couple is meant to be with each other” as I think it deludes the actual romance, however I think it's fine here as it´s not as clear-cut (trying to avoid spoilers).
A few things about the show that I didn't necessarily love were the unnecessary random side-characters that would show up and just kinda disappear. Also I do think the show dragged a bit at certain points. There were a few scenes (especially in the middle of the show) that dragged on for like 20 minutes without really adding anything to the story. I also think the ending was a bit anti-climactic to be honest.
Other notes:
- One of my favorite Thai intros, really sets the tone for the show.
- Khemdijra is well done technically. They clearly had a big budget for this show.
- I loved the set design.
- One of the best pilot episodes i've seen in BL.
To conclude, I really enjoyed this show and would recommend this to pretty much anyone (even non-bl fans), however it did lack an emotional punch for me and I don't really see myself re-watching this for that particular reason. Khemjira is one of those shows for me that does most things right, and I can see why other people would absolutely adore it, but it just lacked *something* for me. Nevertheless, this will get a very solid rating from me.
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Khemjira — 8.5/10 and I am NOT OK
I didn’t expect Khemjira to crawl under my skin like this… but here we are. This series is beautiful in that quiet, aching way — the kind that doesn’t scream for your attention but slowly takes over your heart. The production alone already had me hooked: dark, atmospheric visuals, haunting sound design, and rituals that feel sacred, scary, and oddly poetic all at once. Everything feels intentional. Nothing feels cheap.
And the romance??? Oh it hurts in the best way. This is not loud love. This is longing, restraint, stolen glances, hands almost touching, emotions swallowed and held for too long. The love story feels fated and fragile, like one wrong move could break everything — and that tension just *wrecked* me episode after episode.
Harit Buayoi… sir. SIR. He absolutely owns this role. The way he expresses pain, fear, devotion, and love without even speaking should be illegal. His eyes do half the acting and somehow say more than pages of dialogue. Watching his character slowly crack — then soften — then love anyway, knowing the risks? I was gone.
That said — the reason this sits at 8.5/10 (and not higher) is the writing choice for Khem. The character is written quite effeminate, and while the actor plays it beautifully and with sincerity, it sometimes leans into a portrayal that feels more stereotypical than necessary. It’s not an acting issue at all — it’s a writing decision. The performance elevates the character, but I couldn’t help wishing Khem had been written with a bit more complexity and balance.
Still, Khemjira feels like a series made with care and heart — one that trusts the audience to feel rather than be told. It’s haunting, tender, painful, and beautiful. I finished it with that hollow-but-full feeling, staring at the screen like “okay… now what do I do with my life?”
8.5/10 for I would still suffer again. Would still rewatch. Would still recommend — emotional damage and all.
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Overhyped and Boring
Khemjira (also known as Khemjira Must Survive) is a 2025 Thai supernatural horror boys' love series produced by Domundi TV. Centered around a young man named Khem, who is trying to survive a deadly family curse before turning 21 with the help of a powerful sorcerer named Pharan, the show generated massive amounts of hype. While online fandoms and social media are absolutely obsessed with this series, the actual viewing experience reveals that it is nothing special. Beneath the flashy occult elements lies a plot that is heavily flawed, repetitive, and ultimately tedious.It is honestly difficult to understand why people praise this show so intensely, as the execution of the story feels incredibly boring and poorly thought out. What should have been a thrilling, high-stakes supernatural horror quickly devolves into a cycle of predictable scares and stupid character decisions. The pacing drags immensely, making a one-hour episode feel like a chore to sit through. Instead of building a complex lore, the writing constantly relies on cheap tricks, and the main conflict often feels plain silly and illogical rather than genuinely frightening or engagingThe absolute saving grace of Khemjira—and the only reason it manages a 6.5 rating—is its fantastic cast. The lead actors, Keng Harit Buayoi (Pharan) and Namping Napatsakorn Pingmuang (Khem), are incredibly talented and possess a lot of natural charm. Despite the weak material they were given, they deliver solid individual performances and do their absolute best to carry the entire show on their shoulders. They have great on-screen presence, and it is clear that the actors themselves are highly capable professionals who deserve a much better, tighter scriptUltimately, Khemjira finishes as an overhyped 6.5/10 experience. It is a textbook definition of a show that looks good on paper but fails completely in its storytelling. If you look past the loud internet hype, you are left with a fairly boring and occasionally nonsensical plot. However, if you are a fan of Keng and Namping, it might be worth a casual watch just to appreciate their acting skills—just don't expect the masterpiece that everyone else claims it to be.Was this review helpful to you?
A MASTERPIECE, but
Overall, this is a masterpiece. The plot is fresh, the setting, the ambience, and even the soundtrack—it is indeed a (almost) perfection. The thing that bothered me the most was the product placement. LOL, I know they needed a lot of money to produce this one, but at least use the products correctly. Also, the acting sometimes kind of feels off. Not that bad "bad", though. It's still a masterpiece. KENG IS SO DAMN HOT HERE.Was this review helpful to you?
