Kha Khong Khon (2011)

Entertaining

I'm surprised that this show isn't that well-regarded on MDL. It's probably one of the most entertaining Thai dramas I watched in a long time, with very compelling chemistry, and pretty good tempo.

With Thai dramas you sort of have to accept that the male lead is a jerk 99.9% of the time. In Kha Khong Khon, he is still a jerk but he doesn't score that high on the jerk scale. When he's normal he's sweet enough. The female lead is your typical pretty female lead who's always on about her dignity and somehow falls in love with the nastiest guy in the world. In Kha Khong Khon, the female lead topped the pretty-o-meter; she is gorgeous.

The plot is really nothing to shout about, the characterization is also nothing to shout about, but this drama is just entertaining as it is. The chemistry between the actors is sizzling and they put in some very good performances (with great visuals as well). The plot moves pretty fast in the first 12 episodes or so. After that it just goes round and round, so you'll have to make good use of the fast-forward button.

I like it though. Thai dramas always have dubious plot and logic but at least this drama is great in all the other aspects.

Leggi di Più

This is a good drama with some good looking and very convincing actors. The story is nothing extraordinary and the premice reminded me a lot of the old Harlequin books that my aunt owned and I used to sneak and read them, I was pleased with that. The heroine is great, she's not loud but she can fight her battles. The male lead is the typical arrogant rich guy but he's not the worst I've seen in Lakorns, far from it. The real annoyance that I had is with the second female lead but I think I just didn't like the actress, she was overacting and really odd looking.
Some people said the drama dragged towards the end, I for one didn't feel that. I liked that for once the problems didn't disappear just because the second FL was out of the picture.
The strongest point for this drama in my opinion is the characters, they are all rational people, even the antagonists. It's really believable in that aspect and you can understand the actions from everybody. Overall I think this is not the best drama in the world, but compared to the other slap/kiss I've watched to this day, this deserves a solid 8.

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I'm kinda disappointed to be writing a review like this because I really wanted to watch a good lakorn with Pong (the main actor) since I had tried to watch a previous lakorn of his that I couldn't finish. It's not like I expected a masterpiece out of this, but I thought at least I would love Pong's character and enjoy this lakorn based on the premise. Not only did I not get that, but Pong's character was one of my least favorite characters out of the whole thing and oh boy was it eye-rolling to get through everything.

This is pretty much your typical slap/kiss lakorn. You have an rich, arrogant, possessive ML who believes the FL is a hoe but still regards her as his property. The FL is a poor, noble, righteous, hard-working lady who just wants to help her family. I'd even add that she's passive too, although there are points in the lakorn where she's not (more on that later). There's a jealous bitchy ex-girlfriend, multiple men who fall for the FL, childhood friend who's been in love with FL for X amount of years, secret love-child, secret pregnancy that everyone but the ML knows about, sibling drama, a lot of miscommunication between the leads and forced marriage. The only cliche that this doesn't have, which was the saving grace, is a bitchy mother-in-law; instead the MIL is quite fleshed out and you understand her motive for the things she does even if you don't agree.  Actually also the servants weren't annoying, and I enjoyed their antics. Maybe it'd be different story if the MIL was the real MIL, but other than that the story doesn't offer much new. Bear in mind, I do enjoy these cliches to some degree (otherwise I wouldn't watch these kinds of lakorns) but here it just didn't work for me. More times than not I was eye rolling at the stuff the characters were doing and how the story presented itself. The story started out ok in the beginning but near the end it became a mess and I ended up fast-fowarding until the final episode. The main couple spent more time angry than lovey dovey with each other, and really only got together in the last 30 min of the last ep. The only good thing about this was the character development for some and how everything came together in the end (last ep was not bad, so I don't feel completely like I wasted my time).

Let's start with the ML. I didn't like him and I didn't understand why he seemed to like the FL before he even knew her (ML instalove magic I guess).  He's very jealous and that hindered him a lot where instead of communicating with the FL, he accuses her of cheating on him and wanting to see other men. Like wth? He knows she's noble but I guess somewhere in his head he still thinks she's a hoe. He believes his ex-gf's lies about her (even tho he knows the FL and her don't like each other) and doesn't do anything to protect the FL from the ex-gf. There's a lot more that bugs me about him, but basically I don't think he's good for the FL and although I believe in his love for her, his constant jealousy and miscommunication doesn't make me believe they'd last long.
The FL was okay here. The actress played her part well, and I liked that she had dignity and class. My only issue with her was that I wish she had more backbone; there was a part in the beginning where she burns the clothes of the crazy ex when the ex intervenes in the house, and it got me hoping she'd do more things like that. Unfortunately she just cried a lot, which is a natural reaction for the stuff the ML did to her, but it was just very passive and I wished she stood up for herself more.  
Didn't like 2nd ML, was too close in FL's space although some of it was her fault for not outright rejecting him.
Didn't like the bro. Waste of space. Cause the FL to force marry to ML because of his gambling. When FL cries over ML later on when she's pregnant, he gets the great idea to kill the ML so she can move on (major eye-roll here).
Crazy ex-gf was terrible and pissed me off more than how these kinds of characters usually annoy me. She should go to hell since she wished for the little girl to die soon. Tried to kill the FL's unborn baby and overall a very hateful and manipulative bitch. Her friend is awful as well. Didn't really like ML's bro in the beginning cuz he was very obsessive with the FL even when she outright says she don't like him. Gets better when he snaps out of it and becomes better.

Due to the terrible plot and crappy characters, I'd pretty much checked out of this lakorn in the last couple of episodes and fast-forwarded to see how it ended. I don't remember the music. I also definitely wouldn't recommend nor rewatch this unless you want to waste your time.

Leggi di Più

the first comment I leave after 2 years of intense drama watching. this series is good will attract your attention very quickly. the character of the male lead is unbearable, but we forgive him for almost everything, because although, he is very jealous and destroys them all but at the same time loves the female lead like crazy. this couple has a complicated relationship.I think the series is worth watching,what I'm used to saying when I like a series is that the actors managed to put me in their own lives,and here it is like that.not good acting from second female lead it's like a caricature

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I actually had this lakhorn on-hold several months ago but decided to pick it up and finally finish it.So i started to watch it all over just to remember some details."Kha Khong Khon " stars the veteran actors Pong Nawat and Nune Woranuch. Both played their characters very well, watching Pong portray the arrogant alpha-male Lak who deeply distrusts all women but despite his cynicism falls head over heels with the dancer Gluay who is portrayed by Nune. Gluay has three men that are in love with her over the course of the story,but the only one who captures her heart will be Lak, ever possessive and crazy about her. So much that he refused to give up on their marriage,refused to let go of her since he took such pride in claiming her in front of everyone.The first 6 or 7 episodes were going strong with Lak and Gluay arguing bitterly against each other all the time,while neither could ignore the attraction (who am i kiddin, think they argued until ep 14 or 15).Especially Lak who was drawn to her even from episode 1. The drama added up in every episode and it was entertaining all the way through. So much happens, but i am glad i watched it. Pong is such a handsome actor who create awesome angst in his character and he have such great chemistry with all his co-stars. Loved every scene together with him and Nune. I am also curious to check out the older versions.

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patriarchy wont let a woman live her life peacefully, single, married or divorced

This lakron would be the mildest one I had ever watched in a lakron category and yeah there is no slap/kiss. Rather than saying it had a toxic marriage premise, I would say it had a disrespectful marriage alliance. They both had a fake marriage, and get used to each other when seeing goodness (fall in love) but until the end, hurt each other.
Also, an aspect of Patriarchal society, truly made me hate all the men in the drama. None of the male characters were likable even for a bit. they see women as some kind of object who should have a male owner. in the name of marriage. divorce or family whatever shit the writers could give. The foul four male leads made the life of Kluay difficult in every way possible. They dumped their hate, obsession, responsibility, debts, doubts, and expectations upon her at the same time. Even when she is in a fake marriage, Peemarn and Jedsada coerce her into marrying them even after clearly saying NO multiple times and not letting her breathe even for a second.
This drama doesn't show a strong woman but how men exploit women for their own selfish needs. Peemarn in his fantasy love thinks that Kluay will marry him, why would a girl marry you for no good reason? Also, he was so coward, shameless person who abandons girls if he doesn't like the situation is favorable for him.
Jedsada, a lawyer and close friend pressurizes Kluay at every chance he gets to marry him. I wanted to root for him but his love was a kind of obsession, and he was the most hated man in the drama. the drama portrays him as a selfless friend, but I saw him as the most selfish person who wants his debt of gratitude.
Kai, a brother and a boxer, was a troublemaker throughout the show with no guilt. Piing debts only to be paid by his family. His story had a lot of loops which could have been a good arc but writers just wanted to keep this character as a troubler only I guess.
Luk is big business tycoon, who knows that money could solve every problem. If you love some1 shower them with money and if you hate them control them with money. But his part was written with the least negatives and Margie's father figure gave him a good character arc. I watched it for Pong Nawat and he is so natural and believable as a bad husband.

About the Margie story, it became the main track, but when she leaves, there is an episode showing just the ceremony with some twists, but after that everyone forgets her. The writers did a terrible job at this, it was a sensitive topic and they just wiped her out of the drama.

Acting is pretty decent by everyone, you can hate the negative character.
Nune was subtle, simple, and natural. Sometimes it felt like she is stiff and expressionless but thinking twice she was portraying a poor girl who never forgot her roots and always remained calm and composed. I really liked her relationship with Margie though.
I personally liked Nattha, who had the calmest and most positive role in the drama. Pitchaya was lovely and natural. her character was too good to be true but I know people like them exist personally.

Music isn't memorable but still, I find it amazing to listen to. rather than a rewatch I would go for a new drama, but since it has the mild lakron flavor its good.

Leggi di Più

Okay... this one I had slightly a problem with, because of the cast. See, I love Pitchaya Chaowalit, SHE is nang'ek for me and I dissagree whenever she is cast as support. Someone like Nune Woranuch cannot measure up to her. I seriously wished their roles in this lakorn should switch. 31 year old Nune would be a better fit for the role of rich daughter who was still unmarried and her well connected parents had to look for a suitor for her. Not the lovely 23 year old Pitchaya.

Romance is nevertheless enjoyable thanks to Pong Nawat, he was at his prime around time he shooted this (Ngao Asoke, Proong Nee Gor Ruk Ter...), though I couldn't help but cheering the other guy more (it's Anuchit Sapunpohng! he was never a SECOND lead to ME:) I liked how nang'ek was calm and patiently explained things to pra'ek, though he acted like aggresive weirdo and was crazy jealous since day 1. What I liked a bit less were plentiful scenes with Ice Apitsada PLUS her friend who were also both interested in pra'ek, and did share equal screentime with nang'ek to say the least. While nang'ek of this is not the loud & screaming type (which I appreciated) it cannot be said about the other girls.

The story of a fake marriage first looks like it will come to an end too quickly, as it's all solved by episode 8/20 but then a new element is introduced. A child. Pra'ek blatantly uses the child to keep nang'ek with him and to keep postponing the pre-negotiated divorce. He even lies to her that the child is his, not caring that it makes him look like irresponsible player. Just anything to make her stay. Result being, this lakorn originally had just the nang'rai who was annoying. Now even an annoying kid is added to it. I'd say adding real child was not needed when we had already enough people (like the nang'rai, nang'rai's friend, or pra'ek) with childish behavior. Result being, at half the series, I already wanted it to end. As if they wanted to appease me, they put romantic scene in... The kiss is a camera angle, then there is a hinted bedscene (off screen), but nang'ek is still in position where pra'ek's elder doesn't accept her. She still keeps thinking, pra'ek first didn't see nang'ek worthy of his brother, now he wants her for herself?

Episode 12... The side characters keep plotting to separate the main couple. Which is tiring enough. The other thing is I don't even care whether the main couple stays together. Perhaps if Pong got paired with Pitchaya... Alas, no.

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