Knock Out Season 1 Review – Slow Moving BL that Dodges the Prize-Winning Punch
Episode Guide
Episode 1 – Tiger Taming Canon – Review Score 2.5/5
Episode 2 – Don't Hold Back – Review Score 3/5
Episode 3 – The Heartless Left Hook – Review Score 2.5/5
Episode 4 – The Fix – Review Score 2.5/5
Episode 5 – Hero vs Hero – Review Score 2.5/5
Episode 6 – For Us – Review Score 3/5
Episode 7 – Evidence – Review Score 3.5/5
Episode 8 – Betrayal – Review Score 3.5/5
Episode 9 – The Ring Rage – Review Score 3.5/5
Episode 10 – Safe House – Review Score 3.5/5
Episode 11 – Trap – Review Score 2/5
Episode 12 & Ending Explained – Always By Your Side – Review Score 1.5/5
Slow-Moving Anti-Climactic BL
Based on the novel Knockout (หมัดน็อกล็อกหัวใจ) by Dawin (ดวินทร์), the story follows Keen as he hears the news of his father's death and, having used his entire savings on the funeral, is not prepared when debt collectors show up. He hides out at a traditional Muay Thai gym trying to figure out how to make fast money. There he meets renowned fighter, Thun – 'The Tiger Taming Cannon.' But Thun refuses to step foot into the ring.
Thai BL, Knock Out, is led by newcomers, Nice Boripat Jamsat as Keen and Gunner Natsakan Chairote as Thun. The rest of the cast offers familiar faces, including Guide Kantapon Chmpupan of Bake Me Please, Dech Narongdet Rungarun of Playboyy and Gap Jakarin Puribhat of Cat Man and The Legend of Nang Nak. It was produced by Earnie Jantawong, who brought you Hello No One and wrote Thai BL, Monster Next Door.
Keen and Thun quickly find themselves thrown together as it's not just Keen but the whole gym that needs a financial injection. He manages to get Thun on board, but that's quickly out the window as he brings in Thun's former friend for a revenge match. As the cinches tighten, Thun finally agrees to fight Typhoon. But things don't go as any of them expected.
With a glimpse into the Muay Thai Boxing world, including a public naked weigh-in plus a novel behind the story for depth, I expected a bit more than Knock Out was ultimately able to deliver. No shade to the actors specifically, but the chemistry wasn't there in any of the relationships, except maybe for the blood-crazed Yut. He did seem crazy. And Phuwish, who played his double role well, though I struggled to picture a crime boss who would enjoy feeding his enemies to his German Shepherd. Perhaps I don't get out enough.
Apart from the connections, the storyline didn't seem to offer many opportunities for the protagonists to truly form bonds, feeling a bit superficial from the start and never able to tame that trail into genuine relationships. Instead, it just pushed couples together in less-than-realistic situations and left them to it.
The storyline around loan sharks feels fairly tired, too, popping up in so many Thai dramas. It makes me wonder just how many people are in debt for it to be such a regular theme. The interesting twist was that the moneylender was actually a politician in disguise, something that may feel cheekily relevant in more than one country.
Ultimately, though, BLs are about the chemistry. While it wasn't horrible and had potential, it didn't really live up to its romance genre.
If you're on the fence about Knock Out, check out our episode reviews linked above. If you loved it, I'd love to hear why in the comments below.
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