KinnPorsche

Wasted potential.

I finished this show the day the last episode aired, but I’m only writing a review now so bare with me if I don’t remember certain details.

It’s entertaining. The ships had chemistry. Actors have pretty faces. Unfortunately, that’s it.

A Mafia BL series with production as high as KinnPorsche could’ve been one of the best BLs of our generation. But.. they just.. blew it. Watching this show felt like watching a rom-com that took place in a mafia setting rather than an actual mafia series. I love rom-coms, don’t get me wrong, but if you’re going to advertise this as a mafia BL then why does it not feel like one?

However I think it’s most important I address the big, giant, obese elephant in the room. Sexual assault.

Kinn raped Porsche. It’s that simple. How many times do I have to say that people under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol cannot properly consent before BL fans get it? Porsche was extremely drunk. His judgement was severely impaired, he could not consent. Kinn took advantage of Porsche being drunk to have sex with him. That is rape.

The sex scene in Episode 7 (i think? the bathroom one) also had me feeling icky. While I don’t think the screenwriters intended for Porsche to be drunk during that scene, I had to rewatch it to catch that. If I’m remembering correctly, Porsche was drunk when Vegas kissed him. I find it insanely hard to believe he completely sobered up by the time Kinn came in, but I also think that’s just a plot hole.

Vegaspete. Ew. Just. Ew. If you liked Vegaspete, there is something wrong with you. I don’t know how you could watch those scenes and not feel sick to your stomach for Pete. But I guess because they had a “hot” sex scene, it doesn’t matter. I’m not going to ramble about that because if you didn’t see the issue just by watching the series, then you’re a lost cause.

And the cousins plot.. Lord help me. I still like to think that I imagined that and that it isn’t real, cause what the fuck?? When the show was airing, I remember having weekly prayer circles that they wouldn’t keep the cousins storyline from the novel. I suppose my prayers were not answered.

I’ve been very negative this whole review, so here’s a few things I did like.

- Porchay. NOT KimPorchay, but only Porchay. He’s a cutie.
- Arm. Also, ArmPete ghostship.
- Soundtrack. Free Fall is a banger.
- Episode 6. Actually showed some of the potential the series had. I wish more of the series was like Episode 6, cause that was REALLY good.

In conclusion, I really wouldn’t waste your time. There’s just so many issues that can’t be ignored and if you’re normal to any capacity, you’ll hate it.

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SPOILERS

I ve been reading these reviews and seeing people bash this drama so hard. It doesnt have a storyline? Or a plot? Of course it does. Compared to other BL dramas, this is actually amazing. Some people have a problem with the Pete-Vegas relationship. Of course its toxic, that was the whole point. Vegas its messed up because of his dad and lets be honest, maybe Pete likes a little bit of toxicity which is not unheard of. Also, its not the only BL drama with this kind of toxic-aggressive relationships. Actually, almost every drama has its own toxic character that somehow ends up loving someone. The only difference is that KinnPorsche actually showed in depth details of the toxicity. Some people really like to overreact, you re not a movie critic, you dont have to look at every detail and go crazy over it. It does have some weird and unnecessary parts but THEY ALL DO. Also, Kinn and Porsche ? I personally loved the way they met and how they ended up together. Its a mafia boss-bodyguard relationship, what do you expect ? And the other characters were AMAZING. They all did what they were meant to do. Kim and Porchay didnt end up together probably mainly because Porchay was underage in real life so they couldnt make them a couple. To end this whole review, if you like this type of series, ignore the awful reviews and just watch it.

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A Paradigm Shift

I recall the first time I saw the trailer for KinnPorsche. It was the original one, while the show was still being produced by Filmania. I remember thinking: a BL set amongst Thai mafia??? That’s not your tired old high school or Uni yaoi trope. I was skeptical. I couldn't tell if the producers were going for a serious, dramatic vibe or satire. It did look a bit cheesy with the heavy saturation of color, thuggish wardrobe and Kinn who had very over the top eyebrows. But there was no denying that the guy playing Porsche was a knock-out. So, I wondered if this was supposed to be eye candy.

Then I saw the kiss in the bathroom. Kinn's physicality and the barely restrained passion was something I had never ever seen before in BL and I had an epiphany.... I need a BL like this. No fish kisses while three inches separate the bodies. I needed a passionate, mature BL with leads that had undeniable chemistry.

Each successive trailer reinforced the idea that this was going to be a feast. Skip the drama with Filmania going under, or whatever happened. BoC took over and released new trailers and my excitement, if possible, intensified. I was certain that this show was going to be entertaining as hell!! I anxiously awaited news and any bit of promotional content, and I counted down the days until the pilot episode.

I was expecting to be entertained, to patiently endure a somewhat cheesy plot (because this was a Thai BL set in a mafia world, how seriously could this be taken?) and to enjoy some very pretty guys getting more handsy then we are used to seeing in a drama.

It's no exaggeration to say episode one defied all expectations and left me absolutely God-smacked. From the premier until now, as I write this review, KinnPorsche took over my life. My Twitter feed and TikTok recommendations are 90% KP content. I have a web browser open to the KP MDL comments section always and I have skipped work because I stayed up to late participating in a comment frenzy. There was not a single episode that I did not rewatch multiple times. I was so hooked, I read the book and watched BTS and downloaded the soundtrack. I watched cast reaction videos. I. Have. Never. Behaved. Like. This. Before. I shamelessly shipped characters and actors and I will admit having fallen in love with a few of them as well.
Season 1 is over and I'm processing that reality, along with a very physical type of grief. It’s taken me two days to gather my thoughts so that I could write a review that pays homage to this incredible experience. I hope it resonates with current and future viewers, and that it credits the show appropriately.

What I loved. Nearly everything. Each episode was stupendous and while not always perfect and with some thin spots, ultimately the plot always progressed nicely, masterfully portraying the story of two broken, lonely people who draw strength and comfort from each other. Porsche, played by Apo Nattawin, is the most beautiful man I've ever seen. He is funny, brave, loyal and strong. He is also tragic. He works hard and sacrifices his pride often to support his little brother. He is an absolute rock for those he cares about, and he has a magical way of building families wherever he goes. Kinn, played by Mile Phakphum, is a taciturn, distrustful man who lives a very violent and dangerous life. Heir to the throne, betrayed more times than we can count before the show even begins, Porsche seems like a loose cannon when they first meet. But something about that free-spirit captivates him from the very beginning. Their relationship does not take long to intensify. It is deep, emotional, physical, electric and full of lust and passion. Their love story is rocky and frustrating, but also one of the most pure things I've ever seen.

What I did not love. I honestly feel like the show tried to cover too much of the side characters in season 1. I felt that they did this to keep those fan bases engaged. The result, in my opinion, was a sometimes choppy transition between plots, inadequate and sloppy character development of the secondaries and a whole lot of frustration for the fans. Seriously, I think this led to unnecessary hostility as fans picked sides and began to feel aggrieved.

Other things I loved. The sound track. Free Fall was excellent but then they incorporated an instrumental version during episode 4 and I swear this is one of those songs that will live with me the rest of my life. Jeff Satur's "Stay" is absolutely heartbreaking. BTW, so proud of this guy. I've been a fan for years and loved him in everything I've seen. Where was I? Tankhun. Just everything about him. Outfits. Outlandish behavior. His unwavering love and loyalty to his family (who are not always his blood). The fact that he is the life of the party. His friendship with Porsche. And especially his offbeat wisdom. This better be the role that launches Tong to superstardom. The body guard besties. Pol and Arm. I could write an entire review just for them. I love them. Love them. Love them. Porsche's support network. Yok, Jom and Tem. These 3 are solid, stalwart friends. They round out this ridiculously absurd mafia family perfectly. The cinematography. Color plays a big role in the telling of this story. Pond is a genius. I will pay close attention to colors in all my future cinematic experiences.

My most favorite thing of all, and judge me for being shallow if you like, is the incandescent passion between Porsche and Kinn. Let’s face it, they broke ground here. We've never seen anything like this before. Not even close. Their love scenes were not just hot and sexy, they were deeply emotional as well. We never saw them just having sex. There was always some unspoken dynamic driving them. As a viewer, sensing that, I felt like I was watching something very personal and forbidden. Made it all the more impactful. Their love scenes were about surrendering to longing, desperation, the exhilaration of first love and finally, a genuflection. Apo and Mile were stunning together. No detail missed. No tentative touches. It was entrancing and when we learned most, if not all, was unscripted...well I for one got a little carried away in my imagination.

My favorite scene: was and will always be the Revels. When the entire crew parties at Yok's bar. It was funny, outrageous and touching to see Kinn let down his guard and have fun with Porsche's manufactured family. It was the perfect lead up to the next scene at the pier when I knew for certain at that moment, that the story of Kinn and Porsche was going to be a part of my life forever. I am so grateful to BOC, Mile, Pond, Apo and the rest of the cast and crew for bringing me this story. These past 3+ months have been a rollercoaster but I don't regret a second of it.

I hope we get spin offs and I dearly hope to see Mile and Apo again together in other projects. They are outstanding.

Oh & btw, I changed my mind about Mile's attractiveness in episode 1 when he glared at Porsche after he took his watch. Pissed is a good look on Kinn.

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Disappointing and uncomfortable, couldn't finish (TW)

TW: mentions of sexual assault

The first few episodes are incredible. Unfortunately they make a promise that the rest of the show simply can't keep. It fluctuates from a really interesting crime drama to a super bad, tropey slice of life show. I kept getting whiplash from the sudden atmosphere changes. On top of that, the plot, while promising in places, is generally very messy and a lot of the episodes feel forced and only there to make the characters do specific things.

What bothered me most and made me stop watching was the amount of rape and sexual assault in this show. I get this is a mafia show and violence is to be expected but it reaches a point where it just feels fetishy and uncomfortable. I'm not interested in shipping couples who don't respect consent, which is unfortunately the case for more than one couple on this show. It made it impossible to root for some of the main characters.

Positives are great acting, great soundtrack and directing and atmosphere are often well done too. It's such a shame because the good parts are REALLY good but unfortunately the bad parts are also REALLY bad. I tried to stay for the good but the bad just became too much and I stopped after episode 10.

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i tried

even though i knew the content had numerous—and i mean NUMEROUS—issues i thought i could skip around and see how the couples, particularly kinnporsche, fit with one another. i was willing to concede about their relationship itself if it could be salvaged so to speak and the potential to leave behind (not forget! but gloss over as a viewer with limited time on this earth) the abuse and rape. the abuses are unacceptable and lazy writing ;purely for salaciousness sake but the show has more problems than that.

the writing is bad and so is the pacing; because the source material is an issue but man....there is, essentially, no story itself. "bad" characters and their "bad" choices should have a purpose but they do not because /nothing matters/. this isn't the sopranos or breaking bad—horrendous motives and people but a theme running through the show and that LETS us know they are bad and that consequences lurk in every corner. there is nothing in the show that has me coming back to watch as a viewer and not even the relationship, ostensibly the viewers main draw since i cannot believe it is the story itself, is....dry.

i'll have to dissent in opinion about the acting. apo isn't bad but he is very very very aware the camera is around and carries the weight of them i think and it's distracting. when they went on their first date and were sitting by each other his smile was so farcical and it just became obvious. they don't really have much chemistry but they are comfortable kissing and being naked around each other. great?

the writing is bad, the jokes are bad, the plot is bad, the characters are bad, and the relationships are empty. i'm kind of bummed out that this aspect—the rship, the draw of the show—wasn't even good enough to grip me or have me even continue with the vaguest of feeling. tharntype is not a good show but in the first season i could at least see WHY this MIGHT be attractive to some. here it was just....there? and after the first time the whole borderline softcore porn thing gets really boring. like super boring.

i don't have much more to say. the only thing that i think this show could be of influence of—for a genre that has so many failings—is actors being more willing to do the physical bits of the genre or romance in general with a partner. maybe they will become more comfortable with other screen partners and not look as robotic, maybe it will be influential in that sense, but that doesn't really shake much of a table and if you're a good actor...then you should pick roles you know you can fulfil. so basically what i am saying is that being able to be physical with another human being, as an actor, does not mean that the acting is good and that this script called for that intensity doesn't mean that it actually generated real feelings or chemistry on a deep level.

i wouldn't say it's a shame, this is just another show in a long list of shows that exist. they obviously spent a decent amount of money and are getting that money back; if money-making is the goal then they succeeded. but merit? i'm not sure. i will give it to the camera and lighting crew and the DP though. oh and production design or location scouter because the locations and the shots were really gorgeous. the lighting in the horrendous scene where he rapes his drunk "boyfriend" was BEAUTIFUL and that bathroom was gorgeous. and the styling wasn't so bad either particularly for apo. i really enjoyed the whole frilly and heeled boots thing. but that's about it and it doesn't really entice me when the thing itself, the content, is...what it is.

perhaps this is repetitive but: these are not morally grey, interesting, or even just balls to the wall fucked up characters. these are characters from what is essentially a wattpad fanfiction and it's not on par with actual good television or even good romance (TO ME or IN MY OPINION or whatever since people take this shit so seriously) but a very very very long long long commercial for how to not be a human being. are the men hot? who knows and that's not a good enough reason but i honestly couldn't even tell because it was so cringe-y so many times and the jokes aren't funny and it's just SO ??!?!?! it's just so...????? i showed my roommate and she was like 'i don't think they really fit' it's just confusing idek how else to explain. this is a really...is baffling the right word? it's a baffling show? lmao. it just EXISTS? gorl idk

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Disappointment (in Netherlands wrote)

I don’t want to translate so I write it in my own language. (Dutch)

Ik vond deze series gwn slecht, slechter gaan gaan ..
Ik snap niet hoe mensen dit leuk konden vinden, vegaspete zat met sa , en Vegas is gewoon een slechte persoon.
Ja ik snap z’n vader is niet de beste.. maar dat is niet een excuus voor wat hij deed,,

Ook Kinn was gewoon sa hem een keer, gelukkig was dat gezegd ook,, maar ook in latere episodes,,hij veranderd gwn niet in de goede manier.

Ook de plot was saai,, ik had meer eigenlijk gewacht ook kwa acties en vechten enzo.
Ik voelde gewoon dat de romantische dingen meer werd gedraggdddd

Ik zal deze waarschijnlijk niet meer kijken, en skippe

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Honestly what even-

Honestly I was super excited and super disappointed by this show. I really loved History3: Trapped and heard really good stuff about this so went into it was a positive attitude; boy was I wrong.

This show is basically like Tharntype, but this time the rape scenes and emotional abuse are done using a power dynamic so toxic the IAEA should be investigating them. No amount of trigger warnings could have prepared me for some of the abhorrent scenes shown, that are treated often as nothing more than a joke or a means to an end.

This show is a spit in the face to victims (especially queer victims) of abuse; be it emotional, physical or sexual. The lack of care the writers and directors took with these really traumatic scenes, and how they ever made it to the final cut is baffling to me. Since I started watching I also heard rumours about the behind the scenes of this show which is just.... wow.

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Can't get much better than this

This is stellar bl here, folks. Action, love, passion, sweetness, humor, all of it. Sure, we have to suspend disbelief at all those sexy sweet-faced mafia bodyguards and a few other things, but this show exceeded my expectations on all counts. Definitely worth a watch and future rewatches.
Be prepared to laugh, cry, and drool. Great acting, a pretty good plot, beautiful visuals. The three pairings had chemistry, and Tong as Tankhun was an absolute hoot. This is no cute little peck-on-the-lips-with-two-feet-of-space-between-them bl. Be prepared for adult themes and adult scenes.

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lighting and actors were so good

THE LIGHTING, CAMERA WORK WERE AMAZING. Acting incredible the fact that for majority of the cast this was their first acting role. Bible is insane as Vegas. Playing such a difficult complex character. This is a very mature concept I REPEAT. Very mature. It is 18+ for a reason. If you can’t handle that do not watch this show. There are dark themes and crime shown in this fictional drama that might trigger some people. It is about the mafia, that alone should tell you all you need to know. That being said if you are old enough, mature and can differentiate between fiction and reality and want something different, this is an amazing watch. This is based on a book and I am so grateful that they toned down a lot of the violence. Otherwise I would have not kept watching it. It is interesting, intriguing and watching these complex characters go through what they are going it just takes you to a whole other world. You can tell how hard everyone worked on this drama. I really loved the use of editing, lighting and camera work in this show. I would say if it didn’t have all that and the acting my review would be different. I appreciate the camera work and actors effort a lot. It has quite a big fan base and in my opinion I think it is deserved. I would give this show a shot and if it’s not your cup of tea that is of course fine. It is an action drama.

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i love this show

its defintely the best series ive ever watched. its so full of action, emotions, and great characters. i was hooked up from the first episode to the last one. it was seriously amazing, i got so attached to these characters and their world. actually also well thought-through, there were so many plot twists but they were all actually shocking and made sense. shooting was so beautiful, it was so easy to dive into that dirty and dangerous reality, and the music fucking slaps, especially the intro (u can literally wake me up at 4 am and ill recite it perfectly) and kims song for porchay. this drama gave me so much tears and so much smile that i cant not give it 10 stars. amazing expierience that ill never forget<3

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INCREDIBLE. LIKE HONESTLY. YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS SHOW.

I'm not gonna lie. I didn't think I would like this show.

I put off watching it forever because I watched the teaser way back when and it seemed really awful. Also I had taken a hiatus from Thai BLs because the storylines are pretty much the same, the product placements are off putting, the female characters are toxic AF and there is a lot of rape culture that is kind of glorified, the same old same old stories rinsed and repeated you know? Not to mention the script writing is usually poor with a lot of plot-holes and tropes that are overused. The acting is very cheesy and the cinematography is not great. That is not to say that the teams don't put in a lot of work and I do enjoy their entertainment value. They are just not very good quality overall.

HOWEVER.

I have been blown away by KinnPorsche. Yes there is a glorification of rape culture - what with Kinn having sex with Porsche while he is still drugged up, and the whole Stockholm Syndrome aspect with Pete/Vegas (btw. I ABSOLUTELY **ADORE** PETE - he is probably my favorite character in this entire show).

But the cinematography. The storyline. The ACTING! EVERYTHING IS PHENOMENAL!

Like literally everything I dislike about Thai BLs (aside from the rapey aspects) were fixed. No cheesy product placement - it was there, but subtle - like it should be. Not over the top and obvious. The way they utilized the products was great - except the random really glaring hair dye PP for Chay in Episode 10 (I think) . The chemistry between Kinn and Porsche was incredible. Were there a few weak links when it came to actors? Sure. But you can't have everything be 100% perfect.

When the actors spoke English it was intentional. Even though Kinn had a strong thai accent, it was very good. Vegas and Ken (I think that was Perth's Character) had amazing English. I can't speak for the Italians but based on the English, I can assume they did a good job there too. Every thing seemed intentional and well executed. The fight sequences were so well choreographed. Especially the one in Episode 1. The intimate scenes although a little too explicit (but there is a non-explicit version of the show so 🤷🏽‍♀️), in my opinion the entire thing was very well choreographed and seemed *mostly* realistic.

There were a few continuity issues that were glaring to me, but on the whole the show was amazing.

I loved Thankhun. He is probably my second favorite character in this show. OMG. I could talk for days about how incredible he is.

I do like Vegas as a character. He is fucked up. He grew up in the Mafia, with an abusive father. He has probably always been compared to Kinn even though Kinn isn't even the eldest brother. He has probably always been expected to overthrow the family even though his father failed to do so (or perhaps never tried). He is smart and handsome - and yet he is never good enough. I can see how he got so fucked up. I would love to see a second season with a redemption arc for Vegas. Maybe even one where he becomes Kinn's left hand - and most trusted person - all because Pete vouches for him. And he CAN be trusted. He doesn't want the power, he just wants to be loved. And Pete gives him love, Porsche gives him friendship and Kinn doesn't hit him when he fails.

Pete is like honest to god. My favorite character. He is one of those characters who is good, but if he's good then why is he in the Mafia? Y'know? So he's got a dark past obviously, and we get to know that when he's getting tortured by Vegas. And if anyone tells me Pete doesn't have Stockholm Syndrome, go look up what that is. He's sympathizing with his captor. He is literally the Poster Boy for Stockholm Syndrome. I do like the Vegas/Pete arc. but there is too much trauma there. For both of them. Like Vegas literally tortured Pete almost to death. Like I don't think people get that. Also people are saying Vegas let Pete go, but Pete literally knocked Vegas out and then escaped. He was not LET GO freely. There's a lot. A LOT of trauma here. Abusive father. Torturer turned lover. Pete has it rough.

LIKE HONESTLY. YOU NEED TO WATCH THIS SHOW.

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