The Contract Marriage Thai Drama That Won Us Over

We never really focused on the specific subgenres of Thai dramas. We were more familiar with the broader categories—drama, melodrama, romance, romantic comedy, or just plain comedy. But the more we watched lakorns, the more we realized that there’s so much more to them. A drama could revolve around revenge, while a romance might center on a contract marriage, a fake relationship, or even a forced marriage. Then again, we noticed this pattern isn’t unique to Thai dramas—other Asian dramas, like K-dramas, follow similar themes. However, one thing that stood out about Thai series was their love for contract marriage storylines. We’ve watched a few, but the first contract marriage Thai drama that truly captivated us was Leh Ratree (A Woman’s Trickery), which aired on GMMOne (OneHD). Apparently, this lakorn was a major hit for GMM One TV when it aired in 2015.

The Main Leads of the Contract Marriage Thai Drama

We didn’t know who the actors were back then, but they were quite good-looking. As we continued watching the show, we fell in love with the characters and became fans of the main leads—the charming Esther Supreeleela and the dashing Sean Jindachote.

Quite an Interesting Plot of the Story

We were completely drawn to the story’s plot—it was our first time hearing about it, and we found it incredibly intriguing. In English, this Thai lakorn, Leh Ratree, is titled A Woman’s Trickery or Love’s Trickery.

The male lead, Sake (played by Sean Jindachote), was the only son in his family, though he had a younger sister. As the President of their family business and the next in line as heir, a lot was expected of him. He was married, but his mother disapproved of his wife, who kept delaying pregnancy. His mother was desperate for a grandchild to secure their family's lineage. However, she later discovered a shocking truth—Sake’s wife was no longer capable of having children, and she had kept this from everyone. Sake, who deeply loved her, felt betrayed and resented her once he learned the truth.

Meanwhile, Kate, the female lead, was the eldest of three siblings. She was still finishing her studies and was happily in love with her childhood friend. She had what seemed like a perfect family, but there was a secret lurking beneath the surface. Her father, who worked at Sake’s company, had fallen into a dangerous gambling addiction, racking up a massive debt. In his desperation, he even resorted to stealing money from Sake’s company.

Eventually, the truth came to light, and both Sake’s family and the casino he owed money to came after him. With no way out, he was caught, and Sake’s family was determined to press charges. Kate’s family was devastated. But in a desperate attempt to save himself, her father made a shocking proposal—he knew Sake’s family was searching for an heir, and with Sake’s wife unable to conceive, he offered his own daughter, Kate, as a solution.

We found the idea absurd—and so did Sake! He was furious, while his mother, though conflicted, was tempted by the offer. She knew it was unreasonable, but her desire for an heir won in the end. Despite Sake’s strong disapproval, his mother agreed to the arrangement. Kate’s mother was heartbroken, but she had no choice—their family was backed into a corner with nowhere to turn. If they accepted the deal, Kate’s father would avoid jail time, and Sake’s family would even pay off his debt.

Kate had no idea what was coming. She had been planning a future with the man she loved, but suddenly, she was being forced to marry a stranger—and, even worse, bear his child. Sake, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with her. He saw her as nothing more than a pawn in her father’s desperate scheme, unaware of the incredible woman she truly was. Their contract marriage was built on one condition: Kate would have his child. In return, Sake’s family would provide for her, and once she gave birth, she would be free to live her life however she pleased.

Our Thoughts about this Contract Marriage Drama

We had nothing but high praise for this contract marriage Thai drama. The storyline was captivating, the tension between the male and female leads was electrifying, and the emotional roller coaster from hate to full-blown romance was truly touching. Every episode left us wanting more—we just had to know what would happen next!

Sake and Kate started off on the wrong foot, despising each other from the very beginning. And yet, the way the show built up their tension was so intense that we couldn’t help but wonder how they would ever end up together. The slow burn, the clashing personalities, the undeniable chemistry—it was all done so well that it kept us completely hooked.

We also have to applaud Esther and Sean’s chemistry. They were a legit koojin! (Koojin is what Thai fans call a love team or OTP—One True Pairing.) Their on-screen connection felt so natural, it was almost unreal. That tension between them? Absolutely on fire—you could feel it right through the screen! It was the kind of chemistry that made you believe they were a real-life couple… but they weren’t. And trust us, don’t even try Googling it—you’ve been warned! Hahaha! We were such huge SeanEst fans, and honestly, who wouldn’t be?

If you want to learn more about the synopsis of this drama, you can watch the video above. It also features other Thai dramas along with their story summaries—no need to search elsewhere, everything is in one video!

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