The Heart of Dhevaprom: And the Fairy Tales Continue

Duangjai Dhevaprom or The Heart of Dhevaprom (Thai: ดวงใจเทวพรหม) is a series of Thai dramas that consist of five installments: Dhevaprom: Laorchan, Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai, Dhevaprom: Jaipisut, Dhevaprom: Dujupsorn, and Dhevaprom: Poncheewan. The series is a sequel to the Thai series Suphapburut Juthathep, which was popular a decade ago.

In 2013, to celebrate its 43rd anniversary, Channel 3 Thailand aired a Thai series called Suphapburut Juthathep (The Gentlemen of Juthatep). The series consists of five dramas: Khun Chai Tharathorn, Khun Chai Pawornruj, Khun Chai Pudhiphat, Khun Chai Ratchanon, and Khun Chai Ronaphee, based on five Thai novels with the same names. The series tells the love and relationships of five half-brothers from the noble family of Juthathep in the 1960s. Their parents died when they were little, so they were raised by their two grandmothers. The brothers have a close-knit relationship and are known as the Lions of Juthatep. 

When their father was still alive, he made a vow with his best friend and savior, the noble M.R. Thewaphan Dhevaprom, to marry off one of his sons to one of Mr. Dhevaprom's three daughters. After the death of their father, their grandmothers matched three brothers to marry Ketsara, Maratee, and Wilairampa Dhevaprom. But the brothers ended up choosing their own life partners not from the Dhevaprom family.

During airing, from June 15 until July 7, 2013, the series received a huge response and achieved high ratings. It became one of the best series in Thai dramas. More than 1000 parents named their newborn children after the names of the five brothers (Source: Post Today). The series' popularity also propelled the lead actors and actresses, newcomers at that time, to stardom. The series was also rerun in 2017 and 2019 on television.

In 2015, the novel publisher and authors decided to make the sequels of the novels, followed by Channel 3's announcement to make the sequels of Suphapburut Juthathep called Duangjai Dhevaprom (The Heart of Dhevaprom). This series mainly tells the stories of the life and romance of Dhevaprom's female descendants in their relationship with the sons of the Juthatep brothers in the 1990s.

Since 2022, after revealing the main cast of the series, Channel 3 has held some events to promote Duangjai Dhevaprom, from debut night to sports day, creating huge anticipation from the audiences who loved Suphapburut Juthathep, until its airing from March 8 to August 31, 2024. Let's see how each drama fares, according to someone who has never watched the prequel series. I've tried to watch Khun Chai Pudhiphat because I like the leading actors James Jirayu and Bella Campen, who played the Male Lead and the Female Lead. However, the outdated video quality turned me off from continuing to watch it.

Now that I have watched all five installations of Duangjai Dhevaprom, below are my reviews of each drama with likes and dislikes and overall opinions of the series. All synopses are taken from MDL.

The series starts with Dhevaprom: Laorchan as a sequel to Khun Chai Ratchanon. It's an adaptation of the novel "Laorchan" written by Sornklin (left image) who also wrote "Khun Chai Ratchanon".

Laorchan (ลออจันทร์) means 'beautiful moon'. Laorchan, who grew up in France and was reared by the elite, returns to Thailand to prove her family’s innocence and learn the truth about her origins. Laorchan plans to steal an ancient, accursed gemstone—the Ajna Chakra necklace—exhibiting at an aristocratic department store owned by M.L. Phuthanet Juthathep, son of M.R. Ratchanon and Princess Soifah. She befriends the suave Phuthanet and he is instantly taken by her charm, beauty, and mysterious persona. Complications arise when she starts to fall for him, as deception and love are two things that don’t go together. Can she resist his charms and accomplish her objective?

Gina Yeena Salas as "Laor" Laorchan Phanthewa/Laorchan Bhukhamwong/Fueangphet Bhukhamwong	Gulf Kanawut Traipipattanapong as "Phu" Phuthanet Juthathep
A princess of the Bhukhamwong royal family of Viangbhukham. She travels from Paris to Thailand to steal the Ajna Chakra necklace that can prove her family's innocence, which will be displayed at the JT Center department store. Princess Fueangphet Bhukhamwong is the ancestor of the royal family.	The eldest son of M.R. Rachanon and Soifah Juthathep Na Ayudhya and he has a sister named M.L. Kanthika. He is the managing director and CEO of JT Development and JT Center. He is a perfectionist and good at management; therefore, he is ordered to prepare an exhibition of the necklace.

The first installment jumps straight into the main plot that centers on the mysterious female lead after a brief introduction of the Juthathep cousins who are the male leads of the entire series. This start is a bit disappointing, especially to the viewers who watched the prequel series. It seems disconnected because the inception should closely relate to the Suphapburut Juthathep, as what happened to the Juthathep family and other important characters 20-30 years later.

Despite the disjointed start, the mystery plot surrounds Laor and her connection with the ancient necklace is quite interesting. If you like the mystery genre or light romance mixed with mystery, you may like this drama. It has flashbacks of the ancient past with supernatural/mythical elements. Below is a relationship chart showing the truth about Laorchan's birth. The chart not only shows her royal family tree (Bukhamwong) but also the fact that she is also one of the Dhevaprom nobility.  Please skip the chart if you don't want to be spoiled, although the chart is helpful as at some point in the drama you might be confused with all the complex connections.

I wrote above about light romance, as in my opinion, the center of the plot is not the relationship between Laor and Phu. Indeed, Phu falls for Laor at first sight, but Laor sticks to her mission to obtain the necklace. The romance plot only develops later in the drama, mixed with the romance subplots of the second and the third couples. The criticism of the lack of chemistry between Laor and Phu is understandable. Even Laor has more chemistry with Sun, her friend who helps her with her mission! As the meaning of the name Laorchan suggests, she is indeed a beautiful moon: radiant, but cold and distant. That being said, albeit being cold and lacking emotion, in my opinion, Gina is the most elegant among the other Dhevaprom ladies, so casting her as Princess Laorchan is perfect.

Because of the flashbacks to the past, the props and costumes befitting the ancient times are noteworthy. Besides the ancient costumes, the modern-day characters wearing traditional Thai attire and 'modern' outfits (the 90s fashion) on some occasions are also fun to watch. Some CGI scenes depicting the myth of Naga are not bad either. I think Dhevaprom: Laorchan has the entire series's best artistic and visual values.

The second drama of the series is Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai, based on a novel series of the same name written by Kaotam (left image). The author also wrote the novel that is adapted to the parent drama Khun Chai Pudhiphat.

Kind, generous, and hardworking Kwanruetai is the daughter of M.L Maratee Dhevaprom, whose whole being is in earnest for her mother’s love and approval. She meets a young military doctor—Major Dr. M.L Chatklao Juthathep, while on duty in the northern province of Thailand where they are caught amidst danger due to gangs and drug wars. Chatklao falls in love with Kwanruetai but she is conflicted given their families’ long-standing estrangement. Her mother is dead set against Kwanruetai’s romance with Chatklao as his father M.R. Phutthiphat had humiliated her when he broke off their betrothal for another woman. Will Kwanruetai listen to her heart; or are the Juthatheps and Dhevaproms just not meant to be together?  

Yada Narilya Gulmongkolpech as "Kwan" Kwanruetai Phithakthewa/Kwanruetai Dhevaprom	Mikey Panitan Budkaew as "Chat" Chatklao Juthathep
A courageous, tough, and bright girl who lives in Chiang Rai. She has a stepbrother and stepfather, whom she considers her only family. She never knows that her mother is M.L. Marathee Dhevaprom, and she doesn't know about the biological father.	The only son of M.R. Puttipat and Krongkaew and the brother of M.L. Pokkate. He is an Orthopedic surgeon. After graduation, he chose to work at the fort hospital near the country border in Chiang Rai province.

This is my favorite drama of the series, so my discussion is mostly about the positive features of this installment. The only negative aspect of this drama, in my opinion, needs more sweet scenes between the main couple after they get together. Instead, there are plenty of scenes on the gang and drug wars that drag along the drama. They relate the wars with the main couple, especially since Chat is a military officer and Kwan's family is entangled with the gang. Because of the great chemistry between Yada and Mickey, we want to see more of their romantic scenes. Their ability to act naturally with each other without awkwardness deserved praise since it was Mickey's debut in acting opposite Yada who has acted for a decade as a child actress. As a newcomer, Mickey's acting skill was still stiff, but tolerable considering Chat is a military officer and a doctor. On the contrary, Yada was able to emote a young girl full of conflicts between being a tomboy, as dictated by her mother who hates a daughter, and being girly; and between following her heart or denying Chat because of her mother's mandate.

Speaking of the conflict between mother and daughter, the actress who played M.L Maratee Dhevaprom, Oom Sakaojai Poonsawatd, really did a great job acting a vengeful character. You will hate her being so mean to her own daughter and strongly opposes Kwan and Chat's relationship. However, Maratee is a gorgeous and charming 'villain', either in muumuu and hair rollers or in fashionable dresses during formal outings, as seen on the right in the image below with Chat's mother Krongkaew Juthathep Na Ayutthaya.

Another thing I liked about this drama is more of my preference for watching Thai dramas in a countryside setting. The simplicity of rural life, humble villagers with their blunt chit-chats, lively traditions, with the background of lush green rice fields under the clear blue sky are more interesting than big city settings.

And of course, the cameo appearance of James Jirayu, either in the flashback scenes of Khun Chai Pudhiphat or in the present scene, is like a cherry on top of the cake. Below are James Ji and Mickey, they can pass playing brothers!

Dhevaprom: Jaipisut is the third drama of the series, based on a novel series of the same name. Its novel is written by Praenat (left image) and is the sequel of Khun Chai Ronaphee.

Capt. Ronnajak Jutathep, the eldest son of M.R. Ronnaphee, is entrusted with his deceased friend’s younger sister, Somjeed. When he enrolls Somjeed and Papang, her friend, at his alma mater, he runs into a former classmate, Jaipisut, who is now a teacher. Jaipisut barely tolerates Ronnajak, as she has no good childhood memories of him because of his teasing; but the two are forced to play nice together when Somjeed has problems at school. Building a friendship with your arch-nemesis is never easy. Theirs is far more complicated when Jaipisut finds out she is adopted, and from the heirloom brooch left by her birth mother, she might be a Dhevaprom. Will Jaipisut’s connection to the Dhevaprom prove too much for Ronnajak to overcome, or will the two realize that what they have is worth fighting for?

Oom Eisaya Hosuwan as "Noopook" Jaipisut Waithawi	Tate Henry Myron as "Jak" Ronnajak Juthathep
The teacher at the elementary school where Somjeed, Papang, and Plawarn attended. She is a kind and grateful teacher; therefore, she is a student's favorite. She later finds out that she inherited Dhevaprom's blood.	The oldest son of M.R. Ronapee and Piangkwan, the eldest among four siblings. He is a police working at the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB). He is elegant, as he used to be a model, and hilarious like his father.

Before I start reviewing, I need to clarify the school bullying tag on the drama info or the suggestive child bullying in the synopsis. Jak did not bully Noopook when they were little, it's all a misunderstanding. So if you hesitate to watch it thinking that the Male Lead was a bully, he's not.

I will start the review with the actor who played the Male Lead. I think Jak is the most handsome Male Lead in all five dramas. His fashion style is of the 50 - 60s North American greaser youth subculture known for their greased-back hair, leather jackets, solid white or black fitted T-shirts, blue jeans, and boots. The fashion was popularized in the 1978 box-office movie Grease.

Despite being handsome and fashionable, unfortunately, Tate Henry's acting skills didn't reach the same level. Jak, according to the character description, is supposed to be playful and funny. But because of the stiff acting, he appears quiet and shy. Similar to Mikey, Tate Henry is a newbie in the acting world. Jaipisut is his debut. In my opinion, his lack of acting skills affected the chemistry between him and his co-star Oom. It also doesn't help that Oom's character Noophok is a prim, reserved, and upright teacher. At first, there was no chemistry between them, only awkwardness. Only later did it improve. Thai watchers commented that their chemistry off-screen was better. Oom and Tate Henry would collaborate again in the upcoming lakorn Mafia Flower.

The main thing I like about this drama is Jak's experience as a guardian for his dead friend's little sister and her friend. Somjeed and Papang have difficulty adjusting to a new life in a city and enrolling in school. Jak mostly takes care of the 'parenting' himself, with the help of his brother "Phum" Ronnaphum Juthathep (Saint Suppapong Udomkaewkanjana), and their two loyal house helpers. I like that their parents don't interfere and take over the care of the children from Jak. He experiences the challenges of rearing children. This is where Noophook steps in to help him with the children, not only with their studies but even with girl's problems for Somjeed, and their friendship and romance also grow.

Dhevaprom: Dujupsorn is the fourth drama of the series, based on a novel series of the same name. Its novel is written by Nara (left image) and is the sequel to Khun Chai Taratorn. 

"Fah" Dujupsorn’s mother M.L. Wilairampha remains resentful of M.R. Ronnaphi Juthathep for breaking a promise to marry her. Fah loves her mother so much that she is ready to take revenge on the Juthatheps; she applies for a job at a Juthathep-owned company and seduces M.L. Ronnaphum Juthathep to fall for her, only to hurt him. Ironically, it is Fah who falls in love; she is stunned when she meets the president of the company, Major M.L. Asira Juthathep, the eldest son of M.R. Tharathorn, as he is the charming and handsome soldier from her past who had once saved her life. She now faces the toughest decision of her life: revenge may not be her choice, but it is her destiny.  

Mint Ranchrawee Uakoolwarawat as "Fah" Dujupsorn Trainatthi	Kongthap Peak as "Petch" Asira Juthathep
The daughter of M.L. Wilairampha, the former arranged partner of M.R. Ronaphee. She covers her true identity and applies for work as a PR of JT Property, for taking revenge on M.R. Ronapee's heirs following the order of her mother.	The oldest son of M.R. Taratorn and M.L. Raweerampai Juthathep, and the older brother of Anistha. He is calm, bold, and scrupulous as the eldest of the cousins. He used to serve in the military but later quit to become CEO of JT Property.

If you are looking for a seriously angsty romance with a roller coaster of emotions, this is one of that kind. As I wrote in the Introduction part, Wilairampha is the youngest daughter of M.R. Thewaphan Dhevaprom (who looks like she is the oldest) who was arranged marriage to a Juthathep son, M.R. Ronnaphee. When that did not happen, she was very devastated and enraged which took a toll on her mental health. The wrathful Wilairampha gaslighted and guilt-tripped her daughter to avenge her misery on the Juthathep family. For revenge reason, Fah applies to work at one of the Juthathep family companies and is reunited with her savior whom she never forgets. Unfortunately, he is one of the Juthatheps.

This is a romantic melodrama because the mother's mental situation and the revenge is the focus. Thrown into that are the office politics (plus gangsters), unnecessary 'love triangles', and misunderstanding. The couple's journey is quite exhausting, but save it to their intense chemistry that audiences keep watching.

The chemistry between Mint and Kongthap Peak has been off the roof since the beginning Fah and Petch met and fell in love at first sight. Individually, their acting was also good and both were skilled in showing micro facial expressions. The best acting skills of all Dhevaphrom's main couples. They also have great chemistry off-screen as seen in the duet OST version "I Wish You the Sky" which was written, composed, and originally sung by the actor.

Dhevaprom: Poncheewan is the last drama of the series, based on a novel series of the same name. Its novel is written by Romkaew (left image) and is the sequel to Khun Chai Pawornruj. The drama is partially filmed in Switzerland. 

The bright and beautiful cousins of Dhevaprom—Cheewan and Poncheewa—are close like sisters and do everything together, including studying in Switzerland. Meanwhile, M.L. Saruj Juthathep, son of M.R. Pavornruj and Princess Wanrasa, is the First Secretary of the Thai Embassy in Bern, whose job is to support Thai students. This is a perfect setting for romance, but not a love triangle.  Things get complicated when Cheewan falls for Saruj while she is supposed to play Cupid for Poncheewa and Saruj. They become entangled in a web of lies and jealousy that threatens to tear apart the cousins’ once unbreakable bond. Will Cheewan follow her heart and be one with Saruj, or will she remain loyal to Poncheewa? For whom does Saruj harbor true feelings?

PP Punpreedee Khumprom Rodsaward as Cheewan Wongnakorn	Kao Noppakao Dechaphatthanakun as Saruj Juthathep
The only daughter of Kratin Wongnakorn, formerly M.L. Kratin Wongnakorn. She received a scholarship to study in Switzerland and went to study at the same time as Porncheewa, her far cousin. She is a bright, brave, patient, and grateful person.	The second of Juthathap 4th generation and the only son of M.R. Pawornruj and Wanrasa. He is the first secretary of the Embassy of Thailand in Bern, Switzerland. He is calm, arrogant, cold, and loves to serve his siblings like his father.

Since this is the last installment of the whole series, normally the audience's (and my) expectations are quite high. C'mon... why should we not get excited since ALL that we saw in the trailers and promotion posters is the breathtaking mountainous scenery of Switzerland on the backdrop? The drama was also filmed in that country and the novel also describes that most of the story happens there. However, from 16 episodes, only the first two episodes and the last episode's events happen in Switzerland! I got it that as the story goes, there was the 1997 IMF Asian financial crisis happened in Thailand. Overseas students had to return to the country and embassy staff numbers were reduced. Cheewan, Poncheewa, and Saruj returned and the rest of the drama's setting is in Thailand. I don't have any animosity against any country's setting, but why the false advertisement?

The second disappointment is the romance. Not that there is a lack of chemistry between PP and Kao. Cheewan and Saruj supposedly have known each other since they were little and there was no long separation period, so they are quite close to each other from the beginning. They have good chemistry, but their romance lacks screen time, compared to the second couple who get a lot more screen time but lack of chemistry (they act more like a brother and a sister). The novel readers informed us that the author Romkaew wrote the plot predominantly around Cheewan and Saruj's slow-burn romance and character growth. In the drama, the screenwriter(s) wrote a complicated relationship between the second couple, and added on top of that is the typical Thai drama trope: gangsters/criminals. It's like Thai lakorn cannot deviate from guns and gangsters and create pure heartwarming romance dramas as other countries can do with their romantic dramas. The rushed ending, although happy, sucks too!

Enough rant. The only saving grace towards the endings of Dhevaprom: Poncheewan and the Duangjai Dhevaprom series are the wedding of the Kwan and Chat couple and the reunion of the Dhevaprom girls. By this timeline (1998?), Laorchan and Phu already have a son; Noophok-Jak and Fah-Petch are married. It is nice to see the couples (especially the Female Leads) again if you have watched their stories. If not, you might regard the wedding and reunion as a waste of screen time that should go more to Cheewan and Saruj.

After watching all the installments above, below are my takeaways and recommendations from the Duangjai Dhevaprom series.

  Supportive Parents  

Many times parents in Thai dramas are overbearing and even villainous. In Duangjai Dhevaprom, however, all Juthathep parents are very supportive of their children, either sons or daughters. They don't pry into their children's private lives, some of them even have their own place to live. I think it's because they were the protagonists in the Suphapburut Juthathep series, so to make them mean

Of all the scenes with the parents, my favorite scene is below in Dhevaprom: Laorchan when Phu's parents, M.R. Rachanon and Princess Soifah console their son when he is broken-hearted after finding out about Laor's betrayal and her real reason to get close to him and steal the necklace.

  The Juthathep Monkeys  

In Suphapburut Juthathep, the five brothers became known throughout the country as the Five Lions of Juthathep, due to their braveness to fight against evil. In Duangjai Dhevaprom, the five cousins are called the Five Monkeys of Juthathep because of their playfulness. I feel bad for Jak's younger brother Phum, though, because he is also one of the male cousins and has shown up through the five dramas, but he is not considered as the five monkeys because of the number and does not even have his own drama! The actor, Saint, has the most acting experience in dramas.

The five monkeys assembled an impromptu boy band to help Jak
confess his feelings to Noopook

Because of their supportive parents, the Juthathep cousins, male and female, make their own decisions, even for important matters like careers, work, and romance. Many times they discuss their issues with their cousins and only consult their parents if they cannot handle the problem. The parents also do not matchmake them with anyone and let their children choose their life partners.

  Side Couples: Make or Break the Dramas  

Side couples seem a must in romantic dramas, even short-length series. It depends on the characters and the actors' performances, side couples can make or break dramas. Although we perceive side couples as fillers, they can be the factor that decides whether a drama succeeds or fails. Below are my favorite side couples in Duangjai Dhevaprom that contribute to the drama's outcomes.

Jack and Annie from Dhevaprom: Jaipisut

Jack (Job Thuchapon Koowongbundit) is a PE teacher at the same school as Noopook. He secretly crushes on her but does not dare to confess. So, he always stays on her side and is a good advisor to her. Annie or Anthika (Lingling Sirilak Kwong) is the only child of Mrs. Rhodsukont, who forces her daughter to attract Roonajak's attention and make herself become Juthathep-in-law. When Jack and Annie find out that they pursue Noopook and Jak respectively, they become friends who help each other with their love interests. In the process, they fall in love. I like this couple because it is refreshing to see a couple in which the guy (Jack) is not rich and comes from a humble family, considering all Male Leads and some secondary couples' guys are rich and nobles! Also, Job and Lingling hit it off and their chemistry is natural, unlike the main couple who in the beginning seems awkward and forced.

Phak and Ket from Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai

Ket, M.L.Pokkate Jutathep (Bam Saralee Prasitdumrong), is Chat's little sister. She just returned from France after graduating in fashion design. Being a modern-minded girl, she has high self-confidence and thinks outside the box. Ket dreams of having her own clothes shop without her family's help, so she decides to do an internship at the country's famous clothes shop to learn the business. 

"Phak" Phakrat Thanasak (Junior Kajbhunditt Jaidee) is the third child of Sir Phinij and Khun Ying Dara Amphai (more on the parent's story in Khun Chai Pudhiphat). He is Chat's close friend. He graduated with a master's degree in management from the US and recently returned to take care of the family business. He usually argues with Ket over different views but is deeply interested in her. Ket and Phak is a cute couple addition to the already cute romance of Chat and Kwan.

Wit and Ploy from Dhevaprom: Dujupsorn

Ploy, M.L.Anittha Juthathep (Tita Chayanit Chayjaroen), works alongside her brother Asira at JT Property as the Director of accounting and finance. She graduated with a master's degree in accounting from England and came to manage the company two years ago. She is confident and straightforward. Serious about work, not interested in love, and hates flirtatious men and arranged marriages. 

Wit, Chawit Vanichmunkong (Meen Nichakoon Khajornborirak) is the eldest son of Ketsara (the eldest daughter of M.R. Thewaphan Dhevaprom) and Chinnakorn. He is a close friend of Asira. He graduated with a master's degree from abroad and returned to help his father as CEO of the family's gold shop. He is a young energetic businessman who is single, wealthy, and playful. Wit has had a crush on Ploy since young.

The couple looks cute due to their height differences. Tita is  1.61 m (5'3") tall and Meen is 1.91m (6'3") tall.

  Watch It as a Stand Alone Drama  

As you see, I don't need to watch the Suphapburut Juthathep series to watch Duangjai Dhevaprom. They will give you enough flashbacks, especially in Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai and Dhevaprom: Dujupsorn, to explain Maratee and Wilairampa Dhevaprom. If you want to watch only the sequel of the series, I suggest you start chronologically as listed above. How about watching one or two dramas of the Duangjai Dhevaprom series if you are not interested or do not have time to watch all five installments? My picks are based on the ones I liked the most to the least: Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai, Dhevaprom: Dujupsorn, Dhevaprom: Jaipisut, Dhevaprom: Laorchan, and Dhevaprom: Poncheewan.

Many people liked Dhevaprom: Dujupsorn the most due to the off-chart chemistry between Mint and Kongthap Peak and their great acting. I do like them very much, too, but the plot is too dramatic for me and full of angst because of the psycho mother. I was not in the mood for heavy drama then, so the cute chemistry between Kwan and Chat in Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai with a lighter atmosphere suited me more.

Below are two GIFs that compare the chemistry between the couples in the two dramas. One is cute, the other one is intense. 

Warning: heavy spoilers! Skip them if you must!

The kissing scene in Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai
The kissing scene in Dhevaprom: Dujupsorn

  Relationship Chart  

To close my article, below is a tool that has been a great help for me to find out who is who. Whatever drama you choose to watch the series, you may get confused with their web of entanglement. To help understand the relationship between one character to another, below is a big relationship chart that connects the characters from Suphapburut Juthathep and Duangjai Dhevaprom, and what the parents looked like in the past and present. You can click the image below to zoom in to be able to read the character names and relationships.