Introduction
Duangjai Dhevaprom or The Heart of Dhevaprom ( ดวงใจเทวพรหม ) is a series of Thai dramas that consist of five installments: Dhevaprom: Laorchan, Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai, Dhevaprom: Jaipisut, Dhevaprom: Dujupsorn, and Dhevaprom: Poncheewan. The series is a sequel to the Thai series Suphapburut Juthathep, which was popular a decade ago.
In 2013, to celebrate its 43rd anniversary, Channel 3 Thailand aired a Thai series called Suphapburut Juthathep or The Gentlemen of Juthatep ( สุภาพบุรุษจุฑาเทพ ). The series consists of five dramas: Khun Chai Tharathorn ( คุณชายธราธร ), Khun Chai Pawornruj (คุณชายปวรรุจ ), Khun Chai Pudhiphat ( คุณชายพุฒิภัทร ), Khun Chai Ratchanon ( คุณชายรัชชานนท์ ), and Khun Chai Ronaphee ( คุณชายรณพีร์ ), based on five Thai novels with the same names. The series tells the love and relationships of five half-brothers from the noble family of Juthathep in the 1960s. Their parents died when they were little, so they were raised by their two grandmothers. The brothers have a close-knit relationship and are known as the Lions of Juthatep.
When their father was still alive, he made a vow with his best friend and savior, the noble M.R. Thewaphan Dhevaprom, to marry off one of his sons to one of Mr. Dhevaprom’s three daughters. After the death of their father, their grandmothers matched three brothers to marry Ketsara, Maratee, and Wilairampa Dhevaprom. But the brothers ended up choosing their own life partners not from the Dhevaprom family.
During airing, from June 15 until July 7, 2013, the series received a huge response and achieved high ratings. It became one of the best series in Thai dramas. More than 1000 parents named their newborn children after the names of the five brothers (Source: Post Today). The series’ popularity also propelled the lead actors and actresses, newcomers at that time, to stardom. The series was also rerun in 2017 and 2019 on television.
In 2015, the novel publisher and authors decided to make the sequels of the novels, followed by Channel 3’s announcement to make the sequels of Suphapburut Juthathep called Duangjai Dhevaprom (The Heart of Dhevaprom). This series mainly tells the stories of the life and romance of Dhevaprom’s female descendants in their relationship with the sons of the Juthatep brothers in the 1990s.
Since 2022, after revealing the main cast of the series, Channel 3 has held some events to promote Duangjai Dhevaprom, from debut night to sports day, creating huge anticipation from the audiences who loved Suphapburut Juthathep, until its airing from March 8 to August 31, 2024. Let’s see how each drama fares, according to someone who has never watched the prequel series. I’ve tried to watch Khun Chai Pudhiphat because I like the leading actors James Jirayu and Bella Campen, who played the Male Lead and the Female Lead. However, the outdated video quality turned me off from continuing to watch it.
Now that I have watched all five installations of Duangjai Dhevaprom, below are my reviews of each drama with likes and dislikes and overall opinions of the series. All synopses are taken from MyDramaList.
Laorchan
The series starts with Dhevaprom: Laorchan ( ดวงใจเทวพรหม: ลออจันทร์ ) as a sequel to Khun Chai Ratchanon. It’s an adaptation of the novel “Laorchan” written by Sornklin who also wrote “Khun Chai Ratchanon”.
Laorchan (ลออจันทร์) means ‘beautiful moon’. Laorchan, who grew up in France and was reared by the elite, returns to Thailand to prove her family’s innocence and learn the truth about her origins. Laorchan plans to steal an ancient, accursed gemstone—the Ajna Chakra necklace—exhibiting at an aristocratic department store owned by M.L. Phuthanet Juthathep, son of M.R. Ratchanon and Princess Soifah. She befriends the suave Phuthanet and he is instantly taken by her charm, beauty, and mysterious persona. Complications arise when she starts to fall for him, as deception and love are two things that don’t go together. Can she resist his charms and accomplish her objective?
The Couple
Gina Yeena Salas ( จีน่า ญีนา ซาลาส ) as “Laor” Laorchan Phanthewa/Laorchan Bhukhamwong/Fueangphet Bhukhamwong
Gulf Kanawut Traipipattanapong ( กลัฟ คณาวุฒิ ไตรพิพัฒนพงษ์ ) as “Phu” Phuthanet Juthathep
Review
The first installment jumps straight into the main plot that centers on the mysterious female lead after a brief introduction of the Juthathep cousins who are the male leads of the entire series. This start is a bit disappointing, especially to the viewers who watched the prequel series. It seems disconnected because the inception should closely relate to the Suphapburut Juthathep, as what happened to the Juthathep family and other important characters 20-30 years later.
Despite the disjointed start, the mystery plot surrounds Laor and her connection with the ancient necklace is quite interesting. If you like the mystery genre or light romance mixed with mystery, you may like this drama. It has flashbacks of the ancient past with supernatural/mythical elements. Below is a relationship chart showing the truth about Laorchan’s birth. The chart not only shows her royal family tree (Bukhamwong) but also the fact that she is also one of the Dhevaprom nobility. Please skip the chart if you don’t want to be spoiled, although the chart is helpful as at some point in the drama you might be confused with all the complex connections.
I wrote above about light romance, as in my opinion, the center of the plot is not the relationship between Laor and Phu. Indeed, Phu falls for Laor at first sight, but Laor sticks to her mission to obtain the necklace. The romance plot only develops later in the drama, mixed with the romance subplots of the second and the third couples. The criticism of the lack of chemistry between Laor and Phu is understandable. Even Laor has more chemistry with Sun, her friend who helps her with her mission! As the meaning of the name Laorchan suggests, she is indeed a beautiful moon: radiant, but cold and distant. That being said, albeit being cold and lacking emotion, in my opinion, Gina is the most elegant among the other Dhevaprom ladies, so casting her as Princess Laorchan is perfect.
Because of the flashbacks to the past, the props and costumes befitting the ancient times are noteworthy. Besides the ancient costumes, the modern-day characters wearing traditional Thai attire and ‘modern’ outfits (the 90s fashion) on some occasions are also fun to watch. Some CGI scenes depicting the myth of Naga are not bad either. I think Dhevaprom: Laorchan has the entire series’s best artistic and visual values.
Kwanruetai
The second drama of the series is Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai ( ดวงใจเทวพรหม: ขวัญฤทัย ), based on a novel series of the same name written by Kaotam. The author also wrote the novel that is adapted to the parent drama Khun Chai Pudhiphat.
Kind, generous, and hardworking Kwanruetai is the daughter of M.L Maratee Dhevaprom, whose whole being is in earnest for her mother’s love and approval. She meets a young military doctor—Major Dr. M.L Chatklao Juthathep, while on duty in the northern province of Thailand where they are caught amidst danger due to gangs and drug wars. Chatklao falls in love with Kwanruetai but she is conflicted given their families’ long-standing estrangement. Her mother is dead set against Kwanruetai’s romance with Chatklao as his father M.R. Phutthiphat had humiliated her when he broke off their betrothal for another woman. Will Kwanruetai listen to her heart; or are the Juthatheps and Dhevaproms just not meant to be together?
The Couple
Yada Narilya Gulmongkolpech ( ญดา นริลญา กุลมงคลเพชร ) as “Kwan” Kwanruetai Phithakthewa/Kwanruetai Dhevaprom
Mikey Panitan Budkaew ( ไมกี้ ปณิธาน บุตรแก้ว ) as “Chat” Chatklao Juthathep
Review
This is my favorite drama of the series, so my discussion is mostly about the positive features of this installment. The only negative aspect of this drama, in my opinion, needs more sweet scenes between the main couple after they get together. Instead, there are plenty of scenes on the gang and drug wars that drag along the drama. They relate the wars with the main couple, especially since Chat is a military officer and Kwan’s family is entangled with the gang. Because of the great chemistry between Yada and Mickey, we want to see more of their romantic scenes. Their ability to act naturally with each other without awkwardness deserved praise since it was Mickey’s debut in acting opposite Yada who has acted for a decade as a child actress. As a newcomer, Mickey’s acting skill was still stiff, but tolerable considering Chat is a military officer and a doctor. On the contrary, Yada was able to emote a young girl full of conflicts between being a tomboy, as dictated by her mother who hates a daughter, and being girly; and between following her heart or denying Chat because of her mother’s mandate.
Speaking of the conflict between mother and daughter, the actress who played M.L Maratee Dhevaprom, Oom Sakaojai Poonsawatd, really did a great job acting a vengeful character. You will hate her being so mean to her own daughter and strongly opposes Kwan and Chat’s relationship. However, Maratee is a gorgeous and charming ‘villain’, either in muumuu and hair rollers or in fashionable dresses during formal outings, as seen on the right in the image below with Chat’s mother Krongkaew Juthathep Na Ayutthaya.
Another thing I liked about this drama is more of my preference for watching Thai dramas in a countryside setting. The simplicity of rural life, humble villagers with their blunt chit-chats, lively traditions, with the background of lush green rice fields under the clear blue sky are more interesting than big city settings.
And of course, the cameo appearance of James Jirayu, either in the flashback scenes of Khun Chai Pudhiphat or in the present scene, is like a cherry on top of the cake. Below are James Ji and Mickey, they can pass playing brothers!
Jaipisut
Dhevaprom: Jaipisut ( ดวงใจเทวพรหม: ใจพิสุทธิ์ ) is the third drama of the series, based on a novel series of the same name. Its novel is written by Praenat (left image) and is the sequel to Khun Chai Ronaphee.
Capt. Ronnajak Jutathep, the eldest son of M.R. Ronnaphee, is entrusted with his deceased friend’s younger sister, Somjeed. When he enrolls Somjeed and Papang, her friend, at his alma mater, he runs into a former classmate, Jaipisut, who is now a teacher. Jaipisut barely tolerates Ronnajak, as she has no good childhood memories of him because of his teasing; but the two are forced to play nice together when Somjeed has problems at school. Building a friendship with your arch-nemesis is never easy. Theirs is far more complicated when Jaipisut finds out she is adopted, and from the heirloom brooch left by her birth mother, she might be a Dhevaprom. Will Jaipisut’s connection to the Dhevaprom prove too much for Ronnajak to overcome, or will the two realize that what they have is worth fighting for?
The Couple
Oom Eisaya Hosuwan ( อุ้ม อิษยา ฮอสุวรรณ ) as “Noopook” Jaipisut Waithawi
Tate Henry Myron ( เทศน์ เฮนรี่ ไมรอน ) as “Jak” Ronnajak Juthathep
Review
Before I start reviewing, I need to clarify the school bullying tag on the drama info or the suggestive child bullying in the synopsis. Jak did not bully Noopook when they were little, it’s all a misunderstanding. So if you hesitate to watch it thinking that the Male Lead was a bully, he’s not.
I will start the review with the actor who played the Male Lead. I think Jak is the most handsome Male Lead in all five dramas. His fashion style is of the 50 – 60s North American greaser youth subculture known for their greased-back hair, leather jackets, solid white or black fitted T-shirts, blue jeans, and boots. The fashion was popularized in the 1978 box-office movie Grease.
Despite being handsome and fashionable, unfortunately, Tate Henry’s acting skills didn’t reach the same level. Jak, according to the character description, is supposed to be playful and funny. But because of the stiff acting, he appears quiet and shy. Similar to Mikey, Tate Henry is a newbie in the acting world. Jaipisut is his debut. In my opinion, his lack of acting skills affected the chemistry between him and his co-star Oom. It also doesn’t help that Oom’s character Noophok is a prim, reserved, and upright teacher. At first, there was no chemistry between them, only awkwardness. Only later did it improve. Thai watchers commented that their chemistry off-screen was better. Oom and Tate Henry would collaborate again in the upcoming lakorn Mafia Flower.
The main thing I like about this drama is Jak’s experience as a guardian for his dead friend’s little sister and her friend. Somjeed and Papang have difficulty adjusting to a new life in a city and enrolling in school. Jak mostly takes care of the ‘parenting’ himself, with the help of his brother “Phum” Ronnaphum Juthathep, played by Saint Suppapong Udomkaewkanjana ( เซ้นต์ ศุภพงษ์ อุดมแก้วกาญจนา ), and their two loyal house helpers. I like that their parents don’t interfere and take over the care of the children from Jak. He experiences the challenges of rearing children. This is where Noophook steps in to help him with the children, not only with their studies but even with girl’s problems for Somjeed, and their friendship and romance also grow.
To Be Continued…
This article was written to be published on another platform, and the article is quite long. For this site, however, I would prefer a shorter installment, thus I divided to article into two parts. Part 2 tells the rest of the series with Dhevaprom: Dujupsorn and Dhevaprom: Poncheewan, and also the overview of the whole series.
