Shine (Orchestric Ver.) (2025)

Watching This Series Means Feeling Different Kind of Emotions

If you’re looking for a pure, feel-good romance, Shine might not be the one for you. But if you’re into something more mature — with historical and political drama set in the 1960s — then this series is definitely worth checking out.

There’s a lot going on in Shine. The romance between Dr. Trin and Tanwa is a slow burn, but don’t worry — the emotional payoff is worth the wait. In the first three episodes, they barely have scenes together because the story focuses on other characters, subplots, and political events. Surprisingly though, I enjoyed those parts just as much. The storytelling feels layered and intentional.

One of the things I really appreciated is how every character gets their moment to shine — yes, just like the title. Even the supporting cast has depth, and I found myself caring about their stories and what they were fighting for.

Dr. Trin is serious, reserved, and idealistic. Tanwa, on the other hand, is outgoing, cheerful, and always has a smile on his face — though behind that smile is a painful, traumatic childhood. He masks it well, but you can feel the heaviness underneath. Dr. Trin has his own emotional baggage too, which is probably why, despite their contrasting personalities, they find comfort in each other.

Then there’s Krailert and Naran — two people instantly drawn to each other, even though Krailert is already married. That’s where the infidelity begins. Aside from their forbidden romance, they’re also on opposite sides of a political fence — Krailert is a soldier, and Naran is a journalist. Their love is tangled in the same national conflict that affects everyone else in the story.

Let’s not forget Victor. His character plays a surprisingly important role, and whoever decided to include his arc made a smart choice.

By episode 7, I honestly felt disappointed with how Dr. Trin treated Tanwa. He blamed him for what happened during the protest, when in reality, it was Victor and the other students who organized it. They should’ve taken responsibility. I get that Dr. Trin saw Victor as a younger brother, but putting all the blame on Tanwa — your own lover — felt unfair. And he just left him without any explanations. It was also at this point that I realized something: I thought Trin was the one totally smitten, but turns out, he may have fallen first, but Tanwa definitely fell harder.

The emotional rollercoaster really hit me when it came to Tanwa’s backstory, especially his relationship with his father. They argue a lot early on, but in the end, when Tanwa was at his lowest, his father just couldn’t turn his back on him. That moment hit hard.

Tanwa’s character development was probably my favorite — from a carefree, almost reckless hippie to someone who eventually becomes a novelist. Meanwhile, Dr. Trin’s character felt a bit monotonous. He didn’t really evolve much compared to Tanwa.

If I had one gripe about the ending, it’s the way they broke up and only reconciled after two years — especially considering there were no phones or easy communication back then. It felt a bit unrealistic. The only thing that reconnected them was the book Tanwa wrote and dedicated to Trin, which is romantic in theory, but still a stretch.

That said, Shine might just be one of the best BL series of 2025 so far. The performances were solid, the production quality was excellent, and the visuals and cinematography were top-notch. If you’re looking for something deeper and different from the usual BL formula, Shine is definitely worth watching. 💙

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Masterpiece!

This drama has all the elements you could ask for. A great story about love, but also about the corruption and power of the milatair leaders. It made me smile, feel worried and even made me cry in the last episode.
I liked it that they used actors for the role of the French friends who really spoke French as their native language.
The visuals were stunning, the music so good!

All the actors did a gret job!
The chemistry and dynamics between both couples were amazing and so were the kiss and bed scene's!

Really a must watch and i definatly will watch this again in the future.

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Well written storyline and Krailert as character

Incredible series until the last scene where it falls down. The storyline was so well written and the characters as well, Krailert was by far the best written one. His growth as a characters is beautiful and how he gained courage after years of hiding in the shadows avoiding conflicts. That last episode when he stood in front of those journalists i just know which path he chose. It was such a privilege to see him on my screen.

As for his wife... I have never seen someone that selfish and that manipulative, it's actually sickening especially because she knew what she was getting into. She was not supposed to be a villain, but they just had to add a plot twist and ruin a relationship that was supposed to be. If anyone should have gotten together it was Krailert and Naran. Both if them deserved a happy ending together even if they had to stay hidden in the shadows. Big part of me wished he just ran away...

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It is one of the best BLs you will ever watch! Don't miss it!

HUNDRED PERCENT RATING! 5 out of 5! Well-deserved! THE TOP NOTCH ACTING deserves another 100/100 specially!

Everything was perfect! The acting, the story, the writing, the direction, the heartbreak, the ending, couldn't have been better! The screenplay, the cinematography.. I am in awe!



Shine the Series is easily one of the top BLs out there and the goated BOC delivered a masterpiece with this series. It served it on a high-end mature platter and upped itself. KinnPorsche seems a child in front of this series. BOC promised and it delivered.

Mega thanks to all the Shine team and creators for bringing this project to life. I will never ever forget Shine the series. MileApo or ApoMile, you guys are one in a million! Keep up the good work and keep choosing great scripts and team to work with! Thank you so much!

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Simply Beautiful, poetic and a beautiful Story !

I decided to give it that Headline because this time writers did really amezing job, for once we get a well balanced story, both in narriting and the telling.
And OMG the acting is perfect. Actors (i mean all actors) did a very Good job they portrayed the emotions of their characters really well.
Of course Mile and Apo never fail to deliver the amezing job.
Im just heart broken for the death of Victor and Veera. I think the Death of Victor was inevitable when you put it in political perspective, for Trin character to have a purpose i think it explains that outcome for Victor.
Yet im glad Neran and Krailert made out alive given that the general knew about them from the beginning (and his wife) the sacrifice Krailert have indure just to keep Naran safe is the ultimate love you can give someone you love as a last gift, i hate Dhevi (a character) may she never be happy either.

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Three months later, I still think about this show everyday

Shine is beautifully written, with a top-tier cinematography, and tackles topics that are, to a certain extent, still relevant today. The characters (and their relationships) are complex, nuanced, and there is an explanation for all of their actions — which makes them painfully human.

Trin is the character that stole my heart the most. By the end of the fist episode, I was already attached to him, and my love for him kept growing after that. He’s endearing, touching, and even if I found him a little frustrating at times, I could always see the deeper reason behind his actions/reactions, and I could never stay mad for long. Thank you to Apo Nattawin for bringing him to life so brilliantly — his acting was flawless and he should get an award yesterday.

I could say the same about Tanwa: I adore him, and i believe that even the moments where I felt like he was annoying me were proof of how well-written his character is, because as soon as I’d take what I knew about his character into account, I would completely understand him. Mile excelled in this role too, I love how there was no trace of his previous character.

Maybe it’s because Kinnporsche wasn’t my cup of tea, but it was in Shine that Mileapo really came into their own in my eyes. This time, I could fully appreciate their chemistry, and I was taken aback. This is one of the reasons why I have to disagree with most of the comments I’ve seen, saying that SonEuro stole the show. The other reason is that Trintanwa have everything I like in a romance (a fictional one, at least.) They made me cry, they made me laugh, they made me melt — sometimes all at the same time — and they kept me at the edge of my seat until the very end. I can’t say I disagree with those who said they wished we could’ve seen more of them, but I also feel like what we got is enough to see how beautiful their love is.

Though I can’t say the same for Krailert and Naran, I like their characters individually, I liked the idea of their relationship (enemies (kinda) to lovers, forbidden love, doomed because they are on opposites sides…you name it.) and the actors really did have great chemistry. Even if this is the kind of love story that I generally stop finding interesting after the characters get together, that didn't make me love the series any less, as I at least liked the angst.

However, in the last episode, I couldn’t help but feel like their ending was a little drawn out. It was heartbreaking and also beautiful in its own way, but I wish some scenes weren’t as long so we could’ve seen more of Trin and Tanwa. But despite it’s flaws, the last episode (and the series in general) still gave me everything I wanted or needed.

And last but not least: Victor. If Trin is my favorite character, he and Tanwa both come in a close second. What I liked the most about him was his relationship with Trin; the love and protectiveness they had for each other was beautiful and touching, even if Victor’s romantic feelings always remained clearly unrequited (especially because of it, in my opinion.)

As for the political aspect of the series, it was fascinating, and like I said, still relevant today. I love how it showed different sides, how conflicts were represented at the intergroup level and at the intra-individual level, with characters questioning themselves, torn between their social position, the duties weighing on them and/or the orders they have learned to follow, the pressure from society and their families; and what they think is right or wrong, their morals, their loved ones — their hearts.

Shine also shows us the reality of the damage homophobia has done in the past in a raw, sometimes really brutal and graphic way. Therefore, some scenes are quite heavy and hard to watch, but even if they make us want to look away, I think they should make us reflect on how homophobia is still rampant nowadays, on the damage it still does.

One one hand, this series isn’t for an audience that needs to be spoonfed to be able to understand the plot and/or the characters, or that there’s more to a love story than the ship, who’s top and who’s bottom and etcetera. On the other hand, this is the kind of series that is always worth watching, for the message it carries and for all the things it teaches us.

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Standing Ovation

First and foremost, I have to state my utmost respect to Mile and Apo. They leveraged their clout, brand, and fan base to not only bring a stellar work to fruition, but to hand over the spotlight to other actors and cast themselves as supporting characters. The humility and commitment to their acting community, authentic and damn good storytelling, and the audience's experience should be loudly noted. This type of generosity should be resoundingly applauded and acknowledged.

This should not be billed as a BL- not because it is lacking in BL romance and spice (oh, it brings it all) but because the representation of gay and bisexual love is incidental representation- gay and bisexual humans have existed throughout history, lived that history, and had to find ways to love and survive in that history. The history and the lived experience is what SHINES in this production. The human experience- gay, straight, and bi, young, old... human- is represented beautifully.

The storytelling does not paint villains and heroes easily. Instead, it leans into the moral ambiguity that often exists when fighting for what you believe. Living the consequences of your choices is a major theme to the piece, and instead of moralizing by assigning "happy endings" or "just desserts" to characters, the storytelling firmly takes the position that making the choice is what is important; to do nothing, to not choose, is the greatest sin we commit. This is a thematic statement that feels incredibly poignant to me as an American at this time and place in my nation's history.

The acting and delivery is truly next level, the production values are top notch including the sound engineering (a particular pet peeve of mine with regards to many Thai productions), and no budget was spared in recreating this indelible moment in Thai history. The script, directing, and execution are award-winning worthy.

Early in its run (as episodes were dropping) a great deal of negative reaction was popping up on social media. For some, I think they were expecting a redux of the Kinn Porsche aesthetic and storytelling. For others, I think they expected to be spoon fed important histocultural details that makes the viewing experience a little easier. It doesn't take much time to hop on Google and get some context to this period in Thai history so you can understand the sociopolitical implications as you watch. If we are going to embrace the art of a culture, don't we have a little bit of an obligation to do our homework and meet the storytelling halfway when we are lacking prior knowledge to enhance our understanding? I firmly believe the answer to that question is, "yes." For every 20 BLs that require no effort on the part of the international audience in order to understand and enjoy, you will find that beautiful treasure- like Shine- that requires a little more effort to participate. Take five minutes to gather some prior knowledge as it will truly make this viewing experience better.

I will rewatch this someday. But for now, I just want to sit with it in my heart and in my brain and give myself some time with it before I rewatch.

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Love & Revolution, anyone?

Dear Readers,

Let me preface this by saying, I am not the same person I was before I started watching this. No- like legitimately I was in the TRENCHES! The last two episodes were like machine guns going off - even till the end. The only fault I can highlight in the show, is the first episode, which felt overly convoluted. I think they should've spread the introduction of the characters instead of piling it up. The story-boarding for this production was amazing: everything from the pacing to the colouring really highlighted what each scene sets out to depict. I think because of that every character's emotions were amplified. I loved the set- design too for the news room which felt lived in and authentic of the time. I can tell they put in a lot of effort to the costumes and the hair designs - all of it places you in that time period.
Regarding the OST, some of the songs felt out of time and don't even get me started on the song Tanwa sang which honestly if you think about sounds like Scooby Doo. This was especially hard because Victor was actively dying.

Victor
Victor my love, Victor my sweet darling- you were gone too soon!!!!!!!! America was waiting and I was waiting.
Historically, the martyrs have always been the young and the charismatic, headstrong orators. His populist ideology though resonating with masses were not really achievable in the short period of his life. What's more depressing is that even though he is risking his life fighting on the front lines for the rights of the oppressed , his mix-race status still makes him an 'outsider'.
And this is the cruel reality this show captures well. His puppy love for Trin manifest in ebbs and flows through the conversations that essentially placed them on different sides of the same coin in their diversely inherent worldviews.

Sometimes when I mourn over Victor's death, I think it is because that he appears to me in the image of young Max Nattapol.

Trin/ Tanwa
Trin is a very 'polished' guy a complete 180 from who Tanwa is - which essentially is what drew them together. Trin is able to let shed a lot of his shell because of Tanwa. With his interactions with Victor he became more headstrong and understood the consequences of remaining stationery with the privilege. After interacting with his students and getting involved with the youth activists he began to realize the importance of his own position and the disillusionment of power.

Tanwa is a self- proclaimed hippie trying to escape from his own privilege. He's also so deeply depressed in a way that he doesn't even recognise how depressed he is. I think in a way he needed Trin to lead him out of that trance he constantly puts himself into. Tanwa's time stopped once his mother passed away and since then he's just been existing and constantly antagonising his dad. In my opinion, he should've antagonise his dad more! All this to say, Tanwa's a rich kid with a world of chances given him, yet its given to someone who wont seek out anything greater for others. This juxtaposition of Trin's status and privilege versus Victor's lack of, is depressing to say the least.

Krailert/Naran
Guys, love can bloom from within the pages of the newspaper!
Their story almost reads as a early 2000s romcom- minus the comedy and we are in the 60s. Everything is viewed through a rose colored (weed) lens yet the reality of the common people are drenched in fear and blood.

I really loved how the screenwriters introduced them. Naran, a man behind the camera, while Krailert, a man always in the headlines. Inadvertently, both start interacting through their differing opinions about music and its connections to current affairs. Their interest in each other both in real life and the interactions through the newspaper are both laced in with some hate. Every interaction between them is a dance of passion and antagonism. Though both parties are aware of their positions in society, they are willing to pursue a doomed relationship in hopes of achieving some freedom in their own ways. Perhaps the most heartbreaking aspect of this relationship is watching these two people find each other during a turbulant time. In the moments they're together, they try their best to keep the outside from "leaking" in, but the outside finds a way. No matter how tightly sealed they can keep this relationship, reality is inevitable. Krailert's guilt feels so deep rooted when I watched him not fight back with Devhi. He wanted to repent and also keep Naran safe. I think Naran deep down also knew that they wouldn't find that freedom he talked about in that last note. I hope Trin told Naran about what happened instead of Naran believing that Krailert's wasn't brave enough to come to him. Trin also should've smuggled uncle out! Why would Trin say their room was beautiful, but also not try to do more for him? Fighting our own battles is great and all, but I feel like Krailert's ending is the most tragic. He's basically imprisoned for the end of his days.

Devhi, Veera (+Moira)
I understood Devhi's plight, but I don't understand her reactions to her reality. It was her who chose a prison of her own making. She chose to be with a man who will never like her back. She strives for his love, but both of them just end up hating each other more and more. She's trapping herself and him to have an ideal life that she thinks will make her happy. In this relationship, there's more hate than love. She thought Krailert would keep up the pretenses of being a married man, but he never does despite all she did to secure this marriage. What I don't understand more is how she didn't internalize how it felt to be liked by someone like Veera. Why would you want to go back to a marriage where you're not loved? Veera loved her even in hiding. Sadly, despite his love, Veera met such a harsh death. Veera's death mostly pushed her to a harsh reality where she finally realizes that she can continue to imprison herself and Krailert like she has done this entire time. Moira is the only perceptive character in the entire show. Moira knows all the secrets and tries to guide everyone towards a happier path. However, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

Overall, it's a show worth watching, but make sure you don't have any pressing things to get through the next few days cause man, this show hurts like a bitch!

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