Shine (Orchestric Ver.) (2025)

set kk slider's wig on fire: an ode to apo part 2

it is i, the niel.

first, i have to acknowledge that it's a well-written, well-made, well-acted show. objectively, it is good. i appreciate how be on cloud consistently creates mature characters with mature storylines, which i often enjoy. i really liked victor's actor, and i hope to see him in something else. also, there were artistic elements of the show, the characters' styling was great, the sets were thorough, and the scenes looked good.

however, the characters were some of the most frustrating, irritating, and insufferable characters i've seen in a show. with a cast this large, i'm impressed with how many characters i frankly disliked. the acting delivered, and the actors did a fantastic job. the writers just made some odd choices with the motivations and backstories for these characters that made me dislike most of them by the end. it's difficult to fully enjoy a show when you're not rooting for or care about the characters having a happy ending.

i watched the first seven episodes back to back, but it took me a bit to get around to the last one. i left the show feeling annoyed, and the last episode dragged on forever. they could have ended at 45 minutes and i would've felt fine. i really did not like the ending, and it did not fit the tone of the show, or align with the prior actions of trin's character. tanwa's character was the worst of the bunch. i could not feel sympathy for tanwa's character, regardless of how much they wanted me to. even during the last episode, i did not change my view of him and his previous actions. i wanted to set that wig on fire.

it is worth watching, but be prepared to feel a wide range of emotions. i can respect the craft, but by the end i was losing my mind. still, i keep coming back to their shows. au revoir!

best,

the niel.

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Great acting, cinematography but lack of execution

While the first episode was a little slow, this drama quickly found its footing and became genuinely engaging. The moment it moved past the initial setup, I was completely hooked. Much of this immediate draw is thanks to the stunning cinematography, which beautifully captured the atmosphere of 1970s Thailand. The visual appeal and the quality of the acting were consistently top-tier throughout the series.

The central relationship between Trin and Tanwa was intended to be the focus, but the script had noticeable weaknesses here. The drama missed an opportunity to explore their individual traumas and internal conflicts in greater detail. Furthermore, Trin's unexplained decision to leave felt like a plot hole, and despite events like what happened with Victor, the narrative failed to show him truly fighting for justice, which felt like an unfinished arc. Critically, if the filmmakers intended the political situation to be a main theme, they failed to explore the historical context properly and execute the political storyline with the required depth, leaving it feeling underdeveloped and incomplete.

However, the undeniable stars of the show were the second couple, Krailert and Naran. They completely stole the spotlight. Their unconventional communication, particularly their heartfelt communication with letters, highlighted the strength and depth of their bond. This storyline culminates in Krailert's heartbreaking sacrifice—a choice he makes to accept responsibility for his life, captured in the devastating quote: "Choose the life you want and live it on my behalf." Watching him compose the music, his pain evident, powerfully illustrates the cost of a life lived under duress.

The drama offers a clear reflection on the dichotomy of the human experience: the choice to hide or to live. Knowing the story was set against the backdrop of a military-ruled Thailand meant you knew things wouldn't end happily for everyone. Despite the narrative inconsistencies with the main couple, the finale still managed to be incredibly impactful. That closing scene, especially, was a stunning moment that delivered a powerful punch. Overall, the drama features great story potential, amazing acting, and fantastic chemistry across the board, but is ultimately hampered by its lack of focus on its core leads and the proper execution of its political themes.

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Incredible raw with beautiful lighting

Wow... Where should I start?

First Veera.
I think, this was the first time I couldn't watch a scene.
My body involuntery moved away from the screen, my eyes tightly closed and the tears quelling over. I sobbed so hard, even my dogs worried about me.
He didn't deserve any of that!

Second Dhevi
BITCH!!!!

This was amazing! The writing, the lighting, the cinematography!
I didn't like a few actors (Just personel prefference, they all did an amazing job!) and, please don't stone me for this, but I didn't like Victor (the character)... He was a typical young adult, too full of himself, well acted, but gosh, he pulled my strings and not the good way -.- That said, his death was a great plot point and moved things from the old path toward the future.

The scene after the first protest in the warehouse was Apo's moment. That scene had me in a chokehold, my eyes were glued on the screen, the emotions made my heart race! It was an incredible acting job!

Tawan was the catalyst for Trin, one moment and everything changed and yet still the same. The character was believable and well portrayed.

Naran and Krailert... my heart!
I can't describe how much my heart hurt for them from the first moment they appeard on screen. They had that sad aura from the beginning and after we learned about Krailerts first love (I could choke that bitch!!!) I knew it was all doomed.
The longing, the secret, the passion and love between them were just too raw to not be felt through the screen! The way they looked eyes over all those reporters, the way Naran followed alongside when Krailert spoke the truth and got escorted, the quiet acceptance after Trin brought the air ticket...
I guess I got hit with the second couple syndrome... I liked the main, too, but Naran and Krailert? It was just too painfull to witness to not be fully invested.

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It needed either tighter writing or more time

I love the setting. From the start we get to see very different sides of society. The posh parties and the working class servants. The strict military regime and the students fighting for more rights. The serious hardworking society and the rich hippies without a care in the world. The expensive villas and hotels but also poorer homes of the working class. It was incredibly entertaining to find these different sides of Thailand in the sixties through out the show. Everything in it could be compared. Everything was a foil.

I didn't expect to get hooked into Krailert and Naran's secret drama but I did. I loved that these were older characters meeting through their shared interest in music. I loved their music commentary, their secret meetups in the library, the cinema dates... I love how fast their fall into romance was. They didn't think. That's what caused the drama in the later half of the show. We all knew they weren't going to last, but it was a train wreck I couldn't look away from.

Krailert and Naran's relationship was a foil to Trin and Tanwa's. This relationship was a slowburn and at first I enjoyed it. Trin was recovering from the death of his fiancee and needed time to come to terms with his own sexuality and feelings. Unfortunately, when the time came for the writers to really cement this relationship... they left us hanging... They needed more serious scenes together after their first kiss but before their NC scene or we needed more scenes with them in the first three spisodes. They needed less love triangle drama and comedy. I think the amount of comedy was detrimental to me enjoying and believing their relationship. Still, I'd like to point out Tanwa being there for Trin at the end of episode 6 as my favorite part of their relationship. Trin crying in his arms and Tanwa bringing him back to his aunt and uncle was very powerful.

I really disliked everything that had to do with the love triangle. Victor's character was so interesting when he was trying to change the system. He should have inspired Trin out of his passivity and naivety. I would have loved for Victor to be Trin's window into the reality of Thailand at the time and for Trin to help Victor finally stop seeing the world with a "black and white" mentality. Unfortunately, Victor became a love sick puppy who couldn't take no for an answer. I was getting second hand embarrassment from him, constantly cringing at his attempts at forcing a romance. His and Tanwa's "fights" over Trin were annoying as hell too.

I liked the student protests, the media coverage, the military scheming in the background. This should have been a bigger point in the end. They just glazed over it... We should have seen the students succeed, not hear about it through a letter to a dead friend.

Krailert being saved by Dhevi and Moira was also a wonderful way to highlight the female characters of this story. Dhevi had some screentime, but Moira should have been used a lot more. All in all, the female characters were underused and often ignored. The story would've been better if they had more time to shine (pun unintended).
Naran's relationship with Dao, and more importantly, her family, was also a great way into seeing the differences in Thai society back in the 60's. I wouldn't have minded for more of Dao.

Krailert was my favorite. I liked his character progression from someone living in his own world, ignorant of what was going on around him, to someone taking matters into his own hands and realising he has power to make Thailand better for its people. I would have liked to see this shown not told, but the end really undervalues everything. Him taking a stance against those further up in the military chain of command was also great to see. He started fighting not only for others but for himself. I liked his artistic side. I liked him playing the piano and writing about music (even composing in the end). I liked how well read he was and how he owned his own library. I liked his passionate and daring side. He initiated the meeting with Sarasawadee and was the one to initiate the kiss. The gratification of seeing him smiling and laughing and being free in the last episode was incredible. He felt like he could finally be himself and so we were rewarded with seeing him with all his walls down for a short period of time.
I loved his relationship with Trin. I would have loved to see more of it. This uncle nephew pairing deserved more scenes together but those they had were incredible. I hope we get to see Son and Apo in more projects together because they have really good chemistry. The bridge scene where Krailert is trying to figure out and comfort Trin was lovely, but that last scene of Trin hugging his uncle in the last episode and supporting him was incredible. When he commented on that backroom in the library to comfort his uncle and make him feel scene... I'm getting teary eyed just from thinking about it.

Dhevi takes a special place in my heart. She is the unseen housewife living behind closed doors, underappreciated and stuck in a loveless marriage. Every time Trin and Krailert refused her food I wanted to hit them with a pan over the back of their heads. So many times she was treated as an afterthought or not remembered at all (until Veera). I loved how she tried to make the best out of it. She loved the boys very much. She showed it in every way she could. Finally, she found someone who saw her. She started looking at the outside. She went out. She danced. She perhaps started to love someone else and was most definitely loved in return. She suffered in the end, but couldn't show it because nobody could know about her and Veera.
Her brothers leaving her hanging in the time of need and her taking matters into her own hands, finally leaving the house alone and looking for another woman, Moira, to help her was powerful. She was finally someone who can stand alone in her own right. Her actions could finally have a big impact! She not only saved her husband but helped the common man by destabilizing the military.
Unfortunately, someone in the writers room felt the need to demonize her and make her, not a victim of the patriarchy, but someone who doomed herself 10 years before due to her own stupidity and obsession. They didn't need to do that. After ten years unnoticed in a loveless marriage, her husband's cheating and Veera's death, her getting angry was justifiable and possible without destroying her character. Krailert leaving her would have brought shame upon her name. She could've fought him because of it anyway. After finally starting to depend on herself and not the men in her life, she starts threatening Krailert with her three brothers??? Character regression!!! And in the end she gets everything she wanted and Krailert is crying in front of a piano... What a stupid way to destroy a character and make the fanbase hate her.
We all knew there was no future in Krailert and Naran's relationship. The writers didn't need to throw Dhevi's character into hell as well. I'm so over BL's making female characters evil... It's so stupid!

I did not expect to like Trin as much as I did. He started off as someone too westernized to understand the plight of the Thai common man. He was an outsider in his own country, an idealist without a clear vision. I would've loved more time with him getting to terms with what happened in France. Him getting an existential crisis after Tanwa kissed him and even staying up the whole life to organise his books and thoughts was a very clever way of externalising his inner troubles. (Not important to his character but I loved the origamis in every episode).
I loved his interactions with students and the bit with Victor first cleaning his shoe and later stepping on it to show where their characters stand. Him going to the village with them really endeared me to him. Him sitiing with the students and starting a food competition with Victor to get them all to understand that he is not the enemy really showed his character in a positive light. Him later running off into danger, not to repeat the same mistake from France, and trying to save his students in episode six was amazing. I loved how the students went directly to him and asked him to save Victor. They trusted him! I loved how gently but firmly he dealt with Victor's love confession. I loved how he fell apart only after making sure Victor gets home in ep 6. Him finally breaking down and crying in front of his uncle's house was probably the best scene in the show and Apo and Mile really played it well. Unfortunately, the breakdown in episode 7 felt a bit too much after that. It was cheapened by ep 6 even though I totally understand why Trin fell apart again. It was too much too soon though and I would have liked a bit more time between the breakdowns.
His and Tanwa's parting makes sense. The story set up his departure so I wasn't surprised but I was still annoyed by it. After everything that happened, Trin just packs up and leaves Thailand? I get it, but I don't like it.
The ending kiss in Paris was underwhelming but I'll talk about it more in Tanwa's part.

Naran is a great character, but less interesting to me than the three I already spoke of. He knows the society he lives in. He also wishes and believes that society can change for the better. He takes matters into his own hands and asks the uncomfortable questions. It's such a disservice to him and Trin that they only met in the last episode. I would have loved to see how they play off of each other. I enjoyed the problem of Naran either protecting the man he loves or hurting him by writing the truth and revealing his involvement in illegal activities of the military. It ended too soon. His ending is the weakest in my opinion. The audience will never know what happens after he leaves the library.

Tanwa was the character I believed would be my favorite after watching the trailer. He was never a big part of the storyline. He never really got involved with the protests and the students. He never had meaningful interactions with characters other than Trin and Victor (and he and Victor were mostly just getting jealous of each other and fighting for Trin). He was used as character relief for the most part. I love his quirky side. One of my favorite scenes in the show is him showing up at the university to flirt with Trin and knowing everyone there. Later we come to know there is something hiding under the surface. His relationship with his father was interesting but resolved to cleanly and quickly.
The nail in the coffin was him not really telling what was going to happen on the protests the night that Victor died. Victor wouldn't have stayed home, but Tanwa's warning was meek and poorly worded. He had the chance to explain it better but he didn't want to take the time.
The character progression came too late and was quickly replaced with a timeskip. We never got to see Tanwa become a more resolute man. His best scene was him destroying everything in the shop after Victor's death.

Moira was a cool character and we deserved to see more of her. I loved her friendship with Krailert and Dhevi as well as support for Tanwa.

Veera was adorable and I think no one expected that ending. He was so loving and supportive and he deserved the best. I loved his loyalty, dependency, thoughtfulness and discretion. He was an incredible friend and I can't imagine how incredible he would be as a husband and father. The savage way in which he was killed is painful to remember. He deserved more.

I really hate the reliance on English in this show. Most of the time it felt out of place and was taking me out of the show. Just use Thai! I was okay with a bit of Russian for Victor and his father's interactions, and some French for Trin and Chloe... but that should have been all.
Also, the American propaganda was very weird. I know that people like to idealise what they see as better but it was a bit too much...

The costumes, set design and LIGHTING ESPECIALLY were incredible and I enjoyed every episode for the cinematography alone!

This is the first show in which the music made me so excited. It was maybe even the best part! My personal favorites were Far Side of the Moon, Am I in Love, and Hold Your Hand (this one being the absolute best!). I fear I will never experience music enhancing scenes in such a way again.

The show would sometimes end an episode in a very subdued tone but would return completely opposite (such as ep 6 to ep 7) which cheapened both episodes and made it seem like the ep before was overreacting. The comedy took me out of the show too many times and could be cringy when it absolutely shouldn't. They should have trusted their actors to deliver serious scenes. They were all capable of it.
I think most of it's problems could have been fixed if it was a longer show (12-15 episodes in total). We could have more meaningful character interactions and it would have meant the world to me.
All in all, it was a show that left me thinking about it for months now and remembering most plotpoints perfectly. The highs are high and the lows are not so low that I won't return and rewatch my favorite parts again some day.

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bom

sendo baseado em acontecimentos reais e marcantes do povo tailandês, shine retrata a sociedade da década de 70 e seus embates políticos de modo amenizado. o que eu achei compreensível.
apesar de ter dois casais na trama, krailertnaran ofuscou totalmente qualquer outro de brilhar. tiveram química, enredo, conflitos e, ou meu ver, um ótimo desfecho.(claro, adoraria que tivessem ficado juntos, mas não rolou né)
ué, mas trintawan não teve? depende. a química entre os personagens foi bem rasa, então todo o enredo e conflitos foram sem profundidade. senti que o tawan tava caído ali de paraquedas, além do contexto romântico que ele tinha. nada em relação à ele foi mostrado o suficiente. igualmente ao personagem do jj e os hippies. faria alguma falta eles na trama?
agora sobre personagem que me surpreendi: victor e dhevi.
inicialmente eu pensava que o victor seria apenas um figurante, como o jj, mas no decorrer dos episódios, junto com a turminha dele, os protestos e as causas que ele lutava e acreditava, fui gostando do personagem e digo que foi um personagem muito querido.
Dhevi é como o ditado “lobo em pele de cordeiro”. rezei tanto pra essa mulher cometer adultério, igualar os chifres na cabeça do krailert pra no final a bicha saber de tudo! loba.
no primeiro momento, eu xinguei ela, mas analisando o contexto, eu entendi. ela já sabia que era corna, aceitava isso desde que fosse por debaixo dos panos, mas em uma sociedade, nos anos 70, ser traída era bem melhor do que ser abandonada pelo marido, não é? ainda mais ela que é da alta sociedade. ela segurou o tranco.
veera foi um outro querido também, fiquei muito sentida com a morte dele.

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A little bit of Dead Poet's Society

This series reminded me a little of Dead Poet's Society, in that it explores themes of conformity versus individualism, and the unstoppable force of purpose and value that can overcome a person and drive them some times (sadly) to their demise.

Shine was as much a series about two love stories as it was about suppression of self (the exchanges between two music critiques in the news columns, the forbidden romance), conforming to societal demands (Krailet) and the difficult choice of 'peace at the cost of ignorance' or 'freedom at the cost of chaos'. So if you're looking for a fluffy romance, skip this; but if politics and poetry interest you, stick around.

Overall this was a well-made drama worth anyone's time; the main characters were well written, music was impeccably curated (can't go wrong with Slot Machine), production and costume smelled like money, script was poetic, screenplay had a good amount of drama, romance, politics and humour, and there was some amazing acting from actors who played Trin, Krailet, Naran, Moira, Dhevi and Victor.

That said a couple of things didn't quite sit well for me, for e.g. the over dramatisation of Grand Paradiso (too over-the-top circus-like) and the hipster/drug life, the one dimensional characterisation of the student protestors (to the point it felt comical) and Tanwa's character felt a little lacking ( I know he's supposed to be a tad screw loose, but there's something else missing that I can't quite put a finger on). I also wished Trin's relationship with his students was more well developed and we could see how his ideologies made an impact on his students.

Memorable scenes include that library scene leading up to Krailet and Naran's meeting (talk about old school flirting before the age of phones and memes), Trin breaking down in Tanwa's arms after the protest (Apo's acting here was truly masterful, he acts with his entire body), and Dhevi serving out her mercy to Krailet. I thought the ending to both love stories was appropriate albeit it being bittersweet, but that's the whole point isn't it.

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A Heartbreaking Masterpiece

If you're looking for a BL series more like a gay series, that is more than just a romance, look no further than "Shine." This is not a light watch; it's a painful, realistic, and profoundly moving journey into the oppressive social landscape of the late 60s and early 70s. By the time I reached episode 7, the emotional weight was unbearable, and I found myself moved to tears by the characters' plight.

What sets "Shine" apart is its unwavering commitment to realism in every character. The actors don't just play their roles, they embody them completely. Unlike many BLs where female characters are reduced to plot devices, the women here are fully realized human beings. Similarly, the villains are not comical obstacles but formidable forces to be reckoned with, making their threat feel terrifyingly genuine. Every character, no matter how minor, is written with depth, allowing me to feel their pain, suffering, and ambitions as if they were my own.

While the overall story is excellent, I felt one narrative thread was slightly underserved. The central romance between Lert and Naran rightfully steals the show, but in the process, the relationship between Trin and Tanwa felt relegated to the background. Their romance only truly began to progress meaningfully towards the end, leaving me wanting a more balanced development.

A particularly powerful theme was the shattering of idealism. I was deeply engaged when Trin and the university students realized their dreams of changing the world were just that—dreams. The series poignantly underscores that the world is inherently unfair, rigged in favor of the rich and powerful.

However, the character who left the most lasting impression was Dhevi. Her arc towards the end was a masterstroke. The revelation that she knew the truth all along, yet chose to bind Lert to her in a gilded cage of a marriage, was devastating. Her actions, born of a one-sided love so intense that death seemed preferable to her than letting go, are not easily condemned. I cannot hate Dhevi, only pity the choices she felt compelled to make. In the end, she allowed Naran to escape to America, but Lert remains a bird trapped in a beautiful cage, a tragic symbol of an era where being gay was a forbidden truth. It's a haunting reminder of a homophobic past whose echoes we still confront today.

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this is not pure romance. the plot is heavier than that.

i came for milesapo, i stayed for the plot.
the story resolves around Dr Trin and the people around him. if you came for a specific actor, you will be dissappointed (especially for Miles's fans) coz the screentime is equally divided among all other 4 main actors beside Apo.
this drama is my first bl drama that i root for the 2nd love interest. yes, i do think trinvictor has more chemistry than trintanwa.
the uncle and the reporter? damn. their chemistry is chemistrying. im looking forward to their next project together. hopefully soon.
the plot is great. not dissappointed at all.
Apo's acting is excellent as always.
the cinematography and the music are good too.
highly recommended for those who are looking for a good plot thaibl drama.

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Same time and place, but we’re not all the same

This series was packed with diverse characters that each had their charm and a story to follow and learn from. Through the times of chaos we had people facing difficulties, making decisions, sacrifice, worry, run away from reality, work in shadows, have character development and at the end none of them were who they were at the beginning, for better or worse they changed. Seeing the way of living and ideas of such group of people gotta be the strongest aspect of this drama and the best part was the last episode when you could really feel what they wanted you to understand, no one is wrong or right; we’re just people making decisions and those will determine who we really are.
We had a neutral person, a man of logic and anti violence, a hippie who lives a day by day life suffering from running away, a rebellious student that has many questions and barely any answers, a passionate journalist seeking justice and ofc a righteous lost soul having opposites in life, an artistic heart and a harsh job/responsibility. This drama was a masterpiece cause of their interactions and conversations, their unspoken words being told through eyes, through departures and changes they went through and made. The acting of all the cast members was top notch you can’t really say anything bad about it, they all pulled off such a heavy story in the best way possible. Highly recommend to anyone who has a strong heart that wants to learn one or two things about matters of life, love and all in between.

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