Love You to Debt (2024)

Enchanting & thought provoking, a showcase of complexity of love and debt in a Thai context.

"In debt, you must pay back, but in love, there's no need to return the heart."

Han Dong-Wook's 2014 Korean film "Man in Love," gets remade into Taiwanese (2021) and Thai versions, the latter titled "Love You To Debt" in 2024.

The narrative consistently follows a debt collector who falls for a debtor struggling to care for her terminally ill father while trying to settle her debts. This leads to an unusual proposition: dates in exchange for debt reduction. Their relationship, sparked by financial necessity, slowly blooms into genuine affection.

Directed by Wa-Wasuthep Ketpetch, known for his work on the Thai teen series "The Gifted," this film marks his directorial debut. The screenplay, crafted by Malila and Onthakarn, features Bright-Vachirawit Chivaaree and Yaya-Urassaya Sperbund in leading roles.

Set against the vibrant backdrop of Pattaya, the film captures the essence of this bustling tourist hub and its hidden, sleepless underworld. Despite its serious undertones about debt, the Thai adaptation infuses the story with a distinctive local flavor, blending comedy, action, and charming dating scenes. However, as the narrative deepens, the weight of debt brings about profound struggles, casting a shadow over the blossoming romance.

Bright-Vachirawit, portraying the protagonist, brings depth to his role as a lovesick debt collector. His performance is a seamless blend of intensity and vulnerability, particularly in his interactions with Yaya-Urassaya's character, Im. Their chemistry transforms every scene they share into a vivid depiction of conflicted emotions—joy in love contrasted with the harsh realities of their lives.

In a remarkable commitment to authenticity, Bright performed all his stunts, bearing both the physical and emotional weight of his character. His transformation into the scarred, tattooed Bo involved an extensive makeup process, adding layers to his portrayal of a man navigating the harsh world of debt collection while harboring a tender love.

Yaya Urassaya's portrayal of Im reflects a woman burdened yet resilient, adapting her vocal tones and demeanor to authentically convey a spectrum of emotions. This nuanced performance ensures that viewers feel the weight of her struggles and the strength of her spirit.

The film's aesthetic, from the vivid Hawaiian shirts worn by Bo to Im's modest flea market attire, visually represents their worlds and personalities, mirroring Pattaya's colorful landscape.

"Love You to Debt" is not just a film but a cultural dialogue tailored to resonate with Thai audiences, offering a fresh perspective on familiar themes of love and financial hardship. Wasuthep and his team have skillfully adapted the original story's essence to engage local viewers, making it a reflective and entertaining exploration of life's burdens and beauties.

Recommended.

(Translated and edited for brevity and readability from a review in Thai by @PooChaiKonNun https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=%E0%B8%9C%E0%B8%B9%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%8A%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%A2%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B1%E0%B9%89%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%88%E0%B8%B2%E0%B8%81%E0%B8%AB%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B1%E0%B8%87%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%A3%E0%B8%B7%E0%B9%88%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%87%E0%B8%99%E0%B8%B5%E0%B9%89%20%E0%B9%80%E0%B8%98%E0%B8%AD%20%E0%B8%9F%E0%B8%AD%E0%B8%A3%E0%B9%8C%20%E0%B9%81%E0%B8%84%E0%B8%8A%20)

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Profound, thought provoking, Wong Kar-Wai inspired, the movie will worm into your heart.

“Love You To Debt” At first, I thought it was a teenage romcom with forced laughs. Not at all. It’s a drama about Thai society viewed through an improbable love between a debtor & debt collector. The movie is a remake of Korean “Man In Love”. There are many beautiful scenes, some with influences of Hong Kong movies. Wong Kar-Wai provides inspiration for several scenes.
The movie is more profound than anticipated, giving you good food for thought, entertainment, philosophical perspective on life partnership, or even as a cautionary tale on what not to do in life. In the end, it worms its way to my heart. After watching, it’d be best to be neither a debtor or a lender. And if you are in love, hope the two will make each others’ lives better.
(Translated from a review in Thai by movie critic Phitsanulok Review.)

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Great performance by the main leads and decent adaption

Great efforts noted by both the main artist to adapt to the already hit version of the movie. Bright transformation throughout the movie is commendable. His transition from happy go lucky to serious whenever character demand is obvious. Yaya the senior artist proves yet again why she is one of the top Thai actress. Her helpless innocent girl character is great.

Awesome chemistry is already making waves within the industry. You will get butterflies seeing them together onscreen. They support each other well as lovers on screen.

Thai influence on the storyline for the Thai adaption is intelligent move. It gives new outlook to the story. Changes in story and other casts for this adaption.

I rate high because of the clean adaption and artists performance. Must Watch

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Awesome movie. Already enjoyed theatre version, waiting for Netflix release .

Already watched the entire movie on theatre. It was great experience.
At 1st had normal expectations, as it is already made twice. But detailing changes in Thail version is welcomed suprised.
Both the lead artist is testimony why they are popular worldwide. Bright solidified his position as rising star with this performance. This was not his regular romantic boy role. He brought his own nuances to the character. The Pataya boy influence. Yaya as innocent beautiful with strong presence, emoting subtle expression apt for her character. Both the artist did justice to their roles.
Overall professional performance. Would recommend not to miss watching it, if it's getting released around you or in your country online

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A Surprising Gem that Redefines Expectations

When I heard the movie is available on Netflix, I decided to watch it with no expectations — after all, it’s a GMMTV production, just another Thai idol movie full of pretty faces.

But I found myself wrong!! I completely captivated by the movie!!

Despite being the third remake after the original version, the story unfolds with a sense of raw authenticity that immediately draws you in, and this is largely thanks to the compelling performances by Yaya and Bright. Both actors bring a natural, unpolished quality to their roles, which feels refreshing and genuine. Yaya, in particular, does an outstanding job of building a dynamic connection with Bright on screen, creating a unique chemistry that, while awkward at moments, adds depth to the narrative. It’s evident that Yaya manages to pull Bright out of his comfort zone, encouraging him to explore a broader emotional range and add more nuance to his performance.

What truly stands out in "Love You To Debt" is the surprising balance between lighthearted moments and deeper, more meaningful themes. The film explores the complexities of relationships and personal growth, and the chemistry between the two leads feels both sincere and relatable. There’s a certain charm in how their characters interact, highlighting the awkwardness and unpredictability of real-life connections. Even though it is the third remake, the film brings a fresh perspective and a new energy that makes it feel just as original and engaging as the first. It’s a testament to the director’s vision and the actors' talent that this version stands out on its own.

For Bright, this film could serve as a critical portfolio piece that helps him break away from his well-known persona as a BL (Boys' Love) actor and his idol image from "F4 Thailand." His performance in this role demonstrates his versatility and range, showing that he is capable of much more than the types of roles he has previously been associated with. This could be a significant step in expanding his horizons and paving the way for more diverse and challenging roles in the future, which would be highly beneficial for his acting career - if he wants to.

The film would likely have been even more successful had it been released before "Lahn Mah" and prior to any controversy surrounding the lead actor’s (Bright) personal life. It's unfortunate that such a trivial matter — his dating life — overshadowed his talent on screen. If not for the social media drama, this movie had all the ingredients to become a potential blockbuster.

The film is further elevated by its strong technical elements. The editing is sharp, ensuring a smooth narrative flow that keeps viewers engaged from start to finish. Additionally, the soundtrack plays a significant role in enhancing the emotional undertone of the story. In particular, the song "นะหน้าทอง" by โจอี้ ภูวศิษฐ์ (JOEY PHUWASIT) resonates beautifully with the film's themes and adds another layer of depth to the viewing experience.

Overall, "Love You To Debt" is a surprisingly heartfelt and engaging film that blends good acting, genuine chemistry, and solid production values. It's a delightful watch that leaves a lasting impression, proving that sometimes the best discoveries are the ones you least expect — even if they come as the third version of a familiar story.

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POOR YAYA

The storyline of this film is quite interesting, but Bright Vachirawit's acting is very bad. My eyes hurt every time I see his face, his expression is very bad, his lips are not symmetrical making it difficult for the audience to appreciate the role of the male lead here. Yaya acted very well. Poor Yaya, because she has to act with an actor who is not talented like Bright. I think this film needs to be boycotted, because Bright seems to be supporting bad guys. You must be confused about what it means? but please go to X, and see how angry netizens are at Bright because of his bad behavior.

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"Hope is for the living, not for the dead"

I just saw it, I knew what it was about because I saw the Chinese movie, I thought I wouldn't cry but I ended up crying more.

Bo (Bright) knew that he was a versatile actor, although many (and I don't understand why, don't believe in his acting).

From the beginning he always wanted to help people despite being a debtor. He was a very pure, sweet and kind soul, unfortunately sometimes we fall into circumstances that we do not want but nevertheless he was always willing to change until the end for Im, with whom he has great chemistry.

What I really liked was the ending and the letter that he wrote to Im, that he wanted him to love each other and have a very long and happy life even though he nor his father were by his side. Also that he was able to see the store that Im wanted to build and that former debtors came to visit them.

After all, he wasn't mean to them or hurt them like the others.

I won't say that it surpassed the Chinese version, which is my favorite, but it lived up to my expectations. Good soundtrack, good acting and good cinematography.

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