The Effect (2019)

We all have a lesson to learn from this show...

(this review isn't a spoiler review, however, I do mention some information that may come accross as spoiler.

irst of all, I have been wanting to watch this series for a while but kept postponing due to the comments on how we should be mentally prepared to watch it, which also oddly made it even more intriguing. I finally did watch it and I agree - you need to be mentally prepared to watch a show like this one.
That being said, was it as "traumatizing" or "life-ruining" as so many comments say? No. It was definitely shocking, dark and heavy but I wouldn't deem it extremely traumatizing or life-ruining, unless you can relate to the mc on a deeper level such as having experienced what he does first hand. There's only so much we, as viewers, can feel and relate to. However, of you do suffer from ptsd or are triggered by mentions/depictions of r*pe, violence, self-h*rm, su*c*de, etc, I would recommend you to stay away from this show.

I also want to point out this isn't really a BL show so if that's what you're looking for maybe this isn't the right choice. The theme of this show goes so much beyond that and explores way heavier themes that not everyone is ready to witness.

Overall, it's an 8 for me.

x STORY x
The main focus on the show is, as the title says, on THE EFFECT. The Effect of what people do, what people say, what people think. The effect of every little thing we do in our daily life, that to us is minimal, but to others can be life-changing or, in this case, life-ruining. Actions have motive and consequence. This show highlights that in a very dark, realistic way. That's really what makes this show so uniquely heavy, how realistic it is.

We follow our MC, Shin, as he starts university, makes his first friends and begins what should be one of the happiest moments in his life. We're then introduced to Keng, who is a university senior, an ambassador, who's so popular everyone knows who he is. And then we see how these people's lives intertwine and literally, have an effect on each other. The show then explores their friendships and how everything affects everything, and I mean - everything.

A thing such as rumors on social media can literally destroy lives and this show depicts that very realistically, tangling it up with mental health to give us a real emotional rollercoaster in the most horrifying way possible. The deterioration of Shin's mental health is gradual and it makes the viewer feel so bad because we're unable to help, we can only watch - that's how immersed one becomes on the themes dealt with in this show.

Episode 1 is light and rainbows and flowers and then it's from episode 2 onwards that it gets really scary.
Episode 2 ends on a way too terrible note. But really, what needs to be highlighted is every single action of someone has a motive and consequence, the effect, there's the effect that propels the action and then the effect that action ends up having. Really couldn't have chosen a better name for this show.
Episode 3 is the culmination of all the feelings ever shown on the show, love, happiness, fear, anger, shame, guild, sadness, pain, etc. It's heavy and difficult to watch, especially because this is a show where it's difficult to be impartial and not feel anything towards the characters/events. It becomes quite painful even.

x ACTING x
I have to say, the acting in this one surprised me. I didn't know what to expect in terms of acting but this was super well acted. I have to applaud James as Shin - you can see every single emotion in his eyes, how brightly they shine in the beginning and how dull they are by the beginning of episode 3. Oat also did a great job as Keng - the ability to portray almost two completely different people, the contrast of Keng in episode 1 and in episodes 2 and 3 is just way too massive and he did it flawlessly.

x MUSIC x
I never know what to say when it comes to musical value in dramas as I don't really care about it but here I can say the music score was very well thought-out and chosen. A few scenes made me sad but it was truly the background music that had tears well up in my eyes. It was the music that led me to cry in a few scenes too. It just goes along very well with the scenes it is inserted in.

x REWATCH VALUE x
If being completely honest, this isn't a show that I say I want to watch again the future. I mostly usually rewacht shows that make me feel safe and that bring me joy or shows that really made an impact on me. I might rewatch a show if I'm watching with someone else. And this might be the case for this one. While it isn't a show that'll bring me joy if I rewatch it, quite on the contrary, it is a show I feel like more people should see and I would like to watch it together with my friends so we could discuss the themes and topics inserted in it.

x OVERALL x
Overall, this isn't a show I enjoyed watching per se but watching it makes me feel like I learned something, that it somehow made a tiny part of me grow. I love it when shows make me feel this, like the time I spent watching them was worth it. I also want to say that maybe I'm broken? Cause in most reviews I saw people said that this show ruined their mood, left them with too heavy of a heart or that wouldn't recover from it. I am okay. I'm okay after watching this. I am genuinely okay. I do have a bit of a heavy heart and I'll probably think about this show in the future but maybe it's because I had prepared myself to watch it when mentally prepared so I was in a good head space for it but truly, while it was impactful, I do find some reviews a bit exagerated. And I'm a person who tends to cry and be overly emotional. I guess it really depends on people and their life experience.

However, as stated above, no matter how this show affects you, we all have a lesson to learn from it - reflect well on what it is before you say or post anything online and offline.

Stay safe and well everyone ~~

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Traumatizing!!

at first I thought they both will fall in love and be happily ever...as the episode proceeds as the the name suggests the effect of the social media,sorrunding and. Others opinion start to effect shin and the reaction of shin create a worse reaction on keng....I really hated keng .....I know he is not stable he does get any support from his parents. ..but if he ever love shin truly he would never do that ....also recorded that ....after everything shin has to go through he just come and sorry.... I was tired and feeling sleepy though I decide to watch the series.......but then the scene where keng as****t appear. I was shivering and traumatize......thinking what the hell happened..i appreciate series maker that the moral or meaning behind the story is truly certified ..

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If you are sensitive with rape and physical abuse DO NOT watch it

do not watch this series if you are sensitive to rape…
I really liked how James portrayed his character he is an amazing actor!
However, this series may cause you to be uncomfortable towards the end, it may seem like those stereotypical series in the start but afterward it became very serious and sad.
I couldn’t stop crying from the scene when it happened till the end.
I was very disappointed when James’s character agreed to not report what happened to anyone!
But overall this series talk about very serious matters and how some people get treated by the stronger ones.
This series is very underrated I liked the acting and the story a lot!

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~The effect~

The actors did a very nice job I think.
They played their roles so well!
The effect contains so many things some people are struggling with in life,which is good cause I feel like these toppics don't get enough attantion..
For me its just a bit confusing that one time Shin was happy,then something terrible happened.
For example in the last scene..Like I thought it would be a nice ending?😭
Anyways,I'm glad Shin had his 2 friends Pramote and Bright and also his supportive parents.
They all were there for him.
On his worst and best days,and this is what he deserved:)
And about Keng: I know some people hate him,and ofc I don't like him and what he did was not OK,but I also felt a bit sorry for him..Let me explain:
I think his parents weren't really nice..Like I don't mean that they didn't love him,but did they ever show him love? Or cared about what he wanted and made him happy?
I don't think so..And maybe it was also the society,the things people said,which made him like that..It's not an excuse,but maybe also shows us,that things we do or say may be forgotten for us someday,but often the person who experienced it, doesn't..We should all look at ourselves and others:)
Unfortunately it just had 3 episodes,but I'm happy they made this series.

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It's a REAL LIFE CASE... NOT a sweet & fluffy BL

I never write a review before this, but I think it's unfair if the rating is so low...

I put off watching this after 3 years because of its low rating, but now I REGRET it.

This drama is more real-life and relatable than you might ever thought of.

Story (9.8/10):
It's actually a pretty common case for those who likes to watch criminal podcast/stories.

How many times have you read/watch crime stories of rape because of jealousy/love/misunderstanding?

How many times (especially in Asia) that the one people blame/badmouth in social media is always the victim?
Even though the victim do 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.

And no one can really imagine how much pain and grief that all of these victims are going through from time to time. It will become their trauma and bad dreams forever.

What I like the most is the friends dynamic/chemistry. It's also a reminder that no matter what happens in your life... Never give up and know this:

𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱.
𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂.

I also like the fact that they don't romanticize rape or both of them 𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗨𝗣 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗘, like MOST of the popular BL. Just cause they're handsome.

Cast/Acting (7.5):
The chemistry between the friends are amazing. But for the lead actors, I think it needs improvement.
James (Shin): I think he did his best with his facial expression, but his body language is not supporting it.
Oat (Keng): Lack of facial expression and chemistry.

Music/Production (9/10):
I like the piano soundtrack the most. Anyone knows the name? I can't find the OST of this drama except the ending song.

Overall: Most of the story flow is good, except a bit of plot holes.

Room of Improvements:
1. What's with the cliffhanger ending? Who get struck by a car?
2. Why Keng's parents that originally strict with Keng suddenly loosen up once their boy did mistakes? It isn't explained clearly.

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⚠️ TW: Sexual Assault & Victim Blaming

I really liked this series, especially how it addresses powerful and relevant topics like cyberbullying, homophobia, how others perceive us, and parental pressure.

The character Shin truly moved me. Despite what some might think, he isn’t weak—he consistently spoke up about what made him uncomfortable and voiced his feelings. His honesty and vulnerability were touching, and I honestly felt so sorry for him throughout the series.

I was also deeply moved by Bright who stayed by his side, even when everyone told him to walk away. That kind of loyalty is rare and truly heartwarming.

Keng, on the other hand... His emotional abuse was shocking. He couldn't handle rejection and ended up hurting the one person who truly accepted him. The fact that he kept a recording after assaulting Shin is just unforgivable. He was cruel, stubborn, and deeply toxic.

On the bright side, Bright and Pramote were incredible friends, and I also really appreciated Shin’s parents, who were always supportive and kind. It was refreshing to see positive parental figures in a BL for once.

For a first time in this genre, I genuinely enjoyed the dialogue. The actors delivered strong, authentic performances that really brought the story to life. A very pleasant surprise overall.

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Thoughts about the series..

At the 1st ep. I admit that i have that hope that they will follow the light story in the novel and at 1st here I saw that these series contains 12eps or 8 if I'm not mistaken, and I am shocked that it end in just 3 episodes.. the transition of the series are so rushed and din't even highlight the love story of Bright and Pramote that may give a slight fluffy touch to the heavy story.. its kinda sad that the talent of the actors are not emphasized in the series there could me more within it but all of these are just my opinion but since its based on a novel I see that they just followed it.

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The Effect you feel after watching it ...

I am so disappointed with this!!!

This drama started off so well and so cute and loving, and I was really hooked onto it, then all of a sudden it took a 365 to the dark side and I was shocked and left with my mouth hanging.

I just cannot belive the turnaround of this whole drama!! From the start it gave me an idea on what I should be looking for, the every possible EFFECTs of the things we say or do. As for Newton's Third Law of motion states: "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". For every EFFECT there is a CAUSE. One does not do an action without a reason behind it. The reason may be obvious, deliberate; but it could be also hidden or unaware to the person doing the action.

For me this drama touched on everything that does happen in soicety and life, in an unadulterated way features topics that seemingly people just sweep under the rug. (1) rape, (2) rumor mongering on social media, (3) suicide and (4) implied mental issue. Yes, number 1 and 3 have already mentioned in other BL series, but the way this series presented those is raw, graphic and it did not sugar-coat it. For the forth topic which is "mental health" is not that obvious, you need to analyze every detail from the start down to the very last scene. One needs to be very objective and it will be hard to do it with this very emotional show to see things through. It is presented in a way to raise awareness. The kind of EFFECTs any of the mentioned above could have is what the series wants to focus on, The power of social media. This is what consuming the society nowadays. With the information age at hand, it can bring out the bests in people as well as the worsts.

The Acting was real and raw and got to see how each character dealt with all of the above issues that took place.

The name of this drama is really fitting for this kind of drama, because it does a leave an effect on you, or a little reminder of what really goes on out there in the real world and how the above points do get dealt with. this was an emotional filled roller-coaster of a mini-drama. It was a bittersweet reality check that often doesn't get told in the BL world. Statistically, women and girls are abused and raped at an alarming rate, however, for men and boys those numbers are not a clear-cut because majority of them do not report their abuse and rape.

My Final & Overall, This is way too traumatic that even myself would not dare to watch this again. Also on a negative side of this drama was the ending for me, after 5 years they see each other across the street and they both step out into on coming traffic and the screen literally goes black? Now I am lefting wondering what happened to the two of them? Apart from that it was a well thought out and put together drama that touched alot of key and real points in life.

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the story 8/10
talking about how someone that is close to you can rape you, . this is about the gay issue. when man rape his friend. the beginning the middle the resulte.

Study show it's more common that rapist are usually the friend or lover,someon close. less strangers, i don't know why usually there aren't a lot of films on this subject, esspecially not graphic like this ,
when you see the development and how it's happen, i guess it's because peoplpe are afraid and don't want to get into their heads that this rapist could be among them . it's frightening.

the acting is not so good, esspecially of James, he is so bad that is annoying, talking slow...slow so slowww, he is the main ead but they choose someone that can not deliver the idea...the emotions. nothing ...you can't feel sad you cant feel empaty when you watch him, you even like more the rapist because you can understand what he is thinking, what his family doing to him, why he is so agressive, buut James is bland, pocker face, you don't understand what he is thinking, more disturbing they choose someone that look way too young, maybe it's hint that it's happen to younger targets, i guess it's happen a lot in the gay community, older man take advantage of younger teens...good example is kevin spacey, he take advantage of teens actors, and even not feel guilty, he grew up in violent home, and he look from outside talent samrt , nice person- just perfect! it's very similar to P'King character.

the director doesn't know the job, he doesn't deliver the emotion, if it's drama it's more difficault than comedy or fluffy bl, you need to invest more on the actir, filming ...and nothing special here.

Music- very very bad, one of the worst, it's remind me the singer of other bl, i think it's the same annoying singer all the time , again he doesn't fit for the general feeling of the drama- it's suppose to be unique, not bland.

rewatch value- 0- not again, and even regret watching at first place.


if you like fluffy bl or/ deep hight quality drama you shoud skip it.

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This definitely had an EFFECT on me

- TRIGGER WARNING FOR THIS SERIES: Rape, Bullying, Harassment, Suicide Attempt, Blood and Abuse -

Okay, this is a 3 episode series, but this did hurt me; I am glad I watched it because it's very well written and executed greatly. I cried as this series hit close to home, and I felt bad for Shin. I knew what I was going into when I started but was not prepared to see it with my eyes. You will be taken aback if you do not know what this series is about. This series shows you the power of social media and how people react in certain situations. You see it a lot in high school, but to see it in university is wild because it's crazy that adults still want to hurt others instead of just ignoring the problems and moving on but this does happen in real life so I'm thankful we get to see a BL that implements these types of topics and it was done well that it wasn't tasteless or bad.

It started cute in episode 1 and half of episode 2, aside from P'Man | When Bright and Pramote held hands, I screamed. Since the library scene when they were reading and the way they looked at each other, excuse me -BUTTERFLIES-

Shin admired Keng and was happy to get attention from him. Poor Shin didn't even know if he was gay or not yet; he just wanted to be Keng's friend because he liked him as a person. Keng was honestly annoyed that he got out, and his parents didn't understand him.

The fact that Keng hurt (R) Shin because he wanted to give him space and cared about Keng so much was wild. Keng dragged Shin around his house, beating him to death. It was so hard to see, and the fact that Shin knew what Keng was doing when he started unbuckling his pants was so heartbreaking because he didn't have any more energy to fight back. After all, he was already beaten, and the audacity that Keng had to lay in the bed with Shin and gaslight him into making it sound like it was Shin's fault, no. -All I could think about was, "Where are Shin's parents?!"

Thankfully, Shin has Pramote and Bright. They found him and helped him after he got away from Keng. I was also so happy that Shin told them who did that to him because usually, the victim doesn't want to talk about it, and sometimes, it goes unknown. Both boys were there for Shin when he was feeling so bad about himself afterward. It was so refreshing to see that they stayed friends, and even his mom got to see that he has two really good friends.

I am also happy that Shin's parents didn't get mad at him, berate him, or make him feel anymore less than he already does, his father was ready to go to war for Shin and that is so beautiful to see his parents' support Shin and making sure he is taken care of.

At the part where Keng corners Shin in the walkway and won't leave him alone and plays him the fucking clip of what he did to him, I had to turn it off for a second and cry because what the hell? Shin has a panic attack/nervous breakdown and throws up and pees himself because he's so scared of Keng, and Keng has the nerve to ask what is wrong with him. I'm so glad his friends were there to help him and Bright punched Keng, I was like "YES!"

The fact that Keng's parents didn't beat kengs ass for hurting Shin but instead offered money is so crazy to me, but unfortunately, that happens in real life too. I wish Shin's dad would've gone across the table and beat all their asses.

When he asked his mom why she couldn't let him die and the hurt on her face, again I had to pause it and cry.

I don't know what the hell the end was, and we were robbed of answers. On a lighter note, someone tell me why Sood and Top aren't in another BL series together.

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