WRITTEN BY ASH I REVIEW BY ASH AND ESTELLE
One of the many reasons why we consume series is because it takes us out of the ordinary, as if transported to another universe. Yet, sometimes, rather than taking us somewhere else, it simply brings us to the past, still making us feel like we’re traveling somewhere far away, just as it is the case in Love Upon A Time.
This drama produced by Domundi counts 12 episodes, and fans did not miss it among the 2026 new releases. Indeed, the series was long awaited by fans, and is already being awarded during the recent Award shows, showing the level of investment from both the actors, the agency, and the production crew. The project is highlighting Thailand’s history and traditions, starring two new pairings from the agency: NetJJ and LatteKim.
As stated previously, the story does not take place in 2026, or at least, not in its entirety. If the show starts in today’s society, following the story of Nakhun (JJ Radchapon Phornpinit) who seems to have extremely bad luck, it goes on 400 years ago, in another period of Thailand. As he is struck by a shooting star, he wakes up in the body of Khlao, who turns out to be no other than one of his previous life. With a humorous touch, brought to life by the actor , we navigate this unfamiliar world with the character, slowly learning to grow fond of it. In this life, he stumbles upon familiar faces who, just like Khlao for him, are past incarnations of the people he knows in the present days. He especially reunites with his best friends, Thee (Latte Thanutchon Chankaew) and Pun (Kim Pongsaton Sittipan), as Kaew and Jom. And as he goes from one plot twist to another, he’ll realise that he was not sent to the past randomly.
Before he was brought back from the dead, some people tried to assassinate him, just like they did to his father before him. And if he wants to go back to the present, he has to uncover the truth and who is behind that crime. But in the midst of this mission that blends history and fiction, Nakhun is growing feelings for Phop (Net Siraphop Manithikhun), who has been in love with Khlao for a long while already. Restoring the truth also means opening his heart and letting Phop know about Khlao’s feelings for him he never got to tell prior to his passing. It is only as the story unfolds before us that one of the very first scenes of the series starts making sense. Before being brought to the past, Nakhun and his friends paid a visit to a fortune teller, who gave him vague predictions to guide his path. That same fortune teller who will also appear 400 years in the past and who, once again, will help him find his way back to the present. But once again, Love Upon A Time keeps surprising us with unforeseen plot twists at the last minute, making the story even more complex than it already was. Until the final storyline becomes so detail oriented that nobody could have guessed the whole.
This series manages its temporality with much exactitude, avoiding confusion between past and present, while making sure it all falls into place once the story comes to an end. There is no place for coincidences. In such regard, the balance between serious subjects, romance, suspense and humor is pretty fair, allowing viewers to immerse themselves in that world, that period, where and when the story takes place. In the end, that might be the word that best describes this show. Whether it is through the characters, the role they play in the story, the development of their relationships, their emotions, everything was made so that it never feel like too much or not enough. Once you’ve watched the final episode, it is very unlikely you’ll find a missing piece to the puzzle that is Love Upon A Time.
The series also allows for a beautiful introduction to Thai traditional culture and history, with the implementation of some ceremonies as they were hosted back in the days, in comparison to how they’re known now, highlighted through Nakhun’s character who happen to experience both versions. A creative way to showcase the evolution of Thai culture through time, while showing how this series is rooted in Thailand’s history and heritage. The carefully crafted details of the show shine even in the color chosen for the series, the tamed, natural lighting, the costumes and the language spoken, pushing us to believe in this time travel story, as impossible as it sounds.
Ash’s Review :
I was first very unsure about JJ’s acting during the first few episodes, as I was very unfamiliar with his acting style. Yet, it is exactly what kept me hook till the end as the series went on. Love Upon A Time is not the kind of series to catch your attention in the first few seconds. While there was much happening right away with the time travel trope, the case about Khlao’s death, I feel like it is more so a series made to immerse us into its world through thoughtful cinematic scenes. While I was only looking at my screen, part of me felt like I was living every moment of the story by Nakhun’s side, as if I were there with him. This ability to break through the screen is what I admire most from this show, and many other Domundi productions to be quite frank. Domundi is not here to deliver a simple romance, rather, they’re trying to tell us a story, bring its character to life and bring us right where it all happened.
Just like that, I’ve learned to follow each of the characters, got to know them along the way, making the parting even harder to handle. May it be the separation of Phop and Nakhun when he had to go back to the present, or the end of the series itself, which puts an end to the story, I had a hard time saying goodbye to Love Upon A Time once we reached the last week of broadcasting. It is a series that really did not disappoint me, and even went beyond my expectations to be fair. While I was originally expecting something more serious and mystical, its grounded yet humoristic tone really caught me off guard when I started watching. But once I understood what kind of directing they were aiming for with this show, I was able to appreciate it entirely.
Love Upon A Time could easily join my favorite shows as I believe it will remain a good memory ot me, and even today, it is a show I’m missing a lot, I even catch myself thinking how it would feel like if a new episode came out today, when the series has been over for months already. I would also add that LatteKim play a role in this special bond as they’ve become my favorite pair. I especially loved their story, the contrasting dynamic of this couple and the main one, played by Net and JJ. May it be Kim or Latte, both of them played their character perfectly in my opinion as when I was watching, I felt like seeing the characters and not the actors on screen. I also have to give an honorable mention for all the secondary and extra characters, may it be the servants, the antagonists, or else, because the effort they put into their acting is what made the story believable despite the fantasy aspect of it, and turn out so beautifully.
My only regret regarding this series is the fact that it did not air sooner. Due to casting change, and other external factors, the production of Love Upon A Time was heavily delayed, which unfortunately affected its image. Not that the series became any less good then it meant to be, on the contrary, but because this delay allowed other studios to go ahead and produce similar period BL drama. And while all projects remain unique and I’m not trying to compare them either, it is the overall impact of the series that was reduced due to those prior productions. Love Upon A Time was meant to be one of the very first period BL series touching upon such ancient time, and because of that, fans were looking forward to it very much when it was first announced. But as the premiere date got delayed over and over, and other dramas portraying a similar story came out, many people lost interest in the project before it got a chance to air. I believe that if this series had come out when it was expected and planned to at first, it could have become a phenomenon like we’ve rarely seen in the BL scene.
Estelle’s Review:
There are series you finish feeling like you’ve had a good time, and then there are those you want to start all over again just to spend more time with their characters. Love Upon a Time falls into that second category. I’ve watched it twice, and I still want to watch it again. It made me laugh, cry, and discover another era of Thailand’s history, but above all, I always wanted to know more.
I love romances with a mystery to solve, but I love them even more when both are handled well. Here, I wanted to understand what had happened to Khlao and his father just as much as I wanted to follow the characters’ stories. The romance had its place, the investigation did too, and I really appreciated that the story delivered answers. Even the supporting characters, from the servants to the people at the café, interested me. Everyone had a purpose in the story and a personality that made me want to see them again. I grew attached to this whole little world, and that’s also why I enjoyed watching the series so much.
I did have some concerns about JJ at first, as his comedic acting sometimes felt a little exaggerated to me, but that feeling faded as the episodes went on, and I really loved what he and Net built together. I already knew Net was a good actor, but I thought he was even better here. The scene in episode 7 where they both cry particularly stayed with me, Nakhun loves Phop, but pushes him away because he doesn’t believe they can be happy together in that society. That contradiction hurt, and they both portray it incredibly well. The question of whether their love can be accepted becomes something very real, involving fears that still exist today. Discovering Latte and Kim was also a real pleasure, and I became just as invested in their story.
On my second watch, though, I felt even sadder for Khlao and Phop. Khlao was already dead when Nakhun arrived, so he never got to experience that love story with the person who had loved him from the beginning. Then Nakhun disappears too, leaving Phop searching for him until Khlao’s body is found, unable to understand how that is possible. Watching them grow closer again while knowing what awaits Phop makes certain scenes much more painful; even if I absolutely love their reunion in the present, I still feel sad about what they never got to experience in the past.
I also really enjoyed the directing, framing, sets, and costumes. The intimate scenes are particularly beautiful and well filmed. They happen at moments that make sense for the characters’ feelings, without being too frequent or feeling like sex for the sake of sex.
And discovering this era, its traditions, and its everyday life made me want to learn more about Thai history and culture, even though I know I’m watching fiction.
Ultimately, knowing the ending didn’t take anything away from my enjoyment. Watching it a second time allowed me to notice more details and appreciate the story even more. It’s a series I could watch many times without getting tired of it, and honestly, if you haven’t seen it yet, I really recommend it.