Why Reverse With Me Deserves a Spot on Your Thai GL Watchlist ⌛️
- rachwrites25
- 5 hours ago
- 10 min read
If you could reverse time to save the one you love, even if it hurt others, would you do it?
Beyond a fantasy romance with a time-travel twist, Reverse With Me explores the consequences of our actions and the radical impact of empathy, patience, and support in our darkest moments.
Everything I Loved About Reverse With Me
Table of Contents
Reverse With Me: The Basics
Premiered: February 2025
Episodes: 8
Where to Watch: IQIYI
How Are Reverse 4 You And Reverse With Me Connected?
Reverse With Me is the sequel to Reverse 4 You. While Reverse 4 You focuses on Four and Jattawa, Reverse With Me centers on their daughter, Karan, and her lover Kliao Kuen.
Here's Christine and Mae, who played Four and Jattawa, meeting Natt and Pitcha:
Do you need to watch Reverse 4 You first? Not necessarily. While their characters share a familial bond, they tell separate stories.
However, I recommend watching both, as there's an easter egg in Reverse With Me from Reverse 4 You.
I also found it interesting to compare Karan to her parents, because there were similarities I thought were cute, but I needed to see Reverse 4 You to make those comparisons.
Easter Egg From Reverse 4 You
A moon lamp is shown in Reverse With Me, a cute nod to the moon lamp Four gave Wa in Reverse 4 You.
Karan's Similarities With Her Moms
It was hard not to see Mae, Four, in Karan. The link with her Mommy, Wa, is obvious, as Karan inherited her family's abilities, so it was cute to see her other mother's influence, too.
Her Love of Fancy Cars
Karan's love of fancy cars definitely comes from Four
Four has her yellow Lexus, while Karan has her silver Aston Martin
Her Mother's Love Language
Karan may have also inherited Four's love language: gift-giving
The mother's moon lamp is the daughter's "Buy 1, Take 1" sneakers
Four's Outward Coldness and Inner Warmth
Four and Karan may both look cold on the outside
But that icy exterior is just a facade that melts when they're around their lovers
Spoiler-Free Summary of Reverse For You
During her darkest moment, Kliao Kuen is saved by a doctor named Kaomesa, who seemingly turned back time to save her life. Before she could get answers, the doctor disappeared.
Years later, Kliao, now a doctor herself, is reunited with the woman she's been searching for all this time: Kaomesa, nicknamed Karan, a surgeon at the same hospital.
Kliao is desperate to find answers to what happened; if only she could get the aloof doctor's attention.
Here's Reverse With Me's trailer:
Note: If you haven't watched Reverse With Me and don't want spoilers, please stop reading from here, as there will be spoilers in the sections that follow.
Review and Analysis of Reverse With Me
Please note that my reviews focus on emotional beats, which I enjoy most in GLs. I tend to look past technical elements if the emotional themes resonate with me.
Some people may prefer a review that focuses on technical elements, but I'll be the first to admit I'm not qualified to evaluate them, as I'm neither a film major nor a film critic.
However, if you're someone who responds more to the emotional beats of fiction and seeing scenes from another perspective, you might enjoy my reviews. Hope you like this one!
How I Interpreted the "Instant Romance"
A common criticism in the reviews I've read is how the romance felt rushed. I understand where this is coming from, but let me offer another perspective.
What helped me was reframing my understanding from the characters' POV. Their feelings seem sudden if we see the events in Episode 1 as their first meeting.
However, this isn't Karan's first time seeing Kliao, and this is where the fantasy kicks in.
The Romance from Karan's POV: The Love From Her Dreams
Even as a child, Karan had been dreaming of Kliao:
Their connection was so strong that she could even feel what Kliao was feeling:
She smiled with Kliao in happy times
Felt sad when she cried
Felt inspired by her to become a doctor
And longed for the day when they finally meet
Seeing Kliao in the hospital isn't just a first meeting for Karan. It's the moment she'd been waiting for, when she finally meets the woman of her literal dreams.
The Romance from Kliao's Perspective: Finally Being Chosen and Loved
In contrast, Kliao's feelings for Karan are more grounded in reality, and much of it stems from her upbringing.
Rather than visions, Kliao had real experiences that made her fall for Karan.
Imagine you're someone desperate to receive the love your parents only gave your brother. Every time you needed affection or support, you were met with hostility and rejection.
You carry this trauma and rejection from your primary caregivers, the ones who are supposed to give you unconditional love.
At your lowest point, you still kept getting rejected and abandoned by your parents.
Suddenly, a kind doctor appears and saves your life.
She reminds you that you're loved and worthy, words you longed to hear all your life, as your experiences conditioned you to believe the opposite.
Time and time again, this person appeared to take care of you, even to the point of reversing time so you won't get wet from the rain.
Kliao grew up feeling rejected and being the last priority, so it's not unrealistic that she instantly develops feelings for Karan, the woman who always puts her first and reminds her of her worth.
What "Reverse" Really Means
I can't take credit for this, since Natt and Pitcha revealed it in a behind-the-scenes video, but I thought it was an interesting tidbit to include:
"Reversing" means Karan and Kliao finally meet. Karan had to reverse time to save Kliao, and in the process, finally met her.
If you think about it, Karan and Kliao may have been living separate lives, but they've always been moving towards each other.
Karan kept seeing Kliao in her visions, which inspired her to become a doctor:
Likewise, Kliao became a doctor just to find Karan.
It was inevitable that their paths would cross since they had always been searching for each other.
They just had to wait for the right time.
Irony of Karan's Profession And Her Abilities
Another thing that stood out was the irony between Wa and Karan's professions vs their supernatural powers.
Being a doctor is a "rational" profession, one that requires logic and reason rather than emotion.
In contrast, her ability can't be explained by logic or reason, and her use of it is driven by emotion.
I love this irony because it shows that contrasting things can exist in one person. You can be logical, while also being emotional and believing in the unexplainable, and that's okay.
There's also the contrast of the reactive nature of her job vs the preventive nature of her ability:
Reactive Nature of Being a Doctor
Being a doctor is often a reactive job: something bad (accident or disease) has already happened when they step in.
Preventive Nature of Time Manipulation
In contrast, her time reversal could prevent bad things from happening... but at what cost?
The Cost of Saving the Person She Loves
What I appreciate about Reverse With Me is how it explores what happens after Karan manipulates time, and more importantly, to whom?
Karan as a Paradoxical Character: Selfless or Selfless?
Karan is a paradox, as she's both selfish and selfless.
She's so selfless, to the point of hurting herself and losing ten years just to save Kliao.
However, her actions could also be seen as selfish. She's aware that changing the past would cause a ripple effect that may hurt others, but she still does it to save Kliao.
But could we really judge Karan? If you can do something to ensure the safety of your loved ones, would you really not do it?
Kliao even pointed out how Karan could technically prevent their patient from losing a leg by turning back time and preventing it from happening, but Karan refuses.
This may seem selfish, but if we consider how physically painful it is for her to reverse time and how she loses years of her life, could we still call Karan selfish?
Being a doctor who can reverse time must be difficult for Karan, as she watches others suffer while knowing, in the back of her mind, that she can reverse time and save them. But does that burden really rest on her?
Whose responsibility is it to prevent suffering, and should we even try to resist suffering if that's our fate?
Karan and the Trolley Problem: Who Will You Save and Who Will You Sacrifice?
Reverse With Me invites us to reflect on a moral dilemma, as every time Karan uses her ability to save Kliao, others are bound to suffer instead.
One reference I kept seeing in Karan's actions was the Trolley Problem, a thought experiment in moral philosophy:
Imagine you're driving a trolley that can only be steered, but not stopped. You'll inevitably kill whoever you crash into.
On one side, you have four people, and on the other, just one. Who will you sacrifice?
Now, imagine if the lone person is a child. Will you still choose to kill the child?
This was the dilemma Karan faced, especially when it was revealed that saving Kliao killed Fiat's parents.
This was the first reference to the Trolley problem: Karan chose to save one, which inevitably led to the deaths of two.
The second reference to the Trolley Problem also happened during this reveal:
When Karan tried to reverse time to save Fiat's parents, she saw how it would lead to more deaths, including children.
Should she just let everyone else die and let Fiat's parents live to repay her debt to him?
Or, are the lives of the strangers worth saving more than two people, even though they were her friend's parents and she caused their deaths?
Another thing to reflect on: How do our actions affect others, and what are we willing to sacrifice to get what we want?
I don't know if this was what the author (Zezeho) and producers were going for, but the resemblance is uncanny. The car crash even resembles the trolley crash, so it makes me think it was somehow inspired by it.
Radical Impact of Empathy, Patience, and Presence
TW: Suicide attempt. The next section may be emotionally challenging for some, so please feel free to skip it, and please take care of yourself.
A good reminder to all of us: "No matter how cruel this world is to you, please remember that there's always someone who loves and cares about you." -Karan, Episode 1
Several scenes show characters in deep emotional distress, such as Kliao's suicide attempt in episode 1 and Thee's panic attack in episode 3.
Reverse With Me also showed how the characters tried to navigate these delicate situations. I loved how it depicted the radical impact of empathy, patience, and presence on those who need our help most.
Kliao and Karan: Not Giving Up on Those You Love in Their Darkest Hour
Please note that my thoughts focus solely on this scene. Please always consult mental health crisis resources for situations of this nature.
Hospital staff tried to convince Kliao to get down from the ledge, but were all unsuccessful.
The doctor even said, "All problems have their way out."
But this wasn't what Kliao needed to hear.
I have nothing left. -Kliao
Her thoughts, driven by her father's words, had already convinced her that she wouldn't amount to anything in her current state.
Karan also tried, but was met with hostility, with Kliao responding, "No one knows how I feel!"
Despite this, Karan didn't give up.
You're right, I might not know how you feel. But I'm happy to listen. -Karan
Sometimes, people don't need others to say they understand, especially if they don't. But even reassurance that you'll listen can go a long way.
Karan didn't get it right the first time, so she tried different things: asking Kliao to let go of the negativity, offering to listen, until she finally arrived at what Kliao needed to hear: that she still has worth.
Isn't it sad if you don't get to sing anymore? -Karan
When Karan reminded Kliao that she could still sing, she gave her what she needed most at the moment: hope.
Meow and Thee: Choosing Compassion Over Judgment, and the Power of Simply Being There
The mic feedback triggered Thee's trauma from his accident, which quickly sent him into what seemed like a panic attack.
Despite not knowing what was happening, Meow focused on helping him calm down.
She never asked Thee why he was acting this way. She just stayed and reminded him he's not alone.
Sometimes, the best thing we can do for someone is to be present, even if we don't understand what's happening to them.
I loved this scene, but I wish they defined what was happening to Thee, such as if it's really a panic attack, similar to the PTSD disclaimer they added later:
This would've been a great way to raise awareness among people who may be living with the same condition or know someone who does.
I know this was a long review, but I hope you still liked it. Thank you for making it this far. 🫶🏼
As a side note, I hope NattPitcha gets another project soon! Watching some of their BTS videos makes me think they could also pull off something lighter, like a romcom.
TL; DR
As someone who enjoys GLs for their emotional beats, these are the things I enjoyed about Reverse With Me:
Includes cute easter eggs from Reverse 4 You
Features both fantastical and more realistic foundations for romance
Shows the multifaceted realities of humans and how two conflicting ideologies may exist in one person
Offers viewers a chance to reflect on the consequences of one's actions, and what they're willing to sacrifice to get what they want
Depicts mental health, adds information to some conditions, and shows the radical impact of empathy, patience, and presence in even the darkest moments
You can watch all episodes of Reverse With Me on IQIYI.
I was looking forward to this one specifically, since it's never really appreciated by the fans. Thank you for reminding me why it was indeed a great plot. Amazing job as always, keep it up!