Khemjira

OMG! It was so BORING!!!

This had to be one of the most boring BLS I've ever seen! The acting, the storyline, the fact that it seemed to jump all over the place, the cinematography it was just awful in my opinion. I like BLs that have a good plot; this didn't deliver that. I like spice in my BLs; this didn't have it. I like good acting; the acting in this one was subpar. Not a big fan of slow burn romance BLs; that's what this one is. I will never watch this again but I won't tell someone else not to watch it as they may have a different opinion about it than me if the watch it, but I won't recommend it to anyone.

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Romance and Horror -- not necessarily a good match

First, I should point out that I like this series. The actors were great. Really incredible. I was totally engrossed in every single episode until the very end. The OST wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible, it didn't really catch my attention. The rewatch value for me was kind of low, because overall the ending was so much of a let down that I felt unfulfilled. It ruined my enjoyment of the series. It took me a long time to write this review, because I wanted to take some time to get away from the ending so I wouldn't base too much of my review on it's failures. This is a horror story with a little bit of romance. Too bad it got marketed as a romance. Overall, I would say it was a success. There were some good scary moments and the overall tenor of the show was horror, but often the romance got in the way of it feeling really scary. On the other side, they focused so heavily on the horror aspect that the romance kind of fell flat. There were moments when the romance took the spotlight and they were so well done. There were other moments when the horror took the spotlight and they were also so well done. I wanted the director to give the series a better focus. The horror felt less scary and the romance felt unfinished. I know there were some scenes that were shown on YouTube used to promote the show and it gave us a great glimpse of the chemistry of the main couple, however, those scenes were actually cut from the series. The last episode closes it off well, and it had moments on both the horror side and romance side that were definitely worth watching, but overall I just didn't like how let down I felt. Maybe I would go back and watch the highlights, but unfortunately I feel this show didn't have enough committment to either romance or horror to do either very well. Would still recommend, but only if you aren't picky.

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So much promise, so little pay-off. This drama is wasted potential.

The supposed “selling point” of this series is the supernatural element. You know, curses, ghosts, mystery...Except somewhere along the way, the supernatural got shoved into a closet so the show could force-feed us a romance that isn’t even well executed. If you’re going to sideline the ghosts then at least give us a love story worth caring about 😭😭??

Watching this felt like two different productions rammed together. Episodes 1–2 and 11–12? Fantastic. Creepy atmosphere, strong setup, I was genuinely peeking through my blanket but still hooked. Then… everything in between. It’s as if a completely different director, cinematographer, and scriptwriter took over and decided that the curse is actually a side-plot now.

Episode 1 had me invested: who is this boy, what’s his curse, what’s lurking in the shadows? But once Khemjira lands at the Master’s house, the show abandons all of that. Instead, we get a romance that fails to explain why Peem even falls in love with him. Half the time I was sitting there thinking: If he’s cursed, where are the ghosts? Where are the consequences? Why is everyone acting like this is fine when the curse is supposedly at its peak? Sure, Peem’s house is a temple, so maybe ghosts can’t stroll in, but the writers could have introduced SOMETHING to show the curse’s impact. But nah, nada. Why is the curse suddenly such a one-ghost thing?? Why does the one-ghost thing only happen when Khem is at Peem's house?? Why is there no stronger consequences??

Honestly, I only started enjoying the series again once Khem returned from town and went back to his dorm. At least then the story remembered it had a *scary* supernatural plot.

I genuinely want to support dramas that try to introduce complex elements to queer stories and do not want to make "it's queer" the drama's entire personality. This drama managed to fumble both the supernatural plot AND the romance. Like… pick a struggle. Peem seems bizarrely unconcerned that Khem could literally die from his curse, and Khem himself doesn’t seem too bothered either. I will not deny that the themes they were intending to explore (including not only the magic, reincarnation, karma, and buddhist elements but also the themes related to Ramphueng, familial devotion, sacrifice etc.) were great and deserve a shoutout, so does the production, but I simply cannot overlook the problems with the plot.


This is a story that does a back and forth between “omg my curse!” and “omg does he like me back though!” without ever committing to either, and in so doing, fails to stick.

The only thing I absolutely loved is the OSTs lmao.

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Khemjira is an interesting drama, but one with considerable flaws in editing and execution.

Khemjira is a mystical BL drama with a distinctive historical premise, yet quite uneven in its overall execution. To begin with, its story holds great potential for strong development. Culturally engaging and rooted in Thai traditions, it becomes a true gem that is hard not to admire.

For fans of the supernatural genre—reincarnation, spiritual possession, past lives, and ancient mystical deities—*Khemjira* offers an appealing dish that certainly deserves to be tasted.

Another important point that cannot go unmentioned is the commitment of the entire team to delivering a quality production. This is especially evident in the behind-the-scenes footage shown after each episode.

Unfortunately, in my view, this is where the best aspects of the drama end. I watched it until the very end mainly because of the story itself and, above all, the second couple, Chan and Jet. They completely stole the spotlight from the main protagonists.

With strong performances and chemistry that clearly extends beyond the screen, FirstOne and Tle Matimun portrayed Jet and Chan with mastery, charisma, and that lingering feeling of “wanting more.” Truly beautiful to watch.

On the other hand, the character who should have been the center of attention—Khemjira himself, portrayed by Namping—was a disappointment. Perhaps due to his young age and lack of experience, perhaps because of the way the director shaped his character, or perhaps due to his effeminate mannerisms, he failed to convey sympathy, emotional connection, charisma, or compelling chemistry.

A weak character, overly dependent on others, with an apathetic face and empty or unconvincing expressions, was undoubtedly the worst possible choice for carrying this drama.

His almost nonexistent chemistry with the handsome actor Keng Harit was a missed opportunity. Although Harit himself did not deliver a particularly strong performance—especially considering his potential—his presence in the mildly intimate scenes was appealing. Unfortunately, it simply did not work alongside Namping.

Given Thailand’s tendency to repeatedly pair the same actors across different dramas, I sincerely hope this does not happen with Harit and Namping. Otherwise, their career growth and long-term success could be compromised.

I understand that many viewers may appreciate this casting choice. I do not. Effeminate actors in BL dramas do not appeal to me. My apologies to the fans. That said, my heart remains open—perhaps one day a character like this will win me over.

In conclusion, Khemjira is an interesting drama, but one with considerable flaws in editing and execution. The episodes are excessively long, with oddly paced and unnatural dialogue. Some scenes even become unintentionally comical, with characters staring at each other, seemingly unsure of what to say or how to continue, simply waiting for the “cut” signal.

Do I recommend it? Yes—especially for the secondary couple.

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A good show, but overhyped nonetheless

When it comes to the BL as a genre, there are very few if none, actually good supernatural BL's. So it is undeniable that so far the best supernatural BL drama is Khemjira.
But that doesnt mean this show is without flaws and issues.

The most important part: ENDING IS SATISFYING. So if not for anything else, I will recommend it just so you can also get a satisfactory ending.

The good of the show is: the whole supernatural aspect and entity haunting bit. The main antagonist is a genuinely bittersweet character, you might hate her, you might love her. But no one can say she was out of place - her revenge is meaningful and has little to do with the romance. She was one of my fav characters for the show even if really scary af. The thai practices are represented well, and I think people should always respect local practices if it doesn't infringe on you. Otherwise its better not to go to a place that has strong preferences for their practice, because while you may not believe it, their believes originate from something and you can't just deny that for them.

The bad of the show is the character Khemjira himself. And I won't blame the actor for it entirely. Its the character itself which is written so poorly. Khemjira is the cursed one, but he can't get his priorities in order (and suddenly switches goals to chasing love). Instead of getting stronger for himself, all he does is cook, stitch, cry, get targeted, mope, pout and such things. It shocks me that the character is originally written this way. A person who has lived their entire life seeing ghosts and a majority of it living alone, with impending death at 21, cannot be so careless and stupid even. But he is. I don't get how, but thats how he is. So its easy to note that the character is a very difficult one to play, not because its complicated but because its actually lacks substance. I won't say the actor was particularly bad at playing this character, but the actor definitely didn't bring any additional value to this character. From what I know, this character was even less developed in the novel in terms of standing up for himself or taking action, so the fact that despite being buffed (in terms of personality) for the show, he is still such a weak main character is just sad.

This bad is balanced by other characters, specially Paran. I won't say the shaman is the most fleshed out character either, but at least his behaviour is understandable. He makes sense as a person. Whether its moments where you disagree with his behaviour or moments where you are attracted to his hot bod, he is a character that has an identify of his own. He doesn't go around offering platitudes without offering any actual results.

Which brings me to the next bad: which is the romance being forced in. Originally Khemjira's feelings for Paran do overlap due to their past relation, but at no point do you see the character question it. Although he tells others these are feelings from past life, in the end there is no genuine introspection to be seen on his end. He is already asking Paran to help him meddle with his karma and now he also wants his feelings to be reciprocated. The way its shown situation after situation, makes it seem like the show wants you to blame Paran for not returning his feelings, which is just messed up because no one owes anyone else this kind of reciprocation. Again this can all be blamed on Khemjira's own character being a hollow one.

This review is seemingly full of issues with the show, but the thing is you can already read 20 reviews with praises, so I wanna write something which focuses on the not-so-praiseworthy aspects. This show is so worth watching for the plot, you feel invested, you want to know what happened and why. But the romance aspect of it is....not as good as the plot itself. That doesn't mean you won't be getting faceful of romance and even NC scenes, there is a lot of that too. But that part feels more disjointed and glued on.

All I wanna say is: Whatever Paran couldn't do, he can do now.

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I did not like so much

Best BL of the century, of the world, of all time, of the year? Not for me.

This BL is so slow that directors like Darren Aronofsky or Terrence Malick would be jealous.

The development of the romance is so slow and boring that it's more stagnant than a mere slow burn. Some people will say that wasn't the focus... fine, but the backstory is equally tedious, with the ghost woman who haunts the title character... there came a point where I wanted her to just take him already. At first, the shaman doesn't want to help him, so we see several episodes dragging on with nothing really happening, like that meme of hay rolling in the desert and the viewer watching... The two main actors perform as poorly as the others from the same company, but here we have a problem: Namping acts in such a disappointing and lukewarm way, while Keng .He seems like the passionate one of the pair. besides, it doesn't even seem like Khem is going to die at any moment... The positive points are that we see the money invested in the series, but the story itself is a bunch of boring nothingness.

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this is peak bl

genuinely one of the - if not the most - peak bl i have ever watched. from the gripping soundtrack to the lovely cinematography, everything about this drama was a masterpiece. i especially loved the romance between peem and khemjira - it was a master slowburn full of deep longing stares and repressed feelings. don't even get me started on peem and his eyes and how unreasonably fine that man is. he had me swooning every time he was on screen. if you want yearning and pining then this show is for you - because the way those 2 yearned for each other needs to be studied.

also, the actual plot had me hooked - i loved the flashbacks to their previous lives and how it all connected to the present. it was so refreshingly original and just beautifully crafted . jin and da were especially cute. anyways i'm going to miss this show it's become a part of my routine. i've genuinely entered a state of depression because i already miss this show - 12 episodes is not enough!!!

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They (mostly) stuck the landing!

Khemjira just wrapped up its final episode yesterday, and honestly, I think it’s one of the best shows Domundi has put out. Unlike many of their previous productions, Khemjira stands out for its strong writing and clear storytelling focus. Instead of trying to cater to fan service or BL shippers, the show prioritizes its narrative and characters—and that makes all the difference. It doesn’t feel like a “typical” BL show; it feels like a show that knew exactly what it wanted to say and how to get there.

I don’t want to make this about comparing it to The Next Prince, even though they share the same director, but the contrast is undeniable. The Next Prince felt grand and polished, but its main characters were too flawless to be interesting. Khemjira, on the other hand, invests deeply in its characters and story rather than surface-level aesthetics. That’s the key to what makes it so good—it’s grounded, emotionally resonant, and character-driven. It's not perfect. There are some flaws here and there with the pacing, but it's very impressive nonetheless.

It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but it sure is mine. The OST for this show is also stunning, and the cinematography was as beautiful as always. Mandee knows how to make beautiful-looking shows.

If I had to nitpick, I’d say the ending dragged a little and the tone shifted from the rest of the series. I wish it had been shorter, so we could really focus on the aftermath of everything that happened. The climax also felt slightly anticlimactic; I was hoping for a bigger payoff. Especially since the build-up was really good. Still, it did justice to Ramphueng's arc. I really appreciate that the show didn’t go for an easy redemption or simple forgiveness for her. Instead, it acknowledged her pain and grief without erasing her wrongs.

Overall, Khemjira is a refreshing change of pace—a show that proves good storytelling will always outshine fan pandering and flashy production.

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That's how it's done, son!

This series has ruined other shows for me! I get to the end of another program and I'm like, why wasn't that resolved as well as Khemjira? Why wasn't the music as good? Why wasnt the acting as good? Why wasnt it as visually appealing? Why wasnt the chemistry as fire as Khemjira? You know, maybe don't watch it because it will set the bar so high you cant enjoy other series!

First couple is obviously great, but the second couple had me living for every interaction. The actors seemed really comfortable, which made the chemistry between the onscreen characters 10 of 10. It was chemistry so good I can't wait to see them in a future project.

And the music! OMG! I almost never comment on the OST, but this time I gotta. Mantra? Just wow. The version with Keng singing lives in my soul now. The instrumental version may be even more transcendent. It sets the mood perfectly, and when I rewatched the series I was filled with anxious anticipation each time I knew it was coming. It may have outflanked Why Don't You Stay from KinnPorsche and the OST for Thundercloud Rainstorm (both of which I really love).

Bottom line, I need a shaman, an amulet, and friends like these in my life right now! I'll pass on the vengeful spirit, though.

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so very close to being perfect

is this (for me subjectively) the best series of all time? sadly, no, but it's still a masterpiece and it deserves the hype.
anyone can see from just one episode how much care and dedication has been put into this series.
- the cast fits their roles very well and everyone did a great job acting (you cannot seriously look me in the eyes and tell me anything bad about the acting let's be serious)
- the cinematography and soundtrack are gorgeous, actually the best i've seen i think
- the story is well crafted and adapted, especially the "villain" and the past lives, and despite the quite lengthy episodes i've never felt bored

now, i couldn't give it a maximum rating because:
- at times i felt that the pace was a bit off and there were a few plot points and arcs that i didn't particularly enjoy (such as the jealousy scenes leading up to peem and khem confessing)
- i'm so sorry but i didn't care about charn and jet like... almost at all. i didn't dislike them and i loved their past life and rooted for them but not in the present. i have nothing against the authors either, i guess it's just a matter of taste?

i'm really hoping for special episodes and bonus scenes, i need to see more of peemkhem's married life

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