The story centers on Yuan Xiang Qin (played by Ariel Lin), a high school student who is sweet, optimistic, and loyal but notoriously clumsy and poor in her studies. She has been in love with the handsome, intelligent, and aloof Jiang Zhi Shu (Joe Cheng) for two years. After finally gathering the courage to give him a love letter, she is rejected coldly when Zhi Shu dismisses her in front of the whole school.
However, fate intervenes. A minor earthquake destroys Xiang Qin’s house, and she and her father are invited to stay with his college friend—who turns out to be Zhi Shu’s father. Now living under the same roof, Xiang Qin’s persistent affection and warm heart begin to slowly melt the ice around Zhi Shu’s calculated, emotionless exterior.
For millions of viewers across Cambodia, the late 2000s and early 2010s weren't just defined by the rise of social media or local pop music. They were defined by a specific, sacred hour of television: the airing of It Started with a Kiss (ISWAK), delivered in the warm, familiar tones of the Khmer language.
While the original Taiwanese drama (adapted from Kaoru Tada’s Japanese manga Itazura na Kiss) was a pan-Asian sensation, the Khmer-dubbed version holds a unique, almost legendary status in Cambodian pop culture. It wasn't just a show; it was a shared national experience that transcended language barriers and cemented itself as a beloved classic. it started with a kiss khmer dubbed
For Cambodians now in their twenties and thirties, It Started with a Kiss (Khmer dubbed) is a powerful nostalgia trigger.
It evokes memories of rushing home from school, arguing with siblings over the remote control, and gathering around a small CRT television with neighbors. It was a show that parents didn't mind watching either, thanks to its clean, family-friendly humor and the relatable dynamic of a bickering, growing family under one roof.
The show’s soundtrack—songs like "Say U Love Me" by Jason and Lara, and "Inability" by Wang Lan Yin—became anthems of a generation. Even today, hearing those opening piano chords instantly transports fans back to that specific, magical era. The story centers on Yuan Xiang Qin (played
The Khmer version of "It Started With a Kiss" holds a special place in Cambodian pop culture for several reasons:
Ask any Cambodian between the ages of 25 and 35 about their teenage years, and they will likely mention watching It Started with a Kiss after school. In the mid-2000s, Cambodian television was dominated by Thai lakorns and Korean dramas. But ISWAK was different—it was the first Taiwanese drama to truly break through.
The Khmer dubbed version aired on local stations like CTN, MyTV, and even on rented VCDs from neighborhood shops. Friends would gather around a single CRT television, waiting for the weekly episode. The cliffhangers—Will Xiangqin finally win Zhishu’s heart? Will the jealous Jin Yuan ruin everything?—had the entire nation talking. For millions of viewers across Cambodia, the late
Even today, memes from the show circulate on Facebook. Sound clips of famous Khmer-dubbed lines are used in TikTok videos. When Joe Cheng (the original Zhishu) posted on Instagram in 2023, Cambodian fans flooded the comments with Khmer phrases from the dub.
Title: It Started With a Kiss (Khmer: ចាប់ផ្តើមជាមួយការថូប) Original Network: CTS (Taiwan) Year: 2005 Genre: Romantic Comedy, Drama, Slice of Life Main Cast: Joe Cheng, Ariel Lin, Jiro Wang
For Cambodian audiences who grew up in the mid-2000s, Taiwanese dramas were a staple of daily entertainment, and few series left a mark as indelible as "It Started With a Kiss." The Khmer-dubbed version of this show remains a nostalgic favorite, remembered for its heartwarming storyline, comedic timing, and the iconic voices of the Khmer dubbing artists who brought the characters to life.
The story follows the classic "opposites attract" trope, pitting a scatterbrained, academically challenged girl against a cold, genius prodigy. It is a story about unrequited love that slowly blossoms into a deep, enduring bond.