KinnPorsche's Kim and Chay ending isn't the whole story — the novel gives them what the series wouldn't

KinnPorsche had two love stories everyone came for, and then there was the one that snuck up on people. Kim (Jeff Satur), the pop-star younger brother of mafia son Kinn, and Porchay (Tinnasit "Barcode" Isarapongporn), the sweet younger brother of Kinn's bodyguard Porsche, went from side characters to a fan-favorite pairing over 14 episodes on One31 and iQIYI in 2022.

If the finale left you with questions about these two, the source novel by the writing duo Daemi is worth a look. It tells their story very differently.

What the series did with Kim and Chay

The series built them a full arc, per Wikipedia's episode guide:

• The setup: Kim starts tutoring Porchay, but at first it's a way to investigate Porsche.
• Episode 9: Porchay tells Kim how he feels, and they kiss.
• Episode 11: Porchay finds out why Kim got close to him in the first place, and it breaks his heart.
• Episode 12: Porchay spirals. He skips his college interview, dyes his hair and starts drinking and using drugs with friends, and Kim tries to pull him back.
• Episode 13: Kim finally realizes he loves him.

And then the finale doesn't put them back together. Vegas and Pete, the other side couple, get their happy ending. Kim and Chay don't.

"This is the only CP who does not get a happy ending."

— From Kimchi to K-Drama, in its series review

The show made sure it hurt, too. Chay writes "This Song is Called You" for Kim, and Satur, who is also a singer, sings the series' "Why Don't You Stay."

What the novel gives them

Here's the twist: in Daemi's novel, Kim and Porchay are background characters. They get a mention here and a name-drop there, and their relationship is only hinted at, according to Sportskeeda's book-versus-series comparison.

What they do get is an ending. Per the same comparison, the novel gives them a happy ending, "or as happy as possible given the circumstances": Kim is named heir by his father, and Porchay is at his side when he takes the role.

Don't miss: My Mister's K-drama ending explained: one handshake has kept fans arguing since 2018

The series also makes Kim colder than the book does. TV Kim is more calculating, and when Porchay confronts him, he lets Porchay go on believing everything between them was a lie.

The series gave Kim and Chay a whole storyline and no ending. The novel barely gave them a storyline and handed them the ending.

Will the show ever finish it?

Not so far. No sequel or second season has been announced. The cast took KinnPorsche on a world tour instead, starting with two sold-out nights at Bangkok's Impact Arena in July 2022 and wrapping back in Bangkok in February 2023. Satur used that final bow to say he was also leaving Be On Cloud, the series' production company, for his own studio, per Life in Cartoon Motion.

So the book remains the only version where Kim and Chay end up where fans wanted them. It's a short read on that front, since they're barely in it, but it gets the last word right.

Previously we wrote: Crash Landing on You vs Queen of Tears: the newer one fixed the ending fans still argue about