O Efeito (2019)

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.

Leia Mais

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.

Leia Mais

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)

Leia Mais

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 🤒🤒

Leia Mais

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 ~~

Leia Mais

Traumatizing!!

at first I thought they both will fall in love and be happily ever...as the episode proceeds as the the name suggests the effect of the social media,sorrunding and. Others opinion start to effect shin and the reaction of shin create a worse reaction on keng....I really hated keng .....I know he is not stable he does get any support from his parents. ..but if he ever love shin truly he would never do that ....also recorded that ....after everything shin has to go through he just come and sorry.... I was tired and feeling sleepy though I decide to watch the series.......but then the scene where keng as****t appear. I was shivering and traumatize......thinking what the hell happened..i appreciate series maker that the moral or meaning behind the story is truly certified ..

Leia Mais

If you are sensitive with rape and physical abuse DO NOT watch it

do not watch this series if you are sensitive to rape…
I really liked how James portrayed his character he is an amazing actor!
However, this series may cause you to be uncomfortable towards the end, it may seem like those stereotypical series in the start but afterward it became very serious and sad.
I couldn’t stop crying from the scene when it happened till the end.
I was very disappointed when James’s character agreed to not report what happened to anyone!
But overall this series talk about very serious matters and how some people get treated by the stronger ones.
This series is very underrated I liked the acting and the story a lot!

Leia Mais

~The effect~

The actors did a very nice job I think.
They played their roles so well!
The effect contains so many things some people are struggling with in life,which is good cause I feel like these toppics don't get enough attantion..
For me its just a bit confusing that one time Shin was happy,then something terrible happened.
For example in the last scene..Like I thought it would be a nice ending?😭
Anyways,I'm glad Shin had his 2 friends Pramote and Bright and also his supportive parents.
They all were there for him.
On his worst and best days,and this is what he deserved:)
And about Keng: I know some people hate him,and ofc I don't like him and what he did was not OK,but I also felt a bit sorry for him..Let me explain:
I think his parents weren't really nice..Like I don't mean that they didn't love him,but did they ever show him love? Or cared about what he wanted and made him happy?
I don't think so..And maybe it was also the society,the things people said,which made him like that..It's not an excuse,but maybe also shows us,that things we do or say may be forgotten for us someday,but often the person who experienced it, doesn't..We should all look at ourselves and others:)
Unfortunately it just had 3 episodes,but I'm happy they made this series.

Leia Mais

It's a REAL LIFE CASE... NOT a sweet & fluffy BL

I never write a review before this, but I think it's unfair if the rating is so low...

I put off watching this after 3 years because of its low rating, but now I REGRET it.

This drama is more real-life and relatable than you might ever thought of.

Story (9.8/10):
It's actually a pretty common case for those who likes to watch criminal podcast/stories.

How many times have you read/watch crime stories of rape because of jealousy/love/misunderstanding?

How many times (especially in Asia) that the one people blame/badmouth in social media is always the victim?
Even though the victim do 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴.

And no one can really imagine how much pain and grief that all of these victims are going through from time to time. It will become their trauma and bad dreams forever.

What I like the most is the friends dynamic/chemistry. It's also a reminder that no matter what happens in your life... Never give up and know this:

𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱.
𝗦𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂.

I also like the fact that they don't romanticize rape or both of them 𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗨𝗣 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗔𝗣𝗘, like MOST of the popular BL. Just cause they're handsome.

Cast/Acting (7.5):
The chemistry between the friends are amazing. But for the lead actors, I think it needs improvement.
James (Shin): I think he did his best with his facial expression, but his body language is not supporting it.
Oat (Keng): Lack of facial expression and chemistry.

Music/Production (9/10):
I like the piano soundtrack the most. Anyone knows the name? I can't find the OST of this drama except the ending song.

Overall: Most of the story flow is good, except a bit of plot holes.

Room of Improvements:
1. What's with the cliffhanger ending? Who get struck by a car?
2. Why Keng's parents that originally strict with Keng suddenly loosen up once their boy did mistakes? It isn't explained clearly.

Leia Mais

Thoughts about the series..

At the 1st ep. I admit that i have that hope that they will follow the light story in the novel and at 1st here I saw that these series contains 12eps or 8 if I'm not mistaken, and I am shocked that it end in just 3 episodes.. the transition of the series are so rushed and din't even highlight the love story of Bright and Pramote that may give a slight fluffy touch to the heavy story.. its kinda sad that the talent of the actors are not emphasized in the series there could me more within it but all of these are just my opinion but since its based on a novel I see that they just followed it.

Leia Mais

The Effect you feel after watching it ...

I am so disappointed with this!!!

This drama started off so well and so cute and loving, and I was really hooked onto it, then all of a sudden it took a 365 to the dark side and I was shocked and left with my mouth hanging.

I just cannot belive the turnaround of this whole drama!! From the start it gave me an idea on what I should be looking for, the every possible EFFECTs of the things we say or do. As for Newton's Third Law of motion states: "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". For every EFFECT there is a CAUSE. One does not do an action without a reason behind it. The reason may be obvious, deliberate; but it could be also hidden or unaware to the person doing the action.

For me this drama touched on everything that does happen in soicety and life, in an unadulterated way features topics that seemingly people just sweep under the rug. (1) rape, (2) rumor mongering on social media, (3) suicide and (4) implied mental issue. Yes, number 1 and 3 have already mentioned in other BL series, but the way this series presented those is raw, graphic and it did not sugar-coat it. For the forth topic which is "mental health" is not that obvious, you need to analyze every detail from the start down to the very last scene. One needs to be very objective and it will be hard to do it with this very emotional show to see things through. It is presented in a way to raise awareness. The kind of EFFECTs any of the mentioned above could have is what the series wants to focus on, The power of social media. This is what consuming the society nowadays. With the information age at hand, it can bring out the bests in people as well as the worsts.

The Acting was real and raw and got to see how each character dealt with all of the above issues that took place.

The name of this drama is really fitting for this kind of drama, because it does a leave an effect on you, or a little reminder of what really goes on out there in the real world and how the above points do get dealt with. this was an emotional filled roller-coaster of a mini-drama. It was a bittersweet reality check that often doesn't get told in the BL world. Statistically, women and girls are abused and raped at an alarming rate, however, for men and boys those numbers are not a clear-cut because majority of them do not report their abuse and rape.

My Final & Overall, This is way too traumatic that even myself would not dare to watch this again. Also on a negative side of this drama was the ending for me, after 5 years they see each other across the street and they both step out into on coming traffic and the screen literally goes black? Now I am lefting wondering what happened to the two of them? Apart from that it was a well thought out and put together drama that touched alot of key and real points in life.

Leia Mais