Not a big fan of ‘Khu Kam (Ill-fated lovers, Ill-fated couple)’, it’s depressing. I am going to watch it because it is a classic. The story of ‘Khu Kam’ is set during WWII centering around a political marriage between a young Thai woman and a Japanese officer. The path to their marriage was filled with turmoil and their marriage was traumatic but the story ended beautifully and tragically with the couple falling in love and producing a son. The pra’ek, the husband, the Japanese officer dies. My statement is not really a spoiler, this is a classic Thai love story that has been remade several times over the years. I don’t think I can count how many remakes there have been– ranging from musicals to movies to lakorns.
The latest adaptation of ‘Khu Kam’ stars Bie Sukrit as the Japanese officer Kobori and ’Noona’ Neungthida Sophon as the Thai maiden Angsumalin–two people who started off as enemies, actually it was a one-sided prejudice by Angsumalin that blossomed into love.
Here is a wiki synopsis of the plot:
‘Set in 1939, the early days of World War II in Siam, to Angsumalin meeting one last time with her childhood friend, a young Thai man named Vanus. He is leaving for England for his studies and hopes that Angsumalin will wait for him and marry him when he returns.
Shortly thereafter, Thailand is invaded by Japanese military forces. In Thonburi, opposite Bangkok on the Chaophraya River, the Imperial Japanese Navy establishes itself at a base. The forces there are led by Kobori, an idealistic young captain. One day he sees Angsumalin swimming in the river and falls for her. She, being a proudly nationalistic Thai woman, despises him because he is a foreigner.
Nonetheless, Kobori persists at seeing her and a courtship develops. Angsumalin found that Kobori is a real nice gentleman and start falling for him but she kept her feelings in secret because of the war.
Then, for political reasons, Angsumalin’s father – who is the Leader of Free Thai resistance, insists that she marry Kobori. Understanding that Angsumalin is not marrying him out of love, Kobori promises not to touch her, but he breaks that vow after the wedding.
Despite this, Angsumalin develops tender feelings for Kobori, but is still torn by her feelings for her nation and feel quilty to Vanus, who returns to set in motion a conflict between the two men.’
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