This review may contain spoilers
HEAVY trigger warnings. I am not ok.
I know, I know, I should have read up on this drama and maybe watched a trailer. But I'm not used to doing that and my watch recommendation is the tag "LGBTQ"and/or "Gay Male Lead" as these usually lead me to a BL drama. This is not that. I repeat, it is NOT a BL. at least, not one where there's actual love involved (not counting the brief hand holding by the two friend characters in the forelast scene.I don't really understand the theme or message of this drama. Is it to warn against cyber bullying? The dangers of sharing and shaming on social media? If so, this could have been portrayed much clearer. The drama now focuses on the SA-event and the aftermath for Shin and Keng, rather than that.
The final scene (again: What is the POINT??) leaves room for a follow-up. IF that were to happen, I need a strong Shin who has overcome the events, a Keng who is in prison or at least very much in the gutter where he will have to remain until his final breath and a real love story as a redemption arc. But maybe we should just leave it alone. This was traumatising enough.
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SPOILER REVIEW
Be Careful, this is a dark story with lots of anguish. They cut this down to 3 episodes - and the story ends on a painful note.I probably would not have watched this if I had read the reviews. Too much reality for me, i watch shows to feel better, not worse.
Yes, it is realistic, maybe a bit too much. There is no love here, only one guys twisted, messed up mind. And the other one, passive to the point of not being able to think straight - thinking everything was his fault although he did nothing wrong. In a real life like this one, parents should have gotten both boys some serious counseling - maybe even had them admitted for counseling.
I will complement all the actors - they did a fantastic job. It's the main reason I did not rate this show lower, and also just because it was not something I would watch, does not mean I need to rate low. No rewatch value for me tho.
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I WAS WARNED WHAT WAS GOING ON!!!!
Damn, this series is very very deep and so real. It feels like this is a short film to advocate awareness about mental health issues, rape, suicide and social media craziness that can bring serious mark in someone's mind. Although this is just a 3-episode type of series, it's not boring it gives you much more to engage urself into it. I was really shooketh about how the story goes and the crazy plot twists here and there. I was so speechless especially at ep 2 when I thought Kheng broke down depressed and broken he will appreciate Shin's love and company but nah. The scene where Kheng beat and rape Shin is so so devastatingly painful (like a thousand of daggers stabbed into ur heart at the same time). Damn, u better give it up for the producer, cinematography, director...... just everything else who made this series. BIG CLAP for y'all, you really did that!!!! I was really glad the social issues, rape and suicide were tackled excellently. I never ever thought that this series is raw, deep and heart wrenching! The actors did their thing very very well. I love how this series presented the series of cause and effect of something harmful to someone else's life and those anyone or anything around them. It's just excellent, pure excellence!!!! The way the story is conveyed, I don't really think to rewatch it again but this is worth recommending to everyone. This series is really not intended for people who experience trauma (rape, suicide, mental health problems). This is one of the best yet short series out there. That's how you make a series. If it's a short one just make sure u engage ur audience and make sure that u conveyed the message very well. Periodt!!!Was this review helpful to you?
interesting
OK wasn't expecting the ending like everybody else has said but each character even the background characters played their roles very well. And what a wonderful story to choose to show such a heavy aspect of relationships. And how when feelings(I don't think feelings is what should be using but I hope yall get what I mean) are way too strong and how they could be conveyed/ expressed wrong.Line TV always produce good bls I appreciate that, . It's the endings however like this one always leave you longing for more.
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The shock factor was there!!!!
i wanted to watch something small and happy before i went to bed and it was on my watch list so i did that. right off the bat i felt the worst feeling in my gut. i connected the dots why the main character was narrating from the future so immediately i thoughht things were gonna get bad, i didnt read the description because its what i dont do often, but i cried 90% of it and the main i felt for shin is a pain i can not describe anything ever. the actors did amazing and i truly want to give both the actor shin (james) the biggest warming hug ever because he deserves it. the shock factor was there, it was all there. you never really see any dramas or shows in general showcase mental illness like depression, self harm, and so on. i indeed was right feeling the gut grenching bad feelings from the start but i did not know it was going to be this bad. i can tell most of the time or infer what may happen but oh my god. i just had to express my feelings on here about it. the ending absolutely broke me (again!) and i love when dramas end right where you have to fill all the gaps by yourself but this one. it felt, i honestly dont know how to describe. im just putting words together and such because its almost 4am but i just need to talk about this.Was this review helpful to you?
TW: bullying, stalking, rape, self harm, suicide attempt, depression, gaslighting, PTSD
If after watching the trigger warnings you think you can watch it, think again because the rape and suicide attempt scenes are VERY explicit.In BLs too often we see sexual assault/abuse scenes that are meant to be seen in a romantic way, or just ignored. Too often one main lead will force the other because they wanted it and they end up together, and that´s a trope I have always hated. In this series we see what really happens in those situations, it isnt nice nor romantic.
This shows us Keng and Man as stalkers and manipulators that believe they deserve something.
Keng ignores Shin when his feelings arent reciprocated, and rapes him. Then tries to manipulate and gaslight him.
We see Shin´s suffering, his depression, his fear of Keng and how he even tries to commit suicide.
ThingsI didnt like, or could have been improved:
1- I believe the rape and suicide attempt scene didnt have to be that explicit.
When I started this drama I already knew what it was about, but didnt expect those scenes to be so upfront.
2- I read a comment that in the novel we see alot more of Shin´s recovery, and even him helping other victims. I REALLY wish we would have gotten that in the series.
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A Compelling Drama About Real-Life Situations
I know that BL series should stay in the nice, sweet, and preferably sexy fantasy-land world of boys loving boys, no matter how they get together.This series is not one of those dramas and I am so surprised that this project was given the greenlight and produced. The cyber-bullying, harrassment, manipulation, stalking, and ultimate rape of Shin by his senior classmate P'Keng wasn't portrayed as a slight bump on the path of their journey to becoming a couple.
The series correctly showed that P'Keng's growing interest in Shin, was seriously one-sided, to the point that Shin told his new friends, Bright and Pramote, that at times he felt very uncomfortable with P'Keng's attention towards him. Shin was always used to being in the background, with not getting noticed by anyone. Unfortunately, he caught the eye of P'Keng and his life, (along with Peng's) as he knew it at that point, was never the same again. Shin idolized P'Keng. He looked up to him as a mentor, role model, and a friend. He even told P'Keng, that he had no issue with P'Keng being gay and attracted towards men, that "love was love".
How the series and the actors filmed and portrayed the scenes leading up to Shin's rape by P'Keng, the aftermath (Shin's sense of self GONE, his trust in his own judgement GONE, his belief that he was the one "at fault in making" P'Keng's rape him, led to his own failed attempt to end his life), while P'Keng's parents pay off Shin to cover up their son's behavior, because in their minds, "it wasn't a big thing", was very true to life. Even P'Keng in his delusion, truly believes that his rape of Shin, was him expressing his "love" for him. He needed to believe that his violent rape of Shin, was because Shin didn't want to accept his confession of love, after P'Keng's obessesive friend, Man, posted pictures and lies about the real relationship between Shin and P'Keng, due to his own jealously, that P'Keng didn't want him.
I even liked how the series end: both Shin and P'Keng wondering to themselves, that if they had tried to be honest with one another from the very moment that they met, maybe things wouldn't have resulted in such a way.
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A captivating Thai Series that Explores darker themes
This is a captivating series that delves in to the complex and darker themes of the unforeseeable impact of actions of people. This impact is shown through the life of a good-natured and simple character and how actions of people around him slowly destroy his life.The series centers around the life of Shin, a highly introverted individual who joins a university with no friends to call his own. There he meets Bright and Pramote and they form a strong friendship. Due to happenstance, Shin bumps in to Keng, his senior who is well liked by all due to him being smart and handsome. Keng takes a liking to Shin and tries to spend more and more time with him sparking rumors in the university. Multiple images of Shin and Keng are shared on social media and creates a storm that troubles Shin. Shin tries to keep his distance from Keng since he wants to remain unnoticed and to save him from all the negative comments and the impact these rumors are having on Keng’s life at the university. Keng on the other hand confesses his love to Shin only to be rejected. Keng, unable to accept this rejection takes drastic steps which turns Shin’s life upside down and brings him immeasurable pain.
One of the strengths of "The Effect" lies in its compelling narrative. During the first episode we see the relationship between Keng and Shin and how much they care for each other, nothing but a typical drama. But as soon as we enter episode 2, the series takes a darker turn. We see Shin getting affected by bullying online and in the university where people refuse to listen to him. We witness Keng losing his mental stability and putting Shin through the worst situations all the while justifying how much he loves him and wants to take care of him. The series takes the bold step of showing the impact of sexual assault on an individual and I appreciate the creators making Keng an irredeemable character up until the end. The series deals with difficult topics like suicide and mental trauma.
The show succeeds due to the stunning performance by all the characters. A special mention to Oat who plays Keng. His performance through out the show was exceptional. He plays a character that you can fall in love with in episode 1 but in the subsequent 2 episodes you have nothing but hatred for him. Only a stellar performance cab brings out such strong reactions from audiences. James plays the character of Shin to utmost perfection. You feel the pain of the character through the emotions he portrays during the whole show.
In conclusion, this is a gripping series that successfully explores difficult topics around rape and suicide, obsession and betrayal, bullying and friendship. One of the most well-made and highly recommended Thai series out there.
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A Somber Watch
No one could've prepared me for what I witnessed in these 3 episodes!If you're like me and are, for some reason, drawn to melancholic, somber dramas then "The Effect" is a must watch!
On the other hand, if you're not a fan of these types of dramas then I think you should pass on this one. I will say this drama definitely does need a trigger warning on it because they do touch some touchy subjects in these 3 episodes, the main two being SA and harassment.
Plot: Some vibes you can expect to see in this series is true friendship, gossip/bullying, blackmail, depression, etc. Overall, I think what makes this series different from other Thai BL's is that 100% of the conflicts that happen in this series could happen in real life and that you actually do hear stories like this happening in real life. So, I definitely think this drama will hit home for a lot of watchers, whether they've been through a similar situation, know someone who has or even simply saw/heard of an incident similar to the one portrayed in the drama.
Acting: Overall, I think all the actors did a great job in executing their roles. So I don't have much to say on that.
Also I want to say that although 95% of this drama is a kind of depressing to watch the ending actually isn't super sad and the show actually ends on an okay note (imo lol)
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Great
Top much to say. I'll write shortly. This series od soo worth watching. I cried. I laughed. I was touched. This drama took my heart. I really loved the story and the plot. Acting skills of these actors is superb. Thanks to this story you can still believe in friendship and loving and supporting family. You can see how words can hurt others and how every action even little one can be big for others. Every deed has it's effects. I really liked the family of the main lead. I live the friends. I hate dumb girls in this series.Was this review helpful to you?
This is BL reality at best....
This is not a show id recommend to my fluffy Bl fans at all. Shin is really someone I can relate to and after watching this series its triggering alot of memories and emotional unpent shit.I really loved the casting and all the emotional outburst from them.
It's really good to broaden your idea about some experiences despite not having a clue what the victims experienced in that particular state.
Hinestly, I almost dropped the show after the whole rape incident..... it wasn't something I'd wish for Shin at all. Thought this was going to have a really good ending but alas. Guess I have to expect some bad endings too for shows as well. Better have a worse ending than cancel the show ??
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This review may contain spoilers
We all have a lesson to learn from this show...
(this review isn't a spoiler review, however, I do mention some information that may come accross as spoiler.irst of all, I have been wanting to watch this series for a while but kept postponing due to the comments on how we should be mentally prepared to watch it, which also oddly made it even more intriguing. I finally did watch it and I agree - you need to be mentally prepared to watch a show like this one.
That being said, was it as "traumatizing" or "life-ruining" as so many comments say? No. It was definitely shocking, dark and heavy but I wouldn't deem it extremely traumatizing or life-ruining, unless you can relate to the mc on a deeper level such as having experienced what he does first hand. There's only so much we, as viewers, can feel and relate to. However, of you do suffer from ptsd or are triggered by mentions/depictions of r*pe, violence, self-h*rm, su*c*de, etc, I would recommend you to stay away from this show.
I also want to point out this isn't really a BL show so if that's what you're looking for maybe this isn't the right choice. The theme of this show goes so much beyond that and explores way heavier themes that not everyone is ready to witness.
Overall, it's an 8 for me.
x STORY x
The main focus on the show is, as the title says, on THE EFFECT. The Effect of what people do, what people say, what people think. The effect of every little thing we do in our daily life, that to us is minimal, but to others can be life-changing or, in this case, life-ruining. Actions have motive and consequence. This show highlights that in a very dark, realistic way. That's really what makes this show so uniquely heavy, how realistic it is.
We follow our MC, Shin, as he starts university, makes his first friends and begins what should be one of the happiest moments in his life. We're then introduced to Keng, who is a university senior, an ambassador, who's so popular everyone knows who he is. And then we see how these people's lives intertwine and literally, have an effect on each other. The show then explores their friendships and how everything affects everything, and I mean - everything.
A thing such as rumors on social media can literally destroy lives and this show depicts that very realistically, tangling it up with mental health to give us a real emotional rollercoaster in the most horrifying way possible. The deterioration of Shin's mental health is gradual and it makes the viewer feel so bad because we're unable to help, we can only watch - that's how immersed one becomes on the themes dealt with in this show.
Episode 1 is light and rainbows and flowers and then it's from episode 2 onwards that it gets really scary.
Episode 2 ends on a way too terrible note. But really, what needs to be highlighted is every single action of someone has a motive and consequence, the effect, there's the effect that propels the action and then the effect that action ends up having. Really couldn't have chosen a better name for this show.
Episode 3 is the culmination of all the feelings ever shown on the show, love, happiness, fear, anger, shame, guild, sadness, pain, etc. It's heavy and difficult to watch, especially because this is a show where it's difficult to be impartial and not feel anything towards the characters/events. It becomes quite painful even.
x ACTING x
I have to say, the acting in this one surprised me. I didn't know what to expect in terms of acting but this was super well acted. I have to applaud James as Shin - you can see every single emotion in his eyes, how brightly they shine in the beginning and how dull they are by the beginning of episode 3. Oat also did a great job as Keng - the ability to portray almost two completely different people, the contrast of Keng in episode 1 and in episodes 2 and 3 is just way too massive and he did it flawlessly.
x MUSIC x
I never know what to say when it comes to musical value in dramas as I don't really care about it but here I can say the music score was very well thought-out and chosen. A few scenes made me sad but it was truly the background music that had tears well up in my eyes. It was the music that led me to cry in a few scenes too. It just goes along very well with the scenes it is inserted in.
x REWATCH VALUE x
If being completely honest, this isn't a show that I say I want to watch again the future. I mostly usually rewacht shows that make me feel safe and that bring me joy or shows that really made an impact on me. I might rewatch a show if I'm watching with someone else. And this might be the case for this one. While it isn't a show that'll bring me joy if I rewatch it, quite on the contrary, it is a show I feel like more people should see and I would like to watch it together with my friends so we could discuss the themes and topics inserted in it.
x OVERALL x
Overall, this isn't a show I enjoyed watching per se but watching it makes me feel like I learned something, that it somehow made a tiny part of me grow. I love it when shows make me feel this, like the time I spent watching them was worth it. I also want to say that maybe I'm broken? Cause in most reviews I saw people said that this show ruined their mood, left them with too heavy of a heart or that wouldn't recover from it. I am okay. I'm okay after watching this. I am genuinely okay. I do have a bit of a heavy heart and I'll probably think about this show in the future but maybe it's because I had prepared myself to watch it when mentally prepared so I was in a good head space for it but truly, while it was impactful, I do find some reviews a bit exagerated. And I'm a person who tends to cry and be overly emotional. I guess it really depends on people and their life experience.
However, as stated above, no matter how this show affects you, we all have a lesson to learn from it - reflect well on what it is before you say or post anything online and offline.
Stay safe and well everyone ~~
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