This review may contain spoilers
The chemistry was chemistrying, but the romance wasn’t romancing for the main couple
As someone who's been dipping my toes into the Thai BL dramas for a few years, I have been expecting a lot more from Khemjira. Let me tell you, this series had me feeling some pretty mixed emotions.
On one hand, I truly enjoyed watching the rich cultural and supernatural elements woven throughout the story. The show's deep dive into Thai mythology, shamanism, and the paranormal was a refreshing change of pace from the typical BL fare.
It was like a crash course in fascinating local folklore, and I ate it up. The production quality was also top-notch, with the longer episode runtime allowing the narrative to unfold at a more leisurely pace. As someone who appreciates a slow burn, I definitely liked that we had a lot of fleshed out scenes.
However, despite all these enticing aspects, I have to admit that Khemjira didn't quite live up to the hype for me. When I saw that rating here was 8.8, I was really expecting something extra extraordinary, especially in the romance department.
And the biggest issue I had with the drama is the lack of properly developed romance between the main leads, Khem and Peem. While their connection was rooted in a past-life narrative, the present-day development of their relationship felt incomplete and almost one-sided. Khem, in particular, came across as a passive and rather uninteresting character, failing to garner my sympathy and investment in his journey.
Khem's character development, or lack thereof was very disappointing. Of course, I did not expect from him to be doing some unnatural acrobatics, but he was reduced to cooking and washing dishes. He didn't seem to have any other interests. I think if the storyline about him being into art was developed a little bit more that would probably make him at least a bit more interesting.
Compared to Knockout," where the physically weaker protagonist actively participates in problem-solving and team efforts, Khem's passivity and reliance on others felt frustrating. As a viewer, I found it challenging to root for a character who seemed to be merely a "damsel in distress" rather than an active participant in his own story. I basically agree with everyone that I have seen said the same thing about the character.
Acting:
Keng’s performance of the shaman was a particular highlight. His Master was way too believable. I also am not going to put down Namping’s acting because I think he had to work with whatever was in the script. And as I have mentioned above, his character was not written very well. So I am not going to compare their acting because I haven't seen them in any other drama before.
In contrast, the secondary couple's storyline felt much more well-rounded and engaging, with a stronger sense of chemistry and emotional investment. This disparity between the main and supporting narratives was a bit jarring. I mean, the writers missed an opportunity to truly capitalize on the potential of the central romance.
NC scenes: they were well done, especially Charn and Jet’s scene. I thought it was the best one of the series. The NC in the final episode for lead couple wasn’t as good as the first scene they had in the earlier episode. But that’s just me.
Let’s put it this way: the chemistry was chemistrying, but the romance wasn’t romancing for the lead couple.
That being said, I did like the series for its bold departure from the traditional BL formula. Its cultural depth and production value is great, but ultimately the drama falls short in the crucial area of the well-developed romance between the main characters. While it may not have lived up to the hype for me, the series still offers a unique and thought-provoking experience. With more attention to the main character development and a stronger central romance it could have been a 15 out of ten for me. It's still worth a watch if you like slow burn.
On one hand, I truly enjoyed watching the rich cultural and supernatural elements woven throughout the story. The show's deep dive into Thai mythology, shamanism, and the paranormal was a refreshing change of pace from the typical BL fare.
It was like a crash course in fascinating local folklore, and I ate it up. The production quality was also top-notch, with the longer episode runtime allowing the narrative to unfold at a more leisurely pace. As someone who appreciates a slow burn, I definitely liked that we had a lot of fleshed out scenes.
However, despite all these enticing aspects, I have to admit that Khemjira didn't quite live up to the hype for me. When I saw that rating here was 8.8, I was really expecting something extra extraordinary, especially in the romance department.
And the biggest issue I had with the drama is the lack of properly developed romance between the main leads, Khem and Peem. While their connection was rooted in a past-life narrative, the present-day development of their relationship felt incomplete and almost one-sided. Khem, in particular, came across as a passive and rather uninteresting character, failing to garner my sympathy and investment in his journey.
Khem's character development, or lack thereof was very disappointing. Of course, I did not expect from him to be doing some unnatural acrobatics, but he was reduced to cooking and washing dishes. He didn't seem to have any other interests. I think if the storyline about him being into art was developed a little bit more that would probably make him at least a bit more interesting.
Compared to Knockout," where the physically weaker protagonist actively participates in problem-solving and team efforts, Khem's passivity and reliance on others felt frustrating. As a viewer, I found it challenging to root for a character who seemed to be merely a "damsel in distress" rather than an active participant in his own story. I basically agree with everyone that I have seen said the same thing about the character.
Acting:
Keng’s performance of the shaman was a particular highlight. His Master was way too believable. I also am not going to put down Namping’s acting because I think he had to work with whatever was in the script. And as I have mentioned above, his character was not written very well. So I am not going to compare their acting because I haven't seen them in any other drama before.
In contrast, the secondary couple's storyline felt much more well-rounded and engaging, with a stronger sense of chemistry and emotional investment. This disparity between the main and supporting narratives was a bit jarring. I mean, the writers missed an opportunity to truly capitalize on the potential of the central romance.
NC scenes: they were well done, especially Charn and Jet’s scene. I thought it was the best one of the series. The NC in the final episode for lead couple wasn’t as good as the first scene they had in the earlier episode. But that’s just me.
Let’s put it this way: the chemistry was chemistrying, but the romance wasn’t romancing for the lead couple.
That being said, I did like the series for its bold departure from the traditional BL formula. Its cultural depth and production value is great, but ultimately the drama falls short in the crucial area of the well-developed romance between the main characters. While it may not have lived up to the hype for me, the series still offers a unique and thought-provoking experience. With more attention to the main character development and a stronger central romance it could have been a 15 out of ten for me. It's still worth a watch if you like slow burn.
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