Shine (Orchestric Ver.)

Better Writing would've Made it Shine even Brighter

I cannot believe it took me 8 days short of 6 months to complete this drama. I think this happened for 2 main reasons

1. Shine aired at a time when my country was also going through political protests. Specifically, student-led, gen z led protests. The issues, especially the police and military brutality, just hit too close to home for me. Reality bled into fiction, or was it the other way around? The point is, it was too much. I use dramas as an escape from daily life. At the time, this show just magnified the reality around me

2. I accidentally got spoilers. Thank you, my carefully constructed Twitter algorithm. As soon as the show aired, I knew what happened to whom, and that quickly diminished my desire to continue with the show.

Now on to the show itself,
I believe that 'Shine' is a very important story. It gets points for tackling something outside the usual BL lens with the heaviness and seriousness that it deserves. I may not know much about Thai politics, but I know all too well the plight and fight of the people against cruel, corrupt governments.

As for the characters
✨Trin and Tanwa - I found their opposites-attract relationship interesting at first. However, as the story unfolded and as the political matters became more serious, I found them to be more than a little mismatched. I love that Tanwa's carefree attitude and playfulness helped open Trin up to a whole new world. Something less buttoned up than he was used to.

But how did Trin influence Tanwa? The politics and reform matters were important to Trin, but Tanwa never involved himself in them. Never steps foot in this world that Trin cared deeply about - even though his view of some things did come from a privileged lens. Tanwa's story is all about his daddy issues and drug use. For a show whose main theme is political revolution, it was odd that one of its main characters was so removed from it

✨Victor - Turns out that he'd become my favourite character. N not only that, but I also felt like he had been older and a tad bit more mature in his approach for revolution, he'd have made a better partner for Trin. Especially intellectually, and even more so due to the time period they lived in. His dying, particularly in the way he did, broke me. His death is an unfortunate reality of what happens when the pple decide to fight the government.

I have seen this reality on the news more times than I want to recall. I get it, I understand it, but I don't got to like it. I am disappointed in how the show added that 'Don't tell Trin' conversation btwn him and Tanwa. They used that to absolve Tanwa and give him and Trin a happy ending. Lowkey, I feel like Tanwa having to carry that burden of Victor's death would've been a better, more impactful ending for someone like him.

I hope to see more of Peter as an actor in the future

✨Krailert and Naran - I knew it was likely going to end the way it did, I just did not expect the specific route it took to land where they did. I thought that their political differences would drive them apart. Because, yes, opposites attract, but not in cases such as this one. The difference was too much.

I expected that Krailert would choose the military might over Naran and what he fought 4. You know, as he was just another cog in the militaristic machine. I just never expected him to reveal everything, hope for a happy ending, only to be stopped by the wife and her powerful family. While they both left broken-hearted, I feel the most for Krailert. I just know that he spent most of the rest of his life in that room crying, reliving their memories, and playing that song he composed over and over on that piano.

Now Son and Euro as a ship... may the BL gods give them another worthy script in the future. Their acting skills and chemistry deserve another chance. Hopefully, one with a happier ending this time

✨Dhevi (and to an extent, Veera) - To say that ep 8 shocked me would be an understatement. What do you mean that this long-suffering woman, whom I spent 7 episodes feeling bad for, was going to trap a man she knew would never love her by threatening to kill the man he loved? Her turning evil was not in the realm of possibilities in my head. And lowkey did not make sense. I hated that twist.

With all the power she had thanks to her father and brothers, she should've found a way to keep Veera alive and divorced this man who would clearly never love her. She deserved a better character ending than what we got. Speaking of Veera, that horrible hoophobic military general died 'alone' in his cell in the same way that we saw Veera's body. I wonder if the specific way of setting up his death, this was the doing of the other military guys or Dhevi coz I believe that she somewhat loved him.

✨Final Thoughts✨
While I appreciate the heavy topics explored in this drama, I think the writing, especially that of specific characters, left me disappointed. Most of the acting by the cast was exceptional, and I fell in love with the main OSTs. 'Far Side of the Moon', 'Half of Everything', and 'Am I in Love' have found their way into and a permanent place in my playlists

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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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All the flavour in one dish

It's too rare for bl industry to give such a rare series. Although I don't like the old period setting and politics, this series gave me so much more to appreciate everything. I started it for Apo mile but the 2nd couple successfully caught my attention.
As always I love everything done by Apo, he is such a great actor that it gets hard to not admire him.
Back to series, it is fun to watch, sad, romance, mystery, depressing. There are many scenes, when we know some love stories are doomed from starting but we still root for them. And I love this iconic series for its execution, all the elements whether it's style, it's setting, everything.
I will suggest to watch it atleast once, don't miss the gem🫶🏻.

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A Shining Political Tragedy

Shine was so much more than I expected it to be. I think the best way to describe this show is a tragic political drama - not because there wasn't romance, but because the romance feels secondary to the building political tensions throughout this show. I think my only complaint was that Mile and Apo's roles and romance as Tanwa and Trin felt almost unnecessary to the larger plot, but it was still an incredible watch. Plus, the directing and music were outstanding.

Economist Trin (Apo) travels back to Thailand from France after the loss of his love in French protests. There, he begins to get involved in politics, as well as work as a professor. He meets Tanwa (Mile) first as a laid-back musician, son of a politician, and then as a 10th year college student. The two opposites slowly attract while working together. Meanwhile, Trin's uncle Krailert (Son) is a colonel, and in charge of some major political deals. Political reporter Naran (Euro) has been digging up dirt on him in an attempt to reveal the corruption in the military and their politics. Unknowingly, the two start communicating via newspaper column music reviews, and when they finally meet in person, the chemistry is undeniable. The political opponents fall in love as a rebellion is brewing, and being on opposite sides of a country nearing war is never the right place for love to thrive.

Truly, Son and Euro STOLE THE SHOW! The TENSION and the heartache was incredible - what's more heartbreaking than a love that seems impossible? In my opinion, some of their scenes were....unnecessarily long and explicit, but the directing was so wonderful I can't even really complain. The politics involved in their relationship was absolutely incredible to watch, and their backstories only added to the complexity of their relationship. The biggest downside of this show in my opinion was that they weren't the main characters. While I love Mile and Apo, their relationship didn't seem all that important; particularly, Mile's character seemed to play very little role in the plot besides being Apo's love interest. Their relationship was still great to watch, though I think the fun in it lied much more with Trin's slow realization that he was into Tanwa than with the relationship itself. Still, this show is absolutely worth watching, and props to beoncloud for making a show that is so unique!

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NO MATTER HOW DARK THE NIGHT IS WE WOULD SEE EACH OTHER.

i cried until my heart ached when the series ended. the characters and everything that happened to them devastated me.

trin and tanwa's story had a beginning and an end, but no development. those feelings of love vanished in the last episode. it was terrible that trin left without saying a word. tanwa put more effort into that relationship than trin, and in the end, he was the one who was abandoned. but it was still promising that he didn't give up. their relationship was a bit dull, and i think that was trin's fault.

kailert and naran's story had development, but no conclusion. okay, they didn't end up together, but at what cost? i would have loved to finally see naran. i personally would have loved to find out what happened to him after time passed. everything that happened to kailert was horrific. i don't know if it was necessary. but it's true that i started sobbing when i saw that evil woman was pregnant. i'm sure the part where kailert told trin, "live for me." killed us all.

victor was one of the saddest characters, but i knew someone was going to die anyway, and he was the one.

the series was very good, but i watched it for the supporting couple. their story was more interesting, and i knew it would end badly. naran opening up to his girlfriend was something i expected. i expected the same from kailert, and he did. he was both right and did it out of love. but he gave up his own life to protect naran. old time gays are extra heartbreaking. i haven't cried this much in a long time.

the music was perfect. absolutely perfect. the production, the way it was shot, and the colors were beautiful. it was a very well-crafted series. but the rushed storytelling at the end made it less than perfect. the last episode was quite lacking. but everyone's acting was excellent.

and i want to say one last thing; "don't worry. we will live for you and keep your story alive. "

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A Category of Its Own

I highly do not recommend this series to anyone expecting a cute and happy romance set in the 60s. This show falls under the category of queer media and not BL. It's politically heavy, with the romance being a naturally integrated part of the story rather than its main focus. It preserves a serious and realistic tone for the most part, but also mixes in lighthearted moments and elements of idealism that sometimes fit and others feel a bit out of place.

Watching this show requires attentiveness. It took me a while to warm up to it, because I felt a bit lost at the early episodes. Having at least a general idea of the political landscape of that period, might get you immersed to the plot much faster, without that of course being a necessity, since a lot of the themes addressed more or less transcend borders to other countries as well.

Regarding the acting, the series has a great collection of very capable people who portrayed the complexity of their characters in the best way possible. I have to point out how much I enjoyed Mile in the role of Tanwa, especially due to the striking contrast to his most known role of Kinn. He pulled off his part magnificently, showcasing his range as an actor.

Overall, it was a good show—deep, well made with beautiful cinematography. I do recognise its thematic significance and value, but at the same time it didn't leave me with a long lasting impression as a viewer. I found the premise interesting, but at times it felt like too many things were happening within just eight episodes, or that some dialogue was a bit stilted, just to create a dramatic or poetic impression. I liked the characters as well, but I didn't connect with them that much. Even so, they were properly fleshed out and the show still managed to resonate emotionally through some impactful scenes.

It has its own unique character as a story, and I do recommend it to anyone who looks for something different to watch.

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