Khom Khlang EP2 Review: That Kiss and One Protective Mae Kru
Khom Khlang EP2 slows things down to give us some much-needed context, but between a creepy possession, Bulan showing exactly how protective she can be and that kiss, there is plenty here to keep us seated. Now, give us more mysticism, crime-solving and romance.
OPENING REACTION
Khom Khlang EP2 gave us drama, horror and romance wrapped into one episode. The pace slowed as the series filled in more of the world surrounding Bulan and Peem, but most of that context felt necessary to better understand these two women, what drives them and just how differently they see the world.
The series also continues to follow roughly 75% of the source material while making some noticeable adaptation changes — and so far, we like them. In a few cases, we actually prefer what the series has done. With the groundwork increasingly in place, though, we’re ready for Khom Khlang to push deeper into its mysticism, Peem’s investigation and, obviously, the romance.
Because after that ending? Oh, we are officially there.
THE MOMENT
OK, who expected that kiss at the end of EP2? Better question: Who expected Bulan to make the first move?
The episode actually gives us a hint much earlier when Bulan and Peem are in the captain’s office. Bulan is remarkably straightforward about who Peem is to her. She knows Peem is her karmic soulmate; she just also knows that Peem has absolutely no idea what is happening.
That distinction matters. Peem is deeply grounded in logic, partly because she is a police officer and partly because her world has recently collapsed around her. With everything that has happened to her family, she is clinging to what she understands. Bulan, meanwhile, knows considerably more about their connection and recognizes that timing is everything. She may know who her lover is, but she cannot exactly walk up to Peem and say, “Surprise! Karma says you’re mine.” Well, she could, but we suspect that would go poorly.
That is what makes Bulan bringing Peem home after rescuing her so significant. The book repeatedly establishes how fiercely protective Bulan is of her home and how rarely she allows anyone inside. Peem isn't simply invited through the door; she ends up in Bulan’s bedroom. If anyone still needed a clue about what Peem means to her, there it is.
We also love that Peem's logical nature does not make her emotionally closed off. She asks questions because that is who she is, but she is also willing to talk about how the possession affected her and recognizes that Bulan may empathize with the spirit because of its circumstances. What Peem clearly does not anticipate, judging by her reaction, is that first kiss.
The actresses play the surprise and attraction beautifully. Peem may be caught off guard, but she is clearly drawn to Bulan — enough that once the shock wears off, she leans into what she is feeling and goes back for more. This is our first real glimpse of fate, karma and attraction beginning to blur together. Peem may not understand the connection yet, but she feels it.
And can we talk about Bulan in that outfit? Gorgeous. Peem going back for more was simply the correct decision. We support it.
Our one distraction was the lighting. The backlight was so bright in places that it pulled us out of what should have been an intimate scene. We’re also curious to see how the series approaches its love scenes moving forward because some of the camera angles deliberately obscured more than we expected. It wasn't necessarily bad — just noticeably different.
Still, the scene worked where it mattered most: Bulan and Peem have crossed the line from karmically entangled strangers into something decidedly more complicated. Let the romance begin.
WHAT WORKED
a. Food as a Love Language
Food is particularly important to Bulan, and this scene carries more weight than simply bringing Peem lunch. In Thai culture, preparing, offering and sharing food can be an expression of care, affection and connection. For Bulan, who loves to cook — and according to the book is very good at it — bringing Peem food feels like one of her first steps in courting her. She is sharing something she loves with someone she already knows is deeply important to her.
And Peem’s face after that first bite? Nope, not a spell. That is pure shock at how good it is. More importantly, Peem seems to sense Bulan before she even walks in, then practically goes puppy-dog-eyed watching her pass. Peem may not consciously recognize her attraction yet, but her face certainly got the memo.
Then she learns Bulan closed her entire school just to bring her food. Peem, girl. The evidence is right there. Bulan is already courting while Peem is still trying to figure out what game they’re playing.
Girlie is playing checkers while Bulan is playing chess.
b. The School Possession
The school possession works because Bulan and Peem are essentially fire and ice. Peem sees a girl in distress and immediately defaults to logic: She needs medical attention, not a ritual. So, she barges in, removes the dagger from Bulan’s hand and takes control of a situation she thinks she understands.
What’s especially interesting is that Bulan doesn’t immediately jump back in after Peem interrupts the ritual. We read that restraint as intentional. Watch Bulan’s eyes: As Peem talks, Bulan repeatedly looks past her, seemingly tracking the spirit that is now loose. Bint does a great job communicating without saying a word — Bulan knows the danger hasn’t passed; she’s assessing it.
There may also be another calculation at play. Once Peem openly challenges the ritual, Bulan can’t simply force her way back in without everyone involved being willing to let her continue. Doing so could make her practices — and Bulan herself — look like the threat rather than the thing trying to protect them. So, she waits and watches.
That changes when Peem gives the girl her talisman and essentially invites the spirit to come after her instead. The child is protected, but Peem has just made herself the target. Bulan knows it, even if Peem doesn’t. And did anyone else catch the ghost lurking at the school — seemingly the same presence Bulan keeps looking toward? Creepy, subtle and very well done.
Then everyone leaves, and Bulan finally lets Peem have it. That slap? Wow. Peem didn’t just disrespect Bulan’s craft and interrupt her ritual; through sheer ignorance, she put herself in danger. For Bulan, that last part carries even more weight because she already knows exactly who Peem is to her.
Ultimately, the scene establishes one of the biggest challenges in their relationship: logic versus mysticism. These two are living at opposite ends of that spectrum, and if they’re going to survive what’s coming — never mind fall in love — they’re going to have to meet somewhere in the middle.
c. Peem's Possession
And then Peem has to reap what she sowed. She interrupted the ritual, challenged the spirit and essentially invited it to come for her. Naturally, it accepts.
The novel handles the possession differently, with the spirit mimicking Peem’s sister to lure her into a locked room. We actually prefer the series adaptation. The eerie mimicry between Puinoon’s character and the spirit makes it feel like we’re watching the spell tighten around Peem. If we remember correctly, Puinoon said she learned those movements shortly before filming, which makes the performance even more impressive. For someone relatively new to the industry, girl picks things up quickly. Flowers officially delivered.
Our favorite moment, though, is Bulan’s hand reaching around just before Peem finishes the spirit’s final words, blocking her sight and breaking the spell. Oh, Mae Kru came to WORK. Bulan takes control and destroys the spirit with fire, giving us our first real glimpse of just how protective she is of the woman tied to her by karma.
More importantly, Peem needed this experience. She has dismissed Bulan’s world because she trusts what she can explain, yet she came to this city chasing something she cannot arrest, interrogate or shoot. Now she knows firsthand that some things are beyond her control.
Welcome to Bulan’s world, Lieutenant. Your badge isn’t going to save you from everything.
d. The Ending: Peem Starts Googling
We have to say it: Peem is a Googler, and we love that for her.
Her instinct when she doesn't understand something is to research it. So, after sleeping with Bulan, Peem wakes up and essentially thinks, What did I just do? Then she starts investigating whether she could have been put under some kind of spell.
Girl.
You went from refusing to believe in any of this to deciding witchcraft might explain why you slept with a woman? That escalated quickly.
There is more nuance here in the book, though. Peem hasn't spent much time considering her sexuality because she hasn't spent much time considering a love life at all. Her career has consumed most of her attention, which also helps explain why she has climbed the ranks so quickly at a relatively young age — although her father's position within the police force certainly doesn't hurt.
Bulan forces Peem to confront a part of herself she simply hasn't examined before. She isn't necessarily opposed to what happened; she is confused by how suddenly and intensely she feels something she never stopped to consider. Given everything supernatural happening around her, “Was I under a spell?” almost becomes a hilariously reasonable first theory.
WHAT MISSED
a. The Pacing Needs to Pick Up
We're cautiously optimistic because EP2 had legitimate groundwork to establish, but we're ready for the story to start moving. Khom Khlang has mysticism, karmic soulmates and a police investigation at its disposal. There is no shortage of material here.
Please use it.
We cannot do another turtle-speed story, no matter how interesting the premise. With the character foundations now taking shape, EP3 needs to start pushing the larger story forward.
b. The Lighting Almost Killed the Mood
Lighting department, you're officially on notice.
We understand wanting the scene to look dreamy, but there is a fine line between atmospheric glow and wondering whether Bulan has installed the sun directly outside her bedroom window. The backlight occasionally became distracting enough to pull focus away from the actresses.
Set the mood. Don't blind us with it.
c. The Camera Angles Were a Choice
We absolutely understand the need to protect the actresses and film intimate scenes within everyone's boundaries. Please continue doing exactly that.
But some of the camera placement during Bulan and Peem's intimate scene felt unusually obstructive, particularly compared with what audiences have become accustomed to seeing in Thai GL productions. It didn't ruin the scene, but the framing was noticeable enough that we found ourselves paying attention to the camera instead of the characters.
Protect our girls. Just don't make the camera itself part of the scene.
BOLD TAKE
Khom Khlang has all the ingredients to give Thai GL something genuinely different. EP2 proved the chemistry is there; now we need the mysticism and crime story to keep pace with the romance.
FINAL VERDICT
Khom Khlang EP2 gave us more context for Bulan and Peem, established just how far apart their worldviews remain and then gave us a kiss that made it abundantly clear where this karmic relationship is headed. Consider us seated for EP3.
Moving forward, we want more of Bulan's mysticism — and especially more of her backstory because, yes, the book left us hanging there. We also want Peem's criminal investigation to remain a major thread rather than getting pushed aside as the romance develops. The combination of supernatural lore, crime and GL romance is precisely what makes this story feel fresh.
Our biggest hope is that the series doesn't lean too heavily into the conflict that dominates the final third of the novel. We've seen variations of that storyline plenty lately, and Khom Khlang has much more interesting cards in its hand.
Give us Mae Kru Bulan in full mystical mode. Give Peem a crime she can’t solve with a badge and a gun. Give us two women realizing that logic and magic might have to coexist.
And, obviously, give us more kisses.
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