Great social commentary that's gone unnoticed in a peak Lakorn
This is my all-time favorite, peak Lakorn. It comes from an era when writers (or the source material) really wanted to say something, and find ways to seamlessly intergrate them into the story. Most Lakorns have to reward good folks, and let the negative villains fail, but it's really done in a very natural way here, while maintaining delicious delicacy and clarity between the different clusters of characters, and running multiple arcs among them, entangling them with each other. Re-watching this makes me realize many 2020s Lakorns seem to miss this level of intricacy and characterization. Wanting to do the right thing pits children against parents or in-law, police against media, even lover against ex-lover, and also formerly rich kids against people like their past selves, etc. That's an incredible web they've woven.
I'm a New Age kind of guy and I'm very familiar with real life people who have the intuitive and healing forces that Margie's Auer possesses. Which, btw, she's much more convincing in this role than playing a lady boss. I wish she'd gotten typecast as this. It's great fun watching my spirituality represented on Thai TV. As "Kim" acquires black magic, her abilities also pit her against him for dramatic tension. Nowhere else on TV will you see the love interest tell a guy named Krod to "Mai krod" - if rage is in his name then how can he not rage? If Krod doesn't krod then is he still Krod? (yes, but it's great fun so watch for yourself if you can find this show :)
There's a ton of social commentary in Arkom. My favorite is its rightful indictment of businesspeople. Whenever in Bangkok, I'd still go to Seacon Bangkae where filming took place, like a fanboy I would willfully call it "Decha Mall" as it is in the show, and go to the specific atrium and Mr. DIY where stories took place. Now, almost 10 years on, conglomerates are IMO downright out of control in Thai society and looking more and more like the villains in this show. Don't you wish we had Kim for real to gently work his Arkom on the top 3 richest families?
This show is just so on-point throughout, bar a small stretch of arc in the last 1/3 that felt hasty, e.g. with the supercar causing an accident. I love the casting. James Ma is great in his Oliver Queen-inflected role, I love Alex Rendell in this, I even love the mall owner Decha, to say nothing of stalwarts like Johnny Anfone who always know what to do.
In the last 10 years, I've constantly thought of everyone involved as their characters here. When I order gapao rice I pause for a second, and wonder if I should order the way Krod did. I don't think there's another lakorn that's so keyed into the topics I care about.
I'm a New Age kind of guy and I'm very familiar with real life people who have the intuitive and healing forces that Margie's Auer possesses. Which, btw, she's much more convincing in this role than playing a lady boss. I wish she'd gotten typecast as this. It's great fun watching my spirituality represented on Thai TV. As "Kim" acquires black magic, her abilities also pit her against him for dramatic tension. Nowhere else on TV will you see the love interest tell a guy named Krod to "Mai krod" - if rage is in his name then how can he not rage? If Krod doesn't krod then is he still Krod? (yes, but it's great fun so watch for yourself if you can find this show :)
There's a ton of social commentary in Arkom. My favorite is its rightful indictment of businesspeople. Whenever in Bangkok, I'd still go to Seacon Bangkae where filming took place, like a fanboy I would willfully call it "Decha Mall" as it is in the show, and go to the specific atrium and Mr. DIY where stories took place. Now, almost 10 years on, conglomerates are IMO downright out of control in Thai society and looking more and more like the villains in this show. Don't you wish we had Kim for real to gently work his Arkom on the top 3 richest families?
This show is just so on-point throughout, bar a small stretch of arc in the last 1/3 that felt hasty, e.g. with the supercar causing an accident. I love the casting. James Ma is great in his Oliver Queen-inflected role, I love Alex Rendell in this, I even love the mall owner Decha, to say nothing of stalwarts like Johnny Anfone who always know what to do.
In the last 10 years, I've constantly thought of everyone involved as their characters here. When I order gapao rice I pause for a second, and wonder if I should order the way Krod did. I don't think there's another lakorn that's so keyed into the topics I care about.
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