Back to All News
Uncover the Darkest Depths in Bangkok Breaking: Heaven and Hell': Thai Action Film Climbs Global Charts
Entertainment
03 October 2024
GlobalThailand
Link copied to clipboard
Experience the wild ride of Bangkok Breaking: Heaven and Hell as viewers follow Wanchai navigating the chaos of his hellish life, all sparked by a seemingly innocent milk tea incident. This full-scale action film has soared to the No. 2 spot on Netflix's Global Top 10 Films (Non-English) chart while also ranking in the Top 10 in 32 countries - including Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, and more - with a total of 5 million hours viewed (from September 23-29, 2024).
Who would have guessed that beneath the surface of this intense action flick lies a wealth of unconventional ideas from acclaimed action-movie director Kome-Kongkiat Komesiri? This is the untold story of a hell crafted by humans and a narrative that will make you hit that replay button again and again!
Extraordinary ideas behind deeply layered characters
The secret to creating a film that goes beyond mere action set pieces lies in its uniquely crafted characters. Even if the audience only sees them for a brief moment, each character in the film was designed to tell their own story. Kome shared his vision for character creation, emphasizing the importance of making each character memorable and impactful.
One of the standout characters is Darlie, played by Day Thaitanium. Kome describes him as a Rat King - distorted on the outside and harboring a devilish nature. The goal was to make Day unrecognizable despite his fame as a rapper. Der, from the production design team, suggested Darlie should be a scary, unpredictable character with vitiligo to make him terrifying, and I agreed. Darlie is the king of this dump, so he must be a very crazy king, Kome explains. With the word Sawasdee tattooed on his forehead and a penchant for eating durian while slapping those who offend him with the peel, Darlie showcases Thai culture in a unique way.
Another complex character is Bank (Fluke-Teerapat Lohanan), who struggles with psychogenic stuttering. In the film, Bank tries to show off and present himself as a fierce thug while attempting to control the gambling den. Yet deep down, he is incredibly fragile, projecting strength and aggression that he ultimately cannot sustain - a character filled with contradictions, Kome muses.
Sumeth, played by Ping Lumpraploeng (Bhubhing Bhangsa-ard) is another notable character. Known primarily as a director with a great sense of humor, Ping takes on the role of a serious mob leader for the first time. I advised him not to be funny because we didnt want him to bring humor to this character, Kome says. It would be quite surprising to see him in this type of movie.
The multidimensional meaning of the name Saisin
Saisin is an auspicious name, but the character is often referred to as Sin, which sounds like Sil, meaning canon in Thai. This refers to principles that shouldnt be violated. However, when the screenwriting team translated the name into English, it became Sin, which adds another layer of depth to the character.
As Sin matures, he realizes that happiness doesnt rely on money; it comes from reflecting on ones past actions and the pride derived from them. The situations in the movie will test Sin and force him to choose his path as either a good guy or a bad guy.
Kome revealed why he believed Doo-Sanya Kunakorn would be perfect for this role: I chose Doo because of his looks, particularly his glasses, and his well-known role as an MC, which shapes public perception of him. I aimed to make the audience question whether that was really Doo-Sanya. It's a surprise, and Doo loved it because he was able to change his persona and do something he hadn't done before. No one on set recognized him. It was a true transformation, and we believe we are offering the audience something they havent seen before.
Mind 4EVE, who plays Meiji, shared her experience from the shoot: When I saw Doo on set, I was a bit scared of him because he had transformed into a completely different person! He was portraying such a scary character and delivered his performance very convincingly. But once the director said cut, he returned to being his kind self. I want you all to see him in this film.
A housing community brought to life
Kongkiat envisioned the Ruamjai Housing Community as a run-down area - one that no one would want to enter. Life within the community is unknown to outsiders; a hellscape filled with crime, gangsters, and impoverished residents that was crafted so realistically that Doo-Sanya Kunakorn thought it was a real place: I walked in and thought, Is there really a place like this in Thailand?' It looked so scary. However, the art department informed me that everything I was seeing was created by their team. They had constructed concrete building shells in a flooded swamp, which was incredible. It felt like being in another world.
It wasnt just the set that was believable, but the people too. Doo-Sanya continued, On the first day of filming, about 50 actors played homeless people. Usually, supporting actors wear minimal makeup because theyre far from the camera; but in this production, they were fully immersed in their roles. The crew was meticulous, ensuring every detail felt authentic.
A movie that showcases the survival of individuals across different generations
Kongkiat, who both directed and wrote the screenplay, wanted to convey to the audience that no matter what terrible circumstances life throws our way, the key to survival is to simply keep breathing.
Weir-Sukollawat Kanaros, who plays Wanchai, shares: This film brings together many generations, and each character represents different backgrounds, perspectives, occupations, and ages
North America Stories
27/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
27/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
27/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
27/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
27/03/2026
At NAB Show 2026, Net Insight will showcase the next evolution of Nimbra Edge, its orchestration and control layer designed to manage live media services across...
27/03/2026
Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT) today announced powerful new innovations that further elevate the company's sports streaming solution. The advanced capabilities enh...
27/03/2026
Bitmovin, the leading provider of video streaming solutions, today announced significant new capabilities for Player Web X, its next-generation web video player...
27/03/2026
Riedel Communications today announced that Czech-based production company CS live has equipped its newest outside broadcast (OB) van with an integrated Riedel i...
27/03/2026
130 Industry Experts Confirmed as Show Celebrates its 10th Anniversary
MPTS, the UK's largest and most influential event for the media, production and tech...
27/03/2026
Grass Valley today announced the successful completion of a major live production deployment with NVP, a leading European media company specializing in live spo...
27/03/2026
Showcases resilient solutions for satellite-to-IP migration, REMI and hybrid live production
Appear ASA (Appear, OSE:APR), a global leader in live production t...
27/03/2026
San Francisco, California, March 2026 - Microsoft Ignite, a major annual conference hosted by Microsoft for developers, IT professionals, partners and business ...
27/03/2026
Clear-Com is proud to highlight its support for worship teams through professional communication solutions, with the deployment of its EQUIP wireless system a...
27/03/2026
Orban Collaborates with Sage on Virtualized EAS Technology Demo
Brie Clayton March 26, 2026
0 Comments
Sage Alerting Systems (SAS), in cooperation wit...
27/03/2026
Berklee Alums Bring GIANT to Broadway Brian and Dayna Lee BM '13 met and fell in love at Berklee, and now their production companys first Broadway debut i...
26/03/2026
Extron and Audio-Technica have announced that their Design Solutions devices, Ce...
26/03/2026
SPORTEL Asia took place March 24-25 at the Orchard Hotel Singapore, drawing 370 participants representing more than 220 companies from 35 countries. Approximate...
26/03/2026
LTN will demonstrate satellite-to-IP migration solutions for broadcasters, cable networks, MVPDs, and station groups at NAB Show 2026 (Booth W2100).
The C-Ban...
26/03/2026
The Seattle Mariners have partnered with Daktronics to install an upgraded outfi...
26/03/2026
The Esports Foundation (EF) has awarded National Team Partner status to organizations and individuals across more than 100 countries and territories for the Esp...
26/03/2026
Telestream has announced expanded integration between its Vantage workflow platf...
26/03/2026
FOR-A Corporation has announced a partnership with Nippon TV and NVIDIA to distr...
26/03/2026
CBS Sports and the WNBA have expanded their partnership through a new long-term, multiplatform rights agreement. CBS Sports will feature up to 20 regular-season...
26/03/2026
Zac Brown Band will star in the Sunday Night Baseball show open on NBC and Peacock, NBC Sports announced. The open was filmed at American Family Field, home of ...
26/03/2026
Major League Baseball opens the 2026 season with nationally televised games across multiple media partners. Fans can visit MLB.com/Watch for a complete schedule...
26/03/2026
DIRECTV has announced an agreement to carry nine new MLB-operated team channels, covering the Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers (Detroit SportsNet), Kansas City R...
26/03/2026
Nationals.TV, the Washington Nationals' local broadcast channel, is now avai...
26/03/2026
Starting Thursday, March 26, MLB.TV will be available on the ESPN App, giving fans access to more than 2,000 out-of-market regular season games. Fans can also r...
26/03/2026
By Matt Klein
Hello to everyone reading this - whether you're a current YEP, HPA member, or just YEP-curious. I'm Matt Klein, one of the co-chairs of t...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
28 participating companies, from start-ups to blue-chips, lead the UK Group as part of the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland presence across all the Halls at N...
26/03/2026
Arkona Unveils BLADE//planner and Major Usability Enhancements at NAB 2026
Brie Clayton March 26, 2026
0 Comments
New graphical configuration tool and...
26/03/2026
Bitfocus showcases complete control at NAB Show 2026
Brie Clayton March 26, 2026
0 Comments
Continuing development drives advances in security, availa...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
26/03/2026
Nevion introduces powerful new Panel Builder to enhance VideoIPath broadcast con...
26/03/2026
2026 Oscar Nominated Films Powered by Blackmagic Design
Brie Clayton March 25, 2026
0 Comments
DaVinci Resolve Studio used on 27 of this year's no...
26/03/2026
Leader to present full suite of advanced Test & Measurement solutions at NAB Sho...
26/03/2026
Boston Conservatory to Present New England and Collegiate Premiere of Groundbrea...
26/03/2026
Back to All News
Have a Wish Worth Dying For? Netflix's First Korean YA Hor...
26/03/2026
Back to All News
The Truthers, Starring Jose Coronado and St phanie Magnin, Pre...
26/03/2026
Editor's note: This post is part of Into the Omniverse, a series focused on ...
26/03/2026
That gaming backlog won't clear itself - GeForce NOW is here to help. Stream the latest titles straight from the cloud across a variety of devices.
This we...
25/03/2026
Live match directors Sarah Cheadle (Sky Sports), Rob Levi (TNT Sports), and Andrew Swift (BBC Sport) sit down with the Premier League's Rachel Nightingale t...
25/03/2026
The senior from Upstate New York is manning the mic while also interning for the athletic department's sports-information team
In the live-sports-video ind...
Back to All News
