Scarlet Heart Ullavee opens with a sold-out premiere in Bangkok

GMMTV’s biggest series of the year arrived on screen with a night of live performances, behind-the-scenes stories and a first episode watched together with the fans.

On Wednesday 4 November, Union Hall on the sixth floor of Union Mall in Bangkok hosted Scarlet Heart Ullavee The Grand Premiere, the launch of GMMTV’s most anticipated production of the year. Tickets sold out quickly, and according to the company the hashtag #ScarletHeartUllaveeEP1 reached No. 1 on X trends worldwide and in Thailand on the night of the first episode.

The series is adapted from the Chinese novel “Bu Bu Jing Xin” by Tong Hua. It was announced as Scarlet Heart Thailand, but GMMTV renamed it “Scarlet Heart Ullavee” following an online controversy over claims that its costumes resemble traditional Burmese royal attire. The studio explained that the story is set in a fictional city called Ullavee. It follows a modern woman who travels back in time and finds herself in the body of Fong Nuan, a woman from Ullavee, where she becomes caught up in a power struggle among seven princes.

The cast was all there: Tu Tontawan, Win Metawin, Nanon Korapat, Tay Tawan, Fourth Nattawat, Phuwin Tangsakyuen, Perth Tanapon and Force Jiratchapong, together with director Fon Kanittha Kwunyoo. Before the screening each actor performed a song. Phuwin opened with “To You”, followed by Fourth with "เจ็บที่ยังรู้สึก", Force with "อีกนิด", Tay with “Flashback”, Perth with “Numb”, Nanon with “Shiftless” and Win with “Yours”. Tu closed the set with “More Than Words”.

Host Godji Tachakorn then brought the cast and director on stage to talk about the workshops before filming, how they built their characters and what it was like working together on such a large production. After that the audience watched the first episode together.

The surprises continued after the screening. William Jakrapatr performed the theme song "ใจภักดิ์ (wherever, whenever)" live, and the night ended with a game called “Inside Ullavee”, in which the cast shared stories from the set. Two veterans of Thai television who also appear in the series, Um Apasiri Nitibhon and Tae Pitisak Yaowananon, watched the premiere from the hall with the fans.

Watch the press conference at: https://youtu.be/pco36zlvI8I?si=yQhxOqOHrVXW5mjs