One thing is evident while watching Kon Ruk Luang Jai: the hot, sizzling chemistry between Ken and Janie. Their gazes can make a grown woman squirm with embarrassment and giggle like a teenager. If you are longing for a romantic lakorn, where the fire builds on early and the romance is sweeter than honey, then Kon Ruk Luang Jai is for you.  The question remains however, will their fire stay burning or put out towards the end? I’m opting for the former..

Janie plays Bua, who comes from a wealthy, Chinese-Thai family in the soy sauce industry. Her mom is constantly longing for a respect within the hi-so community thus forces Bua to marry Chatchai, the man who can get them there. Bua is a sweet person but cannot fathom marrying a man she does not love and barely know, so she and her best friend Kratoon tries to find a way out. Coincidentally, they overhear her brother Phet talking on the phone with his friend Ran, who turns out to be Bua’s long time (childhood) crush, who is in need of a woman to masquerade as his girlfriend! This inspired the duo to formulate a plan.

Ken plays Ran, and life for him was great up until his mother decides to match him with Om, another hi-so female. What’s more important to his mom is that Om is supposedly wealthy, and can provide for their family, who’s surname is never in question, but whose wealth is declining due to her gambling ways. Ran is financially okay as a secretary to the Thai Ambassador in Prague. Ran is a firm believer in marrying someone he loves so he calls his friend in Thailand to help him find a fake girlfriend to stave off his mom’s meddling ways. Phet, being the playboy and prefers to frequent the “massage parlor” decides to hire a prostitute to fulfill his friend’s wishes.

On the whim and hope that Ran will not recognize Bua as his friend’s sister (because they haven’t met since she was a “fat child” twelve years ago) Bua packs up her bag, flies off to Prague and pretends to be the love of her life’s girlfriend. That doesn’t sound too bad right? Ran on the other hand, had not expect that a prostitute can look so stunning and capable at the same time. The moment she came into his life (even if it all is a sham) he cannot look away. Even though he says that prostitutes disgust him, and she is safe from him, he cannot deny his attraction. And it is as if he forgets at times that she is one.. because she makes his life so much better and easier. Their first few days together is like a honeymoon phase, until one thing reminds him that their social status is too wide and they get into their first big fight where he said too much. That is the thing about words, once you say it, you can’t take it back.

Bua falls more in love with him and she is determined to make him love her as well. But can she overcome the fact that she is asking him to love all of her as well (like her job as a prostitute..) The reality sinks in during their first fight, when a woman who used to do the housekeeping for Ran finds out that Bua (his girlfriend) is taking over. Ran comes home and confronts Bua. After telling her that their agreement is between them and that she shouldn’t go around and announce it to everyone, Ran says “Do you know what my career is?” in which Bua answers “Yes I do know, you’re secretary to the ambassador.” Ran looks at her, “And do you also know, that if my colleagues learn that my girlfriend is a prostitute, that my position and responsibilities will end immediately.” Bua realizes it and apologizes. Ran gets up and warns her, “I want you to know that between you and me, it is only a lakorn. The moment that everything ends, we will be strangers, do you understand what I’m saying?” Oh yes, Ran, what a way to lay it on lightly, you gorgeous, condescending prick.

But it takes someone like Bua to teach him a lesson that even if she is a prostitute, she still doesn’t deserve the disrespect. So they made up and the next barrier presents itself: Om and his sister are also coming to Prague to “get to know him” – not the sister, silly, Om who has to get to know him. Ran decides that if he “likes” Om and they get along famously, then he would send Bua back to Thailand. Bua’s goal is to get him to fall in love with her. So we now have a tug of war for Ran. Also, while Om and his sister are in town, Ran has told Bua to sleep in the same room as he. Which my friends, brings on even more cute and romantic scenes for our pra’nangs! I find myself cheering Bua on as well as feeling really badly for her in some of the ensuing scenes.

I like that characters in this lakorn are not what they appear to be and their true colors will be revealed throughout the lakorn. This makes for an interesting follow. For instance, Om’s family is not as wealthy as they say they are- heck they are looking to Ran’s family for the same thing- money! Clearly Bua is not a prostitute and we can see that Ran is already conflicted with his feelings for her, his romantic side says to love her but his reality-stricken side says that they can never be. How will he feel once he finds out that she is not a prostitute, but his friend’s sister and completely suitable for him? Can Bua remain and fight for him when everything is against her? His mom, sister, Om and society as a whole? We also have two other wonderful love stories within this lakorn to follow: Phet and Ran’s sister, the playboy and Miss pretty geek. Kratoon and Chatchai, just an awkward, but funny couple. What will become of the three couples in Kon Ruk Luang Jai?

I don’t know about you, but I am definitely excited about Weds and Thurs!