Shine (Orchestric Ver.) (2025)

Passionate Piece of work

It’s clear that Shine is a true success in terms of writing and depth. The work on the characters, both main and supporting, is remarkable and makes them both interesting and memorable.

The five main characters are all very different, but they are united by common circumstances. I particularly liked Trin, Krailert, and Victor, who, despite the trials they face, continue to fight and do their best.

I found the historical context very relevant, as the series highlights the protests in Thailand and the weariness of a youth suffering from political corruption and deprived of their freedom and money. This subject, unfortunately, remains current even in 2025.

I would have liked the series to explore the potential love triangle between Trin, Tanwa, and Victor more deeply. Victor was rejected too soon. I also felt that the relationship between Trin and Tanwa deserved more development. Their couple doesn't exude great passion; it feels more like two people just having a good time together without worrying about tomorrow, even if Trin tries to clarify things. Tanwa's indecision and his inhibited side don't help.

In contrast, the relationship between Krailert and Naran is much more intense and passionate. They understand each other without needing to speak, but they have a lot to lose. Both are already in relationships, making their homosexual love impossible to live out in the open, which makes them very complex characters.

My favorite characters remain Krailert and Victor.

Krailert leads a difficult life. As a soldier, he is a victim of blackmail and repeatedly loses people he holds dear. He tries to do his best, but fate is against him. Furthermore, he suffers in silence from not being able to openly live his homosexuality. This is reflected in his personality: he is constantly on guard, as if he expects to be attacked at any moment.

As for Victor, he brings a breath of fresh air to the series. However, his character, initially described as a determined activist aiming to start a business, was relegated to the role of a student madly in love with his teacher whose love is unrequited. I like him a lot, because he represents what many young people should do: fight for their rights.

I would have loved if the politics on the show were not toned down but hey it is what it is. They take a side.

To conclude, Shine is not a classic BL. Far from being a simple romantic comedy, its political approach and authenticity set it apart from other series in the genre, and I wonder if the usual BL audience will appreciate it for what it is.

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not final rating?

i don't want to review/rate it fully yet (warning: this will most likely go lower. not higher.) cos i'm gonna have think about this show more. i watched half of it falling asleep unsober but...i really fucking wish these shows would consult with people who aren't basically radical liberals. not going to super elaborate but the amount of culling and defanging, whitewashing, and honestly lying, about what it takes to remake (burn) society and the structures we are in—what comes from the ashes; the necessity of risk and sacrifice and clarity; the love that goes into violence—is GRATING and pisses me off. what's worse is the audience reaction. there isn't enough clarity and understanding for people to think of it as hegemonic bullshit. which it is (ideologically/content wise). that aside, besides the weird acting of the light(skin) one, it was alright. definitely one of the better (quite good, and not astronomically cringe) actually sexy sex scenes; at least acknowledging the different way of being even within this genre because bisexuality seems to be very scary for people. haven't seen many speak on that one and i want to but idk. i want to talk abt this politically a lot more. (fuck the military, fuck the police, and fuck rich people.)

apo has gotten way better at acting! kp was a bunch of bullshit to me, made me want to punch him, so it's promising to see this growth. i can see why people enjoyed the show! at least it's different. however i can also see how its wanting. i can't knock the attempt tho bc they went beyond what is typical. i think this is probably one of the better shows of this genre yet and i actually really mean that. this company is at least trying i guess. at the very least they own some great cameras, have good colorists, and directors and crew (and cast but shout out to the film workers!)

i think this genre is oversaturated and real fucked up now but i like it when they come out with things that attempt to be thoughtful. unfortunately they fumble the political aspects heavy along with certain romantic ones yet it gets solidifed as iconic and meaningfully deep with regards to the world, "progress", and queerness but it fails to truly politicize it and antagonize the audience. oh well i guess this my cross to bear lmao

also all these women were beautiful jesus

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“When Love Meets History: Reflecting on Shine”

When I first started Shine, I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I kept asking myself, what would this story really be about? Then I saw the timeline — from the late 1960s to the 1990s — and realized it wasn’t just romance, but a love story deeply tied to politics and history. That era was tough, and no matter your background, life had its struggles.

Let’s talk about the characters. Trin Suwannapas is an economist with a brilliant mind and strong ideals. He wants to learn more about people, explore life, and push for change. But because of his painful and traumatizing past, he avoids protests and political confrontation as much as possible.

Then there’s Thanwa Chatbodi — the free-spirited musician. His whole life revolves around music, partying, smoking, and living without stress. He doesn’t care for politics or protests; he just wants to enjoy life on his own terms.

Among the supporting cast, we see Krailert Suwannapas, the police captain whose discipline and sense of duty clash with the chaos around him. There’s also Naran Pitayatorn, the passionate journalist working at a newspaper, always chasing truth. And of course, Victor Boonterdtoon, the fiery student activist whose courage and stubbornness lead him down a dangerous path. Characters like Mondira Techasawet, bold and extravagant, and Dhevi Suwannapas, more traditional and restrained, add richness to the story’s world.

What stood out to me the most is how being with someone can change you in ways you don’t expect. But at the same time, misunderstandings can break a bond that once seemed unshakable. If you don’t look deeply into Shine, you might miss its real message: even when betrayal or cheating seems obvious, there’s always more to the story than what appears on the surface. Without the full truth, you’ll stay lost.

It was almost heartbreaking that it took Trin and Thanwa so many years to finally reconsider their love — all because of one devastating misunderstanding. And then there’s Victor’s death. It wasn’t exactly unpredictable; after all, Thanwa had warned him about the danger. But Victor’s strong-minded, fearless personality made him accept whatever fate life had for him. His death shows how easily tragedy can turn into misplaced blame — and how that blame can destroy people’s lives long after the moment has passed.

In the end, Shine is more than just a BL. It’s a layered story about love, politics, personal choices, and how the world around us shapes the relationships we hold dear. It reminds us that life is fragile, love is complicated, and the truth — no matter how painful — is always worth knowing.

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I took me 4 days to get over the end and 1 week to finally write a review.
How to say... I did expect them to die but it was worst than dying... Being forced to live in a relationship you don't want, not being able to tell the one you love why you can't runaway with him...

I'm actually sad for the two women who got cheated on. Even though being a gay in the 60's must have been hard, getting cheat on and on top of that get "abandonned" by your boyfriend would be hard for a woman in the 60's. I don't know how woman were percieved in thailand in the 60's but in my country, women were see as nothing without a man, no bank account, no job, no propriety.

I loved how they talk about politicts first and then homosexulaty but still in a politic way.

Thank you Shine to showing us a great lovestory and politics information about thailand.
And thank you Slot Machine for the two ost. But the others singers too.

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Dare to be Different

One of the most anticipated BLs of the year, the comeback series of ApoMile. Visually, it did not disappoint. The cinematography was absolutely stunning, every frame felt like it was pulled straight from a high-fashion editorial. The production design was rich, layered, and clearly expensive—like, you could feel the budget in every scene. It had that glossy, cinematic sheen that made it stand out from the usual BL fare. What really set it apart was how bold it was. It felt more like an art film than a typical BL series. You could tell the creators wanted to push boundaries and elevate the genre. That said… the storytelling didn’t quite match the visual ambition. Some scenes dragged on way longer than they needed to, and the emotional beats—while intense—sometimes tipped into melodrama. There were moments where I found myself wishing for tighter pacing or more dynamic dialogue to keep things moving. It’s like the show was so focused on being beautiful that it forgot to be engaging in parts. Still, it’s a solid watch. ApoMile’s chemistry is undeniable, and the ambition behind the project deserves props. I’d give it a respectable 3.5 out of 5 stars—worth watching, but not quite the masterpiece it could’ve been.

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Another Masterpiece done by BOC

This tackled some heavy topics that caught me off guard. It’s not just about romance – it actually shows struggles that feel real, and that makes the story hit harder. Mile and Apo did such a great job – their chemistry carried the whole series and made even the simple moments shine. I didn’t expect to enjoy Son and Euro this much, but they honestly shocked me with how natural and engaging their performances were.
And the ending… wow. It was shocking and not at all what I expected. It left me thinking long after the final episode. Definitely not a fluffy series, but if you’re ready for something with weight and emotions, this one is worth watching

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Left me feeling broken. /Switch representation / Mature love

I seldom write reviews, but I had to for this series. It was absolutely brilliant in every way, the acting was out of this world. The chemistry was so natural and beautiful between the couples. The story was complex and thrilling.
The last three episodes devastated me and my friends so much though that some of us were crying and all of us agreed we could not watch the series again. It's a testament to how heavy it felt, how much this series managed to make us care about it and it's characters.
(If you watch this, make sure you're in the right mental state to do so!)

I think it's worth pointing out that this series has showed us something that should be commonplace, but isn't in this type of media - a couple that switches positions in bed. This is the reality a big chunk of the queer community practices and it's high time we got to see it in screen.

//Slight spoiler//
I'm also a big fan of the fact that they let a fixed pair like MileApo switch top/bottom positions in this series. Another way in which they broke those tired tropes open.
I'm very thankful they made this series.

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Another BOC ending

BOC delivered an excellent show overall, though the final episode’s pacing was a noticeable drawback. As is often the case with BOC productions, the conclusion felt somewhat rushed and left several threads unresolved. That said, the acting, soundtrack, storyline, and episode-by-episode pacing were all engaging and well executed. A significant amount of screen time focused on the emotional growth of the main couple, which was well done, but it might have been even more impactful to see greater attention given to the grief of family and friends, a clearer resolution for Krailiernt and Naran, and perhaps justice served to the newspaper leader who persistently suppressed the truth.

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It was good serie

I enjoyed this drama alot, from ep 1 to ep 7 it was so perfect and consistent, ep 8 didnt meet the level of previous episodes, i didnt like how it went
What i like about this serie :acting, storyline, music, cinematography
What i didnt like: ep 8. The final, miltrary issue solved so quickly, the evil dhivra!?!? The explanation of victor telling tanwa to not let trin come meanwhile we didn't need that, tanwa is not responsible for victor death even without that part and victor was so happy and proud that trin saw his speech so there is disconnection imo

Krailet and naran storyline was so captivating, the tension was crasy, we witnessed their love light up like fire and burn into aches. I expected sad ending for them since begenning but how they went with their seperation was underwhelming for such build up.

I liked Trin and tanwa, they were the opposite yet they completed eo, and glad they had happy endings, mileapo outstanding acting performance deserve to be mentioned.

Victor, the one who wished to see sky elsewhere but ended up being part of it, such lovely endearing and irritating sometimes character but i couldn't help but get attached to him, he was written so well, represented the voice of youth, the hope of freedom and young love, he become a centric character at some point and his death changed the dynamics of all relationships in the serie, definitely a character ill remember for long and love it the most.
Anyway this is definitely a serie worth the watch.

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