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Passionate Piece of work
It’s clear that Shine is a true success in terms of writing and depth. The work on the characters, both main and supporting, is remarkable and makes them both interesting and memorable.The five main characters are all very different, but they are united by common circumstances. I particularly liked Trin, Krailert, and Victor, who, despite the trials they face, continue to fight and do their best.
I found the historical context very relevant, as the series highlights the protests in Thailand and the weariness of a youth suffering from political corruption and deprived of their freedom and money. This subject, unfortunately, remains current even in 2025.
I would have liked the series to explore the potential love triangle between Trin, Tanwa, and Victor more deeply. Victor was rejected too soon. I also felt that the relationship between Trin and Tanwa deserved more development. Their couple doesn't exude great passion; it feels more like two people just having a good time together without worrying about tomorrow, even if Trin tries to clarify things. Tanwa's indecision and his inhibited side don't help.
In contrast, the relationship between Krailert and Naran is much more intense and passionate. They understand each other without needing to speak, but they have a lot to lose. Both are already in relationships, making their homosexual love impossible to live out in the open, which makes them very complex characters.
My favorite characters remain Krailert and Victor.
Krailert leads a difficult life. As a soldier, he is a victim of blackmail and repeatedly loses people he holds dear. He tries to do his best, but fate is against him. Furthermore, he suffers in silence from not being able to openly live his homosexuality. This is reflected in his personality: he is constantly on guard, as if he expects to be attacked at any moment.
As for Victor, he brings a breath of fresh air to the series. However, his character, initially described as a determined activist aiming to start a business, was relegated to the role of a student madly in love with his teacher whose love is unrequited. I like him a lot, because he represents what many young people should do: fight for their rights.
I would have loved if the politics on the show were not toned down but hey it is what it is. They take a side.
To conclude, Shine is not a classic BL. Far from being a simple romantic comedy, its political approach and authenticity set it apart from other series in the genre, and I wonder if the usual BL audience will appreciate it for what it is.
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An Enjoyable Confusing Show
Milklove released their second series, featuring June and Mewnich as the second main couple, aiming to give the story more depth. The series had a promising start and an interesting plot, but, as usual, the writers seem to enjoy throwing ideas at us without ever developing them or giving them any real impact on the storyline. As a result, the whole thing ends up feeling confusing and sometimes frustrating.There were quite a few issues with the show :
The lack of conflicts between characters, as everything gets resolved too calmly.
The way the relationship between Champoo and Toonam was handled very poorly, even though Champoo’s emotional scene was touching.
That said, there were also positive aspects. The series nicely highlighted :
The importance of a supportive community and how it can help you overcome hardships.
The way grief was portrayed, handled with sensitivity.
And especially the relationship between Wan and Maewman, which was absolutely adorable and heartwarming to watch.
Lastly, I want to emphasize Milk’s acting performance, which genuinely surprised me in this series. I’m looking forward to seeing how she grows and what she will bring to her future projects.
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A Refreshing and Well-Built Surprise
Honestly, I really enjoyed this BL! The concept was original, and I felt there was real character development—for both the main and supporting roles.I was especially moved by Thun. He seems cold and violent at first, but he turns out to be the complete opposite: sweet, deeply loyal, and ready to do anything for the people he loves. Keen also pleasantly surprised me. I was afraid he’d be portrayed as passive or fragile, but not at all—he truly takes control of the situation with strength and confidence.
I also liked Sian Therp. At first, he didn’t leave much of an impression, but later on, he becomes a proper antagonist, which added good tension to the story.
If I had one small regret, it’s that I wish we had seen more moments of friendship within the group. It would’ve emphasized even more how Keen found a new family. Still, the emotional build-up was definitely there.
Visually and story-wise, it was refreshing to watch. Some episodes were over an hour long, which could feel like a lot, but honestly, the pacing made them fly by.
And I can’t finish without mentioning Itt and Mawin’s love story—I loved it! They’re totally different from each other, yet so complementary. And Mawin is such a brat—it’s incredibly entertaining.
I recommend this BL!
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A Dark and Violent BL, but Striking
The Bangkok Boy is truly a dark and violent BL. It’s very different from anything I’ve seen so far. There was really good character development for Peace and Sun, both in their relationship and in their personal growth.The series mainly focuses on their individual journeys – how losing loved ones can break you forever, or how blindly following a parent without ever saying no can completely ruin your life.
For me, this isn’t a love story; the romantic aspect is really secondary in the plot, at least from how I saw it while watching.
It really annoyed me that the villains I hated the most managed to get away with everything.
Still, I do recommend this series.
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A Visually Impeccable and Moving Series
I absolutely loved ! The direction is excellent, with beautifully shot scenes and colors that tell a story.Akin is the most striking and endearing character. He endures every misfortune and cries from episode 3 to 11, but his sincerity makes him very human. On the other hand, Jin is often in the background, and his behavior is sometimes strange, even aggressive (the hospital kiss, his reactions to Akin's assaults).
I was disappointed by the lack of development for Johnny and Jade. We didn't get enough time to truly despise Johnny, and Jade deserved more depth.
The series effectively exposes agency tactics for promoting or ruining artists, which is sad but realistic. Boom's acting is excellent, and I hope he wins awards!
I highly this series!
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Entertaining, but Lacking Depth
This series offered some good entertainment, and the acting was solid. However, the rest left me wanting more.The main issue? A lack of in-depth character development. We're left with many unanswered questions and storylines that often feel **rushed or unfinished. It's frustrating when characters don't evolve or when their arcs remain incomplete.
The relationship between Wan and Pleng particularly bothered me; I found it clearly toxic. Wan is constantly insistent, both physically and morally, making it seem like Pleng has no say and is subjected to heavy guilt-tripping. Despite this, I must admit that the sexual tension between Wan and Pleng is remarkably well-executed. It's an interesting paradox, but it's not enough to redeem the core dynamic of their relationship.
One positive point worth highlighting: the character of Ek genuinely made me laugh. Their appearances brought a welcome touch of lightness.
In conclusion, while entertaining at times and well-acted, the series suffers from significant shortcomings in terms of character development and narrative coherence.
I don't recommend it
**Rating: 4.5/10**
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Falling asleep
In general, I enjoy the series, even if I find it rather slow. It's hard to explain, but there doesn't seem to be much going on, while we're discovering important elements about the characters.I find that the story is more about family than romance between women. There's certainly a love story between two young women, but what really interests me is family dynamics.
06/10/2025
With news eyes the show is pretty boring
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Something fun to watch
If you want to discover a live-action adaptation of a shonen, this is the series for you. The character of Yun Ga Min is particularly endearing, surrounded by his friends. I also appreciated that the female characters were not relegated to the background, but had a real story to tell. Although it's not the main theme, some of the harassment scenes really worried me.Was this review helpful to you?
Heartsopper for the girls
I really enjoy stories featuring teenage characters. Although “23.5” isn't a coming-of-age series, it nevertheless has the beginnings of one, as Ongsa, over the course of the episodes, begins to open up and gain self-confidence.I really enjoyed the acting in Milk and Love, which was really believable in its role as a high school girl, especially when you know how old they really are.
I really enjoyed the ending, where we see the evolution of all the characters. It's a bit reminiscent of the British series “Heartstopper”, which I really like.
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Thank You Philippines
I really enjoyed the story of Luna and Harry, two characters with diametrically opposed personalities, but who share one thing in common: they live by night. Harry works as a radio presenter, while Luna produces simplified science magazines. Their characters are very different: Harry is radiant and organized, while Luna is rather reserved and seems a little lost in her life. I found the story simple, but extremely enjoyable.The originality of this series lies in the fact that the characters are disabled. Harry uses a wheelchair, while Luna suffers from a sleeping sickness that forces her to sleep during the day and be full of energy at night. I really liked this aspect, as it's rare to see young women with disabilities on screen, which is a real breath of fresh air.
As for the acting, I have nothing negative to say. The chemistry between the actors is palpable and contributes greatly to the series' appeal.
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Loved Junxi, Hated Tuo
It’s a very easy series to watch, with the classic clichés of the childhood friends to lovers trope.I really liked Junxi’s character, as well as the female characters who, although they had only minor roles, deserved more visibility and their own story arc.
On the other hand, I really disliked Tuo’s character. If I had been in Junxi’s parents’ place, I would have said no to this relationship.
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They tried but it is a miss
I really enjoy how gay and flamboyant this series is it’s refreshing and different. However, compared to the two previous anthologies, it feels a bit all over the place and you end up getting lost. To me, having only a few episodes doesn’t mean a series can’t be good.There isn’t enough time to get attached to the characters. The humor is nice, but when it’s overused, it kind of ruins things a bit, in my opinion.
I really like the cast. I hope Fluke, Lego, Soodyatch, and Neo get to appear together in another series, because they work really well as a group.
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Good idea, Bad execution but at least they tried
What can I say about GMMTV's most anticipated series? Personally, I really enjoyed it. Even though I think 10 episodes would have been enough, I became genuinely attached to the characters and their different life journeys.My favorite characters were Bambi, Shasha, and Gorya. They all had strong and interesting personalities, but what also stood out to me was their fashion. Their outfits felt fresh and innovative for a GL series, and I really appreciated that because we don't usually see characters dressed like that in this genre.
Despite all the complaints and criticism on social media, I enjoyed Girl Rules. It was entertaining in many ways and gave me exactly what I was looking for, so thank you to the series for that.
As for the couples, I really loved Shasha and Gorya, as well as Prim and Bambi. By the end, their relationships became quite similar, even though they started off completely differently. There was sexual tension, some cheating, a little bit of craziness, but not enough arguments for my taste. I would have liked to see more conflict between these couples to make their dynamics even more compelling.
I'm sorry, but I really didn't enjoy Min and Praew as a couple. Their dynamic was frustrating to watch. I didn't find Praew's persistence cute at all. It's such a shame because Min's storyline about discovering and coming to terms with her sexuality was genuinely interesting, but this relationship took away from that for me.
I also appreciated that the series touched on queer (lesbian) themes, women's issues, and mental health. Even though these topics were only explored on a surface level, I think they deserved much more development.
In any case, don't let social media opinions decide for you. Form your own opinion. The series is nowhere near as bad as some people make it out to be.
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Watchable
I was really surprised, but I ended up enjoying this series. Sure, the editing isn’t always great and the plot doesn’t always make sense, but it’s oddly enjoyable to watch and easy to binge. You shouldn’t expect anything amazing, but it’s perfect if you just want something to pass the time.Was this review helpful to you?
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A secret gem
The storyline is well developed, the scenes are beautiful, and the actresses take their roles very seriously. I especially liked the characters Tarn and Vicky they are complete opposites at first, but despite their differences, they eventually grow closer.I also really enjoyed the police aspect of the series, and the action scenes are well executed.
The only thing that bothered me was the part where Tarn is drugged and Vicky still sleeps with her. I don’t think it’s appropriate to show something like that.
I also really liked Tarn’s friends they’re very endearing. Vicky also deserved a stronger group of friends. She does have one friend, but that relationship isn’t as memorable or well developed.
Despite that, I would still recommend the series, even if it does feel a bit like cop propaganda.
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