SarahD

Great suspense drama with a side order of love

This story is set in the slums of Thailand and features Jack, a poor taekwondo student who through a brief association with Joke, a middle class kid whose only skills are lying, pretending and stealing goes from poor and honest to poor, desperate and enslaved.

5 years later they reunite after Joke is released from prison following the situation that led to Jack’s downfall and at the same time we meet others stuck in their own versions of hell and watch as they all grow from individuals trying to survive to a team determined to right the wrongs of the miserable lives they been given. Through it all and somewhere down the line relationships are formed and Jack and Joker fall in love.

The standout performance for me was Tangkwa Chananticha Chaipa who plays Toi Ting a young street smart kid who wants more out of life than the shitty hand she’s been dealt. Her believable character was fearless, brave and sassy wrapped up in a cute little bundle.

Yin and War as Jack and Joker were brilliant and it’s easy to see why Jack just let Joker win him over again and again as chemistry aside deep down he knew there had to be a really compelling reason for his sporadic return to crime and the sad puppy dog eye look Joke gave when caught hooked Jack in every time (it would make me forgive him every time too tbh).

There was very little opportunity for NC’s or PDA’s in this drama and to be honest I think it would have detracted from the story. In fact there only one intimate scene but it was enough to see how their slow burn romance spilled into every part of their relationship and it had me reaching for a metaphorical fan as it was so sizzling hot.

The other characters were well acted, their plot lines adding depth and breadth to this story by injecting love, laughter, a bond forged by desperation and the need to trust that together they could beat the system.

The contrast between the haves and have nots was poignantly obvious as evidenced in so many ways: from grotty buildings with peeling paint and doors that don’t close properly to sumptuous mansions with glittering fountains and marble staircases; poorly dressed, malnourished individuals with knife and fork haircuts compared with exaggeratedly overstuffed individuals with dubious taste in horribly expensive clothing; the raw honesty of frantic people trying to survive as opposed to bored mega rich to whom the lives and belongings of the less fortunate are just a game.

As an aside , the music used a lot at the beginning of their relationship, when Jack and Joker’s hearts skip a beat, is called Windfall by Megan Wofford (thank you Shazam!) and it’s also used in Cutie Pie on Lian and Kuea’s wedding night.

You should also watch the special one-off episode. It will break your heart but alludes to another series or just another one off. Here’s hoping…

Would I watch this again? Absolutely

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