The Effect - Years later

The Effect TV Drama Series - Summary

Keng sees that Shin is sad and immediately looks for the source of the gossip, the uploader of the compromising photo. He immediately suspects Man. Man has tried to confess to him in the past but Keng rejected him, stating that he is not interested in guys. Man is now convinced that Keng lied and that he still has a chance. That was why he has tried to ruin Keng's and Shin's relationship.

Keng attacks Man and punches him in the face. He is unfortunately caught by a teacher and the rumours around the school only grows, now Keng's status of ambassador is in danger. Everyone blames Shin for this fact.

Man deletes the photo but the damage has already been done. Some time later, life gets back to normal and Shin is even invited to Keng's birthday party. There, Keng gets drunk and Shin takes him to his room. When laying Keng in bed, he falls over in a position of two people kissing. He quickly stands back up, shy and flustered. Keng was out cold so he did not notice, Shin is relived. Little does he know that Man has taken another photo and is already uploading it online. Another, even bigger scandal is not far away.

The next day at school, people are looking very funnily at Shin. He soon discovers the reason as he is getting attacked and confronted left and right by all the students again.

Shin tries to avoid Keng as much as possible now, but Keng's pursuits only grow more and more persistent. On the outside, he appears to care about Shin very much, but Bright and Pramote feels that something is off. They support Shin and shield him from the bullying as much as they can.

Keng runs to school when he learns about the uploaded photo. He confronts Man again and we discover that when he is angry, he is very violent. The fight has to be stopped by teachers.

Keng is scolded harshly by his parents for ruining their family's reputation. During the fight, his parents get to know about the relationship between Keng and Shin. They are angry, they do not want their son to ruin the family because of being gay. Keng refuses to listen to them and instead continues to come after Shin more persistently.

He goes to find him and console him. He asks Shin if liking men would disturb him and Shin says that it is okay. Keng is relieved and he feels that he still has a chance with Shin. Their encounter has however been spied on and the next day, another photo of Shin and Keng together is uploaded.

After this, the scandal is blown completely out of proportions and Keng is stripped of his ambassador position. Shin blames himself and feels really down. He ignores Keng whenever he sees him, hoping that if he gave up on their friendship, Keng's reputation can still be saved.

Keng follows Shin on his way home and insists on getting invited inside. Shin reluctantly agrees, he is ready to explain things to Keng and tell him that they cannot be friends anymore. Keng tries to appeal to Shin's heart, little shy of blackmailing him, and he confesses. He is rejected immediately.

Keng gets angry and violent. He drags Shin to his room and rapes him, thinking that Shin will come to love him this way.

Shin is now extremely scared of Keng and when the older male goes to take a shower, he runs out of his own house. He is in so much pain and turmoil that he faints just outside of the front gate. Luckily, before Keng notices that he is gone, Bright and Pramote find Shin laying on the street and take him to the hospital.

After finishing his treatment, Shin is sent home with several prescriptions. He is traumatised and completely shuts off from everyone. He is severely depressed.

Keng comes to find him in his house, scaring Shin even more. The trauma from the assault is deep. Luckily, Shin's family and his friends, Bright and Pramote, care for him and protect him from both Keng and the online storm of gossip and attacks. He is convinced that everyone now knows everything.

At school, Bright and Pramote confront Keng. The whole school gets to know that Shin is absent because of Keng.

As months pass, Shin gets better and even decides to go back to university to continue his studies. When he stands in front of the gate, he is completely overwhelmed and runs away. Keng meets him on his way back home and confronts him, trying to apologize. We discover his true personality when, after Shin rejects him again, Keng takes out a recording of the rape and blackmails Shin by saying the whole school will get to hear it if Shin does not agree to forgive him.

Shin is so traumatized that he backs away in fear and even throws up and pees himself when Keng touches him. He breaks down in tears Bright and Pramote save him and bring him back home.

Shin has now completely resigned and just want things to be over. When Keng's family come to offer shush money for Shin's family's silence – they do not want to go to court – Shin takes the money against his parents' advice. After Shin chases Keng out of his house, he hopes that everything is finally over and that he will no longer feel any pain.

Afterwards, we see Shin and his parents having dinner. Shin acts normally and pretends to take his medication when his mother reminds him. He excuses himself and goes back to his room. There, he takes out a cutting knife from a drawer and sits down on the ground with it. He is clearly conflicted. Afterwards, he is overwhelmed by bad feelings and attempts to take his own life.

Bright and Pramote are devastated when they hear the news. They find Keng at school and confront him, accusing him that it is because of him that Shin tried to kill himself. Keng seems surprised and worried about Shin. However, when Bright asks him to never see Shin again, Keng still insists that they love each other. He is under his own delusions.

After Shin gets discharged from the hospital, his parents keep an eye on him at all times, afraid that he will continue trying to kill himself. Meanwhile, Bright and Pramote got closer but are still worried about their friend. They visit him frequently and it is thanks to them that Shin is slowly recovering once more.

Keng comes to see him again, but with his family and his friends behind him, Shin rejects him firmly. He explains how he feels and Keng walks away with tears in his eyes.

Two years later, Shin graduates from university and Bright and Pramote come to his graduation ceremony. They take pictures in front of the university and they all seem happy. When they Bright and Pramote insist, they will accompany Shin home, Shin tells them that he never intends to try and take his life again and that now, he is his own new self. The two of them walk away holding hands. Shin smiles happily.

The last scene shows us first a shot of Shin standing by a road and looking onto it. The next shot shows Keng in the same position. They both reminiscent. Shin asks himself if things would have been different if he explained things better to Keng. Keng thinks that he should have listened more to Shin.

Then, they both – separately so it is unclear if they are on the opposite sides of the same road of on different roads altogether – walk into the road. Screen goes black. A car crash is heard.