Overseasidol.com — Thai drama The Last Duel has recently found itself at the center of a major controversy, despite its storyline reaching a critical and engaging phase.
Instead of solely gaining attention for its plot, the series has sparked widespread debate online, with boycott-related discussions quickly climbing to the top of trending topics.
The issue began when netizens accused the production team of drawing inspiration from the well-known work Ayutthaya Eyawadi without proper credit.
The original work, recognized as a manga or novel with boys’ love elements, led to speculation that the drama shares similarities in its concept and character dynamics.
Reports also suggested that the television network had previously approached the original creator to discuss acquiring adaptation rights, but the deal fell through due to differences in content direction.
In response to the growing backlash, Thai broadcaster ONE31 released an official statement addressing the allegations.
The network explained that the drama’s concept is rooted in historical interpretations of the relationship between King Naresuan of Thailand and a Burmese prince.
The story aims to explore their connection from a human perspective, imagining a possible bond during their youth before they became enemies due to opposing loyalties.
ONE31 further clarified that during the development process, the team did notice certain similarities with Ayutthaya Eyawadi.
As a precaution, they proactively contacted the original creator to discuss the matter and even considered acquiring the rights to avoid future disputes.
However, after thorough discussions, both parties agreed that the two works differ significantly in terms of storyline, world-building, and character relationships.
The network emphasized that The Last Duel does not use any specific plot elements or names from the original work, and therefore does not constitute copyright infringement.
They also stated that the discussions with the creator were conducted transparently and concluded amicably, including appropriate compensation.
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