The Heart Killers

Excited to see where this goes

I wasn't going to write a review but I've seen some comments on various platforms (though seems like less on here) that have said some things that I think are missing some kind of crucial points. I saw a couple that basically said that Kant and Bison's relationship was too insta-love. That Kant seemed too over-the-top in love and Bison was stupid for trusting him and falling for him so quickly. But like...I don't think either of them are even really starting to be in love until like episode 4 (bonding over helping Kant's brother). They are both attracted to each other from the beginning. But Kant is faking anything more. That's the point of his job. He is honey-trapping him. So, of course he's going to seem over-the-top. But I think First does a good job of adding nuance between moments where his character is putting on an act of being in love versus actually starting to fall for him. Like in the last episode (6), his face when he saw Bison walk in the bar and the way he took his hand and looked at him while they were first talking versus him pulling the hand that was holding Bison's back to take a drink and the way his demeanor changed and he snapped back into his "madly in love" boyfriend role when Bison asked if there was anything weighing on his mind. Even the way he took/held his hand after was different (i.e. instead of his original kind of casual affection holding it between them, he went more over-the-top cliche romantic and pulled it to him, kissed it while making eye contact, sniffed it, and then held it with both hands in his space).

And while I don't think Bison is faking being in love, I think that at the start he was more in love with love than he was Kant. I wish I could come up with a better example, but it's like Anna and Hans from Frozen. Anna wasn't really in love with Hans. She wanted out. She wanted freedom and companionship and love. And Hans showed up offering her all that so she jumped in feet first, even if she didn't really love him. Bison is tired of this life. He wants to form connections. He wants companionship, even just in the form of a stray cat. He wants freedom. And here comes someone claiming to be so smitten with him, he'll risk his brother's wrath to be with him. Someone who is offering to take him to all the places he dreams about going, complimenting his artistic skills, and encouraging him to fully be himself (in and out of the bedroom). And again I think Khao has done a good job of expressing moments where Bison is like clearly just enjoying the situation and the kind of fun adrenaline rush of being courted by someone attractive versus moments where he is feeling drawn towards Kant specifically.

I also like the way that Bison seemed mostly unmoved by Kant showing up to tell the guy to back off. Like he wasn't put off, but it wasn't the big gesture Kant was intending when he hired the guy to make a move. But dancing with him after? Or Style telling Bison that he'd never seen Kant fall like that before? Those definitely did more to get Bison's affection and they weren't planned. Honestly, I think even Bison talking to Kant's sort-of-ex/stalker and finding out the guy was basically following him because Kant was supportive when he was in a bad place, even though they weren't in a relationship helped Kant's mission more than some of the fake gestures he puts on. And the thing that really drew Bison to Kant the most was Kant's loyalty and affection for his brother, Babe. (Also Kant basically losing all reason and planning to just charge into the school with zero plan, probably made it hard to believe he was capable of conning anyone). So, it's interesting because basically, Kant is falling for the real Bison, while faking being in love with who Bison pretends to be. While Bison is falling for the real Kant, while being courted by who Kant is pretending to be.

Also, like people are mad at Kant, but other than not being up front with Style sooner (which he wanted to do but was told not to), I don't fully understand why. Bison is literally a hired killer and Kant was blackmailed into this (he also wasn't told, "oh, he's a killer but he only kills bad people." Kant doesn't know what these guys are being killed for, just that they're rich and dropping like flies). He didn't really know Bison when he first agreed and when he got to know him more he tried to pull out of it. And then dragged his feet and gave excuses to prolong his time with him. Because I feel like he was capable enough that he could have gotten the information sooner if he really wanted to. Like, he had their address. He knew they both typically worked at the diner at the same time. He could have just had Style watching the diner to see if either left and then broken in while they were busy. He could have bugged the dance trophy or a gift to Bison. Like, he could have wrapped this up sooner if he had really wanted to.

On to Style and Fadel. Style is an interesting character that I hope they explore more. Like him crashing the support group wasn't cool, but at the same time the way he did it I think makes his character interesting. His mom died. The little that he says about it later makes it seem like it was a really big blow to both him and his dad. But instead of sharing something real, he makes up a story about a dog. Finding out his mom died and hearing how he talked about it and thinking back on that meeting felt like a big deal. Him talking about his mom might have helped him earn sympathy from Fadel. It might have actually helped him win him over, which was his whole plan. But it would have meant sharing something real and being vulnerable. The same way some people hide their pain by making jokes, Style seems to hide his vulnerability by being shameless and acting like he doesn't take anything seriously. Fadel, I think is similar, but instead of acting out, he just is very reserved, acting like he isn't affected and doesn't really care, when he cares deeply.

I also have questions about the detective and their "mom". She seems shady. Like right off the bat, she seems like she might be using them to take out her business rivals more than actual bad people. But detective seems shady too. Like he had all those photos to show Kant in that first meeting. And he clearly had some information he didn't share already because he didn't just think they were suspects, he was acting like he knew it was them. So why did he need Kant involved if he had someone tailing them already and knew they were guilty? Did the person tailing the brothers get pictures of Kant and Bison at the bowling alley and that's why he specifically is pressuring Kant? And how did he connect them to the crimes in the first place? I feel like he knows more than he is letting on. Could be a twist if "mom" was using the cop to clean up loose ends and take them out, maybe that's also how she was getting some of the intel on the crimes the victims were accused of committing.

Honestly, I'm really liking the different facets of all the characters and how they are developing. I'm excited to see where it goes.

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Great Characters, Messy Plot

Obviously, when GMM announced a Taming of the Shrew adaptation about hitmen with Firstkhao, it felt like they designed a show just for me. I had super high expectations going into this, and the actors delivered. I found myself super invested in all four of the main characters and both couples felt well developed and explored. Unfortunately, the plot (especially towards the end) felt like it was missing something to tie it all together.

Kant (First) is blackmailed by a cop to investigate two brothers running a burger joint, since there's reason to believe these brothers are actually hitmen. When Kant learns that the younger brother Bison (Khaotung) is his one night stand from the other night, he sees an easy way in. However, Fadel (Joong), Bison's older brother, cotinues to get in his way of pursuing Bison. Bison, who clearly has feelings for Kant already, convinces him to set Fadel up with someone to get him out of their hair. Kant bribes his best friend Style (Dunk) to help, but it winning over Fadel seems nearly impossible. As the two friends get closer to the pair of brothers, they start falling in love for real. When the pressure of the cops and the fear of the hitmen collide, Kant and Style have to figure out a way to save their love and themselves.

The Heart Killers starts out mostly as a romcom, but with hitmen. It's fun, it's oddly light, and the random bowling alley dance scene didn't even feel all that out of place. As the story ramps up, it's clear they wanted a bit of a darker vibe, but totally missed the mark on it. I feel like if they set the tone in the beginning, it could've worked a lot better. It also felt like the last few episodes were rushing to get in all the plot, and left aspects of the story feeling unfinished and unsatisfying. I think it's been super fun to watch GMM try out more genres, but it seemed like their ratios of sexy scenes to plot-relevant scenes was a bit too high. That being said, it was still a super fun watch and a great performance from all the actors involved.

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is it good? YESSS for sure

I watched this for firstkhaotung and I stayed for them as well. they devoured their characters, firstkhao are really great actors. this is my first joongdun,I like joongs acting while dunk he improved but yes. the rom-com is a LIE. comedy yes but I cried a lot too. the story has many plot hole but it’s very enjoyable. the spicy rate is 4/5, idc abt others opinion thk ate and I love kantbison so much, I still miss them even tho it ended. I would totally rewatch again, trust me watch it, you won’t regret it. just want to clarify that you might hate Kant at first but he has his reasons and I can’t hate him at all.

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It's Crazy

After the huge success of Only Friends , First and Khaotung are back . Aside from FirstKhaotung , JoongDunk took the whole attention .

Again First & Khaotung nailed their roles . Their acting skills are improving day by day . Most eye catching part is their visuals , it's really eye candy . Dunk's acting is not bad but he needs to focus more . The story line is engaging and it's really unique from other traditional school type of stories . Khaotung is doing different type of characters and his expressions for every single scenes , are likable . We know GMMTV background music is always worst , same in this series . The music is too loud and Dunk sometime screamed loud which is kinda unlikable .
This drama is funny , after watching so many emotional dramas , this is going to be our medicine .

Overall a good ., enjoyable drama .

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Love, lust, and disastrous disappointment.

The storyline is simple: two gunman brothers, Bison and Fadel, were conned by a tattoo artist, Kan, who's working with the police in exchange to clear off his own crime records. In terms of getting information from both of them, Kan involved his best friend Style without giving any information above the background of the brothers. They make the brothers fall in love, then plan to flee, but a problem arises when fake love turns into real love and then to betrayal.

Things I liked:

-Khaotung as Bison, where do I start? This man never disappointed me when it came to showing versatility in acting. He's like a fluid who changes himself drastically as his character needs him to be. Here I was amazed to see his crazy, loving, and vulnerable side. He portrayed those intricate emotions beautifully.

- Joong as Fadel, this is my first time watching him in the show, and trust me, he won my heart! Maaann, HE ATE THIS ROLE! His character is older Bison, but in real life he's younger than Khaotung, but you will never realize how brilliantly he portrayed a stoic, emotionless yet caring older brother. He's such a good actor! I'm eager to see him in the next project.

- Style's father! Can we collectively agree that the best father of GMMTV goes to him? I mean, I haven't seen a supportive father character like this.

- We are used to watching JJ in comic roles without any romantic partners, but he and Pepper, as a couple, just surprised me! I wish GMMTV saw his potential, and please give this man a partner other than his twin brother; he's been single on screen for too long... Haha!

-One thing that kept me going that was Bison-Fadel and their brotherhood. Precious!

Things I didn't like:

- Honestly, I chose to watch the series because I trust in the FirstKhao duo, and I love their onscreen chemistry. But this series really disappointed me. In my opinion, First, Kant really didn't fit him. His tattoos were too fake and amateurish. First had potential to be great but didn't appeal to me at all. It was such a letdown.

- I'm not comfortable to say, but the characters were too horny for me to like this. I know sex sells, but too much really downgrades the overall quality of the show. The BDSM scenes were very uncomfortable to watch and poorly played. I believe if they wanted, they could have made it more natural. I needed a solid story with romance, but all I got was soft porn with a mediocre story.

- I didn't like the fact Dunk's character, Style, was too sexualized. I know that's his character, but think of it this way: if it was a girl, how much backlash would it get for that? And overall, Dunk needs to attend some acting classes and work on his facial expressions. I definitely liked his sassy side, but that's all. Personally, offscreen, I love his goofy, funny side and deep voice, but I need to see his best acting, as unfortunately it was not.

-Not to mention how many plot holes it has. After all those disappointing romantic scenes, I was waiting to get my most awaited angst moment of betrayal, but again it disappointed me. How come your betrayal didn't even last an episode? They made up too fast for me to realize how big the betrayal was. After some time, I decided to shut down my brain and finish it for the sake of my damn curiosity about how they would end.

Overall, it was kind of disappointing, and I had my favorite moments from it, but not enough to be a memorable one.

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Worth Rewatching

I don’t usually write these reviews, but I really liked this show. I loved the whole cast- at the beginning of the show. They promised us very good NC scenes, but after episode 1, it kind of sucked for some reason. (in my opinion) ?? It almost felt like clickbait. Another thing that I didn’t like was this whole "Style is maybe the villain" plotline Style literally saw Keen at the restaurant/bathroom, which was never talked about ever again, and they both acted like nothing had happened???? I thought that Style was going to be the big villain, but it’s just another plot hole. Regardless, an okay show worth watching, to be honest.

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Wasted potential

I've never thought I would be dropping a Jojo bl, nevermind one starring First and Khao, but here we are. Such good to great performances (First, I see you sir) wasted on an undercooked series.

The plot makes little to no sense, there's no rhyme or reason to it. Scenes happen one after another because the director wanted them to, logic and continuity be damned.
How did Fadel dragged an unconcious person (and stripped them) to a convienient empty swimming pool nearby, with one hand? Don't ask.
How did police missed two people dressed as giant teddy bears? Who knows.
Why did Kant wait to be tied up before he made his escape attempt instead of walking away with the boat guy? Because he just did, okay?

And our killer duo, oh boy. I think Jojo wanted the aesthetics of them being hitmen, without the actual weight of what it means. As a result, the whole morality is wacked. One second we are supposed to believe they're cinanamon rolls looking for love, the next they're shooting at random innocent people after breaking into their house.

And no, despite this series insistance on this point, stealing cars is not as bad as killing people, wtf?

I'm morbidly curious how this mess is going to end, but I'll probably read a summary instead of wasting another 4+h of my time.

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Jojo's heartless shlock

Whenever I see "Jojo" Tichakorn Phukhaotong’s name attached to a project as a director or screenwriter – I worry. When it was announced that Jojo will both write and direct "The Heart Killers" I was worried sick – not just because I sensed a repeat of the worst aspects of "Only Friends" but also because I really like First, Khaotung, Joong and Dunk. Initially I thought that – when it comes to acting – FirstKhao will eclipse (pun intended) the much weaker JoongDunk. Apparently I did not learn my lesson from the abovementioned "Only Friends".

THK has a very interesting plot: two actual killers become romantically involved with people who need or want to bring them down, but later fall for them – and the aftermath of all that. On paper – it’s dynamite with great dramatic potential. Such a plot can be developed into a script for a fiery romance or a heartbreaking story about love, betrayal and (possibly) redemption or a morality play about crime, love and punishment or a tragic tale of desire, passion, anger and jealousy with no happy end. So many options to choose from. Shame Jojo didn’t go for any of them.

The script we got was little more than a pretext for stuffing the show with as much nudity and pretended sex scenes as possible. No wonder the writing is weak, characters are shallow, unrelatable and at times unlikeable, emotions are mostly absent, stakes are non-existent (THK has the least intimidating villains I’ve seen in any show) and the script generally makes little sense (two multiple killers get only 5 years in prison instead of spending the rest of their lives on death row; their boyfriends visit them regularly to have sex; Bison singlehandedly beats up 3 inmates etc. etc.). On the other hand we get plenty of eye candy, as Jojo’s mission – since at least "Only Friends" – seems to be "spicing up" BLs. I even had a theory about that; it went like this: Jojo – an openly gay creator – was fed up with the often sterile and non-sexual BLs and decided to offer audiences a more realistic view of male intimacy. This coincided with GMMTV facing stronger competition from Domundi and other companies, which recognized that at least part of the audience will be in for "mature" content – even if it’s pure clickbait and no substance (like "Bed Friend"). Jojo got his opportunity and used it – that’s how "Only Friends" got made. To be clear: I’m not blaming Jojo for wanting to get BLs more realistic and adding some of what they were missing (male intimacy and sex). However, Jojo overdid it – not just focusing almost exclusively on that one aspect, but also reducing all depicted relationships to it. As a result "Only Friends" had no likeable characters – everyone was either whiny and slutty, cold and slutty or weird and slutty. Nothing against including slutty characters, but – like with everything – overdoing it was a bad idea.

Similar thing happened with THK: almost all of the emotional scenes and moments fall flat, action scenes are unrealistic and used as filler, while the only scenes that seem important are those where the main characters are kissing, shirtless or almost completely nude. Even those scenes, however, suffer from the mostly tacky, phony aesthetic and frequent lack of emotion or tension. There are some exceptions, but the majority of what this show offers is either uninteresting, banal or outright boring.

This may seem unrelated, but the setting of most of the series weirdly matched the above: the show’s world seemed empty, with hardly anyone there – save for the characters. The most populated area – the bowling alley – was nearly deserted in every scene, with a few people other than the main cast present. Other locations were almost devoid of extras – empty stores, hotels, office spaces, restaurants etc.; even Fadel’s and Bison’s burger joint was usually empty. The few self-help group scenes were a good example of that: a huge sports hall, empty and dark, with a handful of people sitting in a circle. No idea if this was a creative choice or an attempt to limit production costs, but it looked very strange; where is everybody – I kept asking myself.

I was surprised by how weak the performances were. I’ll repeat myself saying that I really like FirstKhao and JoongDunk. I’m also aware that Dunk has no acting skills – he’s just a pretty face, privately seems to be a nice and good guy, and he has good chemistry with Joong, both on and off-screen. And – as mentioned before – I was having some hopes regarding First (I liked his performance in "The Eclipse" a lot) and Khaotung (loved him in "The Eclipse", but also in "Tonhon Chonlatee" and "Moonlight Chicken"). Unfortunately the entire main cast gave very disappointing performances. Dunk’s was by far the worst in his career, with dreadful delivery, missing every beat he could, often so badly that it wasn’t even funny. I was not "so bad that it’s good" – it was simply very bad. Joong seemed uninspired, sometimes lost and confused, regaining his charisma and spark only few times; some of that might be blamed on the script and direction (or lack of it), but Joong – whom I’ve seen actually acting in other shows – is just not doing his best. As for First and Khaotung, they shared some cute, intimate and even touching moments, but their performances were below average for most part. Khaotung’s over-the-top acting might have been deliberate – to showcase that Bison is a little unhinged – but felt cringy and embarrassing.

No idea if THK was supposed to convey a message, if the audience was meant to learn anything from it, if there was a point to it – for me it was another of Jojo’s attempts to produce a show with attractive young men as main content. An attempt as successful as it is pointless.

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A masterpiece

So alot of people are saying not so cool things about this drama..it either the cast or the story line....i mean this same people complained they don't want high school romance drama...gmmtv is starting to get boring and all...but when they came out with masterpiece like this one...they stilll get bad reviews...

THE HEART KILLERS so far is a great show and am enjoying it so far...for who ever is seeing this...i advice you don't follow what people say and see it for yourself...before doing that though...put in mind it not a cinderella or sleeping beauty kind of show...it was directed by jojo...the same who directed ONLY FRIENDS...if you've seen only friends..then you should have an insight on what you would be seeing.

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