'Bpoop Phaeh Saniwaat' is a wonderful light-hearted romantic-comedy lakorn which feature underlying themes of history, karmic retribution and fate.
STORY (No spoilers)
Time-travelling dramas are not new, even amongst lakorns, but I think that this show is a bit more inspired because it certainly knows how to make use of this premise and give us a lovely light-hearted walk through 17th-century Ayutthaya without making either the history-bits or the political-bits too heavy and overwhelming. On the contrary, from the title of the show itself - ‘Love Destiny’ - it makes it pretty clear that this show is primarily a romance show, which it fulfils to a tee.
It was very clever of this show to transport a budding archeologist back into ancient history because the show gives us a natural teacher in her. As she gradually meets one historical figure after another, we get wonderful internal monologues about the various characters’ positions and their impact on history. And when she gets all excited over ancient historical sites, we get lovely little expositions of the significance of those sites. And through her fish-out-of-water personality and conversations, we are seamlessly introduced to the culture and customs of the times, as well as their hilarious reactions to her modernisms. History becomes so much more accessible and digestible as we follow Kadesurang/Karakade through some of the definitive times in King Narai’s reign in history. It’s a brilliant piece of writing and a brilliant way of introducing a slice of Thai history to viewers without making it too heavy or boring.
One would think that with so much historical setting, background, characters and events, the romance would be short-changed to accommodate it all. Wrong! Very wrong! As a romance tale of hate-to-love, and of fated love, this show not only provides generous amounts of time to introduce our main leads and develop their relationship, it actually also spoils us with plenty of fan-service and squeal-worthy scenes. If you’re a romance-junkie like me, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how much fixes you’ll get.
This show does many things well but one of the best things about it is the character and personality of our main leads, particularly our main female lead.
Suddenly transported from the 21st-century into the 17th-century, she is very much a fish-out-of-water and it doesn’t help either that the body she inhabits is one which has a reputation of being a rather evil witch. Having to not only adjust to her new environment, but to also redeem Karakade’s reputation amongst the community, is a tall undertaking but Kadesurang rises to the occasion magnificently. To see her slowly but surely win person after person around to her side is a lesson in human gentleness, kindness, patience and poise which has personally inspired me to try and do the same. She is resilient, resourceful and empathic, and she takes every hit she receives in her stride but without losing a shred of her dignity or determination. She is beautiful and amazing.
Our main male lead is very much a product of his status and his time but his evolution from him despising the woman he is affianced to, to learning to see her for who she is in her new personality, and then to be curious about her, and then to accept her (quirks and all), and then to love her - deeply love her - is both funny and very heart-warming.
They also make a pretty compatible couple. They don’t dwell on their fights for long; they take pains to listen, understand and learn about each other; and they learn how to accommodate, give-and-take, and be flexible with one another. Theirs is no childish playground-bickering juvenile romance, nor is it those demanding, personality-clash, dramatic ones. It’s quite wonderfully mature and steadfast, but losing none of its charm or warmth. I love it!
Before I say a few words about our supporting cast (because they are deserving of their own little section), I would like to say that another good thing about this lakorn is its great absence of your typical thai lakorn tropes.
No evil nangrais (aka second female leads)? Check.
No love triangles? Check.
No mad antagonist/ crazy villain? Check.
No plot-filler? Check.
No long-drawn-out misunderstandings? Check.
No lack-of-communication angst? Check.
No revenge plots? Check.
No slap-kiss? Check.
No cartoon/ cardboard characters? Check.
No inconsistent or irrational character portrayals? Check.
Wow, too good to be true? Yes.
There is, however, one - ONE - lakorn cliche that does feature itself heavily in this show and I would be remiss in not pointing it out. It’s your ‘tripping-and-falling-into-arms-followed-by-long-stares’ trope. Not gonna lie, this one gets quite a bit of air-time but they’re all variations of the trope so it might be interesting to see just how much they can stretch it, lol. They do water it down to just ‘turning-and-staring’ as the show progresses, and perhaps it may be a matter of taste but I personally thought the show did okay in giving this particular trope quite a bit of spice through its variations.
Finally, a word about the supporting cast. SOLID is the word that comes to mind. This show’s supporting cast have added extra layers of life, depth and breadth to the show. They sparkle and shine in their own different capacities, and while some might be a little more intense and heavy in terms of presence and personality, the show also gives us little insights and glimpses into their thought-process which makes them all comes across believably real and human. The scintillating supporting cast is truly a massive plus.
ACTING/ CAST
POPE THANAWAT - as Thun Muen Suntorndewa/ Por Date. I’ve seen Pope before in the 'Suparburoot Juthathep' series as the 2nd brother and I knew he had it in him to give his character an aura of gentlemanly dignity and authority where needed. And I also knew he could act and pull out the emotions and the tears if required. He did not disappoint. Our main male lead did a great job in taking us through his emotional journey from start to finish, and if he has not won for himself new fans after this show, I would be very much surprised. His eyes and his smiles are his best assets here as they are beautifully expressive.
BELLA RANEE - as Kadesurang/ Mae Ying Karakade. I’ve always liked Bella from her 'Padiwaradda' and 'Khun Chai Puttipat' days, but she blew me away here with her incredibly versatile portrayal of Kadesurang/ Karakade. I think this show/ script is also great as it allows her to really expand her acting ability and show us just how versatile and capable she is as an actress. I am so glad that she took the script by the horns and threw herself into it with gusto. She really is the main character and the lynchpin to the entire show and she shone brilliantly all the way through. Wonderful performance.
Best of all, the chemistry between these two in this show is on fire! No words - It has to be seen to be believed and after you’re done curling your fingers and toes, squealing into your pillow and rolling all over the floor in romantic ecstasy, you’ll get up and want more. For a show that doesn’t have many skinship scenes, this is a masterclass on how to do restrained romance in dramas. Goodness.
The supporting casts of actors and actresses are all stellar. Standout performances for me were:-
Nirut Sirichanya as our dear old Khun Loong/ Ork Ya Hor Thibadi (Por Date’s dad) was absolutely lovable.
The girls playing Karakade’s personal maids P’Pim and P’Yam killed every single one of their scenes - they are a dynamic duo and such an example of sisterhood girl-power.
Ampha Phoosit as Nang Prik, and Chamaiporn Jaturaput as Khun Ying Jumpa (Por Date’s mom), were an unforgettable double-combo act.
Punjan Kawin was charming as Khun Reung, and Chartchai Ngamsan had that on-screen gravitas as Kosa Ban.
Louis Scott added vulnerable dimensions to a power-hungry Constantine Phaulkon, while Got Jirayu stole all his scenes as a charismatic and hot-looking Luang Surasak.
And the actor playing Joi? Adorable.
Really, the supporting cast all outdid themselves here and I’m so glad this show’s hit-status has brought them into the limelight.
MUSIC
The OST for this show has apparently been outselling itself so it can't be bad. Holistically, taking into account everything from the soundtrack, the background music and the sound effects, I thought this show did very well in incorporating the various elements of it into the scenes. I particularly enjoyed the way they employed their sound effects - it definitely added pep and pop to the scenes!
RE-WATCH VALUE
This show has so many things going for it - sweeping romance, liberal sprinklings of humour, good introduction into Thailand’s ancient history, beautiful sets and costumes, a memorable set of cast of characters, and a storyline which doesn’t spin itself into unnecessary knots or is packed with fillers.
One of the best light-hearted romance dramas I’ve seen to date. Definitely re-watchable.
EDIT TO ADD:
There are 2 versions of this lakorn - it's original 15-episode (1 hour 50 mins per episode) version, and a Director's Uncut 40-episode (40 minutes per episode) version which features a few hours worth of extra footage scattered throughout its entire run.
This lakorn became such a massive hit in Thailand during the year it ran (2018), it single-handedly cleared Bangkok's notoriously terrible traffic jams on the evenings when an episode was airing and spawned an Uncut version release. Unheard of. Yes, this lakorn was THAT good.
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First let me start with saying that this drama is not perfect, it has its flaws, but the awesomeness will make you forget about anything else. It has an amazing cast, engaging story, and it just the right amount of romance and comedy to keep you glued to the screen.
THE CAST
You'll fall in love with the sassy, witty, and intelligent FL. She'll make you want to strangle her at times because she's just too curious and reckless at times and keeps getting into these dangerous situations. BUT in her defense she's an archaeology student who suddenly finds herself transported back in time to her favorite time period, as a history nerd myself I cannot judge.
The ML omg how can I describe this ball of fluff. He's just so precious, she drives him to the brink of madness and back but he can't just stay angry at her. His love is the purest thing.
There's is just too much to say about the supportive cast, second leads included. One thing for sure is that the acting is top-notch and this drama would not be half as good as it is without these amazing actors.
The main antagonist is not evil as portrayed by most dramas, that give you a Disney-like villain that is bad because that's just his only character trait. This guy has so many layers. He loves, he hates, he can be honest, he lies, he can be sweet, and he's pitiful. His major flaw is his greediness, though.
THE STORY
Not much to say besides that you'll learn a ton of Thai history. The drama setting is in a real time period with real characters that lived 300 years ago. This is the reason why the drama gets a little political at times but it's never overwhelming which often happens with Cdramas and Kdramas with historical setting. One thing I greatly appreciated is that the FL did not interfere with history. She let the events take their natural course, even if it broke her heart because some things were just sad but inevitable.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Watch this drama when you have time to binge it because it will suck you in. It is 15 episodes but they are 2 hours long which is 30 hours. I completed it in less than 3 days. It's 9:30 am right now and I haven't slept xD but it's oh so worth it.
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All the cast are perfect especially Bella and Pope. They both slayed me with their performance as Karakade/Kadesurang and Date. Kadesurang as Karakade is no doubt the best lakorn heroine in my opinion, I just love her so much. She doesn't necessarily meddle in someone else's business, she's strong and she's so smart. As for Date, I love him too, he's so devoted to Karakade and I swooned too much when I saw him smiled. And as for their romance, I squealed too many times that my family thought there's a rat in house lol
As for the story, my only complaint is that I wish they show us more of their married life. I would love to watch more of their interaction as husband and wife. It's really fun that as we watch this lakorn we also get to learnt more about the history of Thailand. If only my country would also do something like this lakorn, then maybe I won't be as clueless as I was about my country's history.
If you're looking for an amazing, sweet and funny lakorn/drama, then I definitely recommend this to you!
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It took me months before I actually gathered all of my courage to start watching this drama. I was NEVER a fan of historical, fantasy and romantic comedy kind of dramas, I was way more into slap & kiss dramas, but since everyone suggested this to me, I said why not? I can just drop it if it gets too boring or dragged. I'm so happy I decided to give this one a try, because honestly this has become one of my top favorite drama among all that I've watched. Everyone, if you ever get that feeling like me, thinking that this might just be a waste of time, please watch this. I know you're gonna enjoy it.
STORY
The storyline was a bit confusing for me at first. And there were so many historical scenes going on, at first I thought that it was going to be boring. But as I watched them, it made me eager, I wanted to know more, even on the history. It was a blend of romance, comedy, mystery, fantasy, I'd say it got everything a drama got to have in here. I shed tears watching this, something that an usual romantic comedy wouldn't do to you. I laughed my heart out each time the comedy part comes in. I smiled to ears watching their romantic scenes (I usually skip these kind of cheesy scenes but this drama is an exception)
ACTING/CAST
I was skeptical on both the main actor & actress at first. Bella and Pope, both never wins my heart but not even that long into the first episode, I feel in love with them. The characters, and even their chemistry. It wasn't as intense as a slap & kiss drama, and it was rather cheesy but everything was in the right amount. If you get what I mean. I really look forward to Pope and Bella acting together in the future, apart from the sequel, I hope I'll see them in a modern setting drama.
The supporting roles are as good as the main too. Each one of them carried their character so well. You're going to feel so connected to them, each character. I loved each of them, it was portrayed so well by them.
MUSIC
Each and every ost they have in this drama were so good. At first it all sounded the same to me, but as I got into a few episodes, I realized how good they were. How the lyrics and the storyline goes hand in hand. I love how soothing the music was, it made me so calm and relax.
REWATCH VALUE
Definitely! I'll start with watching the uncut versions, and I bet I'll be watching more of it soon.
PLEASE PLEASE AND PLEASE, DON'T NEGLECT THIS DRAMA. YOU DESERVES TO WATCH THIS ONE. SOMETHING LIGHT AND INTENSE AT THE SAME TIME, SOMETHING SERIOUS AND FUNNY, SOMETHING THAT MADE YOUR MOOD FLIPPED FROM A SAD ONE TO A BIG SMILE. I REALLY RECOMMEND THIS ONE <3
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Just Amazing! One of the Best Historical Dramas I've Ever Watched
I've seen a few lakorns before but this is the first one I've ever finished. It took me only 4 days to watch this drama because of its captivating story and fantastic acting by the cast. The show has a perfect mix of romance, comedy, and historical content.STORY - Definitely not something that has never been done before but there's something about Bpoop Phaeh Saniwaat that's different and made me continue to invest my time in it. The romance was slow burning but that just made you long for the scenes even more. I do appreciate the constant new Thai history facts I was receiving while watching this and I feel somewhat more educated by the time I finished the drama. What made me want to watch this drama was that Por Date HATED Karakade in the beginning, but you can see how their love develops over time. It's just so sweet.
CAST - Superb acting by everyone. Now when I see the actors or actresses, I refer to them as their character's name instead of their real name. They pulled me in and connected me with their character and story. Pope's smiles every time he looks at Bella makes me want to cry because of how cute and pure it is. Bella duality is amazing, being able to play the evil Karakade and the cutiepie Kadesurang. I also love PJ's take on his character, bringing out a gentleman who liked to see his friend (Pope) riled up once in a while. Susie and Prang did not irritate me one bit, despite being the "second female leads". Louis Scott, goddamn, I've seen him play the supporting character in a few dramas and so I've always liked him but man, I despised him in here. I think he played his role really well, but that wig needed to go (or at least groom it better because LMAO, half of the time I was staring at it more than paying attention to his lines). The actresses and actor that played the servants made my heart warm because of their incredible loyalty to the family. They also played the comic relief role very well.
MUSIC - Y'all, I've never thought I would actually get into Thai music but here I am. I'm addicted to the OST and I'm upset that I can't find my favourite ones online. If anyone know how I can listen to the whole album, please send me a message. The tracks that played every time Pope or Bella did/say something romantic made me squeal. It gave me all the feels!!!!!
REWATCH VALUE - 100% will watch again because it has made a permanent record on my list, being the only Thai lakorn I've finished. As someone who is extremely picky when it comes to dramas, the fact that I finished this, loved everything about it, and watched it within 4 days (even though I was meant to be studying for my exam), just shows how awesome it is. I'll definitely watch the romantic scenes again and also just to re-listen to the alluring music.
BONUS!!! - Can you believe this lakorn has no evil female character, no love triangle, no slap/kiss, yet still managed to be one of the best released this year? It just shows that you don't need the typical clichés for a drama to be a hit.
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not just an ordinary time travel show but it is very
I love the story, it is so mystical. I love the how the show depicts Thailand's tradition and culture, most specially I love the clothes Bella wore
which were really beautiful.
The best part are the characters, I love Bella, but she made me fall in love with her all over again. I have watched her other shows
like Padiwara but this is by far the best one. Everyone here has great acting skills, I had to watch it again, some parts which I love.
I would recommend this to anyway wanting a good engaging show. It will get you hook till midnight so to speak. There were a lot of scenes
which really left my mouth hanging. I just can't get enough of this lakorn.
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Story: I finished watching around 3 weeks ago, binged the whole ~30 hours in 2 days and since then I've recommended it to every single one of my friends who watch dramas too. The story and plot are so well-executed and well-thought-out, the history element of it is spot on and very interesting and educational. I got to learn a lot about Thai history especially since most of the characters in the drama had actually existed in the time period the story was set in.
Acting/Cast: The acting was phenomenal and you really interact with the characters a lot. They're fun and witty and the character development is amazing. They really did a great job casting most of the cast; appearance-wise the actors portray their characters really well. I really don't have any other complaints than Louis Scott's hair and the CG, which is understandable.
Music: THE MUSIC IS AMAZING! The main song fits so well with the scenes and the instrumentals are timed perfectly.
Rewatch Value: Considering I've already rewatched and gone through a lot of the details with three different people, I can say this drama is basically one I will remember and miss for a long time. This may sound cheesy, but the two days I spent binging it was the best two days of the entire year for me.
Disclaimer: those who aren't familiar with Asian culture will most likely not understand a lot of the religious, spiritual concepts interweaved into the plot, they're a huge part of the drama and Thai culture in general. But, this is a good first step into learning more about Thailand and Buddhism.
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The heroine, Karakade, is exceedingly likable. As a woman from modern times, she is unrestrained, extroverted, adventurous. But it was clear through flashbacks of her life in the present world that her behavior in Ayutthaya is largely due to her personality. The way Bella Ranee Campen played her, she was so charming. And she is gorgeous. It's rare to find an actress who is both talented and beautiful and she has the complete package.
Karakade would often get scolded or put down or treated with contempt, and yet, she never lashes out at anyone. She handles it with humor and a positive attitude. And this is what made what could have been heavy situations filled with laughter. She would shock folks into silence with her unconventional, quirky behavior. They really don't know what to do with her. Also, I thought it was ironic that it was the men who warms up to her first. I mean, she transmigrates to a conservative, patriarchal society where rules are made by men and women are taught to be obedient, prim and proper. Any behavior outside of that is reprimanded for it. Her cheerful, outspoken, inquisitive behavior is admired and praised by the men but not the women. I especially loathed the head servant, and to a lesser degree, Khun Pi's mother for their persistent refusal to acknowledge that Karakade is a very different and better person than she used to be. It is one of the central conflicts in the drama and too repetitive for my liking. They eventually see her in a positive light. However, that progression from hate to love wasn't satisfying. I didn't really feel the change, only that I was told a change of heart had taken place.
On the other hand, our wonderful Khun Pi’s journey from hate to curiosity to love and devotion was clearly and thrillingly illustrated. It was quite amusing seeing him crane his neck to try to catch a glimpse of whatever it is that the mischievous Karakade was up to. I'm still laughing thinking about the scene where she is doing morning yoga and she becomes aware he is watching her but promptly ignores him and continues on, as if she doesn't care how strange it would look to someone from 300 years ago. Meanwhile, he is so bemused by her activities and the way she speaks in modern tongue. And he is so serious at times that Karakade teases him often; she is adorably playful around him.
When I look at Pope as Khun Pi, all I could think is how handsome, kind, gentlemanly, refine he is; with a smile that could melt your heart. As a noble man in ancient times, Khun Pi grew up in the confines of such environment and understandably hold narrow views, which made him a bit of a douche in the beginning. He would often scold Karakade, stating that as a woman, she should behave herself. I liked how Karakade calls him out on that double standard. Fortunately, he more than made up for it. He chooses to be open-minded while fulfilling her wishes and protecting her as best he could in the position he is in. There isn't much skinship between the two and I would say theirs is a slow burn romance, but that didn't make it any less romantic. Most of the time, all they do is smile at each other or the heroine accidentally trips and falls into his arms (or lap, heh) or he gets thisclose, whispering into her ears but never touching; and all the while, I'm grinning like an idiot watching them. They are so sweet together. Also, the OST Aojaow (You) by Pete Pol perfectly captures the classy feel of their romance.
As mentioned, the ancient setting is one of the best features of this show. I would often pause the video to admire the aesthetically pleasing set designs. From the lush costumes, to the interior design, the wooden houses, the boat rides, the cuisine, even to the placement of vases and the arrangement of the ubiquitous but beautiful, bountiful lotus flowers throughout the grounds of the leads’ sprawling residence; all contributed to an authentic, elegant atmosphere. Aside from the backdrop elevating the story, the supporting cast breathed life into it as well; especially Khun Pi's father, Khun Pi's friend/second lead, and the two personal servants of Karakade. There are also many other real life historical figures interwoven into the story. When Karakade runs into one of them and gets super excited, I thought that’s what it must be like to run into people’s favorite Kpop idols nowadays. I'll be honest that I did skip around when the drama spent time on these figures. What’s strange is that I was interested enough to look them up and read about them on Wikipedia but I didn’t want to watch them in the drama. Learning of their fate via Wikipedia was enough for me and the drama did not deviate from history. I especially skipped scenes involving Constantine Phaulkon. I don't particular like the actor, and the rise and fall of his character even less.
In conclusion, I don't think this drama was as perfect as many reviews made it out to be. However, that doesn't mean it wasn't enjoyable throughout. I think the glowing reviews were due to how positively the watchers personally felt about the drama than an objective assessment of it. And I completely understand them now after giving it another chance. There was so much to appreciate, flaws and all. I left feeling happier than I did going into it.
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The interweave of history, fantasy and realism is amazing. The chemistry between the main leads is superb... I enjoyed the cheesiness (I usually enjoy cheesiness, too). I love how it gets serious one minute and hilarious in the next, and how our time traveler navigates her new world in the best way possible- " what happens, will happen".
Watch it. I'm sure you will enjoy it as well.
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