Top Form: Episodes 1 & 2 Set Stage for Romance & Rivalry
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Who knew fans of the manga Dakaichi by Sakurabi Hashigo would get a live-action Thai adaptation all these years later? (Hoping the Japanese follow suit soon!)
Directed by Boss Wasakorn Khumklaowiriya, the 2025 Thai series Top Form stars Smart Chisanupong Paungmanee as rising star Jin, who becomes smitten with award-winning actor Akin (Boom Raweewit Jiraphongkanon) when they work together on a series. Still a rookie actor, Jin is determined to reach Akin’s level of fame so they can be equals and lovers in the cutthroat entertainment industry. How will their romance unfold?
The pilot episode of Top Form introduces Jin as a bit of a space cadet, and his acting skills are questionable, earning him the nickname “wooden boy” from Akin when they work together. While Akin acknowledges Jin’s good looks, he is frustrated by the newbie’s lack of emotional depth in their scenes. In one particularly challenging moment, Akin steps in to help Jin cry on camera. At that moment, Jin falls head over heels, and aside from a rather ridiculous CGI effect of his beating heart, the crying scene is well-executed.
What’s interesting about Top Form is how meta it is. For instance, episode one hilariously pokes fun at the blatant product placements common in Thai series. While Jin is filming a serious moment in his drama, his co-actor is required to hand him a sponsored drink, but the sponsor keeps throwing tantrums over the placement, wasting hours of shooting time. Even Akin complains to his manager about how the product ruins the emotional scene.
From on-set filming sequences to advertisements and media interviews, Top Form is deeply embedded in the entertainment world. Of course, there are many changes from the original Japanese manga, which is inevitable since it was published over a decade ago. For instance, Top Form subtly tracks Jin’s rise on social media while showcasing Akin’s already massive online popularity.
While Akin embodies the classic “tsundere” lead – tough and aloof on the surface but soft inside, so he is moved by the attention Jin often shows his away. Like the title, actor Boom Raweewit Jiraphongkanon is in top form in his scenes, while Smart Chisanupong Paungmanee wavers a little in his performance. Their chemistry is hard to judge based on just the first two episodes, but so far, things look promising.
You can watch ‘Top Form’ on WeTV.
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