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Khaen Rak Salap Chata thai drama review
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Khaen Rak Salap Chata
1 mensen vonden deze beoordeling nuttig
by 8392225
apr 10, 2022
16 van 16
Voltooid
Geheel 9.5
Verhaal 9.5
Acting/Cast 9.5
Muziek 8.0
Rewatch Waarde 8.0
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This won me over despite my aversion to both the plot and the cast

Okay, I was not especially looking forward to this one. Bua Nalinthip's previous roles were all in lakorns I DROPPED. I don't like Alek Teeradetch. Krating Khunnarong is not really my type, either. But mostly because I glanced at the synopsis which mentioned exchanged bodies, meaning exchanged souls, meanimg exchanged characters, in fact. That is not a (romantic) story I should enjoy (if there is confusion about who is actually having romance with whom, then I don't find it really romantic).

First, there are scenes with Bua Nalinthip. She portrays doctor, seriously dating a pilot. Just to see her with someone else than Pon Nawasch IS a plus, but only till you take a closer look on this guy who also isn't very compatible with her either, AND (like Pon Nawasch) is younger than her. In episode 1 their relationship is not working, they might be close to a break-up. I know! After the soul exchange, the new "guy inside" would work better with her. Wow, what an "happy end"... as I currently watched also 2018 'Nakark Kaew', I was annoyed with this kind of "romance"... But I was in for a completely different ride, this time.

But first, I watched early scenes with Alek Teeradetch (I prefer Ken Theeradeth, lol), whose character is an actor and a "bad boy" (first we see him in bed scene, but I don't find him attractive) because he sleeps with girls on the set and does drugs and falls asleep during filming. Then tells everyone that HE doesn't need to care. I don't think that's how a really bad and wild guy looks like, that's how stupid guy looks like. Moving on to Namtarn Pichukkana's runway model, stealing clothes from her own fashion show. They probably date each other (though not exclusively, at least from the guy's side) because they are similar. So, after the body swap, this girl shall receive more intelligent guy if nothing else? Obviously this guy will have massive trouble to be a plane pilot after exchanging. Shall he kill his passangers?

So, first couple are both capable professionals. Second couple shares more frivolous an occupation & personality. I wasn't really looking forward to the change, it seemed to me these people deserved each other as they were. Also it suited me the actor I don't like portrayed the unlikeable character. I felt bad for the pilot waking up in the actor's body, having to answer for his stupid deeds like drugs & money stolen from someone who shoots first and asks later, all the while receiving an earful from his mega stupid girlfriend. What wrong did he do? The other guy doesn't wake up. But when the pilot receives a punch to his new actor's body, even the pilot's body starts bleeding. Which is even more stupid. I seriously wondered why lakorn scriptwriters keep coming up with such cr*p instead of simple good relationship drama...

At least when the decent guy was stuck inside the douchebag's body, and his girlfriend acted how she was used to with him, he was all shy and that was funny:) The other couple didn't interact yet, but I'd expect it would be the same only reversed. Each new "couple" dynamics should get stirred by each of them receiving a partner way more wild/stuck-up than they were used to, and it should bring fun and intrigue into their interactions...

But, then the actor wakes up in the pilot's body. The pilot's girlfriend (the doctor) is all over him, emotional and tearful... While he obviously just finds her hot:) After he remembers everything, he realizes he needs to hide: and where hide better than in someone else's body? So he just sits back and enjoys everything the pilot's got in life. It's emphasized the guy doesn't have much coinscience and also he is kind of, let's say... primitive. So is the girl (the model) by the way. So, both the (new) counterparts are in shock from their behavior:)

Plus, as if the supernatural element was not stupid enough, there's yet another shocking surprise waiting in both actor's and pilot's family home: their father. The pilot's father who seems well situated is actually boss of the underworld kingpin who is looking for the missing drugs, while the actor's father hates his son so much he tried to kill him twice already. The actor left his home (and his education) in 9th grade. Yeah, that might explain A BIT the kind of personality he had... There's yet another connection between the two (seemingly completely strange) families, where we face the classic "who is actually whose son" plot, because obviously this story was STILL not over-embellished enough.

Also, watching more of Krating Khunnarong, I like him even less than Alek Teeradetch and that's something. And with such stupid material, it would really help if there was at least some eye candy. No such luck... Then, why I kept watching? Perhaps it was the scenes where the right guy in the wrong body was desperately trying to make up with his (untrusting) girlfriend. Or scenes where the guy could not help but feel moved by the actions of (not truly) his girlfriend. Namtarn Pichukkana did a good job (this is 1st lakorn I praise her for, and I've watched her in 3 others already) portraying the simple girl: as coarse and lazy as she was, there was something endearing about her dynamics with the guy, she was truly thankful for any show of affection from him... Also, she appreciated his cooking skills a lot:) One could tell he was not completely immune to her compliments, though he was still reserved, but it was so cute:) If was funny that both the original couple people were wery prudent, while the other ones were like super horny:) The character switching made quite a stir. Though, it was getting quite clear that there was hardly any romance expected for the actor character, he was not sincere to neither his old, nor "new" girlfirend. Perhaps he was not capable of it.

So, if all the stuff I called "stupid cr*p" was there to serve as a base for having the endearing Alek & Namtarn scenes, I say it was worth it. Not so much for scenes of Bua & Krating, there were morelike scary, as the guy was practically sociopathic, not caring about feelings of anyone in the family he covertly slipped into. While I sometimes laughed loud during the scenes of one of the switched couples, I felt creepy watching those of the other. I could relate to one of the switched guys both feeling moved towards the other guy's girlfiend, and being scared for his own girlfriend. So basically both the relationship lines worth watching were the ones involving the character (soul) of the pilot.

We don't abandon the other guy's character background and further development, though. Even "bad guy"'s behavior always has some reason. At least here the scriptwriters did not betray the audience and tried to provide more than just the lakorn usual "action - loud yelling - action" shallow stuff to fill the episodes up. So, even the actor's character wises up and attempts to make something better of himself. Perhaps he saw something in "his" new girlfriend that inspired it. Despite the 31 year old Bua Nalinthip looking kinda ridiculous as a maiden saving herself for marriage, lol. If at least her character can make the actor be sincere to someone, then their line might start being worth watching.

Both guys' story actually has the parallel in learning to work patiently with others.

Aom Piyada Akaraseni has a funny cameo as "herself", a lakorn producer. Well, that's who she is today, lol. She is present on a set, where the "new actor" comes into. He promised "his" new girlfriend he'll do anything to get them out of their miserable situation, therefore he needs to take upon the acting job, now. He's to shoot an erotic scene on 1st day:) It's a treat to watch the shy pilot's soul in the body of the actor, who was - by now notorious for unprofessional behavior - obviously hired for the small role just for his looks. I enjoyed watching... To be fair, I'm sure you noticed during my review's progress I stopped complaining about Alek Teeradetch:) True I never liked him before, but here he redeemed himself in this role and after watching a lot of Krating Khunnarong, Alek suddenly started to look good to me, he was certainly the most attractive guy in this lakorn, lol. Or, maybe it still was 45-year old Chai Chatayodom?:)

While the poor pilot is struggling with the acting job, the actor keeps lazying around (one would wish that HE would sweat, too... but then, he would probably crash any plane he would try to pilot, so let's not wish that). Anyways, trying to be a nice guy for the first time, he's got couple of cute scenes, too. Portrayed by Krating Khunnarong, awkward with Bua Nalinthip one head shorter & six years older than him, I didn't enjoy those like Alek & Namtarn scenes, though (those were really able to make me smile & laugh).

Pilot also has his childhood friend, to whom he confides that he switched bodies with someone. As the only person, he starts to believe him a bit. I liked this small bromance line tremendously and would have wished there was more of it.

So, with all these long previous paragraphs (wow), I only described why by episode 7, I was finally settled in and tuned into this series and started enjoying it. What I liked were the life lessons both the main guys received while being forced to live the life of somebody else. Even the guy who was a good person and didn't need much atonement, still he was used to some comforts in his well situated family and position. He needed to learn to survive without those. He discovered strength and loyalty in people he would before deemed unworthy (even I as an audience would deemed them so at first glance). Together with the childhood friend line and Alek & Namtarn chemistry I found enough good qualities in this lakorn to make it a decent watch... But! It had to end that soon? Instead of the childhood friend (as I hoped) it's the actor's girlfriend who, in episode 7 out 16, already learns the truth. And asks herself a question: "Who am I in love with?" LOL that's precisely what I asked at the end of my very first paragraph.

Her first reaction is to ask him to leave as she can't live with a complete stranger. But then she realizes her mistake and goes searching for him. I agreed: they HAVE already lived together and that itself proven this man was decent. Because when he was in her boyfriend's body he could allow himself to do anything with her but didn't, so if there was one thing she could be sure of, it was she was absolutely safe with him. It's clear she was actually in love with the new man inside, BUT he looked like her old lover. Would they work even if they switched bodies back? The old lover never cared for her this way, the new one had another girlfriend. So, either way she was heartbroken. And what is absolutely disarming about Namtarn's character is that she confesses all this to him, that she cries... I RARELY cry watching lakorns but this got me. Kudos to Namtarn.

Meanwhile, the thugs working as underlings for the drug lord come to harrass the characters every now and then, which was only an annoyance because I don't think "action scenes" were that important for this story. Episode 8 was first I enjoyed fake pilot & pilot's girlfriend scene. Because no matter the cast, it was intriguing to watch to which level would (not) the animal-like guy be able to feel truly sorry or touched by someone pure. She hugs him without any kiss or sexual hints, just to comfort him and we can clearly see that's a first he experienced such thing. It's definitely an asset that we can watch a simple dialogue and hug scene and be thrilled hundred times more than in usual lakorn. Namtarn & Alek are precious too, one almost wishes the pilot would not have such an integrity and would go for the actor's girlfriend. I have never thought there would come a time I'll find Alek Teeradetch cute but here it is, lol. Both him and Namtarn:)

Seriously, it's so cute both the guys needed either to smile more or be more serious in order to get closer with the switched girlfriends. When they tried to switch their bodies back, I believe the audience no longer wished them to succeed. I didn't. So, that got postponed and instead we had to deal with the fact that both the guys had totally psycho dad. Which WAS the most kitchy thing in this series, lol. Because no matter what, I found the body-switching occuring at every red moon STILL more credible than corny villain drug lords mixed with upper class middle-aged scorned lovers drawing their gun every time their bloodpressure went up. I say, next time writing a lakorn like this, suffice with the fantasy element and do give up on any crime themes once and for good. Less is more and enough is enough.

Crime does not belong in good lakorn, it was the truth 21 years ago and it's the truth today.

Still, the two guys staying switched while dealing with their deranged fathers brought something more interesting into this theme than usual. I admit that watching the "bad boy" dealing with the "good boy"'s scumbag dad was very satisfying. It was one thing he could do well - or better - in his stead. So, even this rough character was finally finding good use:) Amarin Nitibhon was an excellent pick for the role (I still remember him as a serial killer from 'Tunnel'). I also liked theme of parent-child love emphasized just as much as the lovers love. Also surprisingly, I did enjoy when both girlfriends knew the truth already. It was still very engaging a watch. I even started to root for the actor to redeem himself a tiny bit:) There's so much improvement in the characters just because they were given the right partner, so much I can now eat my earlier words that the couples were better off how they originally were. No. Each of their personalities actually benefited from the other, fullfilled exactly where the other was lacking and vice versa. Everyone learned to deeply appreciate something, be it friendship, hard work, family, or trust. In short, I really rooted for the CHARACTERS. No matter the body.

With all the main characters already knowing about the switch, next they were trying to uncover the birth secret, which I was not curious about AT ALL (yeah, classic lakorn plot:) and scenes with the stupid "drug cartel" were getting very repetitive. I watched on for the relationships development only. That did not disappoint me and I enjoyed all the new nouances in character's feelings tremendously. It was great each time there was a direct confrontation with the people involved talking things out, not waiting around for several episodes to drag it. No, this show was packed. And what could not be conveyed through words, even someone's facial expression was enough to deliver. What we could see now in the eyes of the characters was something that definitely was not there at the beginning of the series. The cast did really their best. Though it was certainly not smarter than others, still I found this very good for a lakorn, because it was so dramatically and romantically enjoyable. Even if I did wish it layed off a little with the crime line. Less is more, there was enough good in this show.

But I gotta admit that this lakorn made even with the corny crime line plus birth secret line an enjoyable enough "action climax". Everything was part of the journey for these characters. This was multiple mirror story not only of switched bodies, also of a switched fathers who mirrored each other, too (one evil at his "work life" but a loving parent, the other decent in professional life but an evil parent). The emotional rollercoaster offered here really was complex (well, you can see for yourselves how long my review got:) The more sensitive and decent of the guys was the one brought up by loving father, even if otherwise a cruel criminal. Irony? I don't think so. This is what I liked about this lakorn. This wasn't the usual loud-conflict-making-no-sense sh*t. It actually made sense on the emotional level and that's why the audience is able to connect even with such a crazy story as this one. The only mildly ridiculous thing was both fathers being so bothered when finding about the body swap. They have learned their biological sons were switched anyways.

I appreaciated the last episode... I won't say any more: you watch it.

I rate this high IN CONTEXT with thai lakorns. I did watch hell enough of them to be able to compare:)
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