Tirak Café Boutique
Context
What are Girls' Love (GL) series?
Girls' Love (GL) or Yuri is a genre of fiction focused on romantic or emotional relationships between female protagonists. Thai GL series are the most well-known and are increasingly gaining popularity, especially in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and urban Europe.
Beyond romance, GL stories often address sensitive and complex topics such as coming-of-age struggles, social pressure, family expectations, age gaps, queer visibility, taboos, and social inequalities. These themes add depth to the narrative and resonate with audiences seeking nuanced and meaningful stories.
Thai GL content continues to improve in quality and popularity, with consumption concentrated on specific platforms such as YouTube, Netflix, and ReadAWrite.
Why GL are so popular ?
Openness & acceptance
The rise of the Thai television series industry reflects the growing acceptance of gender diversity and openness to LGBTQ+ representation. Embraced by both Thai and international audiences, these series celebrate love and inclusion while highlighting the progress of Thai society.
While same-sex couples still face challenges such as social pressure and family expectations, GL series play a crucial role in increasing visibility and fostering understanding of LGBTQ+ lives. They portray diverse relationships, highlight struggles, and address unresolved societal issues. By bringing these stories to the forefront, GL content has helped advance the recognition and acceptance of gender diversity and lesbian relationships, contributing to meaningful social change in Thailand.
Quality of storytelling
One of the driving forces behind the success of Thai GL series lies in their exceptional storytelling quality. Over time, these series have evolved to more accurately reflect the realities of LGBTQ+ communities and contemporary social contexts. Many feature compelling narratives, endearing characters, deep explorations of themes and conflicts, and the talent of dedicated actresses and producers who bring the stories to life. This combination offers both emotional resonance and valuable life lessons. By blending heartfelt romance with relatable struggles, Thai GL productions elevate the television experience and make it captivating for a broad audience.
Artistic creativity
Thai GL series stand out for their narrative creativity across a wide range of genres, from teen romances to historical dramas and crime thrillers. This versatility offers not only exciting and engaging experiences but also broadens the visibility of LGBTQ+ stories. By weaving rich narratives with unique concepts, Thai media demonstrate their progressiveness and commitment to portraying LGBTQ+ relationships with depth and authenticity.
Powerful social message
Highlighting the diversity of LGBTQ+ experiences in Thailand. By presenting various forms of love and relationships, these series break down social barriers and challenge traditional norms, promoting greater inclusion. Thai GL series amplify the voices of lesbian couples in Thailand, bringing their experiences and the challenges they face to life.
Impact on international audiences
Thai GL productions are now gaining traction internationally. Producers see this momentum as an opportunity to spread LGBTQ+ content beyond Thailand. To reach global audiences, fan meetings and concerts are organized, creating a personal connection between fans and the stars of these series.
A notable example is the FreenBecky FaBulous FanBoom in MACAO, a fan meeting featuring Freen and Becky, the popular duo from Gap: The Series. The event sold out in just two minutes and drew nearly 2,000 fans, demonstrating the strong international appeal of Thai GL content.
Some dramas
Gap
“Gap: The Series” (786 million cumulative views on YouTube): a romance between a young intern and her boss — a story that intertwines feminism, social hierarchy, and forbidden love.
Blank
“Blank: The Series” (228 million cumulative views on YouTube): a love story between Nueng and Anueng, two women separated by a sixteen-year age gap. The series explores the challenges their relationship faces due to family and social norms.
Love senior
The story follows Manao, a new student, and Gyoza, the head of the hazing (orientation) section, who turns out to be cute and charming. Their relationship develops through initiation activities, an engineering competition, and the emergence of romantic feelings.
Petrichor
Petrichor focuses on solving some murders while addressing numerous social issues such as police corruption, abuse of power, and even workplace misogyny.
