We’ve been warned.
“..There are many more terrible things to come,” the spirit of Siriwattana says, and so episodes 9 and 10 of Roy Mai explains just how bad Bua Ngern is. Prior to this episode, Rerin had asked the spirit of Siriwattana if he can find forgiveness, in which he responds with, once you see what happens, can you truly forgive that person? And we are left wondering if he meant Bua Ngern or himself. We are also left wondering towards the end of this week’s episode, if it is really worth it to use up majority of the episodes to delve into the voodoo realm and witness how evil a person can be?
The focus of this week are the events that occurred 70 years ago. The prelude to the straw that broke the camel’s back, so to speak. Bua Ngern is accomplishing her black magic on Siriwattana, turning him into a cross between a puppy and child. Too twisted and sprung than to want anything else but physical satisfaction. This gives Bua Ngern a leg up with Maneerin as Siriwattana is hers for the time being and she pushes Maneerin around.
Siriwong is telling himself to step back, not realizing it’s too late. He has already fallen in love with Maneerin. Despite his attempts, he finds himself protecting her and being there for her. When he sees her being pushed around by Mei, he champions her, all the while giving Maneerin the cold shoulder. Maneerin is tired of his brooding ways but can’t help but be drawn to him. When he helps her from the ground, she feels a little too right in his arms and he held her longer than was necessary. Although episode 9 did not have too many of their sweet moments, I still relished their scenes together- I’ll take what I can get!
Bua Ngern and Mei visited the sorcerer on the final day. He would do the final black magic on the voodoo doll- but they have another request for him: they want to kill Maneerin. When he says that he draws the line at murder, they decided to get rid of him for good. Mei kills the sorcerer as Bua Ngern proceeds with the final step that will bind Siriwattana with her for good.
Episode 10 sends us to more of Bua Ngern’s attempt to destroy Maneerin. Siriwattana, after some brainwashing from Bua Ngern, barges into Maneerin’s room and accuses her of stealing his seal and wanting to take all of Chiang Mai. When he finds the seal in her room, he decides to reprimand her. Luckily, Siriwong came in time and awakens him (while getting hurt again as his older brother shoves him unintentionally into the wall.) Siriwong explains that he was the one who put the seal in Maneerin’s room. He was concerned of Siriwattana’s condition and didn’t want the seal to be compromised. Siriwattana, like a scolded child, apologizes and drunkenly walks away. Which sends us to another cute scene between Maneerin and Siriwong as she tries to help him with his banged up shoulder. After pushing each other’s buttons and Siriwong showing off his very sculpted shoulders, Maneerin shoves him playfully away. Hey that hurt Jao Nang Noi!
Slowly, Bua Ngern’s attempt fails as Siriwong and his music teacher Pan discovers the voodoo doll and burns it to ashes. Prior to this (I believe in episode eight) Maneerin and her maid had learned of the spell that will bind a man and shared this knowledge with Siriwong. Siriwattana is saved as he falls into Maneerin’s arms and Siriwong, sadly but inevitably watches them. Bua Ngern is repleted, which angers Mei and she begs her lady to not give up.
Back to present time, Suriya is very suspicious of Rerin. He continues to follow her until one night, he catches her locking the museum basement door. He drags her to his car that was parked out front and tells her not to go back there again. If she was caught by someone else, she would go to jail and even he could not help her. Rerin looks at him and decides to tell him the truth. She says she sees and feels the events of Princess Maneerin’s life and she needs to help her. Suriya looks at her as if she has gone down the deep end. He tells her that no one will believe what cannot be proven. Rerin angrily concludes that even he probably thinks she is crazy. Suriya tries to make up to her with his sad, puppy dog eyes, but she was having none of it.
To make matters worst for Rerin, her mother is in town and is determined to patch her up with Thanin. But Rerin is standing tall, I find myself chanting, “You tell them girl!” And she did. I was so proud of Rerin, it looks like “living” through another life and seeing the torment that goes on in Maneerin’s life has given Rerin some serious backbones! Looking at both Thanin and her mom, Rerin adamantly tells them that she has broken up with him and walks off.
In the past life, Bua Ngern is pregnant and everyone rejoices, including Maneerin. She thought that this would mean she would not have to marry the prince. Siriwong learns of this too as his parents tell Siriwattana that they will still proceed with his matrimony to Maneerin, there will just be two mae yings of Chiang Mai- apparently Maneerin is still number one. Which saddens Siriwong again even though he gave himself no hope to begin with. To pour salt on wound, he has to come up with a beautiful song as a gift to his brother and Maneerin on their wedding day. Peachy isn’t it?
Towards the end of the episode, Siriwong says what everyone thinks: Bua Ngern is scary and should not be trusted. She is the type of person who would get rid of people who are in her way..Pan asks him what he is going to do about it, and Siriwong answers that the best thing he could do is to be careful and don’t let it happen to Maneerin. But will being careful be enough?
We are all skeptical as Mei gets hold of a dead dog and Bua Ngern announces with her teeth clenched together that she will kill Maneerin- only to have her faithful maid proclaim that she will do the deed.
Previews for ep 11 indicates that Maneerin gets bitten by a snake and passes out. Bua Ngern falls down the stairs- I take it there will be no more pregnancy? Then Siriwattana screams for his guards to apprehend Mei as they punish her.. Hm.. for the snake bite or for something more? Will this be the end of Mei’s life as she turns into a creepy, freaky, and the scariest looking ghost out there?
With the way things ended in present time, how will Suriya get clued in on the past? Can Rerin really prove “the truth” to him? I know Thanin won’t take the rejection kindly, what’s going to be up his sleeve? And finally, can we get more of our Ateam, two couples screen time please? Because Khun Off ka, you should be satisfied with your indulgent two episodes- it’s now our turn!
Even though the drama has stepped too far into the voodoo realm, I am still captivated and waiting with baited breath just how Roy Mai will play out. Next Monday seems like a lifetime away..
Tagged: Aff Taksaorn, Aum Atichart, Roy Mai
I haven’t gotten to ep9/10 yet but from what you’ve written it seems like the focus went away from ATeam. RM definitely needs to re-focus on the two love stories because that was what captivated me initially. I wouldn’t mind the screen time on Bua Ngern if it helped to shape her into a more multi dimensional character instead of the cardboard villian but doesn’t look like that happened so fingers crossed for some ATeam loving next week. :p
I totally agree with you about Bua Ngern, she doesn’t have any depth to her character, aside from being vengeful, which is hard to believe that someone cannot move on even after 90 years. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Monday, if this lakorn goes downhill, it will be a huge disappointment because it’s so good.. I want to see how Rerin will fall for Suriya- we already know that she’s attracted to him. I’m not sure how I would feel if she suddenly falls for him because she lived through Maneerin’s life and loved Siriwong. I hope there will be more than that.. As for Siriwong and Maneerin, they are just too cute for words. He tries to push her away.. and she can’t help but get closer.
For me I’m looking forward more to seeing Siriwong/Maneerin and what would make Siriwong decide to fight for his love (at least that’s what the trailer leads me to think) instead of giving up everything to his brother like he does now.
Re: Bua Ngern. Maybe she will blame the loss of her child (if it does play out that way) on Maneerin and that will give her even more reason to hate Maneerin? Still, she remains a flat character. Plus the tricks she comes up with isn’t that impressive to me because I’m used to seeing much ‘higher level’ backbiting in Hong Kong and China’s palace dramas. lol
There is that.. with Siriwong/Maneering’s story, which will be bittersweet as we know their ultimate fate.
Ooh.. I miss watching Chinese drama, I should get back into it. What would you recommend? I haven’t seen olden days or modern drama since.. well.. since Louis Koo was light skinned 🙂 (minus his movies, because I try to stay up to date with those, since they are much shorter.. 🙂
‘since Louis Koo was light skinned’ ROFL … that’s a looong time ago then.
Bu Bu Jing Xin (Startling with each step) is all the rage in China now and it has subs on viki but it’s not really my kinda thing. Mei Ren Xin Ji (Schemes of a beauty) is also subbed on viki and though I wasn’t head over heels in love with it, I did like it.
For HK dramas, I highly recommend Jin Zhi Yv Nie (War and Beauty) and Jin Guo Xiao Xiong (Rosy Business) both period dramas which stars the brilliant Sheren Tang but unfortunately I have no idea if subs are available online.
Am I showing my age? Lol.
Thanks J. I love period dramas, I will see if I can find it dubbed!
XD don’t worry, I watched Louis Koo go from pasty white to surfer dude tan too.
Hehe, I just realized Khun Off has had two lakorn (that I know of) with black magic.
Anyways, I was so relieved when Rin finally officially broke things off with Thanin, and so so glad she got her mom off her back by telling her about the attempt rape. It’s really bothersome to bear n’ek not telling stuff like it…except when it is p’ek’s doing I guess…? lol. Bua Ngern is one crazy b word. there’s no other way to describe it. I think it’s scary that there are people in the world with so little compassion and so much hate. ><
I want more Ateam sweetness…
I hear ya.. And yet I can’t wait for new episodes and hopefully we’ll get what we ask for- more Ateam sweetness!
I am just a little, very little disappointed. I was hoping Rerin would develop more feelings for Suriyawong before discovering that he is the reincarnation of the late Jao Noi. I feel like Rerin would get Suriyawong because of their previous tragic love story, not because she truly loves him at least for now. So this is going to be a big challenge for the director to convince me otherwise.
Hi Fun, that is one of my concerns as well. It would suck to be Suriyawong if Rerin falls in love with him because of the remembrance of Siriwong, lol. It seems though, that it sucks being Suriyawong/Siriwong either way in this lakorn, he’s second in everything, he gets hurt bla bla, but I think that’s why he’s so endearing to us- at least to me anyway. Despite the tragic or the unrequited love, his love is still strong, unwavering, and someone worth loving. As you, I hope that the director will tie everything together and give us a convincing love “realization” with Rerin/Suriya.
Weirdly I don’t think like that about Rerin/Suriya. In my view what the storyline wants to express is no matter if you are attracted to someone or not as far as you are fated to be together this is what matters. This is fate, as it’s showed in episode 1, which led Rerin to Suriya and no matter what happen they are meant to be . I think that Rerin was attracted to Suriya before knowing he is Siriwong reincarnated and her body language shows it in the previous episodes (as one can see in episode 5 when he put the necklace for her) but Rerin personality is way different of Maneerin. And if you notice, although she knows the truth now she still doesn’t let guards down and throw herself to him as we can see in the latest episodes. But they almost live a couple life now though they hardly know each other. Besides one can say that Suriya’s behaviour is very middlesome toward Rerin but it sounds like the latter finds it almost normal. In my view, what I have learnt from watching the different lovestory is Rerin and Suriya couple is mainly based on fate while Maneerin and Siriwong couple is mainly based on love and attraction. The former couple just start where the latter left off. So I am not suprised if Rerin doesn’t display “love love love” to Suriya. That’s one of reasons I think Roy Mai is different of other lakorns which aired this year. Although this is not the kind of lakorn popular with thai people (but from what I read it gets great feedback from viewers who watch it) This is on its own league.
This brings me here concerning what makes Aum/Aff pair stands out to me. Ateam acted in two lakorns genre that thai people don’t fancy too much : Botan Gleep Sudtai and Roy Mai. Despite that this didn’t tarnish their chemistry. They just shine in different genres. This pair is the most “versatile” one in thai industry. The other koo kwan focuse too much on slap/kiss, romcom etc…
BGST remains one of my favourite asian drama (great storyline, great script, great acting, great couples…) and Roy Mai shows why I love Ateam so much.