Oh this is cute. The pairing of Tono and Nychaa is really working for me. I took notice of Tono since the Star 6 competition but never followed his work on OneHD. The sixth story of the Cupid Series, Tricky Love, is his first foray with Channel 3 and I’m glad he took on the rugged but kindhearted dentist named Saran, even though at times, it seems like he’s in a different lakorn entirely. While everyone is in a romantic comedy, Saran seems to be in a melodrama. Cue very sad music. We can blame the poor editing on the director I suppose, because the tone of the show can seem all over the place, and the writing is rather weak, but Tono brings intensity to what could have been a very boring character. And his chemistry with his costar Nychaa? That makes taking a chance on this lakorn a worthy one.

In this story, we explore our sixth cupid named Milin aka Mim (Nychaa’s character) who works at Cupid Hut as one of Phim’s matchmaker. She’s a happy person for the most part, but quite superstitious, meaning she likes to know how her day will go by consulting with a gypsy first thing in the morning. Depending on her “reading” that morning, she’ll decide what lucky/bad luck things she aught to do or avoid. It helps her feel secure of her day. Mim is also very frugal, comes with the territory when you have ailing aunt/uncle who raised you. She literally pinches penny to make ends meet and pay for her elders’ entire medical bill. Her uncle’s dental work in particular brings her to Saran’s clinic.

Saran on the other hand, does not believe in destiny or fate or superstition. He especially does not believe in paying for a company to find his soulmate. Although seemingly lives a perfect life, Saran does feel like he is always looking for someone. At first it sounds really romantic, like – aw he’s looking for his soulmate! But in actuality it’s something really sad, he’s looking for his mother who had disappeared from his life years ago. Dad thinks she took off due to his indiscretion and has never forgiven himself for it. Thus Saran is left with picking up the shattered pieces of his family life. Ugh, there goes my heart.

But it’s not all sad, there’s quite a bit of funny in this show too. And cute. So cute when they’re together. Despite being the hero to his patients and employees, Saran finds himself being snarky when it comes to Mim. They first meet when Mim runs into him at 7-eleven (I feel like show likes to hang out at 7-eleven A LOT and it makes me want to get a slurpee every single time) where his curiosity about her begins. She isn’t like anyone he knows: she pays with coins straight out of her piggy bank, she truly cares for her aunt and uncle whom she takes to different appointments, and she spouts matchmaking and superstition. Even though he doesn’t agree with her beliefs or profession, he finds himself drawn to her against his better judgement.

They both reunite with an old friend/frenemy. Mim’s worst nightmare came true, her old school bully reared her head and is demanding to be the master again (she calls Mim her slave, like really? Boran lakorn called and they want that word back.) Rarin returns to Thailand after studying abroad and is forced by her dad to join his business and get married to someone wealthy/powerful, which to Rarin means old. She decides to find her own “love” by signing up for Cupid Hut and forcing her old “buddy” to find her a man so she could flaunt him to her dad. Mim is already at a disadvantage (Rarin is a customer) and tries to bite her tongue, but gets blackmailed every step of the way. Rarin is a spoiled, annoying character, and will try to get everything her way, and I just want to tell Mim that “NO” is a complete sentence. But Mim has so much to lose and she ends up buckling under pressure.

Saran’s old school friend showed up as well, and Saran feels that he owes his friend a few meals since he recall always eating his food when they were younger. They seem to pick up where they left off, but something about his friend, Dton, makes me think that he isn’t what he seems. But his presence matters since it gives Saran an excuse to sign up for Cupid Hut, although he has no intentions to follow through – like getting match made – he is curious enough to test it out.

And this is where the “tricky love” part comes in – although with the many mentions of soulmates and destiny, this show ought to be titled differently – Mim finds herself using different tricks up her sleeve in order to get Saran to participate, whether it is to save her job or due to blackmails by Rarin. I feel for Mim because it seems life has recently been out of her control, but I honestly don’t agree with a lot of her choices, personal or professional. Sometimes the writing of her character feels incongruous, for example if the rules and law of her company and profession matters to her, 1. she shouldn’t force someone to join if they don’t wholeheartedly want to 2. she shouldn’t jump to conclusions and 3. she wouldn’t jeopardize her conscience due to someone else’s bullying. I wish she could be a stronger character, but in a way, her weakness highlights Saran’s strengths. I like that he made her promise to never trick or try to match make for him, against his will again. She tricked him a few times before we are brought to this scene and despite not liking how he found himself there, he doesn’t seem to mind rescuing her. He is the Prince Charming she desperately dreams about and wishes for, but I hope she could do some rescuing too.

Mim and Saran could very well be kindred spirits even without the destiny/fated to love each other trope. What seems to be a cheerful disposition and outlook in life, they are both just lonely souls who could use some love and comfort in each other. They have a lot in common than they know, and meeting Mim could very well lead him to meeting his mother, who has been hiding as Mim’s very own gypsy lady. Now if that isn’t fate..

Tricky Love is airing Fri-Sun with two episodes out so far. I’m glad I jumped five stories, did I mention the interaction between Phim (Ken T) and his secretary (Chompoo) is getting even more hilarious? Apparently Waralee had quit and Phim thinks he could just get his other employees to pick up the pieces, but sadly he’s mistaken. He realizes that he has to grovel “to that woman” and I’m excited to see the sassy Waralee sticking it to the man. For now I am enjoying the cute between Tono and Nychaa and love watching how the two fall in love. Here’s to hoping that the writing/directing works itself out.