Khemjira

It was great, but it's not without faults

👻What I Enjoyed/Liked👻
1. A1 cinematography & production - So incredibly well done that I can confidently say that it's among the best that I've seen this year. Also, the village setting was so well done.

2. The inclusion of Thai culture, outfits, shamanic practices, etc. They were all so grand and beautiful. I haven't seen another Thai show that includes this (granted, all I watch from Thailand is BLs), so this was super interesting to see

3. The overall story - This doesn't get a 10/10, but for the most part, the story was well done. Throughout the 12 episodes, they gave us a lot of background info on the characters and how they all connected to each other, making everything feel cohesive. By the end of the story, there aren't many loose ends

4. The acting - I think the cast, the main 4, are largely rookies, and they did a really good job. I have seen cringeworthy acting in the BL scene. These four, they deserve their flowers. I hope to see them get even better in the future

5. The NC scenes in eps 7 & 8 - Aside from the fact that they were so very hot, I feel like they suited the couples perfectly. Chan & Jet are more playful, and so was their scene. Peem & Khem are more angsty and slowburn, and their scene reflected that beautifully.
Edit: After rewatching the show (now that it's on Netflix), I have an appreciation for the NC scene in ep 12. It didn't hit for me when I 1st watched the show. I found it a little boring. But now... yeah. I was wrong. Kudos to the actors and the director. It's such a beautiful and well-made scene

👻What I Didn't Like/Areas That Could've Been Worked On👻
1. Ramphueng should've received an apology. From her backstory, we see that they wronged her 1st. Her revenge - crazy as it was-, was justified. What that family did to her was horrible. In episode 12, they make her apologize, but why didn't they apologize to her, too? For over 200 years, no one ever said 'sorry' for playing a part in the unjust death of her and her son. Khem and his mother should've apologized to her for the parts that their past selves played in that

2. Does anyone know if Ramphueng went after all the people in that family (including the 1st wife and polygamous husband), or was it just Khem and his mother? I mean, Khem's testament (as Krongkhwan) was what put the nail in the proverbial coffin of her death, but... what happened to the other people throughout the years? Did she go after everyone? Coz if so, miss ma'am was one hell of a busy ghostly bee

3. Khem/Namping's crying scenes - When he has to sit and cry silently, it works. It's great. But when more emotions are needed, like he needs to be on the floor sobbing, it doesn't work. IDK if this makes sense, but during these intense crying/emotional scenes, as a viewer, I can tell that he's acting (and that it's not going well)

3. Khem & Peem don't have much in the way of facial expressions - Peem is stoic, and Khem is either sad, faking a smile or on the verge of crying. I don't want to judge too harshly since perhaps this worked because that is who the characters were. However, in the future, I'd love to see Keng and Namping use their facial muscles more in whatever show they'll be on. As per the latter half of the last episode, we see that they are clearly capable of it, so let them use them.

4. Khem was always the damsel in distress, and surprisingly, doesn't have much vigor to stay alive - This might be the thing that pissed me off the most. We started the show with Khem wanting to find a way to survive past the age of 21, then his friends suggested that Peem might like him, and suddenly, all he could care about was whether Peem liked him back?! Sir?!?!?!?! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PLOT??? Listen, I understand that this is a BL. That they are meant to fall in love but... Priorities man. Vengeful ghosts 1st, romance later. Also, him up and leaving after Grandma Si died.... Come on now

5. The timeline - I might be horrendously bad at math, but I believe that the mid-1700s were at most 275 years ago. Where did the 400 years that they kept talking about come from?

6. Peem should have had a longer chasing arc - He was so mean for so long. He should've had to struggle and prove himself for longer to win Khem's affection and trust

👻Random Thoughts👻
a. Those villagers were so cool with all the ghosts. If it were me, I'd have left and never gone back😂

b. We largely saw Khem interact with ghosts that wanted him ☠️. I wish we saw his interactions with nice or at least neutral ghosts. Like the ghost mama in ep 1, who simply wanted to save her son

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Sometimes even Domundi BLs can surprise us in a good way...

Disclaimer: This review is only valid for the UNCUT version of this show. Avoid the cut version like the plague, because as always, the cut off a lot of story. This is especially true for episode 8 which has a runtime of 1:56:51. I would not have minded to cut a lot off the finale because the end was draggy. So consider the uncut version as a 13 episodes series with some bonus content.

P'Aof said in the making of TNP he could not do any better, but he clearly lied, because we saw, he could do better. When you do not make a show just to cater to the fangirls and the actors, to no surprise to anyone, you are successful. This was filmed before TNP and it seems, this is the series where all the energy got into the script.

While the story is elaborate it's still straightforward and easy to understand. There is a lot of darkness in it, a lot of pain, but also a lot of growing and commitment for each other. For me it was perfect for episodes 1 to 10, ep 11 and 12 did not keep up the high standards established before. Especially the "bonus" bits felt a bit draggy and also the production quality was subpar because the cuts where a bit eratic, they could not keep a rocket in focus (who wants to watch just the smoke?) and the happy family time felt unnecessary for me because it did not fit the vibe of the show. Most of the finale would have been better served as an special episode detatched from the main story.

I guess the star of this show is the soundtrack which was really exceptionell and of course the "intro" which did not spoil any story elements at all. Kudos for that! Acting was very good especially considering the filming must be especially hard without any climatized rooms for most of the time. Of course this plays out in a rural area, so we got also a lot of nature and traditional housing. Cinematography with the 2:1 aspect ratio was most of the time stunning, the special effects were better than in any other thai BL and of course they had lot's of work with makeup and costumes.

Overall, this is the first series, where a big budget meets or exceeds it's expectations and after the fiasco (in my view) of TNP Domundi/Mandee redeemed itself as being able to tell a story first and have romances second. They even went the extra mile to put their ads as subtle as possible.

This was most defenitively not a waste of my time and it will not be a waste of your time either.

Update: Thanks for all the upvotes but thanks also for nearly the same amount of downvotes. If I sometimes agree with the masses they downvote and when I write harsh reviews disagreeing with them, I get the same. It's really amusing how much hate people have in them.

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Came for the horror, stayed because everything else was incredible.

Recommended for: Fans of supernatural mysteries, emotional storytelling, and beautifully crafted BL dramas with strong cultural elements.

ONE-LINER QUICK THOUGHT: A masterpiece of storytelling, culture, and atmosphere, a horror series that even non-horror fans can appreciate.

OVERALL ENJOYMENT: 5/5

STORY SETTING: Modern life, rural areas, nature

Immersion: A beautifully immersive world with strong cultural elements and an atmospheric setting that pulls you into the story.

CINEMATOGRAPHY: 5/5

GENRE: Supernatural Horror / Mystery / Thriller / BL Romantic Drama

VIBES / MOOD:

⚔️ Intense
🌧️ Melancholic
👀 Suspenseful
👻 Haunting
🌑 Atmospheric
🕯️ Unsettling
🩸 Horror Factor: Moderate (Jumpscares are impactful but not overused)

REWATCH VALUE: 10/5

PACING & EPISODES: 12 episodes 4.5/5

A well-paced emotional roller coaster with a good balance of mystery, flashbacks, intense moments, and sweeter character interactions.

CHARACTERS:

Overall: 5/5
Likeable protagonist 5/5
Supporting cast 5/5
Character development 4.5/5 (Lower rating for Khem)
Best supporting character(s): Jet & Charn

STORY QUALITY: 5/5

ANGST FACTOR: 5/5

EMOTIONAL IMPACT FACTOR: 5/5

MUSIC / OST: 5/5
The soundtrack elevates the emotional moments and creates a haunting atmosphere that stays even after finishing the series.

Totally recommend to watch their reaction video also to hear the boys share more about the production and story, and them letting their intrusive thoughts win like how we as viewers would LOL.

CHARACTER THOUGHTS:


- spoilers ahead -



CHARACTER THOUGHTS: Khem

Some viewers felt that Khem gave up too easily, but looking deeper into his character, his decision feels much more understandable. He spent 21 years trying to survive, not just physically, but emotionally, while being constantly tormented by spirits. Even though he had people who cared for him, the fear, pain, and isolation he carried were something he had endured for most of his life.

Paran becoming part of his life was both a blessing and a source of vulnerability. For the first time, Khem had someone he truly cherished and a reason to hope for a future. But after Grandma Si’s death, something he blamed himself for, the guilt became unbearable.

His choice to give up was not because he stopped fighting, but because he was exhausted. In his mind, leaving meant the pain would finally end. And if he somehow survived, he could still find his way back to Paran. It was a heartbreaking decision, but one that reflected how deeply traumatized and emotionally exhausted he was.

tldr; Khem’s decision to give up may frustrate some viewers, but understanding his 21 years of suffering, guilt, and exhaustion makes his choice painfully human. He wasn’t weak, he was someone who had been fighting for far too long.

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debunking any negative reviews

i am being extremely serious when i say khemjira is life changing, if you’re seeing any low ratings and read those reviews and think “hmm maybe this is awful” im here to let you know that you should really give khemjira a try

“oh well the romance isn’t developed” well romance isn’t the only theme you numpty.

“oh well it was so slow and long” uhh then skip parts and miss out? some people actually love the longevity and the attention to the emotions and details of the dialogue and the scenes.

“acting wasn’t very good” both keng and namping must’ve cried so much, expressed so many emotions and were just incredible, are we also forgetting that there are other actors too which did an incredible job green? tle? firstone? pung? etc etc if you’re leaving negative reviews about the casting you are absolutely mad because the casting especially with the past lives of khem jet and charn were spot on and incredible. like casting patji as a younger peem? you can’t deny that that was perfect

i haven’t seen any complaints about music yet people have been rating the music rating low? make it make sense. prang prangtip and keng harit ost 1 BEAUTIFUL, namping gorgeous, tle was majestic, firstones ost was my favourite, and let’s not forget the intro song and the other song by aof and the ost by green and grandma si and yet there’s still more songs to come out

each part of khemjira was so detailed and thought out. and as someone that has a terrible attention span, i managed to watch khemjira absolutely fine without getting bored. each part was executed incredibly and i think dmd actually deserve a ton of credit for bringing khemjira to life, because clearly a ton of effort was made. genuinely what do you even like if you don’t like khemjira? or if you don’t like khemjira, you must appreciate the efforts, the casting, the music. literally how can you not like the music? i’m sorry but if you can’t get on board with the music ill blindly assume you’re just not a fan of dmd actors.

i am really proud of this series, and i really think it’s achieved the love it deserves, as of writing it’s at 8.8/10 which i’m super proud of

anyways i gotta stop being so pressed at everything

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Stellar Story, Mediocre Acting

I cannot lie, this was probably one of the best storylines we've gotten out of 2025. The setup, the twists, the outcomes, literally everything. A horror BL done right cause it doesn't center the BL and it works so perfectly for this. Khemjira is stellar, I was kept engaged despite my dismay of the runtime, and I was thoroughly impressed. Unfortunately, the acting is where this takes a large stumble for me.

Let's Dive In.

I liked that Khem and Paran are a slow burn. Not because it's my cup of tea, but because it works so well into the scheme of things with Paran being a shaman and not allowed to really fall in love, and then we steadily see him fall for Khem more and more. I'll be honestly, I was not impressed with that last NC scene. I think there's a certain point when things are dragged too long, and that was just tooooo long. I also kind of don't really see why Paran fell for Khem. I understand for Khem because, Paran is a fucking greek god, but outside of their past soul's love lives, I just don't see what about Khem is to fall for. The fact that he's making your life harder...?

I enjoyed Jet and Charn a lot more than the leads. I liked that Jet realizes how beautiful Charn is after he gets wet and looses his glasses, and I just love Charn altogether. The topics that are brought up amongst them as they progress into a relationship are spectacular, give me more of that.

The plot was just splendid. The village, the people, the workings of the shines and the magic, the two little kids, Ramphueng. Like, wow, just so good. Obviously the CGI is a bit shit, but it's not so bad that I can't stay intrigued in the plot. We learn a lot of Thai culture which I appreciate, and I love that the longer I watch Thai BL, the more I pick up on the lingo, the honorifics, and I realized a lot of how that stuff worked in this. Bravo.

I won't lie though, this was entirely too long. There was no way I could watch this in regular speed, so each episode was watched in 1.5-2x speed, and it honestly felt like it was going a normal pace. There are moments, like always, that just aren't needed.

The acting...sigh. It's not so bad in certain part, but our main guy cannot cry for shit. You know those moment you can tell when someone is crying (real tears, red rimmed eyes, puffy cheeks, etc.) and then when someone put water drops in their eyes? Yeah... But it wasn't just Namping, I wasn't really impressed with anyone's acting outside of Firstone's acting. These guys are pretty new to this (Not Keng though, he worked with Jeff??? Jaw on the floor), so I'll give them slightly the benefit of the doubt.

Ratings:

Story: 9/10 - good and strong! Flowed nicely, some parts dragged a bit, but otherwise it was good. NAMMON.

Acting: 7.5/10 - Namping could be so good with just a little more practice, I wasn't impressed really at all with anyone's acting.

Music: 5/10 - didn't pay attention to it.

Recommendation Value: 7.5/10 - This might not be everyone's bread and butter. It's a little on the scary side, kind of traumatic, and lots of jump scares. But everyone needs to see Keng in a wet white long sleeve with a back tattoo, so go for it!

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A 10/10 Masterpiece

Khemjira is nothing short of a masterpiece. Every single episode was captivating, drawing me deeper into its haunting yet beautiful world. From the very first scene to the last, I felt completely immersed, unable to look away.
The setting was breathtaking, each location chosen with care and filmed with a polished eye. The cinematography was crisp and fresh, never once falling into the overdone or cringey trap that sometimes plagues BL dramas. Instead, it carried an elegance that elevated the story into something truly special.

The plot itself was a revelation. Layered, emotional, and unpredictable, it unfolded like a tragic poem, blending supernatural horror with the tenderness of human love. The flashbacks were perfectly woven in, never forced, always meaningful, giving us the heart-wrenching backstory of the family’s curse. The explanation of why the mother named her son “Khemjira” tied everything together so beautifully with the title, leaving me in awe of the storytelling.

The cast delivered performances that were nothing short of brilliant. Every emotion felt real, every moment of pain or love carried weight. The chemistry between the leads was powerful and believable, and the supporting cast gave depth and soul to the entire narrative.

The ghost effects were surprisingly realistic and heightened the sense of dread without overshadowing the story. The music score, meanwhile, was perfectly matched, haunting, emotional, and often lingering in my mind long after an episode ended.
What makes Khemjira stand apart is its balance: a supernatural tale laced with tragedy and horror, yet still deeply human and emotionally resonant. It never dragged, never lost its rhythm. Every episode was a 10 out of 10 experience, the kind of rare drama that holds your heart hostage until the very end.

This is one of the best BL series I have ever watched. It is powerful, tragic, and breathtaking, a drama that will stay with me for a long, long time.

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Strong potential, but uneven writing and flawed execution hold it back.

I was supposed to love this. It started off strong: a compelling setting, intriguing premise, solid production values, and impressive world-building. I especially appreciated how Thai culture was integrated into the story. The special effects were good, and the overall atmosphere was enhanced by beautiful sets and music.

Unfortunately, as the series progressed, the story lost its momentum. What could have been a powerful drama became weighed down by draggy pacing, noticeable plot holes, and one of the most frustrating climax resolutions I’ve seen in a long time. I also disliked how the show handled women’s pain in several instances. It often felt insensitive and occasionally preachy, reducing serious issues to careless plot devices. This negatively affected my perception of both Khem and Peem because of their absolute lack of empathy or common sense at times.

One of the highlights for me was the second couple. Their relationship felt organic and meaningful, and the actors had excellent chemistry. In contrast, the main romance felt flat. Aside from their past connection, the show did very little to convince me that the leads belonged together. The lack of proper development made it hard to feel invested in their relationship, and my struggles with Khem as a character only worsened this issue.

I partly blame the writing for this, because pretty much every other character was more layered or likable than him, while the show desperately tried to convince the audience that Khem is special, or at least mildly interesting. I hate to say this, but apart from the writing, it was mostly the acting that kept taking me out of the story. Namping does not have the capacity to display the emotional range needed to carry this show as a main character, which is a huge problem when you’re the core of the story. Everything revolved around Khem, and I went from feeling indifferent toward him to actively frustrated.

Overall, this series had strong potential and some standout elements, but uneven writing, a weak main character, and a disappointing resolution of its main storyline ultimately held it back.

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An Intriguing Thai BL That Had The Potential To Be A Lot Better

Khemjira is a supernatural thriller BL drama that centers around a cursed young man whose karma can only be altered by a shaman powerful enough to counter it. The greatest asset of this drama is its gripping story rich with Thai lore, buddhism, reincarnation, and history. Perhaps, the best and most compelling character is the main villain herself, Ramphueng. Though her evil deeds can never be justified, her grievances are deep and her motivations understandable. I watched this for the plot (yeah, really) because it intrigued me from the moment I read the synopsis, but I stayed for the second couple. Jet and Charn made this drama for me.

For the most part, this was an enjoyable drama with a riveting plot that, at times, put me on the edge. However, the central character, Khemjira, is not in the least bit interesting. Khem, as he is often called in the drama, is basically a feminized male character that is as tropey as the cursed and trapped princess in the tower waiting to be rescued by a knight in shining armor. He might as well be a damsel in distress in a typical shojo manga that cries for her beloved and must be kept safe at all times. Despite his ability to see ghosts and potential to learn magic, he is not taught the necessary skills to defend himself just because. Instead, he begs for people to help him and is practically useless all throughout the series. I'm convinced that Khem was originally written to be a helpless woman but was later changed to a man to turn it into a BL story. Oh, he cooks and cleans for everyone. That's his job. He is given the stereotypical gender role for women. If that's not a clear indication of how the author sees this character, I don't know what else to tell you. This is my biggest beef with the drama.

And because of this characterization of the main character, I had no interest whatsoever in his romance with Peem. As strikingly handsome Harit is, I just wasn't as invested in them as I was with Jet and Charn. I found myself skipping their NC scenes and fast-forwarding a lot of their interactions. I have nothing against Namping. I think he is severely lacking in the acting department but then so are the others. I give him a pass for being a newbie. I'm sure he will improve in time. I just dislike his character so much I would've given the drama up if not for the intriguing story and the engaging second couple. Besides, femboys in BL have always been a pet peeve of mine. I watch BL to watch boys fall in love, not effeminate boys. But I understand that some actually want that, it's just not for me.

I also watched this drama in 1.25x, which I don't normally do. I don't usually like speed watching but the episodes are overly long with too much fluff and many fodder characters. A lot of the scenes are just them standing around and looking at each other awkwardly as if they're waiting for the director to yell "cut". I thought that was so strange. The story could've been told in 10 episodes or fewer with just 40 minutes run-time for each. It's really not that deep. A lot of the important stuff is about Ramphueng and the curse anyway, and that was told in just 1-2 episodes. The BL stuff could take up the other 8 episodes.

The production value in this is not bad, but not impressive either. I guess for a Thai drama, it's pretty good. The music is also enchanting and apt for such a dark supernatural drama. I want to commend the writers for the detailed descriptions of the rituals and spells, though. It does seem like they are well-researched. I found this aspect of the drama especially fascinating.

But as I mentioned, it's really the second couple that got me hooked. The two actors have such great chemistry that they made me believe that they really are just two relatively straight boys who are “gay for each other”. Jet is oozing with charisma and is so adorable that I became convinced that he could make any guy fall in love. Charn's quiet strength and calm nature is a great complement to his feistiness. I suppose they are also archetypes in BL or even in hetero romance, but the fact that none of them act like girls really help sell the “gay for you” trope. Suffice to say, I adored them and always looked forward to their scenes no matter how small or trivial.

All in all, I was entertained. The story and the charm of the second couple kept me from dropping it. Would I recommend it? Sure. I know there are BL fans out there who don't have the same nitpicks or pet peeves as I do and would appreciate an interesting story and eye-candies. Would I watch it again? Probably not. I will watch snippets or videos of Jet and Charn being lovey dovey, though.

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“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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I almost dropped this series

I didn't like the show when I first started it and I probably would've stopped at episode 5 if I didn't have friends that recommended that I keep going. If you are like me and were not invested in the lead couple, but had a soft spot for Jet and Charn, then it's worth watching to episode 7 and then re-evaluate from there if you want to keep going.

Tle and Firstone won me over with their performance throughout the entire show. To me, it was worth watching all the way to the end just for them. But even with all of this and my criticism, I still think this is the best show Domundi has put out so far. But I wouldn't say it's the best BL I've seen.

I think Khemjira had a lot going for it, but the execution didn't quite make it there for me. The way I felt about Khemjira reminded me of when I first watched Until We Meet Again. In both, I thought the secondary couple overtook the first. The first couple felt lacking to me for the same reasons where the past life of PeemKhem & DeanPharm held more weight to their backstory then their current lifetime. Actually, Fluke’s character (Pharm) reminds me of Khem. They both cook and cry their way to romance, which those acts aren't inherently a bad thing if there was weight to that emotion. Even grandma Si’s backstory cooking sweets for Peem had more emotional weight than this.

Khem’s sadness is soooo tangled with his previous life and we have little connection to it as a viewer who only looks through a window of short flashbacks into the past. Yet as a viewer of the drama we are asked to feel so deeply for them in these short bursts despite when the only thing they are giving us in the present day is longing looks, Khem's cooking as his act of service, and a medicinal scene with Peem wrapping Khem's wounds on his fingers. Yes, Peem does help Khem dispel his Choyod in the first act. But he is tied to that karma as his brother is the ghost haunting Khem. And Peem's knowledge of their previous life has baring on his feelings for Khem in that situation. What about the present lifetime made them fall in love? They can’t help but fall in love. It just is. But, that was my issue.

In fact, I actually don’t have a problem with fated love stories. I have a problem with fated love stories that is used as a shortcut to skip out on building romance. Just because they loved each other in their previous life doesn’t mean that it’s enough to sustain their relationship in their current life. What I was missing from them was found with Jet and Charn.

“You’ve been helping me. But I also cursed at you. But you’re still nice to me. You even mess with, but maybe I started it.” LOL (Jet fully knowing he is the instigator most of the time but I digress). It’s not hard to see why Jet would fall for a lovable dork who would do anything for his friends. For Charn who tries not to get knocked out unconscious by Jet’s dancing skills, you can see why he fell for him too. Jet wears his emotions out in the open like the way he dances. He is unguarded and he feels so deeply. They were the ONLY reason why I kept watching the drama. They felt like a real couple to me who are in love versus Peem and Khem who were performing the acts of love. And I do not think my issue with this has anything to do with Keng and Namping as actors, but has everything to do with the script. Overall, I think it's still a solid watch even though the pacing can be slow at times. I was ultimately rewarded at the end because of my absolute adoration for Jet and Charn. I will undeniably follow Tle and Firstone's future works because they are so talented!

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