2
13
3
virgievirgie
Lost in Dramaland
Interesting Political/Mystery plot, Amazing Chemistry, Beautiful Costumes
“The Curse of Saree” is the perfect drama to satisfy my desire to watch a lakorn without over-the-top acting, with traditional/cultural aspects. I’ve learned that I do not know how to enjoy Thai humor, thus, I try to prefer lakorns with a more serious or a melodramatic tone. I do enjoy learning about Thai cultures and seeing the pretty dresses they wear. But historical dramas tend to have time-traveling or body swap themes, which I don’t prefer. Historical dramas also seem to have many annoying characters, such as servants with comedic parts that I don’t enjoy. Therefore, “The Curse of Saree” is the perfect fit for me.
We follow the journey of two Thai sisters to the country of Mantra. I am still not quite sure if Mantra is a part of India, or a fictional copycat India. The younger sister, Pat, is going to marry the Crown Prince of Mantra but is faced with opposition from the Queen and many political leaders. The elder sister, Nuan, travels to Mantra to support Pat. Both sisters are sucked into Mantra politics and play an important role in helping the royal family in establishing their autonomy from evil rich businessmen and political leaders.
This drama was decently-paced for the majority of the show. I only found it somewhat slow in the last 3-4 episodes. Mind you, these episodes are long and I am still not used to watching 1.5 hour to 2- hour long episodes. But there’s enough going on during the drama to keep me entertained - politics, mysteries, adventure, slight horror and also romance.
The four main lead characters are very likable. They are brave, kind, loyal and basically good people all around. I love the main leads, Nuan (elder sister) and Prince Kirij (older prince). They started out on the wrong foot and bickered through the first couple episodes. Kirij is old-school and family and Matran people first, while Nuan is a free-spirited, famous Thai fashion designer. But deep down, they are the perfect couple and love their siblings fiercely and will do everything they can to see them happily married. I was initially not attracted to Kirij. He frowns too much and gives off a very standoff-ish vibe, which is to the credit of the actor, Sean J. But Kirij grows on me and I have learned to love his character. Sean is able to act proud but the subtle display of emotions towards Nuan - affection, admiration, love, shyness - totally melts my heart. Nuan is a strong female character. She is not affect to speak her mind, has a great sense of justice and loves her sister dearly. Baifern P is beautiful and plays her role beautifully. The lead couple has amazing chemistry, even without a lot of skinship. There are a couple unsatisfying kisses, but it’s the unspoken affection that provides the sizzling.
On the other hand, Pat and Crown Prince Chathat’s love for each other is more innocent and pure. All they want is to get married to the one they love, but they are faced with obstacles on all front. Their chemistry is not as sizzling as their siblings, but they give off a different vibe. Pat might seem shy and introverted, but her inner strength and stubbornness guide her through this difficult journey. It was hard to watch her going through physical and emotional abuse. Chaithat is the Disney Prince Charming. He loves Pat but is bogged down by royal responsibilities. Poor guy tries to balance it all but is quite useless in a way. He really can’t do much.
The brotherhood and sisterhood of the drama are great. It’s lovely to see siblings who truly love and care for each other. This is a rare Thai drama without family rivalries. No one is fighting for inheritance or for the throne.
The villains of the show are right out for you to see. You sort of know what to expect from them, and what they would do to stop the marriage from happening. I wouldn’t say they are cartoonish villains, but they are definitely Thai villains.
Without giving out too many spoilers, the underlying plot is to solve the mystery of the saree, thus, the title of the show. The mystery component is interesting and the horror part isn’t too bad. The CGI is bad though. I think money is spent on all the beautiful sarees in this drama and it’s a feast to the eyes. I LOVE all the modern and historical looks for the characters and not just the leads. From the King and Queen, to the evil and beautiful girl, to the main leads and their servants, everyone dresses impeccably.
As much as I love the drama, it is not without faults. I find inconsistencies in the plot here and there, e.g. 1) If you are freezing and having hypothermia in one room, you might want to move to another room before “that grand romantic gesture”; 2) If you are supposed to be hiding, you might not want to walk around the palace openly at night. They do not dampen my enjoyment of the show, but if you think clearly, something’s missing. As mentioned, the CGI is not great. Some scenes are cartoonish. Although there’s minimal exaggerated acting, I do think the camera wastes too much time on every single character’s facial reaction for dramatic purposes.
Overall, I had a great time watching this. I love the main lead characters/chemistry/romance, solid acting all around especially the two main leads ( esp. when they were holding back tears and still acting strong), beautiful costumes and an interesting political/mystery plot.
Completed: 4/7/2023
We follow the journey of two Thai sisters to the country of Mantra. I am still not quite sure if Mantra is a part of India, or a fictional copycat India. The younger sister, Pat, is going to marry the Crown Prince of Mantra but is faced with opposition from the Queen and many political leaders. The elder sister, Nuan, travels to Mantra to support Pat. Both sisters are sucked into Mantra politics and play an important role in helping the royal family in establishing their autonomy from evil rich businessmen and political leaders.
This drama was decently-paced for the majority of the show. I only found it somewhat slow in the last 3-4 episodes. Mind you, these episodes are long and I am still not used to watching 1.5 hour to 2- hour long episodes. But there’s enough going on during the drama to keep me entertained - politics, mysteries, adventure, slight horror and also romance.
The four main lead characters are very likable. They are brave, kind, loyal and basically good people all around. I love the main leads, Nuan (elder sister) and Prince Kirij (older prince). They started out on the wrong foot and bickered through the first couple episodes. Kirij is old-school and family and Matran people first, while Nuan is a free-spirited, famous Thai fashion designer. But deep down, they are the perfect couple and love their siblings fiercely and will do everything they can to see them happily married. I was initially not attracted to Kirij. He frowns too much and gives off a very standoff-ish vibe, which is to the credit of the actor, Sean J. But Kirij grows on me and I have learned to love his character. Sean is able to act proud but the subtle display of emotions towards Nuan - affection, admiration, love, shyness - totally melts my heart. Nuan is a strong female character. She is not affect to speak her mind, has a great sense of justice and loves her sister dearly. Baifern P is beautiful and plays her role beautifully. The lead couple has amazing chemistry, even without a lot of skinship. There are a couple unsatisfying kisses, but it’s the unspoken affection that provides the sizzling.
On the other hand, Pat and Crown Prince Chathat’s love for each other is more innocent and pure. All they want is to get married to the one they love, but they are faced with obstacles on all front. Their chemistry is not as sizzling as their siblings, but they give off a different vibe. Pat might seem shy and introverted, but her inner strength and stubbornness guide her through this difficult journey. It was hard to watch her going through physical and emotional abuse. Chaithat is the Disney Prince Charming. He loves Pat but is bogged down by royal responsibilities. Poor guy tries to balance it all but is quite useless in a way. He really can’t do much.
The brotherhood and sisterhood of the drama are great. It’s lovely to see siblings who truly love and care for each other. This is a rare Thai drama without family rivalries. No one is fighting for inheritance or for the throne.
The villains of the show are right out for you to see. You sort of know what to expect from them, and what they would do to stop the marriage from happening. I wouldn’t say they are cartoonish villains, but they are definitely Thai villains.
Without giving out too many spoilers, the underlying plot is to solve the mystery of the saree, thus, the title of the show. The mystery component is interesting and the horror part isn’t too bad. The CGI is bad though. I think money is spent on all the beautiful sarees in this drama and it’s a feast to the eyes. I LOVE all the modern and historical looks for the characters and not just the leads. From the King and Queen, to the evil and beautiful girl, to the main leads and their servants, everyone dresses impeccably.
As much as I love the drama, it is not without faults. I find inconsistencies in the plot here and there, e.g. 1) If you are freezing and having hypothermia in one room, you might want to move to another room before “that grand romantic gesture”; 2) If you are supposed to be hiding, you might not want to walk around the palace openly at night. They do not dampen my enjoyment of the show, but if you think clearly, something’s missing. As mentioned, the CGI is not great. Some scenes are cartoonish. Although there’s minimal exaggerated acting, I do think the camera wastes too much time on every single character’s facial reaction for dramatic purposes.
Overall, I had a great time watching this. I love the main lead characters/chemistry/romance, solid acting all around especially the two main leads ( esp. when they were holding back tears and still acting strong), beautiful costumes and an interesting political/mystery plot.
Completed: 4/7/2023
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