This review may contain spoilers
Disappointed by potential
I went into Shine expecting to root for Mile and Apo’s epic romance. Instead, I walked away mostly disappointed and that disappointment had far more to do with the writing and character choices than the acting.The performances were brilliant and poignant. In fact, the acting was so convincing that instead of feeling heartbroken during their emotional moments, I felt vindicated in my frustrations with the characters. That alone proves how well the actors embodied their roles.
Trin & Thanwa – Wasted Yin and Yang Potential
Trin and Thanwa had all the ingredients for a compelling opposites-attract dynamic. On paper, they should have complemented each other and helped each other grow into better versions of themselves.
But neither of them felt like their best selves together.
Most of Thanwa’s limited screen time revolved around commitment issues or self-destructive coping through drugs and alcohol. More importantly, he felt disconnected from the show’s core political theme. Thanwa hardly cared about the politics that drove the story forward. If you removed him from the narrative, the main thematic arc would barely change and that’s a major structural flaw.
Instead of feeling like two halves of a greater whole, they felt mismatched at their core.
Victor – A Character Done Dirty
Victor genuinely caught my attention. His crush on Trin was adorable at first, and as the story progressed, I couldn’t help but feel he was more aligned with Trin in terms of personality, goals, and worldview.
His death made narrative sense. It was emotional, and the buildup worked. I was really teary when he died.
But what I cannot forgive is how the show handled the aftermath.
Revealing at the last minute that Victor made Thanwa promise to keep Trin out of politics felt like a cheap attempt to absolve Thanwa of responsibility. It reduced Victor’s death to a narrative device — a stepping stone to reunite Trin and Thanwa.
Why did his death erase his agency and humanity? Even if he chose to attend the protest, he did not choose to die. That distinction matters.
Dhevi – The Most Disappointing Arc
The biggest disappointment, however, was Dhevi.
She began as a quiet but powerful woman trapped in a loveless marriage with Krailert. I was rooting for her. I wanted her to reclaim her agency, pursue Veera if she truly wanted to, and walk away from a marriage that suffocated her.
Instead, the show turned her into a villain.
Krailert and Naran’s doomed romance made thematic sense to me- they were on opposite political sides. I expected tragedy rooted in ideology or timing. What I did not expect was Dhevi being villainized and being reduced to someone who traps her husband with a pregnancy.
It felt like character assassination. One of the few strong female characters was sacrificed for shock value or “realism,” and that choice immediately soured the show for me.
Final Thoughts
Maybe my disappointment comes from seeing the potential so clearly. I loved the chemistry between Naran and Krailert. I even found myself more invested in Trin and Victor than in the intended main couple.
That’s what makes it frustrating.
These are just my personal takes. Others did find meaning and beauty in the story and I genuinely do encourage people to form their own opinions. I simply couldn’t ignore the gap between what the show promised and what it ultimately delivered.
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If comfort were a show, this would be it.
This is going to be a very biased take because I love this duo too much but if you are a casual viewer and just want to watch a show that makes you relax, a little bewildered but mostly warm and happy this is it.Jimin, Jungkook and Taehyung are adorable together. The whole of BTS is always chaos incarnate and you find plenty of that here too, but it's also serene. Jimin and Jungkook chemistry and friendship just shine so effortlessly and you can feel their genuineness in each interaction.Just strap in for banter, food ,lots of laughs, their inside jokes, food, spontaneous play acts and basically everything that makes BTS and Jikook so addictive. ( Did I mention food? I kid you not I had to sit down with a whole course meal with each new episode!!)
I have been coming back to this show every time I miss them and now with season 2 premiering soon, I thought it was a good time to rewatch again. And it's just as precious to me as it was the first time I watched it, maybe even more so. I am really thankful that they decided to make this show and let us tag along!
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