“KinnPorsche” First Impressions (Ep. 1 & 2)

We at BL Xpress are so enamored with this adaptation that we wanted to try something new.

So, while brainstorming for ideas, our group discussion ended on an intriguing note. As such, we have decided that the review for this drama will be a team effort. Instead of one member stating their unbiased opinion; we will be dissecting the finer details related to this show as a team, make sound observations and help you figure out the intricacies that set this drama apart from most recent releases. Marketed as a mafia romance, KinnPorsche’s magnanimous production quality and talented casting has set the bar high for future adaptations. Without further ado, let’s proceed with this review- is this drama worth the hype?

Krishna Naidu

I’m not a huge fan of mafia romances; let’s get that out first. Be it MM Romance novels, dramas or movies, I mostly shy away from them. So, unlike the entire BL world, I wasn’t waiting with bated breaths for the premiere of this show. My attitude does seem callous; but that was until KinnPorsche happened. This show has tilted my world on an axis; I’m definitely surprised (or more like shocked). Like a refreshing breath of air, KinnPorsche offers an exciting palate of brilliant cinematography, unparalleled narrative and actors who know their job well. This show doesn’t tether itself to the main leads or their romanticism; we get a front-row seat to the theatrical power play that encompasses the mafia world.

Characterization is very integral to this series. The pilot episode entirely focuses on Porsche (Apo Nattawin) as we are introduced to his abysmal living conditions. Guardian to his younger brother Porchay (Barcode Tinnasit), he is saddled with responsibilities and debts. Despite these unfavorable constraints, Porsche is suave and is a star bartender at the nightclub he works. On the other hand, Kinn (Mile Phakphum) is the regal heir to his Father’s mafia empire. Seemingly cold, ruthless and business minded, Kinn’s world is a sharp contrast to Porsche’s. Mile and Apo play off these attributes well. While I enjoyed watching Apo portray Porsche’s playful attitude with a swag; we must appreciate his efforts to depict Porsche’s helplessness. Apo plays both mindsets with a singularity that is praiseworthy. You can’t help but tear up watching him play the dutiful elder brother; actions speak louder than words.

The first episode tries to downplay Kinn’s strengths; as a high energy chase leads him to the man of the hour- Porsche. The sparks are viable from the first meeting itself; Kinn seeks help, Porsche barters like it is no big deal facing off armed assassins. This fancy encounter sets the stage for their forced reconciliation. It was absolutely hilarious because Porsche would rather die than become Kinn’s bodyguard.

The hysterics continue in the next episode, where Porsche turns into the proverbial sacrificial “Mermaid” (trust me, I haven’t stopped laughing). The series squares off the narrative by focusing on the insidious facets in Kinn’s life. Although the entire world views him as the successor, he is anything but arrogant. Kinn is smart, intuitive and never speaks out of context. He is weighed down by responsibilities, because his brothers are least interested in this world. So he shoulders the burden alone, while trying to manage the internal strifes and feuds. Mile literally embodies Kinn; he has a tight control over his expressions and his chemistry with Apo is unbelievably natural. The low buzz undercurrents between these two are fascinating to say the least. The dynamics between Kinn and his Father Korn (Kob Songsit) Theerapanyakul is rather interesting. Korn is quite secretive and has his own agenda about hiring the unwilling Porsche.

While Kinn & Porsche remain at the center stage, the storyline drives home the fact that the supporting characters are as important as the mains. It could Tong Thanayut, who plays Kinn’s elder brother Tankhun with an unforgettable panache (I was totally awestruck); or the riveting world of bodyguards who train with the single-minded goal of protecting the major Theerapanyakul family. The minor Theerapanyakul family adds to the mystique as Korn’s brother Gun (Ex Piya) and his sons, Vegas (Bible Wichapas) and Macau (Ta Nannakun) make formidable allies/future enemies. There is a distinct power play that offsets their true intentions; money means control and both teams are aiming for it. Romance is an intricate part of this crime thriller, so apart from KinnPorsche; we have intriguing side couples like Vegas-Pete (Build Jakapan) and Tay-Time (Us Nititorn, JJ Chalach). Surely, there will be more character introductions in the next episode as we delve deeper into this world of deceit. How will Porsche survive in this murderous situation? Will he be able to give up on his careless attitude and mold himself to this new conjecture? How much power does he hold over Kinn? What kind of secrets is Korn hiding and why was he so insistent on hiring Porsche?

Here’s hoping that the future episodes maintain the same wavelength; because I’m entirely sold on this premise.

Kdarling

KinnPorsche stampedes out of the gate, offering the cinematography, acting, and well-developed plot many viewers are becoming starved for. And they are doing it with depth.

Centered around a family of power always in the line of fire, KinnPorsche delves into a world of violence and the personalities that grow out of it, which makes Porsche’s entry into it so interesting. An orphaned bartender and boxer trying to raise his younger brother, Porsche is a fun-loving man saddled with responsibilities and forced into a hopeless situation. Although he comes across as immature to the bodyguards he joins, Porsche is anything but naive in the world he comes from. Surviving for monetary crumbs on the streets is a lot different from surviving in a world where money makes everything possible.

And that’s the power that KinnPorsche holds. Two men. Two very different worlds. Two personalities who want to conquer the separate worlds they’re a part of. Only now, they’re forced together by a patriarch with secrets. On the streets, it’s obvious what can kill you. In a world of power, death tends to sneak up on a person. Just two episodes in, and this dynamic is the powerful glue that keeps this story strong. It has an incredible ensemble cast of interesting characters from both sides of the tracks brought together by circumstance.

If this formula holds, KinnPorsche will deliver interesting, versatile love stories to the screen viewers won’t forget anytime soon.

PotatoBLChild

Honestly, I did not expect this series to be so much this fun to watch.

Of course, with the multiple teasers and trailers, it’s not unusual to get more familiar with most of the characters from KinnPorsche. However, I take time to figure out characterisation and stuff related to it because I’m generally very slow. This is probably one of the very few times that I’ve been invested in the characters of a series from the get-go.

I blame the clowning. Fell for it hook, line and sinker.

And it’s not just Kinn (Mile Phakphum Romsaithong) and Porsche (Apo Nattawin Wattanagitiphat). Each character has so much life to them. A few more side characters are yet to make an appearance, but I’m pretty much already satisfied with what I’ve seen in the two episodes that have been released.

Both Perth (who plays Ken) and Nodt (who plays Big) have done a great job as Kinn’s bodyguards. I can’t get enough of Perth’s accent—the man has more speaking lines in two episodes of KinnPorsche than in My Engineer in its entirety. Plus, the chemistry between the minor couple we’ve been introduced to—Time (JJ Chalach Tantijibul) and Tay (Us Nititorn Akkarachotsopon)—seems so natural, just like that between Kinn and Porsche. I’m not very familiar with the novel, though, so there may be viewers who think otherwise.

The production value of the series is relatively high—I’m sure many people expected this, with the amount of time and money spent on the series. The colour palette, the set, and the clothes all scream ‘expensive’.

(Also, I’m particularly interested in Ton’s character, Tankhun, who’s Kinn’s older brother in the series. The duality is fascinating, and I haven’t laughed like that in a while.)

Yarnball

I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t on the KinnPorche hype train back when it was first announced, despite it being something everyone was talking about. But now that I’ve watched the first two episodes, I’m pleasantly surprised at how much fun it is, far from the dark, humourless story I was expecting it to be.

I really enjoyed the first two episodes – they look polished, the cinematography and fight choreography are great and the actors all do a phenomenal job of bringing the characters to life. The first two episodes are basically meant to introduce the world and some of the central characters, and I’m already intrigued by the dynamics within the surreal mafia world they’ve built. It’s so reminiscent of something out of a manga or anime, populated by an ensemble of characters who all seem to have their own personalities and fleshed-out backstories that we’ll definitely get to see more of. The entire cast seems to be some examples of pitch-perfect casting, but for me the standout performances in the first two episodes are Apo as Porche, with his timing and gift for physical comedy, and Tong as the eccentric mafia princeling with the most fabulous of wardrobes, Tankhun.

There is a darker undercurrent running through the show, of course, given its subject matter, and I expect the levity of the second episode to be replaced with heavier story beats as the series progresses – something I’m definitely looking forward to just as much as I’m looking forward to seeing how Kinn and Porche’s relationship develops.

MychelleLove

Finally, after a very long wait, cast changes, and other issues that delayed this long-anticipated star-studded series, the pilot episode of KinnPorsche premiered on April 2nd. It did not disappoint! I’m totally enthralled with the storyline and the talented casting. Honestly, Perth Nakhun is truly amazing, a talented actor and also my favorite so far. A sharp chemistry exists between the main leads and I cannot wait to see what this show delivers.

The first episode introduces us to Porche’s (Apo Nattawin) family- his brother Porchay (Barcode Tinnasit) and his uncle Arthee (Gap Thanavate). Porsche’s brother is in university and their uncle lives with them to watch over the house and Porchay.

We are also introduced to Kinn’s family; quite an interesting match-up.

Apo Nattawin portrays Porsche way better than expected. His humorous attitude is refreshing; the first meeting between Porsche and Kinn (Mile Phakphum) is well-played off. We are first introduced to Kinn, as he is in a meeting marking his territory. This is followed by a high energy chase into the alley where Porsche is having a break from his bartending duties. Kinn seeks his help and Porsche barters with a demand of 50,000 Baht. Kinn agrees, the fight ensues and thus begins their tumultuous journey. Kinn’s Father issues a decree that Porsche needs to be indicted as Kinn’s bodyguard, but Porsche would rather die than be a bodyguard.

I’m truly enjoying this series, as I was not expecting this level of comedy. The style of storytelling is very refreshingly new and not what I thought it would be. I envisioned it to be overtly serious and at times it is; but Apo Nattawin lightens the mood with his hilarious antics.

The second episode focuses on Porsche learning the ropes to be a bodyguard and all that it entails. There are some very interesting moments as Porsche gets a firsthand experience on what happens when they commit a mistake. We also learn a little more about Kinn’s family. He has an older and younger brother. The older brother, Tankun, is quite interesting. Porsche ends up evoking Tankun’s anger, and the punishment is comical. The second episode digs deeper into Porsche’s carefree attitude. He is giddy like a kid in a candy store when asked to choose a weapon for an evening detail. At the event, however, he gets drunk and fails to protect Kinn. We are also shown a different side of Kinn’s personality. Pete, another bodyguard who befriends Porsche, explains how there are three brothers in the Theerapanyakul family. Since Kinn is in charge right now and there are many who aren’t happy with this decision, Kinn’s life is always at risk.

Two episodes in and I am really enchanted by this drama. The chemistry between the characters is reckoning; more so with Kinn and Porsche. For now, I will be truly anticipating this series on a weekly basis.

Sarinpai

I think I had lost a little of the hype for KinnPorsche over the past few months, especially during the period when it was uncertain whether the show would get made at all. The first trailer had been a banger, and after the change in production companies, I was a little wary if the delivery would be as good as expected. It absolutely was!

The show has gone in a different direction than I was expecting; it is a lot lighter, at least for now, and the serious action scenes are few and far between the comedic bits. It’s nice to see members of the mafia not taking themselves too seriously, which I suppose could be summed up as a description for the series itself. You can tell that the actors are all having a lot of fun with their roles.

I love Mile as Kinn, along with the rest of the support cast, but for me personally, it is Apo as Porsche and Tong as Tankul who really stole the show. They let loose and brought so much energy to their characters, and all of their antics brought a smile to my face. They are endearing while they dance around and steal every scene they are in, and at the same time are ridiculously charismatic. I can’t wait to see more!

Slimfastzombie1986

“KinnPorsche” is a surprising hit in my eyes. But only because it is not at all what was originally shown in the nine minutes trailer months ago. Personally, I had no idea what this new version was going to be. A stylish erotically charged mafia BL was what I was betting on. The new footage evokes dirty broken settings, which are quite mysterious. By the end of the pilot episode, I was happily surprised by the end result.

The mafia society in the series is an intricate web-based around familial connections (minus the honor aspect). It works as the sons of the mafia boss are eccentric, to say the least. Typically, Kinn being least crazy, makes him the acting successor and he seems a bit meek to be in this position; which was a nice change, because often the lead is confident, calm, and a caricature of what a boss should be. Kinn fully understands his morality and makes mistakes which humanize him. The boat scene where he stays in front of Porsche, choosing to fight him one on one but gets surprised when Porsche fights dirty, adds depth to Kinn’s character. What I enjoyed the most was his weakness, the tremble in his voice at times. The sexual tension between him and Porsche could be felt throughout the first episode.

The second episode however, felt like watching an entirely different show and was good in its own way but also really, really annoying. Mimicking a Shounen Ai anime, this episode provided 100% comedic relief and went from being a Jackie Chan action movie to a Naruto filler episode really fast. Porsche doesn’t want to be a bodyguard, which he makes very apparent with his ridiculous antics. Smoking next to a “No Smoking” sign, peeing in an ornate Koi pond as well as pissing off two of Kinn’s main guards constantly (in the hopes that he will be fired) seems to be his modus operandi. At first it was charming, but halfway through, I was done with it. Kinn’s glares at Porsche’s mistakes seemed disappointing, as he should have corrected the man.

In the first episode, he said he owned Porsche’s life but the man was constantly allowed to embarrass him. Being so drunk he let an assassin get away. I was scratching my head about how this was tolerated. Then when it came time for the punishment scene where Kinn choked Porsche in front of his peers (it was badly acted), Apo didn’t show any sign of being in pain as he was choked and Mile looked absolutely indifferent. Between that and the blocking for the action sequences being way slower and less fluid than episode one, I was confused whether the acting was just plain terrible in the second episode. Usually in BL dramas, the first episode is where the bad acting happens and it is usually fixed in the next episode. Hopefully by the third episode, we might get a more definitive formula. When Kinn trades Porsche with his brother’s bodyguard, that scene felt especially empty to me. No one seemed to care about the significance that these men were of no value to the men who owned them.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 (as PotatoBLChild put it eloquently, crossing our fingers and praying that we don’t regret this later)