Previously…
This is the last part of my review of The Heart of Dhevaprom series, covering the last two installments and my overall opinion of the series. The review continues from the first part, so if you haven’t read it click/tap the button below.
Dujupsorn
Dhevaprom: Dujupsorn ( ดวงใจเทวพรหม: ดุจอัปสร ) is the fourth drama of the series, based on a novel series of the same name. Its novel is written by Nara and is the sequel to Khun Chai Taratorn.
“Fah” Dujupsorn’s mother M.L. Wilairampha remains resentful of M.R. Ronnaphi Juthathep for breaking a promise to marry her. Fah loves her mother so much that she is ready to take revenge on the Juthatheps; she applies for a job at a Juthathep-owned company and seduces M.L. Ronnaphum Juthathep to fall for her, only to hurt him. Ironically, it is Fah who falls in love; she is stunned when she meets the president of the company, Major M.L. Asira Juthathep, the eldest son of M.R. Tharathorn, as he is the charming and handsome soldier from her past who had once saved her life. She now faces the toughest decision of her life: revenge may not be her choice, but it is her destiny.
The Couple
Mint Ranchrawee Uakoolwarawat ( มิ้นท์ รัญชน์รวี เอื้อกูลวราวัตร ) as “Fah” Dujupsorn Trainatthi
Kongthap Peak ( กองทัพ พีค ) as “Petch” Asira Juthathep
Review
If you are looking for a seriously angsty romance with a roller coaster of emotions, this is one of that kind. As I wrote in the Introduction part, Wilairampha is the youngest daughter of M.R. Thewaphan Dhevaprom (who looks like she is the oldest) who was arranged marriage to a Juthathep son, M.R. Ronnaphee. When that did not happen, she was very devastated and enraged which took a toll on her mental health. The wrathful Wilairampha gaslighted and guilt-tripped her daughter to avenge her misery on the Juthathep family. For revenge reasons, Fah applies to work at one of the Juthathep family companies and is reunited with her savior whom she never forgets. Unfortunately, he is one of the Juthatheps.
This is a romantic melodrama because the mother’s mental situation and the revenge are the focus. Thrown into that are the office politics (plus gangsters), unnecessary ‘love triangles’, and misunderstanding. The couple’s journey is quite exhausting, but save it to their intense chemistry that audiences keep watching.
The chemistry between Mint and Kongthap Peak has been off the roof since the beginning Fah and Petch met and fell in love at first sight. Individually, their acting was also good and both were skilled in showing micro facial expressions. The best acting skills of all Dhevaphrom’s main couples. They also have great chemistry off-screen as seen in the duet OST version “I Wish You the Sky” which was written, composed, and originally sung by the actor.
Poncheewan
Dhevaprom: Poncheewan ( ดวงใจเทวพรหม: พรชีวัน ) is the last drama of the series, based on a novel series of the same name. Its novel is written by Romkaew (left image) and is the sequel to Khun Chai Pawornruj. The drama is partially filmed in Switzerland.
The bright and beautiful cousins of Dhevaprom—Cheewan and Poncheewa—are close like sisters and do everything together, including studying in Switzerland. Meanwhile, M.L. Saruj Juthathep, son of M.R. Pavornruj and Princess Wanrasa, is the First Secretary of the Thai Embassy in Bern, whose job is to support Thai students. This is a perfect setting for romance, but not a love triangle. Things get complicated when Cheewan falls for Saruj while she is supposed to play Cupid for Poncheewa and Saruj. They become entangled in a web of lies and jealousy that threatens to tear apart the cousins’ once unbreakable bond. Will Cheewan follow her heart and be one with Saruj, or will she remain loyal to Poncheewa? For whom does Saruj harbor true feelings?
The Couple
PP Punpreedee Khumprom Rodsaward ( พีพี ปุญญ์ปรีดี คุ้มพร้อม รอดสวาสดิ์ ) as Cheewan Wongnakorn
Kao Noppakao Dechaphatthanakun ( เก้า นพเก้า เดชาพัฒนคุณ ) as Saruj Juthathep
Review
Since this is the last installment of the whole series, normally the audience’s (and my) expectations are quite high. C’mon… why should we not get excited since ALL that we saw in the trailers and promotion posters is the breathtaking mountainous scenery of Switzerland on the backdrop? The drama was also filmed in that country and the novel also describes that most of the story happens there. However, from 16 episodes, only the first two episodes and the last episode’s events happen in Switzerland! I got it that as the story goes, there was the 1997 IMF Asian financial crisis happened in Thailand. Overseas students had to return to the country and embassy staff numbers were reduced. Cheewan, Poncheewa, and Saruj returned and the rest of the drama’s setting is in Thailand. I don’t have any animosity against any country’s setting, but why the false advertisement?
The second disappointment is the romance. Not that there is a lack of chemistry between PP and Kao. Cheewan and Saruj supposedly have known each other since they were little and there was no long separation period, so they are quite close to each other from the beginning. They have good chemistry, but their romance lacks screen time, compared to the second couple who get a lot more screen time but lack of chemistry (they act more like a brother and a sister). The novel readers informed us that the author Romkaew wrote the plot predominantly around Cheewan and Saruj’s slow-burn romance and character growth. In the drama, the screenwriter(s) wrote a complicated relationship between the second couple, and added on top of that is the typical Thai drama trope: gangsters/criminals. It’s like Thai lakorn cannot deviate from guns and gangsters and create pure heartwarming romance dramas as other countries can do with their romantic dramas. The rushed ending, although happy, sucks too!
Enough rant. The only saving grace towards the endings of Dhevaprom: Poncheewan and the Duangjai Dhevaprom series are the wedding of the Kwan and Chat couple and the reunion of the Dhevaprom girls. By this timeline (1998?), Laorchan and Phu already have a son; Noophok-Jak and Fah-Petch are married. It is nice to see the couples (especially the Female Leads) again if you have watched their stories. If not, you might regard the wedding and reunion as a waste of screen time that should go more to Cheewan and Saruj.
Overview
After watching all the installments above, below are my takeaways and recommendations from the Duangjai Dhevaprom series.
Supportive Parents
Many times parents in Thai dramas are overbearing and even villainous. In Duangjai Dhevaprom, however, all Juthathep parents are very supportive of their children, either sons or daughters. They don’t pry into their children’s private lives, some of them even have their own place to live. I think it’s because they were the protagonists in the Suphapburut Juthathep series, so to make them mean
Of all the scenes with the parents, my favorite scene is below in Dhevaprom: Laorchan when Phu’s parents, M.R. Rachanon and Princess Soifah console their son when he is broken-hearted after finding out about Laor’s betrayal and her real reason to get close to him and steal the necklace.
The Juthatep Monkeys
In Suphapburut Juthathep, the five brothers became known throughout the country as the Five Lions of Juthathep, due to their braveness to fight against evil. In Duangjai Dhevaprom, the five cousins are called the Five Monkeys of Juthathep because of their playfulness. I feel bad for Jak’s younger brother Phum, though, because he is also one of the male cousins and has shown up through the five dramas, but he is not considered as the five monkeys because of the number and does not even have his own drama! The actor, Saint, has the most acting experience in dramas.
confess his feelings to Noopook
Because of their supportive parents, the Juthathep cousins, male and female, make their own decisions, even for important matters like careers, work, and romance. Many times they discuss their issues with their cousins and only consult their parents if they cannot handle the problem. The parents also do not matchmake them with anyone and let their children choose their life partners.
Side Couples: Make or Break the Dramas
Side couples seem a must in romantic dramas, even short-length series. It depends on the characters and the actors’ performances, side couples can make or break dramas. Although we perceive side couples as fillers, they can be the factor that decides whether a drama succeeds or fails. Below are my favorite side couples in Duangjai Dhevaprom that contribute to the drama’s outcomes.
Jack and Annie from Dhevaprom: Jaipisut
Jack (Job Thuchapon Koowongbundit) is a PE teacher at the same school as Noopook. He secretly crushes on her but does not dare to confess. So, he always stays on her side and is a good advisor to her. Annie or Anthika (Lingling Sirilak Kwong) is the only child of Mrs. Rhodsukont, who forces her daughter to attract Roonajak’s attention and make herself become Juthathep-in-law. When Jack and Annie find out that they pursue Noopook and Jak respectively, they become friends who help each other with their love interests. In the process, they fall in love. I like this couple because it is refreshing to see a couple in which the guy (Jack) is not rich and comes from a humble family, considering all Male Leads and some secondary couples’ guys are rich and nobles! Also, Job and Lingling hit it off and their chemistry is natural, unlike the main couple who in the beginning seems awkward and forced.
Phak and Ket from Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai
Ket, M.L.Pokkate Jutathep (Bam Saralee Prasitdumrong), is Chat’s little sister. She just returned from France after graduating in fashion design. Being a modern-minded girl, she has high self-confidence and thinks outside the box. Ket dreams of having her own clothes shop without her family’s help, so she decides to do an internship at the country’s famous clothes shop to learn the business.
“Phak” Phakrat Thanasak (Junior Kajbhunditt Jaidee) is the third child of Sir Phinij and Khun Ying Dara Amphai (more on the parent’s story in Khun Chai Pudhiphat). He is Chat’s close friend. He graduated with a master’s degree in management from the US and recently returned to take care of the family business. He usually argues with Ket over different views but is deeply interested in her. Ket and Phak is a cute couple addition to the already cute romance of Chat and Kwan.
Wit and Ploy from Dhevaprom: Dujupsorn
Ploy, M.L.Anittha Juthathep (Tita Chayanit Chayjaroen), works alongside her brother Asira at JT Property as the Director of accounting and finance. She graduated with a master’s degree in accounting from England and came to manage the company two years ago. She is confident and straightforward. Serious about work, not interested in love, and hates flirtatious men and arranged marriages.
Wit, Chawit Vanichmunkong (Meen Nichakoon Khajornborirak) is the eldest son of Ketsara (the eldest daughter of M.R. Thewaphan Dhevaprom) and Chinnakorn. He is a close friend of Asira. He graduated with a master’s degree from abroad and returned to help his father as CEO of the family’s gold shop. He is a young energetic businessman who is single, wealthy, and playful. Wit has had a crush on Ploy since young.
Watch It as a Stand-Alone Drama
As you see, I don’t need to watch the Suphapburut Juthathep series to watch Duangjai Dhevaprom. They will give you enough flashbacks, especially in Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai and Dhevaprom: Dujupsorn, to explain Maratee and Wilairampa Dhevaprom. If you want to watch only the sequel of the series, I suggest you start chronologically as listed above. How about watching one or two dramas of the Duangjai Dhevaprom series if you are not interested or do not have time to watch all five installments? My picks are based on the ones I liked the most to the least: Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai, Dhevaprom: Dujupsorn, Dhevaprom: Jaipisut, Dhevaprom: Laorchan, and Dhevaprom: Poncheewan.
Many people liked Dhevaprom: Dujupsorn the most due to the off-chart chemistry between Mint and Kongthap Peak and their great acting. I do like them very much, too, but the plot is too dramatic for me and full of angst because of the psycho mother. I was not in the mood for heavy drama then, so the cute chemistry between Kwan and Chat in Dhevaprom: Kwanruetai with a lighter atmosphere suited me more.
Below are two GIFs that compare the chemistry between the couples in the two dramas. One is cute, the other one is intense. SPOILER ALERT!
Relationship Chart
To close my article, below is a tool that has been a great help for me to find out who is who. Whatever drama you choose to watch the series, you may get confused with their web of entanglement. To help understand the relationship between one character to another, below is a big relationship chart that connects the characters from Suphapburut Juthathep and Duangjai Dhevaprom, and what the parents looked like in the past and present. You can click the image below to take you to the source which you can zoom in to be able to read the character names and relationships.
Conclusion
Whether you watch Duangjai Dhevaprom or The Heart of Dhevaprom as a series or just pick up one or two drama(s), I hope that these reviews may help you in any way.
