GOHAN (โกฮัง หัวใจโกโฮม) (2026)

Genre: Drama
Director: Chayanop Boonprakob, Baz Poonpiriya, Atta Hemwadee
Cast: Yasushi Kitajima, Poe Mamhe Thar, Jinjett Wattanasin, Tontawan Tantivejakul
Runtime: 2 hr 21 mins
Rating: PG13 (Some Coarse Language)
Released By: Golden Village
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 21 May 2026

Synopsis: Over ten years, a white stray dog with a pink nose named ‘GOHAN’ drifts through life, carrying moments that refuse to fade. The quiet warmth of his first owner, a near-retirement Japanese automotive engineer. The pulse-quickening days with his second, a young Burmese housekeeper working at a dog shelter. And finally, the lessons he unknowingly teaches his latest owner, an art student learning, maybe for the first time, what love actually means. A story of time passing, of hellos and goodbyes, and a dog who remembers it all.

Movie Review:

Going into Gohan, this reviewer admittedly did not expect much. Movies about dogs often follow familiar formulas: the loyal companion who never leaves its owner’s side, the heroic rescue during a moment of danger, or a sentimental story entirely told through the dog’s perspective. Heartwarming, yes — but also predictable. Surely this would be another variation of “man’s best friend” cinema.

But this reviewer should have known better. After all, the film comes from GDH, the powerhouse Thai studio behind some of the region’s most beloved films, including the emotional phenomenon How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024), the razor-sharp Bad Genius (2017), and even romantic crowd-pleasers like The Con-Heartist (2019) and Friend Zone (2020). GDH has a knack for taking seemingly ordinary premises and turning them into stories overflowing with sincerity and emotional resonance.

The moment the titular dog Gohan appears on screen, audiences will likely melt into a collective “awww.” More impressively, that affection never really fades throughout the movie. Gohan is irresistibly lovable without the film excessively forcing sentimentality.

Instead, the movie cleverly structures itself into three interconnected stories directed by Chayanop Boonprakob, Baz Poonpiriya and Atta Hemwadee, allowing the dog to drift through different lives and emotional circumstances. The first segment follows a younger Gohan bonding with an elderly man played by Yasushi Kitajima, who is entering retirement and facing the quiet loneliness of old age.

The atmosphere here is warm, gentle and comforting — until the story unexpectedly pivots into something far more reflective. Without becoming overly manipulative, the segment quietly prompts audiences to think about seniors living alone and the emotional isolation that can accompany ageing. It is touching in ways that sneak up on you.

The second chapter takes a more grounded and bittersweet turn. Gohan finds companionship with a Burmese migrant worker portrayed by Poe Mamhe Thar, who has come to Thailand hoping for a better future. This segment gives viewers a glimpse into the struggles and vulnerabilities of foreign workers, balancing warmth with a heavier emotional undertone. The dog becomes more than a pet here — almost a symbol of comfort and belonging in an unfamiliar place.

The final story is the strongest and most emotionally engaging of the three. By now older, Gohan enters the lives of a young couple played by Jinjett Wattanasin and Tontawan Tantivejakul. Audiences first meet them as students before watching their relationship evolve through adulthood, with all its joys, compromises and heartbreaks. There is something deeply relatable about this chapter, particularly in the way it captures how love changes over time while Gohan quietly remains a constant presence through it all.

The film’s closing moments provide a satisfying emotional payoff that may leave viewers — especially dog lovers — wiping away tears. Yet the sadness is never overwhelming. Instead, Gohan leaves behind a lingering warmth, reminding audiences why animals can become such important emotional anchors in people’s lives.

Once again, GDH proves remarkably adept at telling stories that are accessible, heartfelt, and deeply human. What initially seems like “just another dog movie” gradually becomes something much richer: a tender reflection on loneliness, love, companionship and the people we meet throughout life’s journey.

Movie Rating:

(More than just a dog movie, this tender crowd-pleaser proves once again that GDH understands human emotions beautifully)

Review by John Li