‘Yah Leum Chan’ will end with 13 episodes

Yah Leum Chan – namely Forget Me Not – is coming to an end after such a highly anticipated beginning. From the outset, it was a recipe for success: we have a renown director PaaJaew, an acclaimed producer of Sood Saneha, and a star studded cast of Anne Thongprasom, Tik Jesadaporn, Kong Saharat and Rita Jensen. But despite having all of the seemingly right ingredients, it is as if no one really tasted the food. So the dish comes out looking pretty but missing a certain spice, leaving one quite regretful that the chef couldn’t pull it off.

That’s how I feel about the writing in this lakorn. It’s just lazy and uninspired. The show utilizes misunderstanding as a plot device without giving us reasons as to why a character is withholding information from the other. Case in point, Kemchart sees red when he learns that his ex-girlfriend has re-entered his life as his secretary. All he knows and feels is that Suriyawadee, now Suriyong, left him for a man old enough to be her father and she caused him severe physical and emotional damage. Yet she nonchalantly expects him to just get over the hurt? She never explained to him or offered any closure as to the reasons why she left, nor the current status of her life. He thinks that she’s a mother of twins – but he doesn’t know that she’s only a stepmom and marries the old man in name only to repay her family’s debt. It’s a troubling plot when Kemchart need only to learn this key information before wreaking his vengeance. All Suriyong needed to tell Kemchart is that she still longs for him even though she knows she has hurt him in the past, and that her marriage is only an excuse to adopt two adorable boys, the man would have dropped to his knees. But she’s going to deny deny deny until the cows come home. To make matters worse, Suriyong’s ONLY reason to come back into Kemchart’s life is because of good old coincidence. *Facepalm.*

In the pre-finale episode, Kemchart finally learns the truth about Suriyong and it hits him like a ton of brick. Yet his revelation, in the grand scheme of his revenge plot, is too little too late. If the writer built his character to be more conflicted and dynamic, his intentions to make things right with Suriyong, and Suriyong’s payback to him, would thereby resonate more with the viewers. It doesn’t help matters that neither Kemchart’s character nor Suriyong’s is compelling enough to pull the viewers in. Not to mention, the lack of onscreen chemistry between the two. I prefer to watch Anne and Tik as themselves, their behind the scenes shenanigans are adorable.

But it’s not all bad, my friends. The secondary story of Eua and Ganlong leaves me feeling warm and fuzzy inside, and makes this whole experience worthwhile. Perhaps with such an illogical main couple, our second leads must offer some semblance of balance. Eua and Ganlong’s relationship developed from being friends first. But slowly as the story developed, they each become something more to each other: a solid partnership in every aspect of their lives. Now that is something I love to see.

Ganlong starts to see her P’Eua in a different light when she learns that Suriyong is pregnant with Kemchart’s child. She is devastated on Eua’s behalf but what he said really stayed with her. His relationship with Suriyong is more than a love relationship; it’s a family relationship. And ultimately, what matters to him the most is seeing her happy. His unselfish, sacrificial ways allow Ganlong to see quite the man that he is. The culmination of his gentle and committed nature, along with this recent scene forces Ganlong to re-evaluate her feelings for him. When he leans down and kisses her squarely on the cheek – in a non-brotherly way I might add- to thank her for the surprise birthday party that he actually twisted around and surprised her instead, Ganlong felt the residual stirring of feelings. Am I the only one who actually squealed at this scene? Thank goodness for second leads.

All in all, there are many ways to spin an asshole pr’ek into an endearing one. Sawan Biang managed to do this, and so did Jai Rao, but misunderstanding is not their key ingredient.

Yah Leum Chan will end tomorrow, Thursday May 15th, so let’s soak up our final moments with Eua and Ganlong and watch Kemchart make up with Suriyong once and for all. If LakornThai production does anything well, it’s the ending. Don’t forget to go on over to Darkness Lakorns for full recaps of episodes 12 and 13 (finale.) @Lady of Darkness – It’s been a pleasure recapping with you!

As Ryan Seacrest likes to say, Fia Out! Until next recapping project, Lovelies!