A lot is happening in the Thai BL KinnPorsche, especially when it comes to emotion. And it’s all centered around complicated men caught up in an intriguing world with no clear right or wrong. Men drowning in conflicting morality who also happen to be falling in love.

But, first, let’s talk about the sex.

It’s raw. It’s daring. It’s heart-rending.

And it’s a form of communication.

There are many things about KinnPorsche that are right, from the acting to the cinematography to the story itself. But my favorite thing about this series is how they speak with their bodies, whether through touch or stares. Entire conversations are being had without a single word ever being spoken.

I should point out that I don’t need sex in a drama or film, especially when it’s unnecessary to pull the plot forward. But in KinnPorsche, sex is a separate language, especially for the complicated Kinn and Vegas. Whether you’ve read the book or are watching them on screen for the first time, it’s evident sentiment of any kind isn’t encouraged inside the mafia world. It’s a weakness. Although we as viewers haven’t gotten a chance to explore Vegas’s relationship with Pete on screen yet, I have no doubt the production will be as true to him as it is to Kinn. Kinn and Vegas express emotions during intimacy they won’t allow themselves to show otherwise. During sex, they’re emotionally weak with Porsche and Pete in a way they would never be outside of the bedroom. And it’s translated over in a beautiful way on film.

Let’s be honest, inside the mafia world we’ve been invited into, the one thing these characters do not feel is safe. There’s no safety for any of them, especially the heirs raised inside these families. The sons of the Theerapanyakul family don’t have the luxury of feeling secure, which is the reason their bodyguards become such an integral part of their lives and family.

And that’s why emotional intimacy for them is also a luxury. Being truly emotionally connected with someone during sex means feeling safe with them. And that’s why the scenes we’ve already seen between Kinn and Porsche are so powerful. Not only does Kinn allow Porsche to kiss him, he’s allowing himself to feel safe. Safe enough to let go. Safe enough to smile. Safe enough to cry.

Where there’s safety, there’s trust.

I am glad the production team and the actors were on board with relaying this kind of power on screen. I am pleased they are using sex as a way to communicate rather than simply using it to sell the series.

You don’t have to have a degree in therapy to know that sex is a way of connecting, whether it’s for one brief moment of pleasure or a lifetime. Through these scenes, KinnPorsche also connects with its audience, and it’s not purely about the physical.

And that goes for every single couple inside this series, whether they have sex on screen or not.

Although KinnPorsche is an action series heavy on the angst, the skilled writers and directors behind it have not forgotten that what makes any series unique is human connection. They chose the right kind of actors to do it and the right kind of dialogue and emotion to express it.

Although we’ve touched the most on Kinn and Porsche in the series, there’s a growing feel for each character introduced on screen. The most important thing about writing is remembering that what makes a lead character strong is how well you can build a supporting cast. To be strong requires an equally strong support system. And KinnPorsche does this by making every character the center of attention. The series keeps everyone essential and valid.

Each character and couple introduced has its own dynamic and emotional and physical intricacies.

While I enjoyed the book this series is inspired by, the drama is even more emotionally compelling. It stays true to the foundation of the characters and builds on it, but I also appreciate where these characters came from. As a published author myself, I am firmly aware that the characters of a book-inspired series or film first had a home somewhere else, and that groundwork should be celebrated.

But so should screenwriters, and KinnPorsche has some seriously talented screenwriters.

And a very dedicated cast.

Episode 7, like every episode before it, came to slay hearts. From Vegas’s evident need to release how he feels through pain, Pete’s utter fascination with that same pain, Kim and Chay’s growing feelings amidst familial paranoia, and Kinn and Porsche’s intensely argumentative dynamic, this series powerfully manages to throw a diversity of love stories at us while never losing its way.

There are many things I can say about all of the characters, but I will use this piece to focus simply on the three couples we see in Episode 7 and the intimacy they’re creating for us.

For Kinn and Porsche, their relationship in this episode and every episode thus far has been one great apology. I love how saying “I’m sorry” in KinnPorsche is literally another form of “I love you.” They make an apology powerful, and it should be. An entire love story can be built off “I’m sorry,” and that’s precisely what KinnPorsche has done with these two characters.

Kinn and Porsche are in constant conflict with each other. They are constantly causing each other pain, whether they mean to or not, and nowhere is this more powerfully relayed than through sex. Kinn’s tears after their mutual masturbation and the way he loses all control to Porsche at that moment completely crumbled the haughty walls he keeps himself locked inside. And only Porsche gets to see that. It felt intrusive to watch, and yet that’s what also made it so powerfully captivating. The way Porsche hugged Kinn at that moment and the way he held onto him says a lot about Porsche’s need for affection, and his need to be close to someone. Kinn and Porsche find release in very similar yet different ways, and that’s precisely what emotional sex is, finding a way to balance two distinct needs in one moment.

And this scene all started with Kinn saying “I’m sorry.”

A song called “Say We’re Sorry” by Loving Caliber reminds me of Kinn and Porsche every time I hear it. I recently made an edit for the show with it, and I found myself thinking long and hard about how truly powerful an apology is. A big part of Kinn and Porsche’s relationship is as much about apologizing to each other as loving each other. And that stems from two very complicated personal histories. They cause each other a lot of pain, but in the process, they’re also healing what caused them all the pain in the first place.

And it’s not exclusive to Kinn and Porsche. Pain is essentially what makes up every relationship in this series, but nowhere is the pain more physically evident than with Vegas and Pete.

Episode 7 brought Vegas into the spotlight, showcasing his enjoyment of giving pain. And yet, it also manages to showcase a depth to him that will be interesting to explore in the upcoming episodes. For those who’ve read the book and those who’ve seen the promotions, it’s no secret that Vegas’s love story is with Pete. And it’s no secret their story will center around giving and taking pain. From the calm joy on Vegas’s face when he’s torturing someone to the rapt way Pete watches it, it’s apparent their love story will hurt and heal in unexpected ways. Because giving and taking pain often stems from having too much pain already inside you. There have been subtle hints already in the series about how this couple will unite, especially from Pete. While Pete is a fun and optimistic character, there are often flashes of a darker side. He hides it well, smiling one moment and then growing serious the next. His iconic line in the series about discovering there are no heroes or villains says a lot about his mentality and the show itself.

KinnPorsche isn’t here to give audiences a clearly defined hero or villain. It takes men with both heroic and villainous tendencies and throws them into mayhem.

Kinn and Porsche grow from their “I’m sorry’s.”

Vegas and Pete grow from pain.

This brings us to Kim and Chay, a screen-worthy future couple who dominate on air in a way they did not in the book. They are the youngest sons from two very different houses and incomes. And while this wouldn’t seem like a similarity, both have to survive inside these same houses, houses full of secrets and extenuating circumstances. They may be the least problematic of the couples and the youngest of the sons, but they shoulder the burden of wanting to do more for their families while also staying away from the worst of the drama to follow their dreams. And that’s going to be just as powerful as Kinn and Porsche’s apologies and Vegas and Pete’s pain.

In KinnPorsche everything speaks. From the stares they share to the gestures between them to the sex, every moment expresses more than just the dialogue implies.

Honestly, KinnPorsche is the kind of series where every character can be broken down, and it still wouldn’t feel like you’ve touched on everything.

And that’s power.

The show leaves nothing unsaid. Even the sex speaks. When skin starts to talk, you know a series has won.

If you have not checked it out yet, it’s worth every single second you dare to give it. Check KinnPorsche out now on iQiyi.