Thong Ake Mor Yah Tah Chaloang (2019)

Entertaining and original - for Mario fans

I watched it above all for the ML (Mario, whom I adore and who even manages to look cute with a ridiculous hairstyle :).

It's a comedy (you have to accept the overplayed side +++ of these lakorns) historical (1850-1910) which takes place in a village / a small town.
The plot: the relationships, then the complicated romance between 1 rich and cheeky FL and 1 ML Herbal Master.

Bonuses:
- The context is interesting and original. It allows you to discover another aspect of Thailand (rural, epidemics, customs, superstitions, etc.)
- the actors are good. We get attached to their characters (not heroes, sometimes easily scarred or even cowards).
- the story is relatively coherent.
- I had doubts about the CL Mario/Kim, but it works pretty well.

Things I have doubts about:
- the overplayed side is often boring.
- are Thai children all so submissive to their parents even when they are adults and married, OR is the FL completely lacking in personality?
- Many lengths in the realization
- annoying OSTs (I admit that this is one of the aspects that bother me in lakorns).

In conclusion: a series that I still enjoyed and that I recommend to lakorn lovers (and to all Mario fans :) :)

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Je l'ai regardé avant tout pour le ML (Mario, que j'adore et qui arrive même à être mignon avec une coiffure ridicule :).
C'est une comédie (il faut accepter le côté surjoué +++ de ces lakorns) historique (1850-1910) qui se déroule dans un village / une petite ville.
Le plot : les relations, puis la romance compliquée entre 1 FL riche et effrontée et 1 ML Herbal Master.

Les bonus :
- Le contexte est intéressant et original. Il permet de découvrir un autre aspect de la Thaïlande (rurale, épidémies, coutumes, superstition, etc.)
- les acteurs sont bons. On s'attache à leur personnage (pas des héros, parfois lâches voire trouillards).
- l'histoire est relativement cohérente.
- J'avais des doutes sur le CL Mario / Kim, mais il fonctionne plutôt bien.

Les choses sur lesquelles j'ai des doutes :
- le côté surjoué est souvent lassant.
- les enfants thaï sont-ils tous si soumis à leurs parents même quand ils sont adultes et mariés, ou bien la FL manque totalement de personnalité ?
- Beaucoup de longueurs dans la réalisation
- les OST perturbantes (j'avoue que c'est un des aspects qui me dérangent dans les lakorns).

En conclusion : une série que j'ai malgré tout apprécié et que je conseille aux amateurs de lakorn (et à tous les fans de Mario :) :)

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At first I never expect Mario and Kimmy will have great chemistry as a couple.
I mean, I know they both can act and I love seeing Mario-Davika pair, Kimmy with Mark or James Ma... But after I watch this, I can say that Mario-Kimmy chemistry are amazing..
NongBest who plays Chaba lil sis is so cute and funny.. I love her!

What I like about this drama :
1. It's not just a romance comedy, but we'll get to know about Thai herbs and medication (I learn along with Chaba ;p)
2. The storyline move fast, not like most of dramas, they don't drag the story until we're frustrated (too fast until I don't realize it almost ended).
3. Not Slap and Kiss kinda larkon
4. Great chemistry of the main couple
5. I laugh, I cry, and I smile throughout the drama..
6. Thong Ake character is funny but smart and kind hearted at the same time, Mario plays it very well.
7. Kimmy is out of her the regular brat and spoil character's type, she plays Chaba really well.
8. No crazy ex girlfriend/admirer..

What I don't like...
Well I can say I like most of the storyline.. I don't skip any of the episodes.
Although I think the insertion of Nichkun & Maggie on this drama is not necessary, but it doesn't annoy me (they were there together with Mario and Pat Napapa promoting Dr. J*ll skincare I think).

I just need more sweetness scene on Mario and Kimmy :p

I wish they both can be pair in modern drama (maybe a romantic action comedy will do)

Overall, for you who like romantic comedy you should try to watch this lakorn. Believe me it's worth your time!

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Funny!

I watched this via Netflix, at first I was kind of hesitant considering this a historical plot but as the series progressed I was really hooked esp Episode 7 and up. So, just stick around I know you will love this one. I was also interested on Thai medicine. You’ll learn a lot from here. The chemistry between Mario (Thong Ek) and Kim (Chaba) is too strong. I hope they can make another series like this. A romantic Comedy. Secondary Characters are also perfect for their roles.
I really like Chongko. Haha! She’s too funny, she carried some moments.
If you’re looking for something light at to cheer you up, I would recommend this one

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Fresh and cute rom com

5 reasons to watch Thong Ake Mor Yah Tah Chaloang:
- The male lead is not the typical rich jerk chaebol, he's kind, sweet, goofy yet very intelligent and a herbal master.
- The female lead is rich, stubborn, strong yet very smart and not a spoiled brat. She wants to defy the society norms regarding women and become a female herbal master.
- The chemistry between the ML and FL is insane !
- The FL best friend is hilarious, she hits on handsome guys all day long xD
- You will enjoy a beautiful rom com and get to learn about traditional thai medicine in the same time.

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Mario and Kimmy Showing Off Their Comedic Chops!

Another fun lakorn that proves that the Thai know how to mix comedy, romance, and drama well, and in this case, there's some dabbling in the supernatural. Using hilarious dialogue and effective sound effects, the show swings from romantic to dramatic to funny quickly and smoothly, and it keeps the entertainment level high throughout the show. While the humor is mostly slapstick and low-brow, the show also uses a gentle version of dark comedy to deal with grimmer topics like death, sickness, and plain evilness that lurks in human nature. Just be prepared to laugh, cry and then laugh again.

The show follows our main couple, Thong Ek and Chaba, and their hate-to-love journey. In their case, opposites do attract. Thong Ek is an aspiring herbal master, knowledgeable and kind but being a hot-blooded young man, can be quite rascally, especially when encouraged by his equally flirty friends, Piak and Toon. Chaba is not your typical noble lady, expected to be soft-mannered and adept in managing the household. Instead, she is outspoken, brave, and more interested in wielding a sword than a ladle. Certainly not the kind of girl that Thong Ek fancies in the beginning. Thong Ek and Chaba start out as being hostile towards each other. Still, when Chaba gets inspired to study traditional medicine from Thong Ek, they gradually learn to meet halfway, and the feelings between the two eventually become mutual. However, the path they take to get there is full of humorous incidents, twists, and turns.

Mario Maurer is perfect as the goofy but charming Thong Ek, and really, he is simply adorable. So is Kimberley "Kimmy" Woltemas, who portrays the opinionated and plucky Chaba well. I like their characters, and together they do make a lovely couple. They are super super sweet after marriage! That said, I am not feeling the chemistry as much between them compared to other on-screen couples. Still, their romance is fun to watch,, and their antics, especially when Piak, Toon, and Chongko are involved, are guaranteed to bring on the laughter.

The show also features other cute pairings such as Perm and Glin as well as Piak and Chongko. Chongko totally rocks by the way! She is the kind of girlfriend that every girl should have, and I really want her to end up with the SML. Speaking of the SML, my poor Punjan Imanothai. He's hot, and his portrayal as Kla is sexy and sweet enough to cause me to partially root for him to win Chaba's heart. Plus the whole backstory of how they supported each other since childhood is endearing.

It's interesting that, like his character in BPS (Love Destiny), Punjan's Kla ultimately ends up with the girl who is in love with the ML initially. I did not mind it in BPS, but somehow, I really dislike the character Pong in this drama. I am not sure if it is Namwhan Supinchompoo's acting or the character is just one that does not sit well with me. She comes across as weak and sketchy; not obviously manipulative but at the same time not sincere. It is hard for me to believe that she has genuine feelings for Kla. After Thong Ek rejects her, she appears to shift her focus on Kla as a more viable option to live comfortably. Even on Kla's side, it feels more like Pong is a consolation prize, something to possess more than someone to love.

I appreciate the effort that the subbers made to provide the names of the herbs used in the traditional medicine. The show also delivers a good message about how the traditional way of treating illness can work together with the western methods.

I also like the instrumental music that underscores the emotional scenes. The opening credit song sang by Mario is light-hearted and upbeat, capturing the generally playful tone of this entertaining rom-com. According to a post I came across, Mario's ost is about "medicine to save nang'ek's heart from bruises".

Overall, this show is an enjoyable time well spent, especially if you are a fan of Mario or Kimmy. They both shine in this lakorn.

For posterity, I am recording the track list here:

1. Ya ya ya : Mario Maurer feat. Ayutthaya Cute Boys
ยา ยา ยา : มาริโอ้ เมาเร่อ feat. อยุธยา Cute Boys

2. Kord : Gun Napat
กอด : กัน นภัทร

3. Yood hai jai ngai kwa : Kala
หยุดหายใจง่ายกว่า : กะลา

4. Rak dee dee mai mee kai : Joke So Cool
รักดีๆไม่มีขาย : โจ๊ก โซคูล

5. Cross Love (V. Japan Rock) : Instinct

6. Mai rak khon eun : ETC
ไม่รักคนอื่น : ETC

7. Mai chai mai rak : Briohny
ไม่ใช่ไม่รัก : ไบรโอนี่

8. Hua jai hai ther : Ice Saranyu
หัวใจให้เธอ : ไอซ์ ศรัณยู

9. Hedpol kong khon mai dee : Opal Praput
เหตุผลของคนไม่ดี : โอปอ ประพุทธ์

10. Pror chanun : Zeal
เพราะฉะนั้น : ซีล

11. Pieng nai jai : Boy Peacemaker
เพียงในใจ : บอย พีชเมคเกอร์

12. Ja soo na ther yung ngai : Punch
จะสู้หน้าเธอยังไง : พันซ์

13. Yoo puer ther : Punjun Porrama
อยู่เพื่อเธอ : ปั้นจั่น ปรมะ

14. Rak tae mee kae krung diew : Nam Ronnadech
รักแท้มีแค่ครั้งเดียว : แหนม รณเดช

15. Rak chua nirun : Nan Satida
รักชั่วนิรันดร์ : แนน สาธิดา

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"LOVELY"....Would you prefer Herbal or Western medication ??

Exhausted of watching typically high rated k-dramas and c-dramas, and after suffering those unnecessary tortures of unjustified highly rated dramas,...unknowingly and unconsciously landed into Thai dramaland.

First and foremost, I'm selective with dramas ( viz: K-drama & C-drama)... and this being my first Thai Lakorn experience, went through some hardship (few days) searching for dramas of genre of my taste. Picked this one amongst other selected lakorns , as it has sweet candy-looking casts and most importantly a lovely heart warming storyline. This Lakorn really surpassed my expectations. With mixed reviews and delivered synopsis of this drama, I was only half- motivated to watch this and also as I've to sacrifice my busy time schedule. But... totally worth my time spent on it (no regrets). Completed it in two days. Hopefully waiting for it's second season. You'll learn how precious is being alive and to be in the midst of our love ones.

[ Western and modern medicines are not more or less than ancient herbal medicines. They rely on each other ]

You've heard the saying: " Laughter is the best medicine".
Well, this drama will make you laugh : ) Yes, you'll encounter laughter as well as medical healing - Great!!
The presence of romance in this focussed-herbal medicinal drama turned out rather sweet than it being irritating. In this, love journeys through comedy and devastating pandemic.

All casts were new to me but all did great in their given roles. Especially the main leads, Thong Ek - Chaba's chemistry was really really sweet. Their chemistry was real and adorable. Hope to see them working together in future. Their character differences adds to the beauty of the drama - calm and sassy, rich and poor, etc. Other support actors are not less too in beautifying the show. It was a light, sweet and beautiful Thai drama. Felt myself lucky choosing the right drama.

NOTE: This is a Thai drama not Korean. Don't compare and expect like k-drama's scripts, visuals,performances etc. as this is made on much smaller scale. Expect lesser and experience better. Quite an underatted drama.... ratings should've been higher.

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Usually I stray away from period/historical dramas, but I wanted to give this one a go for my boy Mario and his pairing with Kimberly since this would be their first. And let me just tell you that I was not disappointed at all! I enjoyed the story line because I think it was unique and different from the cliche aspect most dramas like to take, but with that being said, it also still contains just enough of them, because hey, we all love cliches.

When I first read the synopsis before watching, I was really curious on how they could make a drama about someone wanting to become a doctor interesting, and boy, did they do it! Seriously, this drama has the perfect amount of comedy, drama, romance, and moments where you also get a little teary.

I absolutely adore Thong Ake's and Chaba's characters in here. Thong Ake is goofy, but intelligent, kind, and sincere. I have a soft spot for Chaba's character because I feel like I can relate to her a lot growing up lol. She's stubborn and persistent but all for the good reasons. She does what she wants and doesn't let some stupid gender roles define her. All of their scenes after their marriage was swoon worthy. I just love how cheesy they are, and you can tell how much they love and care for each other. I go back to rewatch their lovey-dovey scenes a lot.

The villain was also caught early and was out of the main story a lot sooner than most, which I really like, because for god sake, I hate it so much when dramas drag their story about a villain, and they waste like another 4-5 episodes for it. After the villain is gone, the plot was focused more on the main characters and their struggles surrounding their circumstances (which is good) rather than trying to eliminate someone they should've caught like 4 episodes ago.

Now onto some criticism I have about the drama, although there isn't that many, but I felt as if though Kla's and Pong's relationship could've used some more building up. Their romance felt very rushed and forced in a way. They only had a couple scenes together before and suddenly they're already in bed with each other? Very unrealistic, although I could understand it was more of a "in the moment" kind of thing, but still, it had so much more potential. Kla was also very on and off towards Pong. Like bruh do you like her or not? I also do not like how they replay some funny clips. I understand it's a comedy thing, but then seeing it for the second or third time takes away the funny factor.

Also like rqueen said, Margie's and Nichkun's appearance was very unnecessary and served no purpose, at least for the story, but I guess it was nice seeing them as guests.

Other than that, I strongly recommend it! You will not be disappointed! There is never a boring episode, and every time an episode ends, it always leave you wanting to know more about what will happen next!

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