Expectation hurts
I will try to be honest here. I am a fan of BL drama with a good story and acting. I don't care whether the casts are hot or not. If you have the same taste as me, I am pretty sure you won't enjoy this drama. It is such a waste. The casts are hot. Some of them (not all) are great actors. But the plot is weak, the chemistry is lacking and this drama is just a show of how hot the actors are. That's all. ITSAY and ATOTS are my all time favorite Thai BLs. But this one (KP) is not for me. I feel most Thai BL drama these days do not represent the life of LGBT community but they are merely fictions which are not more than giving fan service. I expected this series a lot and that is why I probably feel empty and disappointed. If you are not like me and if you like to watch hot guys being hot, then you may enjoy this series. I feel really sorry.Was this review helpful to you?
A generous 9 cause girl, she really a 8... MAYBE 8.5
What an end to a wild ride. Thailand bls are really evolving from engineering school boys to actual adults and I am so appreciative of that.Story: I give a 7.5 because it starts off strong with the whole mafia aspect but then the majority of the drama is fan service with no real plot development until the last couple episodes where it's up rushed. Some characters looked like they had their own story but we didn't get a chance to explore that; I assume specials or possibly their own series are in the works.
Acting: is great especially from Apo and Bible- they stole the show whenever they were on screen and I'll be looking out for their dramas in the future for sure, they have a new fan in me. Some other actors, I won't name names, need more acting lessons and them getting little screen time makes sense.
Music: great! Especially the song sung in the final episode from one character to the other- LOVED it.
Overall I would rewatch this, it's serious and yet funny at times (Tong- I'm looking at you!!) with a bunch of angsts that I love.
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A Ravenous Fest Indeed!!!
A Mafia Show where Morality Lines are blurred paired with sensual Eroticism & Volatile Romance."This is a mafia series, but it overflows with heart."
- Nattawin. W
KPTS is not for the faint-hearted. Its gritty, sexy, violent , comedic and yet so romantic and layered.
It's not your regular BL and KP makes it clear since its premise.
This review will be mostly about the main slayers of the show. "Kinn & Porsche"
PLOT:
It all starts off on one faithful night when Kinn and Porsche randomly crash into each others world. Little did they know that from this moment on their destiny would be tied together.
It's a chaotic Destiny that eventually become one of the most beautiful mess.
Porsche is someone that had to become the main pillar of his family at such a young age. a brother to feed, debts to be paid and a gambler Uncle......Nothing in life is easy for him.
A soul that craves for affection and freedom....something he never got until....
Kinn, Rich Mafia heir...cold hearted on the outside. He seems to have everything someone could possibly desire; power, money, the good looks, someone who can have anything he wishes for served on a platter.
And yet despite all that there are certain aspects he can't seem to afford : Trust, Love & Freedom.
His Mafia Responsibilities, a burden thrown at him that are synonymous to handcuffs; where death is the only way to escape.
What happens when someone who's very much Authoritative and someone who's a stubborn like no other are forced to be together ?
Chaos and misunderstandings ensures....
But despite all that there is this undeniable attraction that quickly develops
The Heart had other plans and oh WELL !!!
They start to realize they might have more in common that expected.
They slowly start to break e/o walls....Boundaries slowly getting blurred. Yet none of them dared to take the first step in accepting their feelings .
Then one particular moment changed everything. Anger, Curiosity & Confusion arose, pulling the heartstrings.
A turning point in their relationship and then the rest is history..........Off to a journey full of lust, irrevocable Love, sacrifice, Lies , dark secrets ready to be unearthed; where "TRUST" is the cornerstone of it all.
KinnPorsche has a very character centric plot….Its in entirety all about how the characters evolve from how they were initially presented to the viewers.
The Progression will keep you on edge, wanting for more and left with so many questions at the end of each single episodes.
As dark & heavy KPTS can be….the few comedic Relief here and there will leave you hollering.
This show can switch between being so serious to jocular in a matter of moments
The alternating change in the tone leaves you feeling like an emotional mess….Everything that I personally singed up for!!!
One factor that I particular for of is that there is not that deep emphasis of the characters sexuality. Its presents their sexuality as an inherent part of life.
CHARACTERS:
The progression of the characters during theses 14 Eps is absolutely enthralling. No matter which Couple you are the most drawn to you surely won’t crestfallen.
Lets talk about Kinn & Porsche…..
The perversion of Porsche and the humanization of Kinn happens concurrently all along.
One of them is freed from his destined fall and fell deeply in love while the other the other fell in love but his fall from grace began.
You can witness Porsche slowly losing his morality and adapting the the cruel world he was thrown into…slowly turning into a liquidator and master the arts of manipulation.
Kinn becomes Porsche safe space. It’s the first time he can actually fully rely on someone else shoulders; grounding him with a sense of security.
Kinn on the other hand, can finally be his true-self around Porsche. Someone who can show extreme compassion. Understanding, love.
Porsche became his escape from the burden that he constantly carries around. Kinn is someone who care a lot about “his people”. Everything he does is all for his family. A priority that comes before his own desires.
To see and feel how far the both characters evolved since Ep 1 is worth very hour spent.
The acting from Mile and Apo was just Marvellous and top-notch. They embodied Kinn and Porsche all throughout
Mile & Apo made Kinn & Porsche look so convincingly in love with each other with so much sexual tension….You could feel their chemistry right thru your screen. Something very rare you could say in shows nowadays.
MORALITY:
KPTS overall is all about morally grey characters. The show tackles an array of very sensitive topics: SA, DubCon Attempted Assault crimes, drugs, tortures and many more
I’ll quote both Mile and Apo’s words in regards to this topic
“KPTS not fashioned to meet the checkbox criteria of morality, nor does it align itself with any concrete stance of right or wrong. Viewers will find that morality really can’t [easily] be defined; The world is grey, in a sense, and they’re just human beings who go through life. The characters often justify any means to reach an end, including inexcusable actions that many viewers will no doubt condemn; in one way or another, the KinnPorsche rogues’ gallery will surely fill to an abundance. The audience nowadays have access to [a lot of information], and so they have the discretion to discern what is right or wrong. If the viewers watch our show with empathy, they of course will [learn] something because in the way we present the characters, it is the harsh reality of life, and we as human beings are not black and white. Everything is gray. It’s a mafia series, after all.”
Viewers needs to keep a very broad perspective while watching KPTS. If you watch it while trying to fit the characters in society’s moral beliefs, it will soon becomes a show really hard to digest.
The show does not condone any of the characters behaviour. It’s a representation of In good there’s evil and In evil there cab be good and viewers has to keep that strongly in mind.
SEX SCENES:
The NC scenes in KPTS is not made with the intent of having sex scenes just for the sake of it. Each and very of the erotic scenes is a direst reflection of the characters feelings for each other. The erotic scenes are shot in such a beautiful an artistic way, that carries and convey a lot of emotions to the viewers.
For instance, with Kinn & Porsche dynamic, it focuses a lot of how actual sexual pleasure derives from the reciprocated feelings they have for one another. They make love because they feel wanted and desired. It is the eroticism of making someone desire you, love you to the point that everything about you affects them on a physical, emotional & spiritual level. The sex is laced with desperation, guilt, affection and anxiety of what the future holds for them. It so raw and real rooted from a space in reality.
Its simply mind-blowing how this was portrayed on screen. ART AT ITS FINEST!!
CINEMATOGRAPHY:
The cinematography of KPTS is just impressive and mind-altering.
The camera placement; the hight & low angle shot, The movement, the aspect ratio, SFX, lighting, mood, blocking and colour gradings were so meticulously done
Did not expect less from the cinematographer of CMBYN
MUSIC SCORE & SOUNDTRACK :
The Music score was top-tier. Often times many show fail to choose the right sounds and appropriate timings . This sometimes makes scenes comes off a cringeworthy or its completely shatters the mood that was originally intended.
KPTS did and amazing job with it. The sound effects were carefully carried and chosen and never left a scene feeling dull
The OST was beautifully written to coney the perspective of both Kinn & Porsche
Free Fall gives an insight of Porsche’s POV while Phiang Waichai gives that of Kinn’s
WDYS by Jeff Satur conveys the ups and downs of a relationship and beauty of being in a relationship. While in contrast to 5 seasons which narrates about the hardships each and every character had to face when it concerned the matter of the heart
OVERALL:
KPTS does have its plot holes here and there but its not something that deters the plot. Its not perfect with many flaws throughout
Could they have done better ? Yes
There are some questions deliberately left unanswered and its lays the foundation for a possible second season
But the beauty of this show outweighs the few downsides it had.
Its a breath of fresh where a show finally portrays that queer characters can be morally grey .
A BEAUTIFUL STORY ABOUT RETRIBUTION, LOVE & POWER
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Better than what I was expecting
All I knew about KinnPorsche before watching was that it's supposed to be about Mafia, and that the kissing/sexy scenes are some of the best that can be found in a BL series. I expected to hate this, but I have to say that it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.For the Mafia part, I'm already used to the theme being romanticized to ridiculous extremes, so my expectations vere really low to begin with. It still didn't feel like actual Mafia (if it did, I would have wanted all the characters dead or in prison no matter what), but it's still better than other representations I've seen.
For the kissing/sexy scenes, I have to say that the fans were right! There are none of those awkward tight-lipped kisses where the actors look like they'd rather be doing anything else. There's good chemistry with the couples, enough to make one think that the attraction and the feelings are there. The cute/romantic moments among the couples were adorable and pulled at my heartstrings the right way, which is what I like to look forward to in a BL.
The music is on point most of the time, special mention for Jeff Satur's "Why Don't You Stay" since it's obviously the best song. They also didn't exaggerate with the sound effects, which is the bare minimum but still appreciated.
Unfortunately, the good sides of this series end here.
The plot is very confusing. The characters seem to change alignment and intentions at every other scene, and they also seem to move and behave according to what it's necessary for the writers, rather than common sense and logic. The powerful means of the Mafia are forgotten when they're needed the most, the highly necessary bodyguards are left at home when a family member needs protection, and so on. Even the main characters are guilty of this.
As for the couples, as good as they might look together, their intentions and wishes are always so confusing that it was hard for me to appreciate their stories.
KinnPorsche are the protagonists, yet I still don't quite get how did they fall in love. I understood that there was at least some attraction from Kinn toward Porsche, but they jumped from barely tolerating each other to being madly in love with each other. It's truly a shame, because they do look convincing when they're together, but the plot doesn't hold up their relationship.
VegasPete were more convincing just because their relationship is unhealthy all over. We weren't shown much about them though, so I can't really say much.
KimPorchay were easily the worst couple. I still didn't get Kim's feelings toward Porchay; it felt like it was supposed to be a romantic relationship, but to me it looked more like a brotherly one, as if Porchay was Kim's new little brother. The thoughts and feelings of both were such a mystery that it was impossible for me to appreciate their dynamics at all. Part of this might be because of the actors, though: Barcode is a lot younger than Jeff, so even when he was supposed to look in love, he just looked like a very affectionate little brother.
In conclusion, even though I enjoyed this series to some extent, I wouldn't recommend it. It's not really an action series, not really a romantic one, and not really a comedy, just a very confusing hybrid. It can be entertaining if you're mostly focused on the ships and don't care much about the plot, but that's it.
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It's good overall but not perfect.
Let me start by saying that this is a great series. The cast,music and cinematography was great. But the only issue I had was the plot. It was really messy. The characters in this series,you can say never use their brain,or most of them never questions this and that and just is okay with it the next day. Sometimes it just doesnt make sense. But KP is definitely more bold and outstanding than most Bls these days. Though some episode were weaker than others and didn't make sense why this and that happened or why it happened or why these characters are behaving this way and why is no one questioning anything and why is no one using a brain and why are some of these people super human,that they don't die when they are shot 3-5 times or can take a whole mob of more that 10 people with guns with their fist. But it was great overall.Was this review helpful to you?
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Don't Waste Ur Time HERE......
One of the worst bls I have watched....I have never watched a bl or read it for the sex which I think is the only thing in this series, I have always watched it for the plot and the emotions which Do Not Exist in this series.
Kinn - Porsche : No plot.... No story.... No emotions.... Sex between COUSINS.....BORRRRIIIINNGGGGGGG
Vegas - Pete : Sadistic Relationship....Psychopath......ignited atleast some emotion.... Toxic relationship..... YET SOMEHOW more interesting to watch than KinnPorsche
Kim + Porchay : The most decent couple.... Good plot..... Good emotions.... NO toxic relationship... Least Screen time Yet the best part of the show
Don't Waste ur time here
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One of the most highly-anticipated BL and it did not disappoint
I am one of the millions of people who had been eagerly waiting for KinnPorsche to air on 2021 until it moved and moved and moved and finally, they dropped the official trailer.Trailer:
It was freaking awesome. My initial thought was it's more like a movie trailer with high-budget production. I loved the cinematography, the color grading of each scenes, the energetic music of Slot Machine's Free Fall, the stunts, the visuals, the acting... it was a bomb trailer.
Comparing it to the old trailer, it's pretty obvious that the old one with Filmania was much more inclined with the novel. The production there was actually pretty good too.
What do I prefer? I loved the book so bad so I actually preferred the old one.
Casts:
9.8/10. It should have been 10 but I thought that the actor (Na) who played Tawan wasn't physically suitable as Kinn's ex. Whether in the book or drama, if you look at Kinn's ex flings or boytoys, they were all, let's just say, twinks: slim, petite, cute, feminine because it's actually Kinn's type. Na's acting was great, no arguments, it's just that as Tawan, who was Kinn's ex, it's a little funny since he's also tall (I think taller than Mile?) and bulky too.
Special mention to Tong, no one could pull of the character of Tankhun better than him. Whenever I read Thankhun's (it's the spelling in the book) dialogue in the novel, I always hear Tong's voice lol. Also, Apo, ah, so precious. I am always fascinated whenever he appears on the screen. Even if he's on the side and not talking, his facial expressions are always on point.
Characters (drama ver.):
Porsche - He's not so different from the book: hot-headed and always raising his voice lol. He's as soft as a pillow but also tough as a rock. If you look at him, he's still like a child. He was forced to grow up and shoulder all the responsibilities like taking care of Porchay, working several jobs for Porchay's education, to pay off debts, and all. Most people say he's stupid but BOC writers made him like that. He's actually so skilled in the book. He aced the shooting, the fighting, swimming, everything! But here, they made him a thug who's just good at fighting in the streets.
Kinn - He's calmer. I can't think of any more adjectives. I loved book version Kinn because he's clingy and the obsessive type lol. One of his habit that I think BOC missed to include was Kinn has a habit of sniffing Porsche whether on his neck or cheeks and another is, whenever they have s*x, Kinn turns off the A/C because he's insane for a sweaty Porsche lol. He said he's sexy when he's sweaty.
Vegas - To those who read their sidestory, it's obvious that they toned it down with his character and made it more humane. What he did to Pete was rather unforgivable and traumatic so it was good to what they did with him in the drama.
Pete - Precious Pete. He's more fleshed out in the drama and I love his and Porsche's friendship here.
Kim - He had even lessee screen time in the drama than in the novel. Arm and Pol have more screen time than him and to be honest, he's also my least favorite character in the book. Don't ask me why.
Tankhun - They're both crazy and rich. But I think novel version Khun's crazier just a little bit.
Korn - He's colder here. In the book, he's very fatherly to Porsche. Not a slip to his good father image that's why you wouldn't ever suspect him.
Music:
10/10 especially Why Don't You Stay by Jeff Satur. Too bad they seldom use it. I also hoped they used a few more songs and not just the three songs though.
Plot:
They say it's just porn with amazing acting. For everyone's information, KinnPorsche has 4 books, the first book opens the actual plot. Basically, the book 1 is just introducing the characters, their connections with each other and what's their role in the plot. That's why revelations were in the last eps and in fact, in the book, it's a cliffhanger when Korn or Kinn's father says that all his chess pieces are complete. So book 1 is the tip of the iceberg. You can say it’s a plot within a plot.
If you wanna have a full experience then read the novel, at least there you'll know what Kinn's, Porsche's, Pete's and Vegas' thoughts are.
Talking about the r*pe scene, the book version was harsher as Kinn didn't really restrained himself. In the drama, it different. Porsche was semi-conscious in the drama while in the book, he was still in the effects of drugs.
I'm not justifying rape but in the drama, it's more dubious consent. The book ver was the real r*pe.
Production:
As I said, I'm the type of person who loves watching the behind-the-scenes of films and such. I always appreciate the cinematography, the production design, lighting, editing, and so on. I think, this is where lies the inconsistencies.
I am always confused of the main family's house. Looking it on the outside, its architectural design's more like Victorian's but on the inside, it's very, very modern and high tech.
What I noticed the first time I watched was the background audio of some scenes. For example, on the episode where all the bodyguards lined up to meet the second family and it's the ep where Vegas smiled at Porsche and the latter asked Pete about it. What followed was a funny scene but the music wasn't. It's actually awkward that the dialogues wer funny but the music isn't. Another recent ep with similar case, the ep 12, where Porsche confronted Kinn about the house. That scene was tense so the music should've been too but it wasn't. It was rather soft and mellow.
Next is the editing. I noticed that every ep produces fluctuations when it comes to emotions. It's good but what they do in KinnPorsche is they switch scenes so fast. Personally, it's annoying that there's an emotional scene on the first half, then it gets cut off by a funny scene, then back to the emotional, then another funny scene, then another new tense scene. For example, in ep 13, we had VegasPete, their scene was intense but it suddenly got cut off. As a result, the tense feeling you got earlier is also cut off. Like aside from having a "roller-coaster ride", I personally like to feel emotions building up as time goes by and not like being on the edge of your seat then it gets cut off the continue again. It's rather anticlimactic.
That's actually what I noticed every episode. They like cutting off scenes and placing them wherever. If it’s an important scene: whether it's a love scene, a confrontation, etc. It would be better if it's not cut.
Overall, it may not be the most "perfect" BL drama but it sure is one of the best today. A drama to be defeated. Also, I'm still sad that BOC didn't include several cute and important scenes in the book. Seriously, the drama has deviated so much from the book lol. The similarities would be: 99% names of characters, 90% plot, 10% scenes lol.
Edit:
EP 14 Reaction:
Just finished watching ep 14 and holy shiiiiiiit. The ep is filled with plot twists! However, I was disappointed so early when I didn't get the scene in the book when Kinn learned that Porsche's mom was his Dad's sister. Kinn was so devastated that he collapsed on his knees and asked Porsche what should he do. The scene in the drama was nowhere near emotional. Anyway, I was shocked when they killed Chan lol, he was Korn's confidant in the book and may be the only one who knew the whole game of Korn. The whole battle scene was surprisingly just okay for me, the smoke was obviously just an effect and poorly done at that. In short, it could've been more powerful. Best action scene goes to Jeff, hands down. I'm not sure if it's enhanced in terms of speed but holy moly he nailed the action scene, seriously. I thought his last actions scene still needs improvement but he definitely delivered his best in ep 14. Bible and Build truly are the scene stealers of this series. So happy BOC included Vegas, Pete, and Macau moment! Let's wait for Venice lol.
Lastly, my babies Kinn and Porsche. First of all, Apo looks so good with his hair like that. Apo's switching of emotions throughout the ep shows how incredible he is as an actor; from the start of the ep, rage, confusion, sad, then the action scene, then bewildered when he saw his mom, then confused again, and so on. Mile's facial expressions plus his soft voice reveals that Kinn is a soft-hearted and emotional person and is weak as the head of the main family. That's why now I understood why in the book, Korn appointed Kim as the new head.
SEE YOU IN SEASON 2 OF KINNPORSCHE THE SERIES, EVERYONE!
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This review may contain spoilers
A really sad “wasted potential”
It’s not that bad. Some aspects are not even bad at all, I’d even say it’s SO GOOD, and that’s the most frustrating thing about this series.• Why is this a sad “wasted potential”? •
Because with all the potentials, this series COULD be a masterpiece, but it’s not and I’m sad.
- The premise is already really good, but the writing is all over the place.
- The characters dynamics could be interesting (with their background and all), but they throw it away and write bland, uninspired developments instead.
- The acting & chemistry, pretty good. Production quality, absolutely impressive. It's obvious they have great casts, crews AND budget, and that makes me so mad, because this could be really, really good.
• STORY & SCREENPLAY •
First, let’s talk about the premise. The mafia concept and premise are fresh and interesting. It’s unusual, some guy accidentally got involved with the mafia, and now he must work as their bodyguard, and soon develop romance with his mafia boss, who wouldn’t love that? The premise starts really strong, but it just goes downhill from there.
The issue is, the whole mafia story doesn’t really have a foundation, a pillar to hold everything together, it’s all over the place. What is the biggest point of all this, like, what is the MAIN problem that cause the story to move forward, and drives this whole mafia plot?
By episode 10/14, I still have no idea what the f is going on with their mafia business, everything is just so vague, it’s always like “this guy is bad, let’s shoot him”, then insert some cool action scenes with hot guys shooting at bad guys. What is their goal exactly, what is the bad guys’ goal?
Not to mention how these mafias seem like they don’t really take their mafia lives seriously. How am I supposed to believe this whole thing, when they made dumb decisions that “real mafias” wouldn't do? I honestly stopped taking them seriously since ep 7, and just focus on the romance instead.
Plot points that I don’t get:
- This random plot twist with Ken being the traitor. The point of plot twist is when audience have a certain expectation about something, and then it turns out it’s not what they expected. I don’t even have any expectation of Ken in the first place?? He’s barely having any screen time??
- The whole thing about Tawan. They’re trying to make this dramatic arc about “woah his traitor ex is back”, but then I don’t get the whole thing about Kinn not telling Porsche, his own bodyguard, about the whole plan. It feels like they’re just doing this for the angst and drama, that’s lazy.
- Wtf with Vegas tricking Porsche and trying to kiss him, but then the next time they met, they talked casually? And did Vegas actually liked him, or is he just using him for his plan, because if he did like him, there's not enough build up.
- What's with that Italian guy?
- What is it with Kim secretly investigating this and that, then nothing happened, and we never talk about it again?
• CHARACTER WRITING •
During the earlier episodes, I’m impressed at how they do the intro of both Kinn and Porsche characters. 1 episode in, and both their characters already shine through, which is a good sign.
1. Porsche, I don’t have much to say, I think his character is easy to understand, and they portrayed him well. He’s kind, caring, funny, a bit shallow but that’s his endearing quality, it’s charming. And the best thing is, it’s written consistently throughout the series.
2. Kinn, I absolutely loved the moment when Kinn starts to show his vulnerabilities of being born into a mafia family which is a big pressure to him. It shows a bit of complexity in his character. The bad news is, that’s it, that’s his best moment.
The rest of the story is just him in a very plain and shallow character writing. Kinn is just this mafia son, trying to do his job, supposedly having trust issues, but trust people easily, and he’s hopelessly in love with Porsche.
I mean, what a waste of potential when they can dig deep through his interesting life, the struggle, the insecurities, the pressure, and maybe, I don't know, maybe we can talk about his mom, maybe his mom had always been his comfort zone but she's gone now, idk
They COULD go down this kind of storyline since it's a mafia theme in a romance genre, where ruthless mafia life meets compassion, to show the emotional side behind a seemingly fierce, tough mafia guy. They could definitely use this as the device to build up their romance, instead of the typical “omg we’re somehow trapped together in this situation, we can’t help but rely on each other, then fall in love along the way, I guess”.
3. Vegas and Pete, at least, have better dynamic writing than the MCs. We know how they each developed their background character, we can see how their two worlds collide and change them, why did they do things, feel things, say things. Everything is a bit clearer, and explained more thoroughly, though it seems rushed (should have been wiser with the screen time).
• ACTING & CHEMISTRY •
I think everyone can agree that the acting is one of the saving grace. I’m really impressed with how they portray each characters and deliver the heavier scenes.
However, some heavily emotional scenes could use more authenticity. I noticed Barcode (playing Chay) delivered the emotional scenes a bit better than the others. I have to give a big appreciation to Apo too, playing Porsche, he absolutely nailed the character. And lastly, chemistry, I find bible and build, playing vegaspete, to deliver the pair dynamics a bit better than others too.
• CINEMATOGRAPHY •
And finally, the real MVP that saved this whole series. One of the best cinematography I’ve seen in BL so far (along with I Told Sunset About You, which is by the same cinematographer). It is easily a very beautiful series, but it’s also beyond that, it’s not just beautiful to look at, but beautiful to feel. This is when visual language is used to tell a story, and push it beyond words. I can write a long-ass analysis about how good the cinematography is, but let’s not. Let’s just say they nailed using colors, framing, motions, to display the right emotions in each scene.
(I wrote a short analysis about vegas pete cinematography here https://twitter.com/blackmoon1101/status/1538497421415575552?cxt=HHwWgMCjtZzQ69kqAAAA)
Additional: • DIRECTION STYLE •
From the trailers, the style really made this series looks like one of those indie, artsy, “Wong Kar Wai” styled films. But turns out, it’s more on the lighter, casual, easygoing direction.
Was I a bit disappointed? Yes.
Does that make this series bad? Not at all, it’s just a direction style.
BUT I just find it to be another reason to call this a “wasted potential” because they COULD go into that more fitting direction style, with their high budget mafia theme, hot looking casts, and high quality cinematography.
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I am gonna keep it simple and say that this a character focused/driven mafia show.
In my opinion this show has a little bit of everything for everyone.- You want character driven story,? you got it
- You want fluffy, sexual tension, sex and couples who looks like they are in love and act like they genuinely sexually attracted to each other? You got it.
- You want morally grey characters? You got it
- You love comedy and actors who have great comedic timing? You got it
- You want plot twists telenovela style? You go it
- You want romantic comedy scenes that also include public declaration of love? You got it
- You want a character redemption arc or a villian that you can relate to? You got it
- You want a story about love. How do you want it? Lust filled, soul-mates, you complete me, first crush, enemies to lovers, first love, I hate everyone but you, I will burn the world to save you, ride or die, sexual synergy, platonic love, familial love, I like you so I act like a goofball, I want you so much but I am scared to love again, All my life is yours, I will take a bullet for you, I will kill anyone who hurts you. etc.
Please don't watch the show if:
- You dislike violence a lot or don't like anything listed in the tags for the show
- You like your characters to be nice and kind. Without any flaws. Well you want their flaws to only be them not knowing how hot they are.
- You prefer bromance
- You like it when the two actors look uncomfortable/wooden at every intimate scenes
- Prefer your romance shows to be more on the fluffy side with nothing more than a slight kiss. One of couples in the show offers that btw
- If you are okay with watching heterosexual romances that include kissing and sexual content but somehow irked out when gay characters do a fraction of what these straight characters are allowed to do in other media. Check your biases 🧐
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This review may contain spoilers
Hardly a complete review— just my initial and final thoughts
Love the acting and characters. Like the actor for Porsche is AMAZING. I’ve never seen a better actor in these series. The plot is interesting (though at some points slow?). The story linked multiple stories together without them really connecting. The ending with the mother and that drag on of lies was boring and obnoxious. I was hoping for a bit more drama at some points, and it felt weird to transition from a serious event to everything being suddenly fine, even in the uncut version. I didn’t see the point in throwing in that Vegas/Pete plot line in near the end. It was also SO toxic and they still get together? Yeah no. That demerits points. It was also degrading to throw it in and have comedic scenes and music in the scenes between those scenes. Love the actor for Vegas though. He’s amazing and I love when he speaks English too. I wasn’t very interested in the Porchay/Kim plot line until it got dramatic. Chay’s love for Kim developed way too soon— within an episode of them getting together (though they made it seem longer than that later on the periods). The end and the DRAMA though?! I want them—need them—in another season or spin-off. Jeff’s acting and fight scene are amazing.Was this review helpful to you?
10000% worth it
surprisingly enough, i didn't quite have a great start with kinnporsche as it didn’t convince me the first episode. nevertheless, i later decided to give it another go and i became addicted that very moment. it was an incredible rollercoaster of emotions with all the drama, tension, and funny/light scenes. this is without a doubt one of the best bls i have ever seen. i loved every second of it and it left me speechless. one of my favourite things about it has to be porsche. he is undoubtedly one of the best characters EVER. please, do not hold yourself back from watching it. you won't regret it!Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
So bad, yet (sometimes) so good
[Revised review as of ep. 7]KP is an action-comedy-BL drama. But above all else, it is an unexpectedly compelling train-wreck of a romance, with some grey-area dubcon scenes thrown in to boot. Porsche is a college student who works as a bartender to make ends meet. After rescuing repressed mafia scion Kinn in a chance encounter, extenuating circumstances force Porsche to seek employment as Kinn’s personal bodyguard. What lies ahead for Porsche? (Bodily injury. Severe workplace bullying and harassment that obviously violates multiple labour laws. And a lot of sex.) Much of the praise for this show has focussed on the production values and performances from Mile and Apo in the lead roles, which I think are very good-to-fantastic compared to most TV shows in any genre or language. Bible, Build, and Jeff have also put in excellent supporting role performances as Vegas, Pete and Kim respectively. So I can ignore the fact that virtually every other aspect of the script is terrible, and watch KP religiously every Sunday morning.
I’ll start with the bad stuff.
Plot: An actual plot is almost non-existent, even 7 episodes in. What we know so far is that Kinn’s immediate and extended family, the Theerapayakuls, are involved in “underworld activity”.** We also know Korn’s (Kinn’s dad) motivations for hiring Porsche— who only becomes a competent employee in ep 7— are unclear and are being investigated sub rosa by Kinn’s estranged youngest brother Kim. Lastly, Kinn’s uncle and his sons (the so-called “secondary family” in the English translation) are the “bad guys” trying to weaken Korn’s grip on the family business. All that would be fine if viewers were given some idea of the plot’s trajectory by ep 7. Sadly, there is almost none. As of ep 7, which has the Theerapanyakuls finishing off an old enemy, we still don’t have a clear idea of what the overarching plot is, much less where it is heading. Like okay, Italian dude died... what now? That doesn’t bode well for the remaining 7 episodes— we’re either going to get an anemic main plot where the gangsters are really just there for show, or left with a giant cliffhanger for a S2 which may or may not happen. Also, while it is plausible that there are no women in the show except cafeteria and spa aunties (since hey, mafia organisation) and Yok, nearly everyone plot-relevant is gay or bi. I know that’s in the novel too, but it’s just not realistic.
** Save for what is probably unlicensed moneylending/loansharking, I am still not sure what business Kinn & Co engage in that is illegal. Their revenue streams in the PowerPoint presentation appear to be from legitimate businesses. Though in ep 7, we do see some drugs turning up in a truck and generic "dealings with other gangs"…
Script: If you have 14 episodes, you have no time to waste. In The Long Night (C-drama), the scriptwriter managed to cram in a slow build-up, fairly complex plot, and multiple narrative perspectives into a measly 12 episodes. You won’t find anything like that in KP, which is paced as if it’s 40 episodes long. What is clear is that the script is structured around the romance (more on that later), even though it also tries (unsuccessfully) to focus on other things, like having a credible storyline and being funny. Problem is, it’s not funny. At all. Other MDL reviewers have griped about the show’s miserable attempts at humour; I’ll just say that I completely agree with those comments. Because the romance is the focal point of the first half of the show, everything else is done in a half-baked way. The stuff about the family conflict and Porsche’s mysterious childhood lingers in the background like dull scenery. The humour, which mostly involves Tankhun (Kinn’s oddball and fabulous older brother) has no punchline and goes on for way too long. You could probably cut out 75% of the scenes with Tankhun and the show would not be missing anything. The role of Tankhun doesn’t do justice to Tong, who is a good actor doing his level best with a silly script. Also, I thought ep 6 was too long. There were important emotional high points in that episode, but there was no need to devote a large block of time to showing our bros in love stumbling about, playing rock-paper-scissors, and spear-fishing in the woods.
Key relationship: There’s actually a lot to be said about the main relationship, but I’ll try to keep this short. The Kinn/Porsche relationship is interesting for BL, which seldom depicts romantic relationships between guys who also have a conventional and overtly masculine friendship. It reminds me a bit of Brokeback Mountain. Here, we have a romance between needy bros who love and hurt each other in equal measure. They get along swimmingly, yet don’t get along, when all they both need is a heart-to-heart talk with a hug and fist-bump to end it off. I love it. Kinn and Porsche need each other because they are many different things to each other - bros, employer/employee, and lovers - but this is a problem when they’re completely different people. Kinn is shackled by his “professional” responsibilities and the trauma from an old relationship. However, his stiff upper lip prevents him from talking things over with Porsche until shit hits the fan. On the other hand, Porsche is uninhibited, effusive and more than happy to give and receive the affection he craves to just about anyone. He loves Kinn, but also chafes against his authoritarian streak. Worse still, Kinn’s reticence hurts Porsche and makes him susceptible to creepy stalker Vegas (Kinn’s cousin), who promises to fulfill Porsche's unmet need for attention and freedom. After making it out of the forest alive in ep 6, Kinn and Porsche (re)start their relationship in the “real world” in ep 7 being very apart even when they are together. The closing scene is very explicit, but also a total gut-wrencher in the context of the episode— there’s an understandable breakdown of trust (both ways), another heartfelt apology, followed by the need to make up for things with… more sex. Sweet? Yes. Tragic? Definitely. While I don’t have much faith that the main plot will go anywhere, I'm quite sure there’s plenty of realistic and nuanced relationship development lying ahead, because that seems to be the one thing this show is good at. As a final note, it’s also impressive how the scriptwriters “reformed” Kinn from the novel (where I understand he is unapologetically rapey) in a way that feels natural. In a rare moment of emotional candour in ep 6, Kinn acknowledges and apologises for having sex with Porsche when his consent was impaired. It was in-character and authentic, as opposed to a token politically-correct whitewashing that was thrown in so that the viewership wouldn’t brick the scriptwriters.
Acting: I can’t say enough good things about Apo’s incredible performance in KP. Because of him and Mile, the show's most emotionally tortured scenes are also the show's best. However, there's no doubt in my mind that Apo is the linchpin of this show. Apo said in an interview that he had shed blood and tears doing the show, and that shows in the seeming effortlessness with which he captures the nuances of Porsche’s character through sidelong glances, head tilts and other small gestures. He has an uncanny sense of how to present himself before the camera, and it’s almost as if he rehearsed in front of a mirror to make sure he got the gestures and angles just right. In one scene in ep 3, Porsche says he’s started taking his job seriously because he wanted to make Kinn regret sending him to work for Tankhun. At that point, there is no sign that Porsche has any romantic feelings for Kinn. But Apo does the scene with a coy head tilt and almost-but-not-quite batting of eyelashes that adds a whole layer of suggestiveness to that exchange. The episode 4 bathroom scene was even more impressive. Porsche is drugged and nearly raped by Vegas; Kinn rescues in him the nick of time while he’s high as a kite. After Porsche teases Kinn about his sexuality and throws himself at Kinn while in a questionable mental state, they have sex. This is one of the most intense, ambiguous and emotionally challenging moments in any show I’ve watched. It’s also my favourite sequence by far. How aware was Porsche? Did he make a pass at Kinn to get the attempted assault out of his mind? How does he really feel about Kinn? It’s obviously meant to be problematic, and the actors did a fantastic job of fleshing out the grey areas of this scene without giving the audience an easy answer in both eps 4 and 5. Serious props to Mile for his pitch-perfect depiction of Kinn’s inner turmoil as the pendulum swings between being a good bro to his drugged-out friend and making Something happen (never a good idea, and which it turns out, he regretted! And apologised for!).
Not being a watcher of BL shows in general, I came for what seemed like decent gunfights and action. That part didn’t work out, but the bro-romance makes it worthwhile.
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