I just finished backreading! Though I haven't watched episode 4 and 5 yet. Please indulge me a bit as I leave my review on Episodes 1-3.
I know I'm gonna get throttled with this, but I would like to start by saying that actually from the first episode, my favorite character in the series is Matavi
. Bee plays her so well and she really has that Bi*atchy character down to a tee. She is fabulous without being too glamorous. She still has that rags to riches look (of course the Pro-Pim team would say she's "cheap" looking) but I want to say Matavi is one of those social climbing rai's who think they're all that. I was used to seeing N'Rais with heavy make up and they have to accessorize to death to really look the rich b*tch archetype but Bee, as I understand, is a model so she effortlessly fits the character without having to don tons of make up and just have relatively normal looking clothes. Of course she is worth every scorn and hate for being such a horrible ex-wife to Pim's dad and for being a backstabbing wannabe but I dunno, something about her bitchiness entertains me. Also the fact that she fuels the cougar dream with her chasing after Khun Ramet like a fangirl.
But after episode 1, I started to love the character of Ramet's secretary. He's sooooooooo funny! I love that guy. The way he teases Khun Ramet is really hilarious. From what I know, the actor had been acting for a long time (I first saw him as Khun Chai in the Ken-Janie version of NNS; and as trivia, Orn-usa was there too as the best friend of the N'Rai. haha) and he had also been with James for 3 Lakorns consecutively already. I guess they have good rapport already.
That being said, it's tricky how my favorite characters are the N'Rai and the side character. I guess, I have to be honest and say Ramet and Pim weren't really "spectacular" in the first two episodes. I mean, the introductory episodes (1&2) were good in establishing their characters but they didn't really catch my attention that much - but wait! That changed in episode 3. Episode 3 is the turning point for me. When Pim and Ramet came together, suddenly, as though they complemented each other, they suddenly became more interesting. Their strong points, as well as flaws became more apparent when the two of them came together. You have to remember that the title of this Lakorn is Buang Hong - Lasso for a Swan. And as Pim's dad said in the intro, a swan is majestic and beautiful no matter what - definitely, it cannot be caught in a lasso, it's too good for that - just the same with Pim. How can you catch a swan with a mere rope? Pim is a hellion, a beautiful hellion, no doubt. No one can control her, not even her own father. But when she encounters Khun Ramet, it's obvious that this guy is her match and suddenly she hesitates and she loses her cool. Just when she thought she can have her way, Mr. Nice guy suddenly spoils her plans with an effortless smile.
Since we know that Pim is the Hong (Swan), who is the Buang? the holder of the Lasso is Khun Ramet of course. He's a gentle guy, if his polka dot shirts and floral boutonnieres haven't made that obvious enough. He's no tough guy like Khun Singh (Nadech in Tam Rak Keun Jai) but that does not mean he is a softy either. Buang Hong is set in a Hi-So world of hotels and models and fashion shows, it's a whole different arena, and Khun Ramet fits in perfectly. He's a guy who would not unnecessarily use force, so he will not catch the swan with bows and arrows or guns, he will use a LASSO. he's that kind of guy.
Pim and Ramet are actually very similar characters, although there was a montage of them seemingly having different values - one is always late, the other abhors tardiness, one is unbending and not generous with business deals, the other is service oriented. Yet both of them are quite vain. Ramet is OC with cleanliness and in the same manner, Pim is a perfectionist and wants everything to be beautiful. one part I cannot accept about Khun Ramet is that he's such a perfect guy, but I cannot comprehend how he would fall head over heels in love with such a Prima Donna such as Pim. I realized that what my dad told me before was right - that some men take pride in dating high-maintenance girls as it is a form of prestige for them. After all a perfectionist girl would want everything to be perfect - even her man must be perfect too. To date a perfect girl must mean you are a perfect guy. That's Ramet's vanity. Yet in episode 3, we see a different side of both of them, the softer and more sensitive side. And since they came to an understanding somewhat, the cold and perfectionist Pim and Ramet seem to also have the same level of warmth and kindness deep inside their hearts.
Again we go back to the title, Buang Hong, and the central motif or figure is the Swan. I think Tam Rak Keun Jai had Noona as the duckling (or mouse actually haha), versus Pim who is the Swan. Apart from the Ugly Duckling (who turns out to be a Swan) story, we also have Swan Lake (direct reference to which was made in the first part of Episode 1 when Pim was introduced in the fashion show). While the Swan Lake plot is tragic, the plot element in that story is that there is a princess who turns into a swan; and also that true love of a prince can turn her back into a human princess forever. I guess it will also have some parallels to the story in the coming weeks. Pim has to endure working in the hotel and coming down from her high horse, all the while maintaining her majesty and beauty, as her dad had wished. Meanwhile, the prince has to come and realize her beauty despite the adversity and realize that she is more precious that he had imagined. then of course we have the scheming Matavi and the other misunderstandings along the way that would dissuade the prince from seeing the Swan Princess for her real worth, just like in the story. I just hope and pray the Prince or Khun Ramet won't be as stupid (But I doubt it. If P'eks aren't as stupid as they should be then our Lakorns would have no more than 5 episodes hahahaha) I'm looking forward to seeing Pim's transformation, as I think that is the whole point of the story. and I really hope Kittichai and Matavi get what they deserve in the end.
So there. GAAAH!!! I have to go watch episode 4 now. Thank you very much to the subbing team, KimmyStation and JirayuHome! You guys work so fast. Last I checked, parts of Episode 5 are already up!
